Highlighting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s relentless efforts in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic in the state, Tourism Minister Gautam Deb today said that criticism is easy, but it is tough to actually work and produce results.”

“Had we not set up a crematorium at Sahudangi, after locals and opposition parties debarred us from setting up one at Ramghat, where would have Covid-19 bodies be cremated?” Mr Deb said, adding, “Criticism is easy, but hard to show.”

Mr Deb was addressing the Press after visiting the Siliguri Indoor Stadium with administrative officials, where the administration is making readying a ‘Safe House’ with 70 beds for asymptomatic Covid patients and those with mild symptoms.

“A team of two doctors and four nursing staff will be engaged there 24 hours. Of them, one doctor and two nurses will work 12 hours alternatively. A total of 70 male asymptomatic or mild symptomatic patients will be lodged there. Eight beds with oxygen supply facilities will be reserved there for emergency. Arrangements for entertainment will also be made there, including Wifi Internet facilities and power points for mobile phone chargers,” Mr Deb said.

On the other hand, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista expressed his fears over the rising cases of coronavirus transmission in the Darjeeling parliamentary segment and unhappiness over arrangements made to combat the alarming situation. “I am getting extremely worrying reports of Covid cases increasing sharply from various parts of our Darjeeling Lok Sabha constituency, especially from Siliguri, where community transmission seems to be a reality now,” Mr Bista said today.

“What I find most worrisome is the fact that figures issued on the number of cases and number of deaths in our region, do not match with what is being reported in the media, and what the locals are telling me,” Mr Bista added.

Reporters today informed the Minister about problems of reporting on death of Covid-19 patients, and all alleged that positive reports were being sent by private nursing homes, while the patients tested negative the next day in the government laboratory.

They also highlighted problems related to ambulances for ferrying both Covid patients and dead bodies.

“The government is looking into the matter of death reports. There have been problems, but those problems were sorted out immediately. One thing is very important. No one has previous experiences of the Covid-19 situation. But the situation has improved now. The CCU here was almost in a saturated position. But now the rate of discharge has increased. Siliguri is such a place where we are facing pressure of patients even from other states, including Kishanganj areas (Bihar). Can we refuse them treatment? We have marked private places and even hospitals in both Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts. Hopefully, the situation will improve from September,” Minister Deb said.

On the other hand, Mr Bista claimed: “I have been informed that many frontline Covid workers like nurses and policemen from Darjeeling Hills have tested positive, yet official confirmation of the same has not been done. I am unable to understand why the Trinamul Congress-led state government is so hell-bent on hiding the facts and figures relating to Covid? I am also unable to comprehend on what good will come out of hiding these facts.”

According to him, informing people about Covid-related cases and deaths is very important as it will help with faster ‘contact tracing’ and it will save precious time, resulting in more lives being saved.

The MP also said the state should be held accountable for the “extreme lethargy, incompetence, selective, absurd and whimsical attempts at imposing of lockdown.”

“All those from the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration, who were busy taking credit for non-existent Covid19 success back in April itself have now gone missing, and do not have answers to why Covid cases are rising exponentially in Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills,” he added.