An Apocalypse Waiting To Happen

It has been close to two decades since I have been attempting to alert the leaders who have the power, and the authority - about the potential risk posed by the location of vehicle fueling stations within or, in close proximity, of human dwellings. I have been trying to encourage authorities to consider relocating Thimphu’s fueling stations to safer and less risky locations – away from centers of human habitat.

Thus far, my concerns have been nothing more than a call in the wilderness. But I would like to emphasis once again that the dangers are real – it is an all-consuming inferno waiting to break out.

One of Thimphu's six vehicle fueling stations

To be fair, according to the following article from where the above image was extracted, it appears that Thimphu Thromde was not entirely unaware of the dangers posed by the perilous location of Thimphu's vehicle fueling stations. However, it appears that public safety and human life and property were considered to be of lesser value than some other loftier considerations, due to which the case never saw the light of day:

https://thebhutanese.bt/thimphu-thromde-determined-to-acquire-bod-land-and-relocate-fuel-depot/#google_vignette

Not a single day passes by without the news of a calamity happening some place around the globe. There are wars breaking out - there are news of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, plummeting aircrafts, of raging wild fires, flooding and of tornadoes and cyclones devastating human dwellings and properties on a daily basis.

In the first four months of this year alone, Bhutan has recorded 25 forest fires across the country, with Thimphu topping the list. Some of the fires have blazed on for weeks, destroying many hundred acres of prime forest land. Now we are warned of the likelihood of GLOF, caused by Thorthorme lake and, perhaps, many other lakes that are quietly on the swell, caused by glaciers melting at an alarming rate!

People tell me that it is a sign that God is punishing the human race for electing a lunatic like Donald Trump to power. Jokes aside, for me, it is a sign that we are paying for our irresponsibility - nature is rebelling against us for what we did to it - it is clear that it is no longer willing to be tolerant.

There is no gainsaying that human race’s acts of recklessness are beyond redemption. The ferocity and the regularity with which nature is dealing us its displeasure tells us that we are incapable of building any effective fortifications against it’s power and intent – all that we can do is try and give ourselves a modicum of chance – by trying to forestall that which is inevitable - for as long as we are able to.

Trust me, the mind can see what the eyes can’t! REMEMBER, to have to arrive at a point when leaders have to say sorry means that we are already too late.

Stoically Sits The Buddha

These days early morning vehicular traffic gridlock extends from Lungtenphu RBA camp to all the way to Luntenzampa overhead bridge. And while you are waiting to untangle yourself from the snarl-up, your attention is drawn to the following scene on the hillside across the river to the left of you:

Kuensel Phodrang as seen today - littered with make-ship blue plastic sheet tents

The impassive Buddha Dordenma sits serenely – mute, eyes half closed and lifeless – unable to raise a finger even as his domain is desecrated with close to a hundred makeshift blue plastic sheet tents set up by His staunch believers seeking a fast ticket to Nirvana.

Kuensel Phodrang was/is supposed to be a sanctified space of prayer and worship – a sphere of unhindered greenery. In June 2 of 2015, this green space saw the setting of a world record - Bhutan entered the Guinness Book of World Records when we planted 49,672 tree saplings in an hour.

Just for the Guinness Book of World Records

In June of 2021, yet another initiative saw the plantation of few thousand tree saplings by a voluntary group called the Bhutan Forest Restoration. I was so taken up by the initiative that I wanted to help build water tanks in order that the plantations can be watered from time to time. I even started to work on a Global Grant Project in the USA and the UK – for the supply of 2 mobile Water Tankers. Sadly, I was informed that no structures constructed with manmade artificial material (plastic/cement/metal) would be allowed to come up within the periphery of the plantation area.

The next best thing I did was donate an automated mechanical Earth Auger Machine that could dig 3 sapling holes into the parched earth of Kuensel Phodrang - every one minute. The idea was to make the process of digging less laborious, and to hasten the speed of digging the pits for planting the saplings. It cost me close to Nu.70,000.00 of my private money.

German made STIHL Earth Auger Machine donated to hasten the process of digging the pits

And now - what do I see? - another example of the mindlessness of the Bhutanese people. How could they have allowed setting up of plastic tents in such a holy place that has seen repeated greening efforts?

The plantation at Kuensel Phodrang overaken by human dwellings made of blue plastic sheets

Can you imagine the state of the plantation in Kuensel Phodrang? It is enough to make you want to cry in helplessness!

Bhutan’s Press Freedom: Why Speaking Out Is an Act of Patriotism

Some 16,000 kilometers and a dozen time zones away, in a distant land called the United States of America—a country considered first among First World nations and populated, we are constantly reminded, by highly educated and knowledgeable people—the electorate chose a proven nutcase as their President. At our ostensibly safe remove, we watch gawk-eyed at the ludicrousness of the American people’s choice.

