Areas in Vasco’s Khariwada declared containment zone

NT NETWORK

Vasco

In a bid to arrest the spread of COVID-19 infection, parts of Khariwada areas in the port town of Vasco were on Friday declared as a containment zone, while two localities have been identified as buffer zones.

As per the order issued by District Collector, South, Ajit Roy, some of the areas in wards 14 and 15 of the Mormugao municipal council (MMC) have been declared as a containment zone.

The order states, “It has been made to appear to me ten members of five families, who are residents of Khariwada, Vasco, have tested positive for COVID-19 and, therefore, the Deputy Collector and sub-divisional magistrate, Mormugao, has been requested for the declaration of containment zone and buffer zones.”

Accordingly, part areas in ward 14, starting from Vasco Sports Club to Hindu

crematorium via Old Cross and part areas in ward 15 from Hindu crematorium to Roldao Henriques Building have been included in the containment zone. The buffer zones include Hotel Caveri and Old Cross at Khariwada.

Mormugao mamlatdar Saiesh Naik and joint mamlatdars Krishna Gauns and Dhiren Banavalikar have been appointed as duty magistrates for the containment zone for maintaining the law and order situation round the clock.

“As certain areas are now vulnerable to COVID-19, being in close proximity to the epicentre, therefore, in exercise of powers conferred upon me under section 30 and section 44 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, and under provisions of Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897, read with ‘The Goa Epidemic Diseases COVID-19 Regulation 2020’, the areas in Khariwada locality have been declared as containment zone and buzzer zones, respectively for all the purposes and objectives prescribed in the protocol of COVID-19 to prevent the spread in adjoining areas,” states the order.

Roy has also ordered screening of suspects, testing of suspected cases, quarantine, isolation, social distancing and other public health measures in containment zones effectively.

As per the order, a rapid response team (RRT) in the containment zone and buffer zones will investigate the outbreak and initiate control measures by ascertaining the situation. The areas in the containment zone will be fully sanitised by the chief officer of Mormugao municipal council. The urban health centre has been instructed to ensure screening/ testing of all the close contacts as per medical protocol and contact tracing of all persons, who have come in contact with the persons, who have tested positive for the virus.

Health check-up for sick persons in the containment zone and buffer zones will be made available through mobile vans. Movement of the inhabitants of the containment zone will be absolutely restricted and the entire containment zone will be sealed by deployment of adequate police force and setting up of the required number of nakabandis.