SATURDAY KUENSELTHAT THE PEOPLE SHALL BE INFORMED AUGUST 15 COVID-19: Bhutan: 131 | Global: 21,088,317 | Recovered: 13,735,501 | Death: 757,650 | US: 5,415,666 India: 2,464,316 | West Bengal: 1,07,323 | Assam: 71,795 | Arunachal Pradesh: 2,512 | Sikkim: 931 Red Zone Phuentsholing sees three more cases Delivery of essentials a failure, say residents Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing With three new cases detected yesterday, Phuent- sholing has now 16 confirmed Covid-19 positive cases. All are from the Mini Dry Port (MDP). Two men and a woman, who are the primary contacts of the positive case in Phuentsholing, were all found to be Covid-19 positive yesterday. Health ministry said they are from the MDP and not from the community. Kuensel sources said that the woman is a sweeper at the MDP. She also worked at the MDP canteen. By late yesterday evening, rumours that three policemen in Phuentsholing had been infected with the virus had gone viral. Kuensel sources said that one of the two men is a traffic policeman. However, Kuensel couldn’t confirm On the frontline: Two mobile health clinic teams from the Trongsa hospital has been providing essential this officially. health services to the people of the town and nearby areas. In the last three days, they have covered more Meanwhile, the lockdown has brought the than 100 people. country’s largest commercial town to a standstill. Although figures couldn’t be confirmed, Kuensel learned there were Bhutan bound trucks stuck across the border. Many trucks are also stranded at the MDP. Without the entry of trucks to Phuentsholing, Nu 2B freed up for the MDP has also ceased to function. Along with loaders (about 140), at least 60 customs officials have been quarantined. Pg 2 Covid-19 activities Focus Point during the lockdown Essential items enough to last six months Yangchen C Rinzin “The ministry who is respon- Lyonpo said that this adjust- sible for ensuring the availability ment in budget would not affect o meet expenses of of budget is trying every possible the salary of civil servants and the Covid-19 activities means to readjust the budget ministry will not do away with the during the lockdown, to support activities related to allowances. “It’s a stressful situ- the finance ministry Covid-19 in all the dzongkhags,” ation right now. We’re trying our had to free up about Lyonpo said. “We’ve also asked best to arrange the budget from TNu 2 billion (B) from the total allo- dzongkhags to free up budget the available budget to meet the cated capital budget, according to from the planned activities to use Covid-19 expenses,” Lyonpo said. finance minister Namgay Tshering. for Covid-19 activities without Lyonpo said that it would Lyonpo Namgay Tshering said having to wait for directives.” also not hamper any significant that as per the Disaster Manage- Lyonpo said dzongkhag admin- activities or activities of the 12th ment Act, 2013, during a pandemic, istrations should adjust from the Plan. Major activities would be the finance ministry can “free up budget only if necessary. The dzong- carried out immediately after the budget unconditionally” to meet khags can free up from the plans that pandemic situation subsides. mitigation measures or activities. can be deferred or cancelled. Pg 2 HOME PAGE 2 Saturday, August 15, 2020| KUENSEL Nu 2B freed up for Covid-19 activities during the lockdown From Pg 1 ment is also looking into strat- in bringing goods into Bhutan even if the country is under be a problem in supplying LPG State owned Enterprises egies with the economic affairs with Phuentsholing being now lockdown, we’ll not be in a cylinders.” were recently asked to come ministry to carry out work at declared as a red zone. situation where the country This, the minister said, up with their own reasonable the mini dry port to not ham- “We will have to sanitise will run out of essentials.” was because LPG cylinders are salary packages as an interim per import of essential items the entire mini dry port area, The ministry is also look- subsidised and supplied on a measure should they have to into the country. arrange loaders and officials ing into the possibility of di- quota system, so additional adjust budget because of the The government is sending before we can operate. We’re verting the imports of goods import to store is not possible. pandemic. about 20 custom officials from still working and exploring from other entry points. “But we’re looking into The finance ministry is also Paro airport to Phuentsholing ways.” However, if the situa- alternatives to import these working with the agriculture as everyone in the regional However, lyonpo said peo- tion worsens and should the two products from