log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY MAY 22, 2025 GOA SC restores Vina as officiating Animal Husbandry director PANAJI: The Supreme Court has suspended a High Court order and reinstated Vina Kumar as the officiating Director of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Panaji. “Vina Kumar shall continue as in-charge Director... until further orders,” the apex court stated in its interim order. Supreme Court’s decision comes after the Goa Bench of the High Court, on April 17, 2025, dismissed Kumar’s writ petition challenging the appointment of her junior to the same post. The next hearing in the matter is scheduled for July 22. MPA halts operations amid bad weather VASCO: Port operations at the Mormugao Port Authority have been suspended until further notice following the formation of a cyclonic circulation over the North Karnataka and Goa coast. IMD said the cyclonic circulation persisted over the region as of 0830 IST on May 21. Under its influence, a low-pressure area is likely to form in the same region within the next 72 hours.  >> See pg 5 ‘Supari’ protest at Kala Academy PANAJI: In a symbolic action to counter recent allegations levelled against it by Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude of having accepted 'supari' (contract) to defame him, members of the artistes collective Kala Rakhan Mand met the minister at the Kala Academy on Wednesday and offered him an arecanut which he however politely refused to accept. >> See pg 5 IndiGo flight hit by turbulence NEW DELHI: A Srinagar-bound IndiGo flight from Delhi, with more than 200 passengers on board, experienced strong turbulence as it navigated through an unexpected hailstorm that damaged a small portion of the aircraft's nose on Wednesday. Pak extends closure of its airspace ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to extend the closure of its airspace for Indian flights by another month, a report said on Wednesday. Pakistan banned its airspace for India last month after steps taken by New Delhi in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack on April 22. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 27.4 C 24.6 C 95% TIDES Low: High: 00.19 06.26 11.51 18.24 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 334 MMC gets 'wake-up' call on Sonsodo treatment plant IN SHORT >> Facebook.com/thegoan 2 3 GOA NCST calls on Goa govt to grant land titles to tribals Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Things that happen when you drink tea on an empty stomach 9 Govt steps on the gas, drafts rules for taxi aggregators UNLICENSED OPERATIONS TO ATTRACT `50 LAKH FINE THE DRAFT: SMOOTH RIDE AHEAD THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa government has proposed stringent penalties as well as incentives, as it has drafted guidelines to regulate aggregator operations in the State. The Transport Department, in a draft guidelines issued on Wednesday, has proposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakh for unlicensed aggregator operations or for violating licence conditions, along with blacklisting of the violating aggregator. The guidelines, drafted for streamlining aggregator operations in Goa, also proposed a penalty of Rs 5 lakh for each instance of fare regulation violation. The department will oversee implementation through regular audits and inspections. The draft notification has invited feedback from stakeholders within 30 days. „„Rs 5 lakh for each instance of fare regulation violation „„Grant, renewal of aggregator licences to cost Rs 5 lakh each „„Duplicate licence to attract a fee of Rs 50,000 „„Refundable and non-interest-bearing security deposit of Rs 10 lakh As per the proposed fee structure, the grant and renewal of aggregator licences will cost Rs 5 lakh each, while issuing a duplicate licence or noting a change of address will attract a fee of Rs 50,000. A refundable and non-interest-bearing security deposit of Rs 10 lakh will be applicable at the time of the licence „„Huge incentives for owners and drivers „„Female owners and grant. The draft also mentions incentives for vehicle owners and drivers associated with aggregator platforms, stating that owners who complete at least 500 trips on aggregator apps in a year are eligible for reimbursement of 50 per cent of their annual insurance premium or up to Rs 20,000, Smart meter saga drags on, Centre raps Goa for delay DIGISMART APPOINTMENT APPROVED, BUT NO WORK ORDER YET ON METERING PROJECT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Union Power Ministry has pulled up Goa government over its consistent delay in implementing the Smart Metering Project, which was sanctioned to the coastal State way back in 2021 with a total budgetary provision of Rs 467 crore. Interestingly, two months after Cabinet approved appointment of DigiSmart Networks Pvt Ltd as the service provider to  replace existing electronic power  meters with smart meters for 7.5 lakh consumers, the company is yet to be issued work order and with the work now expected to commence post monsoon. Highly placed sources confirmed that the Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, during his visit to Goa last week, pulled up State Electricity department over delay in implementing the project and