log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday saturday november 28, 2020 goa For third year in a row, Goa awarded best-performing among small states Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) 8 pages Price ` 6 VOLume VI, No. 162 3 india Farmers enter Delhi as protest against farm laws continues 6 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 BUSINESS India economy contracts 7.5 pc in second quarter Tension flares in Margao as police ‘detain’ two activists Anti-coal protesters swarm police station, take men-in-uniform to task the goan I network MARGAO Tension rent the air at the South Goa police district headquarters on Friday morning as anti-coal and track doubling protesters tried to storm into the building after activists Abhijit Prabhudesai and Sandesh Talekar were summoned by the Maina Curtorim police for investigations pursuant to an FIR registered vis-a-vis the midnight protests at Chandor. As the duo was holed inside the police station for some time with no sign of their return, hundreds of protesters tried to barge into the district police headquarters, but were kept at bay by the police. The men-in-uniform manning the building immediately shut the huge iron gate as a precautionary measure. Apprehending that the police were out to play mischief by selectively summoning the two activists to the police station for an inquiry and not allowing them leave the police station, the protesters cried foul and sought their arrests too in connection with the Chandor incident. PROTESTERS LODGE COMPLAINT AGAINST CM, ADANI & OTHERS MARGAO: Anti-coal protesters on Friday lodged a criminal complaint Adani Group, South West Ports Limited, Vedanta, MPT Chairman, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral, General Manager of Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, and Sahoo before leaving the district police headquarters. The protesters also lodged a complaint against the Police officer who registered the FIR against the six persons for participating in the Chandor midnight vigil and also demanded withdrawal of the FIR against the six persons. >> See pg 2 ON PAGE 2 Goa police keep protesters at bay from entering the Margao district police headquarters.  Santosh Mirajkar Tempers, however, calmed down after both Abhijit and Sandesh came out of the Maina Curtorim police station, to be welcomed and greeted by loud cheers from the protesters outside, some of whom welcomed the duo with garlands. The protesters, however, continued with their agitation outside as they demand- Non-board results on or after May 8 the goan I network PANAJI State’s Directorate of Education on Friday issued a circular directing all schools to prepare academic results by first week of May for all grades excluding Std X and Std XII. For all classes from Std I to Std IX, the first formative and summative evaluation (first term exam) will accordingly be completed by January 15 and the second formative and summative evaluation by the last week of April. The final examination result for classes from I to IX and XI will be declared on or after May 8. On the other hand, though the notification for date sheet for public examination of Grades X and XII will be issued separately by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, the first formative and summative evaluation for these two 1 The notification for date sheet for public examination of Std X and Std XII will be issued separately by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education The first formative and summative evaluation for these two classes are to be completed by January 15 and the second formative and summative evaluation by March-end 2 classes has been directed to be completed by January 15 and the second formative and summative evaluation by the end of March. Schools have been informed that they are free to undertake a fresh assessment as per these timings, even if already done. ed immediate withdrawal of the FIRs registered against the six activists, including Abhijit and Sandesh, in connection with the Chandor midnight vigil. They further demanded action against DySP Kiral Podwal for riding roughshod against women protesters at Davorlim, warning that the government will be responsible for any law and order sit- Activists tell police that every Goan is a leader leading anti-coal agitation ‘Arrest me too’ rents air outside district police HQ in Margao uation. As the protesters demanded that the police allow them to enter the police station building to lodge complaints against the police and others Govt biometric reader linked to Covid death the goan I network MAPUSA A biometric thumbprint scanner to record staff attendance at an education office in Mapusa has been linked to 12 Covid cases, with one of them succumbing to the disease. The incident took place shortly after the State government decided to resume the practice of using biometric thumbprint scanners to record staff attendance at government offices from November 1, a practice which has been suspended during the period of a high number of Covid cases across the State. When the biometric thumbprint scanner was restarted at an education office in North Goa, one staffer tested Covid positive on November 12. Over the next six days, 12 other staffers also tested Covid positive after they are reported to have used the same biometric 12 other staffers also tested Covid positive after they are reported to have used the same biometric thumbprint scanner thumbprint scanner. Shrihari Satardekar (59) was one of the 12 staffers who had tested positive for the virus. On account of the Diwali holidays, Satardekar, his wife, who teaches at a school in Mapusa and their