log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday THURSDAY MAY 19, 2022 12 pages PRICE ` 6 Wall collapse kills 12 in Guj factory MORBI: At least 12 labourers were killed when a wall collapsed at the Sagar Salt factory situated inside the Halvad industrial area in Gujarat’s Morbi district on Wednesday, officials said.  >> See pg 6 Power shutdown in Pernem, Bardez PANAJI: There will be no power supply in Pernem and Bardez talukas on May 22 from 7 am to 4 pm for carrying out annual maintenance works. During this time, the Mapusa District Hospital will be switched to DG supply. Illegal dance bar draws ire of locals MAPUSA: A group of locals have accused a well-known restaurant in Calangute of running an illegal pub and dance bar and have threatened to take matters in their hands if police fail to take action within 15 days.  >> See pg 3 Line helper dies of electrocution PANAJI: In a tragic incident, a line helper, Sanjay Gaonkar, died due to electrocution while undertaking repair of power lines at Kankire in Sattari. Gaonkar who hailed from Thane, Sattari, was attached to the Power Department’s Valpoi office.   >> See pg 3 SC grants bail to Indrani Mukerjea The Goan (Playstore) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VII, NO. 331 GOA 8 Madel, Aquem ryots clueless on return of acquired fields THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a bid to strictly implement a ban on illegal LED fishing, Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar on Wednesday said his department is trying to get two additional interceptor boats and will also ponder over giving powers to Coast Guard or Marine Police to take action. Speaking to reporters, Halarnkar admitted that LED fishing continues to take place, but emphasised that it has decreased after the government started taking action. “LED fishing takes place 12 nautical miles in the sea. We have a single boat to take action, but it cannot reach that far and we are proposing two more vessels for the department,” said Halarnkar. “We are also considering DARK SIDE OF THE PROBLEM „„Despite the ban on LED fishing in all coastal areas, the activity goes on unabated „„Fishermen are at their wit’s end as the govt has failed to end the menace ON PAGE 3 Waiting for IIT report on Atal Setu: Cabral Restoration of heritage with expert help: Shirodkar contacting the Marine Police or Coast Guard to grant them powers to carry out raids,” said the minister, while stressing >> See pg 2  WEATHER >> Max: 31 C Min: 26 C Humidity: 85% TIDES Low: High: 6:46 13:55 19:34 ---- RG gets set to introduce POGO bill in assembly PANAJI: The Goa Legislative Assembly monsoon session will start from July 11, after the cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to summon the legislative assembly. Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the cabinet has given approval to seek the services of Amit Prabhakar Maydeo, gastroenterologist and endoscopy expert, to set up a department in GMC. “Also, post facto approval under advance medical facility has been given by the cabinet for funds of Rs 1.79 crore, which were used to purchase ventilators for Goa Medical College Hospital.” “Post facto approval was also given for expenses incurred to conduct the National Youth Parliament event in November 2021.” >Continued on P5 that LED fishing has to stop. Meanwhile, Halarnkar lamented that the director of fisheries is not available full House in funnel zone of Dabolim airport razed A JCB machine demolishing a house falling in the funnel zone of the airport at Dabolim on Wednesday.  Vikram Nayak THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO A house belonging to one Basappa Ningapur in the funnel zone area of Dabolim Airport was demolished by authorities after the owner failed to get a stay order against the High Court demolition order. According to information, while the High Court had ordered the demolition of 46 structures in the area, 45 residents had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court which granted interim relief to them. The High Court had ordered the demolition of 46 structures in the area, 45 residents had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court which granted interim relief to them The house of Ningapur was demolished on Wednesday morning with a demolition squad provided by the collector’s office. The demolition was carried out by the MPDA in the presence of a strong police force. Ningapur said he could not afford to file the SLP in the Supreme Court and hence he could not manage to get the stay order. Both Ningapur and his wife were not present when the demolition began and arrived when the demolition was halfway through. Ningapur said he had been working at the Dabolim Airport and his wife had recently started to work in a shop to make ends meet, adding that he had kept his two children at his native place. 3 GOA Assembly monsoon session from July 11 Hardik Patel resigns from Congress House on comunidade land razed down at Rumdamol RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 CONSIDERING MORE POWERS TO COAST GUARD, MARINE POLICE NEW DELHI: Indrani Mukerjea, one of the prime accused in the Sheena Bora murder case, was granted bail by the Supreme Court on Wednesday. The murder case has been full of twists and turns for almost a decade. AHMEDABAD: Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Wednesday resigned from the Congress, claiming that top leaders of the party were distracted by their mobile phones and Gujarat Congress leaders were more interested in arranging chicken sandwiches for them.  >> See pg 6 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday 2 Govt for more firepower to end fishing using LED It’s time to include fungi in global conservation goals IN SHORT >> Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday time with the department and has been given additional charge of the Goa Pollution Control Board. SC orders release of Perarivalan in Rajiv killing case PTI NEW DELHI Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release of A G Perarivalan, who is in jail for over 30 years after being convicted in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, invoking its extraordinary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to do “complete justice” in a pending case. Observing that the inexplicable delay in deciding remission is “inexcusable” as it contributes to adverse physical conditions and mental distress to the inmates, a bench headed by Justice L Nageswara Rao said the Tamil Nadu state Cabinet’s advice recommending the premature release of all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case was binding on the state Governor. Delivering its 29-page verdict that came three days ahead of Rajiv Gandhi’s 31st death anniversary, the apex court also rejected the Centre’s argument that the President exclusively had the power to grant pardon. SPORTS Boxer Nikhat Zareen storms into World Championship final 12 Govt to pump out water from mining pits if need be: CM THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Public Works Department and the Water Resources Department will take over and manage the pumping out of water from the mining pits if need be to avoid any mishaps during the monsoons, informed CM Pramod Sawant on Wednesday. Mining companies whose leases have expired have started removing their machinery from the mines as per state government’s order asking them to vacate the leases before June 6. “We have told them not to remove the pumps. We will requisite the pumps and related machinery from them. If they don’t agree, PWD and WRD will take over and manage,” said CM. Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court at Goa vacation bench on Wednesday declined to entertain a plea by a section of Goa’s mining com- panies who approached the court seeking relief from notices issued by the Mines Department to vacate the leases, instead posting the matter to be heard before the regular bench on June 6. When the matter came up for hearing, Advocate General Devidas Pangam told the High Court that no coercive action will be taken against the leaseholders until June 6, since as per the notices issued, the mining companies have time until June 6 to vacate the leases. Earlier this month, the Goa government issued notices to the leaseholders who hold possession of the 88 mining leases whose renewals were cancelled by the Supreme Court back in 2018 by June 6. 28% GST levy on BLACK TO THE CORE casinos: panel finalises report PTI NEW DELHI The panel of ministers tasked to review the GST levy on casinos, racecourses and online gaming has finalised its report, which will be taken up in the upcoming GST Council meeting. The Group of Ministers, chaired by Meghalaya chief minister Conrad Sangma, had in its previous meeting earlier this month unanimously decided on hiking the tax rate on these services to 28 per cent. The GoM met again on Wednesday and finalised the method of valuing these services for the purpose of levying this tax. “The GoM on casinos, race courses & online gaming has come to a consensus. The report of our submissions will be handed over to Hon’ble FM, Smti. @nsitharaman Ji in a day or two & the matter will be presented in the next @GST_Council Meeting,” Sangma tweeted. At present, services of casinos, horse racing and online gaming attract 18 per cent GST. The government had in May last year set up a panel of state ministers for better valuation of services of casinos, online gaming portal and racecourses for levying Goods and Services Tax.   >> See Report on pg 9 The substance in the hands of this kid is sand mixed with tar found on the Miramar beach in Panaji. The churning of the sea due to the rough pre-monsoon weather has thrown up tarballs on the State’s coastline in the last three days. (See more photos on pg 2) Narayan Pissurlenkar 18 senior-scale officers transferred THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government on Wednesday transferred around 18 senior-scale officers of the Goa Civil Service to various senior positions in the bureaucracy. Shripad Arlekar has been appointed as Director (Administration), Directorate of Health Services, while Dr Geeta Nagvenkar is now Director (Administration) at Public Works Department. She will also hold the earlier charge as Deputy Director (Admin) PWD and Administrator of Communidade, Central Zone. Sangeeta Naik will be Member Secretary of Goa State Commission for Women, while Shailesh Zingade has been appointed as Director of Education and Pravin Volvotkar