Monthly Archives: December, 0

The Ambassador of India to Bhutan, Ruchira Kamboj handed over six units of portable digital x-ray machines to Foreign Minister Dr Tandi Dorji today. The machines will be used for conducting critical health services in districts across the country.

Despite remaining in a draft form for more than five years, the works and human settlement ministry’s Spatial Planning Bill is yet to be enacted as an act. So, does this mean the bill faces an uncertain fate? The Foreign Minister, Dr Tandi Dorji, recently said the bill was approved in principle by the cabinet. But the ministry has been asked to revisit the bill and see if it aligns with other laws such as Tenancy Act and Local Government Act.  

The plans to ease the lockdown in Phuentshogling is unsettled following the detection of three positive cases from the community during the mass screening in the last two days. Initially, the lockdown was supposed to be eased from tomorrow had there been no positive cases of COVID-19 from the mass screening. However, zones that have not reported any cases during the mass screening can expect to reopen.

Having served as the Thrompon for the country’s biggest and most populated thromde and being at the pinnacle of the urban governance for the last 10 years, the former Thimphu Thrompon said his past two terms were extremely fulfilling. Although seeking a third term during the recent thromde or mayoral election was unsuccessful, the former Thrompon accepts the people’s choice.

One Time Password (OTP) scam is on the rise lately. More than 20 people in the country fell prey to the scam lately. The scammers lured them in transferring more than Nu 1.7 M. According to the bank, some got back their money while some are still waiting. Phishing is a fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information or data, such as usernames, password, credit card numbers or other sensitive details by impersonating oneself as a trustworthy entity in digital communication. 

Biogas construction is gaining momentum in the country. But the lack of masonry skills to construct biogas, difficulty in getting the appliances and farmers’ limited knowledge of its benefits are some major challenges. Thus, the Bhutan Biogas Project conducted a half month-long training for 46 participants from seven districts recently on biogas installation in Langthil Gewog, Trongsa. 

An abandoned place lets anyone with imagination imagine what it was like in its heyday. It also gives an insight into the history of the place. Likewise, residents of Migkuri village under Dungmaed Gewog in Pema Gatshel have an abandoned holy place called Nyejab, which is located just a few hours walk from the village. Today, the sacred place, which is believed to be blessed by Guru Rimpoche remains under the weight of disregard and ignorance. 

About 20 per cent of the phase-I developmental works of the new Gasa town is complete. A private construction company is carrying out the construction works. Phase-I of the construction is scheduled to complete in April next year. Until then, the residents of the old town will not be allowed to start their house construction in the new town planning area. 

The National COVID-19 Taskforce is reviewing the quarantine facility management protocol after some staff of hotels used as quarantine facilities in Thimphu and Samdrup Jongkhar tested positive for COVID-19 recently. The Prime Minister, during the Meet the Press session yesterday, said the national task force also decided to deploy additional police personnel at the quarantine centres to strictly monitor the quarantine facilities.

The health ministry is in the process of collecting samples of the current outbreak to send them to Bangkok for analysis. The health minister said the ministry is currently waiting for a confirmation from Bangkok. The minister added the ministry is keeping a close watch on the variants which are of concern across the world. Currently, there are five variants of concern globally. A virus is considered a variant of concern if there is evidence of an increase in transmissibility, more severe disease, a significant reduction in neutralisation by antibodies generated during previous infection or vaccination, reduced effectiveness of treatments or vaccines and diagnostic detection failures.