log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY MAY 2, 2024 GOA Curtorim contest: Cong bastion under threat this time >> See PG 2 Forgotten poll gimmick? Margao’s Ayush Hospital yet to see light of day Hoax bomb threats send 130 Delhi schools into panic NEW DELHI: In a bomb scare of unprecedented scale, over 130 schools in Delhi-NCR received an identical threat email on Wednesday claiming that explosives had been planted on their premises, triggering massive evacuations and searches as panic-stricken parents rushed to pick up their children. “Nothing objectionable” was found during searches by authorities which later declared it a hoax. Officials said that the initial probe suspected a “deeper conspiracy” by a terror group during the Lok Sabha elections, adding that there is suspicion that the threat mail was sent by an ISIS module. The Delhi Police's anti-terror unit special cell has traced the domain of emails to Russia and it is suspected to have been formed with the help of the dark web.  (detailed report on pg 7) Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO. 315 2 GOA No impact on LS polls in State: Tanavade on K’taka sex scandal 3 PANAJI: A local youth has been arrested for allegedly peddling drugs near Banastarim market following a raid conducted by Crime Branch late Tuesday night. The accused is identified as Keshav alias Sairaj Shet Verekar, aged 24 from Usgaon, Ponda.  >> See pg 3 WEATHER >> Max: 32 C Min: 27 C Humidity: 78% TIDES Low: High: 10:39 ------03:32 18:19 INFO Golden rules for a quick and healthy weight loss THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Apparently hamstrung by a general lack of resources, 'star campaigners' have gone missing from the campaign of the Opposition INDIA bloc's Congress candidates for the two Lok Sabha seats – Ramakant Khalap (North) and Captain Viriato Fernandes (South) – robbing it of the usual razzmatazz with barely five days to go. Barring former Delhi legislator Alka Lamba, none of the national leaders from the list of 40 'star campaigners' have made it to Goa to canvass for support in favour of Khalap or Fernandes as yet. And, from among the handful of local leaders who find their names among the 40, outgoing Lok Sabha MP Francisco Sardinha who failed to make the cut for THE ‘NO-SHOW’ „„All three Gandhis – Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadhra – feature in Goa's list of 40 star campaigners but none of them are expected to make the trip to Goa „„Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is also not expected to visit the State before the May 7 polls „„Outgoing Lok Sabha MP Francisco Sardinha too has conspicuously stayed away renomination too has conspicuously stayed away. All three Gandhis – Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadhra – feature in Goa's list of 40 star campaigners but none of them are expected to make the trip to Goa. The Gandhis are known to have often pepped-up the party's past electoral campaigns in the State. Similarly, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge is also not expected to visit the State before the May 7 polls. No senior leader of the Congress in Goa were willing to offer any explanation for why their top leadership have evaded Goa from their national campaigning itineraries in the backdrop of the BJP peppering its electioneering fare with one rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the South and another in the North (expected on May 3) of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "They are busy in other States. The poll schedule has been tailor-made to suit the ruling party. A lot of the States in our South Western region are going to the polls in the same third phase which has made it difficult for us to arrange the logistics for our top leaders to come to Goa," said a senior Congress functionary. However, Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao, told The Goan that some of the 'star campaigners' are expected to arrive in Goa from Thursday onwards. "Shashi Tharoor and Pawan Khera are coming on Thursday," Alemao said. >Continued on P5 PANAJI wo Finnish companies are on the radar of the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) to tackle Panaji's waste water management and fight pollutants in the capital's three major water bodies, including the Mandovi river and the two creeks – St Inez and Rua de Ourem. One of the two Finnish companies – M/s Lamor India – operates on a global scale to tackle environment issues mostly through protection and focuses on material recycling, remediation and restoration of water bodies. M/s Lamor, according to a senior IPSCDL official, may be brought in to assess water quality and also waste water T Punjab Kings earns comfortable away win against CSK 13 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may project confidence about clinching victory in both constituencies, concerns raised by its national observer cast doubt on the campaign strategies and the effectiveness of rapport between candidates and grassroot workers with the voters across Goa. The local leaders were presented with a sobering reality by the party’s National General Secretary (Organization) B L Santhosh during his meeting held just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Sancoale. Reliable sources have revealed that Santhosh made a stern remark asking the leaders to not be complacent in assuming a definitive win based on statistical projections only, SANTHOSH’S TOUGH TALK… „„Do not be complacent in assuming a definitive win based on statistical projections only, it may belie the true sentiments of the electorates „„It's important that all stating it may belie the true sentiments of the electorates. “It's important that all stakeholders intensify their efforts in the run-up to the polls. Time is limited and there should be no laxity in campaigning and connecting with the voters, even repeatedly,” the source said, quoting Santhosh’s discussion with the leaders which had Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, ministers, MLAs and both the candidates among other office stakeholders intensify their efforts in the run-up to the polls „„Time is limited and there should be no laxity in campaigning and connecting with the voters, even repeatedly bearers. Sources further revealed that Santhosh subtly expressed his dissatisfaction with the ongoing campaign, particularly in South Goa, where the political tide appeared to be shifting in favour of the Congress. His marathon meeting began with the Panaji Core Committee, followed by the meet in Margao and Mapusa