Team Herald
PANJIM: In view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Wednesday declared a three-day complete lockdown from Friday to Sunday along with a night curfew that started on Wednesday.
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Briefing media persons after chairing the Cabinet meeting, the Chief Minister, who was flanked by Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho and Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo, said that the lockdown was mandated in view of rising cases and also considering that the citizens are showing laxity in following the guidelines issued from time to time. “The three-day lockdown will begin this Friday and continue till Sunday,” he said.
However, he added, that the lockdown will come into effect from Thursday 8pm and go on till Monday 6am as the State has declared a nightly Janta Curfew from Wednesday from 8pm to 6am the next day. “That gives us four days time to break the chain,” he quipped.
Speaking on the spike in cases, Sawant stated that the Cabinet discussed the issue and wanted some stringent action to curb the increase in cases. “Goa has the highest testing rate in the country and hence the cases are very high,” he said.
Also, he added, experts had warned that cases will peak in the monsoon. “We are in the peak of the monsoons and I think another four or five days the cases will continue to rise,” he said.
On the complete lockdown, Sawant explained the decision has been taken in interest of Goa and Goans. “It has been observed that despite the efforts of the district authorities, health personnel and the police, the citizens are not adhering to the guidelines of social distancing and use of mask. Also there are complaints of regular parties,” he said.
He said the police will be stricter now. “The violators will be jailed straight-away,” he said and added that he was surprised people are still showing laxity despite 18 deaths in the State.
The Chief Minister further said that the government has started identifying COVID care centres in each taluka so that a North Goa patient does not need to be admitted in South Goa or somewhere far away.
“Covid care centre in Farmugudi has started in full capacity and we have also begun recruitment of health workers, which will be completed in the next eight days,” he said.
