Decision on lockdown to be taken in next 2-3 days: Goa CM Pramod Sawant

Deputy chief minister of Goa, Chandrakant Kavlekar, said all MLAs support the idea of a lockdown to curb the spread of the virus. He added that cases were rising and the infection had also spread to rural parts of the state.

Reiterating the thoughts of activists and opposition parties in the state, the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), too, urged Chief Minister Sawant to enforce a lockdown as active cases in the state near the 30,000-mark.

On Thursday, there were 29,752 active cases in Goa and 58 deaths were reported in the last 24 hours.

The GCCI said last year’s lockdown from March 22 to May 4 had helped control the spread of the virus. “Unfortunately, this time, we have so far been reluctant to use the tried-and-tested method and seem to be concentrating more on economic revival rather than survival of citizens”.

The GCCI said partial lockdowns are not effective. “There is growing concern among citizens which is evident from the fact that local authorities, village panchayats and municipalities are declaring lockdowns in their respected areas to stop the spread of the virus.”

GCCI president Manoj Caculo, in his letter to the Chief Minister, said: “We submit that the healthcare infrastructure in the state is already on the brink of being overwhelmed, and there is an urgent need to take the extreme measure of total lockdown for at least 15 days with a view to arrest the increasing number of positive cases and fatalities and give much required breather to revive the healthcare systems and the health workers to rejuvenate and ramp up the capacities and capabilities.”

Sawant is expected to take a decision regarding a lockdown in the state on Friday.