log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY AUGUST 23, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 66 Instagram.com/thegoanonline UTT 2024: Harmeet, Liu power Goa Challengers to opening win  Pg12 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 horror Taxi operators take Pernem Midnightdriving on bridge: Drunken kills one by storm, stage ‘chakka jam’ HUNDREDS PROTEST OVER PARKING FEES, TOLL ON LINK ROAD THE GOAN I NETWORK PERNEM Hundreds of taxi operators from Pernem and different parts of the State staged a huge ‘chakka jam’ protest outside the Pernem deputy collector’s office on Thursday, accusing the government of being indifferent to their grievances at the Manohar International Airport at Mopa. Claiming that other taxi counters at the airport have been affecting their business, the taxi operators have demanded a free tourist taxi counter for local operators, a reduction in parking fees, scrapping of toll on Link Road and the removal of the counter for the GoaMiles appbased aggregator. The taxi operators have refused to withdraw their protest till they get definite Parking fees reduced by over 50%: CM PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said he will meet the agitating taxi operators in Panaji on Friday at 12.30 pm as per the assurance given to them by the two MLAs Pravin Arlekar and Jeet Arolkar. Sawant also informed that the parking fee at Mopa airport has already been reduced from Rs 200 to Rs 80 with effect from Thursday and the parking waiting time has also been increased from 5 minutes to 10 minutes. Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao, meanwhile warned of an agitation across Goa if Sawant does not meet the demands of taximen. A large number of taxi operators protesting outside the deputy collector’s office in Pernem on Thursday. assurances from Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to resolve their grievances. The taxi operators began their agitation with prayers offered to Shri Bhagwati Devi at Pernem, before proceeding to stage a protest outside the deputy collector’s office. A huge police force was present to maintain law and order. Several leaders cutting across political parties as well as social activists and leaders of taxi associations were present at the site and pledged their support to the agitating taxi operators. They included South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes, Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar, Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar, Velim MLA Cruz Silva, as well as sarpanchas and panchas of various villages. All Goa Taxi Association leader Chetan Kamat strongly criticised the State >Continued on P5 Two others critical; all three were hired to repair potholes on the bridge PANAJI In a chilling replay of last year’s Banastarim accident, a midnight collision on the Old Mandovi Bridge claimed one life and left two others critically injured. The incident occurred when three labourers – hired by the contractors of the Public Works Department to repair potholed roads – were filling the potholes under the high-beam lights. TO END THE TRAFFIC HIDE AND SEEK GAME, TRAFFIC ENFORCEMENT TO FACE URGENT OVERHAUL >> See pg 3 Sanket Shet, the driver of the Celerio GA-05-F-6447, was detained shortly after the accident and placed under arrest for drunken driving, rash driving and culpable homicide page 6 3 reasons why Tata Motors charges ahead with EVs, sidestepping hybrid hype REVIEW: Citroen Basalt: A fresh take on the Indian SUV coupé segment IN SHORT >> BJP prepares for leadership shift MAPUSA: The BJP in Goa is currently focused on conducting its primary membership drive, which will set the stage for the election of the party’s new State president, slated for early 2025. This was announced by State BJP President Sadanand Tanavade, who explained that the process would culminate in January next year. >> See pg 5 CCP seals shops in old fish market bldg PANAJI: The Corporation of City of Panaji on Thursday sealed at least a dozen shops on the ground floor of the fish and meat market building which it had declared unsafe and intends to demolish for the third phase of the Panaji market. 3 hurt in lightning strike at Usgao PONDA: Three persons, including a minor, were injured after lightning damaged two houses following thundershowers in Udiwada-Usgao. While Ashvika Naik is undergoing treatment at the Piliem PHC, Saish Tilve (14) and Akshita Tilve were treated at the PHC and were later sent home.  >> See pg 5 Expressing displeasure over frequent revision of Outline Development Plans (ODPs) of the planning areas, the Assurance Committee of the Goa Legislative Assembly has recommended the State government to amend the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act to freeze the ODPs for a certain period, once drafted.  The TCP department informed the Committee that as and when the new government takes over, the ODPs go for revision as per the changes required by those in power.  The Assurance Committee headed by MLA Alexio Reginaldo Lourenco, in its report submitted to the Speaker, with regards to various assurances made on the Floor of the House, observed that “there is no fixed time specified for changing the ODPs”.  “There is no fixed time specified for changing the ODP and feels that an amendment be made in the TCP Act to fix the time period for change in the ODP which would also be better for administrative pur- COMMITTEE ADVICE „„There is no fixed time specified for changing the ODP… an amendment can be made in the TCP Act to fix the time period for change in the ODP which would also be better for administrative purposes „„Presently, there is no fixed criterion for making a change in ODP… every new government that is formed has a change in the thought process and finds the need to revise the ODP poses,” the Committee recommended.  