AGENCIES, Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking the Centre to stop flights from landing in the state amid a spike in the coronavirus cases in the country.
According to NDTV, Mamata has said that her government has stopped all inter-state movement and shut roads while Railway operations have also stopped. But allowing flights to still land in the state remains a threat to the prevention of coronavirus spread.
“…we are seriously concerned that the government of India is still allowing operation of flights causing a huge breach of shutdown and quarantine protocol with no arrangement of social distancing that we are so painfully managing in the state,” Mamata Banerjee wrote in her letter to the Prime Minister.
“I would therefore, request you to kindly arrange to issue necessary instructions to stop all flights coming to West Bengal with immediate effect so that the source of spreading infection is effectively contained and lockdown in the state is implemented in true letter and spirit,” the letter further read.
West Bengal on Sunday announced a complete lockdown of the state as the total number of confirmed cases in the state went up to 7.
According to a notification issued on Sunday evening, Kolkata, all other urban areas and some of the rural areas of the state will be put under lockdown from 5 pm on Monday till March 27. However, essential services will be operational.