CANACONA
Confusion prevailed on Tuesday at the Goa border in Polem after a number of Goans were suddenly denied entry into Karnataka.
According to sources, several people, including Goans and Karnataka natives, who had medical appointments and other work in Karwar were stopped just outside the Polem border check post since Tuesday afternoon.
The Karnataka authorities at the check post, who were earlier allowing entry to anyone with a Covid vaccination certificate, suddenly informed travellers that entry would be allowed to only those people with RTPCR negative reports.
As a result, a number of people, some as far as from Margao, were stranded at the border since 1 pm.
On receiving news that people had been stranded, several leaders including GPCC General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari, Canacona Municipal Council Chairperson Simon Rebello and Councillor Ramakant Naikgaunkar, and activists rushed to the Polem border and confronted the Karnataka authorities and police.
Karwar Assistant Commissioner Vidhyashri Chandragi along with a police inspector and other officers arrived at the Pollem border and were engaged in a confrontation with the Goan leaders and activists.
Chandragi tried to explain the implementation of the SOP by the Karnataka government regarding entry at borders, while Goan leaders questioned the logic of the sudden implementation of the SOP, which had left several people stranded.
Some people even displayed their medical appointments, but the authorities insisted that only a negative RTPCR certificate was eligible for entry into Karnataka.
After a heated discussion, the Karwar assistant commissioner agreed to allow people with medical appointments, but it was 8.30 pm by then and almost all had to return to Goa.
Later, Rebello, Bhandari and Naikgaunkar demanded proper coordination between with two district authorities of South Goa and Karwar, so that people travelling on either side are not harassed.
“We are not against SOPs and restrictions are essential, but lack of coordination, mismanagement and sudden change of SOPs have put common people into great hardships. This should be avoided,” insisted Bhandari.
“Authorities from both sides must implement SOPs in a need-based manner and inform people well in advance about any change in SOPs,” he added.
