log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday TUESDAY MARCH 21, 2023 GOA Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) 13 pages PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 272 Firefighting, legacy dump, piled-up waste come to fore at Sonsodo meet 2 GOA Ruling, Oppn councillors unite to defeat plan to hike tax in Mapusa 3 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Kumkumadi Oil: Benefits for skin and how to use it 4 booked for assault on rail workers at Velsao 9 13 SPORTS Warriorz beats Giants to secure WPL playoff berth Traffic havoc in Panaji G-20, SMART CITY WORKS BRING CITY TO STANDSTILL CLOSURE OF ATAL SETU ADDS TO WOES COMMUTERS STRANDED FOR HOURS INTERNAL ROADS ALSO CHOKED LABOURERS FLEE FEARING ATTACK JCB DAMAGED COPS RUSH TO SITE HOW IT HAPPENED THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO Vasco Railway police on Monday registered an offence against Congress leader Olencio Simoes, Goencho Ekvott founder member Orville Dourado, former Velsao Panch Camilo D'Souza and Francis Braganza on charges of damaging the JCB machinery used for railway works and assaulting two workers by pelting stones. Vasco Railway PI Amarnath Passi said an offence was registered under Sections 143, 147, 148, 324 and 427 read with 149 IPC. The offence was registered based on a complaint by Site Engineer Dinesh Kumar (35), a resident of Cansaulim, but native of Himachal Pradesh. The incident occurred on Sunday at 12.30 pm near the IN SHORT >> 2 influenza cases detected in Goa PANAJI: The Directorate of Health Services has revealed detection of two patients with the H3N2 influenza virus but claimed that both "are doing well" even as it has cautioned the general public in an advisory to follow Covid appropriate behaviour in the face of rising cases. In Monday's health bulletin, the DHS said, 17 more persons tested positive for Covid from as many as 170 whose samples were tested in the last 24-hours, raising concerns over the 10% positivity rate. Balrath workers warn of strike PANAJI: Upping the ante, Balrath workers have warned of resorting to a strike at Azad Maidan from March 27 in support of their pay hike and other demands. They have also threatened that they will stop the services offered by them for school students from March 27. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: TIDES 33 C 22 C 71% Low: 04:35 16:42 High: 10:41 23:05 „„Incident occurred on Sunday at 12.30 pm near railway under pass bridge at Pale-Velsao „„Group confronts workers who were levelling the mud with JCB The damaged JCB engaged in RVNL double track work. Railway under pass bridge at Pale-Velsao where the accused along with 10 others with their common intention formed an unlawful assembly carrying deadly weapons. “The accused are alleged to have assaulted two workers of RVNL, Kanai Sardar and Rameshwar Sardar, by pelting stones and also damaged a JCB Machine (GA-03-R-9241) belonging to Manisha Kam- bli which was being utilised for Railway double tracking works, thereby causing a loss of Rs 45,000. The Vasco Railway police station has registered an offence and further investigation is underway," said Passi. When contacted, a source said the incident caused panic among workers, who fled from the area on Sunday afternoon. "Being a Sunday, Railway officials were not present and the work was minor in nature only to level mud. The workers were levelling the mud with the JCB when the group of people come to the site and began confronting the workers,” said the source. “The group of people later began pelting stones and the workers fled the site in fear of a public attack on them and the group later damaged the JCB that was being used on 5 canoes reduced to ashes in Cacra fire, loss in lakhs 8 panchas pledge month’s salary to affected fishermen >Continued on P5 Budget to be presented, but discussion next time: BAC THE GOAN I NETWORK has been affected due to the fire incident. “Therefore, the eight panchas of the ruling panel have decided to immediately donate their one-month’s salary to the affected fishermen. Though the amount is small as compared to the loss incurred, we are trying to alleviate their suffering in whatever way possible,” Pereira informed. Further, the dy sarpanch said the panchayat will also write to various authorities >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 Smoke billows from one of the canoe that was reduced to ashes at Cacra beach.  Manuel Vaz range between Rs 10,000 and Rs 50,000,” Sawant informed. The Santa Cruz panchayat authorities led by Sarpanch Jennifer Oliveira and Deputy Sarpanch Domnic Pereira visited the Cacra beach to take stock of the incident which reduced five canoes to ashes. Later, speaking to reporters, Pereira informed that eight panchas of the ruling panel have decided to donate their one-month’s salary to the affected fishermen. Expressing grief over the incident, Pereira said that the livelihood of the fishermen the site.” “As of now, the two workers have suffered injuries on the back and are being treated for the injuries while the other workers who fled from the site were safe.” The source said the site engineer later filed a complaint about the incident and the Vasco Railway Police went to the site to assess the situation even though the accused PANAJI In a departure from past practice, the Goa legislative Assembly will not hold discussion on the Budget although Chief Minister Pramod Sawant will present it during the upcoming session beginning from March 27. The general discussion on the Budget for three days will now be held during the monsoon session, according to a consensus reached at the Business Advisory Committee meeting presided over by Speaker Ramesh Tawardkar on Monday. Emerging from the meeting, Sawant said, although the exact date has still not been finalised, he will present the State Budget for 2023-24 in this session and also take a vote on account for the first four months of the new financial year. "Discussion on the Budget will be held in the next (monsoon) Assembly session," Sawant said even as he replied in the negative to a question whether the session will be extended beyond March THE GOAN I NETWORK OLD GOA Five canoes