Tshering Namgyal |Mongar

Ngatshang gewog in Mongar has identified 16 villagers who were reportedly playing archery on Nyilo when the nationwide lockdown was still in effect.

Mongar dzongdag who is also the incident commander of the dzongkhag Covid-19 taskforce wrote to the Ngatshang gewog taskforce to investigate a complaint about villagers breaching lockdown protocol. The dzongkhag taskforce received a complaint that villagers were playing archery on the day.

The gewog taskforce found that three groups of people played archery that day. Six players in Pelshuphu chiwog, another six in Roptangkhar village, and four players in Shingtha Aring village under Ngatshang chiwog played archery on Nyilo, January 2.

The archers in their statement to the gewog taskforce admitted the complaint was true.

Ngatshang gewog Covid-19 taskforce was asked to take action against the villagers and submit a report to the dzongkhag taskforce. However, the gewog taskforce could not find a basis for punishment and the degree of penalty.

So it forwarded the case to the dzongkhag Covid-19 taskforce asking for further directives on actions to be taken.

Ngatshang Gup Dorji Leki said the gewog did not come across any guideline or legal document to take appropriate action against those who breached the lockdown rules.

“Therefore, we forwarded it to the dzongkhag for advice.”

The case is currently with the Dzongkhag Covid-19 TaskForce.