log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 18 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 102 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Sunil Chhetri becomes top goal scorer in ISL history RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Depts continue to flout rules on hiring vehicles NEW RULES IN PLACE, BUT IGNORED BIG DEPTS UNDER LENS THE GOAN I NETWORK >> SEE PGS 2 &3 THE STATE OF OUR MARKETS MAGAZINE MAGAZ 11 Honouring age with dignity: Celebrate International Day of Older Persons World Heart Day: Encouraging people to prioritise heart health Hotspot: Cold drinks, warm hearts: The story behind Mapusa’s Babaji Cold Drinks 12 13 IN SHORT >> Make-shift market: Vendors worried PANAJI: Fisherfolk and vendors plying their trade at the Panaji market are worried about availability of facilities like platforms to place their fish, adequate space and drainage facilities in the new make-shift shed where business is expected to commence from Oct 1.  >> See pg 5 Lucky escape for two as car falls into rivulet PONDA: A car driven by a West Bengal tourist veered off the road and plunged into a rivulet at Piklewadi, Mollem border. The couple, however, escaped unhurt.  >> See pg 4 PANAJI Twenty days after the State government directed all departments to hire vehicles through open tenders or quotations with prior approval from the Finance Department, there’s little change in curbing the misuse of government vehicles. Internal sources told The Goan that the Finance Department has not received requests from departments seeking prior approval for hiring vehicles. Moreover, there’s no record of any officer returning the ‘fixed transport allowance’ (TA), which stipulates that it should not be claimed if government vehicles are used beyond official purposes. “We have received verbal „„Finance Dept has not received requests from depts seeking prior approval for hiring vehicles „„No record of any officer returning ‘fixed transport allowance’ „„Private vehicles frequently hired from relatives or acquaintances of officials complaints that private vehicles are frequently hired from relatives or acquaintances of officials as well as some elected representatives. These get guaranteed minimum mileage payments whereas any additional mileage is billed at higher rates,” the source re- THE INSIDE STORY „„Vehicles are guaranteed minimum mileage payments whereas any additional mileage is billed at higher rates „„Many depts place temvealed. Amid rampant misuse of vehicles even by the non-eligible staff, the government also decided to ensure mandatory display of stickers on all hired vehicles, clearly identifying them as rented for government use. With many Bull trawling ghost casts shadow over Goa again TWO VESSELS SPOTTED OFF CABO DE RAMA THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Bull trawling, an illegal fishing mode resorted to mechanised fishing vessels from the neighbouring States in Goa’s territorial waters, came back to haunt the fishing stakeholders during the weekend. Cavelossim-based fisherman and Chairperson of the Cavelossim Bio-diversity Committee Roy Barretto caught on camera how big fishing vessels from outside the State were indulging in bull trawling activities in the State’s territorial waters. On a fishing trip in his water sports boat off the Cabo de Rama coast on Saturday noon, Roy Barretto came across a fleet of vessels from outside the State fishing close to the Goa coast. To his shock and surprise, Roy found that the fishing vessels were not only fishing very close to the Goa coast, but were resorting to the illegal fishing activity Fishing vessel seen allegedly indulging in illegal bull trawling off the Cabo de Rama coast on Saturday. FISHERMAN PROPOSES COMMITTEE TO MONITOR LED FISHING >> See pg 4 bull trawling. In fact, he focused his camera on the two vessels, which were found moving together with a rope tied to each other. “The rope connecting the two fishing vessels is nothing but bull trawling indulged by these outside vessels”, he said. That’s not all. Roy claimed that the position of the other vessels, moving in pairs in the sea, showed they were indulging in the dangerous and destructive mode of fishing, threatening the environment and the marine resources. “Bull trawling is banned by the government since the fishing mode destroys marine resources. I went close to the pair of fishing vessels with my >Continued on P7 PG10 porary cards on dashboard when it is mandatory display stickers on all hired vehicles „„Milometer readings must be logged daily, but records are reportedly being manipulated to cover personal use „„Officers using official/ hired vehicles still claiming TA operating in blatant violation, the authorities will now be collecting evidence to crack down on the misuse. “We found that many departments simply place temporary cards on the dashboard. These vehicles are used incognito for private pur- Hezbollah chief killed in Israeli attack in Beirut 1 Lebanon's Hezbollah group confirmed on Saturday that its leader and one of its founders, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day. A statement said Nasrallah has joined his fellow martyrs. 