log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday SATURDAY MARCH 18, 2023 GOA GOA UK to stage biggest Goan festival at London in August Reviving, promoting local Goan social events in London IN SHORT >> Daily Covid count rises, 19 new cases PANAJI: In line with the trend in several other States, the daily count of fresh Covid-19 cases in Goa too has begun to rise with the State recording 19 new cases on Friday, almost double of the 11 reported in the previous 24 hours. The bulletin issued by the Directorate of Health Services said 19 of the 390 samples tested were positive for the virus. Father killed, 2 kids hurt in road mishap MAPUSA: In an unfortunate incident a father who was on way to drop his two children to school on a two-wheeler was knocked down by a speeding car driven by an Indian tourist leading to his death. The two children also suffered injuries but are out of danger.  >> See pg 5 Subsidies for fish vendors, fishermen PANAJI: The government has notified financial aid for fishermen and fish vendors registered with the Fisheries Department to purchase accessories such as crates, weighing machines, insulated box, gloves etc. Subsidy is also offered for construction and purchase of fishing craft for fishing in inland waters. The Goan (Playstore) 14 pages PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 269 Public prosecutor seeks transfer of Babush rape case to lady judge page 7 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 2 GOA NGT panel inspects footbridge, walkway on banks of River Mandovi 5 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Scenes of citizens pouring out their grievances and also voicing their angst against inefficient functioning of the administration dominated proceedings at the ‘Prashasan Tumchea Dari’ (administration to doorstep) programme launched by the Pramod Sawant government at taluka headquarters across the State on Friday. The exercise presided by a Cabinet minister in each of the 12 talukas received a good response in most places and saw many senior citizens raising concerns of mobile towers being located in residential areas, besides individual cases of being stuck in bureaucratic red-tape. Several complaints were related to the inefficiency of staff at government offices particularly those tasked with issuing routine documents and certificates such as birth, residence, etc. In one case at Mapusa, a senior citizen narrated to the cm WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: TIDES 34 C 23 C 75% Low: 02:13 14:03 High: 07:17 21:15 Herbal hair tonic recipes for thicker and healthier hair POOR RESPONSE IN BARDEZ Chief Minister Pramod Sawant listens to grievances at ‘Prashasan Tumchea Dari’ programme in Quepem on Friday. DETAILED REPORTS ON PAGES 2&3 shock of all present, of how the case of his mutation application was stick for the last 17 years. The programme has been launched by the Sawant-led government on the eve of its first anniversary. Sawant took office post the February 2022 election on March 26 last year. In Quepem, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant interacted and heard grievances of the elected representatives of the local bodies and general public. He listened to the general public individually and asked administrative officers to address their issues and difficulties. He said his government had decided 10 focal points which include housing for all, sanitation for all, financial security for all, social security for all, equipment for divyang, Kisan credit card, Kisan card for all, fisheries card for all and through Swayampurna Goa programme 98% of the MAPUSA: The ‘Prashasan Tumchea Dari’ programme held at the government complex in Mapusa on Friday drew poor response in terms of presence of common men. There were more politicians and officials present for the function then locals. Aldona MLA Carlos Ferreira said that programme can be more fruitful if the government informs the people in advance.  >> See pg 3 population has been made aware of various schemes of Government. In Pernem, WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar said stakeholders of the government should ensure that schemes implemented in the interest of the people should reach the needy, a record of which should be maintained to enable to set a target in future. Locals demanded that elec- Moves afoot to culturally map 421 Goa villages; UID for artisans PAPA DEAREST! THE GOAN I NETWORK Disqualification plea adjourned PANAJI: A leopard was trapped in the cage after Forest officials set up a trap at Vantem, Fatorpa. Officials said the animal will be released in its natural habitat. INFO 10 PANAJI anted criminal Pavan Solanki had just spent a large amount of cash in one of the off-shore casinos when Panaji and Sadarpura (Rajasthan) police nabbed him in connection with a robbery case registered against him at his native. According to the police, the 32-year-old, an active member of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi gang, was a regular visitor to Goa’s casinos. On Thursday, Sadarpura police’s search ended when a W Rahul, Jadeja pull off tricky chase as India beats Australia in first ODI Utpal Parrikar pays tributes to his father and late CM & Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on his 4th death anniversary at Smruthi Sthal, Miramar on Friday. Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant led the people of the State to pay rich tributes and homage to him. Empty chairs greet minister on surprise visit to Civil Supplies 8x12cm THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a surprise visit to the Department of Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Minister Ravi Naik found that nearly half of the employees were absent from their duties. Naik arrived at the head office in Junta House unannounced to carry out a spot check of the overall functioning, after chairing Prashasan Tumchya Daari (administration at your doorstep) programme in the office of Deputy Collector (Tiswadi) on Friday. He reportedly found that many employees had either not come to work, or had clocked in and then left early without permission from their superiors. The minister was also stunned to know that the department has surplus employees prompting him to >Continued on P5 PANAJI In good news for the State, the Narendra Modi-led central government has selected 421 villages from Goa that will be culturally mapped. This was revealed in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha on Friday, where the minister said 202 villages in South Goa district and 219 villages in North Goa district have been selected for cultural mapping. Under this unique initiative, a barcoded Unique Identification Code (UID) will be created for artists and crafts persons from the villages. Also, tourism will be linked with culture by providing blueprints for developing kala grams, art hubs, community resource centres and cultural tourist hubs as part of the central initiative. The Centre has initiated the project to culturally map artists and art practices of diverse communities of India to create a national data bank of artists, crafts people & art and craft practices that is prevalent in the country. The Central government funded project also aims to fit together various welfare schemes of the Ministry of Art and Culture for the benefit of artists. tricity cables dangling dangerously be put in place and clearing of pending cases in the deputy collector’s office as well as the mamlatdar’s office. They also demanded repairing of potholes on the roads before the monsoon, providing a taxi counter for the landless and compensation to those who have lost their land for the Mopa Airport. Transport and Panchayats Minister Mauvin Gudinho assured that transport issues in Sattari taluka would be solved as the government is hiring private buses under KTC. He also informed that the government is in process of purchasing 500 electric buses, of which some will be deployed in Sattari on priority. In Canacona, PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral chided 2 local elected representatives for their unreasonable demands and also rebuked a PWD officer for seeking ‘priority’ to carry out regular department works. Cabral was informed that >Continued on P5 SOLANKI: FROM POLICE RECORDS „„An active member of notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi gang „„Was a regular visitor to Goa’s off-shore and onshore casinos „„Spent a large amount of money earned through loot or extortion on gambling „„Facing multiple cases registered against him at various police stations in different States „„Came to limelight after he threatened actor Salman Khan and his father Salim Khan on several occasions joint operation led to Solanki’s arrest for looting Jesaram, a businessman of several lakhs of rupees. “Our counterparts had a clue that Solanki might be hiding in Goa. On Thursday, when the Panaji police visited the suspected locations with his identity details, they were informed about his presence in one of the vessels after Two minor girls influenced by Bishnoi flee from Delhi home CHANDIGARH: Two minor girls influenced by Lawrence Bishnoi on social media ran away from their homes in Delhi, reached Bathinda and clicked selfies outside the jail where the gangster is lodged, officials said on Friday. The girls came by train and reached the central jail in Bathinda on Wednesday, a police official said. The jail authorities informed the police when they found the duo clicking selfies. Investigations revealed that the girls were influenced by Bishnoi on social media, the official said. which he was arrested,” a senior officer told The Goan. The criminal was taken back to Sadarpura on the same day. It is learnt that Solanki is a regular visitor to off-shore and on-shore casinos where he spends a large amount of money earned through loot or extortion, on gambling. “This 14 Power minister rules out tariff hike from April STATE TO GENERATE 150 MW BY 2030 THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Power Minister Ramkrishna (Sudhin) Dhavlikar on Friday assured that there will be no imminent hike in power tariff and even if the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) recommends