Lockdown: Goa govt begins easing restrictons on industries

Panaji, Apr 20 () The Goa government on Mondaybegan easing lockdown restrictions on some industries, and thethe state's Chamber of Commerce and Industry stated that amajority of units would apply to Goa Industrial DevelopmentCorporation for permission to resume operations.

Earlier, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had designatedGIDC as the nodal agency for permission to industrial units toresume operations in the second phase of lockdown for thecoronavirus outbreak.

"The exact picture as far as resumption of industrialoperations is concerned will be clear in two to three days.However, we believe maximum number of units will resumeoperations," GCCI President Manoj Caculo told .

He said sourcing raw materials, transport and manpowermay be concerns intially for some sectors.

A GIDC official said all sectors that will be allowedto resume will have to enforce strict social distancing normsand action would be taken if these are violated.

Meawnhile, the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Associationpresident Ambar Timblo, in a press statement, asked the stategovernment to allow the sector, shut after a Supreme Courtorder, to resume with "certain safety procedures andpractices".

The Supreme Court had, in March 2018, quashed 88mining leases and banned extraction of fresh ore. RPSBNM BNM