the goan I network
PANAJI
Nearly a month after all industrial and day to day work came to a grinding halt on March 22, Goa government and people in several economic sectors on Sunday were cautiously bracing up to begin functioning in a staggered march to normalcy.
News that the last of seven patients who tested positive for the dreaded Coronavirus had been 'cured' and Goa has been declared the country's first COVID-19 free State couldn't have come at a better juncture.
But the government, nonetheless, urged caution and asked that people continue to follow lockdown and physical distancing rules as government offices open on Monday and several industries take their first steps to restart operations.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant meanwhile said curbs on Goa's borders
will not be eased.
They will continue to be sealed up to May 3. We do not want new positive cases in Goa,” Sawant said at his daily press conference.
Public offices will meanwhile open shop on Monday across Goa as will many industries located within and outside of the industrial estates managed by the State-owned Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC).
All the 23 GIDC industrial estates are expected to gradually spring back to life feom Monday with units coming under the categories specified in the April 15 advisory of thw Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) being permitted to start first off.
For maintaining precautions against potential transmission of Coronavirus, some 1,000 thermal guns will be put to use to screen all workforce reporting to duties on a daily basis. The administration has also already sanitized common public spaces.
Also, to meet the transportation needs of the workforce, some 200 buses of the State-owned Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) are being deployed with strict instructions that only one-third of their seating capacities will be
occupied.
Also, using face masks has been made compulsory for everyone from Monday and the Goa police too has announced that only one passenger (rider) for two-wheelers and two including the driver for four-wheelers will be permitted if private conveyance is being used.
Meanwhile Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said 'smart kiosks' are being set up at the MPT, airport, borders and at other crucial locations to increase capacities for testing people for the Coronavirus.
Meanwhile industries and other business will have to seek the requisite permissions to begin operations on Monday from the respective local bodies - civic bodies and panchayats.
Chief Officers of the municipalities and panchayat secretaries have already been delegated powers by the State Executive Committee headed by the Chief Secretary Parimal Rai. They are also authorised to issue permits to self-employed insividuals llying their trades such as electricians, plumbers, motor-mechanics, carpenters, etc.
Also in industrial estates, the estate managers are empowered to issue the permits and these need not be o tained from the Collectors or Deputy Collectors.
