log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SATURDAY MAY 31, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 343 Goa's Biggest Media Brand with Highest Viewership which makes us page 6 Labour plans to change rules, its impact on Goans in UK Goan, Mangalorean stars dazzle at Konkani music show in Bahrain IN SHORT >> Cut ties with UTAA in 2012: Tawadkar MARGAO: Tribal leader and Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly Ramesh Tawadkar on Friday said that he had severed ties with the United Tribal Association’s Alliance around 2012 when the organisation had drawn up plans to continue the agitation path when he was heading the Tribal Welfare Department as a Minister.   >> See pg 2 Father accused of rape acquitted PANAJI: The Fast Track Special Court has acquitted a man accused of raping his daughter with special needs, observing that there was no evidence to support the charges against him. Presiding Officer Durga Madkaikar ordered that the prosecution failed to prove the offences.  >> See pg 3 BLOs from Goa to train in Delhi PANAJI: Four Electoral Registration Officers and 40 Block Level Officers from Goa, one per assembly constituency, are attending Round 9 Training at IIIDEM, New Delhi, from June 2–3. The programme covers BLO roles, form handling, assessments, and legal aspects of electoral rolls through interactive roleplay sessions. 84 new Covid cases detected in Maha MUMBAI: As many as 84 new Covid-19 cases were reported in Maharashtra on Friday, taking the tally of cases registered since the start of the year to 681, the state public health department said. Most of the patients have mild symptoms and people should not panic, it said. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 29.6 C 26.4 C 92% TIDES Low: High: 07.22 20.35 00.40 14.43 Instagram.com/thegoanonline IPL: MI ELIMINATES GT TO SET UP QUALIFIER 2 WITH PBKS >>13 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Come join us Contact: 9011043385 / 9850755549 / 9130004704 / 9689923150 Email: marketing@prudentmedia.in Goa achieves historic goal, declared fully literate State BECOMES 2ND STATE AFTER MIZORAM TO ATTAIN LANDMARK RIDING THE LITERACY WAVE THE GOAN I NETWORK Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at the Statehood Day function at Kala Academy on Friday. (Related reports and photos on page 5) „„Goa achieved a literacy rate of 99.72% exceeding the benchmark of 95% for declaring a State as fully literate as per New India Literacy Prog „„Goa has got 4,163 illiterates, who showed unwillingness to be part of the initiative due to age, medical grounds „„82 p’yats declared 100% literacy while 33 showed 95-99% full functional literacy „„Of 13 municipal areas, only one has achieved 99% literacy „„In 76 p’yats, 12 municipalities and one corporation, 6,299 illiterates were identified of which 2,136 showed interest in learning stating that it marked a historic milestone in the State’s educational journey. With a 93 per cent literacy rate in 2022, Sawant said that building on this strong foundation, the ULLAS-New India Literacy Programme was im- plemented to identify and educate the remaining non-literate individuals. “It was a remarkable display of community sprit with teachers, students, educators, retired teachers came forward to lead the initiative and were backed by local panchayats, municipalities apart from the Education Department,” he said. Later addressing a press conference highlighting the achievement, SCERT Director Meghna Shetgaonkar informed that as on date, Goa Public outcry forces Assagao nightclub to shut operations Supreme Court adjourns hearing on Goa’s TCP Act plea to July PANAJI In a historic milestone for the State’s educational landscape, Goa has officially been declared the fully literate State in India under the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for all in Society) Initiative. With this achievement, Goa becomes the Second State in India to attain the landmark after Mizoram. However, Goa’s literacy rate -- 99.72 per cent -- is higher than that of Mizoram which stands at 98.2 per cent, exceeding ULLAS criteria of 95 per cent. Mizoram declared full functional literacy just ten days -- May 20 -- ahead of Goa. On the occasion of 39th Statehood Day, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant officially declared Goa a fully literate State  INTERIORS DISMANTLED; EQUIPMENT, GADGETS REMOVED  HEARING BY CTP SET FOR JUNE 12 remains. Assagao Sarpanch Hanumant Naik confirmed the development, stating, “They have removed all the equipment and gadgets set up inside the premises, which indicates that they have decided to withdraw from Assagao.” Despite the visible signs of withdrawal, the matter is still pending adjudication before the Chief Town Planner (CTP). A hearing is scheduled for PANAJI The Supreme Court has adjourned to July the Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Goa