directed setting up of prepaid smart meters in all government establishments on priority. “The Minister has issued clear directions to ensure that the project is completed in the current financial year itself,” sources said. >Continued on P7 and record and store all electrical parameters such as consumption of energy, voltage and current levels 12 Heavy rain puts Goa on the edge, triggers flash flood warning THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa was put on Red Alert on Wednesday as a spell of intense rainfall lashed the State for the second consecutive day, prompting the India Meteorological Department (IMD-Goa) to issue a warning of possible flash floods and the risk of extensive damage to life and property. The rainfall classified as ‘heavy to very heavy’ at a few places and extremely heavy in isolated pockets triggered water-logging, felling of trees, traffic congestion and the flooding of major roads and low-lying areas in both North and South Goa districts. Besides possibilities of flash floods, the IMD Goa warned that visibility is likely to be poor during the downpour, traffic snarls, landslides, partial collapse of kutcha houses and huts, and severe disruptions in civic services including power and water supply. The slum areas along railway tracks, rivers and drains have Dudhsagar gates closed PANAJI: With Goa being put on Red Alert, Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane on Wednesday announced closure of Dudhsagar gates while urging visitors to avoid waterfalls and high risk areas.  >> See pg 3 been categorised as particularly vulnerable. Panaji, Porvorim, Mapusa and Margao were among the worst affected by water-logging, which brought traffic to a halt over the last two days. A major incident was reported in front of the Office of North Goa Collectorate, where a mango tree fell on over a dozen parked two-wheelers, damaging them. As per the IMD, the heavy rain also posed a threat to Kharif crops including rice, >Continued on P7 THE GOAN I NETWORK >Continued on P7 „„Electricity department intends to take up the project in phased manner for over two-and-half years „„Commercial meters and three-phase meters would be replaced first with smart meters >Continued on P7 IPL: SKY and Santner seal MI's playoffs berth; DC ousted Gadkari to break MONSOON MAYHEM ground for twin towers on Zuari bridge tomorrow ters  function on a real-time basis and record and store all electrical parameters such as consumption of  energy,  voltage  and current levels, etc. The data will be used by the department for billing, to monitor power quality, load scheduling, demand management and fault analysis. As per the data released by the Union Ministry, Goa is one amongst few States whose progress on smart meters, THE FLIP SIDE… FACT FILE: Smart meters function on a real-time basis However, the department intends to take up the project in phased manner for over two-and-half years. And to begin with commercial meters and three-phase meters would be replaced with the smart metering. Despite repeated attempts, Power Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar and Chief Electrical Engineer Stephan Fernandes remained unavailable for the comments. According to the Electricity Department, smart me- whichever is lower. If the vehicle is driven by a female driver, the reimbursement will be 100 per cent of the insurance premium or up to Rs 30,000, whichever is lower. In a move to promote electric vehicles and female entrepreneurship, the government has proposed a vehicle purchase subsidy for female PANAJI Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari will hold the ground-breaking ceremony of the proposed iconic twin towers atop the new Zuari Bridge May 23. However, the actual construction work will begin post monsoons. The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed that the Union Minister will hold the ground-breaking ceremony for the Rs 270 crore project on Friday. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) is in the final stage of undertaking the Rapid Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study of the project, which is expected to be completed anytime soon. The PWD in 2023 had executed a Concession Agreement with Dilip Buildcon owned subsidiary -- Zuari Observatory Towers -- for construction of Rs 270 crore twin Observatory Towers and Viewing Galleries atop the bridge which was expected to be completed within three years from the time of execution of the work. Speaking to The Goan, the vice president (constructions) Dilip Buildcon Atul Joshi said that the EIA study KHATTAR TURNS UP THE VOLTAGE „„Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, during his visit to Goa last week, pulled up Electricity department over delay „„He directed setting up of prepaid smart meters in all govt establishments on priority „„Goa is one amongst few States whose progress on smart meters is nil drivers to get maximum benefit „„Compulsory office in Goa, or India with branch office in Goa „„Aggregator to ensure that identity of driver undertaking a trip is the same as one provided to passenger on the app at time of booking owner-cum-drivers holding a PSV badge. A subsidy of Rs 1 lakh has been proposed for the purchase of new electric motor cabs, and