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Miracle surgery: Doctors in rural hospital operate on cancer patient turned away by Kolkata hospitals

“But it was a tough surgery. Several precautions had to be taken in consultation with different experts of Tata Cancer Hospital and our professor Dr Satadal Saha. We finally did it successfully”, said Dr Souvik Das.


Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 29 APRIL: Amidst lockdown, four doctors in a rural hospital in Junglemahal successfully operated upon a 65-year-old cancer patient who had been turned away by state hospitals in Kolkata as the latter are dealing with a cascading outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

With her condition deteriorating fast and cancer cells spreading in her abdomen, Pataspur’s Uma Rani Jana was given only a few months to live. Doctors said if she was not operated within days, her condition would be worse.

Turned away by at least three hospitals in Kolkata, her family members had gone to a prominent private hospital where the hospital authorities claimed Rs 5 lakh for only operation purpose before them.

Shocked on hearing the huge cost required for only operation, the family members came back to their house and finally decided to admit her in the Salboni super facility hospital in West Midnapore, a part of Junglemahal in West Bengal.

As her condition was deteriorating fast, the medical head of the hospital Dr Arka Das formed a three-member medical board along with Dr Souvik Das and Dr Barun Mandi. The board members also consulted with Tata Cancer Hospital for necessary suggestion and they finally decided to conduct an operation.

Accordingly, on 25 April, the three doctors with the consultation of Dr Satadal Saha, project director, Dr B C Roy Super Specialty Hospital and IIT, KGP professor started operation at around 10 am and they successfully completed it within 2.30 hours.

It is for the first time, a super facility hospital in rural area of Junglemahal successfully operated upon a cancer patient within its limited facilities and resources.

Umarani’s cancer at her uterus was detected barely one month ago. Since then, she underwent chemotherapy sessions. Umarani has not only survived, but doctors at the hospital say she is now safe for years. Umarani, whose cancer-ridden uterus, ovary and other allied organs were removed during the surgery, is now being given supportive treatment.

“It has been nothing short of a miracle. My mother was inching towards death and we became hapless to watch her condition. We had no lakhs of money to expense, but we didn’t leave her to die. So, we decided to admit her in the super facility hospital where the doctors have pulled off a miracle”, said Ujjal Jana, who also works in the hospital.  

“It has been nothing short of a miracle. My mother was inching towards death and we became hapless to watch her condition. We had no lakhs of money to expense, but we didn’t leave her to die. So, we decided to admit her in the super facility hospital where the doctors have pulled off a miracle”, said Ujjal Jana, who also works in the hospital.  

“But it was a tough surgery. Several precautions had to be taken in consultation with different experts of Tata Cancer Hospital and our professor Dr Satadal Saha. We finally did it successfully”, said Dr Souvik Das.

When asked Dr Saha said, “It is a major and complex surgery. The patient had external spread of the tumor which may affect the rectum, bladder and ureter. But, the doctors had taken all precautionary measures while before going to conduct the surgery”.  

Beggars in distress as temples 

remain closed in Nabadwip

Biman Saha, chairman of Nabadwip municipality, however, said “Not only beggars, we are providing food to every needy person. We are providing food to 2500 persons including beggars twice daily. So, no beggars are left with an empty stomach every day. We have also arranged shelter and food thrice daily for 13 Tripura residents who could not leave Nabadwip for Tripura due to lockdown.”

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

NABADWIP, 28 APRIL: As hundreds of temples across Nabadwip, a holy place for Vaishnavas where Chaitanya Mahaprabhu was born, in Nadia including the fabled Goudiya Math have been closed due to the pan-India lockdown imposed to contain the spread of novel coronavirus, it has left many beggars depending for alms at these temples, in a worst situation.

Usually, thousands of beggars and people from outside who do not have any other place to reside gather at these temples and they are largely dependent on the food served here regularly.

Now that the temples are shut due to the lockdown, devotees are not visiting here and the beggars are left with no source of food and money.

