Team Herald
CANACONA: In view of the spike in COVID-19 positive cases in Canacona Taluka, Association of Businessmen of Canacona (ABC) has urged the Deputy Collector of Canacona to issue instructions to concerned departments to undertake safety precautions in order to suppress the threatening spread of the virus in Canacona.
Canacona till now has 152 active and 266 confirmed COVID cases under its tally which is just above 0.5 per cent of its total population of around 50,000 people.
But what is worrisome to the residents is the detection of 10 to 20 cases daily since the last couple of weeks. However, only plus on Friday was, only one person was diagnosed positive.
Taking cognisance of the rising number of cases ‘ABC’ which is an apex body representing businessmen of Goan origin in Canacona Taluka has taken up the cudgel and armed with a petition met the Deputy Collector of Canacona Satish Prabhu on Friday.
Speaking to Herald, Diogo Da’Silva, president of the association and a social activist in his own right remarked that it is disheartening to witness the cases of COVID-19 rising day by day in the taluka.
Further, Da’Silva informed that he along with Anil Bhagat and other members of his organisation apprised the Deputy Collector regarding the rising number of cases of which he was already aware and requested him to undertake precautionary measures to arrest the undesirable spread of the virus which as of the present has devastated the economy world over.
Anil Bhagat, who is the vice president of ABC, mentioned that they have requested the Deputy Collector to sanitise the market area at Chaudi which is the centralised market place as well as the administrative headquarters of the taluka, at least once in a week.
The requirement of strict implementation of social distancing at certain wholesale shops dealing in groceries and the Bagyatdar Bazaar in Chaudi was also brought to the notice of the Deputy Collector through the letter.
Apart from mass testing, ABC members requested the frontline government departments such as Health and Police to work hand in hand.
Speaking further Da’Silva added that he has also submitted a copy of the petition to the local MLA and Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes for information and action.
Bhagat, former chairperson of Canacona Municipal Council, stressed on the need to implement voluntary lockdown throughout Canacona for a minimum period of five days.
“We are worried about the rising number of cases in Canacona and it is only possible to flush out all the positive cases and make the COVID graph flat if we lockdown ourselves for five days atleast,” Bhagat opined.
