Team Herald
PONDA: With the State already under curfew on account of the Coronavirus scare, tension rent the air on Monday, when the locals forcefully closed three factories in Marcaim and another in Usgao.
Furious over the management, for keeping their factories open, the locals of Marcaim and Usgao demanded that the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and Health Minister Vishwajit Rane take strict action against the factories for violating the curfew by remaining open.
Instead of keeping the workers in home quarantine, the locals said by remaining open, the factories put the lives of workers at risk in view of the Coronavirus scare.
The locals also questioned if a policeman can beat a common man for violating the curfew then why are Marcaim factories putting the lives of hundreds of employees at risk.
When the State government has asked the people and workers to stay home by assuring them “paid holidays”, there is rampant violation at Marcaim. Following this, the Marcaim locals led by Sarpanch Asmitha Gaude and Marcaim Nagrik Samithi members grilled the officials of all the three factories following which two were immediately shutdown.
According to Gaude, a company was reluctant to shutdown until 3 pm. The locals questioned the officials when government has declared “paid holidays” why are they are violating the law.
Samithi members Premanand Gaude, Prashant Chari and several others alleged that pharmaceutical company was reluctant to close the factory.
The locals claimed that there was panic as three officials visited the factory for audit which included two persons from New Delhi and one from Australia who were allowed to enter without screening for COVID-19.
When the locals grilled the driver, who brought the officials to the factory, immediately fled along with them. This irked the locals, who confronted the officials.
Though the company officials claimed that those who visited the factory for audit were screened for COVID-19, the locals asked them if so, then what made the officials to flee.
The locals alleged that the 104 Service was not functioning when it was called. The locals also claimed that the police, who visited the spot, failed to take action and added that it was only after they insisted the company was forced to shut down.
The locals demanded and inquiry be conducted to ascertain as to why the three officials, who visited this factory, were allowed to enter without screening.
Meanwhile, in Usgao, the locals called up the police and forced a mushroom manufacturing company with around 50 workers to shut down. The locals questioned the company officials for putting the lives of workers at risk.
In another incident, Marcaim locals caught two labourers from Tripura for conducting repairs of mobile towers. It is learnt that the duo came to Goa on March 11 and when questioned by the locals whether they underwent any screening they replied in the negative, which left the locals fuming.
