Residents and shopkeepers of Dophuchen have been left worried after Dorokha Central School issued notice asking them to move out.Except for two households with proper thram holdings, all the other households have been asked to vacate.
This comes after the 4.43 acre land occupied by them was given to the school during the 2011-2012 national cadastral resurvey programme to provide adequate space for the expansion of the school. Earlier, the thram of the land was with Dorokha Dungkhag.
Some of the shopkeepers have lived in the place for more about 40 years. Sherub Dorji is one of them. He is originally from Gakiling in Haa but moved to Dophuchen decades ago.
“Though we don’t pay land tax, this is our home. We didn’t even know the land’s thram has been transferred to the school,” said Sherub Dorji.
Like Sherub, others say Dophuchen is their home and that they have nowhere to go to. They are hoping the decision would be revoked. “We have lived here for so many years now. We can’t think of moving out. I hope the government will reconsider its decision,” said Dil Maya.
But the school says it needs the land to construct re-creational centre, ECCD and staff quarters. “It’s for everyone to see the school is located on a steep land and has no space for expansion. So, the town land is important for the school,” said Rinzin Dorji, the Vice Principal of the Dorokha Central School.
Dophuchen Gup Padam Rai said it would be great if the government could provide the school with land from some other area and leave the current settlement as it is.
Meanwhile, as per the resolution of 7th DYT, a committee comprising officials from Samtse Dzongkhag and Dorokha Drungkhag met with the business license holders of Dophuchen gewog today to study the ground realities.
Currently, there are over a hundred business license holders in and around Dorokha Drungkhag including the nine shopkeepers who have been asked to demolish their structures.
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