Even after the Nabadwip municipality is working towards providing food to the needy people amid lockdown, the beggars over here are still forced to starve due to the unavailability of basic food and water in this area.

However, sometimes the hapless beggars are lucky enough to feed themselves once in a day with the help of a few social workers; otherwise they are being forced to sit outside the temples with empty stomachs.

According to local residents, around 2000 beggars reside at various temples and they live solely on the prasadh or food served from the temples every day. They earn a little money from the devotees who donate them during the visits at the temples. But due to lockdown, the temples are shut and no devotees are visiting temples.

“In Nabadwip, there are around 200 temples and maths and beggars gather everyday in front of these temples or maths. As the lockdown continues for over a month, the beggars are facing an acute food scarcity. And, if this situation is continuing for more days, many of them may collapse due to hunger”, said Saibal Kanshabanik, a local resident.

“In the pilgrim town of Puri in Odisha, the state government has rehabilitated hundreds of beggars in temporary shelter where they are being provided free food and health care facilities. The Odisha government has named the makeshift shelter as ‘Niladri Nilay’ where the beggars

from different temples have been provided shelters. Like Odisha, our state government or the district administration should initiate a similar project for rehabilitation of these beggars during this tough time”, said Kankshabanik.

When asked, Biman Saha, chairman of Nabadwip municipality, however, said “Not only beggars, we are providing food to every needy person. We are providing food to 2500 persons including beggars twice daily. So, no beggars are left with an empty stomach every day. We have also arranged shelter and food thrice daily for 13 Tripura residents who could not leave Nabadwip for Tripura due to lockdown.”

Saha also said, “We have a shelter named ‘Mamatalay’ where anyone can stay for long. We have rehabilitated several beggars here. But, many beggars after a few days leave it and continue staying near any temple under open sky. So, what can I do for these beggars?”

Malati Biswas, a 52-year-old beggar said, “The municipality provides a small aluminum foil containing food which is insufficient to us. As I stay near the railway station at night, no one come here to provide food to me”.

Like her, many beggars stay at various places at night and they sleep every night with an empty stomach. No one provides food to them in the night, a local resident alleged.

Ex-BSF jawan discharged from Covid hospital

    

   Health staff and villagers welcome him with joyful claps

Wearing a mask and holding a bag, the man walked slowly along the village road and the neighbourers standing in front of their houses welcomed him with claps, which he never received even after battling successfully against the enemy during his service life.

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 28 APRIL:  After a 14-day battle with novel coronavirus, an ex-BSF jawan was discharged from the Covid hospital and reunited with his family members at Charatala in Chapra, Nadia today.

The health staffs and neighbourers welcomed him with joyful claps when the district health department officials accompanied him in a vehicle to his native village. 

Wearing a mask and holding a bag, the man walked slowly along the village road and the neighbourers standing in front of their houses welcomed him with claps, which he never received even after battling successfully against the enemy during his service life.

The other villagers and family members, who were sent in quarantine centers soon after he had tested positive for Covid-19, had already returned to their houses as they were released from the centers in the last few days.

The 55-year-old man is currently attached with Khidirpur dock under Kolkata Port Trust. He was found tested positive on 16 April and he was immediately sent to a Covid hospital from Saktinagar district hospital in Krishnagar for treatment.

His five family members including two minors were also sent to an isolation center in the Covid hospital for observation, a senior district health official said.

Charatal village, a minority dominated area in Chapra block in Nadia, where an ex-BSF jawan was tested positive for Covid-19, has been declared as a containment zone by the district administration on 19 April.

The district administration had already sealed off the village hours after the test report of the ex-jawan was found positive a few days ago. In addition to this, four armed police personnel have been posted round the clock at two ends of the barricade put up on the street. Close circuit cameras have been installed along the main road and 12 civic volunteers and Asha workers have been deployed in the area for communication with the residents.

The administration is providing essential items to people residing in the zone. No one is being allowed to enter or exit from this zone. A door to door health checkup of around 2000 families has already been carried out to ascertain whether any infected person is residing in the area.

