Mamata Banerjee asks Centre to provide reasons for deployment of IMCTs

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday asked the Centre to give valid reasons for the deployment of Inter-Ministerial Central Teams (IMCTs) in select districts across India including a few in West Bengal.

"We welcome all constructive support and suggestions, especially from the Central government in negating the COVID-19 crisis. However, the basis on which the Centre is proposing to deploy IMCTs in select districts across India including a few in WB under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 is unclear," said Banerjee in a tweet.

The Chief Minister urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to share the criteria used for the deployment of IMCTs.

"I urge both Honb'le Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji and Home Minister Amit Shah Ji to share the criterion used for this. Until then I am afraid, we would not be able to move ahead on this as without valid reasons this might not be consistent with the spirit of federalism," she said in another tweet.

Six IMCTs have been constituted by the Centre to assess the situation regarding the violations of lockdown, social distancing norms and attack on doctors, and submit a report to the Central government.

Earlier in the day, the Central government said that the reported violations of lockdown measures pose a serious health hazard to the public and risk for the spread of COVID19.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, IMCTs will focus on compliance and implementation of lockdown measures as per the guidelines, supply of essential commodities, social distancing, preparedness of health infrastructure, the safety of health professionals and conditions of the relief camps for labour and poor people.

( With inputs from ANI )