'Shutting shops not best solution to curb spread of Covid...'

Kolkata: Firhad Hakim, Chairman Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) feels that closing of all shops and markets as part of containment measures is not a welcome solution for curbing of Covid cases.

"We have decided that we will be creating micro-containment zones for restricting the movement of only those people and their family members who have been affected with Covid. Closing of all shops and markets will pose problems for people who have not been affected by the virus," the Chairman Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporation said.

The district administration for the last three days have kept all shops and markets under Rajpur Sonarpur municipality closed as part of containment measures and people from the particular civic body area has been coming to the nearby markers in Garia, Briji, Renia, Panchasayar etc for purchasing things.

"This has increased the chances of people from Kolkata getting affected. I will speak with the chairman of the municipality Pallab Das about this. I feel that they should trace those who have been affected and make arrangements for reaching out to them with daily essentials and ensure that they remain in their respective residences. But closing of markets may cause inconvenience to other people," Hakim added.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation has decided to go for containment in some wards that are not far away from Sonarpur.

The wards that will come under containment are, 108, 109, 111, 112, 113, 110 and 101 that includes areas like Briji, Panchasayar, Madurdaha, Kalikapur, Renia, Atabagan, Baishnabghat-Patuli.

"Curbs will be lifted with effect from Sunday. We will get the effect of the containment after three-four days. Then the administration will decide whether we have to go for further containment. We will abide by the instructions of the district administration," Pallab Das, Chairman Board of Administrators,

Rajpur Sonarpur municipality said.