log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY NOVEMBER 17, 2023 GOA CID Ribandar office is e-police station PANAJI: The State government has announced establishing of virtual police station or e-police station at the Criminal Investigation Department office at Old GMC Complex, Ribandar. The CID office which had been declared a police station has now been declared as e-police station for transmission and investigation of all cases registered at e-Police Station. The e-police station shall have jurisdiction over the State. Film city land to be taken on lease: CM PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said that the ESG will take land on lease to establish film city project in the State. He said the project will benefit Goans as it will create jobs and also aid in film creation by Goans. Former PMC chief convicted PANAJI: The Children’s Court has sentenced former Pernem municipal council chairperson Vasudev Deshprabhu to three months of simple imprisonment for abusing and assaulting a minor boy that led to serious injuries. The incident occurred on October 3, 2013 at Khorlim-Mapusa when disturbed by some boys playing on the fourth floor of the building, Deshprabhu asked them to leave the place.  >> See pg 3 Vagator case accused remanded to JC PANAJI: Sachin Kurup, accused of drunk driving and killing a resort owner, was on Thursday sent to 14 days of judicial custody by the local court. The Anjuna police had produced him before the Court after his four days of police custody ended.   >> See pg 3 MP native held for drug possession PANAJI: The Calangute police on Thursday arrested a Madhya Pradesh-native for allegedly possessing drugs, valued at Rs 80,000. According to the media statement, the 23-year-old youth identified as Deepend Singh was caught red-handed in illegal possession of narcotics – Ganja weighing 820 gms. Unity call to put end to pollution at Cuncolim IDC >> See pg 2 WEATHER >> Max: 33 C Min: 22 C Humidity: 88% TIDES Low: High: 07:06 19:00 01:31 19:00 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO. 150 2 Stalemate continues between authorities in Salcete over execution of demolition orders IN SHORT >> Facebook.com/thegoan GOA Concern voiced over privatisation of MPA’s berths no 10 and 11 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 9 INFO Retro Chic Revival: The return of shag haircuts SPORTS Japan Masters: Prannoy exits after second round defeat Govt puts mind to carving out third district for State n 7-MEMBER COMMITTEE TO UNDERTAKE FEASIBILITY STUDY, ASKED TO SUBMIT REPORT WITHIN THREE MONTHS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a major development, the State government has begun to examine the proposal for creation of the third District in Goa. The coastal State is currently divided into two districts -- North and South. A seven-member committee under the Chief Secretary has been constituted to assess the need for the creation of a third district for the State. The committee has to submit its report within three months. Director of Planning Vijay Saxena in a notification issued has said that the committee has to assess whether creation of a third district will lead to development and welfare of the people in general and backward talukas in particular. COMMITTEE’S TASK AT HAND „„To assess whether creation of a third district will lead to development and welfare of the people in general and backward talukas in particular „„Will evaluate benefits and also costs involved in creation of a new district „„Will suggest boundaries of the district after considering various aspects such as population, economic status, availability of infrastructure and public opinion FACT FILE: South Goa with a total area of 1,966 sq kms is the largest district while the total geographical area of North Goa district is 1,736 sq kms  The Committee will evaluate the benefits and also the costs involved in creation of a new district, he said. The Committee will also suggest the boundaries of the district after considering the various aspects such as population, economic status, avail- Govt moves ahead in quest for 6 dams in Mhadei waters Invites RPF for consultancy services THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Upping its game in the protracted battle over the Mhadei waters with neighbouring Karnataka, the State government has sought bids for providing consultancy services to build six dams in the river’s basin. The six dams that the Water Resources Department proposes to build are at Nirankal, Rivem, Nanora, Sonal, Matojanwada and  Bolkarne (Ragada-III). The WRD has accordingly invited request for proposal (RFP) for the purpose of providing consultancy services to take up these dam projects in Mhadei basin. Only Public Sector Units (PSUs) of the Government of India, which have successfully completed similar work are eligible to bid, the tender document says. The proposal to build these six dams in the Mhadei basin in the downstream section of the river within Goa’s borders has been in the pipeline for a WATER PROJECT „„The six dams that the Water Resources Department proposes to build are at Nirankal, Rivem, Nanora, Sonal, Matojanwada and  Bolkarne (Ragada-III) „„Only Public Sector Units of the Government of India which have successfully completed similar work are eligible to bid