log on to thegoan.net FRIDAY MAY 20, 2022 @thegoaneveryday 12 pages PRICE ` 6 Why bees are important to human life & health 8 IN SHORT >> Std 12 results to be declared on May 21 PANAJI: The results of 12th standard exams conducted by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHE) will be declared on May 21, a senior functionary said on Thursday.  >> See pg 3 Fake currency racket: Four more arrested PANAJI: Two prime accused in the fake currency case, wherein 4 Goans were arrested near Karwar on May 7, have been arrested from Margao along with 2 of their family members who helped them in the crime. Cooking gas price hiked by ` 3.50 NEW DELHI: Cooking gas LPG prices on Thursday rose for the second time this month by Rs 3.50, taking prices across the country over the Rs 1,000-mark. Gas prices were hiked by Rs 50 earlier on May 7. Banastarim bridge to be closed for 2 hrs PANAJI: Banastarim Bridge will be closed for all vehicular traffic on May 22 from 6.30 am to 8.30 am for the purpose of inspections and recording of deck levels. Sensex tumbles, rupee at new low NEW DELHI: Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and the Nifty extended their fall for the second straight session tanking 1,416 points and 431 points respectively even as the the rupee closed at a new all-time low of 77.73 against the dollar, the fifth record weak close in the last ten trading sessions. Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VII, NO. 332 GOA Villagers want waste management project at Verna industrial estate scrapped Zareen is world boxing champ NEW DELHI: Indian boxer Nikhat Zareen clinched gold with a facile 5-0 win over Thailand’s Jutamas in the final of the Women’s World Championship.   >> See pg 12 WEATHER >> Max: 31.2 C Min: 26.1 C Humidity: 90% TIDES Low: High: 07:25 20:27 00:34 14:45 2 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 GOA Minister Phaldesai’s brother heading GSCB Ltd in the dock SAYS OBC PANEL WILL HAVE TO PREPARE REPORT ON WARD QUOTA THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Even as a debate is raging over the date of panchayat elections in the State, Attorney General Devidas Pangam has said the data pertaining to OBC reservations that is available with the State Election Commission is not according to Supreme Court guidelines. He said the OBC Commission which is already constituted, will have to prepare a detailed report about the wards to be reserved for OBCs and send it to the CEO of Goa government. “The onus of deciding how to analyse the reservations of OBCs and how to implement it will lie with the State Election Commission”, Pangam said. He further disclosed that a file was moved to his office PANCHAYAT POLLS: THE ROAD AHEAD „„OBC Commission will have to prepare detailed report on wards to be reserved for OBCs „„Commission will have to send it to CEO of government „„Onus of deciding how to analyse reservations of OBCs and how to implement it will lie with SEC „„Presently, OBC data not according to directions of Supreme Court „„SC’s triple test also mandates that reserved wards should not exceed 50% of total seats „„OBC reservation is up to State laws... State has to decide on this „„SEC and govt have to decide on date for polls in consultation with each other by SEC asking whether the data was according to requirements of Supreme Court. “After looking at that data, it was clear that it is not according to the directions of the Supreme Court. The data has to be created by the OBC Commission and then sent to SEC... I have already sent my opinion to the government that this data is not according SEC will decide on poll date: CM PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday took a cautious stand on the panchayat elections saying the date will be finalised by the State Election Commission. >> See pg 3 OBC COMMUNITY SHOULD GET 27% RESERVATION: LOBO >> See pg 3 to the triple test requirement of SC”, he said. “To conform to the triple test as mandated by the apex court, the OBC commission, will have to prepare PORVORIM t an age when most children are yet to decide on their careers, 14-year-old Gajesh Naik from Porvorim is already receiving global acclaim for his achievements in the IT field. Consider his achievements: He is youngest certified Blockchain Expert by Blockchain Council, has own YouTube channel with 17000 subscribers and reports directly to the CEO of a public blockchain platform. Gajesh recently participated in the Blockchain conclave at Nassau, Bahamas and on his return to Goa, was felicitated by Tourism Minister and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte, who