West Bengal extends lockdown till July 31

Mamata Banerjee also said many lives could have been saved had private hospitals provided better treatment to coronavirus disease patients with comorbid conditions.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday extended the lockdown in West Bengal -- now effectively limited to coronavirus containment zones -- until July 31 because of the continuing increase in Covid-19 cases. Banerjee also said many lives could have been saved had private hospitals provided better treatment to coronavirus disease patients with comorbid conditions.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee(PTI photo)

“We could have saved a few more lives if they were given some better treatment. Private hospitals focused on Covid-19 treatments and neglected the comorbid condition like cardiac problems and kidney problems in Covid patients. As a result some people died. I am sorry to say. The government is sending instruction to the hospitals in this regard,” Banerjee said after an all-party meeting held at the state secretariat on Wednesday.

At least 591 people have died in the state out of which 437 or nearly 74% had comorbid conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiac disease and kidney ailments, among others.

“When a critical cardiac patient with Covid-19 is coming you should first attend to his cardiac problems. Later you can attend to his Covid problems,” Banerjee added.

She also told reporters that the lockdown will continue until July 31, noting that Covid-19 cases were still rising and adding that most political parties favoured an extension. West Bengal this month relaxed lockdown curbs along with other parts of the country. The restrictions are now enforced primarily in containment zones with relaxations given to shops, offices, religious institutions and public transport in other places.

She said the state would request the NITI Aayog to formulate a master plan for the protection and development of the Sunderbans, home to more than four million people and around 100 tigers. The region was hit by cyclone Amphan on May 20.

“All parties have raised the issue of Sunderbans which is repeatedly being devastated by cyclones. We will request NITI Aayog to send down a team and formulate a master plan and a permanent solution. The help of the World Bank can also be taken,” she added.

An all-party committee, with state parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee as its head, has been formed, to look into the relief and restoration work in the aftermath of cyclone Amphan that affected around 100 million people in the state.

“We had given some suggestions in the meeting. Let the government take actions on those suggestions. It is too early to say whether we are happy with the outcome of the meeting,” said Dilip Ghosh, president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s West Bengal unit.

There have been allegations of corruption in cyclone relief work against the ruling Trinamool Congress in several villages. Angry villagers recently staged protests in many cyclone-hit areas and ransacked government offices.

“I have instructed the chief secretary and the district administrations that no genuine cyclone victim should be deprived of the relief. Some of our panchayat leaders and members have been ousted. We won’t tolerate any corruption,” Banerjee added.

Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Surya Kanta Mishra said: “There are certain gaps which need to be plugged, particularly in the health care sector. We have given our suggestions to the state.”