West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee came down heavily on the Mursidabad district Superintendent of Police Ajeet Singh Yadav and ordered that he be transferred on Thursday. The move came after reports of hundreds gathering for Friday prayers last week at Gopipur mosque in his jurisdiction, breaking norms of social distancing during the lockdown.
Mamata also said religious congregations should not be held until May 3rd, that is till the time the nation-wide lockdown is in place.
The Chief Minister also expressed concern over the porous Bengal-Bangladesh border in Malda district, from where people were coming into the country. The West Bengal Chief Minister also took this as an opportunity to retaliate against the suggestion of paramilitary forces to control the situation in West Bengal.
“Malda is Bengal-Bangladesh border which has to be kept under watch as people from Bangladesh come for treatment. This shouldn’t be allowed. The BSF sometimes allows them. Please check their addresses. National, inter-state and international movement are not allowed.” Mamata reiterated.
The active COVID-19 cases in the state shot up from 144 to 162, with 22 new cases reported and 4 people discharged. The death toll stands at 10. Mamata spoke about the red zones, where majority COVID-19 cases have been identified and said that this should change in the coming days.
“In the red star zones are Howrah, Kolkata and North 24 Parganas which have to be brought to the orange zone in 15 days. These three regions are very sensitive,” explained Mamata who has refused to use the term hotspots and instead said areas have been mapped out as part of a micro planning initiative. Medinipur is in the orange zone.
Mamata who has showed concern for migrant labourers from the beginning of the lockdown will pay Rs.1000 to those from West Bengal who are stuck in other states. “We have made arrangements to pay online or through paytm, for those workers who are outside Bengal in other states. We will give Rs.1000,” she said while asking the District Magistrates to check whether the migrants are genuine residents of West Bengal.
