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Prayer for Healthy Environment


Environmentally healthy: One permanent
post against many hundred trees

Bhutan is rich in biological diversity moreso having strong commitment towards its conservation. The constitution of the kingdom of Bhutan promises 60 percent of the land under forest cover for all time to come. But with burgeoning population and development racing closely with the conservation, it will not be as easy as it is deemed. However, many policies and plans are drawn up geared towards living upto the expectation and sure there isn’t any complacency because our country is located in fragile and young Himalayan ecosystem. If deforestation is continued, the repercussions in the ripples will be felt by every citizen.

Bhutan as a Buddhist country erects prayer flags in the mountains and vales, near the chortens and temples, rivers and bridges and many other holy places for the purpose of gaining different merits. People do also erect large number of prayer flags in order to help the departed soul find heavenly abode. And it is common sight of monasteries with thousands of prayers flags fluttering circumambulating it. But through the spectacle of the conservationist, it is most destructive to the environment.

The harvesting of trees for erecting flag post claims lion-share of the trees in the forest. The specific size for the purpose not only demands felling of the young stand but atleast one hundred and eight numbers of young and clean bole trees are felled.  So, when a single household have to cut so many trees in one instance, imagine about the whole country. The substitute posts such as bamboo have been prescribed as possible alternative which is yet to be adopted by the beneficiaries.
   
However, long before, the people of Shegoen have realized the negative impact of such practice.  They have realized if the practice continued, one fine day, there will be no forest left in their vicinity and they will be the victim of the wrath of the nature.  They have come up with very durable, interesting, sustainable and best alternative to counter such ill-effects to the environment. 

They have designed their own post for the prayer flags which consist of a steel pole with similarity to the conventional low tension power line electric post. Here steel is chosen since it is portable comparatively to other metals as well as its resistance to the rust. At the exact height where the dhar have to be tied strictly following the religious specification, they have fixed a loop leading to the top with equal spaces between two loops. These loops serve as the substitute for the wooden nail to hold the dhar against the post. This is done with the help of wielding mechanic. The space for the reldri andkhorlo is also taken care of when fixing the loops. The foundation itself is so intelligently designed that another piece but shorter pole is used to hold the post in the ground.

The advantages of such post are first and foremost environmentally very economic. The posts last for many years and only the dhar have to be changed. Hence, it helps saves lost of trees in the forest. The drudgery of the labour is also lightened up when the community do not have to fell, debark, cut and transport wooden post every year because the flags got to remain fluttering around the monastery.   Hence, it is also found to be easing labour requirements from already acute labour shortage.

We normally consider ourselves the educated lot as more brilliant, able to come with lots of good solutions. But, back in their village, farmers have their own level of intelligence, which sometime we the educated lot have to learn and appreciate. Whatever, that prayer flag going to stand in almost perpetuity as the flag posts size trees grows into sawn timbers size.  

Therefore, conservationist, it is worth taking note and help take the idea out from the village to others. 

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