Politics over Covid: IMCT teams in other states working, facing problems only in WB

The Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) was blocked by West Bengal government from carrying out their duty of assessing Covid-19 risk zones in the state, said IMCT leader Apurva Chandra.

The Union Home Ministry-constituted IMCTs are crucial bodies, which visit coronavirus hotspots for assessment, issue directions to combat the spread of the lethal virus in those areas and submit report to the central government.

"We came here yesterday morning and since then we have been asking the state government to provide us logistic support and now it has been more than one day and we have only visited Nabanna and NICED. These are the only two places we have visited," Chandra told .

The IMCTs comprise of officers from various departments, including the NDMA, public health specialists from the Department of Health and Consumer Affairs. The teams have been fanned out to various states to contain the spread of Covid-19 but are faced with roadblocks in West Bengal.

"IMCT teams have gone to other states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan, there they are getting the full support of state governments. They were given the same notice as West Bengal but they have faced no problems since yesterday," Chandra added.

Chandra, who is also Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, said that the team had made it clear that they would be moving around with state government liaison officials only, yet they were blocked by the state authorities.

"It would have provided support to the state government for the Covid purpose and also have a look at the situation prevailing in the area. Since the time, I landed seeking support from the state government to visit the areas. We also met him (the Chief Secretary) last evening at Nabanna, we were assured that we will again have a meeting and we will be going out for being taken around. But today we were informed that there are some issues and we will not be going out," he said.

The IMCT and Chief Secretary Rajiv Sinha later on Tuesday met at the Border Security Force headquarters but that also seemed to make a little headway.

Daily data would be provided to IMCT but area visit will not be allowed, sources told .

Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the central teams have kept the state government in 'complete dark'.

She has also asked the Centre to give valid reasons for the deployment of IMCTs.

( With inputs from ANI )