Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: As Goa braces for the monsoon, the Captain of Ports (CoP) has issued a set of preventive directives aimed at curbing the spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and chikungunya among maritime workers and coastal communities.
The advisory, issued to barge owners, canoe operators, watersports boat owners, dockyards, ship repair yards, and boat manufacturing units, outlines a series of measures to be implemented immediately in anticipation of heavy rainfall.
Key among the directives is the need to prevent water accumulation in cargo holds, tyres used as fenders, and open vessels.
The CoP has instructed that any rainwater collected in barges or small boats must be drained regularly. Tyres used as fenders should be modified with holes at the base to prevent water stagnation — a common breeding ground for mosquitoes.
For smaller vessels such as canoes and watersports boats, owners are advised to cover them with tarpaulin or store them upside down when not in use during the monsoon season. Regular draining of water from vessels is emphasized.
The department has also mandated malaria screening and health cards for all labourers working on trawlers, docks, shipyards, and other maritime facilities. These health cards are to be obtained from the Directorate of Health Services.
In addition, dock and yard operators must ensure that their premises are kept free of stagnant water to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites.
The Captain of Ports has warned that non-compliance with the directives will be “viewed seriously,” signaling the government’s zero-tolerance approach to public health risks during the monsoon.
The comprehensive advisory is part of the state’s wider effort to control vector-borne diseases, which tend to spike during the monsoon months in coastal regions.
