Kolkata: Cops tighten mask vigil at Behala, Jadavpur markets

KOLKATA: The police have identified several markets in the added areas — especially in boroughs 10, 11, 14 and 16 — where cops will step up mask vigilance after the slight increase in Covid numbers from these areas in the past four weeks.
Located in the Jadavpur-Baghajatin side on one end and Behala-Joka on the other, these areas also lie in close proximity to South 24 Parganas where pockets have witnessed high number of cases till recently and had also been included on list of containment zones.“We have focussed on all those spots which have high public interface. The markets are especially those spots which are frequented each day by hundreds and where compliance level is still not up to the desired level vis-a-vis say public transport,” said a senior officer from south suburban division.
Kolkata Police said it has stepped up joint awareness campaigns with KMC. “But there cannot be any actual implementation unless there is prosecution,” said a senior officer from Behala division. DC (SSD) Rashid Munir Khan and DC (Behala) Swati Bhangalia told TOI that an effective awareness-cum-prosecution programme has been finalized for both the Jadavpur and Behala police divisions.
At present, cops said no less than 16 markets, including Behala, Simultala, Behala Chowrasta, Thakurpukur, Haridevpur, Jadavpur, Bansdroni, Garia, Baghajatin, Bijoygarh, Sree Colony and Pallisree, are on the watch list. “We have found that people are refusing to follow basic Covid norms after being vaccinated once. Perhaps the biggest violators are those who visit the market each morning,” said an officer. Sellers of markets in these wards have been asked to enforce mask discipline on their own.
The police have stepped up anti-mask drive penalizing close to 2,000 persons since Saturday.
Cops have already launched sudden checks around these markets and raiding public spots like lakes and parks to prosecute violators. Even as KMC indicated it would increase vaccination in these pockets, police will meet the RWAs advising them to maintain all Covid protocols and not let the guard down during the festive season.
Borough 10 has reported 475 fresh cases in the past four weeks.