log on to thegoan.net FRIDAY MARCH 17, 2023 GOA @thegoaneveryday 13 pages MMC has 20 days to file report on daily waste handling in High Court IN SHORT >> CM meets Shah, Nadda in Delhi PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president, J P Nadda separately in Delhi on Thursday evening. No details of what transpired at these meetings were available but sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said, Sawant had a scheduled trip to Delhi where he attended an event of the Ayush Ministry. Now, Dabolim displays flight info in Konkani VASCO: After the Manohar International Airport in Mopa, the Dabolim airport has also begun displaying the flight information in Konkani.   >> See pg 3 UP youth held with ganja worth `  .5L 2 PERNEM: The Pernem police seized ganja valued at Rs 2.5 lakh and arrested a youth from Uttar Pradesh, following a raid at the railway station near Malpe-Pernem. When Brijesh Ramdev (21) arrived at the railway station, the police nabbed him and found him possessing 2.41 kilos of ganja valued at Rs 2.50 lakh.  >> See pg 3 Member of gangster Bishnoi gang held PANAJI: In a joint operation by Panaji and Sardarpura police teams, wanted criminal Pavan Solanki of Jodhpur, Rajasthan was arrested on Thursday. The 32-year-old, an active member of the notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was hiding in Goa after committing a robbery in his home state.  >> See pg 5 KTCL board reconstituted PANAJI: BoDs of Kadamba Transport Corporation has been reconstituted by the government with MLA Ulhas Tuenkar continuing as the chairman while Kritesh Gaonkar the vice chairperson. Other members are Bayo Bhandari, Shamba Gaonkar, Prabhakar Gaonkar, Samir Dayanand Mandrekar, Madhukala Shirodkar, Kapil Sardesai, Ujwala Naik, Director (Transport) and KTCL MD. Army copter crashes in Arunachal, pilots dead GUWAHATI: Two pilots on board a Cheetah helicopter of the Army were killed when it crashed near Mandala in Arunachal Pradesh. >> pg 8 WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: TIDES 32 C 24 C 55% Low: 00:19 High: 04:50 12:35 16:28 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO.268 2 GOA Now, locals object to double-tracking work in Arossim 3 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Signs to show that you are protein deficient MARGAO trange it may seem, but true that known persons and not strangers, including friends, lovers, family members, neighbours and self-elopements are responsible behind incidents of rape and POCSO cases, besides kidnappings. The Goa Police has maintained a good track record in detecting the rape and POCSO cases, but analysis into the incidents by the men-in-uniform in South Goa have dished out clear picture that no strangers have been involved in these incidents. South district Police chief, S India takes on Australia in ODI series opener today  POLICE NAB ASSAILANTS WITHIN 2 HOURS OF CRIME  ACCUSED BOOKED FOR ATTEMPT TO COMMIT CULPABLE HOMICIDE HOW IT HAPPENED THE GOAN I NETWORK 13 SPORTS Another assault on tourist at Anjuna; two locals arrested Goa Police go beyond call of duty, interact with victim Wildfires: Forest dept starts evaluating loss, impact on ecosystem THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI While forest officials are on alert to prevent the possibility of the recurrence of fire in Mhadei wildlife sanctuary, the department has now begun the process of evaluating losses and impact the fire has had on the ecosystem. As many as 130 forest officials and local villagers were patrolling the affected areas to ensure fires are completely doused. “Fires are extinguished completely and we are on the third day today (Thursday) that no fire is reported. All of us are nonetheless spraying water at the burnt locations to prevent the possibility of the recurrence of fire,” a senior official said. There have been apprehensions that fires have decimated vast areas of forests and wildlife habitat, leaving large patches completely gutted. However, an evaluation of the damage caused will give a clear picture. “We are simultaneously conducting a survey on losses, impact on the ecosystem, pollution caused, what kind of trees are destroyed or damaged, families affected, etc. The final report will be submitted to the government for further action,” he said adding that suggestions on the THE SURVEY & ACTION „„The motive for the assault was that the victim overtook the accused men’s two-wheeler „„The accused persons came on a blue-coloured Pulsar motor cycle bearing registration number GA-03-AK-5856 and wrongfully restrained Upwane Thereafter, both assaulted him with stones and cement bricks, which caused him serious head injuries „„On examining the CCTV footage of the crime scene and based on local inputs, the rider and pillion were identified as Viraj Parsekar, aged 25 years and Siddhant Khorjuvekar, aged 29 years, both from Camurlim overtook the accused men’s two-wheeler, and no deadly weapons were reportedly used although the assault was brutal. The Anjuna police registered an FIR under sections 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (wrongful restraint) and other non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code following a complaint filed by the victim’s friend. The SDPO informed that on examining the CCTV footage of the crime scene and based on local inputs, they identified the rider and pillion as Viraj Parsekar, aged 25 years and Siddhant Khorjuvekar, aged 29 years, both