government challenging the High Court’s decision to read down Section 17(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1974. When the matter came up for hearing on Friday in Court No. 3, the government sought an adjournment after which the Bench listed the case before a regular bench for hearing on July 21. The State government has filed two appeals against the High Court’s judgment dated March 13 in PIL Writ Petition No. 16 of 2023, PIL Writ Petition No. 17 of 2023 and PIL Writ Petition (F) No. 2317 of 2023, which read down Section 17(2) of the Act. The adjournment request came after the matter was initially listed before a vacation bench, following a specific request for an urgent hearing by the state government through a letter dated May 28. >Continued on P8 >Continued on P8 THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA In a resounding victory for community activism, the residents of Assagao have successfully forced the shutdown of the controversial nightclub in a residential area in the village following weeks of sustained protests, public mobilization and official representations. The proponents of the alleged nightclub ‘Rumba’, operated by M/s DNG Entertainment, have now dismantled the interior setup of the venue and indicated a complete withdrawal from the location. The decision to wind up operations marks the culmination of a persistent grassroots movement led by the Assagao-Badem Citizens Action Committee (ABCAC), which galvanised villagers and pressured local authorities to act. The issue began gaining traction after concerns were raised about the club’s location in a quiet, predominantly The front façade of the nightclub at Assagao. residential area. “It’s the power of the villagers who stood united and fought tooth and nail with the intent that they would not give up until the nightclub was shut down. The local panchayat backed our cause, which tilted the balance in our favour,” said ABCAC Convenor Surendra Gad According to sources, the dismantling of the club’s interior infrastructure has already been completed. Only the outer shell of the building now THE GOAN I NETWORK has got 4,163 illiterates, who showed unwillingness to be part of the initiative due to various reasons like age, medical grounds, etc. She said that a total of 82 panchayats have declared 100 per cent literacy while 33 showed 95-99 per cent full functional literacy. Of the total 13 municipal areas, only one has achieved 99 per cent literacy. In the remaining 76 panchayats, 12 municipalities and one corporation, total 6,299 illiterates were identified of which 2,136 showed interest in learning and successfully completed the entire learning phase including clearing the assessment test. “With this Goa has achieved a literacy rate of 99.72 per cent >Continued on P8 Modi lauds Goa’s unique culture on Statehood day President Murmu says all should join hands to preserve heritage PTI NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Droupadi Murmu greeted people of Goa on their Statehood day on Friday. PM in his message lauded Goa for its unique culture as India's pride. “Goa's unique culture is India's pride. Goan people have made a strong mark in diverse sectors and has been drawing people from all over the world. “Over the last decade, a lot of work has been done that is furthering Goa's progress. May the State continue to scale new heights,” he said on X. In her message, Murmu greeted Goans and stressed on preserving the culture and heritage by adopting sustainable tourism practices and supporting local communities. Goa's unique culture is India's pride... Goans have made a strong mark in diverse sectors and this State has always been drawing people from all over the world — Narendra Modi “Warm greetings to the people of Goa on Statehood Day! Goa's rich cultural heritage, beautiful beaches, warm hospitality and several other attractions continue to draw visitors from across the world,” Murmu said in a post on X. Tourists and locals should come together to preserve Goa's culture and heritage by adopting sustainable tourism practices and supporting local communities, she said. WRD chooses training over flood prep amid heavy rain KEY OFFICIALS IN-CHARGE OF MAJOR DAMS ATTEND WEEK-LONG TRAINING IN PUNE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Even as rains lashed Goa, raising concerns about dam safety and flood preparedness, some of the senior officials responsible for overseeing the dams are away attending training programmes in Pune. Official sources confirmed to The Goan that a Superintending Engineer, holding jurisdiction across Goa, and two Engineers who are in-charge of major dams including Amthane where the process for gate installation has just begun, are attending a weeklong training at the National Water Academy in Pune. The programme, which began on May 26, is expected to conclude on June 1. “The tours are sponsored