log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY AUGUST 9, 2024 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 53 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 3 2 High Court orders queue system for water sports SGPDA’s pay-parking plan sparks debate amid compliance GOA HC directs urgent pest control of Lyceum building after termites strike INFO Incredible health benefits of papaya leaves GOVT, TOURISM DIRECTOR, CAPTAIN OF PORTS DIRECTED TO IMPLEMENT WATER SPORTS POLICY ON ALL BEACHES THE GOAN I NETWORK page 6 As electric revolution accelerates, does Honda risk losing its two-wheel dominance? REVIEW: Tata Curvv EV: A futuristic coupe SUV IN SHORT >> Paddy loss in Bardez estimated at `69L MAPUSA: About 250 hectares of paddy fields in Bardez have been damaged due to heavy rainfall over the last two months, causing a losses to 951 farmers to the tune of Rs 69 lakh. Several paddy fields in the taluka have been submerged due to continuous rains.  >> See pg 3 Police call for tight security at events PANAJI: It seems Goa police are confident that despite ongoing controversies, the Sunburn festival will take place again. In a meeting with Chief Security Liaison Officers from key installations, Director General of Police Alok Kumar emphasized the need to strengthen security measures.>> See pg 3 120 liquor cartons seized at Majali CANACONA: Karnataka Excise intercepted a truck transporting 120 liquor cartons disguised as medical waste at the Majali check post in Karwar in the wee hours of Wednesday.  >> See pg 3 RBI keeps interest rate unchanged MUMBAI: Interest rates on home, auto and other loans are unlikely to be altered after the Reserve Bank of India expectedly kept the benchmark rate and stance unchanged for the ninth straight policy meeting. WEATHER >> Max: 26.6 C Min: 24.8 C Humidity: 98% TIDES Low: High: 07:11 01:15 20:03 13:37 PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa, in a judgement delivered on Thursday ordered the Director of Tourism to implement the queue system for water sports on all beaches where the water sports policy is applicable and quashed an order of the Captain of Ports, which had directed two water sports operators to shift their operations from Majorda to Utorda/Betalbatim.  Hearing a plea filed by two operators Socorina Pereira and Augustino da Silva who were aggrieved by the order of the Captain of Ports, the High Court also said that the queue system would have to be followed.  “We…direct the Government of Goa and the Director of Tourism, to implement the queue system contained in clause 24 of the Government’s HC ORDER: KEY TAKEAWAYS „„Director of Tourism & Captain of Ports shall implement the water sports policy on Majorda beach and all other beaches to which it applies „„Designate appropriate agencies to erect kiosks for dispensing tickets at one point on each of these beaches „„Enforce Queue System so that all empanelled water sports operators at each beach, including Majorda beach conduct their business by rotation „„Tickets at these kiosks shall be sold by such agency in tune with what is specified in clause 24 of the policy Water Sports Policy 2020…for Regulation of Water Sports in the State of Goa on Majorda beach and all other beaches designated by the Director of Tourism for conducting water sports activities. The Respondents No.2 and 3 (Director of Tourism and Captain of Ports) shall implement this Sparks of fear as govt ignores fire safety Non-functional equipment at several sites THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa seems to be playing with fire -- literally. Despite the grim lessons from past incidents, where fire incidents at several places have ravaged properties and public trust alike, the State continues to ignore crucial fire safety norms. Alarmingly, even the government buildings, hospitals, the Secretariat, Ministerial Block, and the historic Raj Bhavan in Dona Paula remain vulnerable to threats of fire. Shockingly, even the just-concluded monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly took place in the Complex where fire protection measures were not operational. The neglect extends beyond government buildings. The sacred Basilica of Bom Jesus, a UNESCO World Heritage site where the decennial exposition is scheduled this November, is also at risk. The Directorate of Fire & Emergency Services (DFES) recommended fire safety measures in 2019, but compliance is still GOA’S BLAZE OF NEGLECT „„Govt buildings, hospitals, Secretariat, Ministerial Block, Raj Bhavan have no fire protection measures in place „„Basilica of Bom Jesus also at risk „„Ravindra Bhavan at Sanquelim, Mathany Saldanha Administrative Complex Margao, GMC all perilously unprepared for fire emergencies „„Forest Dept office in Altinho and Kala Bhavan in Sancoale also non-compliant with fire safety „„Even newly constructed 17 Hub Office Building for the Department of Information Technology in Panaji is at risk awaited. Out of 73 government-owned buildings equipped with fire protection systems, a significant number have non-functional equipment with no efforts made