log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday WEDNESDAY JUNE 7, 2023 GOA 14 pages MMC ‘caught napping’ on updating list of old and dilapidated buildings Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO.350 2 GOA With reopening of schools, traffic chaos prevails at key court junction in Mapusa 3 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Effective remedies to get rid of white spots on lips Need to wipe out traces of Portuguese rule: Sawant SAYS AFTER 60 YEARS OF LIBERATION TIME TO START AFRESH AND FOCUS ON REBUILDING GOAN CULTURE; PROCESS ON TO REBUILD TEMPLES THE GOAN I NETWORK Date for NEET, GCET courses extended PANAJI: Directorate of Technical education has extended the last date for submission of application form for admission to degree courses for NEET as well as GCET based courses in the State. June 9 has been announced as the new date. 1-day-old baby found abandoned in bushes MAPUSA: In a shocking incident, a one-day-old baby was found abandoned in the bushes at Maina-Pilerne. This incident came to light around 5 pm when Prosecutor Gurudas Govekar was watering the plants in the courtyard of his house.  >> See pg 5 Two held for theft, 11 mobiles found MAPUSA: Calangute Police arrested two persons on charges of theft and recovered 11 mobile phones worth Rs 1.30 lakh. A team of Calangute police who were on a round apprehended the accused who were moving suspiciously.  >> See pg 2 WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: TIDES 36 C 27 C 75% Low: 06.33 19.35 High: 13.52 ---- 60 years that we are trying to wipe out the traces of Portuguese and start afresh. This is the need of the hour”, he said, while speaking at the programme organised by department of Archeology. He added: “Today as we are celebrating Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav... The country is celebrating 75 years of independence and Goa already celebrated 60 years of Liberation. We are heading towards 2047, towards a developed India. It would be 100 years then for India to be independent and at that time, how Goa should be and where it should be would be, we have started thinking of that day from to- A DAY AFTER PROTEST… Govt swings into action to renovate Morpirla school  WORK ORDER ISSUED  STUDENTS GET BACK TO CLASSES, BUT PARENTS TO CONTINUE PROTEST THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Taking cognizance of the protest staged by parents and students of Morpirla primary and high school on Day one of the school reopening, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said the government is committed to repair and renovate every school building across the State if left out for whatever reason. After the government on Monday evening issued work orders for the high school repairs and renovation and has floated a tender for the renovation, students joined the classes on Tuesday. Parents, however, continued their protest outside the school and will chalk out the future course of action if the promised work does not start within seven days, informed Morpirla deputy Sarpanch Prakash Velip. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant took the platform of the celebrations of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Betul in Quepem to assure Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa Y IN SHORT >> Chief Minister Pramod Sawant along with Ministers Subhash Faldesai, Govind Gawde and MLA Altone D’Costa at Betul Fort on Tuesday.  Santosh Mirajkar „„CM says govt committed to develop Betul Fort in honour of Shivaji „„In talks with Customs to hand over land housing Betul Fort „„Govt to approach Centre for smooth transfer of land… actual Betul Fort to be built at the site DA MARGAO Chief Minister Pramod Sawant took the platform of the commemoration of 350th Coronation Day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Betul Fort on Tuesday to send a message to the people that his government is trying to wipe out the traces of Portuguese after 60 years of Goa’s Liberation and start afresh. He also pointed out that Minister for Archeology Subhash Faldesai and officials from the department of Archeology have started the process to reconstruct temples, forts in Goa. “This is sort of rebuilding the culture and all our officers and the Minister are working efficiently towards restoring what we have lost. It is after MISSION BETUL FORT ON MON that the government will never discriminate against Opposition ruled constituencies. After MLA Altone raised the Morpirla school issue and thanked Sawant for prompt action, Sawant said his government has been doing work right from Canacona to Pernem sans discrimination. “Goa is one State and I am the CM of entire Goa. If there are some works of schools, higher secondary schools and colleges, my government is committed to complete the work”, he said. Referring to the Morpirla primary school, he said the government had twice floated tenders for repair work, but there were no takers. “We have once again floated the tender and I am confident that work will start”, he added. The Chief Minister gave a categorical commitment stating that no primary school or higher secondary school or College will be ignored, but will be provided with all the amenities. On MLA Altone’s demand to allot 25,000 