Workers entering Goa to be screened for malaria

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said work force entering the state for work during the monsoon will be screened, as they are often found to be carriers of malaria.

“Health department will keep checking for vector-borne diseases. Before renting out premises, blood tests should be compulsorily conducted and proper tenant verification must be carried out,” Sawant said.

The chief minister said that the state machinery is ready for monsoon, and all pre-monsoon work has been completed to avoid any loss of life. Sawant chaired a meeting of the state disaster management at the ministerial block at Porvorim.

He said that state govt has provided between Rs 35,000 to Rs 1.2 lakh to all urban civic bodies, including the Corporation of the City of Panaji. “We have directed the municipal bodies to submit details of the work undertaken as part of monsoon preparedness,” Sawant said, adding that fishermen should not venture into the sea during the monsoon.

The chief minister said that departments have been directed to work on accident-prone zones to avoid accidents in monsoon. He urged the people not to go swimming at mining pits and laterite stone quarries. Sawant said four ambulances have been procured to react in a timely manner in case of accidents on national highways.

He said state govt has tied up with the Navy to provide divers to save people from drowning in case of floods. He added that Goa State Pollution Control Board and collector will act in case there is any oil spill on the beaches. Sawant said emergency response support system response time has been reduced to 9 minutes from 18 minutes.

The chief minister said that around Rs 6 crore has been disbursed to those who faced property loss and others in monsoon. He said that a centre has been established in the state at the cost of Rs 38 crore to communicate in case of disaster.

Sawant said state govt will restructure disaster management authority to work exclusively during the monsoon. He said that all 12 control rooms for disaster management have been activated.