Goa CM Pramod Sawant assures supply of essential items to those in need

PANAJI: Hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that India would be under lockdown for 21 days as a precautionary measure against the spread of Covid-19, chief minister Pramod Sawant extended the state’s curfew deadline from Wednesday to March 31.
His announcement came a day after his government announced a relaxation of five hours every morning till March 25 for people to buy essential supplies.Sawant said that “although there is no positive case of Covid-19 yet, it doesn’t mean there are no coronavirus patients in the state”.
“A 100% lockdown and 100% curfew is being ordered under the Epidemic Diseases Act,” Sawant said, adding that he expects the public to cooperate.
“We can live without milk and food for some time, but we have to be united to fight coronavirus,” Sawant said. “Coronavirus is in Goa, but till date, it has not been reported...Only if we observe this lockdown till March 31 can we remain safe.” He also said that community transfer of coronavirus hasn’t taken place in Goa.
The latest government decision was taken during an all-party meet.
Sawant said that the government is concerned about the supply of essential commodities, and that within the next three days, arrangements would be made to supply the same to people in need. “The collector will put in place a system through which essential commodities like rice, dal and oil can reach people in need,” he said. He also said that ATMs of nationalised banks would be allowed to function, and that “if possible”, Goa Dairy’s milk centre would offer home delivery of milk.
Speaking to reporters, Sawant said that no shops would be open from Wednesday onwards, and that only emergency services of the government would be operational. He also said that pharmacies would be kept open.
“I know that people will be inconvenienced and face difficulties, but we have to bear it in the interest of our health,” Sawant said. He also said that people do not understand the severity of Covid-19 “When the market opened today (Tuesday), people did not maintain distance from one another,” he said.
The CM also said that outpatient departments (OPDs) will be closed in primary health centres and other centres, but casualty facilities would be kept open. “I urge people not to visit hospitals to check their blood pressure and fever,” he said. “Only in emergency cases people should visit the hospital.”
Sawant also said that police will act against those who do not adhere to curfew restrictions. “Police will stop people at various points,” he said. A high-level committee has been formed under the CM’s chairmanship, and the cabinet has given it all powers to take any decision with respect to Covid-19.
Meanwhile, the government has received over 1,000 messages on the WhatsApp number it circulated so that the public could inform it about Covid-19 suspects in their locality, and over 500 people have already been home-quarantined. “I urge the people not to come out of their houses and stop the spread of community transmission,” Sawant said.
The state government has already closed its border. However, the CM said that anyone who has entered the state, even if healthy, can spread Covid-19. “Those who travelled to Goa during the past eight days should home quarantine themselves,” he said. “They should visit Goa Medical College to check if they have any coronavirus symptoms. If they don’t quarantine themselves, we will force them to.”
Sawant also urged people to inform the government about people who recently entered Goa. “One person can transmit Covid-19 to three persons,” he said.
Meanwhile, the government has said that the state had three suspected Covid-19 patients, who were serious, but have recovered. “Doctors feel that they can’t be Covid-19 patients,” he said. People should not fall prey to rumours concerning coronavirus, Sawant said. “If we maintain community distance, only then can we stop the transmission of the disease.”