COVID-19: Goa shuts borders to passengers, tourists

Panaji: The Goa government has shut down its borders for mass passengers and tourist vehicles, in a bid to crackdown on inter-state movement as a precautionary measure in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Some stringent measures are required to be taken to ban the movement of passenger vehicles – maxicabs (12+1), all heavy passenger vehicles like contract carriage, stage carriage, All India Tourist buses, playing from the state of Karnataka and Maharashtra states, with immediate effect until further orders as per the Goa Epidemic Disease, COVID-19 Regulations, 2020 to contain the spread of COVID-19 disease,” reads an order issued by the District Magistrates of South Goa and North Goa.

Vehicles carrying essential goods have been exempted from the inter-state travel ban.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant also held an all-party meeting at the State Secretariat in which he spelled out the measures taken by his government vis a vis precautions being taken against the viral pandemic.

“Even though there has not been a single positive case in Goa, considering the critical phase the country is going thru in the COVID-19, it is necessary to be more vigilant and take all preventive measures that are required to prevent the community transmission of the virus,” Sawant told reporters after the meeting late on Saturday.

“Attended an All Party Meet convened by @goacm @ Secretariat on steps being taken to prevent #CommunityTransmission of #Covid_19 in #Goa.On behalf of @Goaforwardparty have expressed support & gratitude to Govt’s efforts in the interest of health and well-being of #Goem & #Goemkars,” Opposition MLA Vijai Sardesai said after attending the meet.

Earlier on Saturday, prohibitory orders were issued across Goa under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which debars mass assembly as well as circulation of malicious and unfounded rumours about the coronavirus disease.

IANS