October 04: People of Zhemgang say the new system of selling kerosene on coupon basis is complicated.

Under the new system, each coupon holder gets 10 liters of kerosene a month. The system was introduced last month to make kerosene easily accessible to rural people and curb misuse of kerosene by distributors.

However people said the old system of buying kerosene from dealers was much easier.

Most villages in Zhemgang do not have electricity and people depend on kerosene to light homes.

Our reporter says villagers think it’s a hassle to travel all the way to Bhutan Oil Corporation Limited in the town to buy kerosene after obtaining the coupon from the Gup.

The Regional Trade Director of Trongsa, Yeshi Samdrup said that, coupon holders can easily buy kerosene from the local retail shops in the community entitled to sell kerosene.

BOCL manager in the Dzongkhag said sale of kerosene has dropped since the new system was introduced. They now sell only about Nu. 3,000 worth of kerosene a month. This is a decrease of about Nu. 5,000 compared to the old system. He attributed this to people being turned back without kerosene as most of them came without a coupon.