log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY AUGUST 29, 2024 14 pages Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 72 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Bandodkar: Defensa y Justicia grinds out win against Churchill BrosPg 13 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 GSPCB drops aerial survey plan for North Goa coast EXERCISE WAS TO DEMARCATE STRUCTURES, OTHER AREAS ALONG THE COAST THE GOAN I NETWORK >> See PG 3 3 yrs on, Siddhi Naik case remains unsolved IN SHORT >> Contempt plea on noise pollution in High Court today PANAJI: The Bombay High Court at Goa will continue its hearing into both a writ petition and a contempt petition on Thursday regarding the government’s failure to control noise pollution, particularly deafening music played beyond the permissible 10 pm time in Anjuna.   >> See pg 3 Order revoking bail to Palekar set aside PANAJI: The Crime Branch (CB) faced a setback as the Bombay High Court at Goa on Wednesday set aside the Additional Sessions Court’s order cancelling the bail granted to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) President Amit Palekar in connection with the Banastarim fatal accident case.  >> See pg 3 Pernem taxi driver ends life PERNEM: A man from Nanerwada-Pernem ended his life in his house on Wednesday. According to Pernem PI Sachin Lokre, the deceased, Suraj Shekhar Kajle (32), a taxi driver at the Manohar International Airport at Mopa, ended his life in the morning. WEATHER >> Max: 28 C Min: 26 C Humidity: 83% TIDES Low: High: 01:21 14:37 09:19 19:29 PANAJI Much to everyone’s surprise, the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has dropped its proposal to conduct an aerial survey of the North Goa coastal belt following directions from the Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira. In March, the Board had initiated a process and invited bids to conduct an aerial survey of the North Goa coastal belt to map and prepare a database of the structures that have come up along the 80 km long coastline. The survey area was supposed to span 500 metres seawards from the coastline and extend up to 1.5 km inland along the mainland. The move came following the High Court pulling up au- A SURVEY THAT LOST ITS WAY „„The survey was intended to map and create a database of structures along the 80 km coastline, spanning 500 meters seawards and up to 1.5 km inland „„The aerial survey would have helped identify violations related to environmental regulations and locate pollution sources affecting coastal waters „„The survey was also aimed at marking pollution sources in drainage and sewage channels, which are challenging to ascertain without aerial assistance thorities over the operation of various illegal structures across the coastal belt, particularly in the Coastal Regulation Zone areas. However, the Board decided not to go ahead with the proposal after the Minister assured on the Floor of the House not to implement the project. “The members were informed that the proposal Repair roads before Chaturthi or pay up: PWD to contractors Govt to take over work if deadline missed and recover payments from erring contractors MAPUSA The Public Works Department (PWD) has issued a stern ultimatum to road contractors, emphasising that if road repairs are not completed before the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the government will take over the work and recover the costs from the contractors’ payments. The announcement by PWD Principal Chief Engineer Uttam Parsekar comes as the State grapples with deteriorating road conditions, exacerbated by continuous rains. Speaking to The Goan, Parsekar revealed that several contractors had already initiated repair work following the issuance of show-cause notices by the PWD. “After the notices were served, the contractors have begun the patchwork. Some work has been done, and once the hotmix plants are opera- tional, they will proceed with more permanent repairs,” he said. However, Parsekar was unequivocal in his stance that if the repairs are not completed promptly, the government will intervene. “In case they fail to carry out the necessary repairs be- OLD GOA Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) Member of Parliament Bengt Bergt and European Union MP Jens Geier, who are on a visit to Goa, paid a visit to the Shree Shasti Shantadurga temple at Mandur on Wednesday. They were accompanied by St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar, Mandur Sarpanch Prashant Naik and others. Later, speaking to reporters, MP Bergt said that he along with Geier are involved in climate politics in Germany and Europe. “We want to explain and exchange views on how we can keep prosperity on one side and keep environment safe on the other side,” Bergt informed. “We participated