Kelzang Wangchuk | Samdrupjongkhar 

Samdrupjongkhar’s Covid-19 task force implemented lockdown from noon yesterday.

All schools, institutions, offices and shops will remain closed during the lockdown.

Essential items will be delivered to the containment areas such as RBP, RBA, schools, dratshang, project DANTAK and IMTRAT by the identified shops.

The task force will implement the zoning system from today.

Movement of individuals will be facilitated in one-person-one-card system in specific places on specified times.

Construction activities will be allowed in self-containment areas and import and export will be facilitated as usual as per existing Covid-19 standard operation procedure (SoP).

In collaboration with the Bhutan Food Corporation Limited (FCBL) and identified shops, the dzongkhag task force had stocked up food and essential items before the announcement of lockdown. The task force had also informed the people to stock up essential items for at least a week.

Thromde’s executive secretary, Tougay Choedup, said the thromde was divided into five zones –  Throm, NPPF, workshop-dzong area, Tinkilo, and Dewathang town.

“We will not issue movement passes to residents in the self-containment areas such as RBP and RBA camps, IMTRAT, DANTAK, and Jigme Namgyel Engineering College,” Tougay Choedup said.

The cardholders, he said, would be allowed three hours, and it is the three-time block in all the four zones in Samdrupjongkhar town – that is 8am to 11am, 12pm to 3pm, and 4pm to 7pm.

However, for residents of Dewathang there will be two shifts (each shift will be five hours), while the automobile workshops in Samdrupjongkhar thromde would operate in self-containment mode.

Tougay Choedup said the dzongkhag Covid-19 taskforce had identified 15 shops in the core Samdrupjongkhar town, six in the workshop, dzong and NPPF zones, and two in Teenkilo zone and two vegetable vendors in the town. Two vendors each in three other zones will be deployed.

He said that five shops in the town and Dewathang and all shops in other zones would open on alternative days, while the two shops in Teenkilo will remain open the whole week. He said all the shops in the extended areas like Bangtsho and Samdrupgatshel in Dewathang will also remain open.

“People can go shopping and can also go for walks but within the zones. People must follow health protocols. De-suups will also monitor the zones,” Tougay Choedup said.

In Pemagatshel, Covid-19 task force started a week-long lockdown from 10am based on the zoning system yesterday. Shops in the town zones will be allowed to open on even and odd number basis.

The extraction and export of gypsum, cement, boulders, gravels, sand, orange, vegetables, farming, and agriculture activities will be allowed with strict monitoring by the respective gewog administration. 

Ongoing construction activities, however, will be allowed only after 72 hours.

“Day-scholar students would be taught through e-learning because they are not permitted to attend normal classes,” the notification from the task force stated.

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