log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday MONDAY MARCH 20, 2023 GOA Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) 12 pages PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 271 HC deadline ends, questions remain on Sonsodo legacy dump work 2 GOA Water sports biz should remain with Goans, reiterates Calangute MLA 3 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Benefits of muskmelon for skin and hair! Blow to greens, land acquisition for railway double-track cleared ALL COAL-RELATED OBJECTIONS REJECTED BY MORMUGAO SDM THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa's greens fiercely opposing the double-tracking project of the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) on grounds that it will increase quantum of coal transported, suffered a severe setback with the land acquisition award passed by the Mormugao sub-divisional magistrate overruling several objections. All the objections raised citing coal related environmental reasons were summarily rejected in passing the award related to nearly one hectare of land in Curchorem, Cacora, Savordem, Xelvona, St Jose de Areal, Chandor, Girdolim, Velsao and Issorcim. The project involves doubling of the existing South Central Railway track between Hospet and Vasco-da-Gama via Hubli and Tinaighat. It is one of three linear projects which saw massive protests in 2020-21 after the National IN SHORT >> Atal Setu to be shut till March 27 PANAJI: North Goa Collector has ordered the closure of Atal Setu bridge over river Mandovi for vehicular traffic till March 27. The bridge is being closed to shift heavy machinery used for ongoing resurfacing works. RAILWAYS SET TO CHUG ALONG „„Award relates to nearly one hectare of land in Curchorem, Cacora, Savordem, Xelvona, St Jose de Areal, Chandor, Girdolim, Velsao and Issorcim „„Land to be acquired by Ministry of Railways South Western Railway (Construc- Board for Wildlife gave its nod despite massive diversion of forests in and around the protected Mollem National Park and the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary. The project also affects the Bhimgad tiger reserve in Karnataka. Interestingly, the Central Empowered Committee of the Supreme Court of India had in its report questioned the very justification for the railway tion Organisation) under the Railway Act, 1989 for doubling track on the stretch between Kulem and Vasco-da-Gama „„Mormugao SDO was designated as the 'Competent Authority' „„Nearly 20 objections on double-tracking project and recommended that the railways be directed to drop it. The land, according to the award, is to be acquired by the Ministry of Railways South Western Railway (Construction Organisation) under the Railway Act, 1989 for doubling the track on the stretch between Kulem and Vasco-da-Gama. The Mormugao SDO was environmental grounds were filed before Mormugao SDO but all of them were rejected „„Some objections were related to argument that track-doubling will lead to increase in the quantum of coal handling designated as the 'Competent Authority' and the award he has passed briefly describes the land to be acquired as "with or without" structure, besides the compensation which is to be paid to the owners. The railways claim that over 75% of the nearly 352.85 kilometer track-doubling project between Hospet and Vasco is completed and its total Old Goa bungalow protest: Goan voices echo in Delhi WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 33 C 23 C 74% PANAJI A group of seven Goan environmental and political activists on Sunday held a demonstration at Delhi's Jantar Mantar to draw attention of Central government authorities to the case of the controversial ground-plus-one bungalow within Old Goa's protected heritage area and demand its demolition. The activists comprising Anthony D'Silva, Glen Cabral, Xencor Polgi, Pratima Coutinho of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) among others held placards and chanted slogans for several hours at the iconic venue in the national capital. The activists resorted to the action as the State government authorities were showing no inclination to act 295 enemy properties in Goa, Centre starts process of sale Enemy properties are immovable assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan & China PTI NEW DELHI he Union Home Ministry has started the process for eviction and sale of enemy properties, the immovable assets left behind by people who have taken citizenship of Pakistan and China. There are a total of 12,611 establishments called enemy property, roughly estimated to be worth over Rs 1 lakh crore, in the country. In Goa, there are 295 such properties located in different parts of the State. The total area of the enemy property in Goa is around 3.5 lakh square meters. The highest number of enemy properties were found in Uttar Pradesh (6,255 proper- T UP FOR GRABS „„Process to be initiated with help of DM or Dy Commissioner „„In case of properties valued below Rs 1 cr, occupant to be given first offer for purchase „„If refused, then it shall be disposed of in accordance with procedure „„Properties having valuation of Rs 1 cr and below Rs 100 cr to be disposed of by CEPI through e-auction ties), followed by West Bengal (4,088), Delhi (659). The enemy properties are vested with the Custodian of Enemy Property for India (CEPI), an authority created under the Enemy Property Act. According to a notification, the guidelines for disposal of the enemy properties have been changed under which the process for eviction now shall be initiated with help of the District Magistrate or Deputy Commissioner. In case of the enemy properties valued below Rs 1 crore, the custodian shall offer for purchase to the occupant first and if refused, then it shall be disposed of in accordance with the procedure specified. THE GOAN I NETWORK >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 VOICES OF DISSENT: Goa’s environmental and political activists protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Sunday. THE GOAN I NETWORK Extortion: Lobo clears air, says chapter closed against the illegal construction which recently got a reprieve from the Bombay High Court at Goa which quashed a demolition notice issued by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which is the custodian of the area, a UNESCO certified world heritage site. The activists have also submitted memorandums PANAJI: The Primary Health Centers at Dharbandora and Sanguem are set to be upgraded as Community Health Centers as part of the National Health Mission Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said. MARGAO: Uproar and bedlam marked the gram sabha of the Rumdamol village panchayat on the contentious issue of activities as a number of members demanded shutting down of a Trust.  >> See pg 2 >Continued on P5 MAPUSA Calangute MLA Michael Lobo on Sunday termed the alleged extortion issue as “closed” but also warned that his focus was on Goa’s coastal belt and nobody would be allowed to take the law into their hands. Lobo also said that some ex-(MLA) who had gone into a slumber has woken up and started making some irrelevant statements which did not deserve a comment. “(On the extortion) Whatever I have to say I have already said. The CM has also given his statement. It is not right for us to speak when the CM has already made a statement. The CM has given a word so there is no need to speak further. As for me the issue is closed,” Lobo said. He also said that he was actively involved in all the constituencies and whatever was happening in the coastal belt was reported to him first. “Our eyes and ears are along the entire coastal belt. We will not allow anybody to Dharbandora, Sanguem PHCs to be upgraded Uproar in Rumdamol over night activities cost of Rs 3692.60 crore is being borne by the ministry. Nearly 20 objections on environmental grounds were filed before the Mormugao SDO but all of them were rejected. Some of the objections were related to the argument that track-doubling will lead to increase in the quantum of coal being transported between the Mormugao port and North Karnataka. While some of the objections were summarily rejected, the others were given a hearing but the SDO ruled that the issues raised were not in the ambit of his mandate as 'competent authority' for land acquisition under the railways law. Meanwhile, activists opposing the project have accused the government of following "anarchic methods" to facilitate the double-tracking project by RVNL which they alleged is violating all State 10 SPORTS At 43, Bopanna becomes oldest Masters champion at Indian Wells 12 THIS IS NO MUSIC TO THE EARS! Ashvem club gets sound nod for whole of March Permission is for entertainment, public functions THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a bizarre case, the Pernem Deputy Collector, Deepak Vaigankar, has issued a controversial venue at Ashvem permission to use amplified sound for outdoor events for the whole of the current month -- March 1 to 31 -- in one go. The permission issued by Vaigankar, however, limits the use of the sound between 4 pm and 10 pm while also specifying that the ambient sound in the periphery shall not exceed 55 decibels. The permission granted to one Abdulla Bardila, a resident of Siolim, is meant for entertainment or public function at Azule Ocean Front at Ashvem-Mandrem and states that the party will have to separately apply for permission to hold the ‘open air’ event at the venue from competent authorities. Vaigankar also cites the nod granted by the Pernem sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) vide an NOC issued by his office on March 1. Several other standard conditions have also been imposed. This blanket sound permission granted by Vaigankar for the whole month of March comes close on the heels of the recent controversy of loud music and disturbances affecting the turtle nesting ac- tivity which is currently peak season. In early March, the Bombay High Court at Goa too had ordered a crackdown on beach parties in the vicinity nesting sites and also recommended a study on the impact of beach parties around these protected turtle nesting sites at Morjim and Ashvem. “These are highly vulnerable locations because there are very few places around the globe where such sites remain. Literature suggests that the Olive Ridley Turtles have been coming to these few and chosen sites for thousands of years for nesting. Therefore, it would not be an exaggeration to state that these are natural heritage sites, if not natural wonders,” a bench of Justices M S Sonak and B P Deshpande had said in the first week of March. preacher Goa’s Covid count Radicalthe run, still on crosses 100 mark Punjab on alert with 18 new cases 1 Police on Sunday conducted flag marches and searches across Punjab in their manhunt for radical preacher Amritpal Singh, arresting 34 more supporters and shifting four men in custody to a jail in far-off Assam. THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In warning signs for authorities in the State, Goa’s active Covid positive count crossed the 100 mark on Sunday with 18 more persons testing positive for the dreaded virus. According to the health bulletin issued by the Directorate of Health, 18 persons tested positive from 346 samples that were tested in the last 24 hours. The bulletin revealed that as of date, the active Covid caseload in Goa stands at 103. Across the country, the rising trend of Covid cases also continued with India witnessing a single-day rise of more than 1,000 fresh Covid cases after 129 days, while the active cases increased to 5,915, according to the Union health ministry data updated on Sunday. A total of 1,071 fresh cases were reported in the county 2 in a span of 24 hours, while the death toll increased to 5,30,802 with three latest fatalities -- one each reported in Rajasthan and Maharashtra and one reconciled in Kerala. The active cases now comprise 0.01 per cent of the total cases, while the national Covid recovery rate has been recorded at 98.8 per cent. According to the ministry's website, 220.65 crore doses of Covid vaccine have been administered in the country so far under the nationwide Coronavirus vaccination drive. The Punjab and Haryana High Court has, however, asked the State government to respond on Tuesday to a habeas corpus petition, claiming that the preacher is already in illegal police custody and should be released. 3 Justice N S Shekhawat held the hearing at his home-office as the courts were closed. Police stuck to their version that the Waris Punjab De chief gave them the slip during a car chase in Jalandhar district on Saturday when the crackdown against the group began. >> See pg 6