were reduced to ashes in a fire at Cacra beach in the wee hours of Monday. Panch Sandip Sawant informed The Goan that the fire was noticed at around 4 am by one of the fishermen who had woken up early to prepare for a fishing trip. “He immediately started pouring water on the fire in an attempt to douse it and the fire brigade was also informed about the same. However, by that time the canoes were reduced to ashes,” Sawant said. Sawant however could not say whether the fire was a deliberate one or an accident. “At the moment, it is difficult to state whether the incident was deliberate or accidental,” Sawant said. On the loss incurred, Sawant said it should run into lakhs of rupees as besides the canoes, the fishing nets were also reduced to ashes. “A big-sized canoe itself costs around Rs 2 lakh while a small one costs less. Besides the cost of the fishing nets „„Begin pelting stones; workers flee in fear of public attack „„JCB being used on the site also stoned „„Two workers suffer injuries on the back IN A BID TO TACKLE WATER SHORTAGE… Govt plans to increase height of Selaulim dam Small dams also proposed at Valpoi, Dharbandora, Bicholim, Shiroda THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO ater Resources Department (WRD) Minister Subhash Shirodkar has mulled increasing the height of the Selaulim dam, South Goa’s water lifeline, and building 4-5 new small dams across the State to conserve water resources to take care of the State’s water requirements for the next 20-30 years. Stating that he is committed to save and conserve the water resources from river Mhadei, Chapora and Zuari, just to name a few, Shirodkar said the new measures proposed by the WRD will ensure that Goans will not be starved of water for the next three decades. W “Our WRD engineers have conducted a study over the last six months how to conserve the water resources and ensure people get drinking water and water for irrigation. The study has suggested raising the height of the Selaulim dam”, he said, while addressing an agriculture programme at Chinchinim on Monday. He added: “When water was released for irrigation by the WRD in December last year, water at the Selaulim dam went down by two meters, wherein lakhs of litres of water meant for drinking was consumed for irrigation. The WRD has decided to strike a balance between demands for drinking water and for irrigation. Hence, it has been decided to increase the height of the Selaulim dam”. The WRD Minister said new small dams have been proposed at Valpoi, Dharbandora, Bicholim and at Shiroda to conserve water resources. ‘Next two years, the WRD will take up 4-5 new small dams, including one at Cajumol-Dharbandor and in my village. If everything goes well, the foundation stone for the Cajumoll-Dharbandora dam will be laid in December 2023 and the dam should be ready within two years”, he added. Saying the WRD has also decided to revive the dam project in Valpoi-Sattari which was abandoned because of forest clearance, Shirodkar said the Rs 200 crore project is proposed at Sal, Bicholim which will take care of water requirements of entire Pernem taluka, which does not get water round the year. This dam will provide additional 200-300MLD of water to the taluka”, he said. Saying the WRD is working on a plan to conserve water resources, Shirodkar said small water bodies, nallahs, springs etc will be taken up for development. “We are moving in the right direction to implement the Centre’s scheme for development of 150 water bodies in Goa, 75 water bodies in each district. Several water bodies have already been identified and work has commenced at these water bodies”, he added. A serpentine queue of vehicles witnessed in Panaji on Monday.  THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI If the Smart City works were not enough to create traffic havoc in the city, preparations for the upcoming G20 Summit have added to the woes of the commuters. Closure of roads, repairs of potholes and traffic diversion without prior initiation to the public caused immense inconvenience to the commuters, who were left stranded for several hours in Panaji on Monday. Many took to social media to express their anger despite their grievances falling on deaf ears. The inner roads too were congested in what has tested the patience of the residents and floating population. Narayan Pissurlenkar “Entire Campal road in Panaji has been jammed for this so-called “DUMB CITY” works. No sense of traffic management at all. The public is made to suffer! It took me one hour from Kala Academy to Bal Bhavan! Please have some sense,” Advocate Harshal Desai said in his post >Continued on P5 AFTER CREATING A RUCKUS IN DELHI… State’s new ‘rebel’ police recruits finally fall in line Discipline, obedience must, says top official THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI After creating a nuisance in the country’s best training academy in South West Delhi, the ‘highly disobedient’ newly recruited Goa police constables are falling in place. The trainees had alleged sub-standard food and unhygienic living conditions to cover up for being unable to adjust to tough physical exercises and punctuality. A backlash back in their home State with no support from any political party too, the trainees are trying to adjust to the strict code of conduct and behaviour. WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH… „„Recruits subjected to a rigorous schedule that demands strict adherence to timelines & deadlines „„Expected to be punctual, arrive in time for classes, drills, and other activities „„Need to show respect towards superiors and colleagues, and follow instructions without question „„Syllabus also lays emphasis on discipline and obedience to inculcate a sense of responsibility & accountability “Recruits are subjected to a rigorous schedule that demands strict adherence to timelines and deadlines. They are expected to be punctual and arrive on time for classes, drills, and other activities. They also need to show re- spect towards their superiors and colleagues, and follow instructions without question,” a senior officer attached to the academy told The Goan. The syllabus also lays >Continued on P5