log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY JUNE 25, 2024 GOA Police apologise for posing for media photos with accused Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 8 2 GOA Tourism Dept's Sao Joao event at Old Goa turns into damp squib 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 9 INFO The skin benefits of spa body treatment ASSAGAO DEMOLITION: THE AFTERMATH A blow-by-blow account of how Anjuna police failed COMPLAINANT CITES INSTANCES OF POLICE RELUCTANCE TO ACT AGNELO PEREIRA THE GOAN I MAPUSA Anjuna police are under intense scrutiny for their inaction during a violent incident at the weekend, when bouncers unlawfully attacked and partly demolished a residential house at Bhairo Alto, Assagao. Recalling the chain of events, the complainant Prinsha Pradeep Agarwadekar first reported the imminent threat to her property by calling the police control room at ‘100’ on that fateful afternoon. Instead of dispatching immediate assistance, the PCR official directed her to file a complaint in person at the Anjuna Police Station. Agarwadekar promptly complied, but upon arrival, she encountered delays and what she perceived as reluctance from the police to take swift action. “The official at the police station asked me to go for a medical examination. Dur- IN SHORT >> CZMP: Goa still awaits scale maps PANAJI: The government continues to wait for 1:4,000 scale maps, which are crucial for drafting the CZMP 2019, from the Chennai based agency National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that the maps are expected to be received within coming three weeks.   >> See pg 3 Retirement age raised for Anganwadi staff PANAJI: The Women & Child Development has raised the retirement age of Anganwadi workers/helpers from 60 to 62 years. Those who retired on April 30, 2024, are allowed to continue, subject to medical fitness beyond, states the WCD order. 100% hike in entry fee at Selaulim dam SANGUEM: The entry fee to the Selaulim Dam has been hiked by 100 per cent. While an adult is now required to pay Rs 60, children need to pay Rs 20 to gain entry.  >> See pg 6 Police make first arrest The complainant, Prinsha Agarwadekar points to the house that was partly demolished by bouncers on Saturday.  Agnelo Pereira OPPN SLAMS GOVT; FERREIRA CLAIMS TOP IPS OFFICER INVOLVED IN ORCHESTRATING DEMOLITION >> See pg 2 ing my interaction with the police, I received a call from my son informing me that the demolition had begun. I had to raise my voice to get the police to take pre-emptive ac- tion,” Agarwadekar recounted. Subsequently, two police constables were dispatched to the site. They managed to retrieve the key of the JCB (a heavy construction machine) and brought a few workers to the police station, leaving the JCB on-site, instead of seizing it.“We could not bring the JCB because it was a chain-dragging machine and had to be HC stays conversion of Cujira paddy field into settlement zone THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa on Monday stayed a notification of zone change issued under the newly amended section 17(2) of the Town and Country Planning Amendment Act which had “rectified” a paddy field into settlement. Hearing a petition filed by one Gaurav Bakshi, who challenged the notification in respect to a 6,000 square metre paddy field that was “rectified” and shown as settlement via the notification, the High Court granted interim relief to the petitioner and ordered a stay on the notification with respect to the plot falling in Cujira village of Tiswadi taluka. Advocate for the petitioner, told the media that the plot in question was correctly shown as a paddy field in the Regional Plan 2021, The HC was hearing a petition challenging the notification in respect to a 6,000 square metre paddy field that was “rectified” and shown as settlement and ordered a stay on the notification however taking misadvantage of the provision of Section 17(2) of the law, which allows for the ‘rectification’ of errors in the Regional Plan, the Town and Country Planning Department, processed a request from the applicant that his plot should be shown as settlement despite it being a paddy field. Several petitions challenging individual notifications issued under section 17(2) of the Act as well as petitions challenging the Act itself are pending for adjudication before the High Court. MAPUSA: Under mounting pressure, the Anjuna Police made their first arrest on Monday evening in connection with the controversial demolition of a house in Assagao. The arrested individual, identified as Pradeep Rana, was the JCB driver involved in the demolition. According to police sources, Rana was not only responsible for operating the JCB during the demolition but was also allegedly involved in the abduction of the house owner, Pradeep Agarwadekar, and his son. The arrest marks a crucial development in the case, as both local residents and political leaders have been demanding accountability and swift justice. Family had been summoned by Anjuna police, SIT 4 months ago MAPUSA: The Agarwadekar family had become aware of issues regarding their rights over their property at Bhairo Alto, Assagao, about four months prior to the recent unlawful demolition.  