People in Nganglam suggest that Dungsam Cement Corporation Ltd. (DCCL) should remain closed at the moment to prevent an outbreak of the COVID-19 in the community. They say trucks bringing raw materials for the company from India pose a risk of importing the virus.
Some 70 trucks come to Nganglam every day bringing in raw materials for the DCCL. However, the company says shutting down is not an option for now. There are more than 600 employees in the company.
Sonam Jigme, the CEO of DCCL in Nganglam says many families depending on the company will be without jobs if the company is shut down and moreover it will have ripple effects on other families dependent on companies which also depend on the DCCL. “There is Dungsam Polymers Limited. They are almost a hundred per cent dependent on us. If we do well they do well. If we have to shut down, they have to shut down. These people will be directly affected and those many will lose the job. They would not have any income and that will also be a big problem,” he said.
The CEO also said that in case the DCCL is shut down, all hydropower projects will be affected. The company supplies cement to the hydropower constructions in the country. “Now if we are forced to shut down there will be no cement and these projects will also be impacted and it will be delayed. It is going to be catastrophic. The income these projects will generate in a month will be in billions. And if it delays for six months we will be losing billions,” he added.
For now, the company said production should continue by following the standard operating procedures put in place by relevant stakeholders. And should the situation worsen, government should make the call to shut down the company.
Thinley Dorji