The issue was raised in the House by MLA Alexio Sequeira and MLA Vijai Sardesai who pointed out that once the ODPs are finalised, they need to be frozen for a particular period of time and should not be opened up every now and then for revision or change. The officials of the TCP >Continued on P5 The mangled remains of the car that collided with a jet patcher. Senior PI or PSI to probe: DGP D irector General of Police Alok Kumar has ordered a senior Police Inspector or Police Sub Inspector to lead the investigation into the accident while assuring the chargesheet will be filed within weeks. “I have directed that a senior PI or PSI should spearhead the investigation into this accident. We are determined to file the chargesheet promptly to set a precedent that such cases will be handled with the utmost seriousness,” Kumar told The Goan. Panaji PI Vijaykumar Chodankar is the investigating officer in the case. not amounting to murder. Medical tests revealed that his blood alcohol content was well above the permissible limit. The force of the impact was devastating. Angry eye-witnesses described the scene as >Continued on P5 State’s copyright infringement note quashed by Court House panel moots freeze on ODPs for fixed duration SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI Amit Soyru THE GOAN I NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK CELEBRATING TRADITION: Idols of Lord Ganesh displayed at St Inez on Thursday. The subsidy to artisans crafting Ganesh idols from clay has been doubled this year as a measure to curb the use of Plaster of Paris idols. (Report on pg 3)  Narayan Pissurlenkar Wedding at Navelim stadium: Gaude says it’s just for a day SPEAKS OF VACANT INFRA, LIABILITY INVOLVED THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Sports Minister Govind Gaude defended the decision to lease out stadiums for weddings and events stating that sports infrastructure cannot be kept idle “because there is a liabili- ty involved”. The sports minister was replying to a query over the department’s decision to let out the Manohar Parrikar Indoor Stadium at Navelim for a wedding scheduled for August 24. “See, the Navelim Sports Complex hasn’t been given on lease for regular events or functions. It’s just for one day. If, in the future, we find that such events are affecting the sports activities, we will take necessary action,” he said. While  speaking to The Goan >Continued on P5 PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa quashed a circular issued by the State government in January that exempted music played at weddings from being subject to copyright infringement action under the Copyright Act, 1957. A Division Bench comprising Justice M S Karnik and Justice Valmiki Menezes ruled that the circular was inconsistent with the provisions of the Copyright Act and emphasized that religious ceremonies mentioned in the circular must be determined on a caseto-case basis. “We have no hesitation in holding that the impugned Circular is in the teeth of the provisions of the Copyright Act and therefore, the petitions must succeed. The impugned Circular dated January 30, 2024 issued by the Department of Home is quashed and set aside,” reads the order. The circular cited a public notice from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in COURT ORDER „„The whole essence of copyright is a right to stop others from exploiting the work without the consent or assent of the owner of the copyright „„Issue of copyright is closely connected to that of commercial viability, commercial consequences, and implications „„The Circular in our opinion will have to be read as a whole considering the overall tenor July 2023, which claimed that the performance of musical works at religious ceremonies including weddings did not violate the Copyright Act, 1957. “Several complaints have been received stating that in respect of religious ceremonies including marriages/ wedding festivities, there is an insistence by certain organizations/ hotels to get >Continued on P5 Ensure safety of docs, Local voices rise as wetland plan takes centre stage SC tells Centre, States MAIMOLLEM THE GOAN I NETWORK Asks medicos to get back to work PTI NEW DELHI A tough talking Supreme Court on Thursday termed “extremely disturbing” the Kolkata Police’s delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor raped and killed at the RG Kar Hospital, and also asked protesting doctors to get back to work. Justice and medicine cannot be stopped, the court said while hearing a suo-motu case on the Kolkata doctor’s horrific end and directed the Centre and the States to take urgent steps to institutionalise the safety of medics across the country. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud issued a slew of directions on the safety of doctors, norms for protests, rights of protesters as well as the West Bengal government. It said the National Task Force formed will take note of suggestions of all the stakeholders while formulating a national protocol for safety of healthcare professionals. VASCO s many as 58 people on Thursday registered their suggestions and objections on the first day of a two-day public hearing convened in Vasco by the Goa State Wetlands Authority (GSWA) regarding a proposal to declare Maimollem Lake as a wetland. During the public hearing, several farmers and land owners in Maimollem area put forth their concerns before a Grievance Committee of the GSWA over the declaration of Maimollem Lake as a wetland fearing that they would lose their livelihood and the rights A LAKE IN FOCUS on their land. Speaking to reporters after the public hearing, Mormugao Biodiversity Board Chairman Yatin Kamurlekar explained that the proposal to declare Maimollem Lake as a wetland was placed by the Mormugao Biodiversity board in October 2020. “The NIO reports identified the fields and lake as the wetland area causing concerns to the people, farmers and landowners in the zone of influence and the buffer area. The people got a very patient hearing from authorities in Citizens submit objections and suggestions to the Grievance Committee in Vasco on Thursday.  Vikram Nayak the presence of Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar,” said Kamurlekar. “We only request that authorities allow people to repair their house or develop houses in the buffer zone as per their previous FAR and also allow farmers to cultivate their farmlands so that their rights and privileges are protected, while the lake and wetland is saved and protected without inconveniencing anyone in the area,” said Kamurlekar. Local councillor Fredrick Henriques said the draft wetland notification has declared the entire Maimollem stretch as a wetland right from Dactolem to Tanya Hotel with a 50-metre buffer zone. “This has affected farmers, Comunidade which own lands, tenants and private field owners and people in the buffer zone. There are many existing houses in the buffer zone and some landlords have not yet built houses in their >Continued on P5