PANJIM: Goan seafarers, who returned to their home State late Tuesday night, will undergo a COVID-19 test on Thursday or Friday. The entire batch was tested for the infection at Mumbai before disembarkation from the ship Marella Discovery.
Dr Utkarsh Bethodkar, nodal officer for COVID-19, said, “We will undertake the testing process on Thursday or Friday. Their swabs will be taken for testing and sent to the virology lab,” he told Herald, on being quizzed if the seafarers had undergone the test upon their arrival. Bethodkar asserted that the testing will be carried out at one time.
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Three buses carrying the Goan seafarers entered Goa late Tuesday night and drove straight to Ginger Hotel, Patto, a paid quarantine facility. The local administration, including the police and health officials, have ensured that the 14-day mandatory quarantine period is adhered to.
Bethodkar said that the crew members, each of whom are lodged in separate rooms, will not be allowed to venture out till the quarantine period ends. “They will stay in their rooms and all services will be available to them,” another officer said.
The police department has also deployed personnel to keep a vigil. “It has already been done,” Inspector General of Police Jaspal Singh said, on being asked if the facility has been cordoned off as a precautionary measure. The movement of the quarantined seafarers, he said, will be restricted by the guards.
Meanwhile, the NRI Commission’s registration process has received 2,000-odd names of Goans stranded in various parts of the State. NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar said that based on Government of India’s decision post May 3, details of all registered Goans stranded abroad will be submitted to the Centre.
“NRIs, students and those on visits to other countries have registered on the website. As of now, we have received around 2,000 registrations. Whatever steps the Central government takes after the lockdown, we will accordingly act. We will submit the registrations to the Centre for further course of action,” he said.
State to launch portal to connect with stranded Goans
Welcoming the Centre’s decision on inter-State movements of stranded
persons, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant is working out transit plans for Goans
stranded in other States.
Taking to social media, Sawant said, “I welcome the MHA order allowing
interstate movement of persons who have been stranded at different places in
the country,” he said.
He added, “Goa government is launching a portal for connecting with all Goans
stranded in different parts of the country and will work-out their transit
plans. The web portal will be live within 12 hours.”
