IMCT head seeks detailed report on efforts being made to control COVID-19 in West Bengal

The head of an Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) on Wednesday wrote a letter to the West Bengal Chief Secretary, seeking a detailed report on the efforts being made to control the coronavirus in the State.

The letter from Apurva Chandra, Additional Secretary to the Government of India and team leader of the IMCT, starts with the subject line -- Visit of IMCT to assess the containment of COVID-19 in Kolkata, Howrah, Midnapore (East) and 24 Paraganas (North) District.

Chandra has stated in the letter that "since the State government has now decided to extend full cooperation to the IMCT, we would request that a detailed presentation will be made by the health department to the IMCT with special emphasis on the following whether the level of testing in the state is adequate. Whether the testing facilities available in the state are being used in full. The protocol adopted for testing and the level at which the conduct of COVID test is approved..."

The letter also reads: "Please refer to order dated April 19 issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt of India, on the subject cited above. The IMCT arrived in Kolkata on April 20 at around 10 am and immediately contacted you seeking your time as well as the support of the State government for making the visit effective."

"The above-mentioned order required the state government of West Bengal to provide logistic support to the IMCT, for their accommodation (lodging and boarding), transportation, PPE and extend all co-operation for the visit of local areas, production of documents, records etc.," adds the letter.

The letter further says: "The team met you t 6 pm on April 20 where a general brief on the lockdown measures and the prevailing situation in the State was given. The team was asked to visit Nababba again on April 21 at 11 am for a detailed presentation by the Health Department and on the lockdown measures. However, the meeting could not be held."

"We are grateful to you for having visited the BSF guest house and giving a status note on the prevailing situation and the measures taken by the state government. Thereafter the ACP of West Bengal police escorted the team on a one-hour road tour of different areas of Kolkata for a visual appreciation of the lockdown at around 5 pm on April 21," the letter reads.

( With inputs from ANI )