log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) Instagram.com/thegoanonline >P10 THURSDAY OCTOBER 17, 2024 26 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 120 WC QUALIFIER: MESSI SCORES HAT-TRICK IN ARGENTINA VICTORY RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Centre re-empowers collectors Cabinet clears service extensions for 11 school heads, one doctor to probe dual citizenship cases Extensions inevitable as there are no qualified people who fit promotion bill: Sawant TOLD TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON CASE-BY-CASE BASIS; INVITE APPLICATIONS AND OBJECTIONS THROUGH PUBLICITY, FAIR INQUIRIES THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a significant development, the Central government has delegated powers for inquiry into the dual citizenship issue to the North and South Goa District Collectors, while directing to make necessary case-to-case basis recommendations. The decision, under the Citizenship Act, 1955, communicated through a notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs on October 14, allows collectors to investigate the acquisition of citizenship by Goa residents from other countries. This delegation of authority is valid for two years from the notification date. A similar order was issued in May 2019. Dual citizenship is a sensi- CYBER TECH Future Trends in Cybersecurity: Safeguarding the Digital Frontier >> PG 7 >> See PG 3 Probe into murder of Bihar native stalls as key questions remain unanswered IN SHORT >> Vehicle scrapping facility delayed PANAJI: The commissioning of Goa’s first Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facility, originally scheduled for October 15, has been slightly delayed. Officials reveal it is now expected to commence operations in a week or more, pending the final approval — the Consent to Operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board.  >> See pg 3 Bonus announced for Goa govt employees PANAJI: Ahead of Diwali festival, the State government has announced to release non-productivity linked bonus (ad-hoc bonus) to its employees on or before October 31. However, the bonus will not be applicable to Group B and Group C employees.   >> See pg 3 3% DA hike for Central govt staffers NEW DELHI: The Centre on Wednesday increased the Dearness Allowance (DA) by 3 percentage points effective from July 1 this year, benefitting more than 1 crore employees and pensioners ahead of the Diwali festival. WHAT THE NOTIFICATION SAYS... ship of another country by the residents of the State of Goa,” reads the notification issued „„In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 16 of the by Citizenship Act 1955, the Central government hereby directs Joint Secretary Prashant Lokhande. that the powers exercisable by it under sub-section (2) of “Make appropriate recomthe Section 9 of the Act, shall be exercisable by the District mendations to the Central Collector, North Goa and South Goa for the purpose of ingovernment through the State quiring into the issue of acquisition of citizenship of another government in accordance with the procedure,” it added. country by the residents of the State of Goa The directive, enacted un„„Make appropriate recommendations to the Central der Section 16 of the Act, regovernment through the State government in accordance quires collectors to invite apwith the procedure plications and objections with proper publicity and conduct inquiries in a fair and transtive issue in Goa where thou- Central government hereby parent manner, following the sands of citizens have can- directs that the powers exer- Citizenship Rules, 2009. celled their Indian passports cisable by it under sub-secThe citizenship issue in Goa and have taken Portuguese tion (2) of the Section 9 of the is rooted back to 1961, when citizenship to get employment Act, shall be exercisable by the State was a Portuguese the District Collector, North colony and after its liberation, in European Union countries. “In exercise of the powers Goa and South Goa for the many residents faced comconferred by Section 16 of purpose of inquiring into the plexities regarding their citithe Citizenship Act 1955, the issue of acquisition of citizen- zenship status. Over the years, the issue has resurfaced, with Goans demanding dual citizenship powers. Earlier this year, the issue of dual citizenship became a point of debate and discussion following revocation of Indian passports of several Goans by the Regional Passport Office in Goa, for registering their births in Portugal. The Goa Legislative Assembly had resolved that due to the peculiar circumstances by which Goa, Daman