MARGAO: Call it mismanagement or just confusion amongst the authorities to deal with one of the sensitive issues pertaining to COVID-19? In a shocking revelation, it has come to light that around 40 to 50 per cent of the Konkan Railway (KR) passengers enter Goa without the mandatory COVID 19 (RT-PCR) negative certificate these days despite instructions from the government.
What more shocking is that there is no action or management to tackle these passengers and the end result is that they are left to move freely.
When Herald tried to dig deep into the issue, it was found that confusion prevails between Konkan Railway officials and State Authorities with regards to owning responsibility.
It may be recalled that following High Court’s intervention, the Goa Government had issued an order stating that any person entering the State must possess a COVID 19 (RT-PCR) negative certificate, which should be obtained 72 hours before the time they seek entry into the State.
As per the order, residents of Goa and those entering that State for work are exempted from producing the certificate. Hundreds of passengers from other States enter Goa every day at Margao Railway Station. During the first wave, strict checking of the passengers was done and even a swab testing centre was opened at the KR Station, Margao. However, there is no such facility now.
When asked whether passengers are being checked for COVID negative certificate, KRCL spokesperson Baban Ghatge admitted that 40-50 percent of passengers have entered Goa at Margao without COVID negative certificate.
“We have noticed passengers coming by Railways without COVID-19 negative certificates”, he stated.
He said the KR staff just note down the details of these passengers and later the records are handed over to the State authorities.
“We do not have other facilities to manage or tackle these passengers coming without COVID negative certificates. It has been brought to my notice that these passengers are taken to COVID Care Centres by State Authorities. We can’t even impose a fine on them as the order pertaining to COVID-19 negative certificate is of the State government and we don’t have any role to play”, said Baban.
“I have been informed that today onwards State Administration has provided a bus, which takes the passengers coming without COVID-19 negative certificate”, he stated.
However, Additional Collector Surendra Naik and even Deputy Collector John Fernandes said it is the sole responsibility of KR to tackle the passengers coming without mandatory COVID negative certificate and at the moment they do not have any facility.
“We have already asked the KRCL to handle the issue and hence they have to decide what to do and what not. The Central Government was one of the parties in the High Court with regards to this issue”, said Additional Collector, South.
He said KRCL needs to be cautious while issuing the railway tickets to passengers. “They must deny the railway ticket to passengers without COVID negative certificate. And such instructions should be issued to all the railway stations by the KRCL”, he stated.
In these regard, KR had already issued a notice to the passengers long back; however passengers are seen rushing to Goa without the mandatory COVID negative certificate.
Deputy Collector John Fernandes said, “We have engaged staff at the Konkan Railway Station at Margao to check the temperature of the passengers entering the State. It is the lookout of Konkan Railways to tackle the issue of passengers entering without COVID negative certificate. I don’t know if the police authorities are taking these passengers to COVID Care Centres”.
Konkan Railway Police Station PI Hiru Kavlekar said they don’t have the authority to take action against the passengers coming without COVID certificates. “All rights are given to KRCL”, he said. The Railway Police Force said any action against such passengers pertains to Goa Police.
At the moment, the above confusion of owning the responsibility has resulted in the smooth flow of people without COVID negative certificate, putting the lives of Goans at risk.
South Additional Collector Surendra Naik said, “The district administration has formed a special taluka-wise Flying Squad to take action against the violators of COVID protocols. Special Flying Squads deployed at various places will take strict action against the violators”.
