Team Herald
PANJIM: Some 1,200 industrial units re-opened on Monday after obtaining passes from the State government. Another 400 have applied for passes and are likely to get permissions by Tuesday. The State, in tune with the Centre’s advisory, partially lifted the lockdown and allowed certain crucial sectors to start operating with caution.
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Goa State Industries Association (GSIA) president Damodar Kochkar said, “Industries which applied till noon yesterday have been given permission to operate. We are supporting all 23 industrial estates and even units who are not part of the industrial estates and many of them may not even be GSIA members. We are all maintaining the Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines like keeping a distance of 6 feet etc.”
Goa Chambers of Commerce and Industries Director General RS Kamat was appreciative of the State efforts, along with the support of Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC).
“The smooth function and issuing of passes helped lot of industries to open. The only difficulty is that there are many ladies who received two-wheeler passes who are not able to drive and the law does not allow pillion riding on two-wheelers. It would be helpful if pillion riding is allowed as an exception from 7-9 am and from 5-7 pm so that they can be dropped or picked-up from work place.”
Vibrant Goa president Rajkumar Kamat is of the opinion that industry and the government acted in tandem to ensure that the beginning was smooth. “The coordination was much better. Also, GSIA did a wonderful job as there were several passes which had to be distributed and it was done all in a very smooth manner,” Kamat said.
In the healthcare sector Sevarat founder Rohini Gonsalves commended government efforts. “This partial relaxation has come like the first rays of dawn after a very long and dark night. With private clinics, hospitals and doctors permitted to practice and treat patients, it will end the suffering of a lot of people whose surgeries and even treatment got delayed because of the lockdown,” Gonsalves said.
On Sunday, MHA clarified that the supply of non-essential items by e-commerce firms will not be allowed from Monday and it may resume after the lockdown ends on May 3. However, several other essential economic activities, necessary to kick-start the economy, have been permitted to restart.
For instance, all health-related services and essential financial services will remain functional, while the Group of Ministers on Saturday confirmed that all agriculture and horticulture-related activity will also be allowed.
Fisheries and aquaculture industry have also been allowed to function in areas which are not hotspots. Plantation and construction are two key activities that have been given permission to resume.
