Is This A Cause for Worry?

Until the end of last month, my Blog use to get visits from the Middle East - I am assuming they were Bhutanese - between 200 to 400 every day. Strangely, this entire month I have had not a single hit from the Middle Eastern Region.

I know that we have evacuated hundreds of Bhutanese from the Middle East in the past one month or so. However,  I also know that we still have few hundred of them in that part of the world - awaiting to be evacuated.

So why are they so inactive on the net?

Are they OK? Should this be a matter of concern for the Bhutanese authorities?

Again, and Again – For Our Men In Blue

Human activity around the world may have ground to a screeching halt – caused by the Almighty Nature’s DeSuup – the leveler labeled “COVID-19”. But we at the Rotary Club of Thimphu have seen frenetic activity amid all the confusion and misconceptions and the dread of sickness and death.

Yesterday at about 12 PM we handed over 38 units of Chabto Toilets to the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP). These toilets are ultimately destined to be installed in 38 of RBP’s Detention Centers across the country. These personal portable toilets are safe, odor-free and water efficient – they can be installed in bedrooms, small spaces, as well as locations in motion – such as prison vans. They are promoted by the Bhutan Toilet Organization (BTO) and the innovative shit pots are manufactured in Pasakha, BHUTAN. The BTO offered these toilets at a discounted price – in an effort to help the RBP and the Rotary Club of Thimphu during these difficult times.

Club President Rtn. Tsewang Rinzing and BTO CEO Chablop Passang Tshering hand over 38 units of Chabto toilets to the Chief of Police yesterday at the RBP HQ, Thimphu

The Rotary Club of Thimphu has also been successful in obtaining a sizeable grant funding to the tune of US$ 59,000.00 from the TRF – for purchase and installation of 2 small units (30 KGs each) of hospital waste incinerators - to process infected wastes emerging out of the quarantine centers, isolation centers and hospitals that treat coronavirus positive cases. But the mills of bureaucracy grind oh ever so slowly! and we are unable to move with the required speed and efficiency. However, we believe that it is a matter of time - we hope to get there and move on – to a bigger project that has been lined up – for the installation of a 100 KGs unit. But unless we successfully implement the current approved project, we dare not put our reputation on line - by proposing another project related to incinerators. But work on it is already afoot and international partners are being shamelessly wooed to render their support.

Bhutan-Nepal: Historical Connection

My ongoing research into historical facts about coinage in Bhutan has thrown up some seriously interesting revelations about which most of us remain clueless. Consider the following:

A little known history reveals that Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal visited Kathmandu in the year 1640 - during the reign of Dambar Shah (1633 – 1645). Kathmandu was then a Kingdom in itself. The Zhabdrung returned with 40 to 50 Gorkhali families, led by their leader Bisan Thapa Magar. It is written that the families were settled in places like Bebena and Bel-Nang in Thimphu valley.

Bebena, as we know today, is that brimming chockablock urban jungle below Dechen Phodrang lhakhang, bordering Samtenling - west of Embassy of India. But it is clear that the name of the place should not be Bebena. It should be Balbu-Nang.

In ancient times, Nepal was known as Bal-Yuel: wool country.

The other place where the Gorkhalese were settled is said to be called Bel-Nang. My enquiries with senior citizens around Thimphu revealed that this too is incorrect. One reliable source tells me that the name of the village is: Bekhu-Nang. Bekhu-Nang is a place below Semtokha Dzong, close to the GREF camp. This person tells me that the Gorkhalese would have been settled in Balbu-Nang and Bekhu-Nang because around that time the Zhabdrung had just completed the construction of Semtokha Dzong and he was working at rebuilding Dechen Phodrang Dzong.

The Zhabdrung would have brought the Gorkahlese from Patan, Nepal to take on the copper and silver smithy work - for the alter rooms of the two Dzongs. These Gorkhalese were artisans and some of the earliest statues in the country were said to have been crafted in Thimphu by these Ghorkhalese. The proximity of the two villages to the two Dzongs would, according to the source, explain why the Gorkhalese would have been settled in those two places.

