Hardware shop owners in the country are not happy with the drastic increase in labour charges at the Dry Port in Phuentshogling. According to the Hardware Association of Bhutan, labour rates for transhipping goods from one vehicle to the other has increased by over 500 percent.
Goods are brought to the dry port at Phuntsholing in Indian trucks from where it is transhipped to Bhutanese trucks. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the government regulates the labour working in the port. However, according to the Association, the labour rate is not regulated and therefore rate has increased exponentially. They say what cost them over Nu 2000 for loading 12 tonnes now cost them around Nu 18000.
The proprietor of Bhutan Quality Enterprise in Thimphu, Kaka Dawa said that the government has regulated labour numbers and only a few do the loading. “ There is no way for us to deploy people at cheaper rates and labour rates have increased drastically and sometimes we have to stay late nights.”
He also said, they would not mind a slight increase in rates, as Indian labours are not allowed. But he said, the increase has been huge and added that Indians are also trying to increase their rate from India where the goods are loaded in Indian trucks.
On the other hand, people who are involved in the loading of the goods said that they have never charged higher than what was 
discussed in the meetings. They also said that the charges were not high considering the risk they face and the physically demanding work.
A loader, Tandin Tshering said, “From morning till evening, we work with lots of risks and have to stay in quarantine facilities away from others. For loading marble and glass we charge a little higher rate because it takes more time. But overall, the price here is not at all high. I doubt if drivers in between are hiking the price and making a profit.”
Another loader, Singye Dorji, said that they are not charging much but some have not been willing to pay. ” We have four groups here and there are eight members in each group. So 32 people have to load around 150 vehicles in a day and some times we have to send back some vehicles. The work is not easy but we also understand hardware owners because it is expensive for them.”
Besides the sharp rise in labour rate, the Hardware Association had also submitted a letter to the government last month asking for separate land where the transhipping can be done. The Association said that since the current port is small, only limited loaders can be engaged and that makes labour charges high and transhipping inconvenient. Besides paying high rates to the labourers and vehicle charge from India to Bhutan, they also have to pay halt charges when transhipping is delayed at the port.
The proprietor of ST Trading Imports and Exports in Paro, Sonam Toggay said that the government has been very supportive but they are concerned about the time since it has been over a month since they submitted the request.
” We never know if there would be another lockdown so we have to get the goods no matter how much the price. So to tranship smoothly, we want a bigger place. We are ready to develop the land on our own expense and we will make sure SOP from the health ministry is followed,” he said.
Meanwhile, the officials of the regional office of labour ministry said they are working on the charges.
Sonam Penjor /Kinley Dem
