Residents of Phuentshogling welcomed the decision to keep shops open till 8 PM since yesterday. After relaxing lockdown restrictions on September 20, shops were made to close at 6 PM and the movement of people restricted after 7 PM. With the time extension, people can now move around till 9 PM.
People running restaurants are happy that it will help their business. With no people coming to the town from outside, the restaurant business says they are the hardest hit by the pandemic.
“When a family comes here for a dinner, the time doesn’t permit as we have to close by 6 PM. During the day, it is difficult to come out to eat due to the heat here. Now we are allowed to open till 8 PM and we are grateful to the taskforce here for the decision. We can at least earn a few hundred ngultrums, if not more,” said Karma Tshering Dorji, a restaurateur in Phuentshogling.
“The office starts at 9 PM and goes up to 6 PM. The shops get closed by then. Office goers have to walk home. Some even doesn’t reach home by 7 PM. Since there is no movement after 7 PM, Desuups and police on duty then question them. We are thankful to the taskforce for extending the time,” shared Melam, a resident of Phuentshogling.
“The government’s directive says not to gather. But, when people don’t have enough time for shopping, there is a crowd. Now that the time is extended, people get enough time to do the shopping,” said Pema Wangchuk, a shopkeeper also in Phuentshogling.
The southern taskforce has approved the standard operating procedures for parlours and salons too. These businesses will also open in a day or two.
The taskforce also sent a letter to the National Taskforce in Thimphu seeking approval to allow sports like football, basketball and archery. Meanwhile, the high-risk spaces like gymnasium, karaoke and drayangs will remain closed. With no positive cases of COVID-19 from the community for long, normalcy is slowing returning in Phuentshogling.
Sonam Penjor