described Gajesh as an inspiration for other youth. A a detailed report about the wards to be reserved for OBC in the panchayat elections”, Pangam said. The triple test also mandates that the reserved wards should not exceed 50 per cent of the total seats. “SEC will also have to consider this factor while deciding on the final reservation of wards”, he added. However, the AG made it clear that regarding these three requisitions, the information is not available as per the order of the Supreme Court. This information has to be prepared in the first place, and it has to be prepared by the OBC Commission. Pointing out that the panchayat election issue is revolving round the >Continued on P5 SPORTS IPL: Kohli’s 73 keeps RCB alive in playoffs race 12 Kannada Sangh not to form panel for panchayat elections THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO The Akhil Goa Kannada Maha Sangh (AGKMS) on Thursday stated that it would not form a panel to contest the upcoming panchayat elections. In a press release, AGKMS President Siddhana Meti stated that an unwarranted controversy had been stoked with his misquoted statement that Kannadigas would contest the panchayat elections under the panel of ‘Goan Kannadiga.’ “The misquoted statement has been widely deliberated and discussed across sections of mainline media and social media. I wish to clarify that my statement was misunderstood and misquoted. We are not forming any panel or banner to contest the panchayat elections,” said Meti. “The panchayat election will not be fought under any panel or banner, either Kannadiga or any other affiliated organisations. We would The panchayat election will not be fought under any panel or banner, either Kannadiga or any other affiliated organisations. We would contest election purely as ‘We Goan’ —Siddhana Meti contest election purely as ‘We Goan’.” “Some sections of people are deliberately targeting our community with derogatory remarks and humiliating words on social media and that has hurt the sentiments of many people in general. We thank the media for its support by avoiding coverage of such derogatory words and remarks which have been attributing to particular a community,” said Meti. Power crisis in Vasco, Apex court sentences 18-yr-old murdered at Velsao contractor damages Sidhu to one year beach; love affair suspected underground cables in jail for road rage THE GOAN I NETWORK PTI Workers trying to find the fault after underground power cables were damaged by a gas laying pipeline contractor.  Vikram Nayak THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO An Indian Oil Adani Gas pipeline contractor damaged underground power cables during excavation work near the Chase Building in the wee hours of Thursday, leaving several parts of Vasco without power for over 21 hours. Chaos prevailed at around 5 am as people rushed to the site while staff from the electricity department worked feverishly to trace the damaged cable. Sources told The Goan that the contractor damaged underground power cables during excavation work at around 12.30 am on Thursday, immediately disrupting power sup- ply to Sada, Bogda, Baina and Mangor. The electricity department rushed to the spot and stopped the work of the contractor. Assistant Engineer Sanjeev Mhalshekar also filed a police complaint against the contractor and directed the police to issue directions to the contractor to immediately stop all work. A large number of people from the affected areas also marched to the site and there were chaotic moments at around 5 am, even as the Electricity Department struggled to find the fault till late Thursday evening. While Mhalshekar had >Continued on P5 NEW DELHI Observing that consequences of loss of temper must be borne, the Supreme Court on Thursday enhanced the sentence of Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu to one-year rigorous imprisonment in a 1988 road rage incident in which a 65-year-old man had died. Sidhu, 58, took to Twitter to say he “will submit to the majesty of law” as the cricketer-turned-politician rode an elephant in Patiala earlier in the day to register a symbolic protest against rising prices of essential commodities. According to Additional Solicitor General of India Satyapal Jain, Sidhu is left with no other option but to surrender before police. If Sidhu does not surrender, police will have to arrest him, officials said. He will then be put in Patiala jail, they said. The apex court said in the given circumstances, tempers may have been lost but then the consequences of the