2 Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for more than three decades, is by far the most powerful target to be killed by Israel in weeks of intensified fighting with Hezbollah. The Israeli military said it carried out a precise airstrike while Hezbollah leadership were meeting at their headquarters in Dahiyeh, south of Beirut. 3 The Lebanese Health Ministry said six people were killed and 91 injured in the strikes, which leveled six apartment buildings. Ali Karki, the commander of Hezbollah's Southern Front and other commanders were also killed, the Israeli military said.  >> See pg 8 poses,” he added. Another requirement is that milometer readings must be logged daily including details of the destination, purpose, and distance of each official journey. Since the vehicles are fully rented for government use, the readings at the start and end of each day should match, but in the absence of regular monitoring, these records are reportedly being manipulated to cover personal use. “All these will not be tolerated any longer. We have already begun collecting details and proof against such cars,” the source added. Major departments like PWD, WRD, Electricity, Police among others are being kept a close watch. >Continued on P7 No new changes in OCI regulations, clarifies Centre AGENCIES NEW DELHI In the wake of several Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cardholders complaining about being reclassified as foreigners, the Ministry of External Affairs on Saturday said that no changes were made to the OCI rules. “We have come across news reports spreading false information that restrictions have been placed on OCI card holders in the recent past,” the Consulate General of India, New York said in a post on X. “Friends in the Indian American community are hereby informed that no new change has been introduced in the recent past for OCI card holders,” it further said, adding that the provisions of a gazette notification dated March 4, 2021, regarding the rights of OCI cardholders, continue to remain in force. An OCI card holder gets a multiple entry, multi-purpose life-long visa for visiting In- An OCI card holder gets a multiple entry, multipurpose life-long visa for visiting India, and is exempt from registration with local police authority for any length of stay in India dia, and is exempt from registration with local police authority for any length of stay in India. As per government records, there were over 4.5 million registered OCI card holders in 2023, out of which over 1.6 million are based in the United States. Recently, several OCI cardholders in the US had complained about some changes in rules that the government had brought into force. However, the ministry clarified that the Indian government is only implementing rules that were notified back in March 2021 and that no new changes have been made. Loliem, Poinguinim locals seek ESA tag for villages OVER 600 SIGN MEMORANDUM, PETITION CENTRE THE GOAN I NETWORK CANACONA Over 600 residents of Poinguinim and Loliem-Polem have requested the Centre to retain their villages within the Ecologically Sensitive Areas (ESAs) of Western Ghats, and to also include other villages of Goa within ESAs of Western Ghats. Separate but virtually identical 9-page petitions were submitted to the secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change by the Citizens’ Committee of Loliem and Villagers of Poinguinim. The signatories to both petitions stated that their villages are located on a unique headland of the Western Ghats, where rich forested slopes and springs of the plateaus connects the Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary to the Arabian Sea. This has made the entire region a critical habitat for various species of flora and fauna WHAT THE PETITIONS SAY „„Both villages have rich forested slopes and springs that connect Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary „„Entire region a critical habitat for various species of flora and fauna *They also form an essential part of Western Ghats of Goa „„Villages are an integral part of tiger habitat comprising Anshi-DandeIi Tiger Reserve of Karnataka, four wildlife sanctuaries and one National Park of Goa „„Both villages inhabited by indigenous tribes and others who have lived since tens of thousands of years and an essential part of the Western Ghats of Goa, they stated. They stated that