Truckers coming to get cement do not have to undergo the mandatory seven-day quarantine before exiting Samtse. However, cement truckers travelling to low-risk areas, have to stay in quarantine once they reach their destination districts.
After pre-booking cement from the two factories in Gomtu, truckers have to make arrangements with the RSTA in Phuentshogling who will give escort via Birpara in India to Gomtu. The Dzongkhag COVID-19 Task Force says they do not want to keep the truckers quarantined in Samtse.
“We have separate paper works for those coming to get cement. When the trucks leave, it is stated in the travel permit that we have not quarantined the drivers in Samtse. We have also written that they will have to be placed in a quarantine facility once they reach their destination districts,” said Sonam Wangyel, the Samtse Dzongda.
The Dzongda said the drivers not being people from the district and not having enough quarantine facilities as the reasons for not quarantining the cement truckers in Samtse.
The dzongkhag is also concerned whether the truckers are monitored once they reach their destination districts and put in quarantine. Currently, once the truckers leave Samtse, the dzongkhag task force has no authority to monitor.\
However, Health Minister Dechen Wangmo clarified that truckers who leave Samtse without the mandatory seven-day quarantine are quarantined once they reach their low-risk destination districts.
“We have national protocols in place regarding the cement truck drivers. One option is the keep the drivers in quarantine, and the other is to change drivers en route. When it comes to monitoring, it is not just during the seven-day quarantine period, we have to test them as well, and we do have all the records of tests done. We only release them on the eighth day after testing,” Lyonpo said.
Cement trucks can enter Phuentshogling and Gelegphu via bordering Indian towns of Jaigaon and Dadgari starting today. However, only ten trucks will be allowed in a day to ply on Indian roads. At the moment, 23 trucks are stranded in Gomtu.
Sherub Dorji
