Team Herald
PANJIM: Following the Herald report on Tuesday on the government’s indifferent approach in declaring containment zones around Mangor Hill, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant announced that government is contemplating declaring Baina a containment zone.
Addressing the media after a video-conference meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sawant said that the declaration on Baina could come by Wednesday.
“The government is thinking of declaring parts of Baina as a containment zone and a survey by the district administration is underway. I say partly as the cases are in just one area,” he said, adding, “We will also declare some adjoining areas as buffer zone.”
Asked why Sada is not considered as a containment zone with 18 cases, Sawant said surveys are on and government is looking into it. “Sada cases are in different areas and surveys are on and if need be we will declare containment zone there also,” he said.
Herald on Tuesday had exposed the government’s indifferent attitude towards Vasco and Ghodemal. Ghodemal with just 14 cases was declared a containment zone while New Vaddem, Baina and Sada with 53 cases have not, Herald had reported.
When questioned on Ghodemal, the CM said in Ghodemal all 14 cases were in one locality and had to be declared a containment zone. “The issue in Sada and Baina is different,” he said.
The Chief Minister also announced that the Navelim indoor stadium, Shyamaprasad Mukherjee Stadium Bambolim and Pernem indoor stadium will be converted into COVID Care Centres.
“Women will be kept at Navelim indoor stadium, while men will be at Shyamaprasad Mukherjee and only if need arises Pernem stadium will be taken,” he said. He further said that all the stadiums have capacity of 500 beds, but initially only 200 beds will be placed there.
On the controversy regarding removal of Government College, Quepem from the list, CM said, he expects the colleges to begin by July-August and the students should not suffer.
“We have already identified MPT Hospital, Colva Residency and Calangute Residency besides SAI Hostel and Shiroda PHC as COVID Care Centres hence Quepem College was removed from list,” he said.
