Authorities have decided to enforce strict lockdown in three police station areas in Malda district and Dalkhola town in North Dinajpur from July 8 because of rising number of Covid-19 cases.

In Malda, the strict seven-day lockdown will be enforced in Englishbazar, Old Malda and Kaliachak police station areas. “This means civic and rural areas of Englishbazar and Old Malda, the entire Kaliachak 1 block and parts of Kaliachak 2 block will face restrictions,” said a source in the administration.

The decision was taken at a meeting convened by district magistrate Rajarshi Mitra. But he declined comments and said details had been sent to the state government. “Further announcements will be made on Tuesday,” said Mitra.

Jayanta Kundu, the secretary of the Malda Merchants’ Chamber of Commerce who was present at the meeting, confirmed the imposition of the strict lockdown.

“All shops other than those selling essential items will remain closed. Shops selling essential items will remain open till 2pm. Vegetable and fish markets will have to close down at 10am every day,” he said.

Also, e-rickshaws, rickshaws and auto rickshaws will be off the road.

So far, 843 people have been detected with Covid-19 in the district and five of them have died. On Monday alone, 36 new cases were recorded in the district.

Dalkhola will be placed on the stringent lockdown from Wednesday to July 21.

In the past five days, 17 coronavirus patients were detected in the town.

“Shops selling milk, medicines and LPG only will be open. Dalkhola residents are not adhering to health safety protocol and crowding different areas,” said Subhash Goswami, the chairperson of the board of administrators that runs the municipality.

The Darjeeling district administration has sent a report to Nabanna, advocating stringent lockdown measures in some areas of the Siliguri subdivision.

In and around the town, about 450 people contracted the pathogen and around 20 of them died.

Over 35 new cases were reported on Monday, said sources.

“It is not possible to enforce lockdown across the town or the subdivision. The administration wants stricter restrictions in wards or areas which logged high number of coronavirus cases,” said a source.

CPM MLA Asok Bhattacharya was a released from a private nursing home in Siliguri on Monday after being cured of the infection. He reached home and was advised by doctors to take rest for more days.