MHA directs West Bengal not to obstruct working of central teams assessing lockdown measure

Centre on Tuesday directed West Bengal government t to obstruct work of two central teams visiting state for an on--spot assessment of implementation of lockdown measures taken to fight vel coronavirus.

home ministry said West Bengal government is t cooperating with central teams visiting state to assess ground situation and are specifically restraining m from interacting with health workers and touring affected areas. Centre has directed West Bengal government t to obstruct working of central teams in reviewing and making on spot assessment of implementation of lockdown measures, an official statement said.

ruling Trinamool Congress, however, dubbed visit of central teams as "venture tourism" and asked why such delegations were t sent to states with much higher numbers of infections and hotspots. TMC MPs Derek O'Brien and Sudip Bandyophyay claimed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was informed about teams' visit three hours after ir arrival in state, which y said was unacceptable.

In a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said it has been brought to tice of ministry that two inter-ministerial central teams, visiting Kolkata and Jalpaiguri, have t been provided with requisite cooperation by state and local authorities.

"In fact, y have been specifically restrained from making any visits, interacting with health professionals, and assessing ground level situation. "This amounts to obstructing implementation of orders issued by central government under Disaster Manment Act, 2005, and equally binding directions of Hon'ble Supreme Court," Bhalla said.

union home secretary said, refore, state government is directed to comply to make all necessary arrangements for central teams to carry out such responsibilities as have been entrusted to m. Home Ministry Joint Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava also raised issue at daily media briefing on COVID-19 situation in country.

She said Centre has sent teams under Disaster Manment Act to four states -- Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Mhya Presh and West Bengal. While Maharashtra, Mhya Presh and Rajasthan are extending full support, government in West Bengal is t doing so, she ded.

Apurva Chandra, leer of one of central teams visiting West Bengal, also said in Kolkata that or teams visiting Maharashtra, Mhya Presh and Rajasthan are getting full support of respective state governments.

"y were given same tice as West Bengal but y have faced problems," Chandra, an ditional secretary-rank officer in central government, said. A total of six inter-ministerial central teams have been deputed to Maharashtra, Mhya Presh, Rajasthan and West Bengal to review implementation of lockdown measures.

Two of se teams have been sent to West Bengal one team to Kolkata, Howrah, rth 24 Parganas and East Medinipur and or team to Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong. teams comprise public health specialists and officers of National Disaster Manment Authority (NDMA), whose expertise can be leverd by state government for manment of COVID-19 pandemic.

teams were deputed under authority conferred on Central Government under Section 35 of Disaster Manment Act, 2005 which states that ".. central government shall take all such measures as it deems necessary or expedient for purpose of Disaster Manment".

Bhalla, in his letter, also quoted a recent Supreme Court observation that state governments will faithfully comply with directives and orders issued by Union of India in letter and spirit in interest of public safety.

se observations of apex court, home secretary said, must be treated as directions and faithfully complied with. home ministry h said COVID-19 situation is "especially serious" in Mumbai, Pune, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata and a few or places in West Bengal, and violation of lockdown measures risk spre of vel coronavirus.

Acting swiftly, ministry sent six IMCTs to visit se worst coronavirus-affected areas to make on spot assessment and recommend remedial measures besides submitting reports to Centre.

In separate but identical orders sent on Sunday to Maharashtra, Mhya Presh, West Bengal and Rajasthan, home ministry said re have been several incidents of violence against COVID-19 frontline healthcare professionals, complete violation of social distancing rms and movement of vehicles in urban areas.

home ministry said in some of districts, a number of violations to lockdown measures have been reported, posing a serious health hazard and risk for spre of COVID-19 which is against general interest of public, se violations include attacks on frontline healthcare professionals, complete violations of social distancing rms outside banks, PDS shops and in market places, movement of private and commercial vehicles with passengers in urban areas and so on.

se incidents, if y are allowed to occur without any restraining measures in hotspot districts or emerging hotspots, with large outbreaks or clusters, pose a serious health hazard, both for population of se districts and for that living in or areas of country, it said. 

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