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| Edited By: DNA Web Team |Source: DNA webdesk |Updated: Dec 30, 2021, 04:37 PM IST
Amid the current surge of COVID-19 cases being witnessed across the country, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has dismissed the need of imposing stricter restrictions across the entire state to prevent the spread of the virus.
CM Banerjee said on Thursday that the COVID-19 restrictions cannot be placed in the entire West Bengal as it may impact the economy of the state, as has been the case since the onset of the pandemic, especially ahead of New Year celebrations.
Speaking to reporters while visiting the Sagar Island in Bengal's South 24 Parganas district where the annual Ganga Sagar Mela will begin next month, the chief minister said that the cases in Kolkata are on the rise as it acts as a transit point for people travelling by train or flights.
As quoted by PTI, CM Mamata Banerjee said, “Most omicron cases are being detected among people coming on flights from the UK. It's a fact that the omicron carriers are coming via international flights. The Centre must decide on imposing restrictions on flights from countries where omicron cases are high.”
Banerjee further said that a decision regarding the imposition of stricter COVID-19 restrictions will be taken soon, taking the economy into account. She said that the main target of the government will be places where the COVID-19 cases are going up.
“We have to look after the safety and security of the people. We will soon make a decision. We will target places where the cases are going up. We cannot impose restrictions everywhere because that may affect the economy as it has in the last two years," she said, as per PTI reports.
The number of COVID-19 cases in West Bengal has also seen a significant hike, with 1,089 new cases being recorded in the past 24 hours. A large chunk of these cases has been recorded in the city of Kolkata, which accounts for 540 fresh infections.
(With PTI inputs)
