In view of the surge in the covid-19 cases, Goa’s leader of opposition Digambar Kamat on Sunday demands to extend the lockdown imposed in the state. 


Amidst the high covid-19 test positivity rate, Goa went under a four-day-long “lockdown” from Friday till 6 am on Monday, May 3, 2021. 


"As the situation is grim, extending lockdown with strict enforcement is the only option left," said Congress leader Digambar Kamat.


He demanded that the state government should announce a Rs 100 crore package for the marginalized sector to curb the effect of the lockdown. He further demands that a separate task force consisting of the experts from the civil society and Army should be formed and the covid management should be handed over to them. 


“The task force must be empowered with financial powers to take decisions in the best interest of the people,” he said.


"Enough is enough, let us not play with the innocent lives anymore," Kamat stated.


He also said that after the monsoon season begins, things will become more challenging. "We need to anticipate frequent power cuts, road blockages, and flooding which will seriously affect COVID-19 management," he said.


Kamat also said vaccines against COVID-19 should be procured on a war footing and the first dose should be administered to all eligible people by mid-July this year.


On Saturday, Goa recorded 2,303 new coronavirus infections, taking its caseload to 93,355, while 54 deaths pushed the toll to 1,222, as per official data.


(With inputs from news agencies)