Yangyel Lhaden

Three days after government  enforced complete lockdown in Thimphu, residents can move out in their designated zones to buy essential items tentatively from 2pm today.

The health team is dispatched in super zones to test selected retailers for antigen test  and only if tested negative would be allowed to open.

Lyonchhen Dr Lotay Tshering said that unless absolutely necessary, people should not go out, as it is riskier now than the first lockdown in a press brief yesterday.

Thimphu thromde have  identified shops in the zones and thromde is in charge to ensure uninterrupted supply of essential items within thromde.

Thimphu Thrompon, Kinlay Dorjee, said that there were 250 shops identified in 39 zones in the thromde. “They were selected through a lucky dip and 113 of them will sell vegetables too.”

He said that online delivery of goods through retailers would not be allowed to minimise movement and ensure strict lockdown was implemented. “Thromde would deliver essential items to people with disabilities.”

Persons with disabilities should call thromde’s toll-free number 1009 to avail the service.

However, some zones in Thimphu do not have any shops.

Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said that thromde was working to ensure those zones have shops and would be available by lunch today.

The identified shops should have mandatory 21 essential items enough for 21 days.

Meanwhile, economic affairs ministry is in-charge of replenishing grocery items if shop runs out of it and if lockdown prolongs. Agriculture and Forest ministry is in-charge of replenishing vegetables to 113 shopkeepers through wholesalers.

There are three movement cards with specific timing for two hours, 9-11am, 12-2pm, and 3-5pm. People who have lost their movement card can call 1010 for renewal of movement card. 

Thrompon Kinlay Dorjee said that thromde had back up plan with stock centres if zones could not be implemented. In the first lockdown, there were eight stock centres and thromde’s back up plan consisted of 13 stock centres in 13 super zones for the second lockdown.

He said that if zones and movement of people could not be implemented, more stock centre was needed to ensure continuous service delivery for the second lockdown.