The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Japanese government and the people contributed garbage trucks, which are leased by Thimphu Thromde to Greener Way at Nu. 20,000 per each waste truck per month, however, its unclear on what the terms and conditions they have to pay the rent.
By establishing reuse and recycling programs, Greener Way was the first waste management company with hopes of changing how garbage is managed in the city. The mission aims to lessen the dependency on landfills and incinerators.
Greener Way is attempting to achieve an integrated solid waste management system that is implemented in an environmentally responsible, technically practicable, economically viable, and socially acceptable manner.
Today, Greener Way caters to the whole of Thimphu.
Greener Way has 13 waste trucks; for each waste truck, they pay Nu 20,000 as a monthly installment, excluding the 2 dumper plates, for which they pay Nu 5,000 each. However, there is no exact explanation as to why the Thimphu Thromde decided to charge them.
The Operating Director of Greener Way explains, “Till August 2022, we had four old Indian compactors, which are garbage trucks, not only for Greener Way but for all the service providers. There were terms and conditions that said the trucks were very old, and we did not have to pay for that. Since 1 August 2022, we have received the new trucks from the Japanese government, so after that, it was decided that we had to pay hiring charges for the trucks despite their sizes.”
“They just initiated, and we could not ask questions because Thromde decided that. We have to pay for the waste trucks that we got from them,” he added.
However, there is no question of profit or loss as the Thromde deducts the amount from Greener Way service delivery charges.
Though there is no exact explanation on what basis Thimphu Thromde is leasing out the waste trucks, they have some with their own speculation.
Namgay Thinley from Greener Way said, “The terms and conditions on which we are charged are also unclear. I believe it must be because the waste trucks are new. Before they charged us between 2015 and 2020, it was until the waste trucks got older that they did not charge us. However, now that we have the newer waste trucks, we are charged again.”
The Operating Director states that he is confused with the Thimphu Thromde decision on leasing out the waste trucks donated by the Japanese government to GNHC, which came into Bhutan free of cost and are actually for the people of Bhutan, especially for Thimphu Municipal Solid Waste Collection.
“On what basis they have decided the hiring charges, we actually do not know or are not so clear,” he said.
Similarly, Prime Minister Dasho Dr Lotay Tshering had similar views during the 28 April meeting with the private sector of the country.
Instead of charging for what they had received for free, the PM said, “ They could have guaranteed that Greener Way or any other organization would have received the waste truck without charge, and Thimphu Thromde had to ensure that the quality of their service was excellent.
In terms of feedback from the people, Greener Way stated that there are people who complains and there are those who are satisfied with them as they did not have these kind of service before in the remote parts of the dzongkhag with the schedules in place.
