log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline WEDNESDAY JUNE 26, 2024 16 pages GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 9 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 3 2 10 Wheels of justice start moving almost three days after Assagao demolition Stakeholders pitch for setting up shelter to tackle stray dogs menace GOA INDIA GIDC bares ‘exit’ plan to help failed industries to quit WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange freed after plea deal with US n REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER FROM DONA PAULA HELD n SIOLIM MLA SETS 24-HOUR DEADLINE TO ARREST POOJA SHARMA, THREATENS TO STORM POLICE STATION THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA The Anjuna Police have made a second arrest in connection with the controversial demolition of a residential house in Assagao, intensifying the focus on the case and increasing pressure to apprehend the main accused, Pooja Sharma. Early Tuesday, police arrested real estate developer Arshad Khawaja (51), a resident of Dona Paula, for his alleged involvement in the incident. Khawaja was prominently involved during the demolition on Saturday, with video evidence showing him giving vociferous directions to the people on the ground. His arrest follows the detention of JCB driver Pradeep Rana on Monday evening. Rana faces charges for his role in the demolition and the abduction of Pradeep Agarwadekar and his son. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has underscored the commitment to arrest all individuals involved in the un- IN SHORT >> Three lives snuffed out in road mishaps PANAJI: In a spate of road accidents, three persons lost their lives late Monday at Mollem, Margao and Loutolim. Tanvesh Rivankar from Collem died when his two-wheeler rammed into a truck at Mollem while Allwyn Fernandes from Fatorda died on the spot in self accident at Bolshe Circle, Margao. In the third accident, a pedestrian was crushed to death on the Loutolim highway. >> See pg 3 Antonio Costa named for EU council prez PANAJI: Portugal’s former Prime Minister Antonio Costa has been nominated for the post of President of the European Council, reports in Portugal revealed late on Tuesday night.  >> See pg 2 Rahul to be leader of Opposition in LS NEW DELHI: Taking the fight to the ruling BJP-led NDA, Rahul Gandhi has accepted a decision by the Congress Working Committee and will take up the mantle of the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha.  >> See pg 10 Police leave for Mumbai to locate Pooja Sharma ON PAGE 3 Lawyers condemn illegal demolition Chorus of support for Agarwadekar family lawful demolition of the Agarwadekar family’s home. His statements have placed considerable pressure on law enforcement to act swiftly. Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo has issued a stern warning to the police, demanding the arrest of Pooja within 24 hours. “We want police to take action and apprehend Poo- ja Sharma within 24 hours. If not, I, along with the Assagao Sarpanch and other panchayat members, will sit at the Anjuna Police Station,” Lobo declared. The demolition has ignited a wave of outrage and calls for justice from various quarters, including politicians, activists, and social workers. As the investigation continues, the community remains vigilant, demanding accountability and a thorough probe. The focus remains on ensuring that all responsible parties, including the main accused, Pooja Sharma, are brought to justice. PANAJI: As the matter reached the Office of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Police expedited their action with one team reportedly sent to Mumbai to locate Pooja Sharma. The woman is accused of directing the demolition of the structure and deploying bouncers at the site. “Our teams are searching for the woman and other accused,” said a source. Amid backlash over alleged lapses by Anjuna police, Director General of Police Jaspal Singh took to social media stating they are conducting a thorough investigation. “Citizens should have faith in Goa Police. Our teams are working on the case. Teams have also been dispatched to other cities,” he posted on X. PANAJI The Central government has directed Goa to complete the entire process of finalisation of the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) 2019 within next three months, even as the State has sought time till January  2025 to put in place the new coastal plan based on CRZ 2019 notification.  Goa has already missed two deadlines -- October 2023 and May 2024, to finalise CZMP 2019, as set by the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change.  During a meeting held in Delhi between Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, State Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira and others, the former directed the State to ensure that CZMP 2019 is com- to the Agarwadekar family... 100% justice will be done. You will see the results in the next two days”, he affirmed.The Chief Minister visited the site of the demolition late Tuesday evening, inspecting the damage to Agarwadekar’s house. He was accompanied by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and local Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo. Sawant announced that the Public Works Department would commence repair work within the next two days. He reiterated that all individuals involved in the demolition would be arrested and prosecuted. The Chief Secretary has >Continued on P6 Licence, renewal fees doubled PANAJI In a controversial move, the State government on  Tuesday notified a tweak in the Goa Excise Duty Rules, 1964, by which licences for liquor shops in hitherto banned zones -- within 100-meter radius of schools, colleges and other educational institutions as well as religious worship sites -- will be permitted.    