Image: Desuup on patrol duty in Samtse.
The first batch of 400 DeSuups who were deputed to the south to support the various agencies patrolling along the borders have completed their month-long duty period. They were serving in Samtse, Phuentshogling, Gelegphu and Samdrup Jongkhar.
The DeSuups who volunteered for this exercise were mostly from the 38th, 39th, and 40th batches (the accelerated training programme). A new batch of 400 DeSuups has replaced those who completed the programme.
The RBA, RBP, and DeSuups have been patrolling the borders with the help of volunteers from the National Land Commission, Department of Immigration, Forest Rangers, community volunteers, and various other organisations since the borders were closed in March as a preventive measure against COVID-19. DeSuups have been actively working with different agencies across the country to help prevent COVID-19 and address issues due to the global pandemic.
The 400 DeSuung volunteers were specially deputed to provide reinforcement and relieve those who have been working round the clock for months along the border. The workload on the people working at the borders has increased over time as people continue to try to covertly cross the border, endangering themselves, their community and the country.
A total of 95 positive cases of COVID-19 have been detected in Bhutan so far, and all of them have been found in people in quarantine through the established protocol for COVID-19 management. Security at the borders and quarantine centres have played an important part in preventing community outbreak.
8,391 volunteers were trained during the accelerated DeSuung Training Programme held from April this year. 1,997 volunteers are being trained for the 41st Batch in nine different locations around the country at the moment. With this, 14,845 DeSuups will have been trained since the Programme started in 2011.
The first batch of 400 DeSuups complete a month-long duty along the border
