BBSCL

Access to water is essential for daily life, but not everyone has it 24/7. In Khainorong Village of Samdrup Jongkhar’s Gomdar Gewog, residents have been struggling with severe drinking water shortages. Their only water supply system, built 20 years ago, has never been upgraded, leaving the community desperate for a solution. The water supply has become inadequate with no major...

In Samdrup Jongkhar’s Langchenphu Gewog, areca nut leaf sheaths are being transformed into biodegradable plates and cups. These eco-friendly alternatives are replacing plastic at celebrations. This shift has helped reduce pollution and promote a cleaner and greener community. Without the areca nut plate and cup-manufacturing unit, the areca nut sheaths were discarded openly. Now, they are collected and processed into...

The National Health Survey 2023 reveals that areca nut consumption among Bhutanese aged 15 to 69 rose to nearly 60 per cent last year, marking a three per cent increase since 2019. The health ministry attributes the rise to the product being cheap, easily available and culturally accepted in the country. To address this, the ministry plans to introduce measures...

Producing furniture using locally sourced wood has not only helped the Wood Craft Centre stop rubberwood import but also made furniture more affordable to consumers. The centre, which earlier used rubberwood, has been utilizing domestic timber for furniture production since 2020.  At the centre’s recent furniture exhibition, locally made pieces were found to be 20 per cent cheaper than the...