Govt to decide today on partial lockdown in Vasco

Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said the government will decide whether or not  to go for  a partial lockdown in  Vasco  after reviewing  the COVID scenario at Mangor Hill  on Friday, factoring in  the rise in COVID positive cases.

Speaking to reporters late Thursday evening at his official residence, Sawant said that he took stock of the situation at the locality of Mangor Hill  and decided to  assess the situation further on Friday.

The Chief Minister visited Mangor Hill  and Vasco  on Thursday afternoon, taking a first-hand account of  the  situation there.

“We will take a decision as regards partial lockdown in  Vasco city after factoring in the scenario of the cases on Friday. As of today the measure of containment zone is enough. Moreover, till now not a single COVID  positive case has been detected outside Mangor Hill,” he maintained.

Fifty  per cent of the people living in the locality underwent  the COVID testing till Thursday evening,  and the picture will be clearer by Friday, Sawant said. 

Ward numbers 11 and 17 of the Mormugao municipal council come under Mangor Hill,  and they are under a total lockdown.

On tracing the source of infection of six members of the family that tested positive for the virus for the COVID-19 pandemic,  he said  the head of the particular family might have come in contact with a trucker.

When pointed out that truck drivers entering Goa are not being tested for the deadly virus, the Chief Minister said that it is not possible to check every trucker at entry points.

“If we start conducting tests on truck drivers then vehicles will have to be kept at the borders at least for three days, which can disturb food supply chain in the state,” he reasoned, adding that it is easy to criticise the government, but we have to consider all

aspects.

The government is capable of handling COVID cases and the current situation at Mangor Hill. People should not panic, he observed, seeking  people’s cooperation to fight the pandemic.