log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday TUESDAY AUGUST 2, 2022 GOA Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 14 pages PRICE ` 8 P’yat polls: Kin of Salcete political bigwigs to try their luck 2 The Goan (Playstore) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 46 3 GOA Mega rangoli of Lord Damodar, Saptah is major attraction in Vasco Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Ageing is not the only cause for arthritis of the joint 9 SPORTS Commonwealth Games: Judoka Shushila Devi wins silver in 48kg 14 Govt scraps Greater Panaji PDA; `10,000 fine, 6 months jail for drunken driving Arpora, Nagoa, Parra moved out NORTH GOA TO HAVE JUST ONE PLANNING AUTHORITY THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Less than five years after carving it out, the Town and Country Planning Board has decided to scrap the Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority (GPPDA) which had jurisdiction over fast urbanising areas circumventing the capital city such as Taleigao, Kadamba plateau and Bambolim. “From today, from the date of notification, the Greater Panaji Planning and Development Authority will cease to exist,” Rane said, adding that North Goa will now have only one authority -- North Goa Planning and Development Authority -which is headed by Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate as chairperson. Rane also said that Arpora, IN SHORT >> Covid claims two more lives in Goa PANAJI: The deadly Covid virus raised its ugly head again snatching two lives in the State. Also, 85 people tested positive from the 768 samples that were tested in the last 24 hours registering a positivity rate of 11 per cent. With 80 recoveries, the active Covid count stands at 729. IMD predicts heavy rain from Aug 4 PANAJI: IMD has issued a yellow alert for Goa predicting heavy rainfall at isolated places over North and South districts from August 4. The department has particularly issued yellow alert for August 4 and 5. Fishermen have also been advised not to venture out into the sea. Raut sent to ED custody till Aug 4 MUMBAI: A special court in Mumbai on Monday remanded Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut to the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) till August 4 in a money laundering case. The ED had sought his remand for 8 days. WEATHER >> Max: 31 C Min: 25C Humidity: 91% TIDES Low: High: 06.41 01.22 19.20 ---- 1,200 deals under Section 16B still on, rest junked, says Rane PANAJI: Over 1,200 proposals which had been accorded ‘provisional approvals’ for change of land-use zone under the controversial Section 16B of TCP Act, will continue to be valid but the balance 6,000 will be junked and not considered, TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane said. Rane said, only 1,222 proposals already granted provisional approvals by the TCP Board will survive subject to final orders of High Court in the matter that is sub-judice. The controversial Section 16B was inserted in the principal TCP Act, 1964, by an amendment when GFP’s Vijai Sardesai was the TCP Minister in 2018. An interim order of the HC in the matter rules that all actions of the government under the provision are subject to its final orders and affected parties will have no grounds to claim compensation. Nagoa and Parra have been removed from the jurisdiction of planning areas and the NGPDA headed by Monserrate ON PAGE 3 TCP Board to revive, modify farmhouse policy Lobo says removing Parra, Arpora, Nagoa from planning areas not a setback will henceforth have under its jurisdiction Panaji, Taleigao, Calangute, Candolim, Mapusa and Bambolim planning areas. The Kadamba plateau area will be developed as a satellite township after all the rules and regulations are framed, Rane said, adding that those who have to be consulted have been spoken to, on all these decisions. The decision to exclude Kadamba plateau was taken Smriti, daughter not owners of ‘Silly Souls’: Delhi HC after the Board had in previous meetings come across cases where properties were partly covered in the Kadamba ODP and the balance came under the jurisdiction of the TCP’s Tiswadi Taluka Office, he added. Interestingly, Rane named Revenue Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate as one of those ‘leaders’ consultations were had before the decision was taken. Monserrate was appointed GPPDA chairperson ever since its formation by the Chief Minister, the late Manohar Parrikar in 2017-18. He quit to contest the 2019 Panaji bye-election and was reappointed when he defected along with nine other Congress MLAs to the BJP in July 2019. >Continued on P5 THE GOAN I NETWORK HIC, HIC, NO HURRAY! PANAJI/MARGAO Motorists found over-speeding or driving under the influence of alcohol will face a stiff penalty, with the State government launching a special drive against the two offences across the State from Tuesday. The police have also decided to book parents under the Indian Penal code if they come across underage children driving vehicles on the road. The Traffic Police Headquarters at Panaji issued a press note stating that motorists could face a fine of Rs 10,000 or 6 months in imprisonment or both, for drunken driving, during a special drive at night to be conducted by the Traffic Police and police of both districts. “From August 2, a special drive will