PANJIM: Science and Technology Minister Michael Lobo on Tuesday demanded a partial lockdown in the State to prevent the spread of Coronavirus.
Lobo along with sarpanchas from his Calangute constituency met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and urged him to declare Calangute, Candolim and Arpora-Nagoa areas as containment zones in view of spike in COVID-19 cases.
After meeting the Chief Minister, Lobo said that COVID-19 infected cases are on rise and precious lives are lost. Family members are getting affected and the virus is spreading in the areas.
“We have asked to keep shops selling essential commodities and medical shops in the areas to keep open from 6 am to 1 pm and not to allow people from other areas to enter their areas. Things are going out of hand and Chief Minister has now told director of health services Dr Jose D’Sa to send extra nurses to the primary health centre at Candolim,” Lobo said.
Lobo said that they have also decided to shift vaccination programme from PHC, Candolim to a football ground so as to separate people coming for swab testing and vaccination programme.
Lobo said that the village panchayats will write to all banquet hall owners within their jurisdiction not to allow wedding receptions in the halls and to cancel bookings, if any. All night clubs and discotheques have already been shut, he added.
The Minister said that the Bardez deputy collector has convened a meeting on Wednesday, April 28 wherein a final decision will be taken to enforce partial lockdown for a period of 10 to 15 days.
“I have told Chief Minister sentiments of people of Goa, who wants a partial lockdown. In the past I was opposing lockdown but today we to realise ground reality where COVID-19 positive cases are increasing,” Lobo said adding that elected representatives should take responsibilities.