Continued on P6 transported in a truck,” explained the investigation officer. This oversight has raised suspicions about the police’s role, with questions about >Continued on P6 India beats Australia to set up T20 semifinal against England PIMENTA TRIUMPHS WITH 3049 VOTE MARGIN THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO The Aam Aadmi Party retained the Benaulim zilla panchayat seat on Monday with INDI Alliance blockbacked party candidate Joseph Pimenta winning the bypoll with a comfortable 3049 vote margin. Pimenta polled 54.06 per cent of the total votes polled in Sunday’s election, around 5672 votes to be precise. His two Independent rivals, Grrafyans Fernandes and Congress-turned-Independent Royla Fernandes, besides Frank Fernandes were never close to the AAP candidate. While Grrayfans polled 2623 votes, Royla ended her campaign with 1840 votes. Frank polled 276 votes. So pronounced was Pimenta’s victory that he is believed to have led in almost all the polling booths, barring two, indicating Aam Aadmi Party’s presence in the villages of Benaulim, Varca, Orlim, Carmona and Cavelossim that make up the Benaulim ZP constituency. AAP’s victory in the by-poll is politically significant in more ways than one. For, AAP had opened its account in an Aam Admi Party leaders celebrate the victory of Joseph Pimenta in the Benaulim ZP by-election.  Santosh Mirajkar ON PAGE 2 Five factors that sealed AAP win in Zilla by-poll Alliance is way forward to dislodge BJP in 2027: AAP Viriato’s video ensured Pimenta’s win: Royla; warns Cong to beware of AAP Independents backed by warring Alemao clan bite the dust election in Goa from Benaulim in the 2020 zilla panchayat poll before the party went on to make its presence felt in the Goa Legislative Assembly in the 2022 election. It’s another matter that the election of AAP ZP member Hanzel Fernandes was declared as null and void by the Administrative Tribunal after the High Court set aside the OBC caste certificate issued by the deputy Collector, Margao. Pimenta’s election in the by-election has only sent a message that AAP not only enjoys a following in Benaulim, but has managed to retain and further strengthened the base with the support of the INDI Alliance block. 1 The Lok Sabha witnessed a display of linguistic diversity on Monday, with the newly-elected MPs taking their oaths in English and Indian languages, including Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati and Odia. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took his oath in Hindi amid slogans of “Jai Shri Ram” from the treasury benches along with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the MP from Odisha's Sambalpur, took oath in Odia. As Pradhan proceeded to take his oath, members of the opposition raised “NEET, NEET” slogans, amid a controversy over alleged irregularities in competitive exams  >> See pg 7 2 3 celebrates Chief Guest Dr. Pramod Sawant Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa ANOTHER ALLEGATION OF MISBEHAVIOUR ROCKS DEPARTMENT THE GOAN I NETWORK W E 23 vices switched online. Although no plaint. official complaint has N O N JU “We are been registered in this aware of largematter, we can still conscale corruption that began duct an inquiry to uncover the soon after the Covid outbreak root cause of this corruption,” as quite a few government ser- the source said. The department has come under scrutiny as the scam, which originated from within, was orchestrated through a citizen's service centre under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology. The suspects allegedly issued fake receipts to unsuspecting shop owners, closely resembling the originals and reportedly generated by the service centre. The registration fees charged were 200 times higher than the actual fees owed to the Labour Department. Two female operators from the >Continued on P6 14 AAP retains Benaulim ZP seat with resounding win LOK SABHA MPs TAKE OATH; FOCUS ON LINGUISTIC DIVERSITY Labour scam: Dept swings into action, initiates inquiry without complaint PANAJI ith a Labour Inspector and a retired officer under scrutiny for allegedly manipulating the registration process under the Shops and Establishment Act, the Labour Department is set to re-open the case, which was nearly shut after a ‘punishment transfer’ of the errant Inspector in 2020. Sources informed The Goan that the department has already initiated a high-level inquiry against the Inspector and his accomplice despite the absence of a formal com- whether the JCB was intentionally left at the site. Interestingly, the cops allowed the bouncers to SPORTS Guest of Honour Dr. Chandrakant P. Shetye Chairman- Infotech Corporation, Govt. of Goa MLA- Bicholim Constituency Keynote Speaker Shri. Pramod Acharya Editorial Director- Prudent Media >Continued on P6