Policemen question riders and drivers on the first day of the curfew near the Atal Sethu bridge in Panaji on Sunday. Narayan Pissurlenkar
PANAJI
Amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases, a State-wide 15-day long curfew came into effect from Sunday to arrest the spread of the dreaded virus.
The curfew will remain in force till 23 May.
Deserted roads, shops with shutters down and heavy barricading were witnessed in several parts of the State with police in full force manning the key entry and exit points of main cities.
Since essential commodity stores and important services were available during the first half of the day, some people ventured out, but by and large, the public preferred to stay indoors.
Being the first day of the curfew, police were not very strict with the implementation and a few offenders were warned.
Police were also seen announcing on microphones to maintain social distancing and adhere to curfew guidelines.
No persons were seen on beaches. Special teams were also deployed on beaches to prevent tourists from roaming.
Main markets from all cities were closed and highway vehicles were seen in less numbers. Public transport was also off the road.
Meanwhile, the Panaji Muncipal Market Committee has decided to open the fish market and allow fruit vendors to sell fruits on the road next to Inox from Wednesday.
The Market chairman Pranay Mainkar said that the committee has decided to open Panaji fish market.
POLICE IN FULL FORCE IN MARGAO: In Margao, as per the District Collector’s order, police made their presence felt on the road in a big way, to check the movements of citizens.
One could come across police barricades being erected on the main entry and exit points, with the police trying to question the occupants of the vehicles over their movement.
Sources said, police will intensify nakabadis in their respective jurisdiction in the coming days to dissuade people from moving on the roads without any valid reason.
Fatorda police led by PI Kapil Nayak set up a barricade near the Holy Spirit square, to check the vehicular movement along the busy road.
Policemen and home guards were seen questioning riders on their movements, and reminding them of the lockdown that has come into force in the State.
GOOD RESPONSE IN MAPUSA: In Mapusa, the first day of the 15-day curfew evoked good response in Bardez including the coastal villages of Calangute-Candolim and Anjuna.
The curfew brought life to a halt barring the essential services.
The fish and vegetable markets in Mapusa which otherwise are buzzing even on Sundays were completely shut.
A few grocery shops were open but had very few customers due to restrictions on the movement of the public.
Several pharmacies that were open saw people queuing up to buy medical supplies.
MORNING RUSHIN VASCO: In Vasco, as shops opened in the morning, a lot of people were seen crowding. While vendors had a tough time to handle the rush, as the day advanced police had to step in to control the crowd.
A lot of people were stopped at barricades at various junctions but some insisted that they had left their homes to buy groceries and medicines.
The police also moved around in markets with a lathis requesting people to maintain social distancing.