to rectify the situation. Besides those identified above, several other key facilities including Ravindra Bhavan at Sanquelim, Mathany Saldanha Administrative Complex in Margao, and the No relief for Curlies, NGT paves way for demolition Review petition seeking stay rejected THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has rejected a review application seeking a stay on the demolition order of the well-known nightclub, bar and restaurant “Curlies,” situated in Anjuna. The decision, issued midlast week, upholds the tribunal’s previous ruling and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority’s (GCZMA) order, paving the way for the demolition of the iconic establishment. policy on Majorda beach and all other beaches to which it applies by designating/appointing appropriate agencies to erect kiosks for dispensing tickets at one point on each of these beaches and to enforce/ implement the Queue System so that all the empanelled water sports operators at each GCZMA ORDERS DEMOLITION OF VIOLATIONS BY ‘ROMEO LANE’ IN ANJUNA >> See pg 3 The review petition was filed by Linet Nunes, the owner of Curlies, who sought to challenge the NGT’s demolition order on May 31 and the earlier GCZMA directive from July 21, 2016. However, the NGT reiterated its position, emphasising that no structure existed on Survey No. 42/10 prior to 1991, as confirmed by a technical report from Remote Sensing Instruments, Hyderabad. The tribunal treated this report as conclusive evidence, dismissing the appeal and maintaining that the structure >Continued on P5 Goa Medical College in Bambolim, are all perilously unprepared for fire emergencies. The government revealed these lapses to an unstarred question tabled by MLA Venzy Veigas.   Further troubling is the fact that the Forest Department’s office in Altinho and Kala Bhavan in Sancoale among several others remain >Continued on P5 beach, including Majorda beach conduct their business by rotation,” the High Court bench of Justices M S Karnik and Valmiki Menezes, said.   “The tickets sold at these kiosks including the kiosk to be set up at Majorda beach shall be sold by such agency in tune with what is specified in clause 24 of the policy,” the High Court also said.  Pereira and da Silva had challenged the order of the CoP that had directed them to shift to other beaches from Majorda citing “law and order problem at Majorda beach” and “public interest” as reasons for the order. The High Court took a dim view of the decision of the Captain of Ports.  “By the impugned orders, the CoP has in effect, allowed the Respondents No.3 and 4 (Menino Fernande and >Continued on P5 HC seeks weekly status report on Smart City works THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed the submission of weekly status reports on Smart City works after allegations of substandard work by Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Corporation. Petitioners had submitted photographs as evidence, claiming that various parts of the capital were affected by poor-quality road works. During the hearing on Thursday, the Bench also sought a response from the government regarding actions against the contractors responsible for the alleged substandard work. Petitioners argued that Rs 1,200 crore has been wasted on these projects with photographs purportedly showing pothole-ridden roads and other deficiencies submitted to the Court seeking immediate intervention and directions to the agency. In the last hearing on July 30, Advocate General Devidas Pangam attributed the potholes to recent rains and assured the Court that repairs would be undertaken after the monsoon season. The State had also informed the High Court that all roads involved in the Smart City project had been reopened. 9 SPORTS Durand Cup: FC Goa gets better of Tribhuwan Army FC 13 FIRST SILVER FOR INDIA „„Neeraj Chopra came up with a season best throw of 89.45m to clinch silver in javelin throw event at Paris Olympics „„Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, however, did better as he set a new Olympic record mark of 92.97m to take home the gold „„With his silver, Chopra becomes first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two Olympic medals INDIA WINS HOCKEY BRONZE „„Harmanpreet Singh converted two penalty corners as India beat Spain 2-1 in the men’s hockey bronze medal match „„India thus secured back-to-back medals at the Olympics, having also won bronze in Tokyo three years back, for the first time in 52 years „„The last time India won back-to-back hockey medals at Olympics was in 1968 and 1972 AMAN LOSES IN SEMIS VERDICT ON PHOGAT APPEAL TODAY Vinesh Phogat still has hope for a silver medal as the Court of Arbitration for Sport will hear her appeal on Friday, at 12.30 IST Wrestler Aman Sehrawat lost to Japan’s Rei Higuchi in the Men’s 57kg semi-finals at Paris Olympics >> See pg 12 GMC moves to beat Uproar over Waqf Bill, govt refers it staff crunch, to hire to joint Parl panel 60 junior doctors 1 Offers monthly package of `60,000 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Bambolim, has embarked on a hiring