from Camurlim. “The accused persons came on a blue-coloured Pulsar motor cycle bearing registration number GA-03-AK-5856 and wrongfully restrained Upwane. Thereafter both assaulted him with stones and cement bricks, which caused him serious head injuries,” Dalvi said. The accused were subsequently arrested for the offence. The Anjuna police faced criticism for delaying strict action against some local goons including a resort’s waiter in an assault case. Three of a Delhi-based family were attacked with dangerous sharp and blunt weapons at Anjuna resort on March 5. With police registering a bailable offence sans arrest, the victims took to social media to narrate their ordeal. A week later, the police invoked section 307 (attempted Security guard, CCTV mandatory at ATMs in S Goa from Apr 1 Two-month deeming clause in panchayat act notified Young CA charred to death in bizarre self-accident at Tonca THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The amendment to the Goa Panchayati Raj Act, which was passed in the January winter session of the Goa legislature and assented to by the Governor is notified. It provides in essence a ‘deeming provision’ by which a construction licence will be deemed to be granted if a panchayat and the BDO fail to decide on an application within 60 days. The Goa Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2023 was assented to by Governor P S Shreedaran Pillai on March 6. However, technical clearance and approval of the plans from the Town and Country Planning Department will have to be sought before the party proceeds to commence work on the construction, according to the amendment. The amendment makes it mandatory for the panchayat secretary to forward the application to the BDO if the local body fails to decide on it within 30 days. PANAJI After a backlash for downplaying the brutal attack on Delhi tourists, Anjuna police swung into action in a similar incident that occurred late Tuesday night when a Maharashtrian visitor was thrashed by two locals near a petrol pump in the coastal village. Not only the Inspector General of Police Omvir Singh and Sub District Police Officer (Anjuna) Jivba Dalvi spoke to the injured youth, Omkar Upwane; the police were quick to zero in on the assailants and arrest them for attempt to culpable homicide within two hours of the crime. “We received a distress call from the Police Control Room about a fight near Anjuna petrol pump. Accordingly a team led by PI Prashal Dessai rushed to the site and found that one tourist was injured and his car damaged. We immediately shifted him to the District Hospital Mapusa,” Dalvi said. The motive for the assault was that the victim MARGAO Come April and the all the heads of nationalised banks in South Goa will have to deploy security guards and install Closed Circuit TV surveillance cameras (CCTV) for security of the ATMs round the clock. For, the South Goa district Magistrate has issued an order under section 144 of the CrPC mandating the heads of all nationalised banks across the district to deploy the security guards and install CCTV cameras for the round-theclock security of ATMs. The district Magistrate’s order comes following a report submitted by the district Police chief, SP Abhishek Dhania pointing out the need for the deployment of security guards and install CCTV cameras to man the ATMs against the backdrop of the two major ATM robberies reported in Ponda and Margao last year. SP Dhania has warned that the police would conduct COMPLY OR FACE ACTION SP Dhania has warned that the police would conduct an audit of the ATMs in the month of April, warning that banks, which have not complied with the district Magistrate’s order will be liable for punishment an audit of the ATMs in the month of April, warning that banks, which have not complied with the district Magistrate’s order will be liable for punishment. “The district police had series of meeting with bank officials, around 13 meetings to be precise, following the ATM thefts in Ponda and Margao. In these cases, the ATMs were unmanned, which made it easy for the robbers to commit the crime. >Continued on P5 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI: In a rare gesture, Goa Police went beyond their call of duty and personally interacted with the victim, Omkar Upwane assuring tough action against the culprits. Inspector General of Police Omvir Singh, who is currently in Delhi, made a video call on the victim’s mobile phone while SDPO Jivba Dalvi visited him in the hospital at midnight to inquire about his well-being. Earlier, North Goa SP Nidhin Valsan video-called the victims of assault at Anjuna resort. Three of the Delhi-based family were assaulted in an ugly fight on March 5. S O U T H G O A A N A LYSI S „„In around 67.34 per cent of rape and POCSO cases, the friends or known persons, including lovers and elopement were involved in the crimes „„Around 20 per cent of the accused persons have turned out to be relatives or family members, while 11 per cent of the accused happened to be neighbours „„As far as kidnappings, of the 30 cases of kidnapping registered in the district, 28 have been detected till date. Most of the kidnappers were known persons, including friends. „„Around 14 per cent of the kidnappings were elopement cases, wherein the boy and the girl have eloped, before their parents and guardians lodged FIRs SP Abhishek Dhania told the media that accused involved in the rape and POCSO cases were