log on to thegoan.net FRIDAY JANUARY 13, 2023 GOA @thegoaneveryday Panel wants political quota for SCs, STs MARGAO: The Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has come out in strong support of Political reservations for the Scheduled Tribes of Goa in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.  >> See pg 5 1 booked for noise pollution at Vagator PANAJI: Anjuna police have booked the owner of Cafe LA Musica for violating noise pollution norms. SDPO Mapusa Jivba Dalvi informed an FIR was registered based on a complaint by Talathi of Anjuna Panchayat alleging that at around 10:30 pm on January 4 loud music was being played in the Cafe located at Vagator. Land grab: Suhail gets bail in 5th case PANAJI: Karnataka-native Mohammad Suhail, involved in multiple cases of land fraud in Goa, has yet again succeeded in securing conditional bail. Arrested in a fifth case by SIT, a local court granted him bail while laying down a set of conditions to comply with.  >> See pg 3 Anti-IIT protesters want cases dropped VALPOI: Twenty-two anti-IIT protesters from Melauli-Sattari have accused the State government of reneging on its promise to withdraw cases against them. The protesters were speaking to reporters outside the Valpoi court after the first hearing in the matter. >> See pg 3 Corruption at Polem check post: Congress 2 GOA Private helicopter lands at Baga vehicle parking lot, raises eyebrows Max: Min: Humidity: TIDES 32 C 19 C 86% Low: 08:58 20:18 High: 02:32 14:33 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Amid the ongoing Mhadei water dispute between Goa and Karnataka, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Thursday said a solution to the issue would be worked out soon. Shekhawat, who met the Goa delegation at his official residence in Delhi on Thursday, took to Twitter to say that the Mhadei water dispute was discussed. "Very soon an amicable solution to this issue will be brought," Shekhawat tweeted. After the meeting, Shekhawat said, “Goa chief minister had come to meet me at my Delhi residence along with other delegates. We discussed Mhadei water distribution issue. For sure, the solution to the issue would be worked out”. Mhadei is 30-year-old dispute, cannot be sorted in a jiffy, asserts Sawant PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant who returned from Delhi on Thursday after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Jal Shakti Minister G S Shekhawat, on the vexed Mhadei issue, said the water dispute with Karnataka is a 30-year old matter and cannot be solved in a jiffy with one visit to the national capital. Sawant was responding to media queries on a tentative timeline for the Centre to respond to Goa’s demands. Meanwhile, Sawant who arrived in the State said, his government will continue to fight the issue throughout its tenure. Technically and legally we will continue the fight, he added. "We are confident that no injustice will be meted out to Goa. We are confident that we will win this battle,” he said. PILERNE PAINT FACTORY BLAZE Firefighting Ops end, assessment of loss begins The debris from the destroyed portion of the factory at Pilerne. Umesh Zarmaker THE GOAN I NETWORK PORVORIM/MAPUSA Stating that firefighting operations at the Berger Becker Coatings Pvt. Ltd factory in the Pilerne Industrial Estate had come to an end on Thursday, Director of Fire & Emergency Services Nitin Raiker said two fire tenders have been kept on standby at the site When contacted, Raiker said all firefighting operations had ended by Thursday evening. “As a precautionary measure, one fire tender from the Pilerne Fire Station and one from the Fire Headquarters have been kept on standby,” said Raikar. Pilerne Fire station Officer Srikrishna Parrikar said >Continued on P5 Spurt in chickenpox cases in Cotigao triggers scare 1040 people screened, new cases confirmed THE GOAN I NETWORK CANACONA ealth officials have been on alert as cases of chickenpox, an acute contagious disease, have been traced in Cotigao and screened 1,040 people in the village. While 9 new cases have been detected, officials have confirmed that 25 cases were found in the past few months. A team from the Canacona Community Health Centre led by Health Officer Dr Sneha Amonkar visited Mahal-Baddem, Baddem, Avem and Avali areas in Cotigao for active surveillance of chickenpox. During the exercise, the health team on screened 1,040 people, which consisted of 72 families from 52 houses at Mahal-Baddem, 47 families H RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO DIY garlic and onion pack to get rid of dark elbows and knees 9 SPORTS Rahul anchors India’s ODI series win against Sri Lanka FIGHT WILL CONTINUE TECHNICALLY & LEGALLY, SAYS CM Maimolem lake to be revived WEATHER >> 3 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday Solution to Mhadei tangle soon, assures Shekhawat CANACONA: Alleging rampant corruption at Polem check post, Congress has petitioned the govt again to install CCTV cameras and a weighbridge at the Goa's check post with Karnataka.  >> See pg 3 VASCO: Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar said the Maimolem lake which was in a bad state would be revived in phases and added that the govt had already sanctioned Rs 1 crore in the first phase. >> See pg 2 The Goan (Playstore) 14 pages PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 206 Kabrastan: MMC officials, police take stock of situation ahead of land demarcation IN SHORT >> Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday OFFICIALS TOOK MATTER LIGHTLY, CLAIM LOCALS CANACONA: Locals in Cotigao have been unhappy with health officials for taking matter lightly and claim over two dozen cases had been reported over the past few months.  >> See pg 3 from 39 houses at Baddem, 31 families from 28 houses at Avem and 203 families from 169 houses in Avali. “Nine active cases were found and about 25 cases were noticed to have been old and having occurred 1-8 months ago. Also, around 169 houses were visited and screened by the health team on Wednesday,” informed a health team source. When contacted, CHC Health Officer Dr Sneha Amonkar confirmed the detection of chickenpox cases in Cotigao village, but there are only 8-9 fresh cases and the rest cases were past cases. “Yes, it is confirmed that the suspected viral infection is indeed chickenpox, but there are only 8-9 fresh cases and the villagers are given or moreover made to understand the need to take precautions so as it does not spread beyond the locality,” said Dr Amonkar. Dr Darshana Korgaonkar, PHN Suchita Desai, Ulhas Velip and Prashant Kholkar were also part of the screening team that visited Cotigao. “In most cases, young children and pregnant women have been infected,” said a source. The Sawant-led government has come under sharp attack from the Opposition and also civil society ever since reports emerged that the Central Water Commission had granted its nod to the Karnataka government's DPRs of dam projects at Kalasa and Bhandura to divert Mhadei waters. Balrath staff serve strike notice over pay revision THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Drivers and attendants employed to run the Balrath service which is a scheme run through schools for transportation of students have served a 15-day ultimatum to the government to upwardly revise their remuneration failing which they have threatened to stop carrying out their duties. Decision to serve the ultimatum was announced by Swati Kerkar, who heads the organisation to which the Balrath Union is affiliated. The union held a meeting at the Azad Maidan on Thursday where the decision was taken. Apart from a hike in their perks on par with the stipulated wages for skilled workers, the workers are demanding job security. They have also made a case for payment for salary for all 12 months instead of just 10 months of the year as is the practice now. They have also sought benefits such as PF, ESI, insurance etc. The chief minister has also demanded that the Centre constitute the Water Management Authority as mandated by the Mahadayi Water Dispute Tribunal (MWDT) in its August 2018 award. Sawant said, the issue is a long-standing one and timelines for its resolution cannot be specified off-hand. Widely seen as a ploy to electorally milk the Mhadei dispute for political dividends in the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka, it nonetheless has kicked up a storm with the Opposition slamming Sawant's government and accusing it of betraying Goa's interests. The delegation led by CM had on Wednesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi and urged for the immediate constitution of a water management authority to resolve the issue of diversion of the Mahadayi river water. Modi refused to meet Goa team, claims Yuri PANAJI: Leader of Opposition, Yuri Alemao on Thursday said the Prime Minister refused to meet the delegation led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, because of which the 'drama' of meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah was enacted. Alemao said, with no concrete assurances given by the Centre to the Goa delegation, the Delhi visit was ‘fruitless’. The Opposition leader also accused Sawant of excluding Opposition MLAs in the delegation because he was aware that that no positive outcome will be achieved. KTC to tie up with online portals for travel to Mopa THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As the Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited (KTCL) is working towards enhancing its business to and from Manohar International Airport at Mopa, it contemplates introducing its service on online travel portals such as MakeMyTrip-owned online bus ticket booking platform RedBus as well as GoaMiles. KTCL MD Derrick Nato said the plans are in the final stage. "We have been getting a huge response to our bus service to and from Mopa. Therefore, we have decided to tie up with Red Bus, GoaMiles and other travel portals where passengers can book their tickets... A comprehensive plan is being drafted," he said. The Corporation will soon start its booking counter at the new airport, in line with the counters of the app-based taxi service. Given this proposal, the KTCL is also expected to increase the number of buses and frequency of trips for the convenience of air passengers who plan to take the bus route to their respective destinations within the State. "It will depend on the timing of the flights arriving at Mopa airport," Nato quickly added further stating that locals will also benefit from the service. The KTCL has assured that the local bus service will not be affected by the upcoming plan. At present, the Corporation started six EV airport coaches on January 5 with an officer, posted on special duty at the airport, for assisting passengers. The buses are scheduled for every hour on the routes from Panaji, Margao, Mapusa, Colva, and Calangute. Several people have taken to social media demanding increase in bus service to cut down on heavy taxi (luxury >Continued on P5 14 Permission for Mhadei rally on Jan 16 revoked THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a development which is expected to raise the heckles of the organisers, including civil society activists from across the State and Opposition parties, the Sanquelim Municipal Council on Thursday revoked the permission granted to hold the public rally on its grounds on January 16. The event was billed as a mega rally by an umbrella organisation of civil society and activists to 'Save Mhadei' and had the backing of most Opposition parties. Earlier, municipality had granted the permission for the January 16 rally to one Aditya Bhange, but the Chief Officer Kabir Shirgaonkar wrote to him on Thursday revoking the permission. Shirgaonkar cited apprehensions that it would cause public inconvenience and commotion as it is also the day on which the weekly bazaar is ‘Council not taken into confidence’ BICHOLIM: Sanquelim Municipal Council (SMC) Chairperson Rajesh Sawal has accused Chief Officer Kabir Shirgaonkar of revoking the permission for the Opinion Day celebration on January 16 without taking the council into confidence. “We had made available sufficient open space for the Weekly Bazaar day in Sankhali and so, the issue of congestion would not have arisen. Without taking the council into confidence, the CO revoked permission and the council lost revenue of Rs 10,000 in the process,” said Sawal. held in the town. The January 16 event was being billed as a massive show of public anger and a mark of protest against Karnataka's plans to divert the Mhadei waters. OPPOSITION SLAMS GOVERNMENT MARGAO: Revocation of the permission to hold the Mhadei rally at Sanquelim evoked shock and outrage from Salcete-based Legislators, with Goa Forward Party Chief Vijai Sardesai and Aam Admi Party MLA Venzy Viegas slamming the action. Condemning the decision, Sardesai took to social media, saying Opinion strangled on Opinion Poll Day. “Revoking permission for the people’s rally is beyond human com- prehension. Goa is not free. . The man who killed Mhadei has killed democracy too. ”, Sardesai said. The AAP Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas also took to social media. “On Legislator’s Day, you waxed eloquent saying Bivpachi garaz na. Why then in Sanquelim, your home constituency, the permission already granted for public meeting on Opinion Poll Day is revoked. Now, Bhivpachi garaz assa Sawantji”, Venzy stated.