A complete lockdown came into effect in Raiganj, Malda, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar for five days from Wednesday evening because of rising Covid-19 cases.

However, Siliguri will be placed on the total lockdown for seven days from 9am on Thursday. On Tuesday, home secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay had issued an order, mentioning that “comprehensive town wide lockdown” would be effective from July 15 in Siliguri, Raiganj, Malda, Jalpaiguri and Cooch Behar.

State tourism minister Gautam Deb held a meeting with the Darjeeling district task force at the state guest house in Siliguri.

He said only essential services would be available in all 47 wards of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation for seven days. “There are some containment zones in rural areas of Siliguri sub-division and in neighbouring areas of Jalpaiguri. The administration will keep a watch and if required, the number of such containment zones will be increased.”

In Siliguri, around 900 people have been infected by Covid-19 so far. Over 25 people have died from the pandemic in the city.

In Jalpaiguri town, the administration enforced the lockdown from 5pm on Wednesday in all 25 wards. It will continue till July 19. “We have started making announcements so that people adhere to the norms during the lockdown,” said Abhishek Tiwary, the Jalpaiguri district magistrate.

In Cooch Behar town, administrative and police officials formed teams and hit the streets in the afternoon to send people back home. They visited the markets and ordered closure of all shops selling non-essentials.