West Bengal recorded a fresh high of 1,088 cases on Thursday, taking the State’s total cases past the 25,000 mark to 25,911. As many as 27 more deaths recorded in the last 24 hours took the State’s fatality toll to 854.
Of the total case tally, only 8,231 are active ones.
A seven-day strict lockdown came into force in the 434 containment zones across the State at 5 p.m. on Thursday, with the police putting up barricades to restrict movement of vehicles. Police personnel were posted at the entry and exit points of the zones. Except the three districts of Jhargram, Coochbehar and Paschim Bardhaman, containment zones have been notified in every district.
As the State went for a fresh lockdown, the Opposition parties lashed out at the Trinamool Congress government. “Neither Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nor any of her Cabinet ministers has adhered to the lockdown guidelines. Three months have passed and everything has been opened. If the administration does not impose strict lockdown, then we may have to fear for the worst,” Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) leadership questioned the procedure for selecting these containment zones. “Will the Trinamool Congress decide on which areas there will be lockdown or the administration? The problem in the State was not so acute; it is turning severe because of the faulty policies,” CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty, who is also the leader of the Left legislature party in the Assembly, said.
Mr. Chakraborty was referring to the incident where the CM had expressed displeasure over the list of containment zones in South 24 Parganas district and asked for a review.