in a summit which was about sustainability, industrial growth, and partnership of Europen and Germany together with India.” MP Geier said that combating climate change is a global endeavour and everybody have to work together to save the planet that we live in. “Germany has quite different challenges than India has but some things are comparable,” Geier informed and stated that in the last five years Germany experienced the hottest and driest summers ever recorded. Geier then stated that climate change does not only affect the weather but the lives of people as well. He then suggested cutting down on burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil, natural gas, and focusing on new renewal systems consisting of hydro, sun, wind. Later, MLA Borkar accompanied both Bergt and Geier to the Assembly Complex where he shared his vision for enhancing climate resilience in his constituency and >Continued on P5 PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said that his Cabinet approved a scheme to grant financial support to private organisations providing palliative care to terminal cancer patients, a service not available in public healthcare institutions. Sawant said as of today, two organisations are eligible for this scheme – Shanti Avedna Ashram at Loutolim and the IMA-run centre at Ponda. “These Centres will get Rs 2.5 lakh every month from the government,” Sawant said, adding that it will basically take care of the costs incurred on fees or salaries of doctors and para-medical personnel of these centres. He said the scheme requires the beneficiary centres to have at least 20 in-patients THE CRITERIA „„The scheme requires the beneficiary centres to have at least 20 in-patients to be eligible for the funding „„The scheme will take care of the costs incurred on fees or salaries of doctors and para-medical personnel of these centres to be eligible for the funding. More centres being set up in the State in the future will also be eligible for this scheme, Sawant said, adding that this work is good and noble and such a scheme was promised by him in his budget speech. These centres may also provide palliative care for senior citizens with other chronic diseases like Parkinsons, Dementia and Alzheimers. Pakistani of Goan origin gets citizenship under CAA Bengal cabinet approves Bill for tougher laws against rape Proposed Bill to be tabled in Assembly on Sept 3 MAMATA TALKS TOUGH PTI fore Ganesh Chaturthi, we will appoint an agency to complete the work. The cost incurred will then be recovered from the contractors’ payments,” he warned. This firm stance by the PWD is a direct response to PANAJI Joseph Francis Pereira, a Pakistani of Goan origin, became the first to be issued citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Goa when Chief Minister Pramod Sawant presented the citizenship certificate to him at the State Secretariat on Wednesday. Joseph, a senior citizen, was living in Cansaulim since 2013. Accompanied by his wife, an ebullient Joseph thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the CAA law which made his Indian citizenship possible. He said, the approval of his application for citizenship under the CAA came within a >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 PANAJI: The State government on Wednesday informed the Bombay High Court at Goa that repair works on eight of the 11 road stretches identified for urgent repairs will be completed within 15 days.  >> See pg 3 THE GOAN I NETWORK recreation-related activities that have come up over the years along the north coastal belt. The exercise would have also helped the Pollution Control Board to locate and mark the sources and levels of pollution in drainages, sewage channels, creeks and outfalls that discharge effluents into the sea, which is otherwise difficult to ascertain. THE GOAN I NETWORK 8 out of 11 roads in Panaji to be repaired in 15 days: Govt to HC Shanti Avedna Ashram, IMA Ponda centre eligible for scheme under Air and Water Act by the structures or establishments. Both, the Minister and GSPCB chairman Mahesh Patil remained unavailable for the comments. As reported earlier, the objective of the aerial survey is to demarcate hotels, residential buildings, houses, beach shacks, recreation parks, open plots and other tourism THE GOAN I NETWORK German MPs on Goa tour, visit temple at Mandur THE GOAN I NETWORK to conduct aerial survey of North coastal belt had come up for discussion during the last Legislative Assembly (March) and the Minister for Environment had given an assurance,” reads the minutes of the latest meeting. The drone survey would have helped the Pollution Control Board to ascertain the violations pertaining to Consent to Operate and Establish Cabinet okays grants of  ` 2.5L/month to palliative care centres KOLKATA The