Panaji, Jul 25 (IANS): Goa's lawmakers will be provided with special face-shields as a safeguard against Covid-19 when the state Assembly meets for a one-day monsoon session on July 27, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar said on Friday.

The Speaker of the state legislative assembly also said that police deployment, both uniformed and in civil dresses, would be cut down by 50 per cent to prevent overcrowding in the state assembly premises. He also requested all the 40 lawmakers to get themselves tested for Covid-19 before the commencement of the session.

"We have told the MLAs that they can get themselves tested at the nearest Covid-19 centre. We will install sanitisers (dispensing mechanism) at all the entry points. MLAs will also be given a special mask with full face cover when they are in the assembly," Patnekar told reporters.

The Speaker also said that after a meeting with top police officers on Friday, deployment of security personnel during the one-day session would be cut down by half to prevent overcrowding.

"Police deployment will be only 50 per cent of the usual practice. Most of the police staff will be posted at the main gate, because we do not want overcrowding of the assembly premise. We have also installed bio toilets to ensure that there is no crowding in toilets within the assembly complex," Patnekar said.

As part of the social distancing mechanism, lawmakers will also not be provided with lunch (to avoid presence of catering personnel) in the assembly complex during the one-day session.

Earlier this month, all 40 legislators across party lines unanimously agreed to curtail the monsoon session of the state assembly to one day in view of the Covid-19 pandemic. One ruling BJP MLA has already been hospitalised after he was infected with the dreaded virus.