Vibhu Goel, district magistrate said, “As per government guidelines, we have taken action so that no further case is reported from this area. We have announced the area as a containment zone and to check the spread of the dreaded virus, we are implementing the guidelines. Today, the man has been released to his house as he was found negative for consecutive two tests.”  

Yet another TMC worker killed due to infighting between two groups within the party

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 28 APRIL: A Trinamul Congress worker was killed and another one injured when a group of armed men defying lockdown rules carried out an attack on a group of Trinamul Congress workers at Brahmanagar under Chapra police station area in Nadia last night.

Police official said Abu Taher alias Taher Sheikh (44) received bomb injuries and he died on the spot at around 10 pm yesterday. His body has been sent to Saktinagar district hospital for autopsy. Another Trinamul Congress worker named Faruque also received bomb injuries but he fled from the site.

The Chapra police have arrested five persons in connection with the incident based on the complaint lodged by the victim’s family members today.

According to local residents, Taher and his associates were chatting with each other in the BSF’s community room premises when his rival group members suddenly attacked them. They hurled bombs at them and fled the scene. Taher and Faruque received severe bomb injuries. Taher was soon rushed to the Chapra hospital where Taher was declared brought dead.

“We have initiated a probe into this matter and initiated a case against a few men. We hope we will arrest other culprits soon”, a senior police officer said.

Local residents said the two groups are the rival factions within the Trinamul Congress. In November, 2019, a Trinamul Congress worker was killed and two others were injured when two rival factions within the Trinamul Congress engaged in a clash at Brahmanagar. Rafique Sheikh (30) of Betberia died and the attackers hurled a bomb at him. During the clash, one Samim Biswas received severe injuries as he was hacked by sharp edge weapon. Another worker named as Hasan Sheikh was shot at by the rival group members. He received bullet injuries at his leg.

“Yesterday’s incident was the retaliation of November’s attack by the rival faction. They attempted to kill Faruque, a prime accused behind the murder of Rafique, but Taher died as he received severe injuries”, said a local resident.

In November, a group of TMC workers  had conducted a raid at Brahmanagar to kill one Safiuddin Sheikh, a TMC panchayat member. But, informed about the attack, Safiuddin and his associates retaliated with bombs and guns on them leading to a clash between the two groups. During the clash, Rafique died on the spot while a few others were injured.

Locals said one Arsaf, a dreaded criminal in the locality and a TMC worker was then driven out by the villagers. He is now in jail custody. Due to the torture of Arsaf, many TMC workers had left the party and joined the BJP. They later returned back to the TMC as Arsaf was unable to get entry into the village.

'Depressed' IIT-KGP research scholar commits suicide

Biswabrata Goswami

MIDNAPORE, 27 APRIL: A research scholar at IIT-Kharagpur was found hanging in his hostel room today, the latest in a string of similar deaths at premier institutes that have been blamed on high stress and mounting depression.

An IIT, KGP official said Bhavanibhatla Kondal Rao, a bright young research scholar from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the institute met with an unfortunate end. He was found hanging in his room at around 10 am. He hailed from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.

He was pursuing his Ph.D degree under the guidance of the department’s professor D K Pathiar. He got chance for pursuing Ph.D in 2015.

According to a police official, they retrieved the body after breaking open the door of the room number 245 at D block of Ambedkar students’ hostel. His body has been sent to the hospital for autopsy. A laptop has been seized for investigation. The preliminary investigation suggests that he has committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling in his room.

An investigating police officer said Rao had married just two months ago. “We will also talk with the family members to ascertain whether he was suffering from any family related dispute,” said the police officer.

The death jolted the institute, considered among the best technical schools in the country that saw a third-year Mathematics student attempting to commit suicide by jumping from the top of the hostel in February.

The institute authorities said the reason behind the suicide has not been ascertained yet.

“We have contacted his parents in Andhra Pradesh as well requesting them to come to campus. We have promised them every possible assistance that IIT Kharagpur can offer in this regard. The cause of death, which is suspected to be suicide, is currently under investigation. We hope speculative statements will be avoided by all concerned. Join us in conveying your sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to his family and friends and stand in solidarity,” Dr Virendra Tiwari, director of IIT, KGP said in his facebook message to his students.