long time and gains significance in light of Goa’s Achilles heels in the protracted water sharing dispute -- Karnataka’s charge that Goa did nothing to harness the river waters, thus letting the abundant rain feeding the river to wastefully flow downstream into the Arabian sea. Goa and Karnataka have been battling over the waters of Mhadei for nearly four decades and the dispute persists despite it being adjudicated by the Mahadayi Water >Continued on P5 ability of infrastructure and public opinion. The committee chaired by Chief Secretary will have Principal Secretary (Finance), Resident Commissioner, Secretary (Revenue) , Collector (South/North) and Charudutta Panigrahi (advisor to CM) CM: Changes in comunidade rules during winter session THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said the changes being contemplated by the government in comunidade regulations so as to provide a veil of protection to houses built on their land which are facing demolition will be brought in during the winter session of the assembly later this year or in early 2024. Sawant was speaking to the media after meeting scores of residents from Canacona who had met him at his official Altinho residence seeking his intervention over the action they are facing from comunidades in the taluka. Earlier this week, CM had told media that his government is contemplating yet another effort to legalise houses built on comunidade lands. He had claimed that almost 500 houses in Canacona and many others were issued demolition notices as they were built on comunidade land. The issue of legalising residential structures in comunidade land has been hanging fire for over two decades and multiple attempts by past governments have either failed or were aborted. as members. Di- r e c t o r , DPSE will be Member Secretary of the committee. The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had in 2020 announced creation of a third district within a year. He had said that the district will include Dharbandora taluka. Minister Ravi Naik had also mooted a similar proposal to include the  talukas of Ponda, Sattari and Sanguem and by setting up the headquarters in Ponda. He had claimed that the move would benefit the people of Mollem, Collem and Sanvordem, who generally have to travel to Margao or Panaji to do their job. Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar had also backed Ravi Naik on carving out of a third district for the State saying the government should indeed make efforts in this direction. South Goa, with a total area of 1,966 sq kms is the largest district. The total geographical area of North Goa district is 1,736 sq kms. 12 Two tourists meet watery grave off Morjim beach Families grapple with shocking loss THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Tragedy struck at Morjim beach on Thursday morning as two tourists -- Faiz Ahmed, aged 47 years, from Pune, and Rajesh Sharma, 50, from Bangalore, drowned simultaneously around 8.30 am.  Ahmed, who arrived in Goa with his wife and children three days ago, was staying at a Morjim resort. According to the police, his lifeless body was recovered by lifeguards and taken to Community Health Centre, Pernem, where he was declared dead by the doctor.  In a separate incident, Sharma who had visited Morjim with a friend, also drowned even though lifeguards swiftly responded to the distress call. Police said the lifeguards retrieved his body and sent it to Community Health Centre, Pernem, where he, too, was pronounced dead.  Meanwhile, the body of the 11 year old boy was recovered The two tourists -- Faiz Ahmed (47) from Pune and Rajesh Sharma (50) from Bangalore drowned simultaneously around 8.30 am even as their lifeless bodies were recovered by lifeguards.  from the river Sal on Thursday.  The minor was feared drowned on Wednesday evening where he along with two other teenagers had gone for clam fishing in the river at Betul. Cuncolim  police station in charge PI Diego Gracias informed that the body was later handed over to the relatives. Of late, there has been a spate of drowning incidents at several beaches across the State. Last month, a holiday in Goa ahead of a marriage ended in tragedy when two brothers from Jammu and Kashmir drowned in the sea off Arambol. It’s India v/s Australia 270 movies to be screened during IFFI Australia registered a hard-fought win over South Africa to enter the final of Cricket World Cup for a record-extending eighth time THE GOAN I NETWORK PAT CUMMINS’ MEN BEAT SA IN WORLD CUP THRILLER MATCH STATS „„Needing 213 in the second semi-final, Travis Head blazed away to 62 off 48 balls while David Warner smashed 29 off 18 in an opening stand of 60 to lay the foundation for Australia’s chase „„South Africa kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. Miller scored 101 runs while Heinrich Klaasen scored 47 „„For Australia, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins scalped three wickets each while Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head scalped two each 8 FINAL th With the win, the five-time champions Australia entered their 8th final while for South Africa it was another heartbreaking fifth World Cup semi-final defeat CHOKERS’ TAG HOLDS „„South Africa came up short in another ICC knockout game „„Dropped five tough catching