Take the Take Actions Against The Hotels & Establishments Failed to Implement The SOP Norms and increase the fine for not wearing the masks in public places from Rs. 200 to Rs 500 says the Health Minister of Goa after the New year parties got over and those who breached the rules have left the state.
According to the reports, the health minister Vishwajit Rane said that he will be appointing the expert committee which will be recommending the Government to take actions against the Hotels and Establishments who have failed to implement the SOP and Covid-19 norms within their premises during the celebration of the New Years Eve Party.
“The expert committee has decided to move a file before the government with a proposal that recommends action against hotels and other establishments that don’t ensure wearing of masks and maintenance of social distancing during events,” Rane said, addressing a press conference in Panaji after chairing a meeting of the committee on COVID management.
According to Mr. Rane, he wants the people of Goa to remain safe and the economic activities should continue and the people of Goa will have to exercise caution. “Goa is not a banana republic. I will have to really recommend strict action against hotels and night clubs if they don’t follow the SOPs,” he added.
The Junior Rane also said that if the Tourism stakeholders want to do the business then they must ensure that their guests wearing the masks all the time and the event should be held only where there is enough of space to follow the social distancing norms.
He also recommended that to increase the fine from 200 to 500 for not wearing the masks on the beaches and in public places.
According to the reports, there is a movement of around 24000 people alone at the Dabolim Airport on a daily basis, “sixty percent of them do not wear the masks and from the remaining 40 percent travelers, half of them don’t wear it properly.
“Tourists must follow safety norms. We don’t see them wearing masks at beaches,” he said, reckoning that there is a high possibility of Goa witnessing a spike in daily fresh COVID cases this month.
Mr. Rane had also moved the file for the night curfew on the eve of a New Year which was kept on hold by CM saying that people have already booked the hotels and it’s too late to implement the same.
“The government can get in any type of SOPs. But if citizens don’t cooperate then there will be no use of all these SOPs. Globally, people have changed their lifestyle… curfew is imposed at different points of time, but curfew itself will not help,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rane said that the health department will be procuring two more machines to enhance the RT-PCR testing capacity from 1,860 tests per day to 2,860. According to Mr. Rane, 38 UK returnees who tested positive for COVID have infected another 26 people who were in close contact with them.
“A lot of pressure is being put on us to let the UK returnees leave the ESI Hospital even before their reports come in. We won’t succumb to the pressure being put by MLAs or any individual,” he asserted.
