log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday thursday november 26, 2020 Scotland becomes first country to make sanitary products free in short >> Centre issues new Covid guidelines NEW DELHI: Amid the spurt of COVID-19 cases, the Centre on Wednesday issued new guidelines effective from December 1 to December 31. The states and union territories based on their assessment of COVID-19 situation can impose local restrictions like night curfew only in containment zones. The state governments will have to take permission from the Centre if they want to impose any local lockdown outside the containment zones.   >> See pg 6 Ahmed Patel no more After battling Covid GURGAON: Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel, one of Sonia Gandhi’s closest political advisers, died at a Gurgaon hospital on Wednesday morning. He was 71. The veteran politician had been at Medanta Hospital since his health worsened after a Covid infection. In a tweet at around 4 am, his son, Faisal Patel, said that the Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat died at 3.30 am. Cyclone Nivar: Over one lakh evacuated >> See pg 7 weather >> Max: 33.3 C Min: 20.3 C Humidity: 63% Tides Low: High: 02:01 14:48 08:15 21:31 The Goan (Playstore) 8 pages Price ` 6 VOLume VI, No. 160 goa 6 Decks cleared for inspection of United Marine Products factory 2 MAPUSA Welcome to the coastal village of Anjuna, where music and controversy never end. The renaming of the popular Ozran beach in Vagator as ‘Sunburn Beach’ and declaring it as private beach by a private entity has sparked a storm in the village. It all began when a clubhouse renamed after the popular music festival sent a tantalising invite beaconing patrons to the ‘Sunburn Beach Club’ at Ozran. “Sunburn presents an immersive experience that takes you closer to a blissful world. We are proud to open the doors of the Sunburn Beach Club – spread across five levels of unique ambience, that combine the best of indoor intimacy and outdoor serenity,” a digital invite read. “With our own private beach and yachts, Sunburn PANAJI he much-awaited “Power Debate” between BJP’s Power Minister Nilesh Cabral and Aam Aadmi Party’s Valmiki Naik, which was finally hosted in Panaji on Wednesday evening, concluded with the reinforcement of the state government’s failure to provide cheap and reliable power supply to all Goans. The debate was moderated by Prudent’s editor-in-chief Pramod Acharya. In his opening remarks, Valmiki stated, “Cheap and reliable electricity supply is a basic necessity and is the right of every Goan and it is the government’s duty to provide it.” In Delhi, consumption of up to 200 units of electricity is billed as zero while consumption between 200 and 400 units of electricity is given a 50 per cent discount. AAP claimed that around 73 per T GOA State govt issues SOPs for air & rail passengers entering Goa 3 sports Legendary Diego Maradona dies at 60 just two weeks after being discharged 8 50 pc rebate in road tax for comm vehicles the goan I network PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the cabinet on Wednesday authorised him to dialogue with the Centre on the controversial projects at Mollem and the rail double tracking before a final decision can be taken. The ongoing agitation and its political impact was the subject of deliberation that dominated Wednesday’s cabinet meeting. Neri, what’s next? There’s no word on track-doubling work >> See edit on pg 4 Later, at his post cabinet briefing, Sawant said he has been empowered to discuss the issues related to the projects with the Center and take decisions. “Cabinet members have raised several concerns. We will take a call,” Sawant said, and indicated that the quantum of coal transportation will be slashed by 50 percent, but remained mum on double-tracking. On the Tanmar power project, Sawant said it is needed for the State. “The 400 KVA Tamnar The 400 KVA Tamnar Power line Project in needed for the state — Chief Minister JSW plea against coal cess to be heard in HC today PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa is scheduled to hear on Thursday the plea of Jindal South West (JSW), the largest importer and transporter of coal via Goa, challenging the payment of Rs 168 crore ‘Rural Development Cess’, imposed by the State Govrnment of Goa which it has has claimed that the state government has no powers to levy cess on goods transported by rail since that is the domain of the Central government.  >> See pg 3 Power line Project in needed for the state,” Sawant asserted firming up his stand against the protesters’ demand to scrap it as it threatens protected forests in and around the Mollem National Park. Activists of Goyant Kolso Naka and other NGOs stage a demonstration outside the Assembly Complex on Wednesday. Anil Shankhwalkar Anti-coal protests outside Assembly the goan I network PORVORIM Anti-coal protests reached outside the seat of power when ‘Goyant Kolso Naka’ (GKN) agitators staged demonstrations in front of the Assembly Complex in Porvorim on Wednesday and threatened to intensify their agitation. Several like-minded NGOs also joined in the demonstration, while a strong police force was stationed to avoid disruption of traffic on the DIGITAL INVITATION The advertisement reads ... 