Rs 20,000 for new electric motorbikes or autorickshaws. The subsidy will be disbursed in two equal parts – half at the time of purchase and the remaining half upon completion of 500 trips on an aggregator app within a year. To encourage greater participation of women in the sector, a complete waiver of the renewal fee for aggregator licences will be granted if 20 percent of the aggregator’s fleet is driven by female drivers at the time of renewal. The draft has also imposed conditions for licence wherein the aggregator has been asked to compulsorily have SPORTS Workers cut a mango tree that collapsed near the North Goa Collectorate, Panaji damaging over a dozen parked two-wheelers on Wednesday. Incessant rains in the last two days have wreaked havoc across the State. (Rain coverage on page 3) Narayan Pissurlenkar Now, another IAS officer gets MHA fiat over transfer delay THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI After a stern message over non-compliance with the transfer order, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued a fresh directive, this time to IAS officer Prasad Lolayekar, currently the Education Secretary in Goa, to immediately take charge of his posting in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The ultimatum comes nearly eight months after Lolayekar and colleagues, IAS officers Sanjith Rodrigues and Swetika Sachan, were transferred under routine AGMUT cadre reshuffling. Despite the September 2024 transfer order, the trio had not been relieved from their current posting. The MHA has now made it clear that any further delay will attract punitive consequences under service rules including disciplinary proceedings, debarment from promotions, central deputation and other service-related privileges. Of the three, Rodrigues reported to the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie this week for training ending June 4, after the MHA rap. Rodrigues is then >Continued on P7 Rain takes centre stage at Pai Kannada writer scripts history, shines on Booker stage Tiatrist hall, shows cancelled T ELLI N G TA LES PTI MAIN AUDITORIUM SHUT UP TO MAY 25 THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Ravindra Bhavan Margao auditorium, the Pai Tiatrist hall will be out of bounds for tiatrists and tiatr lovers for the next four days due to pre-monsoon showers that have lashed the State. The management has announced that the main auditorium will be shut until May 25. Ravindra Bhavan Margao Chairman Rajendra Talak told media that the auditorium will remain closed till Sunday. He said the roofing work of the Pai Tiatrist auditorium had started from May 18 and was expected to be completed by May 30. However, due to the untimely rains work had to be stopped for the safety of the workers working on the curved roofs, he told the media. In order to avoid inconvenience to artistes as well as public, Talak said a decision has been taken to close the auditorium till Sunday. “For the moment, it has been decided to cancel all the shows till May 25. The shows will be allotted to all the concerned producers in the first week of September or in future on that particular day as per the booking of the producer”, he added. >Continued on P7 LONDON annada writer, lawyer, and activist Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi on Wednesday scripted history by winning the International Booker Prize for “Heart Lamp”, the first Kannada title and the first-ever collection of short stories to be awarded the GBP 50,000 prize. “This moment feels like a thousand fireflies lighting up a single sky - brief, brilliant, and utterly collective,” said Mushtaq, standing next to Bhasthi, after receiving the prestigious literary award at London's Tate Modern. Mushtaq's collection of 12 K Translator Deepa Bhasthi and ‘Heart Lamp’ author Banu Mushtaq, the winners of International Booker Prize, in London. short stories, translated from the Kannada “Hridaya Deepa” into English by Bhasthi, chronicles the everyday lives of women in patriarchal communities in southern India -the reproductive rights that are often exploited, the dynamics of lives where the power reins are held by men and the oppression of an orthodox society that seldom tolerates women's autonomy. In a moving speech, Mushtaq said that it is an affirmation, “We as individuals and as a global community can thrive when we embrace diversity, Mushtaq's collection of 12 short stories, translated from the Kannada “Hridaya Deepa” into English by Bhasthi, chronicles the everyday lives of women in patriarchal communities in southern India -- the reproductive rights that are often exploited, the dynamics of lives where the power reins are held by men and the oppression of an orthodox society that seldom tolerates women's autonomy. celebrate our differences and uplift one another.” The 77-year-old added, “Together, we create a world where every voice is heard, every story matters and every person belongs. This book is my love letter to the idea that no story is local, that a tale born under a banyan tree in my village can cast shadows as far as this stage tonight.” The tales in “Heart Lamp” were written by the lawyer over 30 years, from 1990 to 2023. “Heart Lamp” is the first book-length translation of Mushtaq's work into English.