log on to thegoan.net FRIDAY APRIL 10, 2026 GOA @thegoanonline STAY COOL, STAY SAFE: WHAT TO DO AS TEMPERATURES SOAR HOMEOPATHY: THE POWER OF SUBTLETY, VASTNESS OF HEALTH Page 8 Why modern cars feel harder to repair than older models VinFast VF MPV 7: India’s practical electric family mover IN SHORT >> CCP elections land in court PANAJI: The sweeping victory of the ruling BJP-backed panel in the Corporation of the City of Panaji elections has now come under judicial scrutiny as a civil suit filed in the North Goa District Court alleges that voter confidentiality was compromised during the March 11 polls and seeks that it be declared null and void.  >> See pg 3 Financial support for Divyang couples PANAJI: Government has launched Divyang Bandhan Yojana, offering financial assistance up to Rs 1,00,000 to married couples where one or both partners are persons with disabilities. The benefit is paid to the disabled partner, or jointly if both are disabled, promoting inclusion and financial security. Court grants bail after 4-yr trial delay PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa granted bail to an alleged drug accused, Mohammed Osman alias Faisal, holding that his continued imprisonment of over four years without conclusion of trial violated his fundamental right to personal liberty.  >> See pg 5 KYC update: Elderly man duped of `2.1L MAPUSA: A 70-year-old man from Alto Porvorim was duped of Rs 2.10 lakh on the pretext of updating his KYC details of a bank. According to Saligao police, the incident took place on April 3 when the accused contacted the complainant, Subhash Joshi, pretending to be an official of the bank.  >> See pg 2 Assam, Puducherry see record turnout NEW DELHI: Assam registered a record voter turnout of over 85.64% while Kerala witnessed an impressive polling with more than 78% in the assembly elections. Puducherry saw a new voter turnout record of 89.87%. The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 292 MMC secures GSPCB’s consent to operate gasification plant >PG 6 Facebook.com/thegoan 2 GOA Ahead of monsoon, Bardez zeroes in on abandoned construction sites 3 A INFO Breathe easier: Natural relief with essential oils for asthma 11 SPORTS IPL: Mukul heroics take LSG over the line against KKR 14 Pressure mounts to resume Poll preparations burn `1.5 cr of State funds curtailed Assembly session OFFICIALS SAY FIGURE TENTATIVE, FINAL JUSTICE REBELLO, YURI, VIJAI WRITE TO GOVERNOR THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The cancellation of the Ponda by-election has reignited demands for the Goa Legislative Assembly to reconvene and take up pending business left unfinished in March. Former Justice Ferdino Rebello, who is spearheading the 'Enough is Enough' movement has urged the government to immediately call a session. He said the abrupt curtailment of the House earlier this year, justified on grounds of the Ponda bypoll and the Model Code of Conduct, no longer holds water. Warning of public backlash, Rebello said that if the government fails to act, people across Goa could come together to launch a strong agitation against the administration. Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao has echoed the demand. In a letter to the Governor, Alemao pressed for the recall of the cancelled session. He also urged the Speaker to facilitate the process and the Chief Minister to pave the A SSEM B LY R EC A LL : VO I CES O F CO N CE R N Abrupt curtailment of the House earlier this year, justified on grounds of the Ponda by-poll and the Model Code of Conduct, no longer holds water... if the government fails to act, people across Goa could come together to launch a strong agitation — Former Justice Ferdino Rebello way for it. Alemao described the earlier justification for curtailment as “hollow,” pointing out that other State assemblies continued functioning despite elections and added that the real reason for the abrupt closure remains unclear. With the High Court striking down the Ponda by-poll and the Election Commission rescinding the entire election process, Alemao argued there Earlier justification for curtailment of Assembly session is “hollow”… other State Assemblies continued functioning despite elections. With HC order and EC rescinding the process, there is no longer any hindrance to legislative work — Oppn leader, Yuri Alemao is no longer any hindrance to legislative work. He insisted that crucial Bills safeguarding Goa’s land, environment, demography, and identity must be discussed without delay. “Goa cannot afford legislative paralysis at a time when its land and future are at stake,” he wrote. Goa Forward Party chief and Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai has also written to the Gov- 3 days, 3 accidents: Youth at centre of rising crashes NO AGE-WISE DATA OF OFFENDERS: OFFICIALS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Three accidents in three days -- two of them fatal -- have thrown a harsh light on a pattern that officials do not formally track but also cannot ignore: the growing presence of young drivers and riders on both sides of deadly crashes. The State admits it does not maintain age-wise or gender-wise data of offenders. “The gender-wise and agewise details are not maintained,” a traffic officer said, even as recent cases are being increasingly seen as a youth-driven risk on the roads. The latest fatalities and injuries read like a grim sequence. On Wednesday, 27-year-old Suchita Bandekar, an assistant professor, was killed on the spot after a car driving on the wrong side rammed her two-wheeler head-on at Mashem-Canacona. Hours earlier, on the Burmar-Agonda stretch, a young woman riding while using her mobile phone crashed into an oncoming scooter, leaving both riders injured and hospi- MISHAPS: FOOD FOR THOUGHT „„27-year-old assistant professor killed after a wrong-side car hit her two-wheeler at Mashem–Canacona „„A young woman using her mobile phone while riding crashed into an oncoming scooter on the Burmar–Agonda stretch talised. On the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, a 23-year-old pillion rider, Diksha Parwarkar, was killed in Dona Paula after a newly purchased Mini Cooper, still bearing a temporary registration and ceremonial ribbon, hit the two-wheeler from behind with such force that the bike was flung over 50 metres. The driver, 22-year-old Darius Myles Dias, was arrested, with sources stating his driving license has not been suspended yet. Barely weeks earlier, in February, another case raised similar questions when a „„23-year-old pillion rider died in Dona Paula after a newly purchased Mini Cooper rammed their two-wheeler from behind „„In Feb, 19-year-old lost control of a rented SUV in Assagao, crashing into a car and killing a 65-yearold man 19-year-old from Delhi, Shaurya Goyal, allegedly lost control of a rented SUV and rammed into a car at Assagao, killing a 65-year-old man. The FIR described the vehicle being driven “in a rash and negligent manner without proper care and caution, endangering human life.” The recurrence of youth at the centre of these cases, whether as drivers, riders, or victims, stands in contrast to the absence of official data capturing that trend. What is available instead points to a broader escalation in risky >Continued on P9 DRS to take centerstage at cashew festival PANAJI mid ongoing resistance and delayed rollout of the proposed Deposit Refund Scheme (DRS), the State government is set to use the upcoming three-day Goa Cashew Festival as a platform to familiarise the public with the concept and functioning of the initiative. The Goa DRS team has announced its first-ever “Experience Zone” at the festival, beginning Friday, offering visitors a hands-on preview of how the scheme will operate once RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 A DAY AFTER PONDA BY-POLL CANCELLED…. AMID DELAY AND DISSENT… THE GOAN I NETWORK Instagram.com/thegoanonline „„First-ever ‘Expe„„DRS rollout rience Zone’ to model to be DRS be launched AWARENESS explained in „„Live demo of AT CASHEW detail Reverse Vending „„Focus on FESTIVAL awareness and Machine for public interaction public engagement „„Hands-on experience „„Platform to address of returning used packaging concerns & misconceptions „„Visitors to be shown how „„Initiative aims to build deposit refunds will work trust in the scheme implemented. The zone will feature a live demonstration of a Reverse Vending Machine, allowing citizens to understand how used packaging can be returned in exchange for refundable deposits. Visitors will also get an opportunity to explore the mechanics of packaging returns and refunds, and gain insights into how the DRS model is proposed to be rolled out across Goa. Officials said the initiative is aimed at building awareness and addressing public concerns through direct engagement. The move comes at a time when the government, led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, has deferred the implementation of the DRS by six months >Continued on P9 The unfinished business of the House must be taken up to protect Goa’s interests. Reduction in number of days and procedural changes related to starred questions, limited Opposition’s ability to raise critical public issues. — GFP chief, Vijai Sardesai ernor, pressing for immediate intervention. Sardesai said the unfinished business of the House must be taken up to protect Goa’s interests. He expressed concern over recent developments in the state. Highlighting issues within the functioning of the Assembly, Sardesai pointed to a reduction in the number of sitting days and procedural changes. EXPENDITURE LIKELY TO BE HIGHER THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Nearly Rs 1.5 crore of public funds spent on election preparations went down the drain after the Bombay High Court cancelled the Ponda Assembly by-election just hours before polling, in an unprecedented move that sent shockwaves across Goa’s political and administrative circles. The High Court on Wednesday restrained the Election Commission of India (ECI) from proceeding with the April 9 by-poll, even as the entire election machinery had already been deployed on the ground. The by-poll was necessitated following the demise of former minister Ravi Naik in October last year. However, the court held that the ECI’s March 16 notification announcing the election was “arbitrary” and in violation of provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951. According to sources in WHERE THE MONEY WAS SPENT „„Staff remuneration for election personnel „„Procurement of election materials „„Hiring of vehicles and videography services „„Infrastructure setup at polling booths (including strong rooms, ramps, toilets, and security measures) 16 notification announcing QUICK RECAP election was ‘arbitrary’ „„HC on Wednesday „„By-poll necessitated restrained EC from proceed- following demise of former ing with April 9 by-poll minister Ravi Naik in October last year „„Court held EC’s March the South District Election Office, the State incurred a tentative expenditure of around Rs 1.5 crore on poll preparations. The funds were utilised for staff remuneration, procurement of election materials, hiring of vehicles, videography, setting up strong rooms with security measures, and creation of infrastructure across all 45 polling booths in Ponda, including ramps and toilets. “This is a tentative figure. The final expenditure may be higher once all bills are accounted for,” sources said. The court observed that the notification contravened proviso 151A(a) of the Representation of the People Act, which exempts the Commission from conducting elections if the remaining tenure of the legislator is less than one year. The ECI had urged the court to stay its order for two >Continued on P9