Bhutan News archive for 15 December 2009

International Sources

Refugees flee harm but find hardship - Atlanta Journal Constitution
It is 4 a.m. in the Beldangi refugee camp in Eastern Nepal and teenager Dombere Mishra begins her day by making one of three daily trips to the water pump to secure water for cooking, washing and bathing for her family, one of thousands of displaced …    [read more]

Nepal elected IOM ex-com member - Nepalnews.com
IOM maintains a country office in Nepal and is currently involved in processing Bhutanese refugees for third country resettlement.  nepalnews.com Readers are kindly requested to avoid using offensive language and also refrain from issuing threats to …    [read more]

COMO reveals Uma Punakha details - Leisure Opportunities
COMO Hotels and Resorts’ new Uma Punakha boutique property will be located on a hilltop site in Bhutan, on the mountainous upper reaches of the Mo Chhu (Mother River), with the spa element opening in September 2011. Around a five-hour drive from COMO …    [read more]

Nepal finally waves away refugees - Asia Times
After dragging on for close to 18 years - often in almost farcical fashion - at an estimated cost of some US$350 million, resolution of the Bhutan refugee crisis is at hand. This month, the first batch of 25,000 refugees left camps in seven United …    [read more]

Regional conference on tobacco control kicks off in Nepal - English_Xinhua
… government and non-government sector in 11 countries including Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Philippines and France are taking part in the conference held for the first time in Nepal. The conference organized …    [read more]

Openmoko and READ Global to Deliver WikiReader to Rural Community … - TMCnet
TAIPEI, Taiwan –(Business Wire)– Openmoko announced today that during this holiday season, for each WikiReader sold, they will donate a WikiReader to Rural Education and Development (READ) Global - a non-profit organization. They pledge to reach …    [read more]

Rockwell Group Europe Completes Redesign for World-Renowned Wasabi by … - Hotels Magazine
MUMBAI, India, Dec. 15 /PRNewswire/ — Rockwell Group Europe (”RGe”), the Madrid-based architecture and design firm, has completed the redesign of two popular dining destinations at the world famous Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel in Mumbai, India …    [read more]

23rd Industrial India Trade Fair to begin on Dec 24 - Mynews India
Besides Bangladesh, China, Egypt, Turkey, Pakistan, Vietnam and Bhutan will be the foreign participants, he said. A large number of business meets including workshops, seminars, district meets and vendor development programmes would be organised by …    [read more]

Overnight News Digest: Soltice - 7 - DAILY KOS
Overnight News Digest is a daily series posting around midnight Eastern time with a host of editors. We acknowledge being led now by our fine Editor In Chief Neon Vincent. We acknoweldge our founder Magnifico, and remember fondly our former leader ek …    [read more]

No threat to Indian skies from China: Indian Air Force - Daily News and Analysis
Set up in 1959, the EAC is the country’s only air command to cover airspace along the border with five countries — Nepal, Bhutan, China, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Its jurisdiction includes the northeastern states, Sikkim, West Bengal, Jharkhand …    [read more]

Kuensel - Bhutan’s National Newspaper

Fat and unfit urban Bhutan
Lifestyle-related diseases will overwhelm the health system if something’s not done soon

Non-Communicable Diseases 15 December, 2009 - More than half the urban Bhutanese population is overweight and about 12 percent obese, according to a health ministry survey report on the risks and prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD).    [read more]

Message From Above

Copenhagen Climate Summit 15 December, 2009 - Humanity’s stink seems to reach the high heavens!
Photo by Tenzing Namgyal    [read more]

1 b dollar bid for Education City
Infinity, an Indian infotech company, requires 1,000 acres for the project

15 December, 2009 - A Kolkata-based company Infinity infotech parks limited has proposed to invest a billion dollars or Nu 47 billion in creating an ‘Education/Knowledge City’ in Bhutan.

The project, by far the largest FDI investment proposal, aims to bring in the branches of around 15 to 30 top universities, along with 40,000 foreign students, into a 1000-acre education city.    [read more]

Mithuns bow out to Jerseys
Jersey calves from Bumthang at the rearing centre in Wangkha

15 December, 2009 - When construction of the 1020 MW Tala project started in 1999, the small town of Gedu woke up from its sleep. Business became lucrative, more shops opened as thousands of people flocked to the foggy town. By the completion of the project in 2006, Gedu was a complete town.    [read more]

Anti-poaching mandate for army
Wildlife crimefighters Security personnel at the NCD/WWF workshop in Gelephu

15 December, 2009 - The nature conservation division is seeking the help of the royal Bhutan army to prevent poaching and help farmers save crops and property from wild animals.    [read more]

Lip service?
15 December, 2009 - Much has been said about making Thimphu a world-class city, a pedestrian city, a bicycling city, where its residents live healthy lives in a pristine environment.    [read more]

It’s the thinking that counts!