Dr Tiwari also said, “Every Kgpian contributes in some ways to our society. The loss of a Kgpian is a loss to our society. As children are raised to step into IITs, they are not merely the pride of the parents but hope for the entire nation. Challenges will be there in life, even failure, but there are opportunities if we really want to dwell in optimism and positivity. I urge you to look beyond the hurdles which at present may seem like the most critical chapter of your life but are mere speed breakers if you are able to envision your life in the long run. Also, connect with your friends who need your support. Witness the magic in your own life as you volunteer to help others. For any assistance, try to reach out to us, your faculty supervisors, the counselling centre and your peers. Talk to your friends and family, your seniors, your juniors, they are only a tap away from your phone in this century and at this time.”

Representational Image from iNET.

A 44-year-old woman tests positive for Covid-19 in Kalyani

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 26 APRIL;: A 44-year-old woman, admitted in the Kalyani Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Hospital, tested positive for Covid-19 today, taking the total number of cumulative cases in Nadia district to seven.

This time, the woman, a resident of Garifa under Naihati police station area in North-24-Parganas, has been taken to the Kalyani SNR Carnival Covid hospital after her test report found positive for Covid-19.

Confirming it, Vibhu Goel, district magistrate said the woman was admitted in the Kalyani JNM hospital with complaints of a chronic disease. Apart from this, she had symptoms similar to that of novel coronavirus and her sample was sent to NICED on 24 April.

“Today, we received her test report from NICED where she was found tested positive”, said a district health official.

Earlier, five persons including three children of a family at Srikrishnapur in Burnia under Tehatta police station area were tested positive for Covid-19. They were all sent to Beleghata ID hospital while eight other family members were sent to Rajarhat quarantine center in Kolkata on 28 March. The health department later identified 71 persons who came in contact with the afflicted persons and they were all taken in quarantine centers. Finally, these infected five persons were released from the hospital as they tested negative for Covid-19.

Within a few days, an ex-BSF jawan, a resident of Charatala in Chapra was found positive for Covid-19 and he has been sent to a Covid hospital in North-24-Parganas.

As the panic gripped in the locality soon after the news spread, the district health department has begun tracking the persons who came in contact with the afflicted person. “We are collecting data from the locality about the movements of the infected person in the locality and their interaction with the neighbourers or relatives during his stay. For precautionary measures, we will keep the person who came in contact with the infected persons either in quarantine center or in home quarantine,” said a health official.

Meanwhile, the district health department has started disinfecting the JNM hospital to curb the spread of the virus among other normal patients and health workers, a hospital source said.

Courtesy: Image iNET

Nabadwip residents defy lockdown to oppose cremation of Covid-19 suspects

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 26 APRIL: Hundreds of local residents took to the streets defying lockdown to protest the cremation of suspected coronavirus victims in the Nabadwip crematorium leading to delay in disposing of the body by several hours.

The district administration could not place the body in the electric pyre of the crematorium due to the objections from the agitating people and crematorium staff, but they finally cremated the body in a wood pyre inside the premises beside the Bhagirathi river last night.

Trouble broke out yesterday afternoon when the district administration carried a suspected Covid victim to the Nabadwip crematorium. On hearing about it, local residents in a large number gathered in front of the Nabadwip crematorium and started agitation declaring that no suspected corona victim will be allowed to be cremated there.

Hundreds of local residents violating lockdown took to the streets and staged protests before the administrative and police officials who accompanied the victim. An altercation ensued between the agitating people and the administrative officials, but the protesting people were no mood to listen to the officials. The situation reached a point where the police resorted to a lathicharge to disperse the mob.

According to police sources, senior officers took over six hours to convince the residents that necessary measures were taken to avoid contamination.

“We had to tell them that all protocols have been followed in wrapping up the body of the deceased, as per government guidelines. There was no reason to be scared,” a senior police officer said.

