log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday SUNDAY MARCH 12, 2023 MOVIES »PAGE 16 MOM’S MAGIC The team of Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway get candid about the film during an event THE SOIRÉE QUEEN: Priyanka hosts Ram Charan and his wife at her LA home MAGAZINE MAGAZ 9 Covid +ve rate rises amid spike in influenza cases Nuisance of encroachment on Goan roads Hair serum and what it can do for your locks 10 The inevitable wait: Bracing for menopause, perimenopause SC verdict on ECI appointments: A breeze of transformation 11 Auto Review 2023 Honda City: Life in the City IN SHORT >> 24 weighing machines seized at Malim PANAJI: In a raid conducted by the Legal Metrology Department 24 electronic weighing machines were seized from fish vendors at the Malim jetty. The machines used for weighing fish will be inspected by the team and further action will be initiated. K’taka native held for theft in hotel MAPUSA: A 22-year-old Karnataka native was arrested for committing theft in a guesthouse in Anjuna, police informed. The accused Amaresh Oujappa Rathod was nabbed for stealing goods worth Rs 1 lakh including an iPhone 12, cash and some ATM cards. Three Karnataka youth held for stealing bikes PANAJI: Three youth from Karnataka were arrested for stealing bikes from Dharwad. Curchorem police nabbed the trio and recovered 2 two-wheelers and 5 mobile phones from them. Two of the accused were also wanted in a theft case at Bicholim. Rampant land-filling raises eyebrows MAPUSA: Illegal land-filling and spurt in construction and business activities in the fields adjacent to the National Highway 66 at Gaunsavaddo in Mapusa has raised quite a few eyebrows. WEATHER >> Max: 36 C Min: 22 C Humidity: 71% TIDES Low: High: 07:32 19:39 00:57 14:06 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) 16 pages PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 623 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 PLAY & PAUSE »PAGE 13 LIVE SMART »PAGE 14 Woman of words Nap is the secret of our energy SPORTS »PAGE 8 Gill scores classy ton but 4th Test evenly poised Here’s why you should avoid March rush ISL semis: All or nothing for Mumbai against Bengaluru Indian-American author Chitra Banerjee on why it is important to tell the stories from women’s perspective Napping Day (March 13) spreads awareness about benefits of napping Things to consider while buying bed linen FIRES CONTINUE TO WREAK apprehend Sattari HAVOC Cops n FRESH FIRES BREAK OUT AT SONSHI-HONDA, KOPARDE n FIREFIGHTERS RUSH TO SITES IN MISSION DAMAGE CONTROL local for lighting fire THE GOAN I NETWORK VALPOI Since the first fire broke out at Satre hill on March 4, unprecedented forest fires have continued to wreak havoc in different parts of Sattari taluka and two new forest fires broke out at Sonshi and Koparde since late Friday evening. On Friday evening, a major fire broke at the Sonshi hill in Honda, prompting locals to alert the Valpoi fire station and a fire tender rushed to the site. A fire tender from Bicholim was also pressed into service and firefighters battled the flames before managing to bring the fire under control late at night. However, on Saturday afternoon, another fire broke out near the Ajoba Devasthan in Honda area and a fire tender was involved in firefighting operations till late night. Around the same time, a large fire broke out at the Devsu hill in Koparde. Locals alerted the forest department and a team headed by Narayan Gawas immediately rushed to the site. Locals from Koparde offered assistance to forest staff and firefighters, and the joint operations succeeded in bringing the fire under control by about 5 pm. However, some cashew plantations were destroyed in the fire. “The timely arrival and joint response by the fire, forest and Mamlatdar teams along with the locals helped in bringing the fire under control, else a large number of cashew plantations would have been destroyed downhill,” said local panch Rayaji Sawant. When contacted, Forest officer Narayana Gawas praised the support and assistance of the Koparde youth in the firefighting operations. “Like the youth of Morlem, the youth from Koparde >Continued on P5 Saturday marks the 8th day of coverage from The Goan reporters camping at the burning Sattari forest. Our team continues to navigate through tough flaming terrain to bring to our readers the latest ground updates, fire-fighting operations and even assisting locals. The Goan team has been at Satre, Derodem, Charavem, Chorla, Morlem, Keri, Sonshi and Koparde since March 5 when the fire was first reported, and will continue to take positions till the fires are completely doused Karnataka on guard; initiates steps, sets up border teams THE GOAN I NETWORK BELAGAVI While forests fires have been raging in different parts of Sattari taluka which borders Karnataka, forest officials in Belagavi are closely monitoring the situation, taking preventive measures so that the fire doesn’t spread across the border. Apart from initiating