C M Y K

India has four to five per cent death cases in terms of ratio. In West Bengal, it is higher than 13 per cent

BJP STATE PRESIDENT DILIP GHOSH ADDING THAT WEST BENGAL HAS BECOME COVID-19 ZONE IN THE COUNTRY KOLKATA, TUESDAY 05 MAY 2020 03 THUMBNAILS Mamata running Bengal WB govt counters central like police state: Guv

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE tional fountain of power. team's data fudging claims KOLKATA, 4 MAY Who runs government and syndicates!”. He said these are Corona death toll has risen to 61; a total of 218 patients have been discharged from hospitals The West Bengal Governor, open secrets and he isn't the Jagdeep Dhankhar, today one who is failing the citizens STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE ence in corona figures, we Before leaving Bengal after screening had been arranged "While India has four to five lashed out at the chief min- of the state. He alleged, “the KOLKATA, 4 MAY found that our reporting sys- its two-week visit, team leader for migrant workers, pilgrims, per cent death cases in terms ister Mamata Banerjee, rebut- state is becoming a police tem is very complicated. Some- of the IMCT Apurva Chandra students and tourists reaching of ratio, in West Bengal, it is high- ting her allegations against state” and anyone who is midst allegations of times the figures published in issued a strongly worded let- the state from outside. People er than 13 per cent. This is a him of “usurping power”. He posting on social media to the data fudging and dis- the bulletin do not reflect the ter to state chief secretary are being brought in two spe- big concern in our state. A senior penned a 14 point letter, distaste of the ruling dis- crepancies in the num- cases that are detected after the Rajiva Sinha saying the gov- cial trains from Rajasthan and bureaucrat tested Covid-19 reminding the latter of her pensation, are getting a “police Aber of Corona cases bulletin is uploaded. We have ernment had "taken an antag- Kerala while buses have been positive while a BSF jawan “tryst with destiny” which knock” and “expression of During the lockdown, in reported in Bengal, the state now plugged all loopholes, onistic approach towards the arranged for bringing strand- travelling with Central team also include solving issues such political opinions is sought Siliguri, on Monday. SNS government today informed and henceforth we will get all team" and has not supported ed people from Odisha, Bihar, tested positive. What is hap- as “collapse of health sector” to be controlled by the gov- that the number of confirmed Corona related data in real-time it in its pursuit to carry out its Jharkhand and Sikkim. pening here?" he said. in the state. ernment.” Two die in Bghat hosp: cases is 1259. basis from government and pri- duties. Mr Chandra also said To make the exit of people Mr Ghosh also alleged that Mr Dhankhar began by He highlighted that the Two persons of one family Sixty-one people were vate hospitals. We have retrieved that the testing rate was not up stranded in Bengal extreme- poor people were still are not stating that the state is wit- state health sector has “col- died in the Balurghat hos- detected positive in the last 24 all the data that we had missed to the mark and hinted that the ly easy and automatic, the getting food grains from ration nessing “operational issues lapsed” while PDS is afflict- pital with vomiting symp- hours, and the number of earlier," said state chief secretary government was fudging data. state government has made shops due to corruption in the of politicised public distrib- ed with politicisation leading toms on Sunday night. active Corona cases is 908. Rajiva Sinha at Nabanna today. The IMCT said that adequate oneway exit pass facility avail- rationing system "Trinamul ution system (PDS)” that is to diversion of free ration. He Though it is suspected The Corona death toll has Mr Sinha further clarified systems were not in place to able at the official website of Congress-led government ear- leading to “unrest/violent alleged that Miss Banerjee, has that Nisith Kumar Ghosh, risen to 61, and a total of 218 that the death audit commit- conduct surveillance in con- the state government wb.gov.in lier ruled out that a corruption agitations at several places chosen to “focus on chaff 56, and Biplab Kumar patients have been discharged tee would no longer certify any tainment zones. (Egiye Bangla) for people trav- racket hampering public dis- while the poor are in dire and ignore the grain” by using Ghosh, 53, who were from hospitals. deaths. In its last report, the Mr Chandra noted that a elling outside the state on tribution system (PDS) but straits.” He stated that reports certain words and sentences brothers, died of food poi- Till now, the state govern- committee had stated that discrepancy in the cases report- own arrangement for emer- later around 300 ration shops of disposal of Covid-19 corpses of the Governor, out of con- soning, Balurghat police ment released the figure of the 105 corona patients died of ed by the state government. gency purposes. People can were closed down by the police. with “insensitivity” are text. He accused that the said they have started active corona cases and not the which 33 were due to Corona The team wrote that it apply at this site and download 25 ration shops owners “unconscionably shocking” chief minister has “consis- investigations. Hospital total confirmed cases. There and remaining 72 due to could interact and obtain par- e-pass. were arrested. So think how PDS and have left people trau- tently flouted her duties officials said they will not was a mismatch in the data comorbidities. "We are hope- tial responses only from