Politics over pandemic in Ponda

NT NETWORK

Ponda

In what seemed to be politics over the COVID-19 pandemic, members of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) clashed with each other at Sapna Park area in Ponda on Sunday over sanitisation of a residential building after seven members from the premises tested positive for coronavirus.

Both the groups wanted their respective teams to sanitise the area and quarrelled over the issue, which was resolved following police intervention.

As per the information available, after learning about the COVID positive cases in a building situated at Sapna Park area, an MGP team rushed to the spot to sanitise the area. After some time, Deputy Collector of Ponda Pradeep Naik visited the site for inspection and stopped the MGP team from sanitising the place, terming their act as illegal. He also said it could pose a risk to other people’s lives. The Deputy Collector also warned the MGP team of legal action if they did not stop.

Soon, a fire brigade team reached the spot and started sanitising the building. BJP leaders too arrived at the spot, which infuriated the MGP team, led by Dr Ketan Bhatikar, and they started arguing with the BJP team members following which both the groups clashed over the issue. Both the groups levelled allegations against each other of using the pandemic for politics.

As the situation went out of control, the Deputy Collector summoned Ponda police at the site following which the issue
was resolved.

Reacting to the incident, the Deputy Collector said members of the general public are not allowed to visit a site where COVID positive cases are detected, as there is a risk involved. He further said gatherings of people have already been banned by the government
through the imposition of Section 144.

He said one group was found at the site allegedly sanitising the premises with any authorisation from the Collector and hence the group was stopped. The building was later sanitised by the fire personnel as per the guidelines, the Deputy Collector said. He further said Dr Bhatikar and his team, however, made an issue and entered into a verbal clash with BJP team present at the site. After an hour-long argument, police intervened and the issue was resolved, the Deputy Collector said.

The post Politics over pandemic in Ponda appeared first on The Navhind Times.