various preventive measures, Belagavi forest officials have also set up teams in the Bhimgarh wildlife sanctuary and areas bordering Goa. Forest personnel drawing a fire line to prevent fire from entering the Karnataka side of the Western Ghats. THE GOAN ON GROUND ZERO >> SEE PG 2 Vishwajit: PMO monitoring fires THE GOAN I NETWORK While there were no major fires reported on the Karnataka side of the Western ghats, sporadic incidents of ground fire were reported in the western parts of Khanapur taluka bordering Goa since last week. However, no major damage was reported as the fire was doused immediately. “We are closely monitoring the fire incidents in Goa. As per our team reports, the fire in Goa was about 20 kms away from the Karnataka border. Sufficient preventive PANAJI Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Saturday said that the Prime Minister’s Office is personally monitoring the situation of forest fire in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary. “I received an intimation from the Prime Minister’s Office that the Defense Ministry would provide full support and the office of the Prime Minister will monitor the situation closely. The entire State of Goa is extremely grateful for the intervention of the Prime Minister in protecting >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 In the line of fire PANAJI Criminal lawyer, Advocate Mujahid Shaikh has been arrested for allegedly threatening a Judge at knifepoint and demanding Rs 40 lakh. The incident occurred on March 6 when the complainant was en route to his residence in Margao after concluding the day’s proceedings in a Valpoi court. North SP Nidhin Valsan said the accused threatened to taint the image of the Judge if he refused to heed the extortion demand. “The accused intercepted the official car in which the Judge was traveling to his residence, and flashed a knife threatening him. Shaikh demanded Rs 40 lakh from the Judge saying he had spoilt his career. If he didn’t pay the amount, the accused threatened to spoil his name,” the officer said. Shaikh was immediately arrested taking cognizance of the complaint.  The accused was recently, granted conditional bail, 26 days after his arrest in the case wherein he is accused of  decamping with the  muddemal properties from JMFC. PANAJI/VALPOI The Valpoi police on Saturday apprehended a Sattari local for allegedly setting ablaze a small forest patch near Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.  The man identified as Eknath Sawant was subjected to intense questioning to ascertain his role in wildfires around the sanctuary, if any.  A senior officer said that they have identified more suspects in the forest blaze, all of whom will either be summoned for questioning or detained till further investigation.  Sawant is alleged to have set some dry patches on fire to roast cashew nuts in his cashew plantation but due to strong wind, the fire spread till a considerable distance.  In fact, he had himself approached the forest officers informing them about the fire. The forest personnel immediately reached the spot and simultaneously informed the ON PAGE 2 Fire at 3 places on Vichundrem hill in Sanguem Minor forest fire in Canacona Fire continues to rage at Dramapur hillock Fires reported at Gogol-Margao & Ambaji-Fatorda Valpoi police who detained him.  More details were awaited till going to the press.  The Valpoi police are investigating an FIR registered under sections 435 (mischief by fire or any explosive substance intending to cause, or knowing it to be likely that he will thereby cause, damage >Continued on P5 Locals, cashew owners practice slash & burn techniques: MoEF THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has observed that cashew plantation owners practice ‘slash and burn techniques’ to suppress the growth underneath the cashew trees. The same practice is followed by the local population living within the forest areas. The ministry’s revelation comes at a time when the State government has suspected foul play in the wide- Advocate held for threatening judge THE GOAN I NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK No major loss to flora and fauna yet PANAJI: The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has confirmed that the recent fires have not resulted in major losses to floral and faunal diversity as yet. The field executives and the teams are attending to the fire by cutting off the fuel to fire through the creation of fire lines and fire breaks, beating the bushes, counter-firing, and clearing the leaf litter. >Continued on P5 spread wildfires and commissioned a high-level inquiry to zero in on the exact cause. A police complaint is simultaneously registered with the Val- poi police. “The local populace, depending on herding of cattle, >Continued on P5 Will not rest till we get Mhadei water: Bommai PTI SHIGMO FERVOUR: A troupe performs at the Shigmo parade in Panaji on Saturday. Thousands of people lined the streets to catch glimpse of the mythological figures at the parade.  