IMCT seeks information from West Bengal government

NEW DELHI: The standoff between the Centre and West Bengal government subsided on Wednesday after the state allowed interministerial central teams (IMCT) dispatched by the Union home ministry to conduct field visits of Covid-19 hotspots in Kolkata and Jalpaiguri districts.

The state police and pilot cars of the Border Security Force accompanied the IMCT teams.

Later in the day, head of the teams, additional secretary Apurva Chandra, sought to know if the testing facilities in the state were being used in full.


He sought to know the protocol adopted for testing, the level at which a Covid-19 test was approved, availability of safety equipment like PPE and distribution of masks to health professionals in dedicated and non-dedicated hospitals, availability of oxygen beds, ICU beds, oxygen supplies and ventilators, number of surveillance teams and the number of persons surveyed per day in hotspots and containment zones, the system of Care Centres and health centres.

“In addition, the IMCT may be informed of the arrangements for identifying and quarantining people in quarantine centres, supply of essential commodities and condition of relief camps, enforcement of lockdown procedure and social distancing after the revised orders applicable from April 20.”