Team Herald
PANJIM: Shops selling essential commodities like groceries, vegetables and milk will be open 24 hours a day in Goa from Friday till April 14. The State government has relaxed the 100 per cent lockdown in public interest.
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The decision to keep the shops open round-the-clock was taken to prevent crowding at shops and marketplaces amid the lockdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The government has also allowed all institutions, hotels, guests houses, residential facilities, running in house kitchens and restaurants, serving residential guests to function on a condition that no outsider guest or visitor be allowed.
Though the government took this decision, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant didn’t appear to be happy as he said, “It is now for the people of Goa to protect themselves from spread of COVID-19 infection.”
Sawant on Thursday met with shop owners across the State to decide a mechanism for ensuring that essential commodities are made available to the public during the lockdown period. After initially deciding to provide home delivery services, the government, under pressure from the people and the opposition, decided to keep the shops open.
Addressing media persons later in the evening, the Chief Minister said that in public interest, the government has decided to relax the lockdown and allow shops with essential commodities like milk, vegetables and necessary grocery items, to remain open 24 hours or as per their requirement from Friday till April 14.
“We have allowed 24 hours only so that people do not crowd the area and maintain social distancing,” he said, urging people not to create panic and crowd the markets as the government has enough stock and food chain is been maintained. “My only request to the people not to defeat the moto of the lockdown,” Sawant added.
The Chief Minister said that the government supported the 100 percent lockdown call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi only to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Goa and the country.
“We wanted to close all shops only because once grocery shops open, 90 percent Goa will be open and the entire purpose of a lockdown would be defeated. Social distancing will be a complete failure,” he said.
“As a doctor, I have read and understood the seriousness of COVID-19 and its fear for Goa. Hence, I wanted to have 100 percent lockdown to protect my people,” he said.
“I still appeal to the people to maintain social distancing as the virus can get transmitted to anyone from anywhere and from anybody. There are cases of people, who have shown no symptoms, but tested positive in India and are considered as carriers of virus. Goa too may have such cases,” Sawant maintained.
Indirectly slamming the opposition and others for creating a panic situation amongst the people through social media, the Chief Minister said, “Now the government has no control over the people and it is the responsibility of every individual, and those instigating people, to ensure that COVID-19 does not get transmitted and Goa has no more cases.”
He said the government was prepared to put in place a home delivery system with the help of local MLAs, local bodies and shopkeepers. “However, people had no patience. They were running out of patience,” he said. “Government should not be blamed now if coronavirus cases rise in Goa. Now it is not in our hands anymore,” the Chief Minister said.
