Team Herald
PANJIM: Maharashtra government’s order declaring six States including Goa as COVID-19 sensitive has created a turmoil within the State as Goa government has urged its counterpart to withdraw the order.
“#COVID19 is a global pandemic. Let us put up a combined fight against this pandemic under the leadership of PM @narendramodi. I urge @CMOMaharashtra not to single out States as ‘Places of Sensitive Origin’, and withdraw the said order in public interest,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant posted on his Twitter handle, on Monday.
The Uddhav Thackarey-led government on Sunday, declared Kerala, Goa, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Delhi and NCR, and Uttrakhand as Places of Sensitive Origin in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases. Ironically, Maharashtra has been recording highest single-day COVID-19 spike in the country.
As per the order signed by Maharashtra Chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte, the decision has been taken in order to curb the transmission of the virus in its State and to stop the influx of other COVID-19 virus variants from other locations to Maharashtra. The big State has already made it mandatory for all its visitors to get RT-PCR negative test of not less than 48-72 hours.
The order, issued by Kunte, states that it will remain in force till the time it is retracted or till COVID-19 stays notified as a disaster.
Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat has taken on the Pramod Sawant-led government calling the BJP as “most insensitive”.
“Maharashtra declares Goa as one of the places of COVID Sensitive Origin. Is this an achievement for the most insensitive @BJP4Goa @GovtofGoa? Which sensitive information Maharashtra has and about which Goans are kept in dark by @goacm? Reveal truth and save people’s lives,” Kamat tweeted.
Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte mocked at CM Sawant for ‘begging’ to withdraw Goa from the list of sensitive origins. He tweeted, “Maharashtra shuns #Goans with #COVID’s sensitive origin status! Instead of taking reflective action spineless @GoaCM disgraces Goans by his Shameful begging with Maharashtra to withdraw the status.”
Goa continues to report record breaking daily spike in COVID-19 cases. On Sunday, it reported the highest single-day 951 cases while active cases also crossed 7,000-mark.
