The Bengal government has asked all district magistrates to stop the practice of putting up barricades in front of houses or buildings that have Covid-19 patients after reports came that bamboo fences were leading to the identification and subsequent ostracism of patients.

A source said state health secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam had sent messages to all district magistrates on Monday, asking them to stop the barricading as part of Covid containment measures.

“Please ensure that no physical barricade/blockage with rope/bamboo or of any kind of restriction should be done in front of any individual house/flat as part of containment measures,” the message stated.

Sources said cordoning off an area or a building was being done as part of Covid containment measures of the state government. “The new order brings an end to the old practice. It’s a welcome change,” said a source.

The sources said the issue surfaced after the family of a Covid patient in Birbhum’s Illambazar had protested against the erection of a barricades outside their house.

The family members brought the matter to the notice of the local administration and members of Covid Care Network — an NGO working under mentorship of gastroenterologist and convener of the global advisory committee against Covid-19, Abhijit Chowdhury — intervened and the barricade was withdrawn.

Chowdhury visited Illambazar on Sunday and held a meeting with several grassroots health workers to create awareness among the people of the need to stop such measures that were leading to stigmatisation of Covid patients and their family members.

“While we are trying to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, we should take care of social ostracism also. We need to increase awareness among the people instead of putting up barricades,” said Chowdhury.

Birbhum district magistrate Moumita Godara Basu, however, said: “According to the directive, there will be no fencing outside houses or flats of Covid patients.”

Purulia district magistrate Rahul Majumder said: “We did not erect barricades in the past and the officials have been told about the new order.”

A senior official in East Burdwan said: “All block development officers were asked not to erect barricades and ensure that there is no ostracism of Covid patients and their family.”