log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY FEBRUARY 17, 2025 12 pages >> pg 6 FOMC minutes, FII trends & 7 other factors shaping D-Street this week IN SHORT >> Calangute p’yat to halt spa licences MAPUSA: In a significant move, Calangute Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira announced on Sunday that the panchayat would no longer issue or renew licenses for spas in the village starting from the new financial year. The decision came during a discussion at the gram sabha meeting, which was attended by local residents and panchayat members.   >> See pg 3 Complaints against illegal sand mining PANAJI: Curchorem and Collem police have registered cases based on complaints from Mines Department officials regarding illegal sand extraction from the Khandepar River in Dharbandora. Unknown individuals allegedly extracted approximately 42 cubic meters of sand from Codli, valued at around Rs 54,600, and an additional 3 cubic meters from Davkond, worth Rs 3,900, without authorization. German booked for carrying GPS device PANAJI: Mopa airport police registered an FIR against German national Thomas Richter under the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, for carrying a prohibited GPS device without a valid license. The incident occurred Sunday morning during security screening at Manohar International Airport, Mopa. BJP meet to decide on Delhi CM today NEW DELHI: The BJP is set to hold a crucial meeting at the party headquarters in Delhi on February 17 to choose the next Chief Minister. WEATHER >> Max: 32.8 C Min: 21.6 C Humidity: 95% TIDES Low: High: 07.43 01.16 19.31 13.48 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 240 Instagram.com/thegoanonline FIH PRO LEAGUE: INDIA MEN’S TEAM BEATS SPAIN 2-0 >> 12 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 American dream shattered, deported Goans are home THIRD US FLIGHT BRINGS IN 112 MORE DEPORTEES THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The two Goans, who were among 116 Indians deported from US for illegal immigration, landed at Dabolim Airport Sunday afternoon. They arrived via domestic flight to Goa from Amritsar where they underwent standard procedures and documentation checks. Goa NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar, refusing to divulge details of the deportees, cited that each country has its own immigration rules. "Immigration rules in each country must be respected. I urge everyone to follow the correct procedures when traveling abroad," he said. The Commission is likely to establish contact with the two Velim MLA calls on family, petitions govt for solution File photo Goans for details. Sawaikar also issued a message to all Goans looking for job opportunities abroad, particularly through agents. "Before making any decision, please verify all details carefully," he said. Meanwhile, a US military aircraft carrying 112 Indians landed at the Amritsar airport late on Sunday night, the third such flight bringing deportees as part of a crackdown by the Donald Trump administration against illegal immigrants. The plane landed at the airport at 10:03 pm, said sources. US withdraws $21 mn fund for ‘voter turnout in India’ MOVE AIMS TO CURB WASTEFUL EXPENDITURES PTI NEW YORK The US Department of Government Efficiency led by billionaire Elon Musk has announced a series of expenditure cuts, including USD 21 million allocated for “voter turnout in India.” US President Donald Trump chose Musk to head the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) last month. Tasked with improving governance and curbing wasteful expenditures, the DOGE in a post on X on Saturday announced cancelling many programmes costing hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars. The department said, “US taxpayer dollars were going to be spent on the following items, all (of) which have been cancelled”. The list included USD 486 million in grants to the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening including USD 21 million for “voter turnout in India” and USD 22 million for “inclusive UPA allowed foreign influence in Indian Institutions, claims BJP NEW DELHI: The BJP on Sunday claimed that a US-funded programme, now cancelled, linked to voter turnout in India is a pointer to the previous Congress-led UPA government allegedly enabling infiltration of Indian institutions. BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya said on X, “It is becoming increasingly evident that Congress-led UPA systematically enabled the infiltration of India’s institutions by forces opposed to the nation’s interests.” Once again, he alleged, it is the billionaire US-based investor George Soros, a “known associate” of the Congress and the Gandhis, whose shadow looms over our electoral process. and participatory political process” in Moldova. No further details on the funding were given in the post. This comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's official visit to the US, during which he held wide-ranging talks with President Trump, as well as Musk. The SpaceX CEO met Modi with his family, including three children. The two dis- cussed opportunities in space, mobility, technology, and energy and exchanged notes on efforts at good governance in India and the US. In its post, the DOGE also cancelled USD 29 million allocated to “strengthening political landscape in Bangladesh”, as well as USD 20 million for “fiscal federalism” in Nepal and USD 19 million for “biodiversity conversation” in the Himalayan nation. MARGAO: As one of the two Goan deportees from US, who returned home on Sunday happens to be from his constituency, Velim MLA Cruz Silva visited the family even as he urged the government to work out a solution to the immigration issue. He told media that Goan youth try to make it to US to eke a living for want of employment opportunities back home. “To realise their dreams, many tried to make it to US through agents illegally since immigration laws do not allow easy entry into US”, he said.  >> See pg 2 Post-mortem report to shed light on Mamledar assault Goa cops in touch with Belagavi counterparts; hotel staff shocked THE GOAN I NETWORK BELAGAVI While the post-mortem report of former MLA Lavoo Mamledar is still awaited expecting to shed light on the assault, police officials from Belagavi and Goa are in touch with each other for updates. “While the post-mortem report is awaited, senior bureaucrats and police officers are in touch with us to get updates… the accused Amirsuhil Shakilsab Sanadi has been sent to Central Prison, Hindalga,” DCP Rohan Jagdish told The Goan. Meanwhile, the city was abuzz with discussions about the incident that rocked Belagavi city. A close friend to many, Mamledar was known for his modesty and down to earth character. “Sir used to visit our hotel Of the 112 deportees, 44 are from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, 31 from Punjab, two from Uttar Pradesh and one each from Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, said sources. Families of some of the deportees have reached the air- port. The deportees will be allowed to head to their homes after completion of all formalities including immigration, verification and background checks. Arrangements have been made for the transportation of deportees to their destination. Confusion over train names led to stampede; toll rises to 18 Final rites held PANAJI: The mortal remains of former MLA Lavoo Mamledar, who passed away in Belgaum on Saturday following an assault by a cab driver, were cremated on Sunday at the crematorium in Ponda. Political leaders and dignitaries from various fields paid their respects. for over 15 years with family and friends and was very friendly to all the hotel staff. He was kind-hearted and generous and used to help the hotel staff. We are shocked after his tragic end,” Uday Kulal, manager of the hotel said. He was also a good friend of the owner Vitthal Hegde FRUIT OF LABOUR >Continued on P5 PTI NEW DELHI The death toll in the overnight stampede at New Delhi railway station rose to 18 on Sunday, with authorities saying confusion over almost identical train names after an announcement of the platform number for an arriving Prayagraj-bound train sparked panic. The dead included 11 women, two men, one male teen and four children, according to a list put out by the Delhi police. Three people were also grievously injured and 27 others received simple injuries, the Railway ministry said in a statement, adding that out of them 11 were given treatment and released from a hospital. As survivors recalled how people trampled over each other amid cries for help, the Delhi Police said it will analyse the CCTV footage to determine the exact sequence of events before chaos erupted at the station on Saturday night. The station witnessed a surge of passengers waiting to board trains at platform number 14 and 15 for Prayagraj-where Kumbh is underway.  >> See pg 7 A farmer admires a freshly-plucked brinjal from his field in Taleigao on Sunday. Of late, locally grown vegetables have flooded the market.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Crackdown at night nets 591 traffic violators across Goa THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a crackdown on traffic violations, State police conducted a special night patrol on Saturday, issuing 591 challans, including 56 for drunken driving. As per the press release issued by the police, of these, 535 cases were for other traffic violations. Besides, 160 cases were registered for minor offences such as smoking and spitting in public places.  Police stated that during the drive, led by Director General of Police Alok Kumar, 1,220 vehicles were thoroughly checked, and several persons were rounded up for verification as part of the enforcement efforts.  “The special drive aimed at >Continued on P5 81% target met, Goa inches DNA barcoding to decode over 100 mango varieties M A N G O TA N G O : T H E R OA D A H E A D closer to afforestation goal SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI AIMS TO COVER REMAINING 686 HA BY 2027 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In the last four decades, Goa has managed to meet almost 81 per cent of the target set under the  Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) scheme since 1980. The National CAMPA body has now asked the coastal State to complete the balance 19 per cent of the tree plantation covering 686 hectares (ha) by March 2027. The Executive Committee of CAMPA during its recent meeting carried out a review on the subject, during which it observed that since 1980 till December 2024, the State has managed to take up a total of 3079 ha of compensatory afforestation (CA) and penal CA towards diversion of forest land under Forest Conservation Act, 1980. Data shows that the State has to take up a total of 3765.4 ha of CA and Penal CA together- 3,549.15 ha of CA and 216 ha of Penal CA. As against the set target of 200 hectares by the National CAMPA, the State forest department managed to carry out CA covering total 217 ha for the current financial year 2024-25. Before that in 202324, a total 470 ha of area was covered with CA. In August 2019, Goa >Continued on P5 W ith Goa being home for more than 100 varieties of mango, the State government has proposed DNA barcoding of all these varieties within two years, for accurate identification and authentication of the species. Also, to safeguard mango biodiversity from extinction, the State intends to establish a germplasm bank in isolated locations and on comunidade land. The State government’s ambitious ‘State Amritkal Agriculture Policy 2025’ launched on February 11 proposes to „„Germplasm bank to be established in isolated locations and on comunidade land, preserving elite and popular mango varieties „„Govt aims to expand mango cultivation from 5,071 ha to 7,500 ha over the next ten years „„ICAR to study Goa’s diverse mango genetic material, including heterozygous varieties with promising characteristics „„Commercial focus on mango production on Mancurad, Cardozo Cultivar, Salcete Musaratt and Keshar „„Emphasis on utilizing laterite rocky areas for mango plantations, as they yield high-quality produce with proper management increase the area of mango cultivation from the present 5,071 ha to 7,500 ha in a period of ten years. The policy speaks about roping in Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) to undertake detailed study of innumerable heterozygous materials, some which have got promising characteristics. “State has more than one hundred named varieties in mango besides innumerable heterozygous material, some with very promising characteristics. This needs to be preserved and studied upon. This heterozygous material shall be searched for exploitation for specific purposes. CCARI -ICAR shall be entrusted with this task,” the policy stated. "The germplasm will be preserved, similar to cashew, in isolated locations and comunidade land. DNA barcoding of all varieties and sub-varieties will be completed within two years of the policy's notification," it added. A germplasm is a collection of genetic resources for an organism. The germplasm bank will be a repository of all the >Continued on P5