log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday MONDAY JUNE 20, 2022 GOA 14 pages PRICE ` 6 Margao councillors raise eyebrows over CO’s meet with citizens today IN SHORT >> Decrease in Covid cases, 78 test +ve PANAJI: Covid cases in the State saw a marginal dip compared to yesterday with 78 new cases testing positive from 815 samples tested in the last 24 hours. Positivity rate now stands at 9.57 % while the active Covid count of the state is 740. Fire breaks out in Mapusa shoe godown MAPUSA: A godown of a shoe company caught fire late Sunday evening at Angod, Mapusa. The Mapusa fire station got a call at around 8.15 pm that smoke was emanating from the godown. According to the fire station personnel, short circuit is suspected to be the cause. Assam flood scene grim, 9 more dead GUWAHATI: The flood situation in Assam deteriorated on Sunday with nine more persons, including three children, losing their lives and over 42 lakh people suffering across 31 districts, an official bulletin said.  >> See pg 6 4 terrorists killed in 2 J&K encounters JAMMU: Four terrorists were killed in two separate encounters with security forces Sunday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara and Kulgam districts, the police said. While two terrorists were killed in Kupwara as many were eliminated in Kulgam, they said.  >> See pg 6 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 2 The Goan (Playstore) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO.3 GOA Mapusa civic body under scanner as pay parking contractor fleeces users 3 111 Afghan Hindus, Sikhs get e-visas NEW DELHI: India has given e-visas to 111 Sikhs and Hindus living in Afghanistan following a deadly terror attack on a gurudwara in Kabul, government sources said on Sunday. The electronic visas have been given “on priority” to these people, they said. Macron faces tough battle for control of Parl as France votes >> See pg 7  WEATHER >> Max: 30 C Min: 24 C Humidity: 90% TIDES Low: High: 08.56 22.23 02.59 16.05 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INDIA Congress takes first steps to revival, steep road ahead 6 Hundreds protest again over Bainguinim treatment plant CUMBARJUA MLA WARNS OF 20,000 PEOPLE HITTING THE STREETS THE GOAN I NETWORK OLD GOA Cumbarjua MLA Rajesh Faldessai led from the front as a large number of Old Goa locals marched in protest against the Bainguinim waste plant, on Sunday. The march started from DG Mart and wound up at the site of the plant, near Casa Amora building with the protestors shouting slogans against the setting up of the plant in a residential area. It may be recalled that two years back residents had taken out a similar march to protest against the plant. Speaking to reporters, Faldessai said that he will not allow the plant to come up at any cost as the site is a residential area surrounded by a mutt, schools, hospital, UNE- Faldessai: Will raise Old Goa ‘structure’ issue in Assembly Cumbarjua MLA Rajesh Faldessai leads the Old Goa residents in a march to protest against the proposed Bainguinim waste plant on Sunday.  Manuel Vaz FALDESSAI ASSERTS OPPOSITION TO PLANT, WITH OR WITHOUT OPPN LEADER LOBO >> See pg 3 SCO churches, etc. “I will be the first to sleep on the road if the need arises,” he stated. “The waste plant can be setup anywhere else but not here as close to 2000 flats are located here. Also temples, schools, hospital, churches OLD GOA: Stating that he has been following on the Old Goa structure issue, Cumbarjua MLA Rajesh Faldessai said that he will raise the issue in the forthcoming Assembly. “I will raise the issue in the forthcoming Assembly as what is illegal is illegal and has to be demolished,” Faldessai replied when questioned on his stance on the Old Goa structure. “A lawyer has been appointed and all documents have been submitted to prove that the structure is illegal,” he added. are located in the vicinity and this area is not suitable for setting up a waste treatment plant. It can be shifted elsewhere,” Faldessai stated. “My constituency consists of seven panchayats and we will try to setup garbage plants in all the panchayats to Child has right to get love of both parents: Supreme Court LEADING BY EXAMPLE PTI Pakistan frees 20 Indian fishermen KARACHI: Pakistan in a goodwill gesture on Sunday released 20 Indian fishermen who had been languishing in a jail here for the last five years for allegedly fishing illegally in the country’s waters. The twenty fishermen were lodged at Malir district jail in the Landhi area of Karachi. Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday Prime Minister Narendra Modi picks up litter while inspecting the newly opened ITPO tunnel built under Pragati Maidan Integrated Transit Corridor Project, in New Delhi on Sunday. 