It appears that this was not the first time Gorkhalese were brought to Bhutan as artisans. When Chari Monastery was constructed in 1620, Zhabdrung Ngawang Namgyal is supposed to have employed skilled carpenters from Nepal. This ties in nicely with what Lam Kezang Chhoephel of APIC tells me - that the name Begana should be Balghar-Nang. Obviously the Gorkhalese brought in during 1620 for the construction of the monastery were settled at Balghar-Nang above the present day Guru Lhakhang, close to Chari Monastery.

There are some very interesting accounts that tell how close Bhutan and Nepal was during early times - but they are too lengthy to be included here - I will speak of them in my more detailed records of the history of coinage in Bhutan.

Another place that is perhaps wrongly named is: Metsina in Punakha. I am told the name should be: Mistri-Nang. Apparently the Fifth Mind Incarnation Zhabdrung Jigme Choegyal (1862-1904) brought in some Indian masons to carry out metal work at Talo Monastery. Mistri in Hindi means mason.

In Response To A Concerned Reader

On 10.05.2020 one Anonymous reader left the following comment:

Yeshi sir, did you cross-check and verify your facts?

This comment was on my post: “Confusion: What is QR and What is Druk Trace”

In response I would like to reply as follows:

After removing the contents of my post “What is QR and What is Druk Trace”, I got very busy – because our Club Members wanted to do something for the country – to battle the dreaded COVID-19. We decided that we would raise funds to supply hospital incinerators – to safely dispose off the waste generated at the Quarantine Centers, the Isolation Centers and the hospitals where the COVID-19 positive cases are treated. Please read my following post:

“Safe & Secure Disposal of Wastes from Hospitals/Quarantine/Isolation Zones”

It is not that our Club has not done our share. We had recently donated one Ventilator, which was followed up by a donation of 17 units of Oxygen Concentrators – both useful in the battle against the virus.

A decision was made by some select Members of the Club to work on donating hospital incinerators, on 4th May, 2020. From the morning of 5th May, I began the process of putting together the Grant application to the TRF. On the 8th May, I was ready to submit the Application. I uploaded the Application for approval and acceptance the same day - 8th May, 2020. The Rotary International District 3292 gave their acceptance and approval within hours of my submission of the request for authorization and acceptance. Same was the case with RID 3510 (Taiwan) and our International Partners RC Pingtung East, Taiwan – both of them also authorized and accepted the Application and thus the final GG Application was submitted to the TRF the same day I submitted – on 8th May, 2020!! On 10th May, the TRF approved US$ 59,000.00 grant for the purchase of the hospital incinerator that we had requested for, based on a request from the Ministry of Health.

The grant was approved within 3 days from the date of submission! A record of some sorts!! We are now waiting for the bureaucracy in the RGoB to get their acts together so that we can go ahead and start the process of acquiring the incinerator.

But in all this, I still hadn’t forgotten my concern about the way the DrukTrace was designed and how useful or inadequate it was/is. I still intend to be able to study it further as I get time. But right now I have no time – in addition to working on the incinerator Grant, I am also simultaneously working on the closure of another Grant project implemented in Bongo Gewong, Chhukha.

Upon the above comment by the Anonymous, yesterday afternoon I went to see and talk to a team member that designed the DrukTrace. I am happy and relieved to report that what I did was spot on. Nothing wrong with what I did – that is put my own money to print and distribute hard copies of QR Code for people to scan. The QR Code Team Member said that that is what they do too --- in the outlying areas, he said that the QR Codes are printed by the DeSuups (Thank God for these tireless legs in motion - clad in orange) and posted on home and shop doors. He thanked me for doing what I did – print and distribute to establishments that I frequent. I do not have the time to go into the details of my discussion with him but in short I offered the following suggestions:

The authorities should require the person registering for the DrukTrace to provide an alternate mobile number so that in the event the registered number is out of service, the person can be traced through this alternate number.

Make the QR Code universal and not location specific. This way the authorities can print and distribute the codes by the hundreds of thousands. This way lazy people, careless people, and unmindful people can get free prints of the Code. This will also help people who do not have the means or the skills to download and print hard copies of QR Codes.

Redesign the Application in such a way that it captures the coordinates of the place where the scanning took place – (something like: NL 25 deg 24’ 19”    EL 87deg  39’  28’’) instead of recording the location as Sangay Tshongkhang, Dechenchholing.  Obviously this will be useless for locations that are in motion - such as taxis and buses. Rapid tracing can happen only if you know the coordinates rather than spending time tracking down a place named Sangay Tshongkhang.

