One of the poultry farms in Pasakha

Rajesh Rai | Phuentsholing

On the sixth day of the third lockdown in Phuentsholing, several poultry farmers in Pasakha have not been able to avail feed.

Farmers said they could not avail travel permit to collect feed from Karma Feeds because of increasing Covid-19 positive cases in Pasakha.

Villagers made several attempts to arrange bolero pickups to pick up the feed but they alleged officials on duty did not allow them.

A farmer said they heard vehicle permission was granted from Phuentsholing. “But the officials here in Pasakha doesn’t allow the movement.”

A poultry farmer, Birkha Bahadur Rai, said providing permit to just one vehicle would have been enough to pick up the feed and supply to the needy ones.

“We have been trying but to no avail.”

Another poultry farmer, Prabhat Rai said even if Karma Feeds was not able to facilitate the transportation, villagers had identified vehicles and drivers from the community.

“It has already affected the farmers,” he said, adding some of his chicks have died.

“We have to understand the animals will suffer. Humans can adjust.”

An official from the Karma Feeds said that they are operational round the clock and ready to supply.

Some Pasakha residents said Bolero was given travel permission yesterday evening.

Piggery farmers are also worried that they may not get grains from the industrial area with increasing positive cases. More than 10 piggery farmers from Pasakha are in need of grains.

Meanwhile, six new people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Phuentsholing yesterday.

Four cases are from the Druk Wang Alloys Private Ltd in Pasakha Industrial Estate. This takes the factory’s Covid positive cases to seven. The other two cases are primary contacts of these four cases.

The Southern Covid-19 Taskforce has also suspended the operations of Druk Wang Alloys. Mass testing for the entire Pasakha industrial estate is also ongoing.