Virnoda panchayat against swab centre in govt college

NT NETWORK

Mapusa

Demanding that the swab collection centre should be set up in an isolated place, Virnoda panchayat has strongly opposed the government decision of setting up a swab collection centre at Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye Government College of Arts and Commerce, Virnoda, Pernem.

Addressing the media, Virnoda sarpanch Prashant Rao in the presence of deputy sarpanch Aparna Parab, Bharat Gawde, Mangaldas Kinlekar, Shailendra Parab and Anupa Kambli condemned the decision to set up a centre at the government college on the grounds that authorities have failed to take the panchayat body into confidence.

“The government has decided to have a swab collection centre at the college premises where all travellers coming from outside the state will be kept till their reports come, hence the parents of students who are scheduled to answer their first year and second year exams should be informed. Even the panchayat body was not taken into confidence,” informed sarpanch
Rao.

He further said that the panchayat has submitted its letter objecting to deputy collector Pernem, Pernem Mamlatdar, health officer of Tuem health centre.

“After we got to know about plans we have raised our objection but we have not received any reply from them. Next day the college was handed over to the district administration but still we were not taken into confidence. The main problem is that villagers are scared as the college is located in a residential area,” added Rao.