Lastly I requested the person that the government should make downloading and scanning of the QR Code MANDATORY! This is a national emergency and people should not get away by saying (one person actually did) that the government need not know who is visiting my shop or home.

If a home owner is not doing anything illegal, where is the problem in the government knowing, for a good cause, who has visited the place when and at what time?

There is a whole lot of misconception about scanning. Yesterday I had to go to the BNB – three times. The guard at the gate saw me come in for the second time and told me --- you already scanned that time so no need to scan. I told him no – I have to scan every time I enter the establishment since time of my visit is of essence, if a rapid tracing is called for. 

Safe & Secure Disposal of Wastes from Hospitals/Quarantine/Isolation Zones

Dear ……..

Greetings from Bhutan ... I hope you are well and keeping safe. For your own safety and that of your family, please practice physical distancing.

COVID-19 is ravaging the world. Bhutan has had 7 cases so far as of yesterday - fortunately all imported and detected upon arrival and quarantined/isolated. Most of them have recovered. Two were American citizens and they have recovered and are back home safely.

Something the Rotary Club of Thimphu's Members have been worried about is the emergence of a community infection - local COVID-19 case. Thus we are all working hard to keep that from happening.

Unfortunately, recently we discovered that while our King and the government are commandeering the issue very attentively and strictly, there have been some slips between the cup and the lip, by a number of agencies responsible to oversee, and arrange the safe disposal of municipalities’ garbage. Incidences of improper disposal of used materials from our quarantine/isolation facilities have been reported. This is a huge concern for the country and the people. As you may be aware, incorrect disposal of waste from the quarantine/isolation facilities can result in dangerous consequences. We have to assume that every item emerging out of the quarantine/isolation zones and hospitals where the positive cases are treated are potential threats. This means we have to protect the waste handlers as well, in addition to the fact that a separate protocol has to be adopted for waste collection and disposal from the quarantine/isolation zones.

As of now, the only safe method of disposing contaminated or infected material in our view is through incinerating the wastes generated at the quarantine/isolation zones and hospitals. Unfortunately, as of now Bhutan does not have a single incinerator to safely dispose off contaminated and toxic material and medical wastes.

Thus as a measure to ward off COVID-19 and safe disposal of contaminated/biologically hazardous material, we have requests from authorities for help in procuring incinerators that are environmentally safe to operate. We know of such affordable and safe incinerators that will do the job.

Therefore I write to ask you if the TRF would support our application for a Global Grant for purchase of incinerators. We will apply under "Fighting Disease and Disaster Response". If you think that our proposal has a chance of seeing the light of day, I will start to look for partner Clubs to partner with us on this critical item of need.

Please respond to me quickly so that I can start the preparatory work promptly.

Confusion: What Is QR Code and What Is Druk Trace

This post is temporarily removed - until facts are cross-checked and verified.

The Amorous Cordyceps Collectors

The news report in the BBS few days back concerning the departure of Cordyceps collectors into the alpine regions of Northern Bhutan came as a bolt from the blue. This is a terribly worrisome news. And yet, it would be unfair to disallow collection of Cordyceps that is the livelihood for thousands of families living in the higher reaches of the country. But our sense of charity is one thing – safeguarding lives is another. When you pit one against the other, which should take precedence? - truly an impossible dilemma.

Cordyceps sinensis: the freakish half worm, half grass natural wonder that is credited with incredible medicinal properties

From what the BBS reports, the government seems to be aware of the threat associated with Cordyceps collection. But I fear that they have not yet understood the real nature of the problem of an unmonitored Northern borders, teeming with thousands of crawling collectors, at sub-zero temperatures.

Cordyceps collections happen in the Districts of Bumthang, Gasa, Lhuentse, Paro, Thimphu, Punakha, Trashiyangtse, Trongsa and Wangduephodrang.

There are a host of dangers associated with Cordyceps collection. The first problem is altitude and temperature – the virus is known to survive longer and spread quicker in colder temperatures. The collection of the worms happen at very high altitudes – up to 16,000 ft. msl. Patrolling the borders in such altitude and temperature range is almost unthinkable.

