Despite a green signal by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for opening up of places of religious worship, as prescribed by the central government's Unlock-1 guidelines, mosques in Goa will continue to be shut, according to an advisory issued on Saturday by the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamaats.
In a statement issued on Saturday, by the president of the Association, Shaikh Bashir Ahmed, the decision to continue to shut down mosques in the state until June 30 has been taken in view of the sudden spike in Covid-19 cases in the state.
"In Goa, since June 1, Covid-19 positive cases have been on the rise. We have touched almost 196 cases (including those who are cured) in the past one week and it is an alarming spike in positive cases," a statement issued by the Association said.
"We the executive committee members of the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamaats have decided to delay the re-opening of all masjids in the state till June 30 for safety of members of our community and society," the statement also said, urging mosque committee members to ensure closure of mosques to prevent community transmission.
According to official statistics, the state currently has 130 active Covid-19 cases, nearly two thirds of which have been reported in South Goa's Vasco town. On Friday, Sawant had said that places of religious worship could open on June 8, provided no mass gatherings or group prayers are held in the premises.
( With inputs from IANS )