The number of active cases in West Bengal was at 550 on Wednesday, with the government saying that restrictions to check the spread of COVID-19 may be enforced till the end of May.
However, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said gave a not to some relaxations in green zones in the state.
According to the state government, 22 people have died so far because of the novel coronavirus.
Relaxations in green zone
Announcing that experts have suggested continuation of the lockdown till the end of May, Mamata Banerjee said there would be some relaxations in the green zones in the state from Monday.
The Telegraph quoted her as saying, “We had a meeting with doctors yesterday. Experts are saying that we should be very cautious till the end of May after which it would subside to some extent. Then it could increase in July and August during the monsoon. No disease disappears suddenly.… But (we) can’t get stuck because of corona.”
The chief minister said that from May 4, restrictions will be eased in green and orange zones where stand-alone shops of non-essential items will be opened.
“But there will be no relaxation for containment areas. The relaxation applies only to stand-alone shops and home delivery of non-essential items, not for market complexes or shopping malls,” she said.
Bengal has four red zones — Kolkata, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur districts. The orange zones are South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Bardhaman, Paschim Bardhaman, Kalimpong, Nadia, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Murshidabad and Malda.
The eight districts in the green zone are Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur, Dakhin Dinajpur, Birbhum, Bankura, Purulia and Jhargram.
What will be functional in green zones?
Announcing the relaxations in all these 8 districts Banerjee said in accordance with the orders of the central government, stand-alone shops dealing in non-essential items, bus and taxi services in green zones will be opened up, following all precautionary and social distancing measures.
The Telegraph reported Banerjee as saying that shops meant for books, stationary, mobile phone recharge, electronics can open. So can hardware, paint, tea and pan shops.
The chief minister said that buses can run with not more than 20 passengers.
“Police will survey which shops will be opened. Hawkers’ markets and shops on footpath won’t be opened. Factories can open in green zones but they need to abide by all protocols,” PTI quoted her as saying.
“Taxis also can operate in green zones, but with not more than three passengers,” Banerjee said.
More details will be announced on May 1.
(With PTI inputs)