is Director of Information and Technology. Tushar Halarnkar has been posted as joint Secretary (Home) and also will hold additional charge as Deputy Di- rector of Directorate of Higher Education. Clen Madeira has been posted as Secretary Goa Rehabilitation Board and he will also hold charge as Chief Officer of Bicholim Municipal Council and Additional Director of Urban Development. Rohit Kadam has been transferred as chief officer of Margao Municipal Council, while Neha Naik Panvelkar has been transferred as >Continued on P5 Now, IMD issues yellow alert If parents renounce citizenship, unborn child at time of renunciation entitled to it, rules court for next three days in Goa THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The India Meteorological Department has issued a yellow alert in Goa for the next three days. With the increase in moisture inflow, the increase in rainfall activity is very likely over Goa on May 19 and 20. Heavy rainfall (64.5 – 115.5 mm of rainfall in 24 hours) is very likely at a few places over the North and South Goa districts on May 19 and at isolated places on May 20. Winds of speed 0-40 kmph are also very likely. “Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning is very likely at isolated places over North Goa and South Goa districts on May 19. Fishermen are advised not to venture along and off Kerala-Karnataka coasts and south Maharashtra-Goa coast on May 19 and 20, IMD warned. Meanwhile, heavy rains continued to lash several parts of Kerala, on Wednesday afternoon and the IMD issued a red alert in four districts of the state for the day, indicating extremely heavy rainfall. The Red alert was issued in the northern Kerala districts of Kozhikode, Wayanad, Kannur and Kasaragod. In the morning, IMD issued an Orange alert for 7 districts, including the four as well as Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram. The Orange alert in Thrissur, Palakkad and Malappuram continues to be in effect. An Orange alert was also issued by IMD in Kannur and Kasaragod for Thursday. Various weather forecasting centres in the country have predicted isolated heavy rains across the state today. The Kerala State Disaster Management Authority has predicted widespread rain in the state PTI CHENNAI ven though the parents renounce their Indian citizenship and opt for citizenship elsewhere, their unborn child at the time of renunciation is entitled to claim Indian citizenship, the Madras High Court has ruled. Justice Anita Sumanth gave the ruling while allowing a writ petition from Pranav Srinivasan, now 22 years old, seeking Indian citizenship. He sought to quash an order dated April 30, 2019, of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which rejected his plea. The parents of the petitioner, though originally Indian citizens, renounced their citizenship and obtained citizen- E INDIA CALLS „„The court gave the ruling while allowing a writ petition from Pranav Srinivasan, now 22 years old, seeking Indian citizenship „„He sought to quash an order dated April 30, 2019, of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, which rejected his plea „„The parents of the petitioner, though originally Indian citizens, renounced their citizenship and obtained citizenship of Singapore in December, 1998 „„The petitioner was a seven and a half month foetus at that time. He was born on March 1, 1999 in Singapore and acquired its citizenship by virtue of his birth there ship of Singapore in December, 1998. The petitioner was a seven and a half month foetus at that time. He was born on March 1, 1999 in Singapore and acquired its citizenship by virtue of his birth there. He became major on March 1, 2017. He made a declaration before the Indian Consulate at Singapore on May 5, 2017, seeking resumption of his Indian citizenship. The application was in Form XXV in terms of Rule 24(1) of the Citizenship Rules 2009, entitled ‘Decla- ration of Intention to Resume Indian Citizenship under Section 8(2) of the Citizen’s Act made by a person who ceased to be an Indian citizen on the loss of Indian citizenship by his parents in accordance with the provisions of Section 8(1) of the Citizen’s Act. The petitioner claimed he ceased to be an Indian citizen by virtue of Sub Section (1) of Section 8 of the Act, on April 20, 2012, by reason of the fact that his parents became citizens of Singapore on December 19, 1998 on which date, he was en ventre sa mere, or in the womb of his mother. Since the petitioner ceased to be an Indian citizen, he sought renunciation of the same in terms of Section 8(2) as both his parents and grandparents were citizens of India by birth, his grandparents continue to be citizens as on date and he was an Indian citizen at the time when his parents renounced their Indian citizenship, the petitioner said. Allowing the petition, the judge said that a foetus or embryo, particularly one who was seven and a half months on the critical date, that is December 19, 1998, certainly has acquired the status of a child. With this status, he acquires citizenship of his parents, i.e, Indian citizenship and one that they renounced on the aforesaid date. Thus the protection/entitlement available under Section 8(2) for resumption of citizenship cannot be denied to him, the judge said.