log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2020 IN SHORT >> No ban on filling up posts, clarifies govt NEW DELHI: The government on Saturday said that there will be no restriction on filling up government posts. “There is no restriction or ban on filling up of posts in Govt of India,” the finance ministry said in a statement. “Normal recruitments through government agencies like Staff Selection Commission, UPSC, Railway Recruitment Board, etc. will continue as usual without any curbs,” it added. 80 special trains from September 12 NEW DELHI: Eighty new special trains will be operational from September 12, reservations for which will begin from September 10, Railway Board Chairman VK Yadav said. He said the trains will be notified later in the day. These will run in addition to the 230 trains already in operation, he said. >> See pg 7 Army rescues three Chinese in Sikkim NEW DELHI: Three people from China -- two men and a woman -- were rescued by the Indian Army in North Sikkim after they lost their way. In a heartening gesture, the soldiers, who “extended a helping hand”, also offered them food and warm clothes. The three had lost their way “in Plateau area of North Sikkim,” a statement said. Trump offers help on border issue WASHINGTON: Asserting that the situation along the India-China border has been ‘very nasty’ and the Chinese are ‘going at it’ much more strongly, US President Donald Trump said he would love to get involved and help. “While we’re at it, we’re talking about China and India are going at it pretty good on the border, as you know. It’s been very nasty,” Trump told reporters. Sushant’s cook arrested by NCB MUMBAI: Actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s cook Dipesh Sawant was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau or NCB on Saturday in the probe into allegations of drug abuse surrounding the movie star’s death in June. Earlier believed to be a witness in the case, Sawant was arrested after being questioned since the morning. WEATHER >> Max: 31.8 C Min: 26.1 C Humidity: 94% TIDES Low: High: 06.49 19.20 24.52 12.56 12 pages PRICE ` 6 VOLUME VI, NO. 80 9 A pandemic of hypocrisy The Goan (Playstore) 3 GOA Illegal shanties along old Margao market-KTC bus stand road razed Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 5 GOA Bardez sees dip in fresh Covid cases PANAJI oa was ranked at a distant 24th place among the States in the ease of doing annual business ranking of states and Union Territories by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade. The Goa government, despite several assurances on ease of doing business for industries, have only flattered to deceive. Last year, Goa was ranked 19 in the country. It may be noted that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, in a bid to woo global investors into the State had promised around 500 delegates that all statutory approvals will be granted within 30 days. Sawant was delivering the G Hamilton posts fastest lap in F1 history to take pole at Monza 8 Margao jeweller’s murder planned Crime Branch takes charge of probe, before lockdown, accused reveals descends in Margao SAYS IT WAS A ‘SUPARI’ KILLINGFOURTH ACCOMPLICE ARRESTED THE GOAN I NETWORK ACCUSED SPILLS THE BEANS PANAJI In a shocking revelation, Edson Gonsalves accused in the Margao jeweller murder case has told a few mediapersons that the murder was preplanned hit-job involving a larger conspiracy. In an audio recording that has since surfaced, accused Edson spoke to a few reporters at Margao Police Station after he was detained earlier in the week. In the audio, he can be heard saying, “The plan to kill Swapnil Walke and rob his jewellery shop ‘Krishni Jewellers’ at Margao, was formulated some months ago but the date was not fixed. The mastermind, Musa (Mustafa), had threatened to beat us up if we revealed the plan to anyone. Musa and Evender went to get the gun from Bihar before lockdown. „„The plan to kill Swapnil Walke and rob his jewellery shop ‘Krishni Jewellers’ at Margao was hatched months ago „„The date was however not fixed „„Mastermind, Musa (Mustafa), had threatened to beat us up if we revealed the plan to anyone „„Musa and Evender went to get the gun from Bihar before lockdown „„I was driving... Mustafa told me that he has received the “file” (supari) „„He didn’t tell me how much money he received for the job Stunned by murder, jewellers want nonfunctional CCTVs restored in Vasco >> See pg 4 Accused Gonsalves is presently being questioned by Panaji Police in connection with a different case of robbery. According to the police, it was Edson who robbed the four-wheeler in Panaji which was later used by Mustafa to drive down to Margao to commit the crime. I was driving. Mustafa told me that he has received the “file” (supari). He didn’t tell me how much money he has received for the job.” Accused tested the gun at Nessai & Quepem? MARGAO: Police are verifying reports whether the accused persons had tested the country-made pistol by conducing firing at Nessai and Quepem before the executing the conspiracy