“The body was embalmed in chemicals, wrapped in a prescribed material, following government guidelines. We managed to get a hearse to take the body to Nabadwip crematorium ground under the surveillance of a team of Kotwali and Nabadwip police officers headed by a deputy superintendent of police,” a district administrative official said.

In the last 24 hours, the district administration had to cremate two suspected Covid victims in the Nabadwip crematorium. On Friday, the district administration carried a suspected Covid victim to the Nabadwip crematorium, but the Nabadwip municipal chairman Biman Saha put up a resistance and did not allow them to cremate the victim in the electric pyre. After a long interaction with him, the district team finally cremated the body in a wooden pyre.

On the next day, when another suspected Covid victim’s body reached there, hundreds of local residents took to the street to protest the cremation of any suspected coronavirus victim.

The protest by the locals continued today even when a team of CPI-M leaders headed by the district secretariat member Sumit Biswas staged a silent protest near Poramatala in Nabadwip for an hour. They alleged that the district administration was not following WHO guidelines while seeking to cremate suspected Covid victims. They demanded that no such body would be allowed to cremate in Nabadwip crematorium if the administration did not follow WHO guidelines.

When asked Saha said, “The BJP and CPI-M are trying to do politics over the cremation of suspected corona victims. The administration has repeatedly assured that there was no chance of spread of the virus through the process of cremation and they have followed every guidelines, but they are trying to do politics”.

A local resident, however, alleged that the administration cremated the bodies with untrained persons because of which many charred body parts of the victim were left abandoned on the cremation ground. “We are worried about seeing these body parts left on the ground. This may spread the virus. So, we cannot allow cremation of suspected bodies here”, said a local resident.

Courtesy: Image from Outlook India.

Nadia police use drones to track law violators in the areas near Indo-Bangla border during lockdown

Biswabrata Goswami

KRISHNAGAR, 26APRIL: Police forces in Nadia district are deploying a new anti-crime weapon in their armoury—to fight the coronavirus.

Whether in the areas near India-Bangladesh border or in local markets in the towns, police forces are increasingly turning to drones or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to surveil populations and prevent the buildup of crowds during the month-long lockdown.

In a bid to ensure strict implementation of the lockdown in Nadia, police are taking the help of drones to track down people who violate norms.

“It has become a regular part of policing. In the current lockdown, we are flying drones over places where we suspect violations of the lockdown can occur. We identify those places and ensure that police are deployed and those who violate the lockdown are booked. It is a great tool in situations where physical contact is to be avoided or minimized,” said a senior police officer in Krishnagar.

At least four drones are being used in the air-surveillance and when we use them, they send visuals of areas captured by them directly to our control office, which alert police on the possible violation of norms, the police officer said.

“We have so far arrested more than hundred people who violated lockdown rules and seized several motor-cycles”, he added.

“Drones give us a bird’s eye view of who is defying the lockdown in the narrow alleys and lanes where a PCR van cannot go in. We have repeatedly appealed to citizens to stay in, but despite that, many are defying the lockdown," said a senior police official, who did not wish to be named.

According to the police, drones are very useful in the areas near the India-Bangladesh border. The Nadia district shares 265 kilometers of international border with Bangladesh. In Tehatta sub-division, it shares 95 kilometers with Bangladesh. So, apart from human surveillance, air-surveillance through drones is very much useful to track the law violators.

“Drones backed by advanced analytics can play a vital role in the containment of the virus in India. Obviously this also raises significant concerns related to citizen privacy. A balance will need to be struck within a robust framework that recognizes citizen rights while seeking community welfare,” said Himadri Biswas, a high school teacher in Tehatta.

Images from Rana

Kotwali police detain Bangladeshi national on suspicion of having attended Tablighi Jamaat congregation

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 25 APRIL: The Kotwali police in Krishnagar have detained two persons including a Bangladeshi national for interrogation in suspicion that the foreigner had links to the Tablighi Jamaat congregation at Nizamuddin in New Delhi.

