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Despite the lockdown in Thimphu and Paro dzongkhag, the people are allowed to carry out their farming activities except for the people in red clusters who are restricted.
Paro Dzongda Tenzin Thinley said that the farming activities within the peripheral areas are allowed while farming activities in the red clusters are restricted in the dzongkhag.
“We are allowing the farming activities but not in the red zones. We have let the farmers of peripheral areas to use the power trailer as well but not in the town area because other construction people will also start using the machines. Those in peripheral areas can do their farming activities in their respective fields,” he said, adding that people are not allowed to go from one place to another, as some have their fields in other gewog and its restricted since the dzongkhag is still under lockdown. He said that the dzongkhag does not have any problem regarding the supply of vegetables since they have their dealers and the shops are open where people can get their essentials.
“However, there is a hike in price in terms of vegetables and it is quite understandable during such situation,” he said.
The dzongkhag have their gewog taskforces who are monitoring the situation in the chiwogs. The team are always strictly monitoring whether people are following the safety protocols or not. While in other areas they have Desuup and police who are monitoring.
Thimphu Dzongda Dorji Tshering said that since it is winter there is not much farming related works however people are allowed to carry out their work in their individual farms.
“We are allowing the farmers to work in the field. And also it is closely monitored by dessups, police, and volunteer teams. And also we have teams in gewogs who are strictly looking after and checking whether people are abiding by the protocols. People cannot go and work in others farms as and when they want as they are strictly restricted,” he said.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Yeshey Penjor said that the people are not allowed to move in this lockdown however, farming activities are allowed in their respective fields.
“The restriction is only for movement and people in the villages can carry out their regular work in their fields as usual,” the Agriculture Minister said.
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There seems to be too many versions on what people are allowed to do and not from various offices, individuals and authorities la. Even after the easing of the second lockdown in Thimphu North Megazone via a press release from PMO, also carried by your paper, the Bhutanese, i was not allowed to walk on foot to work in my agriculture field in Kabesa by the KAWANG GUP,an otherwise permitted activity (walk on foot and work in agriculture field), according to the same press release even within the so called megazone. I was told Dzongkha and Thromde have separate protocol for the very same pandemic? So, Dzongkha will not allow people from Thromde zones to crossover to Dzongkhag controlled gewogs even if they fall under same megazone? So many confusions la. Whose instruction to follow, which directive should prevail over the others, etc.
The territorial mindsets and lack of coordination amongst concerned parties on the same issue (COVID-19)has affected general citizens in the past, and i feel that it will continue to affect since authorities are busy making plans in their small closed door group and neither a proactive public awareness nor an effort to explain properly when sought la. ATTITUDE should be a focus area in public officials before we try to fix their Incompetent APTITUDE la