log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline WEDNESDAY AUGUST 7, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 51 GOA Sparks fly at CCP meet over pay-parking zones in Miramar residential locales 5 GOA Huge crowd lines up for prized Sanguem Ganesh donation coupons 5 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 9 INFO Reasons why you have excessive belly fat! SPORTS Third ODI: India bids to avoid first series loss to Sri Lanka in 27 years Code tweak to allow Comunidade properties for commercial events BILL IN ASSEMBLY SEEKS TO AMEND AROUND 6 PROVISIONS THE GOAN I NETWORK >> pg 6 Empowering communities through pottery, matchmaking ASSEMBLY COVERAGE Members raise alarm over rate of ecological destruction CM assures safety of Assembly building amidst structural concerns Major rivers including Mhadei to be desilted to mitigate flood risks Accident prone Dhargal junction to get flyover FRC to be disposed before current tenure ends: CM Externment proposal against 55 history sheeters only, CM refuses to reveal details (See pgs 2 & 3) IN SHORT >> Porvorim flyover diversion postponed MAPUSA: The proposed diversion of NH-66 for the elevated corridor construction work in Porvorim has been postponed. Director General of Police Alok Kumar inspected the highway near the Socorro old bazaar Junction and Teen Building in Porvorim on Tuesday. SP (Traffic) Rahul Gupta, North Goa SP Akshak Kaushal and other officials were present. >> See pg 5 Min: Marina project shelved for now PANAJI: Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira has said that the marina project at Nauxim is as good as shelved for now as stay order is issued by HC. He also said CZMP 2019 will be ready by January 2025. PANAJI A bill proposing amendments to the Code of Comunidades was introduced in the State Assembly on Tuesday. Broadly, the amendment seeks to amend six provisions of the Code of Comunidades (Legislative Diploma no. 2070 dated 15/04/1961). A new Article 41-A is being inserted and under this provision, any member of the Comunidade who is involved in litigation with the Comunidade with respect to a land claim is deemed to have vacated office from the date of filing of the suit and is barred from contesting elections to the Comunidade body. A member who has encroached on Comunidade land is barred from holding office (contesting elections) in the Comunidade or ceases to hold office from the date of the order passed by the competent authority. PANAJI An average of 112 police personnel have been reprimanded for dereliction of duty each year over the past five years, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said replying to an unstarred question by MLA Viresh Borkar. The CM has, however, provided a vague response to a subsequent question about whether the department is aware of instances where police officers delay or fail to file complaints or FIRs due to pressure from higher-ranking officers or politicians. The question comes in the wake of the recent Assagao house demolition controversy, where the currently sus- „„Any member of Comunidade involved in litigation with the Comunidade is deemed to have vacated office from the date of filing of the suit and is barred from contesting elections to Comunidade body „„A member who has encroached on Comunidade land is barred from holding office in the Comunidade „„Comunidades that do not convene for the triennial election shall be placed under an officer who shall act as its custodian for the 3-year term and exercise the powers of the managing committee „„Articles 316-A to 316-I enable conduct of commercial festivals and non-commercial events on Comunidade land „„Article 326 is being amended to include construction of commercial and commercial-cum-residential projects as well „„If any grant of land made to any religious institution gratis and the land is held legally by such religious institution for more than 50 years, then such land shall stand vested with the religious institution absolutely and the Comunidade shall be divested of its rights A stay on the competent authority’s order will not bring relief to such member. A new Article 181-A is being inserted and under this provision, Comunidades that do not convene for the triennial election shall be placed under an officer not below rank of Mamlatdar who shall act as its custodian for the 3-year term and exercise the powers of the managing committee. The new article also gives the right to an aggrieved member to prefer an appeal against the appointment of the custodian before the Administrator. The new Articles 316-A to 316-I enable the conduct of commercial festivals and non-commercial events on Comunidade land and sets out the procedure that is required to be followed in a time-bound manner on receipt of an application. It in- „„An allottee who has been granted land on auction can redeem the entire ‘foro’ in a lump-sum upon taking provisional possession cludes approval of the General Body of the Comunidade and fixation of the licence fees not below the rates fixed by the Government. Article 326 is being amended to include construction of commercial and commercial-cum-residential projects as well. The extant provisions only permit grant of land for construction of houses. A new