where >Continued on P5 New NCERT syllabus for Classes 3, 6 from 2024-25 STATE COUNCIL AWAITS DELIVERY OF MATERIALS, DISMISSES DELAY POSSIBILITY THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The forthcoming academic year, 2024-25, will introduce new syllabi and textbooks from the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) exclusively tailored for third and sixthgrade students in Goa. This update does not impact the curriculum or textbooks for other grades. THE PIT-STOP! The ill-fated scooter lies exposed in the open pit near Taj Vivanta junction, St Inez, on Wednesday. Scooterist falls into pit of Smart City work, shifted to hospital THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a shocking incident, a scooterist fell into an open drain and suffered injuries, including a bleeding wound on the head, when his scooter tumbled into an open drain at the St Inez, Taj Vivanta junction where smart city contractors have barricaded a stretch. Eyewitnesses said the scooterist, reportedly an employee of a nearby up-market restaurant, fell into the open drain around 1 pm on Wednesday. "The man and his scooter fell into the pit. He must have hit his head because there was a bleeding wound," said the eye-witness adding that the '108 Ambulance' service was called and he was taken for treatment. One nearby resident said, the barricading is not done properly and this open drainpit has been posing a danger to all. "It is more than two weeks that we have complained to all the authorities, including Smart City and CCP, but there is no action," the resident said. There have been several instances of motorists falling prey to unattended trenches and pits related to the Smart City work, the most tragic being the case of 21-year-old Ayush Halarnkar at Mala in the wee hours of New Year's day. There was apparently a power shutdown in the area and total darkness when Ayush drove straight into the pit with his Royal Enfield Bullet and later died of the injuries. Goa swelters in heat as IMD forecasts rise in mercury THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The sweltering heat in Goa continues and the Indian Meteorological Department (Goa) has forecasted temperatures between 34 to 36 degrees Celsius over the next seven days. While the maximum temperature on Wednesday, May 1 stood at 34.4 degrees Celsius, there could be a rise of 1-2 degrees Celsius in maximum temperature in the next 48 hours. The Meteorological Department further forecast hot and humid conditions till May 3, with “feel like” (heat index) temperature expected to be >Continued on P5 IPSCDL eyes Finnish Cos to tackle pollution in water bodies THE GOAN I NETWORK 9 SPORTS SENIOR LEADER CLAIMS SIMULTANEOUS POLLS IN PHASE-III MADE lapses, adopt aggressive stance IT DIFFICULT FOR LEADERS; THAROOR, KHERA EXPECTED TODAY Goa’s GST collection is 23% higher than April last year Local held in Ponda narcotics raid RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Key ‘star campaigners’ on BJP central leader picked Congress list skip Goa turf holes in campaign plan Told local leaders to identify and rectify IN SHORT >> PANAJI: Goa has recorded Goods and Services Tax (GST) collection of Rs 765 crore for the month of April 2024. This is 23% higher that the States GST collection for the month of April 2023 which stood at Rs 620 crore. Meanwhile, pre-settlement SGST of Goa for April 2024 stands at Rs 283 crore and post settlement SGST from April 2024 stands at Rs 445 crore. The nationwide Gross GST collections hit a record high in April 2024 at Rs 2.10 lakh crore. Instagram.com/thegoanonline ‘SMART’ WATER BODIES: THE FINNISH WAY M/s Lamor India „„May be brought in to assess water quality and also waste water management along the Mandovi riverfront „„Another area where the firm could be roped in to provide its expertise is bioremediation of Panaji's water bodies – the Mandovi River, St Creek and the Ourem creek management along the Mandovi riverfront. Another area where M/s Lamor could be roped in to provide its expertise is bioremediation of Panaji's water bodies – the Mandovi River, St Creek and the M/s RiverRecycle „„Its expertise includes combating plastic pollution in rivers and it currently operates in seven countries globally „„It uses innovative solutions to collect and recycle plastic waste as well as other debris floating on rivers and water bodies Ourem creek. Meanwhile, the second company the IPSCDL is hoping to rope in is Helsinki headquartered M/s RiverRecycle. Its expertise includes combating plastic pollution in rivers and it currently operates in seven countries globally. It is a start-up dedicated to combating plastic pollution and boast of having now collected over 2.5 million kilograms of waste from rivers in countries where it operates – In- dia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Ghana. According to IPSCDL officials, M/s RiverRecycle which was established just five years ago, uses innovative solutions to collect and recycle plastic waste as well as other debris floating on rivers and water bodies. IPSCDL's interest in these two Finnish companies grew when its officials held discussions with these two companies at a recent workshop which was facilitated by Finland's consulate here. In addition to IPSCDL, officials of several other government departments, including the Public Works Department (PWD), Water Resources Department (WRD) and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had also interacted with experts from these two Finnish companies. Highly placed sources disclosed to The Goan that the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) is awaiting delivery of the materials from the NCERT before initiating the printing process for these textbooks – to be used by both the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, and the CBSE. When questioned about delays, officials dismissed the possibility while affirming that printing of these books will promptly commence upon receipt of the CD and copyright permissions. In the interim, textbooks for remaining grades remain unaffected, as previously scheduled. The NCERT, in a written communique dated March 18 to all heads of Institutions affiliated with the CBSE had stated that new syllabi and textbooks for classes third and sixth were under development and will soon be released. “The council is preparing new school textbooks in line with the new national curriculum framework for school education (NCF-SE) 2023 as a part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020,” a source said. The board further advised >Continued on P5