Sudip defies DM’s order on institutional quarantine
Our Bureau
AGARTALA, August 03 2020: BJP MLA and former Health Minister Sudip Roy Barman has defied order of the west Tripura district magistrate Dr Sandeep Mahatme to undergo a weeklong institutional quarantine following former’s visit to a Covid Care Centre (CCC) and mixing with coronavirus patients.
District magistrate Dr Sandeep Mahatme had also directed him to isolate self in home quarantine for another seven days after his discharge from the institutional quarantine. MLA was directed to remain under quarantine from Monday at the facility in AD Nagar locality in Agartala city outskirts.
Visit of Barman at the CCC in New Capital Complex snowballed into a major controversy. He and a few of his aides went there to distribute food packets among the patients and take stock of the centre.
The Congress turncoat BJP MLA wore PPE, but the district administration and the health department termed his entry in the CCC against guidelines and restrictions imposed under Disaster Management Act 2005 and the Epidemic Disease Act 1897.
Order of the district magistrate specifically stated that the MLA not only breached the law, but also risked himself to contract virus.
Sudip Roy Barman refused to oblige the district magistrate and termed his order as something dictated from the top. He also smacked off a conspiracy while announcing his rejection of the order.
The health department lodged a complaint with the NCC Police Station under Disaster Management Act for ‘unauthorised entry’ of the MLA at the CCC. Police opened an investigation.