Covid-19 district task force decides on areas to be under lockdown from Thursday

Darjeeling: Around 9 wards under the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) will be in strict lockdown from Thursday.

As many as 3 areas in the Kalimpong district have also been declared as containment zones. A Covid-19 Darjeeling district task committee met at the Circuit House in Siliguri on Wednesday to discuss on the issue.

"We have earmarked ward number 2, 4, 5, 28, 46 (Darjeeling district) along with 37, 38, 39 and 43 (falling in

Jalpaiguri district) of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation as broader containment zones. The lock down will take effect from 5pm Wednesday for 7 days," stated S Ponnambalam, District Magistrate,

Darjeeling.

Adding to the list of multiple markets in the SMC area, the Nayabazar Wholesale market will also be closed from 5 pm on Thursday till the 12th July. The District Magistrate said that 36 patients were discharged in the district on Wednesday.

The DM also informed that atleast 13 cases in the SMC area, 1 in Matigara and 1 in Sukna tested Covid-19 positive on Wednesday.

"There are 3 containment zones — one each in the Gorubathan 1, Gorubathan 2 and Kumai Gram Panchayats under the Gorubathan Block in Kalimpong district. All necessary measures have been adopted to enforce a lock down in these areas. Only sale of essential commodities along with essential services will be allowed in these zones in the lock down period " stated R Vhimala, DM, Kalimpong.

The "Covid Care Network," comprising of recovered Covid positives, was extended to North Bengal on Wednesday. "The condition of Siliguri is alarming. We request all to extend a helping hand to the positives" stated Dr. Avijit Chowdhury.