The harsh conditions in which the collection of Cordyceps happen. Not a blade of grass anywhere

Next comes the state of the health of the collectors. They are mostly in a state of undernourishment. Given the altitude at which they are camped, there are no fuel woods available for preparing meals. Thus the collectors mostly survive on Khuli and pre-packaged Noodles and Tsampa and Bokpi. Surviving on such food for months must surely play havoc with the immune system of the collectors.

Then it is the manner in which they crawl over the grounds – looking for the worms. They all huddle together – not for warmth or company – but any signs of a rich harvest ground and everybody flocks to the same spot.

No physical distancing here - they all crawl in a group

They all throng in the same patch of rich harvest ground

Another group of collectors in close proximity of each other

Lastly they camp in close-knit clusters. The photo below shows a cluster of 50 tents. This is in Phangu – there were two other clusters – meaning there were over 100 tents pitched in one location. Under these circumstances, if transmission happens, it will be rapid.

One of the three camp sites in Phangu, Lunana. This cluster of tents number 50 tents. Although during day they wonder all over the mountain tops in search of the worms, they all camp together in groups. You notice that there are no green grasses or bushes in sight - let alone trees.

I have been to Dhur in Bumthang, Phangu in Lunana and Singye Dzong in Lhuentse on photographic assignments to cover Cordyceps collection. I have seen first hand how people survive when they are out collecting Cordyceps. In Dhur I have seen families with sack loads of pre-cooked Khuli which is the only food they have – they tuck them inside their jackets and munch on them for breakfast, lunch and dinner – for months on end.

From what I hear, the government seems to be worried about the collectors sneaking over into Chinese Tibet to trade in their harvests. My view is that this should be the least of our worries. The real worry is: SEX!

During my trips to these places, my hired hands were local people with sorties to tell. One team member from Dhur and another from Laya recounted to me their experiences that are identical. They tell me that once the collection season is over, the youthful lot head for Tibet for a much deserved rest and relaxation. They hire a room each which are cheap and look for buyers for their Cordyceps. Once the worms are sold and money firmly inside their pockets, the good life begins. For the equivalent of Nu.30.00 they get to soak in the hot springs as long as they like – including a large flask of steaming hot Suja to boot. Once in a while, pretty young girls come to check on them and to provide any service that they might be in need of. And, by the by, they strike up conversations and establish amorous friendships with the young Chinese/Tibetan girls. The Bhutanese youths extend their stay by few days, then a week, then a month and then two months – until they suddenly find that they are out of money. They have been lavish with their temporary girlfriends – they buy them mobile phones, clothing and jewelry. They also buy themselves mobile phones and temporary SIMs for use during their stay there.

At last, penniless, they start for home – worried sick as to how to explain to their parents the cause for their empty pockets. Back home they are treated to sound thrashing by their fathers. But they repeat it once again, the coming season.

I asked this horseman from Laya whom I always hire for my trips to the North-Western regions:

“So why are you so stupid that you spend your entire money behind some girls in Tibet?”

His reply; “Dasho – you simply have no idea – the temptation is too powerful. I mean these nymphets are young and very pretty with long black hair – they are like Khandoms (Apsaras)! Who can resist them?”

Talking of which, are we monitoring Merak in Trashigang. That place gets lots of visitors from Arunachal Pradesh – it appears that there is pretty active cross-border trade happening there. During my trip there, I saw half a dozen of them who had come to buy sheep and booze.

I suggest that the Tourism Council of Bhutan consider deploying Trekking Guides in every cluster of camps in the Cordyceps collection areas across the country, to make sure that every evening there is roll call to ensure that every one of the collectors are resident in the camps, and has not gone traipsing across the border, in search of Khandoms.

This is no joke. Since TCB is already devising ways and means to keep the guides gainfully employed, this is one sure way of giving them employment while keeping the nation safe in the process.

I am suggesting Trekking Guides – because there could be incidences of AMS – Acute Mountain Sickness. Seasoned Trekking Guides would have no issues since they would have already scaled heights above 12,000 ft.

