Night restrictions: Vigil beefed up; stress on naka checking, raids at restaurants

Kolkata: In a bid to further check the number of Covid cases in the state, all superintendents of police (SPs) and commissioners of police (CPs) have been directed to step up vigil to strictly impose restrictions on outdoor activities from 9 pm to 5 am.

Sources said that all SPs and CPs have received a communiqué from the state secretariat directing them to intensify naka checking on roads including major thoroughfares and surprise raids at hotels, bars and restaurants.

The officers of the state Excise directorate have also been directed to ensure strict monitoring of the situation to check violation of Covid norms. The move has been taken after receiving reports of violation of "Covid restriction" norms that did not allow any outdoor activity, apart from any emergency case, from 9 pm to 5 am in the state.

With a series of steps taken by the state government, the Covid positivity rate in the state has dropped below 1 percent in the past two months time as it went up to even 33 percent during the eighth phase of the Assembly polls. Only 662 people have got inflicted with the disease and it claimed 10 cases in the past 24 hours. It needs mention that reports were received by the concerned authorities about the increase in number of vehicles after 9 pm and even parties getting organised at start hotels with the drop in the number of Covid cases in the state.

Separate incidents of holding parties by violating the set norms had taken place in two start hotels in Kolkata and even in Siliguri.

Restaurants and bars are allowed to remain open till 8 pm and restriction on any outdoor activities starts an hour later that is from 9 pm. "One hours is given to people so that they can enter their houses before the restriction hours begins at night.

The police take action in case anyone is caught flouting the same. Now there will be stringent vigilance to implement the same," said a senior officer. Surveillance also has to be maintained so that any programme or event with a huge gathering does not get organised at any hotels, guest houses and home stays.