West Bengal cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to introduce a new Bill aimed at preventing rape and ensuring stricter punishments for such crimes. The Bill is scheduled to be presented in the assembly next week. Senior cabinet member and state Agriculture Minister Shobhandeb Chattopadhyay said he would request Speaker Biman Bandyopadhyay to convene a special two-day assembly session from September 2. “The proposed Bill will be tabled in the Assembly on September 3,” Chattopadhyay said. The CBI is currently investigating the case, and a Kolkata Police civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime. Asserting that her government has zero tolerance to incidents of rape, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said an „„Will sit for a dharna outside Raj Bhavan if the governor delays in giving assent to the amended bill or forwards it to the President for ratification „„The TMC will launch a movement from August 31 at the state’s grassroots to create pressure on the Centre to pass legislation for capital punishment of convicted rapists amendment to existing laws will be passed in the state assembly next week to ensure capital punishment to convicted rapists. Banerjee said that she would sit for dharna outside Raj Bhavan here if the governor delays in giving assent to the amended bill or forwards it to the President for ratification. The chief minister also said that the TMC will launch a movement from Saturday (August 31) at the state’s grassroots to create pressure on the Centre to pass legislation for capital punishment of convicted rapists. “We will pass the amend- ed bill in a special session of the assembly next week. We will then send it to the governor for his nod. We will stage dharna outside Raj Bhavan if he sits on the bill,” she thundered from the Trinamool Congress Chhatra Parishad foundation day rally here. The TMC supremo dedicated the foundation day to the memory of the medic who was allegedly raped and murdered inside state-run R G Kar Medical College and Hospital earlier this month, triggering a nationwide outcry. Banerjee also dedicated the occasion to the victims of atrocities and abuse across the country. Sea change: Fish scarcity leaves Goans high and dry GUILHERME ALMEIDA THE GOAN I MARGAO W here have the fish gone, is a familiar question that echoes at the tintos, fish markets, Goa’s lone wholesale fish market, besides the fishing jetties and the fish landing points dotting along the coast. Reason: A month into the new fishing season, and the long wait seemed not over yet for fish loving Goemkars as they look forward for the day when a bumper catch will flood the markets with variety of fish. Boat owners and traditional fishermen too have been left to wonder over the fish scarcity. That’s not all. Fish export processing units dotting at the industrial estates too are THE SHORTAGE: CAUSE FOR CONCERN „„A month into the new fishing season, fish markets, fishing jetties, and landing points along Goa’s coast are experiencing a significant shortage of fish, especially the prized Goan mackerel „„Both traditional fishermen and mechanized boat owners are concerned about the low fish catch „„Fish export processing units are also anxious, as the scarcity impacts their ability to fulfill export contracts with countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia „„Calls for expert intervention „„There are calls for the government to investigate the causes of the fish scarcity, whether it is due to natural sea conditions or man-made factors anxiously looking forward for a bumper fish landing, to start fish export in a big way, to honour their contractual obligations with the importers in countries of the Far East, including Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. Take note, this is the time of the year, when people use to normally lay their hands on the great Goan mackerel flooding the markets after the two-month fishing ban. Attribute it to the changing weather pattern or the rough condition in the Arabian Sea or otherwise, neither the fishing jetties nor the fish landing points along the coast have witnessed any major landing this season so far. A visit to the Cutbona fishing jetty revealed that dozens of fishing boats have ventured out in the sea in the new fishing season, but the muchsought after Goan mackerel has eluded the fishermen till date. Sources pointed out some of the mechanised boats have been fortunate enough to net the prized tuna fish. However, given there’s hardly any demand for tuna amongst fish-loving Goans, the catch, sources said, major portion of it has been transported by the fish agents to Kerala. A couple of boat owners pointed out that fishing boats that had ventured out from Cutbona jetty are presently anchored along the Karwar >Continued on P5