A CORRESPONDENT
BAKSA: With the spike in COVID cases in Tamulpur subdivision as well in Baksa district, people of Darangamela have been living in fear due to migrant truck drivers who reach the area from outside the State daily. The local people have also demanded that truck drivers and handymen should be allowed to enter populated area only after testing negative for COVID-19. Moreover, the second wave of COVID-19 has created panic and fear among the border people as hundreds of truck drivers from outside the State remain stationed in the commercial areas as well as other populated areas in NK Daranga along the Indo-Bhutan border in Baksa.
The Health department of Baksa district has already set up a COVID-testing centre at NK Daranga especially to test drivers and their handymen. The locals have demanded that the COVID-testing centre must be shifted from the crowded place and set up on some other open space.
More than 11 people tested positive in the last one week along the Indo-Bhutan border. Besides, the closure of the junction of Samdrup Jonkhar district of Eastern Bhutan since last year has had a huge impact on businessmen along the border area. Many business establishments have been shut down.