15 December, 2009 - A professor of liberal arts emeritus at St Mary’s college in the USA, Dr Henry Rosemont Jr., who is trained in analytical philosophy, logic and linguistics, participated in the recent educating for GNH workshop. Also a professor of religious studies at the Brown University, he spoke to Kuensel on December 12 on the importance of instilling analytical and critical thinking skills in the education system.    [read more]

Thimphu among top 15 vulnerable cities
Copenhagen Climate Summit 15 December, 2009 - Thimphu is amongst 15 cities of the world most vulnerable to the impact of climate change, according to a report released in Copenhagen at the climate summit.    [read more]

ADB grant for southern roads
790 km Sipsoo-Daifam highway takes first step towards realisation

15 December, 2009 - The building of the 790 km southern highway, from Sipsoo in the west to Daifam (Jomotsangkha) in the east, took a step forward yesterday with the Asian development bank (ADB) committing USD 38.76 million, its largest grant assistance to Bhutan so far.    [read more]

Picture story

14 December, 2009 - Students of the Kilu Bhutan Music School perform at the Youth centre auditorium in Thimphu on December 12    [read more]

Bhutan Observer

Land degradation, looming threat in east
Continuous land degradation could be a threat to livelihoods in eastern Bhutan, according to an assessment. Building of more farm roads and climate change could worsen the problem.
The holistic land degradation assessment of the eastern Bhutan by Renewable Natural Resources Research Centre (RNRRC) in Wengkhar said the eastern Bhutan is more vulnerable to land degradation […]    [read more]

Once an addict, now a teetotaller
He was one of the most popular actors and singers of the bustling Bhutanese film industry. His movies were well received and his songs appreciated.
His career was at the apex. But one flaw, his addiction to alcohol, nearly put an end to all his talents.
A recovering alcoholic now, 33-year-old Kinzang Dorji, has become clean after […]    [read more]

Mckinsey proposes 70% learning outcome
The average learning outcome for classes PP to X by 2013 could be about 70 percent from the current 40 to 55 percent, according to the Mckinsey and Company’s plan for education system in Bhutan.
According to the consultancy firm, despite high levels of attendance and well-established English-based education, the learning outcomes of the Bhutanese students […]    [read more]

Boosting volleyball in the country
Volleyball may have lost popularity, but it has not vanished. The Bhutan Volleyball Federation is planning to take all necessary steps to give the game a much-needed boost and bring back its popularity.
As a first step, the federation has already started training school sports instructors in the game. On December 25, all school sports instructors […]    [read more]

Double boon for Denchi
Farmers of Denchi village in Pemagatshel have another reason to smile. First, it was the new township and the dzongkhag headquarters, which will be relocated next to their village. Now the village has a some 2-km road constructed as a goodwill gesture by Druk Satair Corporation, a Pemagatshel-based gypsum mining company.
“The company not only constructed […]    [read more]

Building Dechencholing starts
City Corporation will start implementing the Local Area Plan for Dechencholing in Thimphu starting July next year. Chief Urban Planner from City Corporation, Geley Norbu, said it will start with the construction of roads.
The landowners of Dechencholing gathered at the Dechencholing Middle Secondary School on December 6 for a consultation with different government sectors regarding […]    [read more]

Rural teachers overburdened
Quality education – whose responsibility? by Jimmy S Tensing of SCE in Bhutan Observer dated June 5, 2009, has a point to be noted. His concern is of a would-be teacher. My concern is of a teacher who had been in the system for more than a decade. Jimmy opined that nothing was taking shape, […]    [read more]

Govt to subsidise transport on non-profitable routes
Most routes that haven’t seen buses will soon have transportat services available with the recent government approval to subsidize the operation of bus services on non-profitable routes in the country.
The government will bear the interest on loans taken by the willing operators to buy transport bus(es) while the principal amount will be paid by the […]    [read more]

The view from Sangaygang
Our reporter METHO DEMA looks down from Sangaygang and observes Thimphu city with a critical eye.
As one takes a stroll down Sangaygang road, the whole Thimphu valley comes into view, and one can’t help noticing the transformation it has undergone. From the sleepy town of the 1980s, it has today become a bustling city – […]    [read more]

Rocketing food prices hit Bhutan
The drastic increase in price of essential commodities has made this year expensive for consumers. They spent unusually more this year.
Karma Kunzang, a resident of Phuentsholing, said that Nu 300 to 400 used to be enough before to buy vegetables for a week, but now, with the same amount, he can get only a few […]    [read more]


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