Tuesdays – Walk to office day?

Source: Walking to work on Tuesdays? | Kuenselonline.com

Two years after the HEHE initiative, the jury is out on its catching on

 

 

 

 

 

On foot: Lyonpo (Dr) Pema Gyamtsho and staff on the way to office

14 April, 2010 - The HEHE walk, initiated by the agriculture minister, Lyonpo (Dr) Pema Gyamtsho, may not have encouraged all Thimphu office-goers to walk to office, but is slowly gathering pace.
Almost two years after the initiative, the minister said that officials of the anti corruption commission, national environment commission and even some private business people have started walking to office every Tuesday. “We aren’t forcing people to walk, it’s purely voluntary,” said the minister, adding that he has experienced great advantages by walking to office, at least one day in a week. “The walk will save fuel, reduce noise and air pollution and encourage people to stay healthy,” said the minister. “There’s more interaction with people when you walk to office.”

The minister added that, by encouraging people to stay healthy through physical exercise like walking to office, the pressure on hospitals from unhealthy habits would be reduced.

HEHE was started as a small initiative to fight rising fuel cost and increase in carbon emission. To ensure that the initiative is not hampered, any meetings or official functions scheduled on Tuesdays are postponed. “We can save two to three litres of fuel in a day,” said one of the officials, who walked on Tuesday from Lanjophakha.

Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho has also realised the driving culture of Bhutanese drivers. “In many countries, priorities are given to pedestrians, but not here,” he said, adding that everybody is rushing without considering the pedestrians.

Meanwhile, the minister said that the 16th SAARC Summit theme, “Climate Change - Towards a green and happy south Asia” is an important issue that would raise discussions about global warming and its effects, natural disasters like flood, earthquake, and how to prepare for a disaster like glacier lake outburst flood. “Climate change won’t only affect Bhutan, but the entire SAARC region,” he said.

By Karma Tashi Wangmo