NEWS
Original news title: Shelved (for now, at least)
Power Project 3 January, 2011 - The 20 MW Begana power project in Thimphu, which the Bhutan Power Corporation proposed, has been shelved by the government considering economic, cultural and environment cost involved.
During the meet the press on December 30, agriculture minister Lyonpo Dr. Pema Gyamtsho said going ahead with the project could be too costly both ecologically and culturally. The project estimated to cost Nu 1.113B is proposed near Buddhist sites of Tango and Cheri.
RSPN has been striving hard to impart environmental education among the Bhutanese youth and raise environmental awareness of the citizen for promoting positive attitudes and sustainable actions in conserving Bhutan's rich environmental heritage. Making people to understand more about the environment and its issues and teaching them how to resolve the issues in the best possible ways was one of the priority programs of RSPN.

The melodious calls of the black-necked cranes are unique and carry strong message of their presence in the wetlands of Opkina, Minjay Gewog under Lhuentse Dzongkhag. The wetlands now abandoned after the paddy harvests provide perfect roosting place at night and plenty to pick during the day for the birds.

Four birds have been spotted in the relatively warmers climes of Gelephu
![]() |
Really Warmer Climes: Either they’re lost or searching out new stamping grounds |
Black Necked Cranes 2 December, 2010 - If tigers are roaming mountains above the snowline, black-necked cranes, a bird native to the cold heights of Tibet and Bhutan, are being spotted in the warmer plains of Bhutan.
In what was an unusual sighting for farmers of Dawatang and Karbithang of Chuzergang gewog in Gelephu, they spotted four black-necked cranes foraging in their rice fields. Chuzergang is about 265 m above sea level, 2,635 m below their usual roosting grounds in Phobjikha.


Black-necked cranes in Gelephu (Photo: Tshewang Norbu, RSPN)
For the first time in the known history of RSPN, a family of Black-necked cranes, (2 adults and 2 juveniles) have been sighted in Gelephu, Sarpang Dzongkhag (district).