MARGAO: Tension prevailed at Polem check post in Canacona on Tuesday as hordes of tourist vehicles entering Goa from neighbouring Karnataka refused to stop for furnishing RT-PCR reports and other related medical document citing that Goa government has stopped screening of visitors at the borders. The fact, however, is only those who are fully-vaccinated or possessing negative COVID certificate can enter the State.
Several vehicles carrying tourists were seen entering the State even as Congress party workers and some local residents tried stopping these vehicles at the check post.
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Congress leaders accused Goa government staff at Polem check post of failing to halt traffic for verification of RT-PCR and other medical documents.
A group of people and Congress workers, led by Janardhan Bhandari, confronted the staff of Polem check post and asked them why people coming from Karnataka border were allowed to enter Goa without any RT-PCR or vaccine certificate? They further questioned why the government was playing with the lives of innocent Goan people?
Comparing the approach of Goa government staff with their Karnataka counterparts, Janardhan said the latter weren’t allowing people to enter their State without negative RT-PCR report even if they had two doses of vaccination.
The Congress leader said he won’t allow the government to play with the lives of Goans. “Such lethargic approach of the government will only give open invitation to Covid in Goa which is already reeling under the third of wave of this pandemic. I will not allow the Government to play with lives of Goans again and will take every step to curb such mismanagement to avoid further devastation,” he warned.
He further said the government has not learnt any lesson from its past mistakes.
He said during the second wave the borders of Goa were kept wide open for tourists and outsiders were allowed to enter Goa without any medical certificates, which resulted in the explosion of the second wave of Covid in the State.
“Only after strict directions from the High Court, the Government started to insist on RT-PCR certificates and other medical documents. But mismanagement of the Government resulted in the death of thousands of Goans who lost lives due to lack of oxygen, ventilators, beds and other medical facilities.
“This insensitive, corrupt BJP Government has shown scant care for the lives of Goan people and even after rapid surge of Covid cases in the State, has still kept the border of Goa wide open for tourists without any compulsion of medical reports,” he alleged.
