log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday SUNDAY FEBRUARY 28, 2021 Disqualification: Speaker says no deadline on order PANAJI: Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Rajesh Patnekar has not put any time limit for passing orders although he has completed hearing arguments in the disqualification petitions against 12 MLAs who defected to the ruling BJP from the Congress and MGP. Patnekar had through Friday heard arguments from lawyers on behalf of all sides, including the petitioners Congress President Girish Chodankar and MGP MLA Sudin Dhavlikar. The Speaker, however, has reserved for orders in both the petitions indefinitely and has not fixed any time frame. Meanwhile, Chodankar’s plea is expected to come up for hearing before the Supreme Court on March 8. IN SHORT >> Covid curbs: Flight bookings take a hit NEW DELHI: Domestic airlines have seen a 10-12 per cent drop in bookings over the past seven days as West Bengal joined Maharashtra and Karnataka in insisting on negative RT PCR tests for travellers which has dampened sentiment. Congress getting weaker: G-23 JAMMU: Senior Congress leaders Kapil Sibal and Anand Sharma on Saturday stated that the G-23 or the group of 23 dissenting leaders are seeing the Congress party ‘getting weaker’ and are raising their voice for the betterment of the party. ‘Saudi prince okayed Khashoggi’s killing’ WASHINGTON: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved an operation to capture or kill journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul, according to a US intelligence report submitted to Congress. Khashoggi, a dissident Saudi journalist who lived in the US as a legal permanent resident wrote for the Washington Post. WEATHER >> Max: 32.9 C Min: 22 C Humidity: 91 % TIDES Low: High: 05:37 11:28 17:38 ----- Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 12 pages PRICE ` 6 The Goan (Playstore) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VI, NO. 249 4th Test: Bumrah released from India squad  PG 8 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Civic polls: 3 parties agree on alliance to take on BJP n CONGRESS, GOA FORWARD, NCP DECIDE TO JOIN HANDS n ALL EYES ON WARD RESERVATION VERDICT OF HIGH COURT THE MEETING THAT WAS... THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO In what is seen as a clear attempt to unitedly fight the ensuing municipal polls, leaders of the Congress, Goa Forward and the NCP met at a city hotel here on Saturday and are believed to have agreed in-principle to forge an alliance to take the ruling BJP head on. Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat, Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai and NCP President Jose Philip D’Souza and Party Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao had a meeting in Margao to discuss the political situation ahead of the municipal elections. The three parties are believed to have reached a broad understanding that they should not field candi- Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat speaks to media while leaving the hotel on Saturday.  Santosh Mirajkar dates against each other, but instead extend support to the candidates fielded by the panels. The meeting assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of recent developments wherein NCP MLA Churchill Alemao announced plans to field party candidate in Fatorda and South Goa Congress MLA Francisco Sardinha opposing the proposed Goa Forward-Congress alliance for the municipal polls. ‘The Goan’ understands that the NCP leadership, including party general secretary Praful Patel took serious cognizance of Churchill’s an- Centre caps vaccine price @ ` 250 at Pvt hospitals Vaccination to be free at govt facilities PTI NEW DELHI Private hospitals can charge up to Rs 250 per dose of Covid-19 vaccine, the government said on Saturday as India prepares to vaccinate people aged above 60 and those over 45 with co-morbidities from March 1. The vaccine will be given free of cost at government hospitals, while people will need to pay for it at private facilities. States have been given the freedom to use all private hospitals empanelled under the State Government Health Insurance Schemes as Covid vaccination centres. States can also use health facilities of all PSUs and all government health facilities as CVCs. Close to 10,000 hospitals under the Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY scheme and 687 under CGHS can be used Walk-in registration for Covid jabs to be allowed NEW DELHI: The general public too can now avail Covid vaccines in the next phase of the innnoculation drive March 1 and citizens can walk in to a vaccination centre and get themselves registered. The government also said that anyone of the health care workers and frontline services staff such as police and sanitation workers who have been left out will also be allowed to seek doses at any centre they want. ON PAGE 3 Goa registers dip in positive cases GMC covers 3,000 HCWs under vaccination drive by states as Covid vaccination centres. Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan on Saturday interacted with health secre- taries and MDs of states and UTs on the vaccination of age-appropriate groups via video-conference. States have been told that private hospitals functioning as CVCs can charge subject to a ceiling of Rs 250 per person per dose. Usernames and passwords will be provided to the private facilities to facilitate the effective use of CoWIN 2.0 mobile app. In addition, mapping of >Continued on P6 ISL: It’s do or die for FC Goa today THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI fter 19 games of their Indian Super League (ISL) campaign, the final 90 minutes of the league phase on Sunday will decide if FC Goa can keep their dream of winning a maiden title alive. The Gaurs are a regular feature in the ISL playoffs, but with a new coach and a revamped team, they had to fight all the way to stay in contention for a semi-finals berth this season. And in the final game of the league phase at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda, FC Goa needs a point against Hyderabad FC to seal the last available playoffs berth. Given the tumultuous buildup to their season after most of the key players followed former coach Sergio Lobera at his new team Mumbai Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday A FC Goa coach Juan Ferrando discusses with his players during a practice session ahead of the crucial match on Sunday. City, Juan Ferrando’s men have produced a creditable performance in the edition held in Goa under the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic. However, it will all come to a nought if FC Goa lose against Hyderabad – the most impressive team of the season. FC Goa have been one of the most feared sides in the competition and their attacking prowess has earned them crucial points. However, their defensive abilities are questionable with the club conceding 23 goals. The Gaurs are on a 12-match unbeaten run and scoring isn’t a problem for Ferrando’s side. FC Goa have made a habit of scoring late in games and have grabbed crucial points this way. And Ferrando hopes to carry on with the same plan. “We want to play in attack (mode) because we need to win. We have the same plan. If we are winning 1-0, our mentality will be to get the second goal. If they score against us, we go to get the goal to make it 1-1 and then go to score the second. I am happy and with this mentality, it’s possible to improve this team,” Ferrando said. On the other hand, Hyderabad would need to go all out against the Gaurs as they need nothing less than three points to remain in the competition and join ATK Mohun Bagan, Mumbai City aand NorthEastUnited in the last-four. „„DIGAMBAR KAMAT: We are working out a formula. Our central leaders have told us that since the main aim is to defeat the BJP, local level leaders should discuss with other groups and form a panel. Presently, the discussions are underway, including Margao, Panjim and Mapusa”. „„VIJAI SARDESAI: Though the leaders spoke on the general situation, it was agreed upon to respect the public sentiment that all the parties should come together to fight the BJP. We have decided to wait till Monday for the High Court to pronounce the verdict in the war reservation case. „„JOSE PHILIP: Our High Command is in favour of an alliance with like-minded parties. Though we have met casually, we have all agreed that we have to come together. What is important is we have to remain united. nouncement to field a candidate in the Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai’s backyard Fatorda. Similarly, sources said Congress Goa desk in-charge, Dinesh Gundu Rao was briefed by local party leaders, favouring a Congress-Goa Forward alliance to fight the >Continued on P6 Centre okays more Pvt forest land for double-tracking THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has written to the Principal Secretary (Forest), government of Goa granting approval for diversion of 1.9089 hectare of additional private forest land for the Kulem-Madgaon railway double tracking project under South Goa Forest Division in favour of South Western Railways. The clearance was granted based on the approval of the Regional Empowered Committee. According to the letter, “after careful examination of the proposal of the State government and on the basis of the approval of the Regional Empowered Committee, in-principle approval / Stage-l clearance of the Central Government is granted for diversion of 1.9089 hectares of private forest land for Kulem-Madgaon Railway doubling track under South Goa The proposal was examined by the Regional Empowered Committee constituted under sub-rule (1) of rule 4A of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003 in its meeting held on January 27 Forest Division in favour of (SWR) Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd, subject to fulfilment of conditions”. The proposal was examined by the Regional Empowered Committee constituted under sub-rule (1) of rule 4A of the Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003 in its meeting held on January 27. The controversial double-tracking work has been facing continued opposition from several villages with residents crying foul over the land acquisition process.