KOLKATA : Amid raging controversy over alleged mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday cracked the whip on Health Secretary Vivek Kumar by transferring him from the post, prompting the opposition to claim the removal only proves "something was seriously wrong".
Narayan Swaroop Nigam, who was the Transport Secretary, has replaced Kumar, according to the government notification. Kumar's transfer to the environment department as secretary comes days after a war of words broke out between the state and the central governments over the "dismal performance" of West Bengal in tackling the COVID-19 crisis.