sq mts of IDC land at Naqueri to set up a panchayat ghar and a football ground, Sawant said the government will try and resolve the land issue. day and are working towards it. The Govt is committed to carry on various activities to take this mission forward”. Saying the government is committed to develop the Betul Fort in honour of the great Maratha warrior, Sawant said the government is in talks with the Customs, exuding confidence that the land presently housing the Betul Fort, will soon come in possession of the Goa government. “Once the Goa government gets possession of the land from the Customs admeasuring 2500 square meters, the government will declare the Betul fort as a notified monument. The actual Betul Fort will be built at the site”, the CM said. >Continued on P7 AI effect: `10L netted in traffic fines in 6 days THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The introduction of AI-powered cameras in Panaji and Porvorim has yielded astounding results. Within just six days of commencing operations at major junctions from June 1, the authorities will collect a sum of over Rs 10 lakh in fines. The IT Cell of the government and the Transport Department, which are the main agencies collecting the data, have revealed that among 1717 offenses recorded, maximum 1,140 violations were jumping of traffic signals followed by 907 cases of overspeeding. From the two major offenses, over Rs 5 lakh is set to be gathered solely from signal jumping and around Rs 83,000 for overspeeding. But this data does not include challans recorded at Merces junction. The AI cameras are capable to detect overspeeding, signal jumping, helmet-less riding, driving without seat belt, overcrowding of two wheelers, etc. The State has witnessed a distressing number of accidents this year so far with majority being self-accidents and overspeeding. This prompted the government to further streamline the road discipline. 9 SPORTS All eyes on WTC final as India takes on Australia today 14 Ammonia leakage from ship sparks panic in port LEAKAGE PLUGGED SWIFTLY, OPS STOPPED THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO Ammonia leaked from a ship docked at Mormugao Port on Tuesday afternoon, causing panic in the port and other parts of the town. Sources said the incident took place at around 11.55 am as the Ship St Oslo, which arrived from Pradip Ghar and carrying liquid ammonia for Paradeep Phospates Limited (PPL), was about to start unloading its cargo at Berth 8. “There was panic after people working in the port to discharge the cargo realised that there was an ammonia leakage. A fire tender from the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) and PPL rushed to the site even as the ship started taking steps and the discharge was immediately stopped, thereby helping control the minor ammonia leakage,” said the source. News of the ammonia leakage spread across the port town, with many people raising alarm over safety concerns Firefighting operations on the ship St Oslo at MPA Berth 8 following an incident of ammonia leakage on the ship on Tuesday.  Vikram Nayak in the area. Some even called up the fire station to report the matter. When contacted, Vasco Fire Station incharge Dilip Bicholkar said they got a call at around 12.10 pm that there was an ammonia leakage reported from a ship docked at Berth 8 in the port. “We rushed to the site and before we could get there, two fire tenders from PPL and MPA were already pressed into service. There was a minor leakage while unloading ammonia cargo from the ship which has been controlled as of now and the discharge from the ship has been stopped temporarily,” said Bicholkar. Meanwhile, a source in the MPA said an investigation is underway into the incident. “There was a minor issue while the ship commenced operation. The operations were stopped immediately. There are comprehensive SOPs in the ship to address such issues. The pumping operation is stopped and detailed investigation in progress by ship officials,” said the source. Sleuths net ‘largest-ever’ LSD haul, Goan among 6 arrested  MOST WERE STUDENTS WHO SOUGHT ‘EASY MONEY’  NETWORK WAS OPERATING ON DARKNET PTI NEW DELHI The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Tuesday said it has made the ‘largest-ever’ single operation seizure of about 15,000 LSD blots in the country and arrested six people including a Goan after it busted an international drugs trafficking network operating on the darknet. The seizure, as per officials, is estimated to be worth over Rs 10 crore in the international market (about Rs 5K-7K per blot) and all the six who have been taken into custody, beginning late last month, are students and youngsters who wanted to make “easy money” by remaining anonymous within the deep layers of secret internet-based apps and messenger service like WICKR. NCB zonal director (Delhi) Gyanendra Kumar Singh said those arrested are mostly educated and are young. “One is a student who is from Goa but enrolled at a private university in Noida, another is a Delhi boy who was trying to send some of these blots to Kashmir and a girl who has been arrested from T H E B I G D R U G B U ST „„A total of 14,961 blots seized in two-week long operation „„Blots are of ‘gammagoblin and holy spirit of