• A group of 70 people who had travelled to Puducherry for a medical emergency complains that the lodge where they are staying has stopped supplying food. The local administration of Puducherry arranges for food thrice a day from a community kitchen for them after receiving a request from the Bengal chief minister’s grievance redress cell.

• A group of 13 people who are stuck in Bali, Indonesia, informs the redress cell that they are running out of money for food and shelter and that arrangements should be made to bring them back. The group is told on Saturday that the Indian embassy in Jakarta has been requested to provide assistance.

• Three ambulance drivers ferrying a body to Alipurduar from Kerala gets held up in Bihar’s Katihar after the vehicle breaks down on Saturday. On receiving a call from the drivers, the cell contacts Bihar authorities and by evening, arrangements are made to repair the ambulance.

Officials from the chief minister’s grievance redress cell are working to ensure unhindered supply of food and other essential items to those from Bengal who are stranded in other states and countries.

The government has also explained to them that their primary demand of emergency evacuation cannot be fulfilled in this phase of the lockdown.

Sources said several groups — at least 30,000 people altogether — had sent requests to the chief minister’s office since the lockdown started on Monday, prompting it to ask certain senior officials of the cell to address them.

“All the stranded people want to come back to the state. But it is not possible to arrange transportation to the state during the lockdown. So, we are trying to make arrangements for basic facilities like food, shelter and daily needs for them,” an official said.

The team is contacting the local administration of the areas where the people from Bengal are stuck and requesting the authorities to ensure they receive basic facilities.

Officials said the government had already reached out to the majority of the people who had sought help. “We are facing difficulties in a couple of states but we are hopeful of reaching out to these stranded people soon,” a source said.

Some officials told this correspondent that the Bengal government was trying to lead by example in providing succour to people from elsewhere stranded here.

Bengal chief secretary Rajiva Sinha has issued an order asking all municipalities and district magistrates to ensure basic facilities like food and shelter for those from other states stuck in Bengal because of the lockdown.

“We are seeking help from other states. We need to set an example in our state first,” a source said.

Andaman order

A special division bench of Calcutta High Court on Saturday set up a committee to monitor whether the residents of the Andaman and Nicobar islands were getting essential commodities and medicines.

The bench of Chief Justice T.B.N. Radhakrishnan and Justice Dipankar Datta directed the committee to send its first report to the court registrar by March 30. The district judge of Andaman, who is also the chairman of Calcutta High Court’s circuit bench, will head the committee.

The court administration on Saturday decided to accept urgent cases via email for hearing.