Coronavirus: West Bengal reported 40 COVID-19 cases today, taking total to 423 (AFP)
A central team sent to West Bengal to investigate alleged violations of the coronavirus lockdown and alleged lapses by the Mamata Banerjee government has complained of non-cooperation by the state.
The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT), tasked with assessing the COVID-19 situation in Bengal and issuing directions to the state authorities, sent two letters to the state chief secretary today.
In one, it asked for, among other details, an update on the status of the people who attended an event organised by the Islamic sect Tablighi Jamaat in Delhi's Nizamuddin. Many of them were later tested positive for coronavirus.
In another letter, the central team said it has got no logistic support for field visits.
The head of the Kolkata IMCT, Additional Secretary Apurva Chandra, said the Chief Secretary of West Bengal was widely reported in the media as having said that "senior officers of the state government cannot waste their time accompanying the IMCT".
"This stand is in violation of the orders of the MHA (Home Ministry)... and the state government is expected to provide logistic support and facilitate field visits," Mr Chandra wrote and asked for the state's stand "in a written communication".
Earlier in the week, the state's opposition to the IMCT visit had prompted the Union Home Secretary to write a stern letter to Bengal citing the Disaster Management Act and a Supreme Court order, saying the state has to comply.
"In the absence of police escort, would the state government take responsibility for the safety and security of the IMCT if it ventures out on its own?" said Mr Chandra in a two-page letter to the Bengal Chief Secretary today.
Among the questions raised by the central team to the Bengal government was a query on alleged orders to limit their movement across the state.
"Whether it is fact that a DCP of West Bengal police informed BSF (Border Security Force) officers at BSF guest house on 21.04.2020 that the IMCT cannot leave the campus without permission of the state government as lockdown is in force and the IMCT if it leaves the BSF guest house is only permitted to go to the airport," Mr Chandra said.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the centre have been attacking each other over the IMCT's visit to Bengal. The centre has warned Bengal, citing the Disaster Management Act, 2005 and a Supreme Court order to say the Bengal government must comply with orders and co-operate with the central team.
For the first time, Bengal on Friday officially linked 57 deaths to COVID-19. The state government revealed that according to its death audit committee, 57 COVID-19 patients had died, but asserted that 39 of these were due to co-morbidities. The state reported 40 new COVID-19 cases today, taking the total to 423. So far 9,880 people have been tested, 937 in the last 24 hours.