The increasing number of coronavirus cases in West Bengal and a lockdown meant that Poila Baisakh, or the Bengali new year on Tuesday, is going to go without any major celebrations this year.
The state reported 15 new coronavirus cases taking the number of active cases in the state to 110. So far seven people have died from the novel coronavirus in the state.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to Twitter to wish the people of the state, saying “stay well, stay healthy”.
4 people discharged
In some good news, four people who had tested positive for COVID-19 were discharged on Monday after they recovered from the disease. They reportedly tested negative for the coronavirus twice before they were discharged.
PTI reported that all four of them were admitted in Kolkata’s Beliaghata ID hospital and are residents of Nadia district’s Tehatta.
According to an unnamed official, they had been admitted in the first week of April.
895 arrested for lockdown violation
If reports are to be believed, authorities in Kolkata are having a tough time getting people to adhere to the rules of the lockdown.
PTI reported that according to the Kolkata police 895 people have been arrested between Sunday and Monday for defying the lockdown.
Kolkata Police Commissioner Anuj Sharma, according to the report, had requested people to comply while directing officers to take strong legal action against those found violating the norms.
Another PTI report suggested that people were seen roaming around in the state without masks or face covers even after the Mamata Banerjee government made it compulsory for people to do so.
The arrests come after the Union home ministry had sent three warning to the state over alleged “gradual dilution” of the nationwide lockdown.
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday also urged the state government to pay heed to the Centre’s warnings against “gradual dilution” of lockdown, and said officials should be held accountable for their lapses, if any.
Police surveillance
Kolkata police sources have said that even the by-lanes of the city will be under surveillance to ensure the success of the lockdown in the state.
Anandabazar.com quoted sources from the Kolkata police headquarters in Lalbazar as saying that all police stations and deputy commissioners in the city have been given directions for such surveillance.
According to the report, police sources have said that such a decision was taken because people were gathering for “adda” and just roaming around despite the lockdown measures.
(With PTI inputs)