The change in the law, however, stipulates that the licences in these restricted  zones will come at a cost -- double of what licensees pay for shops located in other non-restricted areas. According to the notification, 100 per cent additional licence fees will be charged for shops in these restricted zones around schools and holy shrines. Annual licence renewal fees will also be similarly double. “100 per cent additional licence fees shall be charged to the licences issued in relaxation of sub-rule (4) of rule 90 of the Goa Excise Duty Rules, 1964 and also for renewal of such licences,” Tuesday’s notification said. The notification confers the ALL FOR TOURISM PANAJI: Tourism, according to the government, is the core reason why it decided to permit relaxation of the rule which had earlier banned issuing liquor shop licences in areas within a 100-meter radius around schools and holy places of worship.  The notification issued on Tuesday, states that the licence may be granted by the Commissioner following government approval “with a view to promote Tourism in the State.” power to issue the licences in restricted zones to the Excise Commissioner. It will also require the Commissioner to take prior “government approval”. Rule 90 (4) in the original set of Excise Duty Rules, stipulates that no licence is to be granted if the premises in which the applicant proposes to set up the liquor shop is within a radius of 100 meters from an educational institution or a place of worship. n PWD officials, police team leave after minister’s intervention n Standoff lasts for 3 hours THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Stiff resistance by farmers and villagers of Loutolim on Tuesday forced PWD officials to beat a retreat and call off the demarcation exercise of fields for the proposed high-level new Borim bridge. The three-hour long standoff ended after PWD officials and the huge police force mobilised for the demarcation exercise withdrew from Loutolim after the intervention of Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira. Chairman of the Tenants Association, Albert Pinheiro called up the Nuvem MLA seeking his intervention to break the stalemate as the farmers were steadfast in their stand against the demarcation and the PWD not ready to back out. It was only at around 1.30 pm that the huge police force An elderly farmer Domingo Costa sits at the site in protest over the demarcation exercise.  Santosh Mirajkar was withdrawn and the PWD officials returned. Elderly farmers and women assembled at the Khazan field to lodge their protest over the proposed demarcation. They contended that they have sowed paddy in the fields and the demarcation exercise will destroy the standing paddy. This is probably the third time that PWD’s planned demarcation exercise has come a cropper due to objections raised by the farmers for the acquisition of their khazan lands for the proposed bridge. The farmers and activists led by Abhijit Prabhduesai and Diana Tavares confronted the PWD officials for what they claimed not following the proper procedure followed by the department as laid down >Continued on P6 COASTAL PLAN: THE ROAD AHEAD „„Union minister holds meeting with Sawant, Aleixo, directs State to complete CZMP within 3 months „„Directions to be issued to NCSCM to provide required 1:4000 scale maps to Goa within a fortnight „„Goa had requested time till January 2025 to complete the plan FLASHBACK: Goa has already missed two deadlines -- October 2023 and May 2024, to finalise CZMP 2019, as set by the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change  pleted within three months.  The Minister has also asked its officials to issue necessary directions to the Chennai based agency National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) to provide the required 1:4000 scale maps to Goa at the ear- liest, within a fortnight, for initiating the process of drafting CZMP 2019.  “State has requested time till January 2025 to complete the plan, but Ministry has granted us time to complete the process within three months, including conduct of celebrates Chief Guest Dr. Pramod Sawant Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa public hearing,” sources said.  In an affidavit filed before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), last month, Goa’s Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel had said that the Thrivananthpuram-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), appointed to draft CZMP 2019 has informed that the coastal plan would be completed by January 2025.  There has been a delay of almost five years since the CRZ notification 2019 was notified -- the Rules and Regulations of which are currently not applicable to Goa in the absence of the plan.  State had first missed out October 31, 2023 deadline set by the National Coastal Zone Management Authority, following which the MoEF&CC stopped granting permissions under CRZ 2011 for developmental projects in the State.  Guest of Honour Dr. Chandrakant P. Shetye Chairman- Infotech Corporation, Govt. of Goa MLA- Bicholim Constituency 16 Govt tweaks rules to allow liquor shops near schools, shrines Loutolim residents thwart Borim bridge demarcation Centre sets 3-mth deadline for Goa’s CZMP THE GOAN I NETWORK Says police involvement will be probed, hints at suspension MAPUSA Chief Minister Pramod Sawant late Tuesday evening announced that an inquiry has been initiated by the Chief Secretary into the illegal demolition of the Agarwadekar family’s house in Assagao even as he assured that the government would undertake repairs of the demolished part of the house and that the costs incurred would be recovered from those responsible for the demolition. He indicated that police involvement in the case would also be scrutinised, with potential actions against any officers found culpable. “Justice will be brought ICC T20 WC: Afghanistan reaches semis after win over Bangladesh THE GOAN I NETWORK Govt will undertake repairs, CS to probe, assures CM THE GOAN I NETWORK SPORTS Keynote Speaker Shri. Pramod Acharya Editorial Director- Prudent Media