'Covid management better in Belgachia bustee than Dharavi slum'

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dr Santanu Sen who is also the advisor to the Covid team of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has written to the World Health Organisation (WHO) stating that the civic body has controlled the spread of Covid in Belgachia Bustee in a better way than Dharavi Bustee in Mumbai.

Dr Sen in his letter to Dr Hendrik Jan Bekedam who is the regional officer for South East Asia urged him so that KMC's effort and success are appreciated by the WHO which had earlier praised the Covid control management of Dharavi Bustee. Dr Sen has claimed that KMC has managed to check transmission of Covid infection at Belgachia Bustee through its constant surveillance mechanism. He also bolstered his claim with a comparative study and data. He also talked about other slum areas of the city where the infection was checked significantly. Belgachia Bustee can also be a role model, Dr Sen said.

"Many other Bustees are also there which the KMC could make almost Covid free by intense mechanism of micro-surveillance in the recent past under the guidance of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. So we strongly believe that this endeavor and success of KMC in controlling Covid in Bustee areas should also be sincerely appreciated," Dr Sen said in his letter.

The comparative study presented by Dr Sen says Dharavi Bustee in Mumbai has a total area of 2.5 square km whereas the Belgachia Bustee in Kolkata has 0.9 square km (900 sq meter). The total population of Dharavi is 6.5 lakh while Belgachia has 1 lakh population. Dharavi reported its first Covid case on March 18 whereas the Belgachia Bustee registered its first case on April 14.

The total Covid cases in Dharavi is 2,359 till July 10 whereas in Belgachia Bustee the total number of Covid affected persons stood at only 14 till the same day.

Around 215 persons have died in Dharavi but in the case of Belgachia only two have died so far. Active Covid cases in Dharavi remained at 166 till July 10 whereas in Belgachia it stood at 1 on the same

day. Last Covid patient was reported at Dharavi on July 10 and at Belgachia on July 9.