MARGAO: Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant Kavlekar on Friday held the second round of the meetings to review the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Salcete taluka. 33 panchayats and two municipal councils attended the meeting.
Kavlelkar also clarified that there is no attempt to sideline the MLAs and that they will hold a meeting with them soon.
He added that at the meeting conducted by him and his colleague and WRD Minister Filipe Neri Rodrigues, they listened to the opinions shared from the panchayats, municipalities, police, administration and other line departments. The District Collector and health department officials were also present.
The participants were advised on how to work out the way ahead and how to handle their responsibilities. “The panchayats and municipalities needed to be briefed regarding their responsibilities. We can’t go ahead saying it is not ours and only the government responsibility,” said Kavlekar.
“It is especially for the elected representatives who have to be more responsible to make sure that there is awareness and that the general public know about the precautions that are to be taken. We have discussed the roles of the panchayat, municipalities and other representatives. All will have to take responsibilities. We have advised all not to differentiate between anything and that all will have to come to the ground and work together” said Kavlekar.
He added that they assured the attendees to that they will help out in the coordination required in carrying out the objectives discussed at the meeting.
“We have advised the local representatives to create a WhatsApp group of prominent people to make sure they are notified of the cases if they crop up and that people, who are advised to remain under quarantine, should not move out in the open. We have asked them to add us also in those groups,” Kavlekar, added. ,
“One of the complaints was that the Health Department notification comes late hence we have told the Collector and Health Department to inform the local representatives at the earliest,” said Kavlekar.