Today, local residents raided the house where the Bangladeshi national has taken shelter and asked him to divulge his real identity. Later, the irate people called the Kotwali police whom they handed over for interrogation.

According to the local residents, the Bangladeshi national identified as Mohammed Sariful had taken shelter in the house of one Goutam Mondol at Bhaluka under Kotwali police station area in Nadia around 25 days ago. Since then, he has been staying in his house and he posed as a maternal uncle of Mondol before the local residents.

Today, some local residents discovered that the Bangladeshi man had come from New Delhi and taken shelter in Mondol’s house. Mondol, who was also a Bangladeshi national, had come to India one and half-years ago and he has collected various documents like voter card, Aadhaar card and others in connivance with the local panchayat pradhan Madhu Sarkar.

Pradyot Sinha, a BJP member in the locality alleged the Bangladeshi national did not take shelter in the Muslim dominated areas in the district on fear that his identity could be exposed. “So he had taken shelter in Mondol’s house and posed as a maternal uncle of Mondol. For the last two days, we have been getting information about his identity and today some local youths raided Mondol’s house and asked him to reveal his identity unless they will hand him over to the police. The man then revealed that he was a Bangladeshi national”, Sinha said.

He also demanded a proper investigation with regard to this matter and that he should immediately be checked in the hospital whether he is infected by novel coronavirus.

When asked, a senior police officer said, “We have detained the Bangladeshi national and his house owner for interrogation. It is too early to say anything about the matter”.

In Nadia, no person, who either attended the religious congregation at Nizamuddin or came in contact with the persons attending the congregation, has been detected so far.

Tablighi Jamaat, an orthodox Muslim organisation, had held a religious congregation at Nizamuddin in the national capital on 13 March. It was attended by 2,000 odd participants, including 250 foreigners.

Nearly 22,000 Tablighi Jamaat members and their contacts have been quarantined across the country so far, said Punya Salila Srivastava, joint secretary in the Union Home Ministry in recent times. The government undertook “massive efforts” in coordination with states to find out the Jamaat members and their contacts.In West Midnapore, seven Indonesian Islamic preachers and two Indian translators, who attended Tablighi Jamaat meet at Nizamuddin in New Delhi, a religious congregation during 11 to 15 March, were found staying at a mosque near Satkui in West Midnapore and were picked up by the police on 1 April.

Three barracks, TB hospital in Kharagpur sealed after jawans tested covid positive

Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

MIDNAPORE, 25 APRIL: The West Midnapore district administration has sealed off three barracks and a TB hospital in Kharagpur soon after nine RPF jawans tested positive for Covid-19.

The police have also restricted movements in the railway colonies near to the Kharagpur rail station, a senior police officer said.

To curb the spread of the dreaded virus, the district health department has started tracking the people who came in contact with the infected jawans. The railway health staff and officials are also carrying out an investigation to trace the persons who came in contact with the jawans. “Even we are looking for those who had handled the jawans' weapons. We have tracked some people and they have been sent to a quarantine center for observation. So far, we have placed 115 persons in quarantine”, said a senior railway officer.

Dr Girish Chandra Bera, chief medical officer of health in West Midnapore said, “All precautionary measures have been taken to contain the situation. We are examining the suspected people attached with the rail and who reside in the rail colonies near the barracks and TB hospital”.

Earlier 19 persons who came in contact with the jawans were taken in quarantine, while more 35 persons were taken to quarantine after the reports of the sample tests appeared positive.

At least nine of 28 constables of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) who reached Howrah station from Delhi earlier this month have tested positive for Covid-19.

A railway official said eight of the affected men are posted in West Bengal while one in Odisha. Further, among eight RPF personnel, six jawans are posted in Kharagpur, one person in Santragachi and another one in Uluberia. The RPF jawan posted at Balasore in Odisha is now admitted in the Aswini Hospital in Cuttack.

The 28-member RPF contingent — from the Kharagpur division of South Eastern Railway — had left for Delhi and Rajasthan on 20 March for zonal training of RPF jawans which railway officials termed “an important assignment”.