44% deficit rain in Goa, IMD predicts wet spell in few days THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI/MAPUSA In news that may not sound good to our ears, the State is presently witnessing a 44 per cent deficit in rainfall till date. The monsoon, which reached Goa 5 days late, is yet to pick pace with the State just getting intermittent showers. Official figures reveal that till date, the State has received 298.7 mm rainfall as against 533 mm being the normal during this period. The maximum rainfall re- corded for the month of June is 69.6 mm on June 12 while a total of 35.2 mm rain was recorded in the last 24 hours. The IMD has predicted heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places on Monday and Tuesday even as rainfall activity is expected to gradually increase in coming days. The IMD has also sounded an orange alert for June 21. The weather agency also said squally winds gusting to around 40kmph is likely to prevail along with the short intense spells of rain. Sea is expected to remain rough and fishermen are advised not to venture along and off South Maharashtra-Goa-Karnataka coasts. “With the possible strengthening of pressure gradient along the west coast and wind convergence, rainfall activity is very likely to increase in the coming days. There are indications as per the numerical weather prediction models of IMD that increased rainfall activity is likely to continue in the second half of the week,” the weather bulletin said. NEW DELHI The Supreme Court stepped into the shoes of children who find themselves in the middle of custody battles between estranged parents, saying a child is happiest when he or she can have both parents. The top court was hearing an appeal from Rajasthan where the Family Court had rejected the father’s plea for interim custody of his minor son in July 2021. The State High Court had dismissed the father’s appeal. In an order in which the Covid-19 pandemic features prominently, a Bench led by Justice Indira Banerjee said the lower courts’ orders could not be faulted. But the Supreme Court then went on to carve several occasions, like the son’s birthdays, weekends, summer vacations, during which the father could meet and spend time with him. “The child would perhaps be happiest if he could have both his parents. Unfortunately, the parents are unable to resolve their differences and stay together. Be that as it may, the child has a right to access both parents, and get the love and affection of both parents. Whatever be the differences between both the parents, the child cannot be denied the company of his father,” the top court explained. treat waste. We will not allow garbage from other parts to be treated here,” he added. “The government will have to listen to us otherwise 20,000 Cumbarjua constituents will hit the streets,” the >Continued on P5 NEW DELHI he Finance Ministry has asked government employees to opt for ‘cheapest fare available’ on their entitled travel class and book air tickets at least three weeks prior to their date of travel for tours and LTC, as it looks to cut down on unnecessary expenditure. The Ministry further said that employees should book only one ticket for each leg of intended travel, make bookings even if approval of the tour programme is under process and also avoid “unnecessary cancellations”. Government employees are currently required to purchase air tickets only from three au- T AUSTERITY MEASURES? „„Employees should book only one ticket for each leg of intended travel „„Make bookings even if approval of tour programme is under process and avoid “unnecessary cancellations” „„Booking made within less than 72 hours of travel or any cancellation made less than 24 hours before travel will require self-declared justification „„Employees are to choose flights having the Best Available Fare which is the Cheapest Fare available „„Tickets for a single tour should be done through one selected travel agent „„Employees told to book flight tickets at least 21 days prior to travel thorised travel agents -- Balmer Lawrie & Co, Ashok Travel & Tours and IRCTC. Any booking made within less than 72 hours of intended travel on tour or any cancella- tion made less than 24 hours before intended travel will require the submission of self-declared justification by the employee, as per the modified instructions regarding booking of air tickets on the government account. “Employees are to choose flights having the Best Available Fare on their entitled travel class which is the Cheapest Fare available, preferably for non-stop flight in a given slot at the time of booking,” said the office memorandum of the Department of Expenditure. Tickets for all employees for a single tour should be done through one selected travel agent only and no charges/ fees should be paid to these booking agents, as per the