Article 334-D is being inserted and under this provision, if any grant of land made to any religious institution gratis and the land is held legally by such religious institution for more than 50 years, then such land shall stand vested with the religious institution absolutely and the Comunidade shall be divested of its rights with respect to the said land. A new Article 337-A is being inserted and under this provision, an allottee who has been granted the land on >Continued on P5 CM rules out use of Romi Konkani in govt offices Says Devanagari script is official language for all purposes THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a setback of sorts, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Tuesday ruled out the potential use of Konkani in Romi script in government and educational institutions. Responding to questions about the status of Romi Konkani in government offices and educational institutions, Sawant confirmed that according to the Official Language Act of 1987, Konkani in Devanagari script is the official language for all purposes within the State. Marathi is also used for official matters. Chief Minister further stated that the government has not received any recommendations from the Advisory Board of the Official Language Cell to adopt Konkani in Romi script for use in government offices. “Consequently, there are no plans to grant official lan- India alerts citizens on UK PHOGAT WRESTLES HER travel amid violent clashes WAY TO OLY FINALS n Starmer to hold key meeting n Cops on guard as 30 gatherings planned PTI LONDON The high commission of India in London on Tuesday issued a safety advisory for Indian nationals to “stay vigilant and exercise due caution” amid ongoing violent clashes which have targeted immigrants and asylum-seekers in parts of the UK since last week. Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold a second COBRA meeting this evening. Police sources say they are aware of 30 gatherings planned tomorrow on what is expected to be a “big day” of disorder, with lawyers’ offices threatened. The advisory posted on the social media channels of the Indian mission also provides emergency contact information for anyone in need of urgent assistance. It comes a week after the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport, north-west England, and incorrect social media claims over the UK-born suspect’s asylum-seeker status. “Indian travellers would be aware of recent disturbances Over 100 cops face action every year THE GOAN I NETWORK COMUNIDADES: WINDS OF CHANGE pended PI Prashal Desai accused former Director General of Police Jaspal Singh of pressuring him to demolish the house occupied by Prakash Agarwadekar and his family to favour the accused Pooja Sharma. “Whenever a cognizable complaint is made, an FIR is registered. If cognizance of any complaint is not taken or not taken in time, the complainant can approach a higher-level officer to redress their grievance,” was CM’s reply. Regarding the number of police personnel punished for dereliction of duty in the last five years, Sawant stated that 561 had been disciplined with 118 facing major punishment and 443 receiving minor punishment. in some parts of the United Kingdom. The High Commission of India in London is closely monitoring the situation,” reads the message entitled ‘Advisory for Indian Citizens Visiting the UK.’ “Visitors from India are advised to stay vigilant and exercise due caution while travelling in the UK. It is advisable to follow local news and advisories issued by local security agencies, and to avoid areas where protests are underway,” it added. The contact provided for India House at Aldwych, London, in case of an emergency is: +44-2078369147 and inf. london@mea.gov.in. Birmingham in the north and Plymouth in southern England witnessed the latest scenes of clashes between two sets of protesters overnight on Monday. A man is in a serious condition in hospital after being attacked in a suspected hate crime in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and police officers were attacked with bricks in Darlington, northern England. The British government said it has accelerated its plans to deal with prison capacity to ensure sufficient space for an expected rise in prisoners due to rioting after hundreds of arrests have been made. “I think we have seen serious acts of violence designed to cause terror to a section of our community,” Neil Basu, the former head of counter-terrorism policing, said. Basu also blamed social media companies for not taking tough enough action to clampdown on misinformation. 