log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday THURSDAY JULY 7, 2022 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 14 pages PRICE ` 6 The Goan (Playstore) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 20 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 2 14 3 COURTS SHUT DOORS, P’YAT POLLS ON AUG 10 Current Covid vaccines could soon be updated to target new variants GOA GOA MMC directed to comply with fire safety measures at Sonsodo 6 Despite heavy rainfall, taps run dry in parts of Mapusa Monsoon is not good enough reason for postponement: SC THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI It’s final. The panchayat elections in Goa will be held on August 10 as notified by the State Election Commission (SEC) after the Supreme Court of India on Wednesday refused to entertain a Special Leave Petition filed by the State government seeking that the 45-day deadline be extended to permit conduct of the polls after the monsoon. The window for ensuring reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) the category left out in the SEC’s notification allocating quotas, is however slightly open, with the State government asking the authority to relook at the reservations after the State OBC Corporation submitted its report on population data IN SHORT >> LPG price hiked by `50/cylinder NEW DELHI: Cooking gas LPG price on Wednesday was hiked by Rs 50 per cylinder, the third increase in rates since May on firming international energy prices. Non-subsidised LPG now costs Rs 1,053 per 14.2-kg cylinder in the national capital, up from Rs 1,003 previously, according to a price notification of state-owned fuel retailers. Cabinet nod to Tertiary Cancer Care Center PANAJI: State Cabinet on Wednesday gave ExPost Facto approval for construction work of Rs 247 crore worth Tertiary Cancer Care Center at Goa Medical College & Hospital. The work has been awarded to HSCC (India) Limited a Govt of India enterprise under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. Cabinet also approved amendment to IT Policy 2018 and Goa Start-Up policy 2021. Resolution moved in support of Dhirio PANAJI: AAP MLA from Benaulim, Venzy Viegas on Wednesday moved a private member bill in favour of bull fights (Dhirio). “I have moved a Private Member Bill towards “Dhirio Sport” to preserve this heritage old cultural Sport in Goa,” said Viegas. Dhirios were banned by the high court in the 1997 for violation of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960. Viegas has sought amendment in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act 1960. Vasco rail stn to get advance video surveillance system BELAGAVI: Vasco railway station will be among 17 railway stations under SWR and 756 railway stations across the nation to get the Video Surveillance System with advanced technology under Phase 1. The project is expected to be completed by January 2023.  >> See pg 3 WEATHER >> Max: 27 C Min: 25C Humidity: 89% TIDES Low: High: 09:35 23:11 04:20 16:12 KEY OBSERVATION In the interest of justice, we deem it appropriate to observe that in case of any difficulty, it would be open for the State Election Commission to approach the high court for necessary directions. Subject to the observations foregoing, these Special Leave Petitions stand dismissed. Pending applications also stand disposed of on Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the vacation bench of the Supreme Court declined to entertain the Goa government’s plea saying monsoons wasn’t a good enough reason to justify postponement of the polls. The Bench of Justices Dinesh Maheshwari and Krishna Murari said they were “not inclined” to interfere with the Bombay High Court order or the election process but left the option open for the SEC to approach the High Court in case of any difficulty. “In the interest of justice, we deem it appropriate to observe that in case of any difficulty, it would be open for the State Election Commission to approach the high court for necessary directions. Subject to the observations foregoing, these Special Leave Petitions Does size matter for SIT probe? stand dismissed. Pending applications also stand disposed of,” the online legal news portal Bar & Bench quoted the order. The State government was represented by Senior Counsel Neeraj Kishan Kaul, who sought to impress the Court that although the monsoon is not a calamity, it can lead to flash floods and such other. “Who will give the machinery for relief work amidst polls?” he asked but the argument did not impress the bench. Earlier, the Bombay High Court had on June 28 passed a judgement directing the SEC and the State government to ensure that the elections to 186 panchayats in the State are held within 45 days. Corrigendum to pave way for OBC quota? PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday hinted that the State Election Commission (SEC) could possibly issue a fresh notification in the form of a ‘corrigendum’ to provide for reservations to Other Backward Classes (OBCs). “A report containing the necessary data as per the requirements of the ‘triple test’ benchmark of the Supreme Court has been submitted to the SEC today by the Goa State OBC Corporation. The SEC can issue a corrigendum and ensure reservations for OBCs,” Sawant said. Reacting to the Supreme Court declining to entertain the State’s plea to postpone the August 10 panchayat elections, Sawant said the exercise will be held on the >Continued on P5 Over 3K students