Concern and fear continued to grow among residents of Assam’s capital, as the number of Covid-19 cases and containment zones continued to rise.
On Saturday night, two more Covid-19 cases were detected in the city’s Fatasil and Kalapahar areas. One of them is linked to the Fancy Bazar Covid-19 case. Of the 100 positive cases in Assam, the city alone has recorded at least 34.
Not being able to identify the source of infections in most cases was adding to the worry. State health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has admitted that the source of the cases was still unknown but appealed to the residents not to press the panic button and strictly observe lockdown restrictions.
On Sunday again, he reiterated, “In view of developing situation, I urge people over 65 years and children below 10 years to strictly stay inside, unless very important.”
Sarma had earlier expressed his displeasure over some residents’ apparent indifference to the coronavirus threat by taking out children, including toddlers.
The city is also bearing the additional brunt for being the gateway to the Northeast.
On Sunday, two areas — Katahbari and Rukminigaon — had to be declared as containment zones after two persons from Tripura tested positive in the neighbouring state. They had visited local shops here.
Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner Biswajit Pegu said, “Both of them left for Tripura on May 13. We are taking the swab samples from the people of the neighbourhood and tracing their contact histories as well.”
Besides, the city’s Fatasil Tiniali area too was declared a containment zone after another person tested positive.
So far, the city has 11 containment zones, 10 of which were declared this month.
The business hub of Fancy Bazar still remains affected as majority of the city’s Covid-19 cases had a direct link with the first coronavirus patients detected in the area.
Although the Kamrup Chamber of Commerce (KCC)’s call for a three-day closure of the busy market to prevent the spread of the virus ended on Saturday, normalcy is unlikely to return till the test results of all the samples collected from the area come out. Over 300 swab samples have been collected there.
“Since business in the area is mostly labour-dependent, it will be unwise to start operations without knowing who is affected. Saving Fancy Bazar will mean saving the city. The need of the hour is to get everyone tested,” a trader said.
A man walks past a coronavirus-themed mural in Guwahati on Sunday. Picture by UB Photos
Concern over the disease spreading to the slums along the railway tracks, bordering the business hub, is growing.
“These people have been living in unhygienic conditions and are currently without jobs. The administration must sanitise these areas and educate the people about the virus. They are vulnerable and will also make the city vulnerable at the same time,” said Arindom Bora, a local distributing ration among the slum-dwellers.
P.P. Singh, who has been distributing relief in the city with his Khalsa team members, said the population living along the tracks was a ticking time bomb. “All government agencies, including the railways, should launch joint efforts to properly sanitise the areas once things return to normal,” he said.
Cong slams minister
The Assam unit of the Congress on Sunday hit back at Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman for describing party leader Rahul Gandhi meeting migrant workers in Delhi on Saturday as “dramebaazi”. PCC president Ripun Bora said it is the BJP, not Congress, who does drama.
“I want to remind Sitharaman how Prime Minister Narendra Modi had washed feet of workers. The same Modi now does not have sympathy for the migrants who are suffering because of the lockdown and forced to walk thousands of kilometres to reach home,” said Bora.
He added by describing Rahul meeting the migrants as “dramebaazi”, Sitharaman had insulted lakhs of workers.
Leader of the Opposition Debabrata Saikia, criticised the economic packages announced by Sitharaman.
According to Saikia, the economic package announced by the Centre will help only the rich. Saikia said even the industrialists are not happy with the package. He said through the economic package the Centre is only trying to give loans to the distressed people instead of giving financial assistance.