log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday MONDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2021 GOA India-China end military talks NEW DELHI: India and China held extensive deliberations on expanding the disengagement process in eastern Ladakh at the 10th round of the military talks that lasted for around 16 hours, official sources said on Sunday. The talks began at around 10 am on Feb 20 and ended at 2 am on Feb. 21. >> See pg 7  Uttarakhand toll reaches 68 DEHRADUN: The death toll in the Uttarakhand’s Chamoli disaster rose to 68 even as the search operations continued there for the 15th day on Sunday. The identities of 38 bodies have been established so far. Chandrayaan-3 launch delayed NEW DELHI: Chandrayaan-3, India’s third mission to Moon, is likely to be launched in 2022, ISRO chief K Sivan has said. The Covid-19 lockdown has hit several projects of ISRO, including Chandrayaan-3, which was scheduled to be launched in late 2020, and Gaganyaan, the country’s first manned space mission.  >> See pg 7 2 more Cong MLAs quit in Puducherry NEW DELHI: Just a day before the floor test in the Assembly, the crisis for Congress in Puducherry deepened with two more MLAs of the Congress-DMK alliance resigning on Sunday. With the resignation of DMK legislator Venkatesan and Congress MLA K Lakshminarayanan, the strength of the ruling alliance has been now reduced to 12.  >> See pg 7 India, Maldives sign defence deal MALE: India on Sunday reiterated its commitment to the Maldives’ security and signed a USD 50 million defence Line of Credit agreement with it to boost the maritime capabilities of the strategic island nation.  >> See pg 9 Terrorist hideout busted in Anantnag SRINAGAR: The J&K Police and Army in a joint operation busted one hideout of terrorist in Anantnag forest. Three AK-56 rifles, two Chinese pistols, two Chinese grenades and one telescope were seized. WEATHER >> Max: 34 C Min: 23.1 C Humidity: 72% TIDES Low: High: 00.25 12.56 4.56 20.50 The Goan (Playstore) 10 pages PRICE ` 6 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VI, NO. 243 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 2 5 All eyes on HC ruling on civic ward quotas today Now, MMC’s 3 bio-methanation plants likely to hit rough weather IN SHORT >> Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday GOA Sawant hits out at Oppn, says he is planning State infra for next 50 yrs INDIA Need to speed up pace of Covid vaccinations: Govt tells States STATE EC LIKELY TO FINALISE DATES BASED ON ORDER THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO All eyes are focused on the High Court, which is expected to dispose of a bunch of petitions challenging the ward reservations unveiled by the Director of Municipal Administration for the municipalities going to the civic polls. Once the High Court disposes of the petitions on Monday (February 22), the State Election Commission is expected to announce the dates for the municipal polls as well as the detailed election process. Leaders of political parties and local satraps are also expected to unveil the candidates on their panels post-disposal of the petitions by the High Court. Representatives of the Goa Forward, Congress and other individuals had challenged the DMA’s ward reservations EAGERLY AWAITED „„Leaders of political parties and local satraps are expected to unveil the candidates on their panels post-disposal of the petitions by the High Court „„Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai and Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat are eager to clear their set of candidates for the ensuing polls for the municipalities not just in Margao, but in other civic bodies as well. In fact, the ward reservations had come under strong criticism not just from the opposition parties, but ruling ministers and MLAs, especially in the port town. The Congress and the Goa Let the High Court decide: Godinho „„The BJP is believed to have finalized its list of candidates for all the 25 wards of the Margao Municipal Council Forward had challenged the ward reservation for the Margao Municipal Council on grounds that it was done without merit and logic. That’s not all. Monday is the D-day for the Goa Forward Chief and Leader of Opposition as they have been anxiously waiting for the High Cops silent on high decibel parties on North beaches PANAJI: Stating that the controversy around the alleged manipulation of municipal wards reservation is sub-judice, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho on Sunday said it is now a matter for the courts to decide. Godinho was among the first cabinet ministers to publicly express discontent over the manner in which wards reservations were done.   >> See pg 5 Court to dispose of the petitions at the earliest so that they can clear the set of candidates for the ensuing polls. While the BJP is believed to >Continued on P6 Novak Djokovic on cloud nine after winning 18th Grand Slam title 10 Out on bail, 2 organise rave party at Ashvem REVELLERS WENT BERSERK AT HIGH TIDE FESTIVAL THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Despite being under the Goa Police scanner, Kapil Jhaveri, a small-time Bollywood actor, is said to have organised a rave party styled “High Tide Festival” linked to Valentine’s Day at Ashvem beach village in Pernem taluka. ON A HIGH The event, a video of which has surfaced on social media, was held at ‘Solaris Underground’ a venue carved out of a hill at Ashvem from where one gets a breathtaking view of the Arabian sea. Held on February 14 (Valentine’s Day), some of who eye-witnesses told The Goan that this was the fourth edition of the ‘High Tide’ festival held at the same venue since 2018. Jhaveri reportedly organised the event under the aegis of his XLNC Network Pvt Ltd, a company in which he is a di- The video of the event which surfaced on social media shows revellers paying scant adherence to pandemic norms such as wearing of masks or maintaining social distancing. rector. The video of the event which surfaced on social media shows revellers paying scant adherence to pandemic norms such as wearing of masks or maintaining social distancing, a matter health authorities have raised con- cern about in Goa recently where relaxation of norms has seen the tourism sector bubbling with activity in the North Goa belt. Police officials meanwhile refused to acknowledge or comment on the event. Jhaveri, it may be recalled, was among 23 persons arrested in August last year when in a post-midnight raid the sleuths of Goa Police’s Crime Branch had seized drugs at a posh villa in Anjuna and where a rave party was on. Also among those arrested in that Anjuna raid and drug seizure case, including for pandemic rules violations, were three foreigner women. In subsequent investigations of that case, the police had also netted Shailesh Shetty, a well-connected party facilitator who is also behind the popular Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festival Sunburn. Police had said then that Shetty was arrested for his >Continued on P6 IN ALL ITS GLORY 2 KEY COASTAL POLICE STATIONS HAVE NO DECIBEL METERS THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Two key coastal police stations in Bardez where most complaints of noise pollution originate have no sound-level meters to keep a tab on loud revelry that flouts noise-pollution rules. While the Anjuna Police Station does not have a sound-level meter, Calangute Police Station has one but it is out of order. It’s a mystery how the concerned police stations tackle complaints of loud music without the facility of a decibel meter. Senior police officials were tight-lipped when questioned on the non-availability of decibel meters at the police stations. Coastal Anjuna has turned into a hub of nightlife with loud music happening in every shack and nightclub throughout the night. There have been complaints galore from concerned citizens but police have turned deaf ears to cries for help. Citizens saw a ray of hope after the Deputy Collector of Bardez, Kapil Phadte, recently issued show-cause notices to at least 20 hotels and nightclubs in Anjuna for playing loud music along the coast. TIGHT-LIPPED „„While the Anjuna Police Station does not have a sound-level meter, Calangute Police Station has one but it is out of order „„It’s a mystery how the concerned police stations tackle complaints of loud music without the facility of a decibel meter „„Senior police officials were tight-lipped The action came after a resident of Assagao, Desmond Alvares wrote to the deputy collector and other authorities against the noise pollution created by playing music beyond the permissible limit. Phadte also held a meeting with citizens eliciting their views on the loud music where several locals blamed the police for failing to take action against defaulting hotels and clubs for playing loud music late in the night. The deputy collector informed The Goan that he has initiated the process in a bid to take action against those who play music late in the night beyond the permissible limit. “We have to follow a proce- when questioned on the non-availability of decibel meters at the police stations dure. As a first step, a showcause notice has been issued to all those establishments that have sought to break the law on loud music. The second step is to procure the decibel meters,” Phadte said, adding: “More action will follow.” Meanwhile, the Assagao resident who has taken up the issue of noise pollution as a mission has said he has no faith on the authorities but would still give them a chance to act. “I have issued legal notices to the Chief Secretary, Collector (North) and the police on the noise pollution. I will wait and watch, failing which I will approach the NGT