As India prepares to fight the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) President Sourav Ganguly has extended helping hands in this time of need, offering the indoor facility and the players dormitory of Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens to use as quarantine center.
Witnessing the rapid rise in COVID-19 cases in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a countrywide lockdown for the next 21 days till April 15 to fight the deadly COVID-19 on Tuesday (March 24) with the total number of coronavirus cases jumping to 562 on Wednesday, March 25.
However, the Indian Government is taking all necessary steps to ensure that we are prepared well to face the upcoming challenge and threat by the Coronavirus pandemic with many companies and organizations offering quarantine facilities, COVID-19 dedicated hospitals, COVID-19 isolation, and treatment facility to combat the pandemic in the country.
Well now, the BCCI came forward to help the country in this challenging time, as President Ganguly, former India captain, has offered the West Bengal government to use the Eden Gardens indoor facility and the players' dormitory as a temporary medical facility – quarantine purposes for COVID-19 patients.
Ganguly was quoted as saying by PTI: “If the government asks us, we will certainly hand over the facility. Anything that is need of the hour, we will do it. There is absolutely no problem.”
He also backed the government's decision of nation-wide lockdown for the three weeks, adding: “I think this is the best option at the current moment. Certain things are beyond anybody’s control. Whatever directives that the government and ministry of health give us, we have to follow. That’s the case all over the world,”
Noteworthy, Howrah’s an indoor stadium was recently converted into a 150-bed quarantine center under the initiative of the District Administration and Howrah Municipality, given the rising number of COVID-19 patients in the country.
The Cricket Association of Pondicherry (CAP) had also offered the dormitory in its Tutipet campus as a quarantine facility for coronavirus patients in Puducherry.
(With PTI Inputs)
