Kolkata(Agencies): Amid
a sharp rise in the number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities, the West Bengal
Government imposed a seven-day lockdown in all containment zones from Thursday
evening to curb the spread of the viral infection.
The state government has
listed 25 containment zones in Kolkata, 93 in North 24 Parganas, 54 in South 24
Parganas and 56 in Howrah—the top four hotspot districts.
The containment zones and
buffer zones around them have been clubbed together to constitute ‘broad-based’
containment zones, where total lockdown was imposed from 5 pm, officials said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
had on Wednesday said the lockdown will be in place for a week, after which the
situation will be reviewed. She had also directed the police to firmly deal
with those violating the norms.
Police personnel were seen
patrolling the streets in the containment zones and asking pedestrians to
return home and shopkeepers to down shutters.
Barricades have been put up
outside such zones to stop vehicular movement.
Ahead of the lockdown, people
resorted to panic-buying in several areas disregarding social distancing norms,
the officials said, adding that long queues were witnessed outside grocery
stores and LPG outlets.
Police resorted to using mild
force in some places to ensure that safety protocols were adhered to, besides
asking people through public address systems to remain indoors.
The state government has said
that it will make arrangements for home delivery of essential commodities
during the lockdown.
West Bengal had on Wednesday
registered the highest single-day spike of 986 COVID-19 cases, taking the
state’s coronavirus tally to 24,823. The death toll rose to 827 with 23 new
fatalities. PTI
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