be undertaken at night time jointly by the Traffic Police and district po- „„Special drive to be undertaken from August 2 against over-speeding, drunken driving „„No leniency to be shown to those found guilty „„Parents to be prosecuted if their underage children are caught driving on roads „„Parents argument of minors taking their vehicle without their knowledge will not hold good „„Police to register FIR against guilty and prosecute them in court lice of both district against over-speeding and drunken driving,” states the press note release. Sending a loud and clear message that no leniency will be shown to those found guilty of driving under the influence of liquor, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Traffic Dharmesh Angle said the police will enforce the drive from early Tuesday morning. Terming as alarming the statistics showing that 31 more deaths took place in the State compared to last year, DySP Angle said the police has decided to come down heavily on drunken driving with a heavy hand. “The police will come down heavily on drunken driving all over the State. There will DIVINE BONDING! Support ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign: Sawant to Goans SAYS NO LICENSE EVER ISSUED IN THEIR FAVOUR PTI NEW DELHI The Delhi High Court has held that Union Minister Smriti Irani and her daughter are neither owners of ‘Silly Souls’ a restaurant-cum-bar in Goa at the centre of a controversy nor a license was ever issued in their favour, and said statements by three Congress leaders against them seem to be “bogus with malicious intent.” Further saying that even the show cause notice issued by the Government of Goa was not addressed to Irani or her family members, the high court said the three Congress leaders Jairam Ramesh, Pawan Khera, Netta D’Souza along with others conspired to “launch a tirade of false, scathing and belligerent personal attacks” against them. The Congress has alleged that the senior BJP leader and her daughter had links with the upmarket restaurant -‘’Silly Souls Cafe and Bar’’. The high court said the statements made by the three Congress leaders are in the “nature of slander and seem to be bogus with malicious intent” to intentionally subject Irani to a “great public ridi- TCP will deal with ‘Silly Souls’ row: Rane PANAJI: For the first time since the controversy erupted, a senior BJP State leader waded into the row over the Assagao ‘Silly Souls Cafe and Bar’ when TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane on Monday said his department is competent to look into the issue. “Just because someone says it is controversial and someone goes to court does not make it controversial. For me it is not controversial,” Rane said when questioned on the issue at a press conference he addressed after chairing a TCP Board meeting. Rane said, Union minister Smrithi Irani, who is being accused of alleged links to the restaurant, is a “responsible leader” and his department will go into the matter and he would then brief the media. Chief Town Planner, Rajesh Naik has already directed Senior Town Planner (North Goa) to conduct inquiry and take necessary action. FOR LOBO, SILENCE IS GOLDEN ON SILLY SOULS  >> See pg 3 cule” and “to injure the moral character and public image” of the minister and her daughter. The remarks were made by Justice Mini Pushkarna while perusing the documents placed before it in a civil defamation suit filed by Irani, the Minister for Women and Child Development, against the three Congress leaders. The court order, in which it had on July 29 issued summonses to the three Congress leaders on the civil defamation suit, was uploaded on the court’s website on Monday. The court had also asked them to take down tweets and other social media posts on allegations levelled against the union minister and her daughter. >Continued on P5 PTI 20 people quarantined in Kerala S KOCHI: Twenty people were quarantined in Kerala’s Thrissur, following the death of one person with Monkeypox in the State, officials said on Monday. The 20 who were identified as being at high risk, include family members, friends and medical staff, are kept under observation. Officials however said the deceased had come in contact with “only 10 people” including family members and friends. It has been found out that four of his friends and his family members were also there, to receive him at the airport. On July 27, he collapsed and was taken to a local clinic and from there he was moved to a hospital, where he was undergoing treatment and passed away on Sunday. The health department has already begun their job to get in touch with all those who came in contact with the deceased. The Centre, meanwhile constituted a task force on monkeypox to closely monitor the emerging situation in the country and decide on response initiatives to tackle the spread of the disease, official sources said on Monday. It will also provide guidance to the government on expansion of diagnostic facilities in the country and explore emerging trends related to vaccination for the disease, the sources told PTI. India has reported a total of four cases of the disease so far. >Continued on P5 THE GOAN I NETWORK A woman chooses an idol of a snake on the eve of Nag Panchami in Panaji. Nag Panchami to be celebrated on Tuesday is a day of traditional worship of snakes