log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY JUNE 17, 2025 GOA Hearing impaired, these two sisters make every effort to equip themselves with skills for life IN SHORT >> Govt drafting policy to revive salt pans OLD GOA: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said the State government is in the process of drafting a comprehensive policy to revive the State’s traditional salt pans. He also assured to resolve issues faced by salt pan owners and farmers of Batim in a bid to boost salt farming in the area.   >> See pg 3 Youth arrested for attack on mother PERNEM: Mandrem police arrested a youth from Bastora but residing at Agarwada-Pernem on charges of brutally attacking his mother on Sunday evening. The woman, Sushma Kalangutkar, has sustained grievous injuries and is admitted at Goa Medical College and Hospital in Bambolim.  >> See pg 3 Transport Dept to shift to Porvorim PANAJI: The Transport Department is gearing to shift its headquarters to a new location in Porvorim -- a move that will also anchor the long-pending Vehicle Tracking Platform, a central surveillance and emergency response system for public service vehicles.  >> See pg 3 Model found dead in Haryana canal SONIPAT: The body of a Haryana-based model was found in a canal in the Kharkhoda area of Sonipat with visible injury marks, the police said on Monday. Sheetal alias Simmi, who worked as a model making music videos, lived with her sister in Panipat and left home for a shoot on June 14. Amitabh Kant quits as G20 Sherpa NEW DELHI: Amitabh Kant, who managed diverse assignments during his 45 years in government, has resigned as the G20 Sherpa. Kant, a retired 1980-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, was appointed as India's G20 Sherpa in July 2022, months before India assumed the G20 Presidency. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 29 C 24.8 C 93% TIDES Low: 08.09 High: 01.53 21.39 15.16 2 GOA Saligao’s killer road: Dug up, patched up, washed away RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Incorporate these healthy habits to avoid getting sick 9 MADKAIKAR’S VIRAL VIDEO SUFFICIENT MATERIAL TO WARRANT REGISTRATION OF FIR, SAYS JUDGE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The North Goa Sessions Court has directed the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to register a First Information Report into the bribery allegations made by former minister Pandurang Madkaikar earlier this year. A group of citizen activists had approached the court after the ACB closed its inquiry, citing the retraction of Madkaikar’s statement, which the ex-minister later claimed referred to a penalty payment rather than a bribe. The complainants had lodged a complaint before the ACB in March, seeking investigation and action into the public statement. According to the complaint, Madkaikar had stated that he had to pay Rs 15 to Rs 20 lakh to get his files cleared. “If it is found that Madkaikar's statement is false then action should be taken and he should be made accountable for misleading the public and KEY OBSERVATIONS OF THE COURT „„Sufficient material to warrant registration of an FIR „„Any inquiry was not required... video which went viral would by itself be material for preliminary inquiry „„It is only after registering the FIR that IO could have taken a call and decided accordingly „„Activists had reason to be concerned over such public statements being made and later withdrawn „„Applicants are more concerned because making such statements and thereafter falling back is not in interest of the public as there is every possibility that the public at large is likely to be misguided „„Statements made by Madkaikar definitely show that a huge amount is required to be paid as a bribe to clear the files defaming the institution,” the complaint stated. The ACB, in its reply, admitted receiving the complaint and acknowledged conducting a preliminary inquiry. However, it concluded that the ingredients of the offence were not made out, and hence, no FIR was registered. Judge Irshad Agha, on hearing the arguments from both parties, held that the video recording of Madkaikar’s statement, which had gone viral, was sufficient material to war- rant registration of an FIR. “Further, any inquiry was not at all required. The video which went viral would by itself be material for preliminary inquiry. It is only after registering the FIR that the Investigating Officer could have taken a call and decided accordingly,” it stated. The court further observed that the activists had reason to be concerned over such public statements being made and later withdrawn. “The applicants here are more concerned because making such statements and thereafter falling back on the said statements is not in the interest of the public as there is every possibility that the public at large may be misguided. Whether the statements were made correctly or wrongly ought to have been decided after registering the FIR. The statements made by Madkaikar definitely show that a huge amount is required to be paid as a bribe to clear the files. The applicants have alleged that the culprits Potholed roads spark safety concerns, turn death traps TOURIST ROUTE VIA CANCA-MAPUSA NEGLECTED THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA As rains lash Goa, dangerous potholes dotting key roads have once again exposed the glaring lapses in road maintenance across the State. One such hazardous crater along the Canca–Mapusa district road – a vital link to major beach destinations like Calangute, Candolim, Baga, Anjuna and Vagator – continues to remain unrepaired despite repeated public concern. During steady downpours and especially after nightfall, these deep waterlogged potholes become nearly invisible, posing a serious risk to unsuspecting two-wheeler riders and motorists. “This pothole existed even during the last monsoon and was temporarily filled with gravel. The entire summer passed without any action from the local PWD division,” said a local resident from Canca. Tourists and locals alike use this route to access some of the State’s most visited NEGLECTED & DANGEROUS: A large pothole along the crucial Canca–Mapusa district road remains unattended by authorities.  