PONDA: Condemning the lathi charge and the arrest of 10 Shiroda locals, who were peacefully protesting against government’s decision to make Shiroda Hospital a COVID patient care centre, MGP President Deepak Dhavalikar on Monday said that people have the right to protest and demanded that they be released immediately.
Opposing the use of local Primary Health Centres including Shiroda for COVID treatment, he requested that empty stadiums in Goa be used for treating corona patients instead of PHCs, which is last option.
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It may be recalled that on Sunday evening, immediately after learning that Shiroda Hospital has been declared a COVID care centre to treat asymptomatic patients; the local hit the streets and gathered near Hospital voicing their opposition to treat COVID patients at Shiroda.
Ponda Police arrested 10 Shiroda locals on charges of obstructing government servant on duty. Dhavalikar said innocent people, who were standing near hospital, were lathi-charged and 10 innocent persons were arrested. He demanded that Police should release them immediately.
He said, “It is totally government’s fault. Out of fear, people are coming to oppose and there is nothing wrong in it.”
He said Government should treat COVID patients by creating facility in respective talukas. He said there is no need to bring COVID patients from Vasco to Shiroda. There is Tilak Maidan at Vasco which can be utilized to treat patients, Besides some closed hospitals like NUSI Hospital at Velim-Cuncoliem can be utilized. Using the local PHC is the last option. He said in every taluka there are government buildings, which can be utilized instead of shifting the patients from one place to another.
Dhavalikar said, “It’s a shame that Shiroda MLA Subhash Shirodkar is behind the arrest of the people from his own constituency. People are scared of rising COVID-19 cases in Goa and so naturally out of fear they were protesting against government decision. If government had taken them into confidence such things would have not occurred.”