register for GCET >Continued on P5 SPORTS Shikhar Dhawan named captain of India’s ODI squad for Windies tour High Court rejects plea to include OBC reservation THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa on Wednesday rejected a petition challenging the notification of the State Election Commission to notify the reservations for elections to the 186 panchayats without any reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The High Court in its judgement pointed out that the Supreme Court has already rejected pleas to postpone elections on the basis that the ‘triple test’ for OBC reservations was yet to be completed and also pointed out that the government hasn’t moved to complete the triple test for OBC representation despite the test being made mandatory since 2010 as well as pointing out that if political parties are so concerned about OBC reservations, they can in any WHAT THE COURT BENCH SAYS „„The Supreme Court had not approved the action of postponing the elections to collect the empirical data or to comply with the triple test „„The SC held that the constitutional mandate could not be disregarded for such a reason „„The Constitution Bench further held that before any policy of reservation for OBCs to the local bodies can be implemented, the authorities must ensure compliance with the triple test case sponsor candidates from the OBC background in the general category seats. The High Court also pointed out that in the previous two petitions -- petitions challenging the delay as well as the State government’s request for extension of time -- there “was no whisper about the issue of collection of data for reservations to the OBCs”. The petitioners approached the High Court arguing that MARGAO Is the Special Investigating Team (SIT), probing into the fraudulent land deals, has a brief from the government, not to take up fraud cases for investigations where the size of the property in question is less than 3,000 square metre? This question has been raised by a Goan, residing in the United Kingdom as his plea to the SIT to take up for investigation the alleged fraud in his two properties, admeasuring 300 sq metres and 260 sq metres, has been turned down by the SIT. After having lodged his complaint with the Fatorda police in May last, hopes of uncovering the land fraud brightened for the complainant when the government constituted the SIT to probe into land deals. But, with the SIT insisting that they are only probing into frauds in respect of big properties, he seems to have run out of ideas to get relief. “I had visited the SIT office and showed my complaints lodged with the Fatorda police, but they told me since the property in question is small, they cannot investigate since AGENCIES THE GOAN I NETWORK I had visited the SIT office and showed my complaints lodged with the Fatorda police, but they told me since the property in question is small, they cannot investigate since they are looking into frauds in big properties,” ­­— UK Goan they are looking into frauds in big properties,” he said. “Where should I go with my complaint of land fraud,” the PIO demanded to know, while disclosing plans to knock the doors of the Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant. The PIO had come down to Goa in search of the plot purchased by his father at Fatorda. To his shock and surprise, he found a bungalow standing on the plot which was once owned by his late father. Upon inquiries with the bungalow owner, he realised that the present owners have purchased the plot from the seller, who had purchased the property from another seller. >Continued on P5 Boris clings on despite clamour for his resignation JET-PATCHER PLEA TO PROBE FRAUD ON TWO SMALL PLOTS TURNED DOWN THE GOAN I NETWORK they should not be made to suffer on account of the failure of the government to complete the reservation process in time as per the triple test mandated by the Supreme Court. “Despite the requests, the State Government did not provide the data about the OBCs in compliance with the directions of the Supreme PANAJI Over 3,000 students have registered themselves for the Goa Common Entrance Test (GCET) scheduled to be held on July 11 and 12. GCET is mandatory for Class XII science stream students hoping to pursue Bachelor of Engineering (BE) and Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degree courses. The 3,052 students registered for GCET this year is marginally higher than the 2,900-odd students who took the test last year. Meanwhile, students will be given the option of selecting their exam centre. The physics paper of GCET will be held on July 11 from 10 am to 12 noon, followed by the chemistry paper on the same day from 2 pm to 4 pm. Only July 12, the mathematics paper will be conducted from 10 am to 12 noon. The Directorate of Technical Education had said that the last date for submission of forms online for GCET will be June 10 The test had been deferred to the new dates so as to not clash with the IIT Joint Entrance Exam. A live demonstration of a jet-patcher machine being held on how to patch up potholes at Taleigao circle on Wednesday.