chances, proving to be the difference  >> Report on pg 12 PANAJI As many as 270 movies would be screened during the 54th edition of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) which will be inaugurated on November 20. Addressing the media, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the opening ceremony of the nine-day film festival will be held at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium at Bambolim at 5 pm. He said the infrastructure for hosting the multi-venue festival, where a total of 270 films would be screened, was “99 per cent” ready and some final touches were being given. Sawant informed that 198 international films would be screened at the event of which 13 would be premiered. The chief minister said all the festival venues would be accessible for differently-abled delegates. Sawant also said the newly inaugurated Kala Academy building in Panaji will host master classes and other events, but there will be no screening of films at the refurbished venue. Part of Chandrayaan-3 launch Shack demarcation: CM assures to stick to old plan ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL vehicle is heading back home THE GOAN I NETWORK PTI NEW DELHI The cryogenic upper stage of LVM3 M4 launch vehicle, which successfully injected Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft into the orbit on July 14 this year, made an uncontrolled re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, ISRO said. This rocket body was part of the LVM-3 M4 launch vehicle, it said. It re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere around 14:42 IST on Wednesday. “The probable impact point was predicted over the North Pacific Ocean. The final ground track did not pass over India,” the Indian Space Research Organisation said in a statement. The rocket body was part of LVM-3 M4 launch vehicle. The probable impact point was predicted over the North Pacific Ocean but final ground track did not pass over India — ISRO The re-entry of the rocket body took place within 124 days of its launch. The post-mission orbital lifetime of the LVM3 M4 cryogenic upper stage is, thus, fully compliant with the “25-year rule” for low-Earth orbit objects as recommended by the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC), ISRO said. Post Chandrayaan-3 injection, the upper stage had also undergone “passivation” to remove all residual propellant and energy sources to minimise the risks of accidental explosions as per the space debris mitigation guidelines prescribed by the United Nations and IADC, it was stated. “Passivation and post-mission disposal of this rocket body in adherence to the internationally accepted guidelines once again reaffirms India’s commitment to preserve the long-term sustainability of outer space activities,” the ISRO added. PANAJI hack owners facing a considerable threemonth setback in starting their business, raised serious concerns about the government formalities once again. Gathered in large numbers outside Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s official residence, the aggrieved shack operators on Thursday echoed their demand for enforcing the old demarcation plan 2019-23, while recalling a promise from the CM that hadn’t been adhered to by the Tourism and Environment Departments. The ‘ambassadors’ of Goa Tourism claimed non-compliance with the agreed-upon plan during a meeting with the CM to which Sawant assured a swift action by instructing S „„Shack operators throng Sawant’s official residence, echo demand for enforcing the old demarcation plan 2019-23 „„Say CM’s promise hadn’t been adhered to by Tourism and Environment Departments „„Claim non-compliance with agreed-upon plan during a meeting with CM SWIFT ACTION FROM CM „„Sawant quickly instructed concerned departments to follow the old demarcation plan „„He also assured that shack issue would be resolved as he called upon officials from both departments FLASHBACK: The shack business has already been delayed by around two months as the tourist season began in October while its setting up should have begun in September following demarcation the concerned departments to follow the old demarcation plan. He also assured that the shack issue would be resolved by the end of the day as he also called upon officials from both departments to resolve the issue. “There was unrest (among the shack operators) because there is already a delay by one month…The Environment and Tourism Departments are asked to go ahead with the previous demarcation plan,” the CM told media after the crucial meeting which was also attended by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo. Subsequently, Lobo also updated the media about the CM’s decision claiming the stakeholders are relieved with the latest development. The shack business has already been delayed by around two months as the tourist season began in October while its setting up should have begun in September following demarcation.   The Tourism Department in a recent revised order increased the total number of shacks from 254 to 259 on the northern coast, keeping in line with the beach carrying capacity report of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority. With this, the overall shacks allotted for the tourist season 2023-26 is 364 – 259 in North Goa and 105 in South Goa.