AMS is serious - Thus only people with proven immunity to AMS should be sent to the collection fields. I have personally seen 3 AMS related deaths: one at Jele Dzong, Paro (an American), one at Merak, Trashigang (a government employee) and one at Roelmateng, Singye Dzong, Lhuentse (a young house wife of a Dzongkhag Administration official of Lhuentse Dzong).

If We Should See Red

Commandeered by His Majesty the King, our government is doing a remarkable job at containment – thus far we in Bhutan feel safe and protected. But having a neighbor like India that is a cauldron teeming with close to 1.4 billion people, it is a time bomb waiting to explode. Thus I for one am praying that Modi-ji will act the tyrant that he is projected to be. However, I cannot help but feel a sense of unease given India’s population size and habitation density.

For now we have no home grown cases – all those we had are from outside. That is cold comfort though – should India enter a state of full blown spread, which I believe is a real possibility, we need to plan and step up our safety protocols to a level that is many, many notches above what has been recommended under the current controlled circumstances.

Personally, the following is what I will be implementing – the moment a homegrown case is reported:

I will impose a total EMBARGO on house visits by relatives or friends – without exception. No visits – either announced or otherwise.

A member of the family will be allowed only one exit/entry per day. If it is anticipated that a member has to make multiple exits, he/she will have to stay out the whole day. In that event, he/she has to carry pack lunch. He/she will be allowed re-entry into the house only once – day, evening or night.

No visits to restaurants for lunch/dinner. That will be strictly prohibited – that is why the pack lunch. Actually this restriction is already in place.

Two separate outdoors bath tents will be set up outside the house. One tent will house change of clothing for the person needing to exit. One tent will serve as a stripping room.

Tents for change of clothing and removing used clothing of the day

A member of the family needing to exit has to ensure that a full set of change of clothing is deposited inside the clothing tent before exiting the house.

Upon retiring for the day, the member of the family will first remove the shoes/socks and dip it in medicated water trough and hang it outside to dry. He/she will then put on the hand gloves and only thereafter the changing tent should be accessed in bare feet.

There is an interesting product that has been introduced in the market for disinfecting large number of people that seems like a useful product for Bhutan to consider. It is available both in stationary and mobile type of installations.

Learn more about it at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrPkFb7USxE

After removing the day’s clothing – it should be put inside a plastic bag, seal it and thrown outside and left there for the next 24 hours. The member will be required to follow the correct procedures to remove the hand gloves after use, as follows. Bare hand must not touch the used glove’s exterior.

Putting on the right hand glove

Putting on the left hand glove

Hand gloves are firmly on

Taking off: First take off the left hand glove and throw outside

Peel off the glove slowly so that there is no tear

Without touching the exterior of the glove, insert index and middle fingers of the left hand inside the handle of the right hand glove and slide the glove up over the fingers

Peel it off all the way and throw outside the tent

After sanitizing the hands and soles of the feet - this should happen just out side the changing room tent door - the member will walk over the floor mat bare feet and enter the tent housing the fresh set of clothing. After changing into fresh set of clothing, the member will exit the tent in fresh house sandals and access the house.

Once inside the house, the member will proceed to the kitchen or bathroom, and wash his/her hands with soap and water.

The used clothing will be left outside for at least 24 hours, before they are run through the washing machine, using hand gloves. Emptying the soiled clothing into the washing machine should be done with utmost care. Yet again, proper procedure for removal of hand gloves is to be followed, before dropping then into the washing machine.

Isopropyl Alcohol I.P. 70% v/v Hand Sanitizer: Use in moderation.

The label is designed by me but the liquid inside is for real. The original bottle did not come with a dispensing pump so I used another brand's casing.

A member should use hand sanitizer no more than once during the day. The next/second time the member must use hand sanitizer will be during the time of changing clothing. Studies have concluded that it is not very good to use hand sanitizers too often. Moderation in its use is encouraged.

Regular washing of hands with water and soap is the best and the safest. Excessive use of sanitizer is said to have dire consequences to our hand microbiome – the good bacteria that keep our skin and bodes, healthy.

Should any readers have additional precautions to suggest, please do so.