a hike, the final decision will rest with the State Cabinet on the quantum of rate hike. Dhavlikar also said that the government was committed to generate 150 MW of power in the State by 2030. “There will be no power hike from April 1. The electricity regulatory commission will decide on the quantum of power tariff. In the next six months, we expect a direction from the authority. If it gives a go ahead for increase in power tariff then the State Cabinet will decide on the rate of hike,” Dhavalikar said. The government has proposed a hike of 6 percent in power tariff for the 2023-24 financial year. Dhavalikar said that the State government depends on the Centre for its power requirement which comes with a price tag. POWER PLAY „„There will be no power hike from April 1 „„JERC will decide on quantum of power tariff, but final decision will rest with the State Cabinet „„Only 33 MW of power is manufactured in Goa “Only 33 MW of power is manufactured in Goa and that is why we have to depend on NTPC for our power requirement,” he said. The Power Minister further informed that the government will purchase power from the Centre to tide over the shortage during the summer season when power consumption shoots up. “We have a power purchase agreement with the Centre and will borrow extra power of 65 to 120 MWs, if required. We will buy it as we did last year and the rate will not be much higher this year,” he said. He also ruled out any load >Continued on P5 Extortion: CM cries foul, says bid to malign govt VOUCHES FOR HIS ‘CLEAR’ ADMINISTRATION THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Amid allegations of an extortion racket in coastal Bardez triggered by media reports quoting the ruling party’s own MLA Michael Lobo, the Chief Minister on Friday said his administration “was clear” and that a smear campaign was being carried out to gain political mileage by some quarters. Sawant made the comment in the backdrop of identical police complaints filed by owners of two popular Bardez night clubs -- Nandan Kudchadkar and Sahil Adwalpalkar -- who have alleged that a “fake letter” is in circulation, purportedly addressed to the PMO accusing the Chief Minister of extorting money from them. Kudchadkar and Adwalpalkar in their complaints addressed to the Porvorim and Panaji police inspectors respectively have claimed that signatures in this ‘fake letter’ have their surnames and since they were the only club owners with those surnames were reporting that their signatures were forged. The two club owners, who have identified the same in- Bishnoi gang member’s addiction to casinos nailed him THE GOAN I NETWORK SPORTS FROM INEFFICIENT GOVT OFFICIALS TO BUREAUCRATIC RED-TAPE, GOANS POUR THEIR HEARTS OUT AT ‘PRASHASAN TUMCHEA DARI’ PANAJI: Over 30 kg gold was seized and 36 gold smuggling cases have been registered in Goa from 2020 to Feb 2023, Rajya Sabha was told in a written reply. Of this, a maximum of 12.22 kg gold was seized in 2021 in 13 cases. Leopard caught in trap at Fatorpa RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Ministers get earful from citizens at govt’s outreach programme 30 kg gold seized in Goa in last 3 years PANAJI: Disqualification petition filed by GPCC President Amit Patkar against ex-Congress MLAs Digambar Kamat and Michael Lobo has been posted for continuation of argument on March 23. The matter came for hearing before the Speaker on Friday. Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday lead was enough to nail him,” the officer added. The criminal is facing multiple cases registered against him at various police stations in different States. His links with Bishnoi have been confirmed by the police, even though the accused apparently claimed he is working independently after severing ties with the latter. As per reports, both met in a Jodhpur jail in 2017 where they joined hands. After his release, Solanki began working for Bishnoi and developed his >Continued on P5 Extortion complaint is fake, say police PANAJI: The Crime Branch and Cyber Crime Cell of Goa Police on Friday claimed that a letter alleging extortion of club and restaurant owners is fake. The mobile number through which a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging extortion has been traced to Vietnam. Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime) Nidhin Valsan said that an inquiry found various inconsistencies. "Pursuant to a letter that was circulated via social media regarding allegations of extortion of club and restaurant owners from Goa by collection agent and goons, an inquiry was conducted by Crime Branch, Goa. It was found that there were no names of complainants in the complaint letter other than >Continued on P5 ternational number through which the so called ‘fake letter’ was circulated, have both said in their complaints that an FIR be registered and an investigation conducted to get to the origins of it. Sawant meanwhile, said the so called representation made to the Centre are to defame his government by using forged signatures. “I have asked the DGP to call all the alleged signatories >Continued on P5