Union minister of state for minority affairs and Alipurduar MP John Barla on Friday met V. Namgyel, the ambassador of Bhutan in India, in Delhi to know about the pandemic situation in that country.

Barla also requested Namgyel to expedite the process of opening the entry point at Phuentsholing, Bhutan’s commercial capital that flanks Jaigaon in Alipurduar district.

“It was a meaningful conversation at my office and we discussed issues related to borders of the two countries amid the Covid 19. Talks were also held on how the pandemic affected the economy of both countries, especially tourism,” Barla said over phone.

Recently, Barla visited Jaigaon where traders told him about the drastic dip in commercial activities after Bhutan closed the border gate last year because of the pandemic. Also, daily-rated workers, who could walk to Bhutan for jobs, were forced to sit idle.

“It was great to learn from him (Bhutan’s ambassador) that around 95 per cent of the country’s population above 18 years have been vaccinated. We hope Bhutanese authorities mull the issues I raised during the meeting,” Barla said.