and Diu came to be liberated from the Portuguese regime and subsequent conferment of Indian citizenship on those nationals, the government of India be requested to permit dual citizenship to those covered by the Goa, Daman and Diu citizenship order. THE GOAN NETWORK PANAJI Running short of people in the feeder cadre who meet the recruitment rules criteria, the Pramod Sawant-led State cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to grant a one-year service extension to 11 principals, headmasters or headmistresses of government schools. These 11 heads of schools who are slated to retire on superannuation soon include Anacio Sebastiana Antonita Selena Dias, Sirosh B Desai, Ana Graca De Sa, Utkarsha Uday Naik, Mrithinjay Angadi, Jessie Julie Pereira, Antonio Paolo Braganza, Sneha Srikant Gaonkar, Leera A V E Souza, Valsala Gangadharan Vishwabaram and Amita Pandharinath Shet Talaulikar. Separately, the cabinet also approved a two-year extension to Dr Santosh Naik, a surgeon attached to the Directorate of Health Services. Post facto nod for `14 cr bill of Wellness Pharmacy at GMC PANAJI: The cabinet in its Wednesday meeting granted ‘post-facto’ approval for payment of a Rs 14-crore bill raised by the ‘Wellness Forever” Pharmacy at the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at Bambolim. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the cabinet decided to approve the payment, post-facto. Wellness Forever Pvt Ltd was appointed to takeover the pharmacy services at the GMC in 2019. When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, the cabinet had granted such post-facto approvals to bills of the pharmacy company multiple times. Coastal police stations to deploy 40% staff on night patrolling >> See pg 3 Sawant, who addressed a press conference after chairing the cabinet meeting said, the extensions were inevitable as there were no qualified people who fit the promotion bill as per the existing recruitment rules, to fill the positions which would fall vacant after these principals retire. In another decision, the cabinet approved a proposal by which the land on which the animal feed facility exists is to be transferred to the Animal Husbandary and Veterinary Services department. Currently the land is with the Cooperation Department. Coastal Plan 2019 set to Tivim Comunidade signs 99-year lease miss another deadline with Pune Trust for private university NCESS ASSURES TO SUBMIT DRAFT PLAN IN JAN 2025 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In the absence of a notified coastal zone management plan (CZMP) 2011 under the 1:4,000 scale, uncertainty looms over completion of the 2019 plan by January, next year. The Thrivananthpuram-based National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS) has now informed the State that by January, 2025, it would be in position to submit only the draft plan, for seeking public suggestions and inputs. After missing out on two deadlines – October 2023 and May 2024, the Goa Government, in June, this year, informed the National Green Tribunal, that NCESS, appointed to draft CZMP 2019 has informed that the coastal plan would be completed by January 2025. Speaking to The Goan, Director Environment Johnson Fernandes said that NCESS has informed that by January, next year, the draft plan THE UNCERTAIN WAIT „„The NCESS has informed the Goa government that it will submit only the draft CZMP 2019 by January 2025 for public consultation „„The state is still awaiting approval from the MoEF&CC on the updated CZMP 2011 under the 1:4,000 scale, which is a key requirement for the 2019 plan „„NCESS has commenced groundwork on the CZMP using the 1:25,000 scale would be submitted to the State, which would then be placed before the public for their inputs. He also confirmed that the State is still awaiting communication from the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) over updated data, as per the CZMP 2011, while awaiting updated inputs „„The delay has stalled permissions for developmental projects under the CRZ 2011 rules, causing a regulatory vacuum for coastal development in Goa CZMP 2011. “We have not received any communication from the Centre. The updated plan needs to be notified,” he said. Notifying CZMP 2011 under the 1:4,000 scale is a crucial step ahead of drafting a new >Continued on P5   TRUST DEPOSITS ONE-TIME REFUNDABLE SUM OF `5 CR INTO COMUNIDADE’S BANK ACCOUNT TO PAY ANNUAL RENT OF `25 LAKH WITH AN INCREASE BY 5%   EVERY THREE YEARS  TRUST AGREES TO SPECIAL TERMS FAVOURING MEMBERS AGNELO PEREIRA THE GOAN I MAPUSA The Comunidade of Tivim has officially signed a 99-year lease with