February 13: BAFRA inspectors at the Tanalum check post under Chhukha dzongkhag are not taking any chance. To ensure that bird flu does not enter the country, they are checking every vehicle coming from Phuentsholing.

This is not an easy task. On any given day, hundreds of vehicles come from the border town of Phuentsholing. This is what you will see at the Tanalum check post, long lines of vehicles as the travel wary passengers wait for their turn to be checked.

To prevent people from bringing in poultry products either knowingly or unknowingly, BAFRA officials check every vehicle, riffling through the contents of every bag and looking inside the vehicle and even under the seats.

Those who travel regularly to Phuentsholing said they have by now become used to the long wait. Some however said it is difficult not to become impatient.

Apart from poultry products, the import of which has been banned since an outbreak of bird flu was reported in West Bengal, India, they are also looking for other meat products. Sale of meat is banned during the first month of the Bhutanese calendar which is considered auspicious.

The inspectors often find dried beef, pork, and eggs hidden well inside the luggage of the passengers. They are immediately seized and dumped in a pit and phenol sprayed over them to ensure that nobody, not even the inspectors, can consume them.

BAFRA inspectors have so far seized meats and poultry products worth about Nu. 15,000. They said while the majority of the travelers are cooperative, from time to time, they come across travelers who become aggressive and confrontational.

BARFA officials said even when transporting poultry products from one farm to another within the country, the nearest BAFRA office will have to be informed and an in-country movement permit obtained.