Goa govt extends curfew till June 21, with some relaxations

PANAJI: The state government on Saturday extended the curfew till June 21, but allowed shops in panchayat and municipal markets to open from 7am to 3pm. The government has also allowed marriages with up to 50 persons, but only with prior permission.
Chief minister Pramod Sawant, who made the announcement on Twitter, said that the detailed order of the state-level curfew would be issued by both district collectors.
Following the first imposition of the curfew last month, daily Covid cases, as well as the positivity rate, have steadily dropped. The government’s decision on Saturday is the third extension of the curfew. The first curfew was imposed on May 9 after a lot of reluctance even as the state grappled with an unprecedented surge in new Covid cases.
A senior official said that the relaxations have been allowed keeping in mind economic activities. He said that if the curfew is lifted in one go, people would come out in large numbers and contribute to another Covid spread. Recently, state government departments began functioning at full capacity.
Sawant had earlier said that the state would start the process of “unlock” after June 15. He had also pointed out that the state can only think of restarting tourism “after vaccinating the (eligible) population in the state”.
‘Marriage functions with 50 persons only’
All persons above 18 years of age are advised to get themselves vaccinated at the nearby vaccination centre,” he said.
“The government has decided to extend the State Level Curfew till 7 am, June 21, 2021. Shops, including in Panchayat and Municipal markets, may open between 7 am to 3 pm. Marriage function upto 50 persons has been permitted with the permission,” chief minister Pramod Sawant said.