log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday WEDNESDAY APRIL 7, 2021 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 8 pages PRICE ` 6 The Goan (Playstore) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VI, NO. 287 2 Govt withdraws Sec 144, to intensify vaccination SCULPTURES THAT EMANATE INFINITY AND IMMORTALITY GOA 6 Cuncolim council nod for repairs on freedom fighters’ memorial NO LOCKDOWN OR NIGHT CURFEW, SAYS CHIEF MINISTER THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday announced that the state will not go for lockdown or night curfew and added that the state has already withdrawn Section 144 of CrPC. With the rise in the number of Covid-positive patients in the state, the government has decided to implement stricter social-distancing norms with restrictions on large gatherings. It has also decided to promote vaccination at a faster pace and ruled out lockdown or night curfew options. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has appealed to people to avoid public gatherings, functions and crowds to curb the spread of Covid-19 in the state. “Gathering of more than 200 people in open spaces and 100 in closed spaces will be banned,” said the Chief Minister while speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of the State Disaster Management Committee. He said wearing masks at public places such as bus stands, markets and even beaches will be made compulsory. The CM also warned that a drive to penalize people for not wearing masks was on IN SHORT >> Indigo operations hit after workers’ strike VASCO: Indigo flight operations were affected at Dabolim airport on Tuesday after around 250 workers linked to the airlines went on a flask strike demanding salary hike and change in the duty manager. Sources said the protesting workers were not direct employees of the airline but were operating through another company offering various services to it.  >> See pg 3 Taxi owners hold dharna in Panaji PANAJI: All Goa Taxi Owners Association on Tuesday sat on an indefinite dharna at Azad Maidan in Panaji demanding scrapping of appbased taxi service GoaMiles. The agitating taxi owners have given two days ultimatum to the government to act on their demand and warned that from April 8 the taxi services will be paralyzed.   >> See pg 3 Light rainfall likely in Goa on April 9-10 PANAJI: The Indian Meteorological Department-Goa has forecasted light rainfall and thundershowers at isolated places across the state on April 9 and 10. It has been predicted that an increase in cloud formation can be expected from April 8 and temperartures will be slightly higher than normal.   >> See pg 3 Justice Ramana to take oath on Apr 24 NEW DELHI: Justice N V Ramana will take oath as the Chief Justice of India on April 24. CJI S A Bobde had recommended Ramana as his successor.  >> See pg 7 WEATHER >> Max: 34.6 C Min: 26.2 C Humidity: 87 % TIDES Low: High: 2:12 7:44 13:54 21:03 COVID CARE CENTRES REACTIVATED „„Covid Care Centres have been activated from today on one floor of the ESI Covid Hospital, Fatorda Stadium, and Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium. South Goa District Hospital in Margao will be the major Covid hospital Govt to issue advisory for making vax compulsory for 45+ govt servants „„The CM said that a Government advisory will be issued that above 45 years government staff should go for compulsory vaccination „„Also, the advisory will be issued to Tourism and Industrial sectors about vaccination for persons above 40 years. SPECIAL PERMISSION SOUGHT FOR VAX DRIVE IN TOURISM INDUSTRY Goa govt has asked for special permission from center to vaccinate people in tourism industry who are below 45 years of age. Goa has ample amount of vaccine stock with around 1.5 lakh vaccine doses being available for use, said Sawant. Of around 4.5 to 5 lakh people above 45-years-of age in state, only around 1.13 lakh people have taken vaccination. Vaccination is being done at 62 places on all days including holidays. and henceforth it will be implemented very strictly. “I have directed the police to see that social-distancing and wearing of masks are enforced. People will be fined if they are found violating any of the Covid health norms,” the CM said. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and State Chief Secretary Parimal Rai also attended the State Disaster Management Committee meeting. The meet took a review of the Covid-19 situation in the state amidst a rising number of positive cases. It was announced that the State police and district administration officials will intensify their drive against those roaming without masks. Sawant said that the state will not insist for Covid-19 negative certificates from people arriving in the state. “We advise people to avoid the gatherings and also get themselves tested and vaccinated,” he said. The state has 25 private and 37 government centres where Covid-19 vaccines are available, he said adding that there are still 1.5 lakhs of these in stock with the state government. It was disclosed that to date, 1.13 lakh have received their first dose, approximately 4.5 to five lakh Goans are above the age of 45. CM said that Goa currently has around 1.25 lakh vaccine doses. He said vaccine awareness drives will be launched at the district collectorate and police level. The Chief Minister has appealed to MLAs, sarpanchas and panchas to make arrangements for vaccine promotion. “Political leaders should encourage people to come forward and take the vaccine,” he said. Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 GOA Road works near GMC: Exposed rods pose danger to motorists 3 SPORTS Bio-bubble is tough but Indians are more tolerant: Ganguly Covid wave surges @ 387, one death THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Directorate of Health Services on Tuesday recorded 387 new cases of Covid-19 from among the 2,809 samples tested in the last 24 hours, the highest single-day count over the last six months. The daily positivity rate stood at 13.7 per cent. ACTIVE CASES CROSS 100-MARK IN BICHOLIM >> See pg 2 With this, the active Covid count of Goa has touched 2,471. Total Covid cases confirmed so far have reached 59,702 of which 56,393 have recovered. Meanwhile, one Covid-related death has raised the Covid victim count to 838. The deceased person was a 58-year-old man from Mapusa who died at Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim. Presently, three health centres have over 200 active cases under them while six health centres have over SECOND SUCCESSFUL HEART TRANSPLANT Directs him to pass order on April 20 PANAJI The Goa Speaker Rajesh Patnekar came in for sharp criticism on his decision to pass orders on the disqualification pleas against 12 MLAs on April 29 with the Chief Justice of India Sharad A Bobde asking the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Speaker, whether the initial date was fixed with an eye on the fact that he (Bobde) would retire on April 23. The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Speaker to pass the order on April 20. Earlier, Patnekar had said that the final order in the matter will be pronounced on April 29. Speaker assures court he will comply PANAJI: Coming under fire from the Supreme Court, Speaker Rajesh Patnekar assured the apex court bench led by Chief Justice of India S A Bobde that he will pass a final order in the disqualification petition filed by the Congress party by April 20. CJI Bobde wants to finish hearing on the matter before his retirement. “You want the matter to go to another bench, which will have to hear the case all over again,” CJI Bobde, who heads the three-judge bench hearing the case, castigated the law officer. Finally, after receiving instructions, Mehta informed the court that the Speaker would decide the matter on April 20. The court scheduled a hearing on April 21. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner Girish Chodankar and the Congress party, said the Speaker was making a mockery of the whole process under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution by not deciding on the petitions for the past 19 Chikodi Gokak Ankola KLES BELGAUM CANCER HOSPITAL, BELAGAVI >Continued on P5 NO CROWD IIT protest cases to stay: Govt to HC THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government on Tuesday told the Bombay High Court at Goa that they will not be withdrawing the cases filed against the villagers of Melauli for allegedly turning violent during a protest against the setting up of the project at Xel Melaulim in Sattari. The villagers had filed a case for quashing the FIR filed against them. Speaking to reporters, Government Advocate Pravin Faldesai said that the question of withdrawing the prosecution didn’t arise because it was a case of a violent protest with the use of deadly weapons. “We have submitted to the court today that there is no question of withdrawing the prosecution on account of change in the government de- cision. Our stand is clear that people have a right to agitate, people have a right to protest for as long as it is a peaceful protest. But the records reveal, the complaints also clearly say that there were deadly weapons used, police officers were badly beaten up and in such case as a whole the government cannot withdraw the prosecution,” Adv Faldesai, said. “On the last occasion, the Court had asked whether the government is inclined to withdraw the prosecution because the decision of the government of setting up of IIT in Xel Melauli has been called off,” he added. The issue was whether those criminal proceedings will be quashed or not. “In an individual case, if we feel that a person was not >Continued on P5 100 active cases within this jurisdiction. Urban Health Centre Margao (254), UHC Panaji (248) and PHC Candolim (203) top the list, while PHC Ponda (192), PHC Porvorim (190), PHC Cortalim (140), UHC Vasco (131), UHC Mapusa (131) and PHC Siolim (107) have recorded a major spike in active cases. This ‘ World Health Day ’ we pledge to follow Covid guidelinesWear Mask, Sanitize Regularly, Stay Home, Stay Safe SC rap for Speaker on disqualification pleas THE GOAN I NETWORK 8 WEAR A MASK COUGH ETIQUETTE DISINFECT HANDS NO HANDSHAKE NO FACE TOUCH WEAR GLOVES OUTSIDE KEEP DISTANCE