A Revolution In The Making

It is happening! And not in some impoverished remote village in the depths of the Bhutanese wilderness – it is happening right under your noses! They are not the shanty, rickety bullock cart ridding lot, or the barefoot variety plodding over muddy farm roads. These are the upwardly mobile, the nose-in-the-air, squeaky-clean wannabes who come riding in shinny, spanking new latest model cars and SUVs, bearing not laptops or some other modern gadgets, but farm tools such as Hoe, Spades, Crowbars, Shovel, Racks, Pickaxes etc.

These are the new breed of urban farmers that is about to set into motion a trend that this country sorely needs – a trend that has the potential to reboot the Bhutanese people’s evolutionary process that went into animated suspension over a century back.

Yesterday morning as I was driving past Motithang Higher Secondary School, I noticed a bunch of people digging away at the far end of the school compound. Quite evidently these lot were digging up the earth to do some farming. Upon enquiry, I was told that they were the staff of the school. They had divided the vacant plot of land into small parcels among themselves and were going to grow vegetables. I gave them a Thumbs Up.

A section of Motithang HS being dug up for growing food

Much later over lunch it occurred to me that perhaps this may be happening elsewhere around Thimphu. So I pulled out my camera and drove around places that generally do not do farming. When I reached Hejo – opposite the Woodcraft Centre, I saw lot of people digging away in about 20 segregated parcels of farmland. I drove in and realized that these were not the regular farmers – but educated lot of people engaged in farm work. In fact one of the diggers wished me with the utmost courtesy. It turns out that he was one of the trekking guides that I had used a number of times in the past.

A section of Hejo village being turned into farmland by the urban farmers out of jobs and livelihood

It is happening. Farming and agriculture work is no longer infra dig! There is pride, and opportunity, in farm work.

Urban farmers arrive their new workplace ridding in swanky new cars and SUVs

A close up of the urban farmers doing group work

The land has been dug up and beds made for plantation of chilies

A water pond has been created for watering the farm plots

But there seems to be something that could spell trouble - the farmers can't help but huddle in a group - for discussion, distribution of seeds and seedlings. There seems to be a need for a Lajab at each of these farm clusters - so that they are constantly reminded of the need for physical distancing. The government and the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Agriculture  & Forests should immediately work on this so that farm work does not become a potential disaster, after all that we have achieved so far.

No physical distancing practiced - this could be catastrophic

Subsequently, I drove over to meet my friend Tsewang Rinzing, owner of Sakten Tours & Treks for a tete-a-tete. We hadn’t met for quite a while because of the need for social distancing during this difficult times. Over the course of our discussions he tells me that he has been considering his options to continue to support his 18 regular staff, although business is at a stand still and is likely to continue for over a year. He tells me that he believes that one way is to suspend the construction of his hotel project in Punakha and instead use the 8 acres of land available there – to engage his staff to do farming to generate income for themselves.

Now this is pure inventiveness! Are other rich tour operators going to consider doing something similar? Such an endeavor would not only help the workless staff remain gainfully employed and earn their keep, it will go a long way in lightening up the financial burden on the government.

I dare say that with people coming forward with such initiatives and thinking out of the box, the much-awaited revolution in the agriculture sector is a real possibility.

But I hope that the Ministry of Agriculture & Forests will not be caught with their pants down. We need this Ministry to be as valiant as the Ministry of Health has been. Let Bhutan show the way – how a crisis can be converted to opportunity and optimism.

Carpe Diem!

As I have said in one of my earlier posts, this COVID-19 is God sent for Bhutan and it is a crisis that Bhutan must not allow to go to waste. And signs are aplenty that we are indeed seizing the opportunity - to turnaround a potential calamity into an occasion for opportunity.

Because of the virtual lock-down and the possibility of food shortages in the coming months, encouraging reports are filtering in that people across the country – urban youth, farmers, the bureaucracy, government agencies, agro-entrepreneurs, youth groups, agriculture cooperatives - are now solely focused on farm work and food production.

I believe that in the next 3-4 months Bhutan is all set for bumper food production. And I believe that we absolutely have the consumptive capacity to consume them all, within the country. We do not need export market. The question now is:

What are the government’s plans to complement the farmers’ new found initiative and vigor? Is the government machinery organized in a way that they can help the farmers with a reasonable support price (not buy-back price), transportation, distribution, delivery and storage? What are the government’s plans to ensure that the farmers produce do not go to waste for want of better storage facility, transportation, marketing and delivery network?

