panaji English news | panaji, Latest News & Live Updates in English | English News (Latest English News) at Lokmattimes.com

Panaji, March 27 While directing the Goa government to put in place an efficient system for home-delivery of essential goods and keep grocery stores open during the lock-down period, the Bombay High Court in Goa on Friday also said that state authorities must not be "over-influenced" by public pressure and that public interest should be guided by scientific and medical opinion.In his order on Friday, Justice Mahesh Sonak, who was hearing a bunch of petitions related to streamlining of government efforts towards ensuring steady supply of essential goods to the people in view of the ongoing 21-day lockdown announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also called for flexibility in decision-making in efforts being taken by the authorities to keep the coronavirus spread at bay."A system for making home deliveries has to be put in place at the earliest. Even the directives of the National Disaster Management Authority and the Government of India propose encouragement to home deliveries. The state government and its agencies must be proactive in encouraging and facilitating home deliveries of essentials, so that, there is no need to visit grocery shops during the period of lockdown," Sonak said, adding that people were essentially "not interested in defying the curfew" while queuing in front of the grocery shops and pharmacies.The order also directed the state government to set up a "robust system" for home deliveries of essentials and ensuring social distancing in public spaces."The decision to permit grocery shops to remain open, should not be construed as dilution of the earlier resolve to put a system of home deliveries of essentials in place, so that there is no necessity for people to access grocery shops personally and thereby dilute the lockout," Sonak said.The order comes a day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who had earlier imposed a complete lockdown of the state, including closure of grocery stores and shops selling essential goods, on Thursday said that he was reversing his opinion "under duress" following the criticism of his decision for a total lockdown.Sawant on Thursday had also said that the government should not be held responsible for the spread of coronavirus on account of the re-opening of groceries.( With inputs from IANS )

PanajiFOLLOW

Panaji, Latest News

The Governor of Goa Satya Pal Malik on Sunday urged the leaders of religious and spiritual institutions to reach out to the people and create awareness about measures for containing the spread of the coronavirus. ...

The government of Goa on Sunday issued a notice, whereby, it authorised Swiggy, Zomato and other home delivery platforms to operate and deliver food, groceries and other essential items at doorsteps during the lockdown due to COVID-19. ...

Two more coronavirus positive cases were reported from Goa on Sunday. ...

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said that his government is making food and shelter arrangements for approximately 2,500 migrant labourers. ...

As people waited in long queues to buy vegetables, vendors in Panaji have complained of shortage of supply despite having valid passes. ...

Several churches in Goa have announced that the Sunday masses and prayers will be live-streamed and telecast on local TV channels and have urged the people to stay at home during the lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus. ...

In the ongoing COVID-19 saga, Goa may have found its own equivalent of South Korea's patient number 31, an infamous title conferred upon he country's 31st patient, who is believed to have spread the deadly virus to numerous people in Seoul. ...

While directing the Goa government to put in place an efficient system for home-delivery of essential goods and keep grocery stores open during the lock-down period, the Bombay High Court in Goa on Friday also said that state authorities must not be ...