log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2024 GOA 200% hike in pay parking fees stirs row in Mapusa MAPUSA: The Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) finds itself embroiled in controversy following a staggering 200% increase in pay parking fees at the taxi stand, leaving civic authorities scrambling for explanations amid mounting public outcry. GOACAN acknowledged the necessity for regulating parking and covering service expenses but also emphasised the need for a balanced approach. >> See pg 3 Hydrate, avoid street food, advise doctors PANAJI: Hydrate, hydrate and hydrate more is the singular advice several doctors are proffering to combat the severe heat wave conditions which Goa has been witnessing over the last several days. The unusually hot weather conditions can make you feel sick with the risk of being afflicted with some serious diseases.  >> See pg 5 Keri bribery: Cop’s remand extended PANAJI: The police custody of suspended head constable Sanjay Talkar has been extended for another four days, while Sessions Court will on April 22 hear the bail applications of Talkar and co-accused head constable Raju Kalangutkar, both of whom along with other unnamed are implicated in a bribery case.  >> See pg 3 INDIA bloc appoints 12 spokespersons PANAJI: With less than three weeks to go for polling day and the campaign gaining ground, the INDI alliance in Goa has appointed 12 spokespersons drawn from each of the constituent parties. A statement issued by M K Shaikh, the senior vice-president of the Congress said the spokespersons will be handling media and publicity.  >> See pg 2 Goa, Maha, KA cops meet on liquor curbs BELAGAVI: Police officials from the border districts of Goa, Maharashtra and Karnataka met in Belagavi to discuss strategies to curb illegal liquor transportation, heightened vigilance along the borders and other matters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. >>  See pg 5 WEATHER >> Max: 35 C Min: 27 C Humidity: 87% TIDES Low: High: 02:44 08:29 14:12 20:47 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO.302 Schools as polling stations to add greenery ahead of voting day IN SHORT >> Facebook.com/thegoan 2 3 GOA Communal harmony in music: Christian singer enthrals devotees at Vasco’s Ram Mandir Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO What is glass hair trend? A guide to achieve ultra-straight locks D-day for LS elections; Phase-1 begins today OVER 16 CRORE PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR 102 SEATS PTI NEW DELHI The 2024 Lok Sabha polls kicks off on Friday with voting for 102 seats spread across 21 States and Union Territories in the first of the seven phases of the world's largest electoral exercise as Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeks a rare third term in office. Over 16.63 crore people are eligible to vote on Friday. India has nearly 97 crore registered voters for elections to the 543-member Lok Sabha, with BJP''s ambition to emerge as a force challenging the Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu and determination to retain its strongholds across the country set to be put to a stern test and the opposition INDIA bloc facing a herculean task to dislodge the BJP-led NDA. In the first phase, there are 35.67 lakh first time voters, besides 3.51 crore young voters in the age group of 20-29 years. Counting of votes in the elections that will conclude on June one will be taken up on June 4. SIX BIG NAMES TO WATCH OUT „„NITIN GADKARI: He will be eyeing a third straight victory from Nagpur. His main rival will be Congress candidate Vikas Thakre „„JITIN PRASADA: Quit Congress in 2021. BJP has named him in place of two-time MP from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi „„JITAN RAM MANJHI: Former Bihar CM is contesting from Gaya which has the highest number of 14 candidates „„NAKUL NATH: He is the son of former MP CM Kamal Nath and is fighting again from Chhindwara against BJP’s Vivek Sahu „„GAURAV GOGOI: Jorhat seat in Assam will decide if Congress’ deputy leader in LS can make it to the elected house this time too „„K ANNAMALAI: Coimbatore seat will witness a highstakes battle with Annamalai facing DMK leader Ganapathy and AIADMK’s Ramachandran Polling will be held for all seats of Tamil Nadu (39), Uttarakhand (5), Arunachal Pradesh (2), Meghalaya (2), Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1), Mizoram (1), Nagaland (1), Puducherry (1), Sikkim (1) and Lakshadweep (1). Besides, there will be voting in 12 seats in Rajasthan, eight in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, five seats each in Assam and Maharashtra, four in Bihar, three in West Bengal, two in Manipur, and one seat each in Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. Simultaneously, assembly elections will be held in Arunachal Pradesh (60 seats) and Sikkim (32 seats). Among the prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase are Union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Sarbananda Sonowal, Gaurav Gogoi of Congress and DMK's Kanimozhi. An aggressive K Annamalai, who is steering the BJP campaign in Tamil Nadu, is also among the contestants. Polling will begin at 7 am and end at 6 pm. The voters comprise 8.4 crore men, 8.23 crore women and 11,371 from third gender. The Election Commission has deployed over 18 lakh polling personnel across 1.87 lakh polling stations. While the National Democratic alliance (NDA) under Prime Minister Modi is seeking a stronger majority, the constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc are hoping for a rebound after facing reverses in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Besides Gadkari, Sonowal, seven other Union ministers--Bhupendra Yadav, Kiren Rijiju, Sanjeev Baliyan, Jitendra Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal, L Murugan and Nisith Pramanik--are in the poll fray in the first phase. 