The group took the train from the national capital to Kolkata on 13 April and reached Howrah on the next day. Upon arrival, the RPF personnel took a bus to Kharagpur around 8am.

As the nationwide lockdown had come into effect on 25 March, the RPF contingent had been stuck in New Delhi. The members stayed at the barracks in Dayabasti, New Delhi, till 12 April.

“It was decided to run parcel special trains for transportation of essential goods during lockdown. Subsequently, the parcel special trains started from 31 March. Since there was scarcity of ammunition with RPF in SER, the ammunition collecting contingent was advised to move by suitable parcel train from Delhi. It is pertinent to note that the on-duty movement of armed forces was exempted from the restrictions imposed during the lockdown,” the railways ministry said.

Courtesy: Image from Deccan Herald.

Fire breaks out at tech market inside IIT-Kharagpur campus

Biswabrata Goswami

MIDNAPORE, 24 APRIL: At least 18 shops were damaged in a massive fire that broke out inside the campus of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) on Friday evening. 

Three fire tenders were rushed to the site to douse the fire that was brought under control after a few hours.

A police officer said no one has been hurt but the cause of fire has not been ascertained yet. However, speculations are that it was caused by a gas leak from a idli shop.

The fire broke out at around 7.30 pm following heavy showers at the Tech market inside the institute campus.

A fire brigade officer said the fire spread into the fruit, vegetable, a few book stalls and other fast food stalls at the market. Fire fighters said that the fire may have caused from a short circuit.   

Nadia dist admin plans to take action against TMC MLA


Biswabrata Goswami

Statesman News Service

KRISHNAGAR, 24 APRIL: The Nadia district administration is planning to take action against the Trinamul Congress MLA from Chapra, Rukbanur Rahman who voluntarily distributed relief materials to the residents living under containment zone at Charatala after deliberately violating the WHO Outbreak Communication Guidelines.

Vibhu Goel, district magistrate of Nadia said, “I have asked the superintendent police to take action against Rahman as he intentionally violated norms prepared for the containment zone and distributed relief materials to the residents of Charatala”.

“After being informed about his entry into the high risk zone, I personally talked with him. He tried to submit an excuse that he had delivered drinking water from outside the barricade to the residents. But I have information that he pushed aside the police man posted there for guarding and sneaked into the area after crossing the earmarked border”, Goel told The Statesman.

Goel also said, “When we are fighting altogether against the dreaded novel coronavirus and are trying to curb the spread of the disease in the suspected areas where at least a person has been found tested positive, this type of attitude and behavior from a ruling party legislative member should not be expected”.

Rahman had gone to Charatala yesterday to distribute relief materials among the residents as the latter had demanded the district administration for supplying adequate drinking water, medicines and other essential things.

The state government has recently issued guidelines on definition and procedures to be followed in the containment zone besides listing out the roles and responsibilities of various departments to contain the further spread of the Covid-19 across the state.

As per the new guidelines issued by the state government, the area around the house of the Covid-19 patient can be declared as a ‘Containment Zone’ and stringent measures will be put in place to contain the spread of Covid-19.

The activities include banning the movement of people, delivery of all essentials to the doorstep of citizens. The area will continue to remain as a containment zone until no COVID-19 positive case is reported for the next 28-days from the same area.

Charatal village, a minority dominated area in Chapra block in Nadia, where an ex-BSF jawan was tested positive for Covid-19, was declared as a containment zone by the district administration on 19 April.

The district administration had already sealed off the village hours after the test report of the ex-jawan was found positive a few days ago.

An official team including district magistrate and superintendent of police had paid a visit at Charatala and faced resistance from women and senior citizens. They claimed that their area has been sealed off for the last few days while no food grains or essential things were supplied by the administration.

When asked, Goel said, “My SDO, BDO and other officials have kept close vigil on this area and they are providing all types of help to the residents. A co-operative society is supplying essential things at subsidized rates to the residents. The essential things include vegetables, grocery items, milk and medicines. In the last two days, they have sold things to the tune of Rs 27000”.