MARGAO
The highest single day spike of Covid cases reported at the Margao Urban Health Centre on Thursday has cast shadow on the turnout of voters for Friday’s polling for the Margao Municipal election, even as leaders of key election panels went into a huddle in their drawing boards to re-draw their strategies to get voters out for voting.
That the number of active Covid cases in the jurisdiction of Margao Urban Health Centre breaching the 1000-mark on the eve of the election, the million dollar question that has come to haunt the political bigwigs is “ how to get the voters out for polling on Friday when Covid has come to haunt the population.
Leaders of BJP-backed Vibrant Margao Damu Naik, Goa Forward-backed Fatorda Forward and Digambar Kamat-backed Model Margao were all in their drawing boards on Thursday with their workers to ensure that they adopt a safe strategy to convince the people to come out and cast their vote.
Measures suggested in the three major camps includes staggered timings for the voters in a particular area, deployment of additional vehicles to ensure social distancing is maintained inside the vehicles and provision for masks and sanitisers in the vehicles itself as a matter of abundant precautions.
While the Goa Forward workers are believed to have fanned out across Fatorda to distribute N95 masks and sanitisers to the voters in a bid to instill confidence amongst the voters, Vibrant Margao and Model Margao have not lagged behind either.
The Fatorda MLA said that the party has distributed the masks and sanitisers to the voters since the party believes in their safety. “We understand the fears and sentiments of the voters of Fatorda and Curtorim in view of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, the Goa Forward party has distributed masks and sanitisers to the voters. We will take all precautions on the polling day as well in the interest of the safety of the voters,” Sardesai added.
Vibrant Margao Chairman, Damu Naik said the party workers have been given a clear brief to take all safety precautions while ferrying the voters to the polling booths. “We have decided to make available thermal guns, sanitisers as well as masks in the vehicles for the benefit of the voters. Strict social distancing will be maintained in the vehicles. We have also contacted a hospital management to help the workers in case of any emergency situation,” Damu added.
Model Margao convenor, Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat said his workers have been given a clear brief how to go about while bringing voters to the polling booths. “They have been sensitised how to go about the work on the polling day, right from the time they are brought from their homes and dropped after casting their vote,” Digambar said.
With the second Covid wave affecting many families, and with no respite in the number of cases reported in the city every day, the key players are indeed keeping their fingers crossed on the voters turn out on Friday.
