Kolkata: The state imposed a strict seven-day lockdown in all containment zones across West Bengal from Thursday evening as it [the state] witnessed the highest single-day spike of COVID-19 cases and fatalities.On Thursday, the state registered a single-day increase of 1,088 COVID-19 cases, taking its tally to 25,911. The official further said that it registered 27 deaths, raising the toll to 854.They said that the containment zones are spread across 20 of the state’s 23 districts. The state imposed a strict lockdown from 5 pm Thursday. are spread.The state government has listed 25 containment zones in Kolkata. The top four hotspot districts are – 93 in North 24 Parganas, 54 in South 24 Parganas and 56 in Howrah.The authorities have clubbed the containment and buffer zones around the hotspots to constitute a ‘broad-based’ containment zone, and imposed a total shutdown, the officials said.Also read: We Need to Consider Nationalising Private Hospitals if We Are to Avert a Total DisasterOn Wednesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that the lockdown would be imposed for a week, after which the state would review the condition.She had further directed the police to firmly deal with those violating pandemic-related norms to control the contagion.Police personnel were seen patrolling the streets in the containment zones and asking pedestrians to return to their homes and shopkeepers to shut down.Barricades were put up outside such zones to stop the vehicular movement.After the announcement, people resorted to panic-buying in several areas, disregarding social distancing norms, the officials said.Long queues of people were seen outside grocery stores and LPG outlets in Kolkata.The police urged the people to stay indoors through public address systems. In the case of non-cooperation, they employed mild force in some places to ensure that safety protocols were adhered to.The state government assured that it will make arrangements for home delivery of essential commodities during the lockdown period in the containment zones.The police barricading ensured the disappearance of local transport like rickshaws, auto-rickshaws disappear from the containment zones.Private bus operators mentioned that the number of their buses in the city and adjoining districts might reduce from Friday since their staff stay in the containment zones of North and South 24 Parganas districts. They will not be able to work until the lockdown is in force.The seven-day lockdown by the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has triggered a political blame game; opposition BJP and the CPI (M) are slamming the ruling party for allegedly being “clueless about the entire situation”.“The state government is clueless about what it has to do and what not to do. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with the other TMC ministers have flouted lockdown norms, thereby encouraging others to follow suit,” said Dilip Ghosh, the BJP state president.CPI (M) legislature party leader Sujan Chakraborty said that if the state government had implemented the lockdown sincerely since March, the situation would have been much better.The TMC, however, defended its government and blamed the Centre for imposing an “unplanned” lockdown.“The present situation, both in the state and across the country, is solely due to the unplanned Lockdown announced by the central government from March 25 and the ensuing migrant labour crisis”.“The state government is doing its best to control the situation and provide relief to the people,” senior TMC leader and Minister Partha Chatterjee said.