Rising Covid cases fuel containment zone talk in Bengal-as political parties are organising huge rallies ahead of Assembly polls, situation, officials said, could turn critical

The situation, officials said, could turn critical as political parties are organising huge rallies ahead of Assembly polls

Alapan Bandyopadhyay: File picture

Pranesh Sarkar   |  TT   |   Calcutta   |   21.03.21 :  The Bengal government has asked district magistrates to consider setting up containment zones once again if they deem it necessary to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as positive cases have started rising again in the state.

“The chief secretary (Alapan Bandyopadhyay) recently held a video-conference with district magistrates and asked them to take a stand like setting up containment zones if needed. The state was asked to initiate required measures during a video-conference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief ministers (on March 16),” said a senior bureaucrat. Chief secretary Bandyopadhyay had represented Bengal in the video-conference with Modi.

The last containment zone was set up in Bengal in January as infections were on a decline since Vijaya Dashami till they started showing an upward trend early this month.

Some health department officials said though Covid-19 cases had not gone up alarmingly in the state till now, Bengal wants to take a lesson from Maharashtra where daily cases have reached 25,000-odd from 8,900-odd on February 28.

In Bengal, the state recorded 347 cases on March 19. The figure was 194 on February 19. So far, the rise has been mostly seen in Calcutta and North 24-Parganas.

“Containment zones could be made in Calcutta and North 24-Parganas first, if needed, and the number of cases found in an area will decide this,” said an official.

The situation, officials said, could turn critical as political parties are organising huge rallies ahead of Assembly polls. “Covid-19 protocols are hardly followed in political rallies. We can’t impose curbs on rallies, only the Election Commission can as the model code of conduct is in place,” said an official.

The state government has decided to start public awareness events in markets, bus stands and railway stations once again. “People are not following norms.…We will make them aware why wearing masks and maintaining physical distance is still required,” said an official.