9 Mumbai Indians beat Punjab Kings by 9 runs in a thriller RGP candidates file nomination papers for Lok Sabha elections Manoj Rupert HC slams coastal body, orders action against Candolim club THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA In a scathing indictment of the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), the High Court of Bombay at Goa has ordered the authority to respond within four weeks to PANAJI assengers who forfeit various items at the check-in counters at Manohar International Airport (MIA) may be a disappointed lot, but they can be rest assured that their items are being utilised for a deserving cause and handed over to the poor, needy and deserving sections of society across the State. This has been made possible following an agreement between MIA and Street Providence as the NGO for disposal of lost, found and confiscated items at the airport. CEO GMR R V Sheshan and Street Providence representatives Donald Fernandes and P its show cause notice against a club in Candolim. The 'Droplet' club stands accused of multiple violations of coastal regulations. Justice M S Sonak and Justice Valmiki Menezes expressed dismay over the GCZMA’s inaction. >> See pg 3 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Revolutionary Goans Party president Manoj Parab and Rupert Pereira filed their nomination papers for the North and South Goa Lok Sabha seats before the respective Returning Officers on Thursday. Parab was accompanied by the party’s sole legislator, Viresh Borkar and other RGP functionaries while Pereira was accompanied by enthusiastic party rank and file, including party leaders, workers and supporters. Earlier, Parab led a large group of his supporters waving party flags and several of them holding footballs, which is the party's symbol, as they marched towards the Collectorate building in Panaji in a show of strength. At the South Goa Collectorate, RGP leaders and workers took everyone by surprise, including the police, as they descended at the complex only to be requested to stay out, while Rupert and some party leaders headed to the office of the Returning Officer.  (Detailed report on page 2) Chief Cardiac Surgeon | MD & CEO MBBS, MS (General Surgery) DNB (CVTS), FIACS, PhD 35+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE 35000+ OPEN HEART SURGERIES 10000+ PEDIATRIC SURGERIES “Your Heart Deserves the Best” 7000+ GOAN PATIENTS At 9 AM to 12 PM Saturday, 20 April 2024 Goa Scan Center Prorvorim, Goa - 403501 “First come, first served,” FOR MORE INFORMATION 24/7 +91-903 610 2390 DDSSY Scheme available for GOA residents 88 students barred from exams at DMC college PRINCIPAL CITES 75% ATTENDANCE STUDENTS GIVE REASONS SUCH AS BITTEN BY DOG, DEATH IN FAMILY A LESSON TO LEARN THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA As many as 88 students of the first year at DMC College in Assagao have been debarred from appearing for their exams on account of poor attendance, sparking off anger among the students and the student organisations. The 88 students from the FYBA, FYBSc, FYB.Com, FYBCA and FYBBA were prevented from appearing for the semester examination. On Thursday, the 88 students along with their parents and office bearers of NSUI and ABVP called on Principal Dr Dilip Arolkar and requested him to sympathetically consider the case of the students. They also demanded that the college conduct supplementary examinations for these students so that their academic year is not wasted. Dr Arolkar explained that as per Goa University rules, Goenche Jevon „„88 students from FYBA, FYBSc, FYB.Com, FYBCA and FYBBA were prevented from appearing for semester examination due to poor attendance „„Principal says as per GU rules, 75% class attendance is mandatory „„In case of absence, a written explanation, or in case of sickness, a medical certificate, is required to be submitted „„Students whose attendance was poor were informed about this rule and also were advised to intimate the same to their parents „„Despite this, still some students did not pay heed to advice of college authorities 75% class attendance is mandatory for students and in case of absence, a written explanation, or in case of sickness, a medical certificate, is required to be submitted to college authorities. “Students whose attendance was poor were informed about this rule and also were advised to intimate the same to their parents. Still some stu- Passed down through generations, this feast encapsulates the true essence of a Goan affair, celebrating its culinary heritage with a touch of old-world Portuguese charm. dents did not pay heed to the advice of the college authorities” said Dr Arolkar. College authorities have advised the students to give reasons for their absenteeism and the same will be forwarded to the University for its final decision. Some students claimed that Date 12th – 21st April 2024 Time 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM >Continued on P5 Lost, found, confiscated items at Mopa airport bring cheer to homeless, needy THE GOAN I NETWORK 13 SPORTS From jams to syrups, knives & sports items… PANAJI: Street Providence began picking up all lost and found as well as confiscated items from MIA at their costs twice/thrice a week from December 2023. “We hired warehouses and segregations go on weekly. We get a lot of goods like jam, masala powder, coconuts, syrups, etc. which we use for our shelter homes. We also get a lot of talcum powders, knives, scissors, nail cutters, sports items which we give away free to the poorest of the poor,” said Donald Fernandes. “We get lighters which we sell or attempt to sell. There are also chargers, cables, Bosco George IPS (retd DIG), on Wednesday signed a contract for the project, appointing Street Providence as a sort of recovery agent to dispose power banks, perfumes, gadgets, batteries, etc. Some items are directly disposed or burnt to ashes.” “Daily, we provide 5-6 powders to poor patients in Government hospital through our Healthcare Support Bank, which comes through this project. Every month, we give away 400-500 pieces of talcum powder to poor rag pickers, sanitary workers, etc.” “One good thing about this contract is we are also entitled to sell all the items and use the proceeds for homeless people who we rehabilitate”, he added. all lost and found as well as confiscated items which don't get approved at the check in counters at MIA. “Arvind Gawas, IPS (retd) is the security head of Airport Security at MIA and one day, he called up another IPS >Continued on P5 T&C Apply* T: + 91 9167526822 St. Inez junction, Off Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, Panaji, Goa 403001 VivantaGoaPanaji Vivanta_Goa vivantagoapanaji Use code VIVAGOA to avail a special 20% discount*