PANJIM: While the Central government has allowed fishing activities including trade and transportation during the lockdown, the State government has decided to keep fish markets closed, while promoting only door-to-door sale. The government has also allowed transportation of chicken, mutton and its product into the State only on certification, except from the bird flu hit States of Karnataka and Kerala.
As the State recommends further extension of lockdown till April 30, government offices will resume from Monday, April 13, while co-operative credit societies will function from April 15.
In an important decision, considering the hardship faced by the people, the government has decided to open up OPDs of primary, community health centres and has appealed to private hospitals to open their clinics. However, the OPD at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) will continue to remain shut for the people.
Addressing media persons over various decisions taken by the government in view of the likely lockdown extension, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said, “Only door-to-door sale of fish will be permitted. It is very difficult to maintain social distancing in fish markets and hence, we will not allow their opening,” he said.
Sawant also said that except from Karnataka and Kerala, the chicken and mutton and their products are allowed to be transported into the State on production of certification that they are safe for consumption.
The Chief Minister also said that government offices will resume from Monday, partially, wherein sanitisation drives will be undertaken. “It will open full-fledged from April 15,” he said.
He added, “As we have decided to open OPDs from Monday, I appeal to people not to rush and crowd the place but to visit only in case of emergency.
Stating that food processing units, pharmaceutical companies have been allowed to function, Sawant said, “We have issued strict guidelines that no employee from outside Goa, would be allowed to enter the State and work in the company.”
“No outsiders will be allowed to enter the State for the next 15 days,” Sawant said, adding that police have been directed to ensure strict enforcement of the lockdown measures.
Further, speaking about the community survey on COVID-19, the Chief Minister said it which will be app based, will help the government to declare the State in a safe zone as far as coronavirus is concerned. “Also, the surveyors will not enter the houses but will stand out and ask five questions, answers of which will be fed in the app,” he said.
Responding to a question on seafarers, Sawant said that he will take up the matter with Prime Minister Narendra Modi again on Sunday, during the video conference. “Centre has informed us that they are in touch with embassies of each country to ensure safety of the seafarers,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that so far under the CM relief fund, an amount of over Rs 8 crore has been deposited, while Centre has sanctioned Rs 6 crore towards State disaster and another Rs 1.5 crore to the health sector.
