Goa CM rules out night curfew on New Year's eve, January 1

Hours after Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said that the government was mulling a night curfew ahead of the New Year festivities in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday stepped in and said that there was no question of imposition of a night curfew for December 31 and January 1, when the state is chock-a-block with tourists.

"We have not declared a night curfew anywhere for tonight and tomorrow. Everyone should follow SOPs to control the spread of coronavirus. Where there is a party or a hotel or a public place, one needs to follow SOPs," the Chief Minister told reporters in Panaji, hours after his Health Minister's comment triggered panic in the state, which witnesses peak tourist traffic during Christmas and New Year.

According to Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar more than 20 lakh tourists had descended in the state from December 25 onwards.

The Goa Chief Minister also made a special request to tourists in order to keep Covid-19 at bay.

"I appeal to all tourists, party organisers and especially tourists, to wear masks, maintain social distance and use sanitisers to control coronavirus. This is my request," Sawant said.

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had said that the state government is mulling imposing a night curfew on the lines of the one imposed in Karnataka.

Rane had also said that strict implementation of the SOPs was the need of the hour vis-a-vis especially because Goa was on the tourism map.

"Spoke to the Hon’ble CM on imposing night curfew in the state on lines of the state of Delhi & Karnataka. The file is already in process. Strict SOPs is the need of the hour as Goa is a tourist state," Rane said on Facebook.