Several Siliguri residents are worried about news reports that several asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus have been found across the country. Among the many sections of society, people associated with business establishments, and cultural organisations have said they want to know the exact Covid-19 situation of Siliguri, the gateway to the northeast and other countries like Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh.
They have expressed concern as they said they do not have the exact information about fresh coronavirus affected persons and deaths. The concerns come at a time when an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) that touring the region and that today went to Kalimpong has alleged noncooperation from the state administration, including the police in north Bengal.
Siliguri residents are also unhappy about the present controversy over the number of Covid deaths between the Centre and the state and even between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Governnor Jagdeep Dhankhar.
“Common people are not interested in the present political battle between the Centre and the state. They are rather worried about Covid-19. People do not want to be sandwiched between the Centre and the state. They want the governments to save people from Covid-19,” said N Agarwal, a Siliguri resident.
Another Siliguri resident, Pranay Gupta, also wanted to know what exactly is happening in Siliguri, and if people here are safe, and what the administration has done to combat the pandemic and treat infected people.
“If the administration starts mass medical tests among the people and if a huge number of people is identified as coronavirus carriers, where will they be quarantined? If news reports are to be believed, there are no basic facilities in government-run quarantine centres. If the administration forces coronavirus infected people to stay in its quarantine centres, their condition will deteriorate because those observation centres are reportedly death traps,” Mr Gupta said.
On the other hand, despite people’s coronavirus concerns, political leaders are still busy attacking their opponents. “Members of the IMCT should return to their respective states, from where they have come to Bengal, to look after their people there. We are fine here under the leadership of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. IMCT members should not waste time of our officers,” North Bengal Development minister Rabindranath Ghosh said.
On the other hand, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista said that the spat between the Centre and the state has finally helped the people of Bengal. “The debate has unveiled a clear picture. People of Bengal are getting more information now. The number of medical tests has gone up and the public distribution system has also developed following the debates,” Mr Bista said.
He was referring to the state government’s revised Covid- 19 death figures that showed that 39 people, who had contracted the novel coronavirus, had also died in the state, but that they all had other co-morbidities.