1 2 Sunburn presents an immersive experience that takes you closer to a blissful world We are proud to open the doors of the Sunburn Beach Club – spread across five levels of unique ambience, that combine the best of indoor intimacy and outdoor serenity Beach is that perfect gateway where the wanderlust finds tranquility,” the advert further added. Incidentally, the inaugural party was being held in a structure/property which had come under the scanner of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA). 3 With our own private beach and yachts, Sunburn Beach is that perfect gateway where the wanderlust finds tranquility In 2019, the GCZMA had ordered demolition of a series of structures in the property. Very recently, in July this year, the Member Secretary of the GCZMA had rewritten to the Collector North reminding about the demolition of the “offending structures” in the property. “The demolition order doesn’t seem to have been executed and resultantly the owner of the offending structure has got emboldened to carry out additional structures,” said GCZMA Member Secretary Jhonson Fernandes, in his letter to the collector. After getting the wind of the renaming and restarting of the activity in the illegal structure/property, agitated locals under the banner of Vagator Anjuna Caisua Villagers Forum (VAC) shot a letter to the Collector North, Anjuna panchayat and various other authorities to initiate action against the illegal structure. “The offenders have not only brought their illegal construction to fruition but have also advertised the local beach called as Ozran or Small Vagator Beach as ‘Sunburn Beach’ thus attempting to rename the traditional >Continued on P5 Power debate: Delhi model romps home the goan I network RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 CM talks of 50% cut in coal handling but tongue-tied on double-tracking Sunburn beach? No way, say Vagator locals, demand action against illegal construction AGNELO PEREIRA Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday VALMIKI NAIK’S CONTENTION CABRAL’S RETORT „„If only 60 per cent Goans consume below 400 units and at lower costs too as compared with Delhi, it should be easier for Goa Government to extend the Delhi model of free electricity „„The Delhi model is possible because in Delhi, there are three to four private electricity producers who are running a profitable business cent of Goans fall in the first category and around 20 per cent Goans comprise the second bracket of consumers. On the other hand, despite the low energy charges in Goa, inclusions such as fixed charges, electricity metre rent, duty among others inflated the power tariff in Goa. In response to this, Power Minister Cabral informed that around 59 per cent Goans comprise the Low Tension Domestic Consumption (LTDC) category who consume less than 400 units. On the other hand, Low Tension Commercial (LTC) consumers of up to 200 units form 59.28 per cent, 13.36 per cent commercial consumers use 200-400 units and above 400 units are consumed by 27.36 per cent. Criticizing Delhi’s “zero electricity bill” policy, Cabral argued, “It is the state government that foots the bill POWER MINISTER’S ASSURANCES „„Will introduce smart metering „„Activate underground cabling „„Focus on alternative sources of power such as solar energy VALMIKI’S PARTING SHOT „„How will you achieve in nine months what you could not touch in nine years? for all those consumers who are charged ‘zero bill’. Even though individual >Continued on P5 NH66 highway near the Secretariat. GKN Convenor Antonio D’Silva later submitted to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant a memorandum endorsed by 161 NGOs putting forth a number of demands. The demands included stopping coal handling at MPT and transportation through Goa, scrapping the double-tracking of SWR and land acquisition proceedings, >Continued on P5 PWD contracts up to `10-L for Goan engineers PANAJI: In a bid to generate local employment the State cabinet on Wednesday approved a scheme by which small PWD contracts of up to Rs 5 lakhs and Rs 10 lakhs will be allotted to local diploma and degree holding engineers. The scheme - Chief Minister Rozgar Yojna (CMRY) for engineering professionals - - was approved by the cabinet at its Wednesday meeting. `120 cr from OTS for water bills the goan I network PANAJI The State cabinet on Wednesday decided to grant a flat 50 per cent rebare on annual road tax for all commercial vehicles. “For commercial vehicle owners paying tax till March 31, 2021 this 50 per cent deduction will apply. Penalties and interest will also be waived,” Sawant said at his customary post cabinet press conference. Sawant said the waiver has been given since due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation, businesses were hit badly in the first six months. “They will only have to pay for the balance six months,” he added. In another decision, the debt relief scheme for depend- ents of the paralysed mining sector has also been extended up to March 31, 2021. Meanwhile, with an eye on recovering nearly Rs 125 crore, the State government is working on launching a One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme for water bill dues. The scheme - - Dues Recovery and Settlement Scheme 2021’ - - was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday. It will have to be notified before it is implemented and may take a few days. In other decisions, the cabinet also approved the policy for allotment of land for Electronic Manufacturing Cluster/ ESDM park at Tuem. Another decision taken was the approval of the scheme to distribute dry ration to students instead of the mid-day meal.