with all the evidence,” Alvares said. The Lord Hanuman (Maruti) temple on Altinho hillock, overlooking Fontainhas, in Panaji, is decorated with lights for its annual jatra which will be celebrated today (Monday). ‘40% tourist arrivals in Goa by train’ BASED ON THIS FIGURE, SWR PUSHES FOR TRACK-DOUBLING PROJECT THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO Stating that Goa has a huge potential to enhance trade and tourism connectivity, South Western Railway (SWR) officials said that Goa is lagging behind in railway infrastructure and ranks lower Lenten Walking Pilgrimage to old Sancoale church remains strong in faith despite Covid pandemic BR MALVINO ALFONSO SANCOALE he Catholic community across the State undertook a Walking Pilgrimage (Bhavarthachi Yatra) in three different tiers on Sunday. This year on account of the Covid pandemic, the Walking Pilgrimage was split into three tiers and while an estimated 1,600 Catholics were part of the Representatives’ Pilgrimage to the old Sancoale church early Sunday morning, other Catholic faithful participated in the Parishioners Pilgrimage and Family Pilgrimage. Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão, who participated in the Representatives’ Pilgrimage, presided over the Eucharistic 7 SPORTS Establish Good Samaritan Fund: Archbishop T Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão participates in the walking pilgrimage along with a group of priests and nuns early Sunday morning.  Joseph Fernandes celebration at the ruins of the Old Sancoale church. Fr Manuel Dias (Rector of Saint Joseph Vaz Sanctuary), Fr Louis Alvares (Parish Priest of Sancoale), Fr Alfred Vaz (Convenor, Committee for Walking Pilgrimage), Fr Ronald D’souza OCD (Carmelite Monastery, Margao) and 35 priests concelebrated >Continued on P6 SANCOALE: Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrão reminded the faithful of their responsibility to promote the culture of life, care and concern towards others. He said he had appealed to parishes of the Archdiocese on the First Sunday of Lent during the Walking Pilgrimage last year to establish Good Samaritan Fund. “So far, 63 parishes established this Good Samaritan Fund and used it for the needy and 63 Parishes is just one-third of the number of Parishes, while two thirds of the number of Parishes still have not established this fund. Maybe, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, parishes could not do it,” said Archbishop Ferrão. He appealed to representatives gathered, parish priests and members of the Parish Pastoral Councils, Fabricas, Confrarias and parishioners to establish this fund if possible during this Lent season on Maundy Thursday. among other coastal states at only 6.72 kms per lakh population. SWR authorities pointed out that around 40 percent of tourists arrive in Goa by trains thereby justified the doubling tracking project. A senior official of the SWR on condition of anonymity said that double-tracking besides boosting trade will enable easier and faster movement of passengers. “Goa not only ranks lower among other coastal states in rail network infra, but there are heavy constraints due to the single line on ghat sections thus limiting the trains’ running capacity,” said the official. The official said that as per SWR estimates, approximately 80 lakh tourists visited Goa in 2019 of which 32 lakhs (40 per cent) travelled by train. “There is a need for Goa to >Continued on P6 Goa saw 9,565 births from March to September 2020 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Notwithstanding the tough circumstances on account of the Covid situation, Goa saw around 12,383 pregnant women delivering 9,565 children between March and September 2020. Around six foeticides cases were reported in this period of six months. As per data given in a reply to a question by Maharastra MP Vandana Chawan, Central Health Minister Ashwinikumar Chobe has said that there were around 868 population control surgeries that were conducted on women. However, not a single man underwent such surgery. In this period, the government under the mission of population control has distributed around 1.81 lakh condoms and 9,261 contraceptive pills. The government had announced a lockdown in March 2020 after which normal life and businesses were affected. However, Goa state figures as compared to other states are acceptable. In Uttar Pradesh during the six months of lockdown period, around 16.38 lakhs children were born, Maharastra 9.88 lakhs, Bihar 9.39 lakhs, Madhya Pradesh 7.71 lakhs and Rajasthan 7.19 lakhs. The highest number of abortions were reported in Maharashtra. In these six months, 54,510 abortion cases were reported in Maharastra, 42,757 in Tamil Nadu, 38804 in Assam, 21179 in Bengal and 16904 in Haryana. In the deaths of mothers during pregnancy, UP tops the list with 1804 in the total list of 11,229 mortalities.