Goemkarponn desk
Panaji: Tourism Minister babu Azgaonkar on Saturday kicked-off the Goa Carnival on Saturday stating that pandemic or not the show must Goa on.
Instead of six, Goa is hosting only two carnival parades this year on February 13 and 14 in Panaji and Margao in South Goa due to the coronavirus pandemic.
This is the first time in the history that only two parades will be held in the coastal state.
Speaking exclusively to Goemkapronn, Azagonkar said that the government has urged people to maintain SOPs with proper mask and social distancing.
“We cannot seat with pandemic reason. I am tourism minister and thousands are youth today are dependent on toruism and if the tourist do not come they will starve to death,” he said.
“It is my endeavour to get more and more tourists. We need more festivals like Carnival, which is famous worldwide. Goa is known for its Carnival, “the Show must Go On”,” he sadi.
There were several floats deploring central government decisions like the hike in petrol and Green Goa, Save Goa.
The tourism department usually hosts parades at six cities across the state, and this would be the first time in the history of the coastal state’s tourism that only two parades will be held, he said.
Mythological character King Momo heralded the colourful float parades.
Though government said the Covid-19 restrictions are in place during the parade, which will be attended by thousands of people, but the restrictions only remained on paper.