log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY JANUARY 11, 2024 GOA EV subsidy scheme faces delays despite budget provisions IN SHORT >> Headmistress, teacher clash at Guirim school MAPUSA: Two teachers clashed at a government school in Guirim on Wednesday and the school headmistress has been accused of assaulting a teacher. According to police, the complainant Prarthana Naik (44) of Pernem but residing in Saligao accused the headmistress Roshni Sakhalkar of abusing and assaulting her in the school at about 1.20 pm. Naik claimed her hand has been fractured following the incident and is undergoing treatment. Odisha youth held for peddling drugs PANAJI: An Odisha native, who relocated to Goa just a week ago and found a job as a helper at a local restaurant, has been arrested on charges of possessing and trafficking drugs by Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) sleuths.  >> See pg 3 3 held for gang rape of 2 minor girls PONDA: Three persons who were arrested on charges of gang raping two minor girls late Monday night have been remanded to custody. According to police, the two minor girls had arrived for labour work in Goa a few weeks ago.  >> See pg 3 Scientists develop Covid-19 vaccine BENGALURU: An Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Professor and collaborators have designed a synthetic antigen that can be manufactured as a potential Covid-19 vaccine candidate. Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Raghavan Varadarajan, Professor at the Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU), IISc, and collaborators have been working on developing a heat-tolerant vaccine that can offer protection against different strains of SARS-CoV-2- both current and future variants. WEATHER >> Max: 32 C Min: 25 C Humidity: 72% TIDES Low: High: 05:07 17:07 10:27 ------- The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO. 204 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 3 2 8 ICUs for South, North district hospitals get Cabinet clearance New year, old problems: Margao civic body grapples with mounting arrears >> See PG 3 Facebook.com/thegoan GOA INFO First PM Divyansha Kendra for PwDs opens at GMC Important tests to detect cervical cancer DOCTORS, NURSES AND OTHER STAFF TO BE RECRUITED ON CONTRACTUAL BASIS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Following public interest litigation in the High Court, the State Cabinet on Wednesday accorded its approval for recruitment cum appointment of doctors, nurses and other staff on contractual basis to make operational Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the South and North Goa District hospitals. Addressing media persons, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant admitted that in absence of non-functional ICU units at the district hospitals, the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) is overloaded with such patients. “The Cabinet has approved the proposal to appoint staff, including the doctors on contractual basis to make the ICU units operational at district hospitals within two months. The contractual appointments would be till permanent posts are filled,” he said. “If we don’t get specialised FOR BETTER HEALTHCARE „„The cabinet has approved the appointment of eight medical consultants, 10 medical officers, 20 staff nurses and six OT technicians on contractual basis „„The contractual appointments would be till permanent posts are filled „„Four-five bedded ICU units to be set up OTHER CABINET DECISIONS „„Language research cell to be established under Directorate of Official Language, Staff appointment gets nod „„PWD’s traffic diversions works in view of Porvorim Flyover work on NH66 approved „„KUSUM B scheme offering 100% subsidy to solar water pumps for farmers approved „„Nod to set up special cell under Directorate of Planning and Statistics to keep track of centrally sponsored schemes doctors in Goa, we will recruit even non-Goans for now,” he added. The Chief Minister said that four-five bedded ICU units would be set up. According to the proposal, the cabinet has approved the appointment of eight medical consultants, 10 medical officers, 20 staff nurses and six OT technicians. The people from South Goa had expressed their anger over non-operationalisation of the ICU units in South Goa district hospital despite being fully equipped. EC for sand mining in Chapora, Mandovi, Zuari in a month: CM PANAJI: After missing out on almost six seasons, the State government is hopeful of resuming sand mining activities through traditional method in three rivers – Mandovi, Zuari and Chapora this season. Speaking to media persons, the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the Directorate of Mines has applied for Environmental Clearance (EC) for sand mining in three riverbeds – Mandovi, Zuari and Chapora and the same is likely to be granted within a months’ time.  >> See pg 3 Ram Mandir: Holiday for govt servants, schools on Jan 22 PANAJI: The Goa government on Wednesday declared holiday for its employees and the educational institutions on the day of Ram Temple consecration, January 22. >> See pg 3 CABINET ACCEPTS JADHAV PANEL REPORT ON LAND GRAB CASES  >> See pg 3 SPORTS Kohli to miss first T20I match against Afghanistan for personal reasons 13 Tweak in rules to permit transfer of tenanted agri land for public purpose THE NOTIFICATION „„Transfer will be possible for all the ‘public purposes’ defined in the 2013 Central land acquisition law – the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government has proposed changes in the rules to empower mamlatdars to transfer tenanted agricultural land in cases where it is needed for ‘public purpose’ as defined in the land acquisition laws. The change proposed will also be applicable in cases where such tenanted agricultural land is required for a community purpose either by a panchayat or urban local body, says the notification which invites objections and suggestions from the public to these draft changes in the rules under section 18K of the Agricultural Tenancy Act. Currently, such transfer of land was permitted only for educational purpose or for a handful of agriculture related activities. When the proposed changes go through, transfer will be possible for all the ‘public purposes’ defined in the 2013 Central land acquisition law – the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act. Community or public purposes proposed by panchayats and civic bodies will also be eligible for transfer of tenanted agricultural land by mamlatdars. Govt pursuing dual citizenship Suchana was calm and composed issue with Centre, says Sawant carrying body of 4-yr son: Driver Goans abroad express concern about fate of nationality after MEA circular THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As ongoing debate about revocation of Indian passports of those who registered their births in Portugal is intensifying, the State government – responding to mounting pressure from the Goan diaspora and their families – has assured to resolve the issue in collaboration with the Central government. Speaking at the launch of the Global Goan Association on Wednesday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the matter is before the Government of India. “We are pursuing the matter with the Government of India, for a solution. Goa government will try resolving in collaboration with the Central government,” he said while addressing a group of Goan NRIs at the event held in Panaji. Thousands of Goans living abroad, particularly in Portugal and European countries have expressed concern about the fate of their nationality in view of a November 2022 circular by the Ministry of Ex- WHAT THE GOVT SAYS We are pursuing the matter with the Government of India, for a solution. Goa government will try resolving in collaboration with the Central government,” — Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister ternal Affairs. The circular, which came to light only after The Goan’s news reports, directs all the passport offices to revoke Indian passports of those who registered their births in Portugal at the time of its renewal. This has led to the denial of OCI cards to these applicants. NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar, also present at the launch, conceded the issue is not within the domain of the State government while highlighting the need for a solution within the legal and It’s a complex issue and needs solution within the legal and policy framework. I am quite confident that governments in Goa and Centre will come up with a solution,” — Narendra Sawaikar, NRI commissioner policy framework. “It’s a complex issue and needs solution within the legal and policy framework. We have to raise it before the Central government. I am quite confident that governments in Goa and Centre will come up with a solution,” he added. Sawaikar further urged the Association to assist the NRI Commission in collecting data on the global Goan population explaining the importance of having this information to >Continued on P5 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The CEO of a Bengaluru-based AI start-up Suchana Seth, arrested on charges of murdering her four-year-old son, has been struggling to find clients for her company amidst a bitter marital dispute and custody battle. Despite denying any involvement in the crime, reliable police sources told The Goan that Suchana is showing ‘no regrets.’ Moreover, the local cab driver who was hired to transport her to Bengaluru around 1 am on January 8, described her as ‘calm and composed’ during the journey, which is when she carried her son’s body in a luggage bag. “She is not cooperating with the investigation but our investigation team is gathering evidence in the case. What we know so far is that she is not accepting her crime, claiming her son died suddenly,” the source revealed. Cops recover empty bottles of cough syrup from apartment PANAJI: The Calangute police recovered two empty bottles of cough syrup from the room of the Candolim service apartment where the accused mother checked in with her son on January 6. The police are investigating whether she intentionally administered an overdose of the syrup to her son before smothering him with a pillow or other object. >Continued on P5 Father had bought new clothes, toys for his son PANAJI: The grieving father had bought new clothes and toys for his son ahead of their scheduled meet on January 