log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday WEDNESDAY MAY 20, 2020 GOA Locals shut vegetable stalls in Colva over Coronavirus scare 2 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 8 pages The Goan (Playstore) PRICE ` 6 VOLUME V, NO. 331 3 GOA Mapusa fish market finally opens, but few vendors, fewer customers Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 ABROAD After WHO setback, Taiwan prez to press for global participation COVID EXPRESS: 8 MORE CASES IN GOA, TOTAL 39 TREATMENT GOING ON AT COVID HOSPITAL IN MARGAO, CONDITION STABLE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa recorded eight Covid-19 positive cases on Tuesday pushing the number of active cases to 39. All active cases in the state are presently admitted to the Covid Hospital and their condition is stable, informed the daily bulletin of the Directorate of Health Services. The number of Covid-19 cases has shot up exponentially in the state since a week, primarily due to the resumption of railway networks across the country. Of the fresh eight cases, four had travelled by train from Delhi, three arrived from Maharashtra and one from West Bengal. Currently, they have been shifted to Covid Hospital (ESI Hospital), Margao for medical care. Their condition IN SHORT >> MPT issues SOP for Indian seafarers VASCO: The Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has issued a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to be followed for the Sign On/Sign Off of Indian seafarers at the port. According to a highly placed source, the SOP stipulates that all expenses in connection for completion of the Sign On and Sign Off procedures shall be borne by the Shipping/ vessel agent. >> See pg 3 Seafarers move HC over paid quarantine >> See pg 3 Super cyclone makes landfall today KOLKATA: Super Cyclone Amphan will turn into an “extremely severe” cyclonic storm when it makes landfall in West Bengal today, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) chief SN Pradhan told reporters, adding they face the “double challenge” of the coronavirus pandemic and a natural disaster. The cyclone is likely to make landfall today afternoon, Pradhan said.   >> See pg 7 WEATHER >> Max: 35.0 C Min: 28.8 C Humidity: 75% TIDES Low: High: 03:29 15:40 10:16 21:33 09 are Patients admitted to the isolation ward at GMC 581 109 People remain People placed quarantined at various paid centers THE TRAVEL HISTORY „„Of the fresh 8 cases, 4 had travelled by train from Delhi, 3 arrived from Maharashtra and 1 from West Bengal „„With this the total number of cases in Goa has risen from 38 to 46, seven of whom had recovered by April 19 is stable. With this the total number of cases in Goa has risen from 38 to 46, seven of whom had recovered by April 19. At present, nine patients are admitted to the isolation ward at Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim and 581 people remain quarantined at various paid quarantine centers. In addition, around 109 people were placed under home quarantine on Tuesday. The GMC virology laboratory has a task cut out for itself with dozens of samples being forwarded to it every single under home quarantine on Tuesday day for confirmatory tests. Meanwhile, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane informed that four ‘Smart Kiosks’ have been installed at the Dabolim Airport. “We are all set to receive our citizens arriving via air route. All the passengers arriving will be tested and kept under institutional quarantine until the results are out,” he tweeted. He further said that the health department is working round the clock to scale up testing facilities in the state and to ensure that all passen- HC admits plea against holding of board exams THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa has asked the Goa Board, the State Government and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to submit affidavits after a fresh petition was filed challenging the State government’s decision to hold the exam and seeking deferment. Agreeing to take up the case because “there is a change in the circumstances and, therefore, it is not possible to simply reject the applications filed on the ground that they are in the nature of a mere review of the earlier order,” the High Court has asked the MHA to clarify whether exams are permitted in the new set of guidelines issued by them with effect from May 18. “The MHA is directed to impart these instructions to the learned Asst Solicitor General of India at the earliest, as to whether any of the clauses of the MHA’s order dated 17th May, 2020, prohibit even holding of the examinations in Schools and Colleges so that the same can be placed before this Court tomorrow itself,” the High Court said. “The situation is of urgent nature and can obviously brook no delay. It is not in the interest of any one that any Chief minister rebuts statement of Kerala Health Min over death of ‘Goan’ Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday took to social media to set the record straight with Kerala health Minister K K Shailaja about the misinformation passed on by her during an interview with BBC. He was responding to a question about the strong policy response to Covid-19 which has helped Kerala in arresting the number of Covid-19 deaths, Shailaja stated, “Actually, in Kerala it is three deaths. Because one is from Goa. >> See pg 3 gers are thoroughly tested before being released from the premises. 