other ministry regarding the supply revenue and customs office in ple should not worry because lockdown prolong, Lyonpo entry points like Gelephu, as of vegetables and providing Phuentsholing is quarantined there are enough essential Loknath said that the ministry Phuentsholing is under com- immediate budgetary support including the loaders. “How- goods that were imported from is worried about the supply of plete lockdown. People should to buy back vegetables from ever, we still need to figure January and additional import LPG cylinder and petroleum not panic and we’ll work out farmers, as farmers cannot sell out how to arrange loaders, as of goods was carried out since oil lubricants (POL), which on the import.” during this lockdown. there are no more loaders to March. is expected to last only for a Lyonpo said the ministry is “We don’t want the budget load goods now.” Although the minister did month. also supporting and assisting to be the reasons for the fail- Few trucks are stranded in not mention the figures, Ly- “We do have enough to the supply of essential goods. ure in the mitigation activities Jaigaon with goods. There is a onpo assured that there are supply right now, but we don’t However, it was not efficient for Covid-19 during the lock- requirement of about 200 load- enough essential goods to last have enough space to store ad- on the first day, and the min- down,” Lyonpo said. “We’re ers at the dry port. for at least six months. ditional LPG and POL,” Lyon- istry has decided to assist and saving every little budget that Economic affairs minister “People may not have po said. “POL may not be the let private shops, which run we can .” Loknath Sharma said that it choices, but basic essential issue since there are no vehicle online to take orders and de- Lyonpo said the govern- would be difficult to facilitate items will be available. So, movements, but there might liver door-to-door. Red Zone Phuentsholing sees three more cases From Pg 1 there would be no regulated Force and regional heads are Revenue and customs access to grocery shops. even following up on us to officials from Paro will be Earlier modality for pur- check the deliveries and its brought to Phuentsholing to chase of essential items al- effectiveness,” he said. How- replace the staff quarantined, lowed people to register over ever, Namgay Wangchuk said but finding new loaders is a the phone with the hotline vegetable suppliers didn’t problem. About 420 primary (5555) from 9am to 5pm and a have vegetables other than contacts were traced on the regulated access to designat- potatoes, cabbages and car- first day after the MDP posi- ed retail outlets was allowed. rots. tive case. One registered member of a In Pasakha, some facto- household was allowed to go Lockdown views ries are operating. A source out shopping twice a week With more than 80 percent of said the government gave on Wednesday and Saturday. imports coming via Phuent- Lockdown: Empty street in the Red Zone P/ling the industries certain condi- Designated retail outlets were sholing, many said the coun- tions to fulfil and those who supposed to open from 10am e-payment applications. but couldn’t buy vegetables. try’s economy must be the fulfilled were allowed to oper- to 5pm. Individuals who are not Vegetables are still a prob- priority still. ate, while others had to shut However, in the press able to get home delivery lem in Phuentsholing. With- One Phuentsholing resi- down. However, export and release yesterday, the Task services are asked to call the out import, relevant agencies dent, Tshering Yeshi said that import has come to a stand- Force announced all essen- Regional Trade and Industries are mobilising vegetables as the Covid-19 would not still. tial items would be delivered Office. For the delivery of veg- from different regions in the go anytime soon, the socio- All the factory workers are at homes by identified stores. etables, residents could con- country, it has been learned. economic development must confined to individual factory “To place orders for essen- tact FCBL or other vendors One Phuentsholing resi- not be compromised while premises. Nobody is allowed tial items, individuals should through the hotline centre at dent, Namgay said he has battling Covid-19. to move in or out of their fac- call the trader directly. If the 5555. run out of vegetables. “I “We have to keep fighting tory premises. trader cannot be reached, the Much to the relief of the also called for LPG refill but and keep running business- An industrialist said that individual can call 5555,” the residents, the Task Force also they told me that they don’t es. Otherwise, more than the without the local transmis- press release said.