KOLKATA: Some localities that were declared containment zones during the first wave have again been cordoned off as “micro containment zones” during the second wave.
However, the nature of containment has changed with new restrictions and relaxations.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said that in these micro containment zones, as many people will be inoculated as possible.
Rabindrapally at KestopurThree neighbourhoods in Kestopur, Lake Town and Dum Dum have been barricaded following a spurt in Covid cases.
But residents are no longer holed up in their homes.
They can head to workplaces, markets or other places if none in the family is infected.
On the edge of the city, micro containment zones have come up at Kestopur Rabindra Pally near Pragati Sangha club, Radhakrishna Mandir Lane on Bangur Avenue B Block in Lake Town, Bhatenda in Rajarhat-New Town and Shyamnagar Road near Dum Dum Park Bazar.
Thirteen other places in North 24 Parganas and 18 places in Howrah have also been included in the list.
Containment zones now include only a few houses, less strictures on the entry and exit of people and stress on inoculating non-vaccinated people inside the zones.
While there are still police guardrails and cops demarcating the containment zones, gone are the constant police questioning and everyday calls to enquire if family members had stepped out.
Cops are instead asking about how many have got themselves tested and the persons who are yet to be vaccinated.
“We have tied up with the municipal corporation and have been taking the non-vaccinated residents to the inoculation centres to get them jabbed,” said an officer of Lake Town police station, under which a containment zone has come up around 30-odd houses and standalone buildings at Bangur AvenuContae.
Shyamnagar Road resident, Subho Das, who works at a private firm and has been heading to work since it reopened last week, said that unlike last year, the containment norms are much more lenient this time.
“Residents inside containment zones are allowed to go to work and even move outside the containment zone to fetch essentials and necessary items,” he added.
Debopriya Chakraborty, a resident of a high-rise at Rabindra Pally in Kestopur, where a containment zone has been set up barricading a cluster of around 10 houses, said, “A school teacher in our building died of Covid-19 shortly after returning from poll duty.
A week later his wife died.
Over the next few days, the entire family was affected and so were many people in our building and neighbourhood.
We are still safe but since my husband has to head out to work, we are spending tense hours every day.” A few rules, though, have remained the same.
Shops inside the enclosed area have been asked to stay closed while outsiders may still have to face a few questions with a warning to take protection and step out as soon as work is over.
In the city, KMC has hinted several areas in south are under the scanner.