COVID-19: Ganguly Offers Eden Gardens For Quarantine Facilities

Sourav Ganguly offers Eden Gardens to help in treatment of Coronavirus.

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly takes a selfie with the Eden Gardens crowd during the first day of the Pink Ball Test in Kolkata.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@SGanguly99)

India is currently in a 21-day nationwide lockdown following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on Tuesday, 24 March. With over 550 positive cases of the novel coronavirus reported in the country till Wednesday afternoon, India is doing everything it can to handle the pandemic.

And now, BCCI president and former CAB boss Sourav Ganguly has said that he would be happy to offer the facilities at Eden Gardens, should the West Bengal government need extra beds for the treatment of patients.

“If 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,” Ganguly told PTI in an interview.

The Eden Gardens Indoor facility and the players dormitory could be provided to create a temporary medical facility, just as the Pondicherry cricket association has offered to do.

Ganguly welcomed the complete lockdown announced on Tuesday and expressed hope that the move will help flatten the curve eventually.

“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 gives us, we have to follow. That’s the case all over the world,” he said.

London, his second favourite city after Kolkata, is under a 21-day lockdown and Ganguly is worried about his close relative, uncle Animesh Mukherjee and his family, who are based there.

"My uncle Animesh Mukherjee is 80-years-old. I am worried about my uncle and aunty as they are aged people. But they are very careful and are home amid this 21-day lockdown. Also UK's health-care facilities are good." Talking about himself, Ganguly said he has never had so much time to himself in the last two decades.

"I don't know after how many years I am home on weekdays. Even during my busy schedule, I have had Sundays off but this is so different," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)