Archive

…𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈-𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎 𝒔𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒍𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒗𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 By Sonam Choden Bhutan has recorded a notable increase in its snow leopard (Panthera uncia) population, rising from 96 individuals in 2016 to 134 in 2023. This represents a 39.5 percent growth, according to the 2022–2023 National Snow Leopard Survey. Despite this encouraging trend, the long-term sustainability of the species …

…𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒖𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒊𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒔, 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒈𝒍𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒚 By Kezang ChodenResidents of Sangbay and Gakiling Gewogs in Haa Dzongkhag, along with Dophuchen, Denchukha, and Dumtoe Gewogs in Samtse Dzongkhag, have grown increasingly concerned over frequent power outages persisting for more than a decade. According to affected residents, the unreliable electricity …

In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, Bhutan’s approach to AI governance offers an important alternative- one grounded not in economic expediency alone, but in cultural identity, sustainability, and the well-being of all citizens. The country’s plan to align its artificial intelligence development with the principles of Gross National Happiness (GNH) reflects both a bold vision and a necessary …

…𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚-𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 600 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒔, 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒔 𝒓𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒅𝒔 By Kinzang Lhamo A 9.518-kilometre chain-link fencing project in Ramjar Gewog has been completed, offering protection to approximately 613.1 acres of farmland and directly benefiting 275 households. Funded by the Government of India under the Project Tied Assistance (GoI-PTA) initiative, the project is being credited with reducing …

…𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 By Sonam Choden Human-elephant conflict (HEC) continues to grow as a serious concern in many parts of southern Bhutan, especially in areas bordering forested regions. One such affected area is Baepoteng-Kangdoongphu Chiwog under Tashichhoeling Gewog, where farmers have repeatedly suffered crop damage and property losses due to wild elephants. …

…𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒐𝒐𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒆𝒚 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 By Kezang Choden The current condition of the Lawala Chorten area has raised growing concern among locals and visitors alike, as it continues to reflect a poor image of one of the key entry points to the popular Gangtey-Phobjikha tourist destination under Wangduephodrang Dzongkhag. Lawala Chorten …

…𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒗𝒊𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒇𝒆𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒈𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒔 By Tashi TshewangA record 5,095 graduates have registered for Bhutan’s 2025 Preliminary Examination (PE), surpassing the previous high of 4,400 recorded in 2020 and exceeding last year’s 4,083 applicants. This significant rise underlines a growing interest among youth in joining the civil service. The pool comprises 2,626 women …

…𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒇𝒇 𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒌𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒍𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 By Leki Chungdon Samdingkha Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Punakha Dzongkhag provides essential health services to Toedwang and Chhubu Gewogs, as well as one chiwog from Dzomi Gewog, but it operates with only three staff members. Currently, two health assistants and one traditional health assistant are responsible …

…𝒗𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒉𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒉𝒐𝒓 𝒈𝒆𝒘𝒐𝒈 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒕, 𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒅 By UgyenThinleyFalling prices, poor weather, and concerns over fairness in the auction process have affected this year’s Cordyceps collection season in Chhokhor Gewog, Bumthang, leaving many collectors struggling to earn from what is often their only source of income. Only 566 collectors participated this year. The …

…𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏’𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒅𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒌 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒌𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 By Sonam Choden Since it began operations in 2014, the dairy processing plant in Mongar has been a working example of women-led rural enterprise. Managed by the Zhonggar Nazhoen Gonor Gongphel Detshen, a community collective, the initiative started with thirteen members- twelve women and one man. Today, …