7, Sunday. However, things took a turn when Suchana planned her trip to Goa a day prior, on January 6. On a work trip to Indonesia, Venkatraman rushed to Karnataka after being informed about the murder. He holds a PhD in Physics and works as a Data Scientist in a Financial Service Firm. SUCHANA DID NOT ALLOW EX-HUSBAND TO MEET SON  >> See pg 5 While the police have refused to accept the theory given that she was caught red-handed with her child’s dead body stuffed in the luggage bag, they are set to summon her family members. Her ex-husband Venkatraman and his family reportedly flew down to Goa – after conducting final rites of his >Continued on P5 Chorla traffic jam helps police intercept taxi at Chitradurga MAPUSA: Did an accident and a four-hour traffic jam at Chorla Ghat in the wee hours of Monday prove beneficial to Calangute police? As Suchana Seth was leaving for Bengaluru in a hired taxi from her hotel in Candolim, the taxi got stuck in a traffic jam for about 4 hours, after a truck was involved in a mishap at the Chorla Ghat. The taxi driver is believed to have advised Seth that they should turn back, but Seth reportedly insisted on proceeding to Bengaluru. After the traffic jam, the taxi then proceeded towards Bengaluru. This traffic jam proved beneficial to Calangute police as they managed to intercept >Continued on P5 I’m not here to answer to any Shinde faction is real Shiv Sena, rules Maha Speaker Tom, Dick and Harry: Babush Rejects disqualification plea against ruling MLAs; Uddhav says will move SC Dares Utpal to meet him in 2027 elections THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Revenue Minister, Atanasio Babus Monserrate, who represents Panaji in the Goa legislative assembly, on Wednesday has thrown a challenge at Utpal Parrikar, son of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, to contest the next 2027 assembly polls against him. “Tell Utpal to meet me for the 2027 polls,” Monserrate said when media persons asked him to respond to the allegations of Parrikar Jr, who earlier last week had called the Panaji MLA “corrupt, incompetent and indifferent to ‘Will ensure Smart City works are completed by May 31’ PANAJI: Minister and Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate on Wednesday said that he will personally ensure that all Smart City works are completed by May 31. “I will be personally monitoring the works on day to day basis,” he said. He was speaking to media after the review meeting called by the Chief Minister regarding Smart City works. Panaji people’s problems” in the context of the chaos unleashed by the ongoing work on ‘Smart City’ projects. “I am not here to answer to any Tom, Dick, and Harry,” Monserrate said in reference to Utpal’s comments. “What has the MLA of Panaji for 25 years before me >Continued on P5 PTI MUMBAI In a relief to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday held that the Shiv Sena faction led by him was the “real political party” when rival groups emerged in June 2022. In his 105-minute long reading of the key points of the ruling, Rahul Narwekar also rejected Uddhav Thackeray faction’s petition to disqualify 16 Shiv Sena MLAs including Shinde. As Narwekar finished reading the order, celebrations broke out among Chief Minister Shinde’s supporters, who burst firecrackers, while Sena (UBT) leaders Sanjay Raut and SPEAKER IN HIS ORDER SAYS… „„Sunil Prabhu of the Sena (UBT) ceased to be the whip from June 21, 2022, and Bharat Gogawale of the Eknath Shinde group became the authorised whip „„The Shiv Sena ‘pramukh’ (chief) Thackeray did not have the power to remove any leader from the party „„The 1999 party constitution submitted to the Election Commission was the valid constitution for deciding the issues „„The Uddhav Thackeray group’s contention that the amended constitution of 2018 should be relied on is not acceptable Aaditya Thackeray said their party will approach Supreme Court against the Speaker’s order. NCP leader Sharad Pawar said Uddhav Thackeray will have to approach the apex court against the ruling of the Speaker, who gave prece- dence to the legislature party. Narwekar said no party leadership can use provision of 10th schedule of Constitution for dissent or indiscipline within party. In his order on disqualification petitions filed by Shinde-led Sena and the rival fac- tion led by Uddhav Thackeray against each other’s MLAs, Narwekar said Sunil Prabhu of the Sena (UBT) ceased to be the whip from June 21, 2022, and Bharat Gogawale of the Shinde group became the authorised whip. All the petitions seeking disqualification of MLAs are rejected. No MLA is being disqualified, Narwekar said. The Speaker also held that the Shiv Sena ‘pramukh’ (chief) did not have the power to remove any leader from the party. He also did not accept the argument that the will of the party chief and the will of the party were synonymous. The 1999 party constitution submitted to the Election Commission was the valid constitution for deciding the issues, and the Thackeray group’s contention that the amended constitution of 2018 should be relied on was not acceptable, he added. The 1999 constitution made the `Rashtriya Karyakarini’ (national executive) the supreme body, he said.