Narayan Pissurlenkar BENGALURU Toughening his stand on Mhadei, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Bommai has said he will not rest until the Mhadei river water flows into the Malaprabha River from Yellammana Kolla up to Banashankari. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his nod for DPR for Kalasa-Bandura Mahadayi project and the environmental clearance is expected soon”, he said. Speaking at Vijaya Sankalp yatra, the CM said he walked 265 km on a motorable road for the Kalasa-Bandura Maha- dayi project and the then government was shaken. The coalition government refused to implement this project. At that time, the then AICC Chairperson Sonia Gandhi told in a rally in Goa that not a drop of the Mahadayi river will be given to Karnataka. “The then Congress Government booted women agitators of Nargund-Navalgund and beat farmers black and blue. The Congress Party did not have any moral right to talk about farmers”, he said. Bommai said Nargund MLA developed Nargund city and has shown how to make the impossible, possible. 17,000 voters above Goa’s sex ratio under 7 years shockingly skewed 100 years in K’taka THE GOAN I NETWORK PTI BENGALURU The Election Commission on Saturday said that almost 17,000 voters in Karnataka are above 100 years of age. The panel also announced that for the first time people above 80 years will get the facility to ‘vote at home’. The number of youth voters also increased this year, it stated. Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Anup Chandra Pandey and Arun Goel, addressed the media on poll preparedness for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections. “For the first time, the ECI is going to provide the facility to those above 80 years. Our teams will go there with a form-12D to exercise their franchise. Though we encourage those above 80 to come to the polling station, those who cannot, can avail this facility. Secrecy will be maintained and the process will be videographed,” CEC, Rajiv Kumar said. PANAJI indings of an analysis of population statistics released in a report of the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare have revealed a shockingly skewed sex ratio for Goa’s population under the age of 7 -- 774 females per 1,000 males. The difference in female to male ratio is the highest for all States in the country as per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5) 2019-21 report released by the Union Ministry. In 2019-20 survey the ratio F was a much higher 966 girls per 1,000 boys in the similar 0 to 5 years grouping.  Goa, however, fares much better for the overall population though. The sex ratio for the general population is a healthier 1,027 females for every 1,000 males, according to the NFHS 2019-21report. SANITATION The report reveals that in Goa, only 3 per cent of all households and 6 per cent of rural households do not use an improved sanitation facility; they use open spaces or fields. Access to a toilet facility is high and ranges from 93 per cent among scheduled tribe households to 98 per cent among households which are not scheduled caste, scheduled tribe, or other backward class households. Access to toilet facility is 96 per cent in North Goa (93% in rural areas) and 98 per cent in South Goa (96% in rural areas). POSSESSIONS Sixty-nine percent of households own a house (77% of rural households and 63% of urban households). While almost all (99%) households in Goa have a mobile phone, 97 per cent of households have a bank or post office account. The report also stated that 87 per cent of households own either a motorcycle or a scooter. Literate persons are those who have either completed at least standard 9 or passed a simple literacy test conducted as part of the survey. LITERACY The analysis further revealed that 67 per cent of women and 22 per cent of men aged 15-49 were not employed in the 12 months preceding the survey. Seven per cent of women and 4 per cent of men were engaged in an agricultural occupation, while one-quarter of women and almost three-quarters (72%) of men were employed in a non-agri- Further, the report reveals that 92 percent of women age 15-49 and 94 per cent of men age 15-49 are literate while six percent of women and 3 per cent of men age 15-49 have never been to school. However, only 48 percent of women age 15-49 in Goa have completed 12 or more years of schooling, compared with 54 percent of men. EMPLOYMENT cultural occupation. Women’s activist Dr Sabina Martins has raise concern over the statistical finding. “The statistics published by National Family Health Survey is disheartening,” Dr Martins said. In the past while I was a member of Goa State Commission for Women, we did a sample survey to study the mindset of doctors,” said Martins, adding that a survey done during her stint with the women’s commission had revealed a disturbing trend that couples who’s first child is a boy will not go for a second child but it was not the case if the first is a girl.