Covid-19 Positive Frontline Worker Moved to Thimphu
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KUENSELTHAT THE PEOPLE SHALL BE INFORMED FRIDAY, A UGUST 28, 2020t/V Around 400 workers of PII want to go home PII management will facilitate their journey back home Phurpa Lhamo | Wangdue About 400 workers of the Punatsangchhu-II hydro- electric project (PII) have submitted their names to project authorities express- ing their wish to leave for India. This came after nearly 500 workers of the Jaiprakash Associates Limited (Jay- pee Group), a construction company working for PII, came together demanding to go home yesterday. The 0GGJDJBMTPOEVUZFOTVSFUIBUSFTJEFOUTGPMMPXIFBMUIQSPUPDPMXIJMFUIFZBSFPVU Pg 6 crowd gathered around 9am in front of the Jaypee Group office in Wangdue. For the past few months, hundreds of PII workers had Inside expressed their concern and Covid-19 positive HOME wanted to leave for home. Most workers pointed out Paro relaxes that they had stayed in lockdown Bhutan for long and now frontline worker outside towns wished to leave. Others rea- Pg 5 soned family issues and the upcoming celebration of major festivals in India like moved to Thimphu the Durga Puja. Weather The PII management All contacts of the case were frontline workers as of yesterday led by chairman Lyonpo Loknath Sharma has en- Nima | Gelephu workers were quarantined. The patient had travelled THIMPHU sured to help the workers The surveillance and contact till Samtenling (Bhur) gewog leave at the earliest. Lyon- arpang like any tracing continues. while on duty, according to the po Loknath Sharma reached other dzongkhags The close contacts of the officials. 27 11 Wangdue yesterday after- in the country case include three health of- Medical Superintendent MAX MIN noon and immediately met was on its way to ficials who attended him at of CRRH, Dr Dorji Tshering with the workers. Lyonpo ease the lockdown the emergency ward. The said the man could have been also visited the campsites Swhen a frontline worker test flu-screening centre located exposed while at work. “But, to meet with the workers, positive for Covid-19 yester- separately in the old hospital we will have to rule out other 53"4)*("/( listening to their concerns day. block is operational from 9am sources of infection with ac- and hosted a dinner for the The 22-year-old frontline till 3pm. tive surveillance, which is un- workers yesterday. worker, who is the third posi- The surveillance and derway,” he said. Lyonpo Loknath Sharma 26 16 tive case in the dzongkhag, vis- contact tracing team from He added that the officials MAX MIN said that the worker’s imme- ited Gelephu Central Regional Gelephu CRRH collected over were wearing protective gear diate request was that they Referral Hospital’s emergency 80 samples from the point of like gloves, masks, and face be sent home. He added that ward with flu-like symptoms to- entry in Gelephu and Bhur shields, among others while the workers were of an un- wards midnight on Wednesday. gewog. on duty. “There could have derstanding that the govern- The patient was referred to The frontline worker was been a breach of protocol ment wasn’t allowing them Thimphu yesterday. on duty at the point of entry but we have to rule out other to leave. “From our side, we Over 30 contacts of the near the border gate since sources of infection,” he said. can send them any time. positive case, all frontline August 7. Pg 2 Pg 2 www.kuenselonline.com HOME PAGE 2 Friday, August 28, 2020| KUENSEL Covid-19 positive frontline worker moved to Thimphu From Pg 1 identified and movement The contacts of the case within the gewogs eased. also include officials from The dzongkhag was di- immigration, health offi- vided into four different cials, De-Suups, and police zones: towns that include officials who were on duty at Gelephu thromde, a buffer the Bhutan India border gate. zone that includes four chi- CRRH has temporar- wogs surrounding Gelephu ily suspended mobile clinic Thromde, and Sarpang tar, service that was started to and gewogs. provide the people with es- A resident from Gelephu said it was worrying and also sential medical services dur- Gelephu Flu Clinic ing the lockdown. confusing how the patient The number of vehicles was infected despite the bor- hitting the road reduced der gate being closed since drastically, the roads and the lockdown. the queues leading to shops “Earlier there was a risk Around 400 workers of PII want to go home authorised to open during from vegetable imports and the lockdown saw fewer cus- other heavy vehicles. It’s tomers. scary now,” he said. The third positive case The two women who test- was