EC issues strict Covid norms for Jan 22 civic polls in West Bengal

Kolkata: Within hours of imposing curbs on local train service, the Bengal Government on Monday reviewed its orders extending the timing of thesuburban trains from 7 pm to 10 pm.

The Government order revising the train timing came following passengers’ protests at various railway stations including Howrah, Sealdah and other suburban stations where thousands of daily passengers jostled to catch trains back home.

Earlier on Sunday the State Government had imposed a lock-down like curbs shutting down all tourist spots, educational institutions,amusement parks, gyms and spas and slashing attendance by half attheatres, cine complexes, malls and markets.

Even as corona graph continue to climb in Bengal infecting students of Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur where about 32 students were reported positive, and partially paralyzing the Bengal Ranji Trophy team where at least seven members were down with the viral disease, the State Election Commission on Monday ordered strict corona protocols ahead of January 22 civic polls.

In Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim announced 25 micro containment zones in the State Capital where daily infections breached 3,500 mark.

“The corporation has identified 25 containment or micro-containment zones with more than five cases … We



have also requested the IIM authoritiesto isolate the infected students in the hostel,” Hakim said appealing to the chambers of commerce to “come forward to help the government and the corporation to fight corona.”

For now the Corporation had planned three “safe homes” for the corona patients who do not have separate isolation rooms in their houses, he said.

Meanwhile, following a meeting with the State Health Department officials SEC said banned road shows, motorbike rallies and large gatherings but allowed door-to-door campaign with a maximum of five people including the candidate. Campaigning will come to an end 72hours before the elections, SEC officials said.

Reacting to the SEC decision Bengal BJP leader and spokesperson SamikBhattacharya said that the “commission is acting like a TMC party office … at a time when the corona graph is rising and the whole State is in trouble the Commission has refused to postpone the elections …this is just because they want the TMC to win in absence of public rallies by the opposition parties … it is a foregone conclusion that the SEC allow the TMC leaders to organise big rallies and stop us from doing the same as it happened earlier … The people are watching everything and they will give a befitting reply.”