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Here comes a quick fix for potholes THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Facing intense criticism over the shoddy road works, including roads re-done a couple of months ago being washed away in the first rains this monsoon, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral on Wednesday launched the jet-patcher machines to repair potholes in the monsoon. The two jet-patchers - one for each district - were commissioned by Cabral in the presence of Taleigao MLA, Jennifer Monserrate, after en- gineers and personnel of the PWD underwent training to use them. The jet-patchers will be used to support the app the PWD is to launch, which will help the public to identify and report potholes and damaged roads. Cabral said the machines are currently being commissioned on a trial basis and the app will be made public only after the experience and based on these trials. “Currently, it will be used to mend potholes identified by our engineers and designated staff,” Cabral said. The Pramod Sawant-led cabinet had recently approved the proposal of taking on board two private agencies which had jet-patchers to help the PWD attend to rain-battered and potholes ridden roads in the State. According to Cabral, these jet-patcher repaired roads have a guarantee of 18-months. The jet-patcher machine can suck water from potholes and repair them. It however has limitations to function amid very heavy rainfall. LONDON A group of Boris Johnson’s senior ministers were set to tell him to resign as British prime minister on Wednesday, media reports said, after he insisted he would not quit in the face of a mounting rebellion in his party. With a BBC report that a group of his most senior ministers were poised to tell Johnson to quit and government resignations rising to more than 30, some questioned the wisdom of Johnson trying to ride out the storm, wondering out loud whether there was anyone left to fill the sudden influx of vacancies. Despite being all but fatally wounded, Johnson said he had a mandate from the 2019 election to press on. “I am not going to step down and the last thing this country needs, frankly, is an election,” he told a parliamentary committee. The response was brutal. At parliamentary questions some of his Conservative Party struggled not to laugh when others poked fun at the prime minister. He later took a pummelling from the so-called liaison committee, where senior politicians grilled him over his past behaviour, his motivation and some of the scandals that have come to define much of his tenure. Govt reduces gap for Covid Sunburn to get Goan flavour, booster dose to 6 months govt gives in-principle nod AGENCIES NEW DELHI The Union Health Ministry on Wednesday reduced the gap for taking a Covid-19 precaution shot or a booster shot after the primary two doses to six months from an earlier nine months. NEW STRAIN WORRIES In a letter to all states, Union Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said in view of ‘evolving scientific evidence and global practices’ the Standing Technical SubCommittee (STSC) of the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation Goa records 148 new cases PANAJI: Goa saw marginal rise in Covid cases count on Wednesday. With 148 new covid cases from 1,249 samples tested, the State recorded positivity rate of 11.85 %. With 182 recoveries, active caseload of the State stands at 848. (NTAGI) has recommended to reduce the gap between second dose and precaution dose to 6 months or 26-weeks from an earlier 9 months or 39 weeks. The NTAGI too has endorsed the same. “Therefore, it has been de- cided that the precaution dose for all beneficiaries from 18-59 years will be administered after completion of six months, or 26 weeks from the date of administration of the second dose at a private vaccination centre,” the letter said. The government is administering precaution doses for free for those above 60 years, healthcare and frontline workers. Corresponding changes have been made in the CoWIN system to facilitate the new dispensation. In mid-June, the standing technical sub-committee members agreed to reduce the gap between the second and the third doses of Covid-19 vaccine. Now, the NTAGI has recommended the same. THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA he State government granted in-principle permission to organise the Sunburn music festival besides approving some other international events in the State. Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday informed that the Goa Tourism Board has principally okayed holding of Sunburn but with a touch of Goan culture. “I had clearly said that we don’t want only electronic dance music (EDM) but that we need to showcase the Goan culture at such international events. If they T want, they can extend their festival from three to four days but the Goan team needs to perform on the stage,” Khaunte said. The Tourism Minister was addressing the media after holding the first meeting of the Goa Tourism Board (GTB) in the new government. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who is also the Chairman of GTB chaired the meeting which included the representatives of CII, TTAG, WTCCI, etc. Continuing, Khaunte said Goans who are able to show- case their talent whether they are DJs, bands, individual talents like Bondo need to be given a platform to perform at these festivals. “The Sunburn team who gave a presentation of their event have understood and accepted our overall concept,” he said. He said, besides Sunburn, eco festival, RFC India International Water Sport Challenge and Ironman 70.3 Goa were some other international events that were also given a go-ahead by the board. The Tourism Minister informed that the meeting was very encouraging with all the participants showing positive intent.