Agnelo Pereira coastal villages. However, bad upkeep of the roads paints a grim picture of infrastructure in a State that brands itself as India’s premier tourist destination. "The failure to fix these potholes – despite clear weather in the pre-monsoon months – reflects the casual attitude of the authorities. One wrong move and you’re on the ground. It’s a risk we take every day now," said Rajan Amonkar, a daily commuter. Earlier this month, The Goan had reported a simi- SAYS SOME CONSUMERS HAD MULTIPLE CONNECTIONS PANAJI More than a month after abruptly discontinuing its “Zero Water Bill” scheme without any explanation, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday clarified that the decision was taken following “misuse” of the scheme by the consumers. “If everyone is aware, we have stopped the free water supply scheme. We stopped it because we found consumers were misusing it by opting 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Graft charges come to haunt Madkaikar, court orders FIR Free water scheme scrapped after rampant misuse: CM THE GOAN I NETWORK The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 360 Land swap moves kabrastan plan forward, but terrain still a barrier >> See pg 3 Facebook.com/thegoan for multiple connections. We had no option but to stop the scheme to stop misuse of water,” Sawant said. He was speaking after launching two major water projects -- ‘Har Ghar Nal Se Jal’ project and Improvement and strengthening of water supply scheme Bambolim, Nauxim and surrounding areas in St Andre constituencies. The estimated cost of the projects is around Rs 21 crore and is expected to be completed within one-and-half year. The free water scheme, launched with much fanfare in September 2021, was discontinued with effect from May 1, 2025. As per the scheme, people who consume less than 16,000 litres of water per month would not have to pay any bills. Around 40 per cent or nearly 3.5 lakh consumers in the State are affected with the discontinuation of the scheme, which used to also grant exemption from payment of water charges, and meter rent, a >Continued on P5 lar large pothole opposite the football ground in Duler, Mapusa, which remained unattended for weeks until a concerned local businessman voluntarily filled it with concrete to avert an accident. The incident underscored the growing frustration among citizens over government inaction. A retired PWD engineer, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted the department lacks a functional >Continued on P5 Just 10 seconds: UPI transactions now get faster PTI NEW DELHI Transactions through the popular UPI are set to become faster from Monday with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) mandating reduction in response time to as swift as 10 seconds for payments. UPI or Unified Payments Interface is a real-time payment system developed by NPCI to facilitate inter-bank transactions through mobile phones. According to a recent NPCI circular, transactions including money transfer, status checks, and reversals will now be completed in 10 to 15 seconds, as against 30 seconds earlier. Effective June 16, the time taken in a UPI payment to validate address will now take only 10 seconds compared to 15 seconds earlier. The revisions in response time are aimed at improving customer experience, NPCI said. As per another NPCI circular, customers will soon be able to check their account balance 50 times a day through their UPI apps. As of now, there is no limit to check account balance in a day. THE COMPLAINT Madkaikar had stated that he had to pay Rs 15 to Rs 20 lakh to get his files cleared. If it is found that the statement is false then action should be taken and he should be made accountable ought to have been booked under section 7 and section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act,” reads the order. Earlier, during the ACB’s inquiry, Madkaikar had clarified that the alleged bribe he mentioned referred to official charges. “Records show that he deposited Rs 46 lakh consisting of Rs 24.78 lakh in land challan fees and Rs 21.29 lakh as penalty, for which official receipts were issued,” officials had then said, quoting Madkaikar’s deposition. SPORTS FIFA CWC: Musiala hits hat-trick as Bayern thrashes Auckland City 10-0 11 Govt kick-starts 16th Census process, issues notification Exercise expected to cost ` 13,000 cr PTI NEW DELHI Sixteen years after the last census in 2011, the government on Monday issued a notification for conducting India's 16th census which will include caste enumeration. The census will be carried out with a reference date of October 1, 2026 in the snowbound areas like Ladakh and March 1, 2027 in the rest of the country, the notification said. “The reference date for the said census shall be 00.00 hours of the 1st day of March, 2027, except for the Union territory of Ladakh and snowbound non-synchronous areas of the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand,” it said. In respect of Ladakh and snow-bound non-synchronous areas of the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir and the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, the reference date shall be 00:00 hours of the first day of October, 2026, it said. The massive exercise, which is expected to cost the government over Rs 13,000 Will help in planning, says Sawant PANAJI: As the Union Home Ministry notified the All India Census, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the Census data will help to form the foundation for future policies, planning and welfare deliveries.   >> See pg 3 crore to give population-related data from across the country, will be conducted by about 34 lakh enumerators and supervisors and around 1.3 lakh census functionaries armed with digital devices. Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the preparation for the census with Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India Mritunjay Kumar Narayan, and other senior officials here on Sunday. This is the 16th census since the exercise started and the eighth after Independence, a government statement said. Power play: Vijai open to merging GFP with Cong EYES POLITICAL ‘REVOLUTION’ IN 2027 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a bid to provide a stronger political alternative to the people of Goa in 2027 polls, the Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Monday said the party is ready to explore every possibility to bring in a “revolution”, without declining possibility of merging with Indian National Congress (INC). “I am willing to understand and accept any circumstances.  I am ready to consider every bit of possibility to see that we bring a change…we bring in a revolution…And for that I am ready to sacrifice anything…even erasing your identity,” GFP Chief and MLA Vijai Sardesai said responding to a question that some people feel that Vijai should merge GF with Congress and lead Goa. Speaking on Prudent Media’s ‘Head On’, Sardesai also announced to contest from eleven wards of Margo and three of Curtorim for the coming Margao civic elections, SARDESAI’S REVOLUTIONARY VISION „„I am willing to understand, accept any circumstances… ready to consider every bit of possibility to see that we bring a change „„We need a revolution… and for that I am ready to sacrifice anything „„United Opposition has failed and hence it’s time to come together and put things together „„I being a senior legislator, my role will be crucial and not selfish…I will not be selfish…I am thinking about unity to bring in the change „„Efforts would be to get along with all like-minded people and put up a united fight against anti-Goan forces which are scheduled in October, 2026. Sardesai maintained that the united Opposition has failed and hence it’s a time to come together and put things together. “We as the Opposition have failed… accepting that we have failed we will have to try to come together and put our act together…I being a senior legislator, my role will be crucial and not selfish…I will not be selfish…I am thinking about unity to bring in the change,” he said. Stating that ruling BJP is expanding its base in Salcete, the MLA said that efforts would be to get along with all like-minded people and put up a united fight against the anti-Goan force. “And for that I am ready to sacrifice anything,” he commented. >Continued on P5 Pollution Board sidesteps role in noise control THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI eiterating that the pollution authority has no powers to act against noise pollution, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has declined to incorporate installation of CCTVs or online noise meters as mandatory condition for grant of Consent to Operate to various establishments along the coastal belts including beach shacks. The proposal was moved by the North Goa Collector. The Board also maintained that the Sub-District Magistrate and Police Inspector of the particular area are the authorities to act in case of R THIS IS NO MUSIC TO THE EARS „„GSPCB says installation of electronic signboards to monitor sound decibel level, online noise meter, CCTVs cannot be incorporated as a condition in Consent to Operate „„Board grants Consent to Operate under Water Act and Air Act for purpose of running business or hotels or activities and not for playing music „„GSPCB is “not the authority” under the Noise Rules 2000 or the Noise Action Plan to act „„Real time noise monitoring stations are being transmitted on real-time basis to office of PI of concerned region and SDM „„PI and SDM are authorities responsible for enforcing the provisions of the Noise Rules violations based on the real-time data provided to them by the GSPCB. During the Board meeting held last month, the GSPCB deliberated on the decision undertaken by the District Collector pertaining to the control of noise pollution, wherein the authority was asked to issue directions to the establishments and beach shacks to in- stall electronic sign boards to monitor sound decibel level. The meeting also directed the Board to ensure that while issuing consents or permissions, the point of installation of CCTVs and noise meters should be included as mandatory conditions. “Members after deliberations decided that installation of the electronic signboards to monitor sound decibel level, online noise meter and CCTVs cannot be incorporated as a condition in the Consent to Operate order issued to the establishments as the same does not come under the Water Act and Air Act,” reads, the minutes of the meeting. The Board decided to inform the Collector requesting to entrust the responsibility of imposing such conditions to the Authority notified under the Noise Rules and >Continued on P5