I believe that with a better and timely planning transportation, distribution and marketing may not be a challenge given that we have more than adequate home market for whatever the farmers produce. But the challenge would be, in my view, if the government were to be unprepared in creating adequate storage capacity.

What are the government’s plans on setting up regional cold storage facilities to stock food that cannot be absorbed by the market at one go. What are the government’s plans on post-harvest processing – in a situation when storage facilities become unobtainable?

For the past one month and for the next few months, thousands upon thousands of students are/will be home bound - resulting in billions of Ngulturms in savings, through suspension of school-feeding program. We could use this savings from the education sector – to build, on a war footing, cold storage facilities across the country, so that the food produced by the farmers and growers could be stored and released depending on market off-take.

Should the government be ill prepared to take on the anticipated mass production of food, the farmers will fall back to the same apathy that has contributed to falling farm production over the decades. The government must do all it takes to ensure that the farmers do not loose the new found momentum.

Bhutan Must Prepare For Few Years Not For Few Months

One of the most ruinous misconceptions the Bhutanese people have today is that as long and our King and the government can contain the transmission of virus to the community, we are safe from its scourge. This is not entirely true.

As I have said in my last post, we live in an inter-connected world and thus, we cannot hope to survive in isolation – it is IMPOSSIBLE to survive as an island. What impacts the world will impact us. There is no escape from that. Despite our very best planning, foresight and strategies at containment, we can never be 100% sure of our invulnerability.

We may be able to survive death by COVID-19 but WE CANNOT HOPE TO SURVIVE DEATH BY HUNGER! It is this real possibility for the reason for which I spoke of shifting focus to food production in my last post. I urge the government and the agencies concerned, to embark on this route without the slightest of delay.

The Royal Government of Bhutan assures us that there will be no shortage of food and that adequate food stock will be maintained. I do not doubt their good intensions. However we all know that this assurance is based on the traditional support and goodwill of the people and government of India towards Bhutan and the Bhutanese people. We also know that India will not be found wanting in our times of need. But it would be foolhardy to believe that our need would be more urgent than their own.

As of now, the Modi government has effectively managed to contain the proliferation of the coronavirus and I earnestly pray that they succeed to continue to do so. But we cannot rule out the possibility of India going the American way. Should it ever happen that the virus overwhelms India, Bhutan and the Bhutanese people cannot hope to remain unaffected. We will be impacted severely – there is no doubt of that.

We cannot hope to rely on imported food to see us through during times of crisis because imported food may not become available to us, for a variety of compulsions. Thus, it is imperative that we prepare for food self-sufficiency – as a more reliant and dependable means of battling the coronavirus, or its after effects.

It is likely that it will be few years before the humanity is able to recuperate from the devastation caused by the virus. Thus, it seems like our preparedness should be not for few months, but for years to come.

Let it not be said that the Bhutanese people valiantly survived the coronavirus, only to die of starvation.

COVID-19: A God Sent Opportunity for Bhutan

Hi John,

Thank you ... yes lets pray but as you know the tenacity of the human race has always been remarkable. We have always survived many catastrophes and crisis over the centuries. The Black Plague killed 25 million and yet we are still here - all set to face and fight yet another catastrophe.

There are some school of thought that believe that catastrophes such as this is nature's balancing act. Periodic disasters such as this are necessary to maintain the earth's equilibrium. That is why I am a great admirer of your monumental leader Winston Churchill who understood a thing or two about the need for catastrophes - you may recall that it was him who first propagated the thought: "Never let a good crisis go to waste".

Already I am told that one of the positive effects of this virus is that the environment is benefitting across the glob.

You are right, our King and the government are doing a remarkable job of arresting the virus at the borders and not allowing it to reach the communities. As long as we are able to effectively keep the virus at bay, we should be fine.

Something good about this for Bhutan is that we are now effectively liberated from being tethered to our traditional economic activities: our tourism is at a zilch, our industries have ground to a halt, and our exports are suspended. Liberty has finally been imposed upon us - a season has dawned on us - a season of opportunity. The coronavirus has gifted to our government and the people of Bhutan an opportunity to shift focus to areas that have been traditionally neglected.

