By Nisser Dias – Chief Minister has goofed up big time in Goa on Covid-19.

Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant

Is Goa safe in the hands of the chief minister in these trying times? This is the question that keeps popping up in my mind while observing and analyzing the battle against Covid-19. With three Goans testing positive the answer to this is emphatically NO.

On 20^th March 2020, chief minister Pramod Sawant made a statement to the media that he was not aware of the seriousness and the gravity of corona virus and realized only after communicating with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conferencing. Can one imagine this coming from an individual who is supposedly an ayurvedic doctor? His qualification and credentials are in doubt too.

More than 21,500 persons have fallen prey worldwide to this novel virus at the time of writing this article, but the chief minister did not know this.

Since 23r^d March a day after Janata Curfew, the state has been plunged into utter chaos by the irresponsible chief minister by extending the curfew without applying any mind to how the masses are going feed themselves and their families.

That Sawant was clueless about handling the situation was exposed when he allowed stores and markets to be open from 6.00am to 11.00am and then ordered its closure. This was completely idiotic. It laid bare his capabilities of running state administration.

Secondly, he ordered migrants or domestic tourists to leave Goa or threatened to quarantine them. Then he asks them to stay put. This is childish and showcases his ignorance. How could migrants and tourists leave the state when all modes of transport were shut?

He casually says lockdown and curfew. I doubt whether he even knows the difference between the two words? Does he know the impact it will have on the state’s economy? As it is Goa’s financial situation is in the red and he is taking loans of more than Rs. 100 crores almost every month.

With no money coming in due to lockdown he is digging a deeper grave for the state finances.

Sawant has not applied his mind how to provide groceries or provisions to the masses. From 23^rd March he should have drawn up a plan of supply chains and lines to make food items available for the masses but he did not. Maybe it did not even strike him that people need to eat. This is the very reason the lockdown and curfew has been a total failure.

General public are moving about freely, there is crowding even if a shop or vegetable is open. And the reason is the government has snapped the supply chains and links. People are venturing out in search of food. They have to feed their families. They have to feed their infants and toddlers and kids and senior citizens.

CM is now trying to shut the stable doors when the horses have bolted. He should have listened when his health minister Vishwajit Rane had advised him to seal the borders and allow only essential commodities to come in.

Nisser Dias

Second most important, could the chief minister spell out his plans during the lockdown period? Has he any plans in place to start testing the general public? Has he initiated the process of procuring the equipment required for testing? Has he the necessary masks, scrubs, covers for the doctors, nurses and others involved? Has he worked out a plan on how the doctors and nurses are going to work? Has he made arrangements for ventilators? Has he made arrangements to take over private hospitals under Endemic Act?

Pramod Sawant is a complete failure. Till last week he was campaigning for his BJP Zilla candidates. During press conferences he would advocate social distancing and then address political meetings contrary to his advice. He wasted precious weeks by taking Covid-19 virus casually and now he wants to shift the blame on the general public. Such a useless and ineffective chief minister has been placed at the helm of state’s affairs.

Shame on you Mr. Chief Minister. With your low IQ, lack of intelligence and lack of administrative knowledge and experience you do not deserve to be occupying that position. You need to step down and let more capable take over the reins.