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Updated March 16th, 2020 at 16:22 IST

Goa CM fails to follow his own diktat over Coronavirus, attends closed-door meetings

Goa CM Pramod Sawant, who had appealed opposition parties to not conduct closed-door meetings, has been reportedly conducting closed-door meetings himself.

Reported by: Alisha Nair
Goa
| Image:self
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On March 14, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had announced and urged political parties to not have any closed-door meetings or mass political gatherings as a precautionary measure from Coronavirus pandemic, ahead of the upcoming Zilla Panchayat elections. Days later, the Chief Minister has reportedly defied his own decision and continued to have multiple closed-door political meetings at a number of places.

According to reports, CM Sawant addressed closed meetings at Anjuna, Morjim, Harmal, and many other places in Zilla Panchayat constituencies. It is also reported that the Chief Minister will continue to campaign for the polls at other places too.  The opposition parties in Goa have been demanding the Goa Zilla Panchayat elections which are slated to be held on March 22, to be postponed. 

In the wake of Coronavirus, CM Sawant also chaired a high-level meeting on COVID-19 on Saturday, at his official residence in Panaji. The meeting was held to discuss the precautions to be taken considering the government of India guidelines and an overall action plan for the state of Goa in view of rising Coronavirus cases in India.

READ | Delhi CM Kejriwal reviews measures against Coronavirus spread via video conference

No positive case of Coronavirus in Goa

Post-meeting, Goa CM Pramod Sawant directed the closure of all educational institutes, pubs, clubs, gyms, casinos, cinema halls, spas, and boat cruises till March 31.

The closure came into effect from Sunday midnight. Adding further Sawant said that bars, restaurants, malls, and hotels were exempted from the ban and that Class X and Class XII board examinations would be held as scheduled.

READ | Coronavirus: Cong attacks Goa govt for invoking Epidemic Act

The Chief Minister also urged tourists to not visit Goa until March 31, when the state government would conduct a review of the situation, before deciding on the future course of action.

So far, there has been no positive case of coronavirus in Goa. A 27-year-old man from Goa, who traveled to Italy and Finland last month and came in contact with a coronavirus patient, has been kept at an isolation ward of a state-run hospital in Panaji after he complained of cough and fever, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Wednesday. The Mormugao Port Trust in Goa has banned the entry of cruise vessels till March 31 in view of the novel coronavirus threat, a senior official earlier said.

READ | Amid Corona pandemic, case registered against 79 people for gathering at Cochin Airport

READ | 'Is it time to cut short budget sessions?' asks Derek O'Brien amid Coronavirus outbreak

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Published March 16th, 2020 at 16:22 IST

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