8 Stranded Goan seafarers from Italy flying in today THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO After arriving by road from Mumbai to Goa, Goan seafarers stranded outside the country are now set to arrive by flight, with first two chartered flights arriving with about 300 seafarers from Italy at the Dabolim airport on Wednesday. A third flight is expected to arrive from Italy on Thursday. Sources said while the first flight is expected early Wednesday morning, the other flight is expected in the second half of the day, to enable authorities sufficient time and resources to process the documents and health checks all the incoming seafarers at the airport. According to Dabolim Airport Director Gagan Malik, the two chartered flights will carry around 145 passengers per flight. “Two flights arriving at Dabolim Airport on Wednesday will bring in stranded seafarers from Italy. There are chances that there could be around 145 passengers per flight and there could be Special cubicles installed at the Dabolim airport to screen the arriving passengers. SAFETY MATTERS „„Before clearance from Immigration & Customs, the seafarers will be subjected to thermal screening „„After Custom clearance, they will be sent to a totally contained zone where they will undergo swab tests „„After they undergo the tests, the seafarers will be sent to quarantine centres around 300 seafarers arriving on Wednesday.” “The third chartered flight is expected on Thursday, but that flight schedule is not confirmed as yet and we are plan- LANDING AT DABOLIM 1First two chartered flights with about 300 seafarers expected at the Dabolim airport this morning Third flight is expected to arrive from Italy on Thursday, but that flight schedule is not confirmed as yet 2 ning for the third flight as of now,” said Malik. Malik said the Dabolim Airport has developed a >Continued on P5 PETITIONERS’ ARGUMENT In the set of guidelines there is some change in 1holdingfreshany activitiesrelevant clausesCollegesit comes the phraseology of the when to of in Schools and embargo holding 2They pointed out that there is anaccordingonthem, even academic functions which, to would include examinations involving more than 50 persons. Supervision & attend online training: Load on teachers in State „„The education director has turned down the demands of teachers to reschedule the dates of online training session whose dates were clashing with the SSC board exams as many teachers will be busy doing exam duties  COURT RULING „„The situation is of urgent nature and can obviously brook no delay. It is not in the interest of any one that any uncertainty lingers with the issue of holding of examination HSSC EXAMS „„Remaining 3 papers of HSSC exams will be held as per schedule from today to >> See pg 3 May 22 uncertainty lingers with the issue of holding of examination,” the High Court ruled. While the petitioners argued that in the fresh set of guidelines that there is some change in the phraseology of the relevant clauses when it comes to holding of any activities in Schools and Colleges. They pointed out that there is an embargo on holding even THE GOAN I NETWORK academic functions which, according to them, would include examinations involving more than 50 persons. The Advocate General had argued that that there is absolutely no significant difference between the clauses of the earlier order and the present order of the MHA. >Continued on P5 SCHEDULE ON TRACK N STATE GOVT HAS NO SAY: RLY OFFICIALS „„Railway officials maintained that the question whether the Delhi-Trivandrum train will make a halt or not at Margao will be guided by the notification from the Central railway authorities and not by the state government „„They pointed out that the unless a notification is issued by the central railway authorities barring any halts in Goa, the Rajdhani trains will continue to make a halt at Margao irrespective of the stand of the state government Railway officials told The Goan that a Delhi-Trivandrum and Trivandrum-Delhi Ra- We have improved against fast bowling due to Raghu: Kohli BACK IN FULL GEAR Despite the spurt in Covid-19 cases in Goa, traffic goes in top gear on the Mandovi Bridge in the capital city on Tuesday.  