What is constant in Bhutan is that strangest and the most incredible things are a routine occurrence in a country we believe to be unique. Take, for instance, the following Kuensel’s news item:
Paradoxical: The plastic ban remained unenforced for the past 20 years - but it will be reinforced - perhaps 20 years from hence
The headline reads, “Waste flagship programme to reinforce plastic ban”. By their own admission, the NEC had never enforced the ban for the past 20 years since its pronouncement. So how can they be “reinforcing” it? By the way, I submitted my views in writing to the government on the 19th of June, 2020 – that it is tantamount to conflict of interest - for a regulator to be appointed an implementing agency. This was in regard to “Waste Management and Stray Dogs Population Control Flagship Program” being put under the NEC. I do not know what has happened since.
According to the above Kuensel report, a business entity called DSA Enterprise in Thimphu imports biodegradable plastics but was verbally (not in writing) restrained from doing so on grounds that their variety of merchandize was harmful to the soil. The business house, on the other hand, claimed to the Kuensel that laboratory tests carried out by the company to ascertain if their product contained any harmful chemicals came out negative. So, who is lying here, and why?
Another thing I learnt from the above Kuensel report is that the plastic ban applies to the plastic carry bags and not to the clear plastic bags that people pack vegetables and fruits or pulses. Does this mean that the clear plastic bags are environment-friendly?
Plastics are bad – there is no doubt about that. Regulators cannot take 20 years to enforce the ban. On my part, as a responsible citizen, I have done my little part. In my capacity as the Club Secretary of the Rotary Club of Thimphu I managed to push through a resolution by the Rotary Club of Thimphu, on 3rd of September, 2021 that reads as follows:
In a landmark decision during the Club’s Weekly Meeting on Friday the 3rd of September, 2021, the Rotary Club of Thimphu resolved as follows:
AGENDA 3:
Rtn. Yeshey Dorji proposed to the Members that our Club should henceforth decline all and any projects that have components of supply of non-biodegradable Shed Nets, Green Houses and Mulching Plastics. He said that supporting projects that require these environmentally harmful plastics is in conflict with Bhutan’s environmental friendly image. He said that the Club could, however, accept the donation of plastics that are bio-degradable and harmless to the environment.
The Club President and other Members present in the Meeting agreed with the proposal and said that we should do nothing that would contribute to environmental degradation. Additionally the Members were reminded that as of this Rotary Year 2021-2022, Rotary International had adopted a new and its 7th area of focus – ENVIRONMENT. Thus in keeping with the Rotary International’s endeavors to support the protection of the environment, all the Members agreed that Rotary Club of Thimphu will forthwith not support any agriculture projects that have components of supply of non-biodegradable shed nets, green houses and mulching plastics.
Please read more about it at:
One of the reasons why the NEC’s enforcement and regulation and monitoring have been poor has been explained thus:
“Moreover, the lack of inspectors is a challenge, he added”.
Strangely the same explanation – of lack of adequate number of inspectors – has been cited to me as the reason why the Tourism Council of Bhutan has been failing miserably in their regulatory and enforcement functions. Arising out of a most inappropriate behavior of a tourist guide on duty at Wangdue, where I saw that he was not wearing his Guide’s Badge and had his legs on the table, I was disgusted by his behavior and pulled him up by saying that it does not matter that the tourists milling all around him in the Reception area were not his guests – but that they were guests of the country. Thus he has to demonstrate the right behavior and attitude towards the visitors – regardless of whether they were his guests or not. I was so infuriated by the experience that upon return to Thimphu I immediately went to the TCB and took up the issue with them. I asked why the TCB was not monitoring such behavior from the guides when they have issued close to two dozen Do’s and Don’ts for the guides.
The Chief of the Division gave me the same excuse – that the RCSC was not giving them additional manpower to strengthen their hand in regulation and enforcement and monitoring. Now here is a piece of incomprehension that is truly baffling.
The government keeps telling us that youth unemployment is the biggest problem facing the country. If that is the case why are government departments plagued with shortage of manpower to do their jobs? Something is totally wrong here – youth leaving the country because they have no job opportunities within the country – while government institutions are moaning away that they are short of manpower.
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