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Bengal

Mamata seeks PM's intervention in Rlys sending Shramik Spl trains to Bengal

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention on Wednesday in the alleged "whimsical" functioning of the Railways in sending Shramik Special trains to West Bengal daily and urged the BJP-led Central government not to pursue politics when the state is battling the dual crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the trail of destruction left behind by Cyclone Amphan.

Addressing a press conference, Banerjee said: "They (BJP) can disturb me politically, why are they causing harm to the state. I request PM Modi and Home Minister to look into sending of Shramik trains so that there is no spike in COVID-19 cases in Bengal."

The state's infrastructure is "stretched to its limit" following the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan, she said, adding that West Bengal can receive very few trains carrying migrant workers on a daily basis as of now.

The state considers the ferrying of a large number of migrant workers by the Railways as a big problem for public health. The pressure should be "optimal and well managed", she added.

This comes at the time when 183 people have tested positive for COVID-19 and the disease claimed six lives in Bengal in the past 24 hours.

With 11 special trains arriving the state on Wednesday late night, the state government has decided 14 days mandatory institutional quarantine for returnees from five states — Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chennai, Gujarat and Delhi. They will be kept in school buildings in their respective districts. Their swab tests will be conducted only if any symptoms develop during their stay in quarantine. The returnees from other states will be allowed to go for home quarantine.

She added: "Already 5 to 6 lakh people have returned to the state. Many of them have tested positive. It shows that more people are getting infected with the influx of migrants. We empathise with our people stuck in different parts of the country and have engaged 225 trains to bring them back. But it has to be done in a planned and staggered manner."

She further maintained: "The state government is facing a dual crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic and the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan. Our infrastructure is completely stretched. The Railways is sending Shramik Special trains to the state every day according to its whims and fancies, without even bothering to inform us."

"Where will we keep these migrant labourers for institutional quarantine? This is not the time for politics. We are facing a very tough situation and we need time and space to tackle it," the Chief Minister said, ahead of the slated arrival of 11 Shramik Special trains to the state in the evening.

She said: "On Tuesday, we came to know that 36 trains will be coming at a time from Maharashtra where the rate infection is highest in the country. We had crossed-checked with the Maharashtra government and came to know that they were also not aware of it. It means that the Railways is taking such whimsical steps without informing the concerned state and it may turn the entire country into a red zone."

The Chief Minister maintained: "I had urged Union Home minister Amit Shah to take the task of handling COVID-19 situation in the state as well. He told me how can we surpass an elected government?"

The TMC government had requested the Railway ministry not to send Shramik Special trains to the state till May 26 in view of the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan.

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