not strangers, but known persons. “Further analysis has revealed that in around 67.34 per cent of rape and POCSO cases, the friends or known persons, including lovers and elopement were involved in the crimes. We have further realised that around 20 per cent of the accused persons have turned out to be relatives or family members, while 11 per murder) of IPC and arrested the accused. The investigating officer, PSI Francisco Xavier has also been placed under suspension for dereliction of duty. The resort management on Wednesday released a media statement alleging that the Delhi group violated the ‘no smoking policy’ by the poolside and despite multiple reminders to stop smoking hookah, they got verbally abusive using derogatory expletives with the hotel staff. „„Officials to conduct survey on losses, impact on the ecosystem, pollution caused, what kind of trees are destroyed or damaged, families affected, etc „„The final report will be submitted to the government for further action „„Suggestions on the restoration and recovery efforts will also be incorporated in the report restoration and recovery efforts will also be incorporated in the report. Another senior officer said that extinguishing the raging forest fires was a critical milestone as the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy used their expertise and technology to douse the flames, but the work doesn’t end there. Minimising long-term implications of such disasters need to be emphasised, he said. The Honda City of the victim Surlakar in flames at Tonca, Caranzalem on Thursday while (right) the remains of the burnt vehicle.  Narayan Pissurlenkar TRAGIC MOMENT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI A young chartered accountant, Sujay Surlakar (33), was charred to death in a bizarre accident at Tonca-Caranzalem after a collision with a parked car ignited a fire to his Honda City very early Thursday morning. Besides Surlakar’s car, three other vehicles which were parked in the vicinity also got completely burnt in the incident, near the Raikar hospital at Tonca. Accused in rapes, child abuse cases are not strangers, but known to victims, reveal police THE GOAN I NETWORK 9 INFO cent of the accused happened to be neighbours,” SP Dhania said, saying in almost all the cases of rape and POCSO cases, the accused has been known to the victim. He added: “No strangers were involved in these offences. Both the accused and victims were known to each other. But, the police have registered the cases since the victims were minors who were involved in physical intimacy.” He asserted that not a single case of gang rape has been reported in the rape and POCSO cases in South Goa. As far as kidnappings are concerned, the district police >Continued on P5 „„Surlakar’s body was burnt beyond recognition and he was identified based on ID cards retrieved by the police from vehicle „„Fire services personnel who were requisitioned cut open the car and removed his body „„Three other vehicles which were parked in the vicinity also got completely burnt in the incident, near the Raikar hospital Surlakar’s body was burnt beyond recognition and he was identified based on ID cards retrieved by the police from the vehicle. Fire servic- es personnel who were requisitioned cut open the car and removed his body. The Surlakar family traces roots to Sanguem in South Goa but is based in Thane from where they run a highly successful enterprise, making high-value construction chemical products and also provide specialised construction chemical solutions. They have two plants in Goa at Cuncolim and Kundaim. Sujay himself was a director in the company, Assess Build Chem Private Limited, according to a close acquaintance of the grief-stricken family. A close relative is still based in Goa and occupies their ancestral home in Sanguem. Spike in Covid cases: 6 states directed to contain infections PTI NEW DELHI The Centre on Thursday asked six states -- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka -- to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the spread of Covid-19 infections, citing a possible localised spread of the virus. “There are a few states which are reporting higher numbers of cases indicating possible localised spread of infection,” Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said in a letter to these states. Bhushan advised these states to examine the situation of Covid-19 at micro-level and THE ADVISORY Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka have been advised to examine the situation of Covid-19 at micro-level and maintain focus on implementation of necessary measures for prompt and effective management of the disease maintain focus on implementation of necessary measures for prompt and effective management of the disease, duly ensuring effective compliance with various advisories issued by the Ministry of Health. Asking the states to keep a strict watch, he mentioned that India has observed a significant decline in the number of Covid-19 cases during the past few months. However, since the past few weeks a rise in cases has been noted specifically in certain parts of the country with a total of 2,082 cases being reported in the week ending March 8 and the figure rising to 3,264 cases in the week ending March 15. “There is a need to follow a risk assessment-based approach to prevent and contain the infection, without losing the gains made so far in the fight against the pandemic,” Bhushan wrote.