Panaji:
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said his government was considering to allow the entry of only those people who are coronavirus negative once the borders of the state open again after the end of the lockdown period.
Sawant also hinted that the state BJP government might allow only coronavirus negative people with a valid certificate once trains and flight operations resume.
He said opening of Goan borders, which are currently sealed off in view of the coronavirus spread, will depend upon the Central and state guidelines. The national lockdown is in force till May 3.
“The government is of the view that even if borders are opened up, they should be restricted only for those people who are certified COVID-19 negative,” he said.
Responding to a query, Sawant told PTI that the Centre will decide on the guidelines only after consulting the respective states.
“Borders of Goa will have to remain shut in view of the (COVID-19) situation in neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra,” he said.
The CM also said that the state government was well prepared to keep Goans, who are stranded on various ships due to the lockdown, in quarantine facilities after their return.
“Once the Ministry of Home Affairs works out a plan to bring them back to the country, we will quarantine them and then test them for the infection. The decision is in the final stages now,” he said.
Once a decision is taken, they will be brought back to Goa within 15 days, Sawant added.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane has expressed the need to ramp up testing facilities at the industrial units and airports.
Goa has reported recovery of all the seven COVID-19 cases in the state.
“The government will install a state-of-art ‘Smart Kiosk’ in collaboration with GE (General Electric) through a CSR initiative to have a random testing for COVID-19.
“This robust method will help us to increase our scope of testing in the state with swift sample collection,” he added.
Rane said the kiosk will be placed at various locations, including Urban Health Centre/Red Cross Panjim, Verna Industrial Estate, Kundaim industrial estate, Mapusa industrial estate, Cuncolim industrial estate, Dabolim Airport, MPT and at the border locations of Patradevi check post, Keri check post, Pollem check post, Mollem check post and Dodamarg check post.
