Goemkarponn desk
MARGAO: With the law enforcement agencies looking the other way, the concerned locals allege that the roadside vendors doing business illegally without following Covid protocol, might lead to more people getting infected to the most dreaded disease in recent times.
Amid a surge in the COVID positive cases and deaths linked to the dreaded infection in the month of April, the state government had initially imposed a four day lockdown from April 29 to May 3 as a measure to break the chain of COVID transmissions in the state.
Later, the government continued with lockdown like restrictions from May 3 to May 8.
However, as there was no respite and the positive cases and deaths continued to remain on a higher scale, Chief Minister Pramod announced curfew from 9th of May till 24th.
Which later got extended twice and the curfew is now effective till 7.00am of 7th of June.
The order from the collector in this regards stated that
“In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Section 144 of CrPC, I direct that the curfew that was imposed till 7 am on May 31 is further extended till 7.00 am on June 7,”.
As per the order only those shops dealing in essential items can conduct business from 7.00am to 1.00pm.
Pharmacies and health related facilities remain unaffected by the curfew, while restaurant kitchens can operate between 7.00am and 7.00pm only for takeaways and parcel service during the curfew period.
But if you take a round in the major towns in South Goa, it’s just the opposite of curfew restrictions imposed till 7.00am of 7th of June.
As all of the shops selling tarpaulin and plastic covering material are closed since they don’t come in the preview of essential items, this has given rise to another tribe who are selling these products on the roadsides by throwing covid appropriate behaviour to the winds.
For strange reasons the police who are one of the main law enforcement agency is seen looking the other way.
These vendors who seem to be migrants are seen standing with vehicle loads of these material at Aquem circle on the eastern bypass, opposite Cuncolim bus stand, below the new highway at Char Rasta in Canacona, Quepem, Sanvordem and literally everywhere in the towns in South Goa.
The police vans from the respective station are seen passing by these road side vendors but they don’t look at it as an violation, concerned locals say.
Socky Da’ Silva a concerned local while denouncing such illegal markets said that these places is another hot spot to spread the virus apart from being it an eyesore.
“We are fast moving towards the third wave and that both government and the authorities have to be on their toes while not allowing such places to function where covid appropriate behaviour is thrown to winds, otherwise we will reach to a point of no return,” Da’ Silva said.
