Food for infected poor a must, says state government

During the first and second wave, the administration had arranged safe home facilities for those who lacked space for quarantine

Food packets will be distributed by the police for which a proper coordination between the civil administration and the police is needed.: File Photo.

TT Special Correspondent   |   Calcutta   |  05.01.22: The Mamata Banerjee government has asked authorities of all the districts to keep food packets ready for distribution, fearing that “many poor people” may get affected owing to the recent surge in Covid cases in the state.

“There may be many poor people getting affected due to the recent surge in Covid... Many of them may be in home isolation. It has been decided that a packet containing muri (puffed rice), rice, daal, biscuits etc be delivered to their homes,” reads a WhatsApp message sent to the district magistrates from Bengal chief secretary H.K. Dwivedi.

Sources in Nabanna said the initiative has been taken after it was felt that many poor people who would be advised home isolation in the face of infection could face trouble arranging food for themselves.

“If we want to ensure that the home isolation policy works to reduce the burden on government establishments, we have to ensure no one faces trouble with food during the home isolation,” said a senior official.

According to sources as it is being apprehended that more people could get affected this time, it is not possible for the state government to arrange safe home facility for all patients who are asymptomatic or with mild symptoms.

During the first and second waves, the government had arranged safe home facilities for those who lacked space at home to go for isolation.

“At the peak of the second wave, a total of 21,000 people were getting tested Covid positive per day. But in this fresh wave it is being apprehended that the figure could cross 30,000 soon and 95 per cent of them could have no symptoms or mild ones. It is impossible for the government to arrange safe home facility for such a huge number of people. This is why we have to stress on home isolation,” said an official.

The WhatsApp message also said that district officials would have to visit places where many cases are being reported to assess the ground situation.

“The food packets have to be sent to the poor in home isolation. Several non-government organisations are also working at the grassroots, but their effort might not be enough to reach out to all. It is the duty of the government to think about all citizens,” said another official.

The state government made it clear that food packets would be distributed by the police for which a proper coordination between the civil administration and the police was needed.

Some officials said this effort would save a handsome amount the state government would otherwise have to spend in running safe homes.

“Yes, we will have to run some safe homes for those who don't have space at all at home. But in the long run, by reaching out to the poor with food packets, the state will be able to save a huge amount that would have otherwise gone on running the safe homes,” said a source.

Sources explained the state government had hired hundreds of marriage halls to set up safe homes and arranged cooked food for those put up in these facilities.

“Nearly Rs 3 crore was spent per month for this facility during the second wave. Now, we can stress on upgrading  health infrastructure for those who need hospitalisation,” said a bureaucrat.