their villages are also an integral part of the tiger habitat comprising the Anshi-DandeIi Tiger Reserve of Karnataka, four wildlife sanctuaries and one National Park of Goa and adjoining areas of Maharashtra, spread over 2,500 sq km of pristine forests. “These are among the largest patches of dense, pristine forests of the Western Ghats and are super-critical for the survival of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra, Goa and Northern Kamataka.” >Continued on P7 Electoral bonds: FIR From roars to whispers: The subdued saga of FC Goa’s fan base against Sitharaman THE GOAN I NETWORK PTI BENGALURU A case was registered against Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and others on the directions of a court here, following a complaint relating to the now-scrapped electoral bonds scheme. According to police, an FIR was registered under IPC sections 384 (punishment for extortion), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) against Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, ED officials, office-bearers of the BJP at state and national level, based on the order of a special court. The complaint was lodged by Adarsh R Iyer, Co-President of ''Janaadhikaara Sangharsha Parishath'' alleging that the accused “committed extortion under the guise and garb of electoral bonds and benefitted to the tune of 8,000 and more crore of rupees.” The complainant further alleged that Sitharaman through the clandestine aid and support of ED officials facilitated extortion of thousands of crores of rupees for the benefit of others both at the state and national levels. “The entire extortion racket under the garb of electoral bonds has been orchestrated hand in glove with officials of BJP at various levels”, he said. PANAJI he excitement surrounding the Indian Super League (ISL) seems to be fading in Goa, especially evident in the low attendance at FC Goa's home matches. Recently, when FC Goa faced Jamshedpur FC at the Nehru Stadium in Fatorda, only 7,240 fans showed up, a stark contrast to the stadium’s capacity of over 19,000. The empty stands painted a disappointing picture for a State historically passionate about football. In previous seasons, the turnout for FC Goa matches was much higher, often reaching 10,000 to 15,000 fans. However, recent matches have seen a significant drop in T Empty stands at the Nehru stadium during a FC Goa match in Fatorda. (File photo) attendance. Fans and football lovers in Goa are curious about the reasons behind this decline. Mario Furtado, a long-time football enthusiast from South Goa, shared his thoughts: “I’ve been following Indian football for 20 to 30 years. In the past, ISL matches attracted huge crowds compared to normal Goa Pro League matches. Today, the trust in the team’s ability to win is questionable. Although FC Goa is one of the best teams in the ISL, they often struggle during crucial matches like semifinals and finals, which affects fan support.” Another FC Goa fan, who preferred to remain anonymous, noted lack of connection between the team and its supporters. He mentioned, “Some players connect well with the fans, but overall, there’s a disconnect. There used to be a full stadium, but now we barely reach four digits in attendance. Additionally, ticket prices in Goa are higher compared to other States where they can be as low as Rs 50 to Rs 200. A big win could change everything.” Football is a cherished sport in Goa, loved by both men and women. Abigail Fernandes, a college student and FC Goa supporter, explained her perspective: “I used to go with my family, but now I mainly go with friends. There are still many fans, but yes, the numbers are declining. Factors include match results, ticket prices, travel distance, and the timing of matches. Last season, many matches were held on weekdays, which affected attendance.” Arjun Naik from Pernem echoed these sentiments, stating, “The decline has been noticeable over the past three seasons. Most matches are on weekdays, making it hard for people to attend, especially when it coincides with festivals like Chaturthi. It’s not that fans have lost interest; we still love FC Goa. We want the team to win and bring home a trophy.” Roger Pinto from Panaji added more reasons for the dwindling crowd: “The playing style and match results are one factor. Ticket prices and frequent changes in the team also play a role. Many fans become attached to certain players, but when they leave, it affects attendance. I still go to every match, but many fans miss their favorite players, which influences their decision to attend.” Despite the challenges, there remains a strong hope among fans for a turnaround. Many believe that if FC Goa can improve its performance and reconnect with the community, attendance will rise again.