Panaji: Are you planning a trip to Goa? Now you may soon have to carry COVID-19 negative certificates or get themselves tested on arrival at the state's airport, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said.

He further stated that the proposal would be placed before Chief Minister Pramod Sawant soon. The Health Minister said that Goa faced a fear of a COVID-19 surge and that fresh SOPs would be notified to limit crowding in public places, including restaurants, weddings and other functions.

"There are several neighbouring states such as Kerala, Maharashtra, and Karnataka who have made it mandatory for people from Goa flying into those states to carry Covid-19 negative certificates, without which they don't allow them entry into the states,” he said.

"We need to make Covid-19 negative certificates mandatory for people from other states, which already have such restrictions in place. The trouble has started from (these states).. They have put us in trouble. I am personally in favour of testing at the airport and on arrival. The proposal will be put before the Chief Minister," he added.

Rane also expressed concern about the lax observance of Covid-19 related SOPs in public places in Goa. “We do not want to create any form of panic or fear. But definitely tourists have to follow SOPs. It is necessary to curtail people attending gatherings. We should not be allowing big gatherings," he explained.

Goa’s neighbouring states including Karnataka and Maharashtra have also already taken such a decision. Rane also stated the state will achieve a target of 2,500 COVID tests per day as mandated by the Union government and plans were afoot to scale up capacity. Goa, which has seen the revival of its low-scale business in tourism over the last six months, has no compulsory testing requirements currently. The Health Minister also informed that strict SOPs will be followed during the upcoming festivals of Holi and Shimgo that are celebrated on a large scale in the coastal state.

(With inputs from IANS)