log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) Instagram.com/thegoanonline >P12 MONDAY SEPTEMBER 18, 2023 12 pages PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO.92 Bopanna logs win in farewell tie of Davis Cup as India advances RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Turning a blind eye as beach belt turns into big party zone SLEEPLESS NIGHTS FOR LOCALS WITH DUSK-TO-DAWN PARTIES PART Y TIME THE GOAN I NETWORK IN SHORT >> Sawant praises Goa’s fiscal management in Chhattisgarh PANAJI: Claiming prudent fiscal moves, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday sang paeans of Goa’s fiscal management in Chattisgarh, a poll-bound State where he was on a two-day tour for party work over the weekend.  >> See pg 3 Youth from Kochi murdered in Goa PANAJI: A 27-year-old MBA dropout Jeff John Louis had gone missing in 2021. It turns out, he was murdered here in Goa by a gang over a matter of personal enmity. The murder was discovered by the Kerala police while interrogating criminals in another case when one of them spilled the beans about Jeff’s murder on Saturday.   >> See pg 3 Normal monsoon in Goa till date PANAJI: With just 12 days left for the official end of monsoon season in the State, Goa is still hovering around normal monsoon despite dry spells for last one and half months. Few moderate spells in isolated parts in last few days as the result of low pressure has prevented monsoon in Goa going into deficit. WEATHER >> Max: 32 C Min: 24 C Humidity: 89% TIDES Low: High: 06.16 00.25 18.38 12.11 PANAJI Not too long ago, the High Court of Bombay at Goa reprimanded the Goa police for their perceived inaction in cracking down on noise pollution. This led to a few raids but subsequent care-a-damn attitude from nearly all the concerned authorities seems to have encouraged various late night party organisers to gear up for the upcoming season, fearless of the law.  The often abuzz Baga, Vagator and Anjuna -- synonym with trance music -- have succumbed to noise pollution and a myriad of legality issues stemming from the exuberant dusk-to-dawn parties along the shores.  Residents are bracing themselves for a recurring ordeal, with events like “Escapade Night” that starts Sunday evening and continues into the early hours of Monday. To be precise, as per their social media promo, the event starts at 8pm Sunday till 5:30am Monday.  Quite a few parties were blatantly held on Saturday too.  “Hangover Sunday Escape,” another Sunday event starts at 6 pm and ends at 4 woman no more at 111 India lifted the Asia Cup after routing defending champions Sri Lanka by 10 wickets in the final at the R Premadasa Stadium on Sunday THE GOAN I NETWORK INDIA’S 8TH ASIA CUP TITLE „„This was India’s eighth Asia Cup title and also their biggest victory (263 balls) in ODIs in terms of balls remaining „„Lanka batted just 15.2 overs, and this was also their lowest ODI total against India The bill seeks to reserve one-third of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies. After the meeting, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said an “appropriate decision will be taken at appropriate time” MAPUSA Goa’s oldest woman Matilda D’Souza died peacefully on Sunday at the age of 111 in a private hospital in Mapusa. D’Souza, popularly known as “Matty”, was born in Calangute on October 25, 1911 three years before World War I. According to her family members, she died peacefully at around 6 pm on Sunday (September 17) in a private hospital. She was not keeping too well for the last 15 days and was undergoing treatment in the Goa Medical College and Hospital and later in a private hospital in Mapusa, where she died. Having lost her eldest son some years back, she lives behind two sons and two daughters besides grandchildren, great >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 SIRAJ THE MAGICIAN Siraj conjured a magical spell of seam and swing bowling with figures of 6 for 21  Report on pg 12 5-day Parl session begins today, parties push for women’s bill PTI NEW DELHI Several political parties on Sunday made a strong pitch for the passage of the women’’s reservation bill during the five-day Parliament session beginning Monday, with the government asserting that an “appropriate decision will be taken at an appropriate time”. At an all-party meeting convened by the government on the eve of the session, several leaders said the long-pending bill should be tabled and hoped that it can be passed with consensus. WRITES TO P’YATS FOR DISCUSSION AT GRAM SABHAS PANAJI Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik has written to 191 village panchayats requesting to take up discussion and public inputs on Goa State Agriculture Policy during the special gram sabhas, scheduled on October 2. In a communication to the Sarpanchas, the Minister has requested to include Goa State Agriculture Policy as an important agenda item in the gram sabha meeting to be held