log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) Instagram.com/thegoanonline >P13 SATURDAY MAY 11, 2024 IN SHORT >> IFFI poster to be unveiled at Cannes PANAJI: The official poster and trailer of the 55th India International Film Festival to be held in Goa from November 20 to 28 will be unveiled at Bharat Parv at Cannes Film Festival. Bharat Parv will also see the release of “Save the Date” for the first World Audio-Visual & Entertainment Summit to be hosted alongside IFFI. Thunderstorm on May 12, 13: IMD PANAJI: IMD has forecast that thunderstorm accompanied with lightning and winds gusting to 30-40 kmph are very likely at isolated places across Goa on May 12 and 13. In view of this a yellow alert has been issued for the 2 days. Kidnapping accused gets life in jail MARGAO: In a kidnapping for ransom case filed by Vasco Police Station, Additional Sessions Judge, South Goa Kshama Joshi on Friday convicted and sentenced accused Abdul Kadar Javali, resident of New Vaddem, Vasco to life imprisonment.   >> See pg 2 Admissions to degree courses at DTE PANAJI: Directorate of Technical Education has invited applications for admissions to First Year of Professional Degree Courses (MBBS, BDS, BE, B.Pharm, B.Arch, BHMS, BAMS, Allied Health Sciences, Nursing, BNYS, BVSc. & AH) for 2024-25. Applications can be submitted from May 13 to May 24 at 6 centers across Goa. Truck carrying 4 cars turns turtle PANAJI: A container truck carrying 4 cars turned turtle on the accident prone Karmalghat road at Canacona. The truck had arrived with the cars from Karnataka for delivery to a showroom. All the 4 cars have been damaged.   >> See pg 5 Charges to be framed against Brij Bhushan >> See pg 7  WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 34 C 26 C 77% TIDES Low: 06.32 High: 13.44 19.19 ---- 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME IX, NO.324 Tourism faces brunt of polls, summer sizzle HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATES DIP BY OVER 50 PER CENT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The scorching heat and uncomfortable humidity, concurrent Lok Sabha polls and the Indian Premier League have largely hit the tourism sector. There’s a significant decline in domestic arrivals, leading to a stark drop in occupancy rates by over 50 per cent in recent weeks. Even shacks and beachside eateries have been struggling to find customers. Stakeholders lament that the overall tourist season has proven comparatively lackluster compared to the initial recovery post-Covid-19. President of the Goa Hotels & Restaurant Association Gaurish Dhond admitted this decline, attributing it to the triple threat of relentless heat, TOURISM DOWNTURN FEELING THE PINCH „„Shacks, beach-side eateries struggling to find customers „„Nearly 80 per cent shacks shut in March „„Stakeholders lament overall tourist season has proven comparatively lackluster compared to initial recovery post-Covid „„Travelers postponing trips due to extreme temperature, concurrent events „„Inquiries for summer vacation bookings minimal despite introducing packages ongoing elections and the IPL. “The hospitality sector is facing a challenging period. Occupancy rates have dipped by over 50 per cent,” Dhond said. The industry concurs with the observation stating that travelers are likely postponing trips due to the extreme Row over sound system at Kala Academy escalates NO FAULT WITH EQUIPMENT, CLAIMS GAUDE; STAGE ARTISTE HITS BACK, CHALLENGES MINISTER THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Amid allegations of substandard theatre equipment including the sound system at Kala Academy, its Chairman Govind Gaude on Friday maintained that the theatre boasts the latest technology. Nevertheless, he conceded that the current technicians require additional training to proficiently operate the updated sound system, statement vehemently challenged by artist Rajdeep Naik who has charged the institution with installing poor quality acoustic theatre equipment, citing issues with lighting and sound. Speaking to The Goan after chairing a joint meeting of concerned engineers, Gaude denied claims made by Naik and added that while there may be teething problems until the technicians familiarise themselves with the new sys- tem, the equipment itself is not substandard. “The sound system and the acoustics are interrelated… We have updated versions of both lighting and sound systems. There are no problems with the systems whatsoever,” he added. Regarding the training of technicians, Gaude assured that those responsible for managing lighting, sound, and other equipment have received initial training. However, acknowledging the need for further instruction, he confirmed that they will be provided additional training, particularly for the sound system team, to enhance their operational proficiency. So also, faculties of western and classical music, drama, and tiatr were called to Kala Academy to assess the sound system’s suitability for their respective performances. The