Panaji: From sealing their respective village borders to volunteering to feed stray dogs, Goans have joined hands to make 21-year-long lockdown a success in the coastal state.
Goa has only three cases detected positive for coronavirus infection, while the state will start its own testing facility at Goa medical college and hospital near here from Saturday (today).
The villagers who have quarantined themselves in their homes have extended the isolation space by sealing the roads.
The villagers of Sonal in Sattari (North Goa) have put up a wooden gate which is manned by youth day and night. Donning masks, these youth want to make sure that no one from outside their village, including those from their own Sattari taluka are allowed to enter in.
The youth have also stopped their own villagers from moving out, while stock of essential commodities is already made available within the village.
Journalist Devendra Gaonkar, hailing from Sattari, said that many people have gone back to their kitchen farm vegetables, without relying on those imported from neighbouring state.
Goa has already sealed its border affecting the supply of vegetables.
“People are going back to their basics. Everyone has realized that this is a time of emergency and we can’t take risk,” he said.
Gaonkar said that Sattari taluka is self sufficient due to its farms and horticulture groves. “We have enough to survive. There is enough for everyone’s need and we don’t have a greed,” he said.
Similarly, the villagers of Madkai in North Goa have also put up barricades to stop people from entering their village.
Madkai village is situated in Ponda taluka which is known for its ancient temples. All the temples have been shut down.
Meanwhile, several NGOs and good Samaritans have come forward to help out stray dogs, who are left hungry due to the lockdown.
South Goa’s Netravali based social activist Amit Naik has been travelling with cooked rice across the district feeding food to the stray dogs.
“Stray dogs are the first casualty during lockdown. Humans have stored essentials at their homes but these dogs were dependent on left outs from restaurants and other markets,” he said.
Naik has been feeding stray canines right from his village in Netravali to places like Margao which is 30 kms away.
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