SURAJ NANDREKAR
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PANJIM: It took the State administration just a few hours to declare Morlem Ghodemal as a containment zone, along with buffer zones soon after cases in the area entered double digits.
On the other hand, take the case of Vasco, where despite COVID-19 having spread in areas of Baina, Sada and New Vaddem from the epicentre Mangor Hill, the State still appears to be reluctant to declare containment zones there.
As Mangor Hill continues to see an upsurge in COVID-19 cases, which has recorded 271 so far and 160 linked to it, the surrounding areas have seen about 53 cases. New Vaddem has reported 12 cases, Baina has 24 and Sada has 17.
In short, 72.8 per cent of Goa’s cases are from Mangor or related to it, but politicos are reluctant to close down there.
If Ghodemal with 14 cases can be containment zone, why not Baina with 24, Sada with 17 and New Vaddem with 12?
Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said there is no need to lockdown Vasco or the surrounding areas. “We have taken all measures and nobody is allowed to come out of containment zone in Mangor Hill. Also, not many cases have been reported in surrounding areas to be declared as containment zone,” Sawant said.
As per directions of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the containment zone has to be of a radius of three kms from each case and another five kms as a buffer zone. If this is followed, entire Vasco including Dabolim, Zuarinagar and parts of Sancoale will come under it.
While the State has been dragging its feet on locking down Vasco and nearby areas despite requests from Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida and Minister Mauvin Godinho, it has been quick in declaring Ghodemal as a containment zone.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s father, Pratapsingh Rane, who is the MLA of Poriem, urged the chief minister and health minister for a lockdown and both swung into action immediately.
Vishwajit said that after a thorough discussion with the Health Secretary, they have instructed the Collector to declare Ghodemal in Morlem panchayat as a containment zone along with Kasarwada and Deulwada as buffer zones as COVID-19 cases in the locality have increased to over 14 (the day it was declared containment zone).