family had gone to their native place in Sawantwadi, where the entire family also tested positive for Covid. Satardekar was undergoing treatment at a government hospital in Oros, Sindhudurg and breathed his last on Wednesday afternoon. Incidentally, Satardekar was to retire within the next 3-4 months and his death has shocked colleagues at the education office. SC asks govt to impose strict rules till Covid-19 vaccine is introduced PTI NEW DELHI xpressing concern over the growing novel Coronavirus infection, the Supreme Court on Friday said that the rules imposed should be strictly followed until a vaccine is introduced. The top court appealed that mask, social distancing rules should be followed and that the Centre needs to take stringent measures and implement guidelines for the whole country. The bench observed that strict measures are needed to deal with the situation and posted the matter for further hearing on December 1. It is time to strictly implement the policy, guidelines and standard operating procedures to contain the surge of E TOP COURT OBSERVATIONS „„We are watching everyday celebrations and processions being take out „„Sixty per cent of people have no masks and 30% have their masks hanging... „„It’s high time to take some strict measures. From November, the situation has gone from bad to worse „„If no harsh steps are taken, all efforts taken by Centre will go in vain Coronavirus cases in the country, the Supreme Court stated. The apex court also pulled up the states and said that they have to rise to the occasion and above politics to deal with the pandemic crisis. The court’s remarks came as the Centre informed the court that 10 states contribute to nearly 77 per cent of the total COVID-19 caseload in the country. “We are watching everyday celebrations and processions being take out. Sixty per cent of people have no masks and 30% have their masks hanging... it’s high time to take some strict measures. From November, the situation has gone from bad to worse. If no harsh steps are taken, all efforts taken by Centre will go in vain,” the bench noted. A three-judge bench head- GOA SCENE Daily testing rises to 2,645 More casino, 5-star hotel employees in Panaji test +ve >> See pg 3 ed by justice Ashok Bhushan also comprised justices RS Reddy and MR Shah. On the fire incident at a hospital in Rajkot city of Gujarat which claimed five lives, the court said, “It is not the first such incident where a fire has occurred in a Covid-19 hospital. Earlier it has happened in Ahmedabad and Andhra Pradesh where patients died due to fire. for registering false and fabricated FIR against the six persons, PI Shivram Vaingankar, PI Sanchin Narvekar and PI Kapil Nayak went into a huddle with the executive magistrate to discuss the demand to enter the police station. The police and the executive magistrate conceded the demand of the protesters to lodge the complaint, providing the complaint is lodged by the protesters in group of five persons. The police were on alert after the protesters gave a call >Continued on P5 7 sports India slumps to a 66-run defeat against Australia in the first ODI 8 Goa to seek `  00 cr from 1 Centre for Liberation Day the goan I network PANAJI The State government is seeking Rs 100 crore from the Centre to fund its grandiose plans of yearlong celebrations across Goa and the country to mark the sixtieth year of liberation from Portuguese rule. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said, his government has officially sought Rs 100 crore from the Centre to conduct the year-long programmes both in Goa and the Zilla Panchayat polls in December: CM >> See pg 5 The Chief Minister at media briefing on Friday. country. Addressing reporters at his official Altinho residence, Sawant said Goa’s rich cultural heritage will be showcased Sawant: No out of court Mhadei deal with K’taka PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said there was no question of getting into any negotiations with neighbouring Karnataka outside of the Supreme Court on the Mhadei water sharing dispute. Admitting that water levels of the Mhadei river have dwindled due to Karnataka’s diversion of water at Khalasa-Bhandura where it is building a dam, Sawant asserted no ‘out of court’ discussions will be held. Karnataka too is currently ruled by the BJP and the saffron party leaders there have periodically raised the matter. Interestingly, the BJP Central leadership recently placed, perhaps for the first time, a Karnataka leader CT Ravi to be incharge of the party affairs in Goa raising eyebrows. Sawant however insisted there will be no compromise and said he has briefed Ravi about the problem on the latter’s maiden visit to the State ad party in-charge. at these Goa Liberation’s celebratory events. These events will kick off from Goa Liberation Day on December 19 this year. The chief minister however did not elaborate whether the Rs 100 crore sought from the Centre will be in the form of a grant or a borrowing, if Delhi accedes to the request. ... Backs Tanmar power project PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday obliquely imputed political motives and “election agenda of some” for the ongoing agitations even as he staunchly backed the private Tamnar power project inside the Mollem National Park, citing future demand. “Goa will face power shortage in two year’s time if Tamnar power project work is stopped,” Sawant told reporters at a press conference at his official Altinho residence. The project, to set up a 400 KV sub-station and also draw inter-State transmission lines to wheel power from a plant at Chhattisgarh, will belong to Vedanta-owned Sterlite Power >Continued on P5