on the day of Gandhi Jayanti, seeking suggestions such as permissions for the sale of liquor and adherence to Coastal Regulation Zone guidelines, and allegations on the use of contraband substances. Even more concerning is that some establishments, already under scrutiny for lacking the necessary permissions to operate, are flouting the law by extending party hours and THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa police have formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases of alleged honey-trap racket that was unearthed last month. The 12-member SIT is headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Aslam Khan with SP Crime Branch Nidhin Valsan and SP Cyber Cell Akshat Kaushal as its investigating team members. The SIT also includes SP Sunita Sawant, Deputy SP Sudesh Naik, PIs Rahul Parab, John Fernandes, Satish Padwalkar, Reema Naik, sub inspector Sonam Verekar and three constables. Last month, North Goa police had busted a major honey-trap sextortion racket, wherein two women were found targeting rich businessmen from Goa and Gujarat by blackmailing them with filing false rape cases. Both the Police had busted a major honey-trap sextortion racket, wherein two women were found targeting rich businessmen from Goa and Gujarat by blackmailing them with filing false rape cases. Both the women were arrested women were arrested later. Two women had filed three rape complaints in Goa -- Colvale, Calangute and Panaji police station and in Gujarat too. Sources said during the investigation, it was revealed that these women were involved in honey-trapping several people in two States. Following a complaint by one Patel, wherein he alleged that the woman and her associate were extorting money by levelling allegations of rape after they met on a dating app, police had swung into action. INDIA CRUSHES LANKA, CLINCHES ASIA CUP Goa’s oldest Taxi driver killed in Porvorim mishap Govt seeks inputs at grassroot level on agriculture policy THE GOAN I NETWORK am the following day. The disregard for peaceful coexistence is further underscored by “The Delhi Collective’s” “Danza Drome Underground,” which extended from 8 pm on Sunday until 4:30 am on Monday.  Noise pollution isn’t the only concern; it has raised pertinent questions about the overall legality of these events illegally selling liquor beyond their permissible limits. An event named Shuffle held at Siolim on Saturday has added to this troubling trend. In May this year, HC had made strict observations against police while hearing a plea by a local who alleged rampant loud music in Anjuna. He cited various social media advertisements and promotion campaigns by clubs and party organisers, promoting late hour music shows. “If DGP is serious about the statements made by him that all steps would be taken to ensure menace of noise pollution is curbed, then, possibly, this is one occasion to make good this statement. It is for DGP to consider whether the usual excuses about denials or some lip service by the police officer should be accepted or not,” the Court had noted.  12-member SIT to investigate sextortion cases for formulating the policy. The State government has decided to finalize the “farmer centric” Goa State Agriculture policy, with a road map for next ten years before the Republic Day, January 26, 2024. Speaking to The Goan, Agriculture Director Nevil Alphonso said that the Government appointed Committee received total 850 suggestions from the stakeholders and general public on the policy till September 16, the last day for submitting the inputs. “We won’t be extending the time but we will give more opportunities to the public to provide their valuable suggestions. For this purpose, we have roped in panchayats,” Alphonso said. The Director informed that the Minister has written to all the panchayats requesting to hold special discussion on Agriculture policy during the upcoming gram sabha meeting. He also said that in October, the department will also hold taluka-level special sessions to consult stakeholders and the public in general. The Committee, headed by Naik, has identified 25-30 focus areas and to work on it, 5 sub-committees will be formed. THE GOAN I NETWORK PORVORIM In another fatal accident reported in the early hours of Sunday a tourist taxi driver lost control of his vehicle while overtaking and rammed it into a stationary truck near the petrol pump at Porvorim. According to police, the driver Santosh Harijan (30) a native of Karnataka but residing at Betim was proceeding to Panjim in his Wagon R. On reaching the petrol pump he tried to overtake another vehicle and in the process lost control and rammed into a truck. Porvorim police rushed to the spot on receiving information. Since Harijan was stuck in the mangled remains, the fire services were summoned. The door of the car was later cut and Harijan was immediately shifted to GMC. He was, however, declared brought dead by doctors.