Testing of all arriving in Goa to continue

PANAJI: Given the jump in positive Covid-19 cases in the last few days due to the arrival of travellers from other states, the state executive committee (SEC) has decided that every traveller arriving will continue to be tested, irrespective of how they arrive.
Secretary for fisheries P S Reddy will oversee the movement of persons arriving not just by sea, but also by flights, while the inter-state movement cell will continue to handle movement of persons arriving by trains and buses, the SEC has decided. The collectors will continue to coordinate the arrival and departure of people and will provide necessary support to P S Reddy and the inter-state movement cell, the SEC said.
The decisions were taken at an SEC meeting chaired by chief secretary Parimal Rai.
The SEC also directed the inter-state movement cell to send bulk SMSs, with a link to fill up a self-declaration form, to all incoming travellers and ensure that all arriving passengers download the Arogya Setu app. “Arrangements may also be made, if required, to make available these forms in paper format at the railway stations or in the train,” the SEC said in a statement.
Contrary to chief minister Pramod Sawant’s statement that Goan origin individuals will not be charged for the rapid tests, the state executive committee took the decision that all travellers coming to Goa will have to pay Rs 2,000 for the compulsory testing unless they are covered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana or under any other exempted category, like government staff on duty.
The SEC said that people will be charged for the testing irrespective of whether they arrive by train, air or by road.
The department of information technology informed the SEC that 17,085 people have left the state while 2,129 have entered since April 29.
Acting on the directions of chief minister, secretary for science and technology Puneet Goel visited the Patradevi border checkpost and met with the guardian minister of Sindhudurg district Uday Sawant. The two discussed various issues pertaining to residents living on either side of the border.