asura’ brand „„Seizure estimated to be worth over Rs 10 crore „„2.32 kgs ganja, Rs 4.65 lakh cash also seized „„Bank deposits worth Rs 20 lakh frozen „„Seized LSD sourced from Poland & Netherlands and trafficked across various States LSD FACT FILE „„LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic chemical based-drug categorised as hallucinogen „„Trafficked by painting it on blots, half the size of a stamp paper, and is consumed by licking or swallowing the NCR,” the zonal director said. A supplier based in Jaipur and a man from Kerala have also been arrested, he said. LSD or lysergic acid diethylamide is a synthetic chemical based-drug and is categorised as a hallucinogen. It is trafficked by painting it on blots, half the size of a stamp paper, and is consumed by licking or swallowing. “This is the “largest-ever” seizure of LSD blots in the country in a single operation. Six youngsters have been ar- rested till now and we are on the trail of one more such cartel,” NCB deputy director general (northern region) Gyaneshwar Singh told reporters. Those arrested are in the age group of 25-28 years, the officials said. A total of 14,961 blots were seized as part of the about two-week long operation and the blots are of “gammagoblin and holy spirit of asura” brand, Singh said. Deputy DG said till now, highest seizure of LSD was 5,000 blots by Karnataka. Adani-linked firm guilty of selling IMD warns of severe cyclonic storm off Goa coast substandard oil in Goa markets Light showers Monsoon may hit THE GOAN I NETWORK  FDA IMPOSES `1 LAKH PENALTY ON COMPANY THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State Food & Drugs Administration has imposed a fine of Rs 1 lakh on the country’s top business firm Adani and its partner’s joint venture “Adani Wilmar Limited” for the production and sale of substandard refined oil. The company which operates from its headquarters in Malegao, has been involved in manufacturing and distributing these products to different markets, including Goa. Adani Wilmar Limited is a food and beverage conglomerate, which is a joint venture FDA REPORT „„‘Fortune Plus + Soya Health Refined Soya Bean Oil found to be substandard after analysis by the Food Analyst „„The product’s Vitamin A (4.25 µg RE/gm) and Vitamin D (<0.05 ug/gm) content were found to be below the prescribed limits between Adani Enterprises and Wilmar International. The company claims to be India’s largest processor of palm oil. Details shared by the FDA state that during a recent check by FDA officers, Food Safety Officer Ankita Palyekar found Adani Wilmar guilty of manufacturing and selling substandard ‘Fortune Plus + Soya Health Refined Soya Bean Oil’. “It was deemed “Sub-Standard” after analysis by the Food Analyst. The product’s Vitamin A (4.25 µg RE/gm) and Vitamin D (<0.05 ug/gm) content were found to be below the prescribed limits,” it said. As such, the company has been slapped with a fine of >Continued on P7 MAPUSA he India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that a deep depression over the southeast and adjoining East-central Arabian Sea is likely to move northwestward and intensify into a cyclonic storm. The depression lay about 930 kilometers west-southwest of Goa and 1,060 km southwest of Mumbai, 1150 km south-southwest of Porbandar and 1450 km south of Karachi. The cyclonic storm is called Cyclone Biparjoy. The Met office said the cyclonic storm will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm by Thursday morning and very severe cyclonic storm by Friday T predicted in Goa Kerala on June 8 PANAJI: IMD Goa has said that the State is expected to experience light rain/ thundershowers at a few places for next two days which could increase on Friday and Saturday. The Met department has also warned of thunderstorms accompanied with lightning and winds on Friday and Saturday. The maximum temperature recorded at Panaji was 36.4 degree Celsius. evening. In view of the depression, squally wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph and gusting to 60 NEW DELHI: Private forecasting agency Skymet Weather has said the monsoon onset over Kerala may happen on June 8 or June 9 but it is expected to be a “meek and mild entry”. Skymet had earlier predicted the monsoon onset over Kerala on June 7 with an error margin of three days. IMD, however, did not give a tentative date for the arrival of the monsoon in Kerala. kmph is likely to be experienced along and off north Kerala-Karnataka-Goa and Karnataka-Goa-Maharashtra coasts for next four days. “Sea condition is likely to be rough over southwest Arabian Sea, along and off Kerala-Karnataka-Goa and Karnataka-Goa-Maharashtra coasts for next four days,” an IMD bulletin said. Fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea and those out at sea have been advised to immediately return to the coast. The IMD is closely monitoring the progress of the deep depression as it is likely to influence the progress of the monsoon in India. In another report, the IMD has said that westerly winds continue to persist over south Arabian Sea. “The depth of westerly winds has increased from 1.5 to 4.5 km above mean sea level. There has been some increase in rainfall activity over Kerala,” said Dr Rajasree, scientist with IMD Goa.