log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SUNDAY AUGUST 25, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 68 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Spectre of copyrights looms over Goa music scene after HC verdict LOCAL MUSICIANS, CLUBS & VENUE OWNERS MAY BE AFFECTED THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The recent verdict of the Bombay High Court at Goa which scrapped a State government circular that insulated music played at wedding celebrations and religious ceremonies from copyright claims could potentially disrupt and even silence Goa’s music scene across sectors, including pubs, clubs and party/ wedding venues, many in the industry say. Last week, the Division Bench of Justices M S Karnik and Valmiki Menezes upheld the challenge of this circular by Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL), one of several agencies which licences use of copyrighted music and collect royalty. The bench ruled that the circular “puts fetters on copyright societies from exercising their rights under NO CLARITY ON ENFORCER OF THE LAW PANAJI: The copyright law is silent as to which law-enforcement agency will be the implementing agency and whether companies themselves act as enforcers, as of now. But Ranjan Ojha, who heads Phonographic Performance Limited in Goa and represented the Mumbai based company in the High Court matter, said a police official higher than the rank of a police sub-inspector is empowered to book cases of violation of the Copyright Act. Ojha denied allegations that company representatives behave like “extortionists” and argued that they usually issue a warning first up whenever violation of copyrights in relation to music they own is discovered. “Legal action to recover royalty, usually four to five times the licence fee, is taken the Copyright Act.” The verdict leaves at the mercy of these agencies only for repetitive violations,” Ojha said, adding that there are several venues and entities in Goa who do comply. He however declined to name any entity which has complied with PPL’s copyright claims saying the information is “confidential”. Ojha also said that they have and often exercised the option of video-recording copyright violations and presenting the evidence to courts and recover the penalties. The collecting agencies may have won this round but many involved with Goa’s music scene feel that it may not be the last word. The latest situation post the verdict is most unfair to local musicians, hoteliers and Goa’s tourism-entertainment sector as a whole, which may warrant the State government to step in and somehow resolve it. a legion of Goa’s local musicians, bands and DJs who normally belt out covers of popular songs with original music being rare exceptions at weddings, commercial BANDODKAR TROPHY: FC GOA MAKE LIGHT WORK OF SPORTING CLUBE P7 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 parties, clubs, pubs and restaurants across the State. The verdict may be crystal clear, but stakeholders on either side of the divide feel it is unlikely to provide a lasting solution to this imbroglio on the ground where agents of the royalty collecting societies or companies have been frequently issuing demand notes to musicians, club and pub owners and party venues, including starred hotels alleging violation of copyrights. AUTHENTICITY OF CLAIMS IN DOUBT “One crucial question is how does anyone know who holds copyrights to which music?,” said a top club owner who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “There are millions of songs in the public domain. >Continued on P6 Morjim turning into haven for farmhouses: TCP data Most owned by Gangareddy Infrastructure LIFESTYLE & LUXURY THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Morjim is fast emerging as the most favoured locale among cash-rich residents of metros and tier-2 cities of the country yearning to own a piece of real estate in Goa, either as a second home or as their retirement abode. The recent ‘farm house’ and ‘villa’ building trend in Goa’s real estate sector has manifested itself in this latest tourism hub in coastal Prenem, especially in the post Covid years. Official data mined from documents tabled in the recent monsoon session of the Goa legislative assembly, the TCP department  had permitted as many as 18 farmhouses in Morjim village alone in the year 2023. In the previous year of 2022, seven farmhouses were permitted in the village. Across Goa, a total of 68 farmhouses were granted permission by the TCP depart- „„TCP dept permitted 18 farmhouses in Morjim in 2023 while in 2022, seven farmhouses were permitted „„Across Goa, a total of 68 farmhouses were granted permission between 2020 and up to May 30 this year   „„Of the 68 permissions, ment between 2020 and up to May 30 this year.   And, of the 68 across Goa, 30 farmhouses are in Pernem taluka itself with as many as 28 of them in Morjim alone. One farmhouse each was permitted in Kasarvarne and Mandrem. In 2022, Morjim had six farmhouses and a year later in 2023, the number tripled to 18 farmhouses. This year until May, the TCP department has given its nod for seven farmhouses to be built.  30 farmhouses are in Pernem itself with as many as 28 of them in Morjim alone Interestingly, more than half the farmhouses in Morjim, 17 to be precise, are owned by Gangareddy Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.  Meanwhile, while Pernem has seen a frenzy for farmhouse culture in the Covid years between 2020 and now, the bug is yet to catch up with other regions of the State.  In the same period, the central taluka of Tiswadi has five farmhouses, Ponda had four >Continued on P6 Owners who lost land for Mopa airport to be issued certificates THE GOAN I NETWORK >> SEE PG 2 THE DEAFENING SIDES OF SOUND POLLUTION MAGAZINE MAGAZ Revellers brave rain to partake in ‘Vhodlim Bonderam’ Celebrating International Dog Day with ‘Paw Squad’ Easy ways to handle body odour during monsoon Safeguarding vision: Tips for children’s eye health and safety Clash over parking leads to ‘shooting’ in Mapusa, 2 held THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government has issued instructions to Special Land Acquisition Officer that those whose lands have been acquired for Mopa airport may be issued ‘land loser’ certificates. Only those whose claims to rights over land that was acquired for the international airport at Mopa have been settled are eligible to get these ‘land loser’  certificates, the latest government missive stipulates. There should not be any pending dispute pending before any court pertaining to the land acquired for the ‘land loser’ to gain the certificate, it adds. Those who intend to secure these certificates  need to apply to the Special Land Acquisition Officer, Mopa Airport Cell, who functions from capital city’s iconic Junta House. Documents like the extract of the Land Acquisition Award along with the receipt of the compensation received must IN SHORT >> Goa in grip of heavy rain again PANAJI: Goa experienced heavy to very heavy rainfall on Saturday following a 17day lull.  >> See pg 3 A top government official said the certificate will be a record of sorts for posterity and could come in handy for the land losers and their descendants in claiming privileges and concessions from the government in the future. support the application. There are still a  number of them whose  claims have not yet been settled and others who have raised objections and disputes before courts in relation to land acquired in five revenue villages -- Mopa, Uguem, Casarvorem, Chandel and Varconda in Pernem taluka. A top government official said the certificate will be a record of sorts for posterity and could come in handy for the land losers and their descendants in claiming privileges and concessions from the government in the future. Huge boulders block the Varunapuri-Sada four-lane highway on Saturday.  Vikram Nayak Major landslide hits traffic along Varunapuri highway THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO Traffic was disrupted following a major landslide along the four-lane port connectivity Varunapuri-Sada highway on Saturday at about 10.30 am. According to sources, there had been a minor landslide in the same area about a month ago. “This now escalated into a ON PAGE 2 LANDSLIDE ENDANGERS CREMATORIUM, CEMETERIES MLA TO HOLD JOINT INSPECTION major landslide when huge boulders came rolled down the hillock. Luckily, there was no injury or loss of life in the landslide,” said a source. The landslide disrupted traffic along the highway and the Vasco Police Traffic Cell diverted traffic on the other lane of the highway till the debris was cleared. “Highway authorities have already placed a JCB to clear the boulders on the road and >Continued on P6 MAPUSA A dispute over parking at Mapusa took a violent turn when two persons from Mapusa were arrested on charges of threatening a coach and two athletes who had come from Delhi to Goa for the qualifying round of the national shooting competition. The shooting coach Vishal Shoukeen of Delhi along with his athletes participated in the qualifying round of the national shooting competition at Yash Shooting Academy in Mandrem. On Friday night, Shoukeen and two athletes had gone to Baga and from there, they proceeded to a restaurant at Karaswada-Mapusa. Over there, the accused, Shailesh Gard alias Gargatlo (42) parked his car in front of the rent-a-car of Shoukeen. Another car was parked behind the rent-a-car. Unable to move their car, Shoukeen began honking to draw attention. Gard and his friends are alleged to have SHOOTING DRAMA Shoukeen and two athletes had gone to a restaurant in Mapusa. When Shoukeen’s car was blocked by Gard’s vehicle, he honked for attention. Gard confronted Shoukeen, threatening him. In self-defense, Shoukeen and the athletes fired air guns. Gard and his friends fled but later intercepted them at Cunchelim, threatening them again. confronted Shoukeen and threatened him with dire consequences. Fearing a threat to their lives, Shoukeen and the two athletes pulled out their air guns from the car and fired in the air in self-defence and to scare the accused. Gard and his friends fled from the spot but chased the >Continued on P6 NPS made attractive, 50% salary Holiday on mind, 3 kids beat boy to death as pension for govt employees THE BRUTAL ATTACK THAT WAS… THE REASON PTI PTI Cafe Prassan’s culinary journey through decades Enrich your life with vitamin G LASTING RECORD NEW DELHI Union Cabinet on Saturday approved an assured 50 per cent of salary as pension for 23 lakh government employees who joined service under the National Pension System (NPS). The National Pension System is applicable for government employees joining the service after April 1, 2004. It was based on the premise of contribution rather than defined benefit applicable for employees prior to the NPS. Announcing Cabinet decisions, Information and Broad- For full pension or 50% of pay as pension, eligibility will be 25 yrs while it would be proportionate for less service period of minimum of 10 yrs of service casting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the Unified Pension Scheme announced that govt employees will now be eligible to get 50% of the average basic pay drawn over the last 12 months before the superannuation as pension. For this full pension or 50 per cent of pay as the pension, he said, the eligibility service length will be 25 years. However, he said, it would be proportionate for a lesser service period up to a minimum of 10 years of service. NPS subscribers can now opt for the Unified Pension Scheme, which offers assured pension applicable from the beginning of next fiscal year. Last year, the finance ministry set up a committee under Finance Secretary TV Somanathan to review the pension scheme for government employees and suggest any changes, if needed, in light of the existing framework and structure of the National Pension System. NEW DELHI hree students, aged between 9 and 11 years, were apprehended for allegedly beating a five-year-old inmate to death in northeast Delhi’s Dayalpur, police said on Saturday. Earlier in the day, police had said that the boy died under mysterious circumstances as there were blisters on his neck, abdomen, and groin area. According to a police officer, after the autopsy it was found that the boy had multiple internal injuries as well. His liver was ruptured and there was bleeding in abdomen and right lung. T „„Autopsy revealed that the boy had multiple internal injuries „„His liver was ruptured and there was bleeding in abdomen and right lung „„There were blisters on his neck, abdomen and groin area „„Investigation revealed that he was beaten by other inmates More investigation revealed that he was beaten by other inmates, who were apprehended, he said. During interrogation, the accused gave two reasons to the cops when they were asked about why they beat „„The accused gave two reasons to the cops when they were asked about why they beat the minor to death „„One was that the boy had used abusive words that led to an argument „„The second was if the minor died, his death will lead to declaration of holiday at the madrasa the minor to death. While one reason was that the boy had used abusive words that led to an argument, the other was if the minor died, his death will lead to declaration of holiday at the madrasa. A CCTV footage has con- firmed the findings and police are probing role of others, a police statement said. The mother, a domestic help in Delhi’s Punjabi Bagh area, told police that her son had been studying at the madrasa for the past five months.