Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji (MS)

Panaji, Jul 1: The state government took all major decisions in managing the Covid pandemic so far. However, going forward, a panel of experts, consisting of government and private doctors will be given more power in the management of Covid.

Advocate general Devidas Pangam conveyed to the high court on Tuesday June 29 that the expert committee will give timely suggestions to the state government in managing Covid-19 management effectively. He also told the court that recommendations from the committee will be accepted in most cases as it is given by a team of experts nominated by the government itself.

During the first wave, though the committee was present, it was the bureaucrats in the government who used to take vital decisions.

On conditions of anonymity, one of the members of the new expert committee said that the invitation of the government to be a member of the new expert panel was rejected by a member of the old committee as he thought that it is a waste of time as their suggestions are overriden by the bureaucrats.

A member of the new expert committee, however, feels that the government is more serious now and takes action on the suggestions given by the committee after the havoc caused by the second wave during April and May of this year.

In addition to the expert committee, there is a task force too headed by CM Pramod Sawant. These were formed to face the third wave that is predicted to hit the country around October this year. They both work in unison and suggestions with regards to health care are mostly given by the expert panel to the government.