Japanese expertise solicited

14 March - Almost a year after the major flood last May washed away the Gasa tsachu, the once popular hot spring is still awaiting rehabilitation. The home minister Lyonpo Minjur Dorji said the country lacked the expertise to explore and study the possibility of rebuilding the hot spring.

“We want to reconstruct the tsachu as soon as possible and we’d like to work together with Japan, considering the same culture of hot springs in Japan,” Lyonpo said, during his meeting with a team from Arima hot springs in Japan, who visited Gasa tsachu to explore the possibility of reconstruction.

The Japanese team, which visited the site early this week, presented two possible options for rehabilitating the tsachu. They suggested permanent structures, requiring ground drilling to assist in identifying sources, which is deemed expensive.

They also suggested simpler structures by protecting the existing spring sources, the damaged material of which can still be reused to rebuild the hot springs. The team said that bottling of water and establishing stone bath were possible as well.

“Bhutanese in general love hot springs. This is the only relaxation for Bhutanese, especially during winters,” Lyonpo Minjur Dorji said. “If the tsachu is restored, there’s no way that the place will be vacant.”

Although nothing has been finalised with the Japanese team, the government expects some expertise from Japan.

Gasa dzongda Sonam Jigme said that river diversion work was being carried out at the site today.

“The diversion work is expected to be completed by the end of this month, which will then give us a clearer idea of how many hot spring sources there are actually,” he said, adding that two excavators were deployed for the river diversion.

Sonam Jigme said the river diversion works began only late last November as excavators could not be transferred to the site because of the absence of a road or a bridge.

After the May 26 flood that completely washed away the five soaking ponds and the VIP bathhouse built around the spring, the hot springs now flow under the Mochu river. The flood also washed away a canopy, a stable, an outreach clinic (ORC) and attached room, shops and public toilets.

source: kuensel