Narayan Pissurlenkar E-auctioning of 3-m tonnes of ore soon: CM THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the government would soon e-auction low-grade iron ore of around 3 million tonnes lying in dumps across the state. “E-auction will take place on May 23 and approximate 3 Will it halt or not? All eyes on ‘Rajdhani’ today MARGAO o train ferrying passengers from Delhi or other places chugged in at the Margao railway station on Tuesday. It’s not that the trains have suddenly stopped arriving in the state on account of government’s intervention, but the fact remained that the Delhi-Goa Rajdhani trains arrive only during the weekends, while the other long distance Rajdhani trains make a halt at Margao on all days, except Tuesdays. The government headed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, however, will face an acid test on Wednesday as a Delhi-Trivandrum Rajdhani train is expected to make a halt at the Margao railway station in the afternoon. 7 SPORTS jdhani trains are scheduled to make halts at the Margao Railway station on Wednesday. „„Railway officials said the trains are scheduled to make halts at the Margao Railway station on Wednesday „„Around 120 passengers are scheduled to board Trivandrum-Delhi Rajdhani at Margao today NO TRAINS CHUG IN, BUT SOUTH CORONA WARRIORS KEPT BUSY >> See pg 2 While the Trivandrum-Delhi Rajdhani is scheduled to make a halt at Margao on Wednesday morning, and around 120 passengers are scheduled to board the train at Margao, the Delhi-Trivandrum train is expected to chug in at the Margao station around noon tomorrow. The exact number of passengers, which are expected to disembark at the Margao railway station from Kerala and Delhi is being ascertained by the railway authorities, but the arrival of the Delhi-Trivandrum train and whether it would make a halt at Margao has indeed come under the scanner of citizens as well as the administration. Railway officials maintained that the question whether the Delhi-Trivandrum train will make a halt or not at Margao will be guided by the notification from the Central railway authorities and not by the state government. They pointed out that the unless a notification is issued by the >Continued on P5 MT ore will be exported,” said Sawant while addressing the media persons on Tuesday. The auction is expected fetch good revenue during a time when the State is experiencing a finacial crunch in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. “The auction obviously adds revenue to the state ex- chequer. The amount of revenue will depend on the rate which we get,” said the Chief Minister. The mining stakeholders have also urged the government to take steps to restart the iron ore extraction activity in the state as this sector will bring in good revenue for the state as the tourism sector has been virtually closed down due to the Covid pandemic. Mining has been stalled in Goa ever since the Supreme Court cancelled 88 mining leases in the state on February 7, 2018. This decision directly impacted 60,000 households & 3 lakh livelihoods. The ban has stopped 15 million tonnes of iron ore exports. Amid Covid crisis, K’taka to push for water diversion issue with CWC THE GOAN I NETWORK BELAGAVI Amid the COVID-19 crisis and a growing number of cases in the state, Karnataka is contemplating to take up the Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion issue with the Central Water Commission (CWC). Karnataka’s Minister of Water Resources Ramesh Jarkiholi on Tuesday said he would soon hold a meeting with the CWC aimed at getting the Centre’s nod in implementing the Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion project. Speaking after a meeting of officials and local elected representatives at Naviluteertha water reservoir on River Malaprabha, about 85 kms from Belagavi, Jarkiholi said there is an urgent need Karnataka’s Minister of Water Resources Ramesh Jarkiholi holding a meeting at Naviluteertha dam near Savadatti. FAST REWIND „„It may be noted that the Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) has awarded Karnataka its share of water for drinking and hydro electricity generation „„Karnataka has planned to divert Mhadei water by implementing the Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion projects and a diversion tunnel has been already been constructed to hold discussions with the CWC on getting Centre’s much-needed approval for the launch of Mhadei water diversion project. Jarkiholi said the CWC would have to be briefed about the project, which will >Continued on P5