Those working as loaders in Samdrup Jongkhar town now have a proper hostel. The district’s COVID-19 Taskforce constructed a hostel for them with financial support from the town’s business community. The hostel will also be used as a quarantine facility for the loaders.
The hostel’s construction at Samdrup Jongkhar Toed was completed recently. The facility is equipped with handwashing facilities, toilets and a kitchen.
Earlier, the loaders were kept in a hall next to the town’s football ground. With limited space inside the hall, some of them have to sleep in tents.
The State Mining Corporation Limited and few shopkeepers in the town contributed around Nu 560,000 for the hostel’s construction.
“Looking at the current situation we can’t ask the government to construct a hostel for the loaders. And so, the business community here volunteered to contribute whatever we can to construct the structure,” said Sonam Dorji, a shopkeeper in Samdrup Jongkhar.
In line with the COVID-19 safety protocols, loaders in the high-risk areas are quarantined in a separate facility with movements restricted between the facility and their worksites.
Currently, there are more than 40 loaders in Samdrup Jongkhar town working at the goods quarantine area and godowns of the shopkeepers.
Kinley Wangchuk