to murder Swapnil Walke on Wednesday last. The police are also verifying whether the gun was procured from Bihar before the lockdown as one of the suspect is believed to have told the investigations that he had received a phone call from two accused that they had procured a country-made pistol from Bihar. The police are also verifying whether the pistol was procured in Panjim from a native of Bihar. When a senior police was questioned whether the accused persons had tested the pistol by conducting a >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 Covid ‘test-on-demand’, no need for doc’s chit THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Crime Branch investigation officer PI C L Patil descended in the commercial capital on Saturday to probe into the cold-blooded murder of young city jeweller Swapnil Walke on Wednesday last. The investigating officer, who had probed the Mahanand Naik case in the past, is not new to Margao, having served as the Margao police station for quite some time before his transfer a couple of years ago. Moments after he received the order, appointing him as the Investigation officer in the Swapnil murder case, PI Patel descended at the Krishni jewellery shop along with a crime branch team to have a firsthand information in respect of the murder. PI Patil was seen discussing with Margao Police station in-charge, PI Sachin Narvekar outside the Krishni jewellery Crime Branch Investigating Officer, C L Patil (in white shirt), at the Krishni jewelers on Saturday.  Santosh Mirajkar shop concerned the murder case. The Investigating officer took a look at the blood stains on the road. The Crime branch team was in the city for quite some time, gathering information on the murder from the Margao police as well as from sources. “Our team came to Margao to have a first-hand information about the murder. I spoke to some persons concerning the murder. We are on the job”, PI Patil said. THE WIND BENEATH MY WINGS! NO RE-TESTING NEEDED PRIOR TO DISCHARGE PTI NEW DELHI The Ministry of Health on Saturday issued an updated advisory on Covid-19 testing which has further simplified the testing process and given more freedom and flexibility to the State authorities. As per the new advisory, the State governments can decide simplified modalities for on-demand testing for all individuals who wish to get themselves tested. The Health Ministry statement read, ‘’A totally new section has been added in the Advisory on “Testing on Demand” which for all practical purposes does away with prescription by a registered medical practitioner although State governments have the freedom to decide on simplified modalities.’’ The Advisory also said that no re-testing is recommended prior to discharge from a Covid-19 facility after clinical recovery, including for transfer from a Covid area/ facility to a non-COVID area/ facility. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health informed that there has been an unprecedented upsurge in India’s daily testing capacities, adding that for two successive days more than 11.70 lakh tests have Nanobody that may prevent Covid infection found: Study LONDON: To fight against the Covid-19, the scientists have identified a small neutralising antibody, a so-called nanobody that has the capacity to block SARS-CoV-2 from entering human cells. The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, suggests that this nanobody has the potential to be developed as an antiviral treatment against Covid-19. “We hope our findings can contribute to the amelioration of the Covid-19 pandemic by encouraging further examination of this nanobody as a therapeutic candidate against this viral infection,” said study co-author Gerald McInerney from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The search for effective nanobodies -- which are fragments of antibodies that occur naturally in camelids and can be adapted for humans -- began in February. been conducted per day. The total Covid-19 test count in the country now stands at 4 crore and 77 lakh till date. There are now 1647 testing laboratories operational which cover all States/UTs. Under `routine surveillance in containment zones and screening at points of entry`, the advisory recommended testing of all asymptomatic high-risk individuals (people above 65 and those with co-morbidities etc.) in containment zones, it said. India on Saturday registered yet another highest single-day spike of 86,432 new COVID-19 cases and 1,089 deaths taking the total caseload past 40 lakhs. There are a total of 40,23,179 cases including 8,46,395 active cases, 31,07,223 discharged patients and 69,561 fatalities, as per a data by the Union Ministry of Health. Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil >Continued on P5 Cecilia Rodriguez poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film ‘Padrenostro’ during the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy on Saturday. Covid claims 9 more; 592 new cases THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Nine more persons lost their life to Covid-19 while 592 new cases of the infection have been recorded taking the death toll to 229 and the active count to 4,945. As per the mortality bulletin released by the Health Department, three of the nine deceased died within 10 hours of being admitted to the hospital. The bulletin states that the immediate cause for the death of the nine persons was bilateral pneumonia. However, all the patients except one had co-morbid conditions. The deceased persons include an 80-year-old man from Shiroda, a 76-year-old man from Penha Da Franca, Goa placed at a distant 24th in ease of doing business THE GOAN I NETWORK SPORTS THE TOP THREE „„Andhra Pradesh „„Uttar Pradesh „„Telangana keynote address at the Vibrant Goa summit held at Bambolim. It is over a year since then, industries are facing the same hurdles in setting up their units HOW THE RANKING WAS BASED „„It was done on 180 reform points such as easy access to information, improved labour laws, speedy construction permits, land administration and single window approvals, and 36 states/UTs participated. with the Investment Promotion Board failing in its duties as facilitators and policy makers. PTI ADDS: Andhra Pradesh for the third time in a row topped the rankings that are based on the implementation of the business reform action plan 2019, according to a report released by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday. Registering a jump of 10 places in the rankings, Uttar Pradesh occupied the second position in 2019 as against 12th in 2018. Telangana slipped to the third position from second in 2018. It was followed by Madhya Pradesh (4th), Jharkhand (5th), Chhattisgarh (6th), Himachal Pradesh (7th), Rajasthan (8th), West Bengal (9th) and Gujarat (10th). Delhi’s position improved to 12th from 23rd in the last edition, while Gujarat slipped from 5th place in 2018. Releasing the report, Sitharaman said that states have taken the exercise in its true sense and it would help states and UTs to become better place to do business. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said these rankings reflect the efforts that states and UTs are doing to better their systems and processes. It is also a wake-up call for those states which have slipped in the ranking, he said. Goyal said that the ministry is working on steps like creating a single-window system for approvals and clearances. In the 2015 index, Gujarat featured at the top, with Andhra Pradesh grabbing the second position and Telangana 13th. In 2016, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana jointly topped the chart. In the last ranking released in July 2018, Andhra Pradesh topped the chart, followed by Telangana and Haryana (3rd). Haryana slid to 16th position in the latest ranking. The exercise is aimed at promoting competition among states with a view to improving the business climate to attract domestic as well as foreign investments. This was the fourth edition of the report, which was first released in 2015. The Business Reform Action Plan 2018-19 includes 181 reform points covering 45 business regulatory areas such as access to information, single window system, labour, and environment. The DPIIT in collaboration with the World Bank conducts an annual reform exercise for all States/UTs under the Business Reform Action Plan. 62-year-old man from Madkai, a 38 year-old man from Karaswada, a 35-year-old from Zuarinagar, all of whom were admitted at Goa Medical College and Hospital and expired on Friday as well as a 67-yearold woman from Savordem, an 83-year-old from Nagueshi, 51-year-old from Velim and a 68-year-old woman from Maulinge, Bicholim, who were admitted at GMC and passed away on Saturday. Confirmed cases now stand at 20,455 of whom 15,281 have recovered. CM’s OSD tests positive: Officer on Special Duty for Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Upendra Joshi, has tested positive for Covid-19. CM Sawant had tested positive on Sept 2 and is presently under home isolation. Pollution Board nod must for dairy farms THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI All dairy farms and gaushalas will now be directly monitored by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB). The Board has asked all dairy farms and gaushala units in the State to obtain consent to establish and consent to operate within 30 days. Due to the Covid situation, applications have to be made online through the Online Consent Management & Monitoring System (OCMMS) system on www.goaocmms.in within the next 30 days. The GSPCB has issued a public notice regarding the same. According to the notification, dairy farms and gaushalas are now categorized as per the categorization of industries and have to obtain consent to establish and consent to operate under the Water Act 1974 and Air Act 1981. Commercial dairy farms having 15 animals and more, are in the orange category and gausahlas where cows are housed for rehabilitation and having waste water more than 100 KLD are classified under orange category. The rest are classified under green category. The Central Pollution >Continued on P5