log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday THURSDAY MARCH 16, 2023 GOA 13 pages A fortnight after fire incident, yet no fire, power audit of MMC building >> SEE PG 3 Politics buries Rane-Lobo feud over Bardez real estate mishmash IN SHORT >> Colvale Jail guard caught with narcotics PANAJI: A jail guard was on Wednesday detained after he was found in possession of narcotic substance. Jail guard Sameer Mote attached to Colvale Jail was caught with this substance during frisking by jail authorities. One dies in mishap at Dharbandora PANAJI: A 31-year-old driver of a car died on the spot after the car he was driving plunged into a roadside ditch at Bhumikanagar, Tisk, Dharbandora. The deceased is identified as Vinod Kumar from Bangalore, Karnataka. The car was coming to Goa from Karnataka when Vinod lost control of the vehicle and the car fell down in the ditch, killing him on the spot. Three other occupants of the car have sustained minor injuries and have been admitted to hospital at Pilye, Tisk. Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO.267 2 GOA Pilot project: Agri Dept to take up drainage along fields in Velsao 3 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Bengaluru-based company Beltech AI’s claim about operating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in traffic management and security at zero cost to the government stands exposed with PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral confirming the project will be on a revenue sharing basis. The revenue collected from motor vehicle fines will be divided at 70:30 ratio in which the company will get the major share leaving the State with a meager 30 percent. “Seventy percent of the revenue generated by way of collecting motor vehicle fines will go to the company and the remaining 30 percent to the State. The company has invested Rs 40 lakh for the project. They will undertake THE PROJECT „„Beltech AI has invested Rs 40 lakh in the project „„The firm will undertake the maintenance of the traffic signals and the technology „„The firm tasked with installing its software pan-Goa within 12-18 months „„The AI signals will be connected with other signals to provide a systematic traffic management plan the maintenance of the traffic signals and the technology,” Cabral said justifying the huge share of profit to the company. On average, the Traffic Cell’s monthly revenue collection through fines stands at Rs 1.5 crore to Rs 2 crore. After a month-long trial run at Merces junction, the government sealed the deal with the company, which is now tasked with installing its software pan-Goa within 12-18 months. The minister added that the WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: TIDES 32 C 26 C 59% Low: 11:09 High: 02:59 ---19:26 Alzheimer’s Disease: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment Violators at Merces junction to get e-challan from Mar 20 PANAJI: The AI-based cameras at Merces junction will begin generating challans to violating vehicle owners from March 20, after a month-long trial impressed the State government. PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral, Sawant said that such signals are installed at 16 different locations in the State.  >> See pg 3 AI signals will be connected with other signals to provide a systematic traffic management plan under the Artificial Intelligence Driven Security, Integrated Traffic Management & e-Challan System. “Challans for any traffic vi- Ex-minister Joildo Aguiar passes away THE GOAN I NETWORK penditure incurred on the training workshop which was eventually furnished to him after the State Chief Information Commissioner Vishwas Satarkar ordered to do so. Rodrigues in a statement said, Rs 24.13 lakh of the total amount was paid to the PANAJI Joildo Aguiar, the former agriculture minister in the first government formed by the Congress in 1980, passed away at his Ponda residence on Wednesday. Aguiar was elected to the Goa legislative assembly from Ponda constituency in the 1979-80 election and inducted in the cabinet of Pratapsing Rane in which he held the Agriculture, Information & Tourism, Social Welfare, Public Assistance and Provedoria portfolios. Born in Panaji, he grew up in Ponda studying at Almeida High School there. He then pursued Lyceum in Panaji and joined as a teacher at the government school in Morjim. He was later absorbed in the administrative section of the Postal department but quit service after the demise of his father to take up the responsibility of the family estate. In the political field, he was first elected unopposed to the Ponda Municipal Council in 1970. He was elected, again unopposed, as president of >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 Paroda murder case accused nabbed in UP LAHORE: Legions of Imran Khan’s angry supporters fought off riot police attempting to arrest the former Pakistan prime minister, but the 70-year-old opposition leader insists he is all about law and order.  >> See pg 8 INFO 9 CROSS-CHECKING! Std XII students discussing answers after their English paper at Don Bosco, Panaji. The board exams commenced at 20 centres across the State on Wednesday. (Report on Pg3)  Narayan Pissurlenkar 2-day training for new MLAs cost exchequer `24 lakh THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The controversial two-day training programme conducted by the Goa legislature secretariat for the new MLAs elected in the 2022 assembly elections cost the State exchequer a whopping Rs 24.96 lakh. It was held in June last year at a starred hotel in Panaji, and was boycotted by all Opposition MLAs citing that it was being conducted by an affiliated of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and was wasteful expenditure holding it in a starred hotel. Lawyer activist, Aries Rodrigues, had sought the ex- 13 SPORTS Women’s Boxing World C’ships: India eyes strong show at home AI SYSTEMS AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS: BENGALURU FIRM WALKS AWAY WITH 70 PER CENT SHARE OF FINES MARGAO: The Colva police has arrested one Rofilio Fernandes, a resident of Vaddie on Wednesday in the February 26 incident when two canoes and fishing nets were set afire at the Vaddi beach, Benaulim.  >> See pg 2 Ex-Pak PM Khan resists arrest RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Raw deal? Govt to get only 30% revenue on AI project One held for burning canoes at Benaulim SANGUEM: The desire for his co-worker’s mobile phone is believed to motivated a labourer to murder the co-worker at Paroda on March 13. Acting swiftly, Quepem police arrested the accused, Pradip Jadhav, in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.  >> See pg 3 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday olation will be automatically generated and the violator will be intimated within a record time. It detects the vehicles automatically. We will replicate this system at other places,” he earlier said at the launch of the technology at Merces junction on Wednesday. The software consists of AI-Driven Facial Recognition/ Ticketing System, AI-Driven Vehicle Counting and Classification System, AI-Driven Garbage Monitoring System, AI-Driven Crime Detection System, etc. The Wi-Fi-enabled network is fitted with 360-degree pan tilt zoom and a high-resolution facility. The Goan was the first and only to report in its Wednesday edition that the system will not be cost-free and instead operate on revenue sharing basis. Anjuna hotel owner narrates his side of the assault story SAYS NO SWORDS USED THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Spazio Leisure Resort, Anjuna, where the Delhi-based tourists were assaulted, on Wednesday, said that the guests/tourists misbehaved with the hotel staff after they were ticked off for violating the hotel no smoking policy by the swimming pool. The resort in a two-page statement signed by the owner also said that no local gangs had gathered outside the hotel and no swords were used in the fight. According to the statement, the guest Ashwani Kumar and his family members who had checked in on March 5 were requested by the hotel staff multiple times to stop smoking hookah by the pool, upon which the guests verbally abused the hotel staff with derogatory expletives. “Jatin Sharma (a guest member) even manhandled a hotel staff member by pushing him around and threatened that he leave the ho- Fifth accused held MAPUSA: Anjuna Police on Wednesday arrested the fifth accused Salim Kasim Khan (41), a resident of Khorlim, Mapusa involved in the tourist assault case in Anjuna hotel. >> See pg 3 tel immediately or else they would claim for full refund for spoiling their holiday mood,” the owner said, requesting anonymity for safety reasons. The staff member was later told by the hotel supervisor to remain off duty for some period to diffuse the tension. However, late in the evening the staff member along with his brother returned to the hotel site to collect his mobile charger he had forgotten and had remained on the public road outside the hotel. As the staff member was waiting outside the resort, Ashwani Kumar went out and >Continued on P5 State govt submits report on wildfires to Centre  SAWANT REFUSES TO DIVULGE DETAILS  NO FRESH FIRES FOR 2ND DAY IN A ROW THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that a report on wildfires is submitted to the Central government for appropriate action in order to prevent and manage largescale forest fires in the future. While the CM refused to divulge details, government sources said that the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) was tasked with preparing a detailed report into the fire outbreak in the State’s forests and Mhadei wildlife sanctuary from March 5. Meanwhile, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane is scheduled to meet the union government officials to include Goa in the National Forest Fire Prevention and Management Plan. “I will soon have a meeting with the Government of India in Delhi. By doing this, we can enlist more agencies to help us manage circumstances where a significant amount of infrastructure is required,” Rane said. A review meeting on wildfires in Goa on Tuesday discussed plans to include THE ROAD AHEAD „„Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane is scheduled to meet the union government officials to include Goa in the National Forest