Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government on Monday held a high-level meeting and came up with fresh guidelines to partially restore services across the state.
The meeting was held between Chief Minister Banerjee, other cabinet colleagues, secretaries and senior officials of various state government departments at the state secretariat Nabbana to discuss the next course of action.
It was called to discuss the guidelines for the partial relaxations, especially in the third phase of the nationwide lockdown that will continue till May 17.
“We have assessed the situation and revised certain guidelines across the state. We have allowed small standalone shops selling essential and non-essential goods to reopen from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. across the state, except for containment zones. But shops located in market complexes won’t be allowed to reopen,” state Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha told a press conference on Monday evening.
He said that mining activities can be restored in the green zones. “Private bus services can be restored in the green zone areas maintaining strict guidelines. Private offices can also reopen and function with 25 per cent of their total staff strength,” Sinha said, adding that the state government still encourages the work-from-home mode of operation for all private offices.
However, there were confusions among the private bus owners as they do not know about the proper guidelines to resume services. As a result, private transportation mostly kept off the roads in the districts that are considered as green zones on Monday. The bus owners cited the safety of their staff as reason for not running the services.
The state excise department also released a 15-point guideline for reopening liquor shops. In the notice, it said that all liquor shops will have to maintain strict guidelines while selling alcohol to customers.
The excise department guidelines said that the price of all items should be hung outside the shops; no liquor will be sold to a customer if he or she is not wearing a mask and everyone will have to follow the strict social distancing guidelines.
Interestingly, as the news started doing the rounds since Monday morning, hundreds of people were seen queuing up in front of liquor shops in various pockets of Kolkata and the neighbouring districts. Ignoring the restrictions of wearing masks, buyers gathered outside liquor shops at areas like Nandakumar in East Midnapur, Salt Lake, Dhakuria etc. Police personnel were deployed in the pockets to strictly impose social distancing guidelines.
“The liquor shops will remain open between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.,” Sinha said.
He also said that private cars have been allowed to hit the road with valid e-passes. “But there should be only three passengers in a car, including the driver. Tea stalls and small kiosks can also reopen but there should not be any gathering,” the Chief Secretary said.
The state government had earlier expressed concern over the agricultural sector and the supply chain management for smooth transportation of farm produce.
According to police sources, as many as 183 people were arrested by the Kolkata Police for violating lockdown guidelines, of which 21 were arrested for publicly spitting on the streets.
Meanwhile, city Mayor Firhad Hakim on Monday held a meeting with the councillors of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), the state’s largest civic body.
“We need to sensitise people, especially in the slum areas, in coordination with the local police stations. I have told all the councillors to intervene at the micro-levels and carry out regular drives. People must maintain the social distancing guidelines,” he told mediapersons at KMC.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state secretary Dilip Ghosh on Monday appealed to the state government to carry out more Covid-19 tests. “I request the Chief Minister not to cover up the cases and step up the number of rapid tests, else it will be harmful for the citizens of Bengal. I have already sent a letter to the Union Home Minister to look into the issues here in Bengal,” he told a press conference at his Salt Lake residence.