13 ROAD TO FINALS n Phogat defeated Yusneylis Lopez (Cuba) 5-0 in women’s wrestling 50kg final n Earlier, Phogat stunned world No. 1 and defending champion Yui Susaki of Japan in the Round of 16, before edging out Ukraine Oksana Livach in the quarterfinals n Phogat will play USA’s Sarah Ann Hildebrandt early Thursday Hockey heartbreak for India n India's Olympic gold medal dream was deferred after a heartbreaking 2-3 loss to Germany in the semifinals n India will now face Spain in the Olympics bronze medal match on Aug 8 CHOPRA IN FINALS India's 'Golden Boy' Neeraj Chopra came up with a monster throw of 89.34m to enter the final of men's javelin throw event at the Paris Olympics in style. >> See pg 12 NO OFFICIAL DATABASE 0F PROMINENT KONKANI PERSONALITIES >> See pg 2 guage status to Konkani in Romi script, and no timeline has been established for such a change”, Sawant said. Regarding the introduction of Konkani in Romi script in schools, Sawant clarified that there are currently no plans to incorporate this script into the educational system. The question of implementing any recommendations for Romi script in schools does not arise at this point in time, he said. The government remains committed to using Konkani in Devanagari script for official and educational purposes, with no current initiatives to include the Romi script, he added. Hasina’s UK plan hits snag, to stay in India for now PTI NEW DELHI Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s plan to travel to London has hit a roadblock over some “uncertainties” and she is unlikely to move out of India for the next couple of days, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. Hasina, who landed at the Hindon airbase on Monday in a C-130J military transport aircraft hours after resigning as the prime minister, has been shifted to an unspecified location under tight security, they said. The former Bangladesh prime minister, accompanied by her sister Sheikh Rehana, planned to leave for London from India to take temporary refuge but the option is not being pursued now. This is after the UK government indicated that she may not get legal protection against any possible probe into the massive violent protests in her country, they said. The Awami League leader had planned to travel to London through India and her aides informed Indian authorities about it before she landed at the Hindon air base yesterday, the people cited above said. CM assures to keep Dabolim flying, to push for lower fees THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA dmitting the higher user development and parking fees at Dabolim Airport, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the House on Tuesday that he will urge the Civil Aviation Ministry to reduce these fees. Sawant also committed to requesting a study on the dual traffic management plan, as suggested by the Opposition. “Dabolim Airport will not become a ghost airport. The State government has been working to prevent this in the past and will continue to do so,” Sawant stated in response to concerns raised by opposition MLAs regarding the airport’s future. Sawant emphasised the necessity of the new Manohar A International Airport at Mopa due to the rising passenger inflow. He highlighted that the crucial morning slot between 9 am to 12 noon at Dabolim Airport, managed by the Navy, is unavailable for civilian flights, underscoring the need for additional capacity at Mopa. He assured, “The government has no plans to shut down Dabolim Airport. It was never our plan in the past, it is not now, and it will not be in the future.” The Chief Minister announced the State government’s support for a proposed expansion of Goa International Airport at Dabolim, involving the acquisition of approximately 8.3 acres of land from the Indian Navy to enhance the terminal building and related infrastructure. SAWANT: STRAIGHT TALK „„Dabolim Airport will not become a ghost airport „„Govt has been working to prevent this and will continue to do so „„Govt has no plans to shut down Dabolim Airport… it was never our plan in the past, it is not now, and it will not be in the future „„Govt will support the proposed expansion of Dabolim airport, involving acquisition of approximately 8.3 acres of land from the Indian Navy to enhance the terminal building and related infra Currently, Dabolim Airport operates at full capacity and handles 57 percent of Goa’s air traffic. The state government has supported the airport’s growth by developing essential infrastructure, including the construction of two flyovers on NH 17B to reduce congestion near the terminal. Additionally, land has been acquired for an Airport Authority of India staff colony and CISF barracks. Goa, renowned as an international tourist hub, has immense potential for tourism growth. Sawant affirmed the necessity of both Dabolim and Manohar International Airports to accommodate this growth, emphasising their importance in fostering tourism and economic development in the state. Opposition Leader Yuri Alemao predicted a bleak future for Dabolim Airport, warning it could become a “ghost airport” if immediate corrective measures are not taken. “Dabolim airport is on ventilator and the government has put it in the ICU. I know it is dying. Will the government be able to save it and how,” Alemao asked. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai echoed this concern, suggesting the implementation of a dual traffic management plan to ensure the survival of both airports. Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas proposed convening senior officials from airline operators to discuss their needs and ensure operations from both airports. He suggested offering discounted landing and parking fees and subsidized fuel costs. Several other MLAs from the ruling side also contributed to the discussion, reflecting widespread concern and interest in the future of Dabolim Airport.