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.