reported when the ed positive to Covid-19 were dzongkhag Covid-19 task moved to the de-isolation force was charting plans to facility for two weeks after distribute movement cards testing negative on the RT- to the residents. Zones were PCR test on Tuesday. TV Schedule August 28, 2020 Lyonpo Loknath Sharma met PII workers yesterday and arranged a dinner for more than Butsu Rigpa Chen (Short Film) 9am 2,800 workers of Jaypee Group Live Press Briefng 11am From Pg 1 would disrupt the hydro- we will be okay.” Sangwa 12pm There are formalities to be power construction work. However, Bhutanese completed from the Indian “But human beings are more would be given priority. Coronavirus: Your Stories 12:30pm government side as well. That important for us, their fami- is why I am going to take all lies are more important for Critical works at PHPA to Hardtalk 8:30pm the forms and the list and go us, their sentiments are more begin BBC News Special 9pm to the Indian Embassy.” important for us.” Despite the shortage of work- Lyonpo said that the man- Lyonpo also expressed ers at PII, the project man- concerns over the worker’s agement has plans to begin Savage Family Diggers 9:10pm agement would request the Indian embassy to expedite experience in Bhutan and its critical works in PI and PII. Expedition Unknown With Josh Gates 9:30pm the process. “Not all of them impact in future. Lyonpo Loknath Sharma After over 400 workers said that the management Man Vs Wild 10:30pm are from West Bengal, some are from other parts—each left for India last month, the had talked with the dzong- State has their own route of construction companies of khag taskforce with regard to Ultimate Guide to UFC 7:30pm transit. Bus and trains are not PI and PII announced vacan- continuation of the critical Kick-Of 8:30pm available.” cies. The project had plans to works. Many workers of the pro- recruit Bhutanese workers. He added that the man- Impact Wrestling 10:30pm ject usually leave for home PII announced around 268 agement was developing a after a few months’ stay in vacancies. Standard Operating Proce- Lara Croft: Tomb Raider 5:40pm Bhutan. However, as of mid-July dure (SOP). “We have some Jaypee Group today has only 17 vacancies were filled. specific work such as at the Shazam 9:30pm around 2,800 workers. Prior Lyonpo Loknath Sharma powerhouse, which can be Final Destination 11:50pm to the lockdown, more than said that the project’s plan done with a certain number 1,000 workers left for home. to recruit Bhutanese had not of workers.” Eleven workers who were worked. “We are also thinking If possible, work at the Baby’s Days Out 7:40pm to leave on August 11 were about bringing workers from critical sites will begin today. stranded because of the lock- India as replacement. The The workforce would be man- Beauty And The Beast 9:30pm down. management and contractors aged with the available work- Cinderella 11pm Lyonpo Loknath Sharma are working on it. If we can ers at the project. said that the workers leaving bring in around 500 workers HOME Friday, August 28, 2020| KUENSEL PAGE 3 Tenants in despair, hope for rent waivers Tshering Palden who runs a pharmacy shop measure put in place to com- Lhamo, 35, from Pema- nationwide lockdown shut in Gelephu town said it was bat the outbreak. gatshel, said that she would her business. She is hoping Besides the Covid-19 virus, difficult to earn even a few “But, it’s difficult when not be able to pay rent this for a rent waiver from the many residents, mainly thousand despite having the benefit of the govern- month and the landlord has building owner. those running small busi- a permit to open his shop ment’s initiative is not reach- not indicated any discount in Having invested all her nesses or private sector twice a week. ing us,” he said. the rent. savings in setting up the res- employees, in urban areas “I won’t be able to afford With a huge drop in busi- “I don’t have other al- taurant, she said that she was across the country are faced the rent this time for sure. nesses, private and corporate ternative sources of income already running into loss. with a major problem which Hardly any customer came companies are also strategis- and also have to look after my She said that she would they say is more pressing to buy medicine,” he said. ing how to minimise costs poor parents in the village.” have to leave the restaurant than the pandemic. Bir Bahadur Tamang including cutting the salary With restricted move- if there was no reduction, as Many businesses con- and the tenants of the same of employees. Some are al- ment, cab drivers in the coun- there was no business at all. tinue to remain shut.