Thousands of young and energetic hands in the form of tourist guides and workers in the service industry are idling away their time - without work, employment or earning. To me this is a God sent opportunity to seize and embark on a revolution of sorts - to focus on something that should have been our natural choice of economic activity - production of food. Up scaling agriculture production and restocking the rural homes with able bodied agriculture workers is now a possibility. We have fertile land, we have the water resources, and farming is inherently in our blood.

Even if we are able to ward off the virus, since we live in an inter-connected world, as a part of the whole, Bhutan cannot escape the fallout of the global impact of the virus, for the next 2-3 years. Thus, we need to be ready and prepared to walk the distance with imagination and foresight. To me agriculture production is a natural choice.

Sorry for the long winding mail but I hope that at the end of it you see that it is not all gloom and doom.

Please convey my Regards to all your participants to the Conference. I am amazed at their positive attitude - not one of them seem to have given up hope. They are still hoping to be able to make it to Bhutan at the end of July. That is what I keep telling my friends - hope is the very foundation of human civilization.

Bye and take care

Yeshey Dorji

Club Secretary

Rotary Club of Thimphu

RID 3292

Know Your Virus

One reader of my Blog who is very learned on all issues related to viruses advises me on some aspects of viruses in general and COVID-19 in particular. The reader writes:

I’ve liked your recent posts. Your focus on public health vigilance is exactly right. 

Good tests already exist for finding the coronavirus in individuals and communities. It’s just a matter of manufacturing these screening tests and applying them widely. This means not only to people who are symptomatic and to their contacts, but in a surveillance way across populations, so that public health experts have a clear idea of how many infections — symptomatic and asymptomatic, and among individuals who have recovered and are presumably immune — are out there. The only way to develop and manufacture these tests is to first know what kinds of specific antibody the body is producing against the virus. South Korea and other nations quickly did the science and started making screening tests and applying them widely. 

It is not a cure that will be ready in 12-18 months — it’s the vaccine, which will prevent the infection in those who are inoculated. There are very, very few cures for viral infections, and it’s unlikely that there will ever be a true cure for COVID-19. Rather, there may be treatments that help the body respond to the infection, or that boost the body’s immune system — but not a cure. Antibiotics cure bacterial infections, but there are very few antivirals that cure viral infections.

I thank the reader for the input - we are so much more wiser for it.

Extending The Quarantine Period: A Good Decision

I am relieved to hear that the government has decided to extend the quarantine period to 21 days. Here it is VERY IMPORTANT for every one to understand that it is far, far less expensive to quarantine the arrivals into the country - than to get into a situation where he have to begin to quarantine and isolate the home-grown cases. If we enter this phase, then we are in serious trouble and the situation will spiral out of our control.

Thus I urge the government to keep up the level of severity of vigilance as it is done now. There should be no occasion for the government to be blamed for what was not done, that which could have been.

I would like to once again bring to attention the issue of the following ten upcoming Tsechus – this issue I had already raised on the 8th of March, 2020:

Zhemgang Tshechu            April 01 – 03, 2020

Talo Tshechu                      April 01 – 03, 2020

Gasa Tshechu                     April 01 – 03, 2020

Gomphu Kora Tshechu      April 01 – 03, 2020

Paro Tshechu                      April 04 – 08, 2020

Rhododendron Festival      April 17 – 19, 2020

Domkhar Tshechu              May 02 – 04, 2020

Ura Yakchoe                       May 04 – 08, 2020

There is a need for the government, the Zhung Dratshang and the Dratshang Lhentshog - to consider the matter seriously and issue appropriate directives, not withstanding the fact that there is already a ban in place for large gatherings of any type, for any reason.

A single carrier of the virus during any one of the above Tsechus could effectively torpedo all the good work done so far. It does not help that the large number of people who traditionally attend these Tsechus are from among the high risk age group.

I keep reminding friends and family that treating the COVID-19 infection is cheap - because there is simply no treatment! For now, it is well within Bhutan’s means to quarantine few thousand Bhutanese people who cannot be denied entry. Serious trouble for us will begin when we let our guard down and take a lax attitude towards need for heightened vigilance, which is the need of the hour.