Team Herald
BICHOLIM: As the lockdown was relaxed on Friday, the people of Bicholim rushed to get the required things from the market with serpentine lines seen outside the pharmacies, grocery shops and Goa Bagayatdar. For milk, people had gone to the stores early in the morning so much so that the milk packets got over at 8 am and those who arrived late did not get the milk.
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Later by 10 am, there were huge lines outside the pharmacies, especially at
By 10 am there was huge lines seen outside the pharmacies and especially the Goa Bagayatdar. Bicholim PI, Sanjay Dalvi tried to maintain law and order outside the bagayatdar and only 10 persons were let in the bazaar. However, in spite of requests, the people did not maintain social distancing.
Similar lines were seen outside the grocery shops and some of them had to wait in the line for more than an hour. The non-Goans who also rushed to the market did not follow any discipline at the grocery shops and the owners had to bring down their shutters. But even then, there were attempts made by the people waiting outside to open the shutters and squeeze in. There were some municipality workers who were stationed outside the grocery stores but the non-Goans who were in large number did not listen to them.
The day was a day of commotion and there was mad rush everywhere. The Bicholim Municipal Council Chief Officer (CO), Vivek Naik was also present in the market but found himself helpless before the crowd who had gathered in the market.
In most of the parts of Bordem, the people stayed indoors and preferred to order the required things through BMC volunteers. In Sanquelim, people maintained social distancing before some of the shops.
Through social media people voiced concern over the entire thing and urged the Chief Minister to revert his Thursday night decision to keep the stores open 24/7.