observed by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Cabral’s new turn, blames road conditions on rains THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Claiming that potholes on roads during rains is a normal phenomenon, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral said the Jet Patcher machine has been repairing the roads. “The cost of repairing the roads will be recovered from those contractors concerned, Monkeypox: Kerala man’s death is first in Asia NEW DELHI amples of a 22-year-old man, who died in Kerala on July 30, came out positive for monkeypox on Monday. The death in India is the first in Asia and just the fourth in the world. The man had returned to India on July 21 from UAE and was admitted to a hospital on July 27 in Thrissur. His samples were sent to NIV Pune and the results came on Monday as positive. Hafeez, the 22-year-old, passed away on Sunday and after that suspicions were there if it was monkeypox. Soon the health authorities swung into action and started preparing a detailed contact list of him after his arrival at the Kozhikode airport.  PARENTS TO BE BOOKED IF MINORS FOUND DRIVING  POLICE TO LAUNCH SPECIAL DRIVE FROM TODAY The decision to constitute the task force was taken at a high-level meeting held on July 26 at the level of the principal secretary to the prime minister to review the ongoing public health preparedness in the country. The task force will be headed by Dr V K Paul, NITI Aayog member (health). The National Aids Control Organisation and the Directorate General of Health Services in the Health Ministry have been asked to work on a targeted communication strategy to promote timely reporting, detection of cases and management of cases, an official source said. Instructions were given to operationalise the Indian Council of Medical Research network of labs and make arrangements for requisite diagnostics of monkeypox disease. if the road is damaged before the liability period is over,” said Cabral. “The Jet Patcher machine has been hired by the government and is repairing the potholes. Roads which had potholes in areas like Panaji and Taleigao have been repaired using this technology.” When reporters pointed out that roads repaired using the Jet Patcher machine have been damaged yet again at some places, Cabral said the repair work was fine at most places and potholes had developed only at some places. “Sometimes, there are damaged pipelines below the road. Sometimes, heavy rains occur immediately after the repair >Continued on P5 PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday urged all Goans to hoist the national flag at their homes and support Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ initiative. He also asked Goans active on social media to upload the national flag as their DP (display picture) from Tuesday. “I urge Goans to keep the Indian Flag as their display picture on social media from August 2 onwards. I also appeal to people to participate in the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign and hoist the National Flag on their houses from August 13 till August 16,” Sawant said, while addressing a press conference at his official Altinho residence. Sawant said, Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav will be celebrated on a grand scale in Goa, adding that the Prime Minister will chair a meeting in Delhi of chief ministers to decide the year-long programmes. On the availability of flags in the market, the chief minister said the Handicrafts Corporation will make around one-lakh flags. These will be available at stationery shops and other stores across the State from Tuesday, he added. He said, that those hoisting the flag at their homes need not bring it down at 6.00 pm as earlier mandated. Mormugao port handled 45 mt coal in 5 yrs, Rajya Sabha told COAL WILL STAY AS MAJOR ENERGY SOURCE: MINISTER THE GOAN I NETWORK PANJIM Union Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi on Monday told the Rajya Sabha that some 45-odd million tonnes of coal was imported through the Mormugao port in the last five years. Joshi said in a written reply that 9.098 million tonnes was imported in 2021-22. It was 8.941 million tonnes in 2020-21, 9.3 million tonnes in 2019-20, 7.631 million tonnes in 2018-19 and 10.147 million tonnes in 2017-18. Joshi’s reply was in response to an unstarred question tabled by Trinamool Con- Joshi told Faleiro that there is no coal-based thermal power plant in Goa and Coal India or Singareni Collieries Company Limited has no coal linkage with any captive power plant consuming coal in Goa gress MP, Luizinho Faleiro, who had asked for details of the quantum of coal imported and transported from Mormugao Harbour. Faleiro was also told that there is no coal-based thermal power plant in Goa and Coal India or Singareni Collieries Company Limited have no coal linkage with any captive power plant consuming coal in Goa. Joshi also told Faleiro in the written reply that coal is going to stay as major source of energy in the foreseeable future, it being an affordable source of energy. Faleiro had sought to know from the minister whether the Centre was contemplating to stop the import of coal through Goa in view of climate change declaration made in UN Declaration for just transition from existing carbon intensive energy system to low carbon pathways.