instruction. “Employees are encouraged to book flight tickets at least 21 days prior to the intended travel on tour and LTC, to avail the most competitive fares and minimise burden on the exchequer,” it said. The modified instruction also nudged employees to make ticket booking digitally through the self-booking tool/ online booking website/portal Six captains in eight months wasn’t planned, says Dravid 14 Close shave for 185 passengers as plane catches fire mid-air PTI NEW DELHI It was a close shave for 185 passengers on board a Delhi-bound aircraft of SpiceJet airlines on Sunday as the plane caught fire soon after taking off from the airport here and made an emergency landing minutes later, officials said. This is the second time in over a month that a SpiceJet aircraft turned back within minutes of take-off. In Sunday’s incident, the SpiceJet aircraft took off from Patna airport shortly after noon and local administration began receiving calls soon afterwards that it has caught fire, District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said. “Many people, mostly residents of the nearby Phulwari Sharif locality, began making frantic calls upon watching flames from the plane. Thankfully, all 185 occupants are safe,” Singh told reporters. Many people, mostly residents of the nearby Phulwari Sharif locality, began making frantic calls upon watching flames from the plane. Thankfully, all 185 occupants are safe — District Magistrate Director of Patna’s JN International Airport, Anchal Prakash, said arrangements were made for the affected passengers’’ fort their travel. SpiceJet said in a statement, on take-off, during rotation, cockpit crew suspected bird hit on engine 01. As a precautionary measure…the captain shut down the affected engine and decided to return to Patna.” “The aircraft landed in Patna and passengers de-boarded safely. Post flight inspection showed bird hit, with three fan blades damaged,” the airlines said. No rollback of Agnipath; tough rule for recruits  THOSE INVOLVED IN PROTESTS, ARSON BANNED FROM JOINING  3 SERVICES LAUNCH BROAD SCHEDULE PTI NEW DELHI Ruling out the rollback of the ‘Agnipath’ recruitment scheme despite widespread protests, the three services of the military on Sunday came out with a broad schedule of enrolment under the new policy and asserted that it was aimed at bringing down the age profile of the armed forces. Lt Gen Anil Puri, the additional secretary in the Department of Military Affairs, told a press conference that the supportive measures announced in the last few days for the Agniveers were not because of the protests and arson, and the government was already working on them. He said the youths who were involved in arson and violence while protesting the scheme will not be able to join the three services as a police verification process will be carried out before enrolling anyone. “There is no space for indiscipline. There is no space for arson and violence. All those who want to become a part of the armed forces under the Agnipath scheme will have to give a certificate that they were not part of any arson,” he said. Availing LTC? Opt for cheapest fare, Centre tells babus AGENCIES SPORTS of the three authorised agents. “Employees should preferably book only one ticket for each leg of intended travel. Holding of more than one ticket is not allowed. However, in case of special exigencies or exceptional circumstances, a maximum of two tickets for the alternative flights for different time-slot may be booked,” the instruction read. In unavoidable circumstances where the booking of ticket is done from an unauthorised travel agent/website, the relaxation has to be granted only by an officer of the rank of Joint Secretary or above. The Expenditure dept also asked all ministries and departments to clear their dues to the travel agents within 30 days of completion of journey. Centre bans 35 WhatsApp groups for spreading fake Agnipath news NEW DELHI: In a crackdown against ‘social media culprits’, thirty-five WhatsApp groups have been banned by the government for ‘spreading misinformation’ about the Agnipath recruitment scheme. Ten people have also been arrested for disseminating ‘fake news’ and organising protests, sources said. Bihar officials are also investigating the roles of operators of coaching centres, and seven of them are on the radar of the district administration in Patna. To a question on whether the government was reviewing or rolling back the scheme because of the protests, Lt Gen Puri said, “No, why should there be a rollback?”. The tri-services media brief- ing at the Defence Ministry took place hours after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a meeting with the chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force on Sunday for the second straight day.