As many as 117 Covid-19 positive cases have been detected in Jagatsinghpur district in past four days, including 40 positive cases from Paradip port town. Meanwhile one Covid-affected man succumbed on Tuesday, with the total deaths reaching two in the district.
The port town of Paradip has been a major headache for the administration as it is an industrial hub. The administration has imposed section 144 Crpc in Bagadia and Abhyachandpur villages adjacent to IOCL and a few areas of Paradip township to check spreading of coronavirus.
However, locals fumed that though till July 17 Covid positive cases were limited to only 9 in Paradip urban body but in just four days, it jumped to 67, due to poor management of the situation.
Former Paradip Municipality Chairman Basant Kumar Biswal demanded stringent measures and driving out of non-Odia workers hired by L&T. A memorandum by the BJD to the district Collector urged him to discontinue IOCL maintenance work and stop L&T-sponsored migrants coming to Paradip.
A similar claim has been placed by the Paradip BJP unit seeking action against the L&T authorities.