'71,000 labourers registered to go back to their native places': Goa CM Pramod Sawant

As the Central Government has allowed partial relaxation and announced special trains for migrant labourers and workers to travel to their native places, the Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday informed that 71,000 labourers have registered themselves so far to go back to their native places in other states. 

Welcoming the decision of further extension of the lockdown, the chief minister said, "As per the Central government's guidelines, we will implement the third lockdown in the state till May 17," he said adding, "All shops and establishments except essentials will have to close after 7 pm. No movement of people is allowed after 7 pm till the next day at 7 am. Only emergency services are allowed."

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To all Goan citizens who are out of the state and want to come back, the chief minister said that they can come in at 8 am, 12 noon and 8 pm. Upon arrival, they will be sent to quarantine facility for a day after which they will have to go through 14 days home quarantine.

"However, all people from outside the state are not allowed to come in the state except for those who have emergency matters or any industrial and government work. Other than that they have to take permission from District Collector in advance," he added. 

The chief minister on Sunday affirmed that the state will implement guidelines laid down by the Ministry of Home Affairs for lockdown 3.0 in its entirety.

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Meanwhile, Centre has formally declared the entire state of Goa as a ‘green zone’ adding that the war against COVID-19 is ‘far from over.’ Goa has recorded a negligible number of Coronavirus cases as compared to other states. The state's tally of COVID-19 cases stands at merely 7 cases. In a significant achievement, all seven cases have been cured and discharged and the state has recorded no deaths as on Sunday. Besides Goa, the northeastern states such as Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur are the two states to have no active cases and zero deaths due to the virus as per the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.