January 29: Following the recent outbreak of conjunctivitis at the Gelephu Tshachu, the Sarpang dzongkhag administration conducted a mass cleanup campaign on Saturday.

Several civil servants and corporate employees from Gelephu and Sarpang took part in the daylong cleanup campaign. They were joined by people who had come to the Tshachu. They collected papers and discarded plastic bags and bottles, cleaned the drains and cut the grass in the vicinity of the Tshachu. Water from all the four ponds was also drained out.

The Sarpang Dzongda Sangay Thinley said the outbreak occurred after an old couple infected by conjunctivitis soaked in the Tshachu.

Apart from the conjunctivitis outbreak, the general hygiene at the Tshachu has also deteriorated due to the large number of visitors.

The Dzongda said maintaining cleanliness is difficult due to the lack of a proper drainage system.

The cleanup campaign was also intended to sensitize the people on the importance of maintaining cleanliness.

Meanwhile, people at the Tshachu said the poor sanitation might have caused the outbreak.