Closer to home, we are rattled by the news that India launched Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, in retaliation for its role in the cowardly murder of 26 Indian and Nepalese tourists in Pahalgam, a town in the Indian state of Kashmir.

And now, as if we did not have enough to worry about, comes the shameful revelation that our beloved country’s press freedom ranking has plummeted a stupendous 119 places—in just four years!

This is simply incredible. Article 7 of our Constitution explicitly grants us “freedom of speech, opinion and expression”, including the “right to information”. With all that going for us, what the hell are we doing scrapping the bottom of the ladder? My hunch is that it has to do with the League of the Three Monkeys.

The First Monkey and leader of the pack:

The footloose Dasho who thinks he has the power to supercede the Constitution and decide that he can interpret press freedom in a way that makes it convenient for him to cover up his own failings.

The Second Monkey:

The foot soldier and the custodian of the Fourth Estate who is so feeble that he allows himself to be trampled all over by the First Monkey—effectively surrendering editorial independence to rank outsiders with vested interest.

The Third Monkey:

The self-righteous Bhutanese who prefers to stay muted, under the mistaken belief that self-censorship is an act of patriotism and loyalty, and that remaining hushed is a sign of maturity and wisdom.

It is sad. We have so much potential, nature has been so bountiful to us, and our leadership toils tirelessly and with unflinching hope and faith. Yet we squander our good fortune through cowardice and aloofness, because being truthful is mistaken for being courageous. In today’s Bhutan, frankness—being forthright and speaking boldly—is considered dangerous. 

I have been told repeatedly by readers that I am “brave” to write the things I do—a sentiment with which I completely disagree. To bite one’s tongue when one’s country is facing monumental challenges is unconscionable. The result of our free-floating and often baseless anxiety is that Bhutanese citizens are too afraid to claim the right to express themselves freely.

I myself have experienced unjust treatment in the hands of those who took upon themselves the role of moral guardian. In 2012, BBS TV silenced me because I was speaking the truth, on camera:

https://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/2012/05/too-much-unrestrained-freedom-recently.html

Years later, during a media gathering, Kuensel management urged me to contribute to their paper once in a while. I agreed, although I pointed out to them that since they are the mouthpiece of the government, they may not be able to handle my unvarnished views. They dismissed my worry as rubbish, assuring me that they could handle whatever I write. Within days, I contributed an article and, true to their word, they carried the piece in the print edition of Kuensel, dated June 29, 2024:

https://yesheydorji.blogspot.com/2024/07/a-funeral-for-bhutanese-tourism.html

Two days later, however, a reader overseas wrote to tell me that my article had been removed from Kuensel’s website.

To this day, Kuensel has not told me why the article that they saw fit to be published in hard copy was scrubbed from their website. Personally, I don’t care. But it is heartbreaking to realize that after 60 years in the business, our national newspaper is clueless about the central role it plays as upholder of the nation’s conscience. 

In my view, I do not believe that there is a need to feel petty indignation at our feeble press-freedom ranking. Instead, it’s time for serious introspection.

Redefining GNH: Lump The 9 Domains And 33 Indicators - Apply Common Sense

Sangay Dema, whoever she is, spoke my mind. The following is what she wrote in yesterday’s Kuensel:

Exactly my sentiments!!!

I have said this for years – that the Bhutanese society is not a thinking society. Our whole focus is in sounding good and looking good. We excel in the art of verbosity – but we are simply INCAPABLE OF THINKING. As incredible as it may sound, we simply do not bother what may be the consequences of our thoughtless actions.

In her above article in the Kuensel Sangay Dema quotes four examples of our mindlessness - I can give you few thousand examples how unthinking we are. But I know you do not have the time to read through them all. Likewise, I do not have the time to write them all out. But just to give you an example of our mindlessness, I leave you with the following:

A year or two back, the CSO (Civil Society Organization) Authority came up with a rule that required every registered CSO to maintain a captive fund of Nu.4.0 million in the form of a Term Deposit in a bank.

I was aghast! I mean, what kind of idiots could have thought up a scheme that would make it mandatory for a CSO/NGO to keep Nu.4.0 million locked up in a bank – when the fund could be used to do good in the society – to help build shelters for the poor and the destitute; to finance the education of few rural children, to help farmers protect their crops from wildlife predation, to provide safe drinking water and improve sanitation?

I mean, don’t they know that the money that does not serve a useful purpose is useless money?

In any event, what makes the CSO Authority think that Bhutanese CSOs are so rich that they have Nu.4.0 million of idle money to be left languishing in a bank vault???? 😡

Kuche, please GROW UP!!!!