The Bhutanese Leading the way.
In a major relief to Rajen Tamang, the Tsirang District Court on 3rd December ordered the Tsirang Dzongkhag and Municipality to reconnect the essential utilities, water and electric power, to his building in Damphu town.
The Municipality had cut off the water supply to the building on the morning of the 15th October and electric power was cut off on 28th October on the orders of the Chairman of the Municipality who is the Dzongda.
This is after Rajen had been using the Karaoke Hall in the basement for a religious gathering of 30 to 40 people every Sunday afternoon. The Municipality said the Karaoke Hall cannot be used for this, and cut off electric power and water to the whole building.
The Dzongda, in a written letter to Rajen, has also warned him that this is a public gathering in the building which is not allowed, and it is also his duty, under the Local Government Act, to maintain law and order, and peace and harmony. It said that failure to abide by such an Act will mean being dealt by the existing law of the nation.
The Court on 3rd December observed that the disconnection of water and electric power was impacting residents of the whole building and inconveniencing them, and so asked for both to be reconnected.
The Dzongkhag lawyer in Court said that The Bhutanese is writing stories about the issue, and requested the Court to ask the paper to remove the stories and stop reporting on the issue. The Dzongkhag also wanted the Court to ask Rajen to give an apology letter for talking to the paper and impacting the image of the Dzongkhag.
However, the Drangpon told the lawyer that the court will not do so, as the media has the freedom to report on issues.
The Court asked why the Dzongkhag did not join back the water and electric power after Rajen had already signed two letters with legal stamps saying he would not be using the Karaoke Hall for the gathering.
The lawyer informed the Court this was because Rajen had filed a case in court.
Earlier, Rajen told this paper that he would have withdrawn the case if the water and electric power had been connected immediately, but it was not done and now, he is seeking compensation for the month’s rent waived off of Nu 170,000, water pipes charges and generator hiring charges. He has also brought up the issue of the wall for which he was fined Nu 100,000 without warning.
The Court had another hearing on 6th December, and here Rajen told the Court that the municipality and Dzongkhag had not sent any last reminder letter as claimed by them.
He said his water and electric power remained cut even after agreeing to not use the Karaoke Hall.
Meanwhile, regarding the Constitutional case filed by Rajen on 29th November over freedom of religion, the High Court has asked him to come on 9th December to hear whether they will accept the case or not.
