MARGAO: Alleging that the lack of concern by Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and his government has made Goa a banana republic, Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai claimed that the government didn’t even think that a second wave would devastate Goa so badly.
Speaking to reporters after the Opposition MLAs’ meeting which was held to discuss the COVID situation in Goa, Sardesai said the way the government is going, without seriously augmenting the State’s current medical infrastructure, Goa could be heading for a third wave.
Vijai said, “This is a war-like situation, and the CM’s ‘bhivpachi garaz na’ attitude does not work anymore. The buck stops with him, and he should act. Fast. ”
Sardesai suggested that the State must immediately deploy constituency-wise war rooms. “The war rooms would be a dedicated taskforce that monitor hospital capacity, oxygen availability, oxygen beds and ventilators and provide the details of the dashboard to all constituency residents,” he said.
“The government’s half hearted approach with its non-functional helpline has collapsed. Goans cannot live like this anymore; people are dying. Only the CM Sawant is responsible for the situation Goa is in now, and he must resign immediately,” he demanded
“Because Pramod Sawant is a selected CM and not an elected CM by the Delhi BJP leaders he cannot even utter the word lockdown,” he charged.
“All across the State, the people and their representatives are demanding a 15-day lockdown. The fact that municipalities and panchayats are implementing their own lockdown is an insult to the CM’s governance, only showing he is not the material to manage our State,” Sardesai claimed.
Sardesai said, “The CM is so scared of even pronouncing the words lockdown because he knows he will be replaced tomorrow. For him only his power and rule matters, Goenkar lives do not.”
Hitting out at the 10 MLAs who earlier joined the BJP, Vijai asked, “Why are they quiet now? Didn’t they join the BJP for so called development? Their defection is equal to the deaths in Goa.”
Vijai blamed Goa’s positivity rate of 50% to the government’s greed to bring unlimited tourists in the State.
He said, “The CM allowed tourists to party in Goa, and now with the highest infection rate in the country, Goa’s name and reputation is permanently destroyed.”
Vijai asked, “How difficult was it for the CM to enforce the need of negative certificates and a few days of quarantine for our guests?”
Sardesai said, “Goa is not the only tourism destination in the world, look at the Maldives, Dubai and for that matter even Mumbai, they all have dedicated policies to regulate the spread, and safely welcome tourists.”
Vijai said the CM should call for an all-party meeting to regulate effective leadership and policies in battling the pandemic.
Sardesai said, “As a neighbouring state, we should learn lessons from the BMC in Mumbai who reduced its positivity rate from double digits to single digits. Look at Dharavi, they have 1.5 crore people, we have one-tenth in Goa, and we’re still in a mess.”
Vijai said, “The selected CM of Goa is leading people to their deaths; he simply cannot handle this, and he needs to go ASAP.”
