People of five villages with Covid-19 cases under West Pendam in East Sikkim expressed their ire at alleged administrative laxity and demanded that the area immediately be declared a containment zone.

Eighteen Covid-19 cases were detected in Duga, Bhurung, Chiwribotay, Deorali and Jitlang villages in three days.

Ganesh Chhetri, a zilla panchayat member, and among the villagers who spoke to mediapersons on Wednesday, said: “Without an ambulance, we are paying to hire taxis to take the primary contacts of Covid-19 patients to Rangpo for the rapid antigen test.”

He added that instead of contacts having to go for tests to Rangpo, a 40-minute drive, the administration should arrange tests locally. “Most important, the administration must declare these villages as containment zones,” he added.

Ganga Pradhan, the Duga panchayat member, alleged that the villages were not sanitised. “We brought three sprays on our own today (Wednesday),” she said.

East Sikkim district collector Raj Yadav said homes of Covid patients were scattered and there was no need for a containment zone. He advised contacts of Covid patients to be in home quarantine and said they would be tested following protocol. “Our health team is tracing and testing all contacts, please don’t panic.”

Villagers also said five of the positive patients were workers at the Sikkim government-owned Sikkim Distilleries, and they infected others. “No one from Sikkim Distilleries has come to make enquiries,” alleged Chhetri.