The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has declared a weeklong lockdown from Sunday in four civic areas of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik and across some bazars over and above the state government’s three-day lockdown.
Apart from Thursday, the state government had called for a lockdown on Saturday and Wednesday.
Anit Thapa, chairman, board of administrator, GTA said he held a discussion with the principal secretary, GTA and district magistrates of Darjeeling and Kalimpong before deciding on a complete lockdown from Sunday onwards.
This technically means there will be a one-day window — Friday — before major towns in the hills close.
“Of late we are witnessing an increase in infections in the hills, some (Covid-19 patients) do not even have a travel history. If we don’t take a strong decision now we might have to regret later, which will be useless,” said Thapa.
Apart from the four hill municipalities, Thapa has also called for the closure of bazaars at Tindharia, Sukhiapokhri, Pokhriabong and Bijanbari where infections have been detected in the past few days.
Transport would be closed but a notification issued by Darjeeling DM Ponnambalam S. on Thursday said essential services and their transport would be open throughout the lockdown.
Though cases are rising in the hills, the figure is relatively less than the area under Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) in the plains (but a part of Darjeeling district). The SMC area is under lockdown till July 29. Kalimpong district had 15 active cases compared to 589 active cases from Darjeeling district. Yet, of the 589, the plains of Darjeeling district accounted for more than 560 cases according to the data compiled till Wednesday evening. However, the first Covid-19 patient in north Bengal was from Kalimpong who later died.