artist, on the other hand, has challenged Gaude to host a tiatr or drama in the presence of technicians and the public, to determine accountability. “Why is he blaming the technicians when the systems are at fault? The engineers have butchered the sound system completely… Not only the tiatrists but every artist faced this problem during their respective performances,” Naik said, speaking to The Goa. “I challenge the Chairman to hold a free performance for the audience in the presence of technicians to fix accountability.” All’s ‘well’ in Assagao, Anjuna? Panchayat members, kin exploit water tanker biz ON MA Y MAPUSA In the coastal villages of Assagao and Anjuna, the scarcity of regular Public Works Department (PWD) water supply has inadvertently fuelled a burgeoning water tanker business, with shocking revelations pointing towards the involvement of elected representatives and their relatives in profiteering from this vital resource. Reports suggest that certain members of panchayats in Assagao and Anjuna have veered into the lucrative water tanker trade, exploiting the dire need for water in these communities. 10 THE GOAN I NETWORK It has come to light that these panchayat members, along with their kin, own and operate water tankers, cater- ing not only to local residents but also to hotels and other commercial establishments. A concerned resident of As- sagao, Erwin Fonseca emphasized that the involvement of panchayat members in this enterprise is an open secret within the community. “It’s not something secret. Everyone in the village knows who the panchayat members are who run the water tanker business and how many tankers they operate,” Fonseca said. He further reveals the extent of the proliferation, indicating that nearly every third household in the village possesses a water tanker, highlighting the pervasive nature of this exploitative industry. >Continued on P5 GILL, SUDHARSAN LEAD GT TO 33 RUN WIN AGAINST CSK RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 temperature and concurrent events. “Despite introducing packages, inquiries for summer vacation bookings remained minimal due to the heat and elections,” an official from a popular resort in Canacona said, wishing anonymity. Quite a few in this sector have been offering marginal discounts and lucrative packages given the current scenario. President of the Shack Owners Welfare Society Cruz Cardozo also expressed concern over the dwindling domestic visitors. “For the first time in two decades, nearly 80 per cent of shacks shut in March alone. The remaining face inevitable closure due to lack of business. The combined impact of scorching >Continued on P5 Kejriwal gets interim bail, walks out of Tihar jail PTI NEW DELHI Embattled Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal walked out of the Tihar Jail on Friday evening, hours after the Supreme Court granted him interim bail in a money laundering case to enable him to campaign in the Lok Sabha elections, in a huge relief to his party struggling to gain momentum in the absence of its foremost leader. The court, however, barred him from visiting his office or the Delhi secretariat, and signing official files unless absolutely necessary. Setting him free for 21 days to hit the hustings for the remaining phases of the Lok Sabha elections after 50 days of custody in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam, the court said he shall surrender on June 2, a day after the last phase of the seven-phase poll gets over.  See pg 7 >> Hurrah for urrack! Plans for GI tag to keep ‘spirit’ alive THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI If ‘feni’ could successfully get the GI tag then why not the more soothing and equally unique to Goa ‘urrack’, was a question fogging the minds of aficionados of these two heady and widely popular distillates of the cashew apple juice, all this while. Now, that question and suspense over urrack’s lack of a GI tag may not last for very long as the State government has already initiated the ground work to achieve the status. Poriem MLA, Deviya Rane, who is chairperson of the Goa Forest Development Corporation which is hosting the three-day ‘Cashew Fest’ at Campal from Friday, revealed the government’s quest to get the GI tag for urrak even as she stressed that it was essential to up the perception about Poriem MLA revealed the government’s quest to get GI tag for urrack even as she stressed that it was essential to up the perception about cashewbased spirits cashew-based spirits. “The cashew distillates shouldn’t be known as a poor man’s drink or merely country liquor. They deserve to be recognised as premium spirits on par with the finest alcohol worldwide,” Rane said, adding that both feni and urrak should get bracketed in the ‘premium class’ of spirits. “We have submitted a proposal to secure a GI tag for Urrack. Once achieved, it can be made available in bottled form, exclusively produced in Goa with authentic Goan cashews, ensuring authenticity,” Rane said.