Panaji: With several Goan villages going for a lockdown amidst spread of COVID-19 infection in the State, the opposition members blamed it on faulty Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of Pramod Sawant-led government.
Goa Forward Party, one of the main opposition in the State, on Friday demanded imposition of Governor’s rule in Goa claiming that people have lost faith in Sawant-led government.
“People have no faith in the SOPs designed by the government, that is the reason, you can see several local bodies going for the lockdown of their areas,” he said.
Goa has witnessed several villages including Keri, Morlem, Usgaon, Pale (in North Goa) and Canacona (South Goa) going for a lockdown after COVID-19 cases were detected in their areas.
Sardesai said that his party demands that President’s Rule should be imposed in the state as people have lost faith in the government and also the chief minister has surrendered all his powers to bureaucrats, leaving up to them to take the decision.
Pointing out that BJP controlled Corporation of City of Panaji has also decided to shut down the market in the capital city, Sardesai said that even party’s own cadres have lost faith in the government.
“This SOP has been like a soup which is cooked by too many inefficient cooks,” he said.
Sardesai said that the slum areas like Chimbel (near Panaji) getting infected has raised a concern for the people.
Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that the people will judge SOP depending on the experience they have about it.
“If the end person who is supposed to benefit from SOP is happy then it is worth,” he said.
Stating that the new SOP has failed to allay troubles of Goans who return to the state from abroad, Lourenco said there are complaints that there are delays in providing the test reports.
As per new SOP which is in action since June 11, the international travelers have to get tested for the infection upon their arrival in the state. They have to wait in paid quarantine facility till reports are available.
Lourenco said that while domestic travelers are allowed to go home without testing asking them to opt for 14 days Home Quarantine, the Goans who return from abroad have to go through this tedious process.
He said that the state government should first improve its testing facilities on priority so that the people get their reports for COVID-19 infection in time.