by the State government,” a senior source confirmed. However, the source also pointed out that their physical presence in Goa was crucial at this time, especially with dam water levels needing close MISPLACED PRIORITIES? „„Insiders say physical presence of these officials was crucial, especially with dam water levels needing close monitoring and project timelines demanding on-ground supervision „„The tours are sponsored by the State government T U R N I N G U P T H E H E AT „„WRD has now reportedly decided to tighten the noose around repeated outstation trips by certain officers „„A senior official said instructions have been received to assess the monitoring and project timelines demanding on-ground supervision. The absence of these officers coincides with the lei- frequency of such trips, their purpose, the cost on the exchequer and the outcome of these trips „„A report is expected to be submitted to higher authorities in the coming weeks sure trip of nine councillors from the Mapusa Municipal Council to Dubai. >Continued on P8 Apex court mandates NEET-PG Report flags danger to Goa’s mangroves, khazan land KHAZANS IN CRISIS: KEY FINDINGS entrance exams in single shift THE GOAN I NETWORK SAYS TWO SHIFTS ‘CREATE ARBITRARINESS’ PTI NEW DELHI In a significant order, the Supreme Court on Friday issued directions that the post-graduate medical entrance exam scheduled on June 15 be conducted in a single shift, saying holding it in two shifts “creates arbitrariness”. A bench headed by Justice Vikram Nath directed the authorities to make arrangements for holding NEET-PG 2025 exam in one shift and to ensure that complete trans- parency is maintained and secured centres are identified. “Any two question papers can never be said to be having an identical level of difficulty or ease,” said the bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and N V Anjaria. It said normalisation may be applied in exceptional cases but not in a routine manner year after year. The bench passed the order on pleas challenging a notification on holding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEETPG) 2025 examination in two shifts. The top court said the total number of candidates who have applied for the examination is 2,42,678 and the test is held all over the country and not in one city. “We are not ready to accept that in the entire country and considering the technological advancement in the country, the examining body could not find enough centres to hold the examination in one shift,” the bench said. PANAJI he record-high sea levels, driven by rising mean temperature and rainfall apart from urbanization, has threatened the mangrove ecosystem and khazan land in the coastal State of Goa, reveals the draft Goa State Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. The first of its kind plan drafted by Goa State Biodiversity Board has been kept open for suggestions till July 22. According to the report, the average sea level rise trends in Goa has seen an increase at the rate of 1.45mm per year with a 95 per cent confidence interval of +/- 0.46mm/year from the period of 1969-2013 T „„Average sea level rise trends in Goa has seen a gradual increase at the rate of 1.45mm per year „„Mean annual rainfall in Goa has increased by 68% over the period 1901-2018 „„Inter annual rainfall has also increased since 1970s „„Arabian Sea is emerging which means in 100 years sea level increase in Goa is 0.48ft. The report also says that the mean annual rainfall in Goa has increased by 68 per cent over the period 1901-2018, while inter annual rainfall as a cyclone hotspot especially after the year 1995 „„52% increase in fre- quency of cyclonic storms in Arabian Sea „„Mangrove ecosystem, khazan land under immediate threat „„Mangroves will turn less productive apart from losing out to be a habitat for species like crocodiles, birds has also increased since the 1970s. “Goa’s mean annual temperature has increased by over 1 degree celsius since the beginning of 20th century,” it stated further. The draft states in recent years the Arabian Sea is emerging as a cyclone hotspot especially after 1995.  It has been observed that “the Sea is experiencing a regional climate-shift after 1995, which is accompanied by a five-fold increase in the occurrence of “most intense cyclones”. “The 40 years of data from 1980- 2020 shows “a significant increasing trend in the intensity, frequency, and duration of cyclonic storms and very severe cyclonic storms over the Arabian sea,” it said. “There is 52% increase in the frequency of cyclonic storms in the Arabian Sea during the recent two decades (2001–2019),” it said further. As a result, mangroves and khazans are under threat. The study says that mangroves will turn less productive apart from losing out to be a habitat for crocodiles, birds, and the mangrove forest ecosystem will change due to the loss of saline-intolerant species.