Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar

Iron Female Ox Year- Samdrupjongkhar and Pemagatshel: The pandemic wreaked havoc in rural villages of Jomotsangkha, Samdrupjongkhar in the Female Ox year.

The drungkhag had to go under complete lockdown for more than a month, disrupting farming activities. Villagers, who were put in quarantine, worried about feeding their livestock and agricultural activities as the frontline workers did not allow them to come out from their houses.

The Covid-19 outbreak in the drungkhag was considered a worst-case scenario and it exposed how unprepared the health system was.

With many policemen, including officers, testing positive for the virus in Samdrupjongkhar, police had to field in officials from Thimphu.

The year also saw an end to the Zangthopelri case between the Samdrupjongkhar thromde and a private individual.

The Supreme Court upheld the High Court judgment and asked the litigants to enforce the judgment within three months, closing the case.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 situation was similar in Pemagatshel.

The eastern Covid-19 task force, Dungsam Cement Corporation Limited and a private security service provide embroiled in Covid-19 protocol breach issue after the task force and corporation accused a security guard of being responsible for the virus outbreak in the community.

The security service provider was also imposed a fine of Nu 5 million for the lapses.

It, however, sought intervention from arbitration and asked the task force and the corporation to prove the case.

As the year came to an end, Nganglam saw positive cases on a daily basis and residents blamed the task force for negligence.