loss of temper must be borne, adding any undue sympathy to impose an inadequate sentence would do more harm to the justice system and undermine the public confidence in the efficacy of law. THE CASE THAT WAS „„Sidhu & Sandhu were in a Gypsy parked in the middle of a road in Patiala on December 27, 1988 „„The victim and two others were on their way to a bank to withdraw money „„Gurnam, driving a Maruti car, asked Sidhu and Sandhu to remove their car „„This led to heated exchanges and Gurnam was beaten up and later died in hospital The court, which gave its verdict while allowing the review plea filed by the family of the victim on the issue of sentence, said the principle of just punishment is the bedrock of sentencing in respect of a criminal offence. Though the apex court had in May 2018 held Sidhu guilty of offence of “voluntarily causing hurt” to Gurnam Singh, who was declared dead in a hospital, it spared him a jail term and imposed a fine of Rs 1,000. At 14, Porvorim lad makes IT big at global stage THE GOAN I NETWORK 3 SEC data on OBC reservation not as per SC guidelines: AG GST council’s advice not binding: SC NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Thursday ruled that the Goods and Service Tax Council’s recommendations are not binding on Union and State but have a persuasive value as the country has a cooperative federal structure. The Goan (Playstore) GAJESH NAIK ON CLOUD NINE „„Youngest certified Blockchain Expert by Blockchain Council „„Participated in “Hacker House” with contestants from MIT, Stanford, Caltech „„Joined Solana Labs as their first intern and reports directly to CEO of the blockchain platform „„His YouTube channel “It is a very proud moment for Porvorkars because Gajesh Naik, a student from Porvorim, has achieved a lot in the IT sector and has carved a niche for himself,” said Khaunte. “Gajesh has done wonders and has set an example for other youngsters to emulate has 17,000 subscribers „„Has launched his own him. Students of Goa have the potential to achieve great heights in the IT sector and what is needed is encouragement and a platform to showcase their talents,” Khaunte added. Gajesh (14), who will be beginning his Std 9 at People’s High School in Panaji, has industry-linked enterprise products of Blockchain „„Twitter follower base expanded from 31,000 to 34,800 in just five days „„Participated in panel discussion on “Building on Solana attended by former US president Bill Clinton and former UK prime minister Tony Blair already completed several courses from globally recognised universities. He has launched his own industry linked enterprise products of Blockchain. He is youngest certified Blockchain Expert by Blockchain Council and has own YouTube channel with 17,000 subscribers. While in Nassau for the Blockchain conclave, Gajesh’s Twitter follower base expanded from 31,000 to 34,800 in just five days. Gajesh participated in the “Hacker House” together with contestants from MIT, Stanford, Caltech and other world’s top engineering institutions. He also participated in the panel discussion on the topic “Building on Solana” at the Blockchain conference, which was also attended by former US president Bill Clinton and former UK prime minister Tony Blair. Gajesh joined Solana Labs as their first intern. He will be reporting directly to Anatoly Yakovenko, CEO of Solana Labs, which claims to be the fastest and most scalable public blockchain platform with smart contract functionality. VASCO Verna police on Thursday arrested a youth from New Vaddem on charges of murdering an 18-year-old-girl Diya Naik, also from New Vaddem, in a secluded location at Dando beach in Velsao on Wednesday. The police suspect a love affair to be the motive of the murder. Police sources informed that the accused, Kishan Kal- angutkar (26), had taken Diya Naik to an isolated place at Dando beach in Velsao and allegedly murdered her with a sharp object, before dumping the body around 50 metres in the thick bushes along the beach. “The murder could have occurred on Wednesday afternoon. Police received a call on Thursday stating that a body was found in Velsao and a police team led by Mormugao DySP Nilesh Rane rushed to the site,” said the source. The police found the deceased with injuries on the neck and other parts of the body with a sharp object. The police began investigation and identified the deceased as Diya Naik, a resident of New Vaddem who had recently answered her HSSC exams. The mother of the deceased told police that her daughter and the accused were involved in an affair for some >Continued on P5