9 O2 plants to come up in North Bengal

Darjeeling: North Bengal is all set to get nine oxygen plants. The decision comes in the wake of anticipation of a third Covid wave.

On Friday OSD (Public Health), North Bengal, Dr Shushanto Rai held a meeting at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri. "Nine oxygen plants will be set up in North Bengal. The aim is to complete setting up the plants by mid August," stated Dr Rai.

Along with this a liquid oxygen plant will also come up at NBMCH. "We will upgrade treatment facilities in the next two months to effectively counter the anticipated third wave," added the OSD.

Meanwhile, the number of active positive cases has been high in the Darjeeling district. The district has the second highest number of active cases in the state and has even taken over Kolkata in terms of daily fresh cases.

Tourists have started thronging Darjeeling. Even interstate tourists are driving up from bordering Bihar and Jharkhand. No checks of RTPCR or RAT test reports along with vaccination reports are being checked while coming up from the plains.

Tourists are seen crowding in public spaces including the Darjeeling Mall without masks. Experts fear that there could be a heavy surge in cases if this is allowed to continue unchecked.