The administration and police have stepped up surveillance in three
districts of north Bengal–Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Jalpaiguri–after the
Union health ministry listed them as non-hotspot districts for
COVID-19.
According to senior police officers, steps were being taken to ensure
that there is no unchecked inward, outward movement from and in these
zones, except for essential services. Siliguri Mayor Asok Bhattacharya,
however, said that Siliguri and some other areas would have been listed
in the hotspot area had large scale Covid tests been conducted.
In Darjeeling, the police, along with the administration, said they
will start “stricter containment measures” on an experimental basis in
Darjeeling town area, which will be applied in other places later. “In
the government of India notification, Darjeeling has been placed in the
Annexure 4 category, which means that it has not been declared as a
hotspot, but certain positive cases had been found. “ We will be
starting some stricter containment measures in the vegetable market and
Motor Stand area in Darjeeling town as an experiment,” the Darjeeling
town DSP, Rahul Pandey, said.
According to him, only a limited number of people will be allowed to
enter the vegetable market at one go, while the others will have to
stand in a queue as part of social distancing norms. “It will also be
made mandatory for shopkeepers to have masks and sanitizers or they will
not be allowed to run their shops. “ Also, face masks are being made
mandatory for customers or they will be sent back home. The shopkeepers
will also have to oversee this and sent them back. If found not wearing
masks, they will also be prosecuted,” Mr Pandey said.
The police will also put in place proper restrictions for vehicles,
with small four wheelers to be allowed to carry only three persons,
including the driver, while other commercial vehicles like Tata Sumos
will be allowed to carry only four persons, including the driver. The
police will also not allow street vendors and shops selling
non-essential commodities to sell their wares.
Police said around 91 arrests had been made for lockdown violations
in the Darjeeling Sadar area, while the number for the sub-division was
160 in total.Meanwhile, a retired government doctor was admitted with
breathing problems in the Respiratory Intensive Care Unit of the NBMCH
today, sources said.
Infrastructure ready: As Desun Hospital at
Kawakahali on the outskirts of Siliguri is ready to admit suspected
Covid-19 patients, who are suffering from severe acute respiratory
infection and influenza-like-illness, the health department has arranged
for adequate infrastructure there. “The general ward, malefemale wards,
action area, buffer zone, ITU, and nurses’ station have been marked.
Training has been given on the use of PPEs (personal protective
equipment) and the use of N95 masks among health care providers.
“Elaborate plans are in place for frontline health care providers who
will ensure services for seven days, and kept under observation for 14
days as part of the standard operating procedure,” said Dr Gopal Krishna
Dhali, who is coordinating health care arrangements and overseeing
infrastructure for Covid-19 treatment in north Bengal. Sources said that
when a team of doctors and other medical staff are under observation,
another team will resume duties.The hospital with 100 beds for such
patients is expected to be functional from tomorrow.
Under-trials plea: Under-trials in the Siliguri
Special Correctional Home hae requested the authorities to not accept
new prisoners to avoid the spread of Covid-19. The capacity of the
correctional home is 200, but it reportedly remains overcrowded. Sources
said that the authorities had earlier requested the district judge of
Darjeeling to not send new prisoners there. A separate ward is in place
at the home in order to keep the new prisoners under medical observation
for a period of 14 days.
https://www.thestatesman.com
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