spree to soon get on its roster 60 doctors as “junior residents” to beat the staff crunch at the top tertiary healthcare giver. The move advertised on Thursday comes days after a scathing observation in the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report tabled in the Goa legislative assembly that the State’s premier public health institution was short of staff to the extent of a whopping 51 per cent. The advertisement issued by GMCH’s Director (Admin) Nathine Araujo, on Thursday calls for applications from those holding an MBBS degree for 60 such one-year duration posts of ‘Junior Resident’. Each will be paid a consolidated monthly package of Rs 60,000 per-month. Six of these posts each are in the field of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery (CVTS), Urology, Neurosurgery and The advertisement calls for applications from those holding an MBBS degree and interviews will be held on August 14 at 3 pm in the conference hall adjoining the Dean’s office Pediatrics Surgery. Another four departments -- Plastic Surgery and Burns, Nephrology, Neurology and Endocrinology -- will get five junior residents each through this round of contract recruitment. The Medical Oncology department will get three and Cardiology two junior residents, according to the breakup provided in the advertisement. >Continued on P5 The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was introduced in Lok Sabha on Thursday and referred to a joint parliamentary panel after a heated debate, with the government asserting the proposed law did not intend to interfere with the functioning of mosques and the opposition calling it targeting of Muslims and an attack on the Constitution. 2 Soon after Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sought leave to introduce the Bill, opposition INDIA bloc MPs strongly protested the introduction of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling it an “attack” on the Constitution and aimed at targeting Muslims. 3 Congress MP K C Venugopal, who had submitted notice to oppose its introduction, accused the government of violating the right to freedom of religion and claimed the legislation was being brought with an eye on the upcoming assembly polls. >> See pg 7 Pay scale cut, recovery cannot be retrospective: SC PTI NEW DELHI Any step of reduction in pay scale and recovery from a government employee would tantamount to punitive action as the same has drastic civil and “evil consequences”, Supreme Court said on Thursday. The apex court observed that a decision taken by a State government to reduce an employee’s pay scale and recover the excess amount cannot be applied retrospectively and that too, after a long time gap. A bench of Justices Sandeep Mehta and R Mahadevan quashed an October 2009 order of Bihar government for reduction in the pay scale of a retired employee. The state had also directed recovery of the excess amount from him. KEY SUPREME COURT OBSERVATIONS „„Decision taken by a State government to reduce an employee’s pay scale and recover the excess amount cannot be applied retrospectively and that too, after a long time gap „„Any step of reduction in the pay scale and recov- ery from a government employee would tantamount to a punitive action because the same has drastic civil as well as evil consequences „„In case, if any reduction in pension and consequential recovery was effected on account of the impugned orders, the appellant shall be entitled to the restoration/reimbursement thereof with interest as applicable “In addition thereto, we are of the view that any step of reduction in the pay scale and recovery from a government employee would tantamount to a punitive action because the same has drastic civil as well as evil consequences,” the bench said in its verdict. The top court delivered its judgement on an appeal filed by the retired employee who had challenged the August 2012 order of Patna HC. The high court had held that the revision and consequent reduction in pay fixation was done in accordance with the government resolution of February 1999, as per which he was not entitled to higher pay scale which had wrongly been accorded to him. The apex court noted that the man was appointed to the post of supply inspector in the Bihar government in 1966, and after serving for 15 years, he received his first timebound promotion as marketing officer and put in junior selection grade with effect from April 1981. It further noted that upon completing 25 years in service, he was promoted to the post of senior selection grade, marketing officer-cum-assistant district supply officer (ADSO) with effect from March 10, 1991. The bench said the state government had issued a resolution in February 1999 revising the pay scale of marketing officer and ADSO with effect from January 1996. It noted that the man superannuated from the post of ADSO on January 31, 2001 and he received a letter in April 2009 from the state government conveying that an error was committed in his pay fixation and, therefore, Rs 63,765 had to be recovered from him as the same was paid beyond his entitlement.