Fire Prevention and Management Plan „„By doing this, Rane says will enlist more agencies to help manage circumstances where a significant amount of infrastructure is required „„Forest Department advised to assess the areas affected by fires and take corrective steps the State in the Plan being prepared by the National Disaster Management Authority (MHA). The Forest Department was also advised to assess the areas affected by fires and take corrective measures at the earliest. In a major relief, on the second day in a row, Goa did not report any fresh cases of fire even as the forest officials are keeping a close watch of locations of extinguished fires for any recurrence. “The entire team led by PCCF Rajiv Gupta and Saurabh Kumar did an outstanding job, and I also want to thank @Coll_NorthGoa and @Coll_SouthGoa, as well as fire services, for their assistance. We were able to accomplish this with the guidance of the CM, @DrPramodPSawant’s leadership,” Rane tweeted adding, “I would like to express my gratitude to the Prime Minister, Shri @narendramodi Ji, the Minister of @moefcc Shri @ byadavbjp Ji, and @rajnathsingh Ji, on behalf of the people of the state of Goa, for all of their support.” India plans to lead in realising Discontent in party not sufficient ground for ‘one earth, one health’ vision governor to call for floor test: SC on Sena row PTI NEW DELHI It is time India takes the lead in realising the “one earth, one health” vision with a holistic policy-making environment and align it with the philosophy of “vasudhaiva kutumbakam”, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Wednesday. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has a strong political will to lead in innovative research and technology supported solutions which are commercially viable with universal acceptability, he said at the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership We live in an interdependent world, wherein not just countries but the health of human population is equally affected and influenced by the health of surrounding environment and animals,” — Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Health Minister Summit 2023. The summit has been themed “One Health: Integrated, Collaborative and Multisectoral Approach to Optimal Health”. “The ‘one earth, one health’ vision can become a reality only with active global collaboration where countries don’t think of only themselves but of collective global outcomes,” the minister said. Mandaviya highlighted that the health sector cannot be limited to one country as the health and wellbeing of one country impacts the other. “We live in an inter-dependent world, wherein not just countries but the health of human population is equally affected and influenced by the health of surrounding environment and animals,” he >Continued on P5 PTI NEW DELHI alling for a trust vote merely on the ground of differences between MLAs of a ruling party can topple an elected government, the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday, adding the governor of a state cannot lend his office to effectuate a particular result. “It will be a sad spectacle for democracy,” a five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said while taking forward the hearing on the events that unfolded during the June 2022 Maharashtra political crisis triggered by a revolt in the then C KEY COURT OBSERVATION „„Difference of opinion among MLAs within a party can be on any ground like payment of development fund or deviation from party ethos but can that be a sufficient ground for the governor to call for the floor test? „„Governor cannot lend his office to effectuate a particular result. Calling for a trust vote will lead to toppling of the elected government „„The fact is that the governor cannot enter this domain which would precipitate the matter undivided Shiv Sena by MLAs loyal to Eknath Shinde. The bench made the obser- vations after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Maharashtra governor, narrated the sequence of events and said there were various materials before the governor including a letter signed by 34 Shiv Sena MLAs, a letter from Independent lawmakers withdrawing support to the Uddhav Thackeray government, and another of the Leader of the Opposition that prompted him to order a trust vote. B S Koshyari, who was then the governor of Maharashtra, had asked Thackeray to face a floor test to prove his majority. Thackeray, however, resigned in the face of imminent defeat, paving the way for the appointment of Shinde as the new chief minister. “Difference of opinion among MLAs within a party can be on any ground like payment of development fund or deviation from party ethos but can that be a sufficient ground for the governor to call for the floor test? Governor cannot lend his office to effectuate a particular result. Calling for a trust vote will lead to toppling of the elected government,” the bench said. The bench, also comprising Justices MR Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha, said a letter by the leader of opposition does not matter in the instant case because he will always keep on writing that the government >Continued on P5