the There are a total of 516 system was being run in the matised. The Governer wrote, under Article 167 and disre- be able to say anything on released by the state health ful that the hospitals would fol- principal secretary of the health containment zones in the state state during the lockdown Miss Banerjee's statement gard of rules of business the matter before they department, Health Ministry low the recommendation of the department. There had been of which Kolkata has a maxi- period," he said. that “political parties are vul- under Article 166-Rules 22, have the viscera report.SNS and ICMR as the ministry committee and ICMR in no interaction or response mum number of 318 zones. CPI-M central committee tures in wait of dead bodies” 27 and 30.” Dhankhar claimed issued the total cases and preparing death certificates. The from any other department in North 24 Parganas has 81 con- leader and Leader of the is “unfortunate” and has not that Miss Banerjee's “misplace ICMR released the total num- hospitals would not give us the the state. The letter also said tainment zones, Howrah 74 and Left Front Legislative Assem- been well received as “all stand”, that as a chief minis- Eight held over jumbo ber of people who underwent data about patients who have that West Bengal has a mor- Hooghly 18. bly Sujan Chakraborty said political parties had lent ter with majority in legisla- death: Eight persons were testing. This mismatch had died due to comorbidities," said tality rate of 12.6 per cent cur- "An Inter-Ministerial Central unqualified support to the ture, she is “impregnably detained after a male ele- turned up to be the bone of con- Mr Sinha adding that since there rently, which is "by far the BJP, CPI-M slam state govt Team (IMCT), which visited government” to combat unaccountable” and as Gov- phant died of suspected tention between the state gov- was a delay in getting neces- highest in the country". "This over inept handling of West Bengal to assess the Covid-19. He claimed that on ernor, he has no role, is “lam- electrocution at Mahara- ernment and the Centre with sary documents from the hos- extremely high mortality rate COVID crisis: BJP and CPI- Covid-19 situation has said that one hand “political parties are entable.” jghat near Gajaldoba in Jal- Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, pitals the process of declara- is a clear indication of low M today blamed the West Ben- there are discrepancies in being deterred and quaran- Reacting to Dhankhar's paiguri district. The car- Inter-Ministerial Central Team tion of deaths by the audit com- testing and weak surveillance gal government for "inept reporting of cases in the state. tined” while there is “virtu- allegation, TMC secretary cass of the elephant was (IMCT) and the Opposition par- mittee was delayed. and tracking," said the letter. handling" of the Covid-19 cri- Even we see how the chief al free-run” for her party general and state Parlia- found on Monday. It is ties criticising the government State government's reve- Responding to the con- sis, even as the Central team minister and other bureaucrats (TMC). mentary affairs minister, learnt that the jumbo may and accusing of hiding facts. lation of the total confirmed tents of the letter, Mr Sinha said raised questions Bengal gov- manipulated the deaths figures. Commenting on Miss Partha Chatterjee, said, have been killed after it "There has been confu- cases came a few hours after that he had received it at 2 pm ernment's poor testing rate. The mortality rate in West Banerjee's accusation against “Henceforth, we have decid- came in contact with an sion in some quarters over the IMCT slammed the state but hadn't gone through it. The BJP state president Dilip Bengal is 12.8 per cent, the high- him of “usurping powers”, he ed not to comment on any of energised fencing around the figure of active cases. All government for its handling of health secretary will reply; Ghosh said that West Bengal est in the country, which stated that the “bitter truth his statements. We don't an agricultural field. SNS figures are from the state health the Corona crisis, fudging data accordingly, he added. had become Covid-19 zone in indicates low testing and weak is people in the state know too attach much importance to department. When we studied and discrepancies in Corona Meanwhile, health secretary the country where the coron- surveillance and tracking," he well who in the state is the his politically-motivated state- the reason behind the differ- figures. Vivek Kumar said that health avirus death rate was high. said. usurper and extra constitu- ments.” Peerless hospital suspends most Remove tainted US doctor S-24 Parganas SERVING HUMANITY services, barring gears up for a few from GAB: Kunal Saha to CM migrant influx KOLKATA, 4 MAY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 4 MAY KOLKATA, 4 MAY Dr Frieden was arrest- Yet another private hospital ed and criminally In major influx of the strand- management has decided Sparking off a new controversy charged for sexual ed workers, the district of to suspend healthcare services US-based NRI Dr Kunal Saha South 24 Parganas is gearing owing to Covid-19 infections has demanded 'immediate assault by New York up to receive around 10,000 among some healthcare pro- removal' of Dr Thomas City Police on August migrant labourers from var- fessionals including doc- Frieden, former director of the 24 in 2018 ious parts of the country. tors, nurses and support Centers for Disease Control According to the district staff. and Prevention (CDC), from administration of South 24 Management of the Peer- the newly formed Global "….forcibly touch the sexual Parganas, around 2,000 less Hospitex Hospital