PORVORIM
Close on the heels of several panchayats in Bardez, the panchayats of Reis Magos and Nerul also declared a partial lockdown to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The Reis Magos panchayat announced a nine-day lockdown from May 5 to May 13. Shops dealing in essential commodities have been allowed to remain open from 6 am to 12 pm, while all other shops not engaged in essential items are to remain closed.
Essential services like LPG gas, hospitals, clinics and pharmacies are allowed to operate beyond restricted timings.
The Nerul panchayat has also declared a six-day lockdown from May 5 to May 10
Reis Magos Sarpanch Kedar Naik said the shopkeepers on their own closed their shops on Wednesday and supported the panchayat in their endeavour.
“People have now understood the gravity of the situation and have responded positively to the lockdown call by the Panchayat. No one was pressurised to close the shops,” said Naik.
Meanwhile, shops in Pilerne-Marra panchayat were also found closed after the restricted hours.
With this, all six panchayats in Saligao constituency and three panchayats in Porvorim constituency have declared a lockdown.
Barring pharmacies, all other shops and business establishments pulled down their shutters after restricted hours in all nine panchayats due and these villages wore a deserted look.
