Kolkata pockets brace for a return to locked-down life

‘Markets may see panic buying now’
Bijay Lenka

Since the announcement of fresh containment plans, I have had mixed feelings. Lives matter, families matter. Perhaps the lockdown is optimal because in the end, a substantial number of lives will be saved.

There is perhaps no other way. But the thought of going backwards once again brings the thought of losses and depression. One doesn’t really know if there will be an end to all this. Once more there may be panic buying. The poor will again have to start struggling for their survival. The demand-supply chain in vegetables, fish and other commodities will be in jeopardy and the economy will slow down further. I really don’t know how many of us will survive this depression.

The very thought of New Alipore being demarcated as a containment zone strikes terror in my heart. Will that mean we shall not be able to go out of the area at all? Shall we be able to procure essentials from outside? What should we do if a medical emergency comes up?

I shall probably spend the entire Wednesday trying to find out which blocks will be demarcated as containment zones and the details of movement restrictions. The local police station has been trying to keep in touch with the residents of the area. We hope they will once again rise to the occasion. I will have to figure out how long this lockdown will continue and stock up accordingly.

(Lenka, a businessman from New Alipore, spoke to Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey)
‘Second phase will hit people hard’Srijita Das
As unlock 2.0 started, the number of Covid cases saw a steep upward curve in Kolkata. There are many Covid patients around my locality. If areas like Phoolbagan, Bagmari and Muraripukur are demarcated as containment zones in the next few days, locals will face a lot of problems.

These areas are some of the busiest in north Kolkata. Going into a full lockdown will be difficult. During the first lockdown phase, all the shops were closed. Sometimes it was difficult to get emergency medicines after 5pm. This new phase of 14-day lockdown may bring back the same issues. However, hawkers moving from one locality to the next provided some relief earlier as we could get vegetables, fish and meat from them.

We have to understand that this is, perhaps, the best option at present. This unlock phase has resulted in a steady growth of Covid cases across the country as well as our city. The area near my home has been hit with fresh cases popping up every other day.

We are all trying to maintain hygiene and social distancing as much as possible, but everything is not in our hands. The way the infection is spreading these days is really scary. Only a total lockdown can arrest the steadily rising curve.

But I wonder if the pocket-wise lockdown and demarcation of containment zones will help the cause.

(Das, a student from Phoolbagan, spoke to Tamaghna Banerjee)

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