and Advisory Board (GAB) head- or other intimate parts of labourers are expected to Research Center today decid- ed by Nobel laureate econo- another person to degrade or arrive from Maharashtra, ed to close down services on mist Dr Abhijit Vinayak Baner- abuse such person or to grat- and 500 others are being and from 5 May till saniti- jee. ify the actor's sexual desire" anticipated to reach the dis- sation work in the entire The reason: Dr Frieden (copy of NYC Police report trict from each state of Tamil hospital complex is done. Ser- was arrested and criminally enclosed). The media wide- Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and vices in maternity, dialysis, charged for sexual assault ly publicized this shocking Bihar. While more than 25,000, laboratory, radiology and by New York City Police on incidence by a reputed doc- the maximum number of chemotherapy units will August 24 in 2018, according tor in the USA (see enclosed labourers are to hit the dis- remain normal. to Dr Saha. NY Times report dated August trict from the state of Kerala. In an internal circular On April 6, chief minister 24, 2018. It can also be viewed The district administra- issued by Dr S Kar Miss Mamata Banerjee had on https://www.nytimes.com tion is taking slew of measures Purakayastha, managing formed the Global Advisory /2018/08/24/nyregion/thomas- to manage the movement of director of the hospital, today Board for COVID Response frieden-arrest-cdc.html," the stranded labourers. said, during the manage- Policy for planning an eco- according to Dr Saha's letter. “Teams including magis- ment of patients some of nomic revival to overcome the "We have further come to trates, officials of the health our attending physicians, ongoing slowdown owing to know that to avoid jail, Dr and transport department nursing staff, sevikas and the coronavirus pandemic. Frieden eventually pleaded have been formed for each other health professionals Dr Saha has written a let- guilty in the sex abuse case railway station including have contracted Covid-19. ter to the chief minister on June 4, 2019, which was Asansol, Dankuni, Santra- This has created a panic requesting her interventions also widely publicized in the gachi, Howrah and Sealdah, amongst patients, health to remove the former direc- USA," it also stated. informed Mr P Ulaganathan, professionals as well as the tor of CDC from GAB as soon "It is needless to say that district magistrate of South A young boy rides a tricycle cart loaded with vegetables to sell to customers through a residential area in Kolkata. AFP surrounding community as possible after investigat- a person like Dr. Frieden 24 Parganas. “Also, sanitised which has been reflected by ing the 'serious matter'. with such abhorrent moral buses having civil defence vol- gross absenteeism, dissatis- Dr Sukumar Mukherjee, character who has already unteers are being arranged faction and uncertainty in senior general medicine pleaded guilty for a heinous by the BDOs for taking labour- Covid: Transport department sensitises staff on hygiene them.” expert in the city who is also crime like sexual harassment ers up to Gram Panchayat “Majority staffers are a member of the advisory should have no place in an level. Medical teams have also STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE city. First such two-day train- dards against the spread of the between Joka and Barasat. admitted here and the rest board, said, "I have no idea esteemed medical body like deployed at each station KOLKATA, 4 MAY ing has been started since yes- virus during the training. Around 12 to 15 services are are on quarantine. Covid-19 about Dr Frieden's the GAB which is bestowed while elaborate arrange- terday particularly for the Notably, the state transport also being operated to meet task force of the hospital as antecedents. I won't comment with the awesome responsi- ments for medically screen- The state transport depart- third phase of the nation- department has been running situations of crisis. well as the Peerless admin- further without knowing any- bility to protect Bengal resi- ing them at Sub-divsions, are ment putting its best foot wide lockdown. The training bus services for emergency In addition, the department istration have decided to thing about the letter." dents from the ongoing also being made. Arrange- forward to contain the pan- is being done by some of the during the lock down period. is also operating buses to close down the hospital ser- "I'm submitting this for- COVID-19 pandemic," Dr ments for public address demic of corona virus, has industry experts at depots The buses are being run to and and from major city hospitals vices from 05.05.2020 with the mal representation seeking Saha has urged the chief system, signage, sanitation, taken up extensive training of Barasat, Salt Lake and Paik- from various parts of the city for people providing essen- intention of wide sanitisation your kind and urgent inter- minister in his letter. masks, sanitizer, thermal and demonstration pro- para. Two nodal staff of the between 8 am to 8pm in tial services during the lock- and other measures till fur- vention for immediate "I also believe that Dr gun, refreshment for the grammes to familiarise its department from clusters of Kolkata and its adjoining down period. Few buses are ther decision,” the circular removal of Dr Thomas Frieden was not properly labourers are being done staff in proper sanitisation and bus depots are gathering to areas. also being used under the stated. Frieden, one of the foreign vetted before his selection to while PPE suits for officials standard operating proce- avail the training facility. The The buses are being oper- ‘reserved pool.’ The vehicles Earlier, several other pri- members of your "Global the GAB although it is sur- on duty are also being pro- dures of the buses. nodal staff, thereafter, are ated along six routes name- are being operated on hourly vate and government hospital Advisory Board" (GAB) to prising that given the wide vided. A full-fledged control With the figures of COVID- imparting training to others. ly-S-24, between Howrah Sta- basis.The training is being like Howrah District Hospi- combat COVID-19 in West publicity of his criminal con- room is operating. And every 19 positive cases increasing “We are trying our best to tion and Kamalgazi, C-37, given to the WBTC staff per- tal had suspended the ser- Bengal. We have just come to viction in the USA, nobody labourer is being contacted with every passing day, the ensure safe transport to peo- between Esplanade and Amta- forming emergency duty for vices for sanitisation process know that Dr Frieden was in West Bengal was aware of over phone and details are West Bengal Transport Cor- ple in this tough time,” said la, S-12, between Howrah the people providing essen- after medical and non-med- arrested and criminally his odious criminal behaviour being collected. A common poration, which is the cus- an official of the department. Station and Newtown, S9A, tial and health service and ical staff in the respective hos- charged for sexual assault before nominating him to group at social media for coor- todian of the city buses is pro- The department officials are between Dunlop and Bally- involved in the work per- pitals ere found coronavirus by New York City (NYC) Police the GAB," according to his let- dination has also been cre- viding training to its staff at ensuring to maintain all pre- gunge, S-5 between Howrah taining to upcoming train carriers. SNS on August 24, 2018, for ter. ated,” he added. SNS various depots across the cautionary norms and stan- Station and Garia and C-8, operations. Tipplers celebrate: As liquor shops re-open across state, serpentine queues stretch beyond sight STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE example where the queue liquor shops which are locat- allowed to be opened. How- tronic orders in terms of the dination with district excise or KOLKATA, 4 MAY stretched beyond the visual ed outside any containment ever, permitted F.L Off coun- extant rules under the Bengal police authorities, arrange range. Similar sights were zone, shall remain open across ters at such “On” category Excise Act, 1909 (Ben. Act V of adequate security to ensure The tipplers in the state observed elsewhere too, both the state from 12 pm to 7 pm. establishments can be opened. 1909), as subsequently amend- crowd control. breathed a sigh of relief as liquor in the city and districts. The According to the restrictions, The “On” premises for such ed, shall be encouraged to its Shops shall ensure deploy- shops today rolled up their crowd, throwing caution to the no shops located in contain- establishments shall remain full potential so that the foot- ment of volunteers of their own shutters with the state excise wind, maintained few inches ment zones or such areas under lock and key. Shops fall of the customers at the for crowd and queue man- department allowing stand- distance from each other shall be allowed to be opened. should make demarcations, in liquor shops is minimised. agement. Social distancing alone shops to conduct busi- when at least six feet gap is the “The Superintendent of Excise whichever practical way, keep- In case of country spirit “Off’ shall be maintained at all cost, ness but with several restric- guideline for social distanc- should coordinate with district ing a minimum distance of six & “On” shops, only the “Off” read the notification. Shops tions in place to avoid spread ing. Police had to force some administration for proper and feet between customers while counter sale shall be allowed. should keep sanitizers at the of Covid-19. shops to close down while updated list of containment in queue. Not more than five Sale of liquor for consumption counter and shall use them Long serpentine queues many standalone shops kept areas,” said an official. persons shall be allowed in “On” the premises is strictly during every individual trans- with hopeful faces, and car- their shutters down in the Only standalone Off- shops queue. Not more than two bot- prohibited. The Superinten- action. Revised MRP is to be rying grocery bags, were the Police personnel oversee the opening of a liquor store as peo- morning, waiting for final / counters situated in premis- tles of liquor shall be sold to dent of Excise shall share the prominently displayed in front sight in front of several stand- ple queue to buy alcohol on Monday. AFP state government orders which es, not within any shopping any customer at a time, from list of shops to be opened of the shop. alone liquor shops in the city came in the evening. mall or shopping complex, can any retail shop. with DMs/SPs and local Police Timings are from 12 pm to that rolled up their shutters few persons grew in leaps the queue ended. At Kalighat, The state excise directorate be opened in allowed areas. It was further clarified that Stations for information and 7 p.m while sale of liquor today morning after more and bounds over time, mak- the liquor store near the fire today issued a notification No bars attached to any restau- the provision of home deliv- coordination. The district shall not be allowed to cus- than a month. What began with ing it difficult to spot where brigade station was one such wherein standalone licensed rant or hotel or club shall be ery against telephonic / elec- administration shall, in coor- tomers not wearing masks.

C M Y K