Maharashtra Academy of Engineering & Educational Research (MAEER), Pune, a Public Charitable Trust, to establish an educational institution in the village. The deal, executed on July 1, 2024, paves the way for the establishment of a private university on a 2 lakh square metre plot in Tivim. The lease has provisions for automatic renewal, essentially allowing MAEER perpetual use of the land. The agreement allows MAEER to construct and manage an educational campus under the banner of MIT World Peace University, Pune. The lease was signed by key representatives of the Tivim comunidade, including its President Miguel Siqueira, Attorney James D’Souza and DONE DEAL? The hillside of Comunidade land in Cansa, Tivim which has been leased to a Maharashtra-based Trust to set up the proposed private university project. Agnelo Pereira Escrivão Pranav Mohan Parsekar. Representing MAEER was Rahul Karad, Managing Trustee and Executive President of the trust. According to the lease terms, MAEER will use the land to construct educational buildings, including hostels, libraries, labs, sports facilities and other necessary infrastructure for a university campus. MAEER has already deposited a one-time refundable sum of Rs 5 crore into the Tivim comunidade’s bank account and will pay an annual rent of Rs 25 lakh, which will increase by 5% every three years. The educational activities on the leased land will be conducted by MIT World Peace University, Pune. The proposed university is expected to offer a wide range of courses, including Engineering, Marine Engineering, Medical Sciences, Management Studies, Arts, Journalism, and Public Policy. However, the establishment of the university has raised concerns among local residents and gaunkars, who have banded together to oppose the project. Their primary objections stem from the significant amount of land allocated for the campus and environmental concerns, as the proposed area they claim is a ‘No Development Slope’ with a gradient exceeding 25 degrees. The project has already received in-principle approval from the State government’s Investment Promotion Board (IPB). However, the final decision on the declaration of the land as an investment promotion area remains pending, with >Continued on P5 Indian-origin candidates in race for Oxford ANC seizes drugs consumed at University Chancellor, ex-Pak PM Khan out ‘spiritual retreats’ in Anjuna PTI LONDON he University of Oxford on Wednesday announced the 38 finalists in the race to be elected the new Chancellor of the University of Oxford, which includes Indian-origin candidates but excludes former Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan. Ankur Shiv Bhandari, the first Indian-origin Mayor of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire; Nirpal Singh Paul Bhangal, a Professor of International Entrepreneurship; and Pratik Tarvadi, a medical professional, will go head-to-head with academics, politicians, philan- T THE INDIAN CONNECT „„Ankur Shiv Bhandari, the first Indian-origin Mayor of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire; Nirpal Singh Paul Bhangal, a Professor of International Entrepreneurship; and Pratik Tarvadi, a medical professional, will go head-to-head with academics, politicians, philanthropists and entrepreneurs thropists and entrepreneurs. Former Conservative Party leader Lord William Hague and former Labour politician Lord Peter Mandelson are among the senior politicians selected, with Khan deemed to have been disqualified following the selection process. Applications were considered by the Chancellor’s Election Committee solely on the four exclusion criteria set out in the university’s regulations. All applicants have been notified whether their submissions have been successful, a university statement reads. Under some of the declared university criteria, candidates for the unremunerated role had to demonstrate outstand- ing achievements in their field and the ability to command respect beyond it. They also had to prove a deep appreciation for the university’s research and academic mission, its global community, its ambition to remain a world-class research and teaching university; and the ability and willingness to enhance the reputation of the university locally, nationally and abroad. While the university did not specify any reasons for individual disqualifications, some experts had indicated that Khan’s criminal convictions in >Continued on P5 FIRST-EVER DMT SEIZURE IN STATE; ONE HELD THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Anti Narcotics Cell’s sixth of the month has led to the seizure of dimethyltryptamine (DMT), a hallucinogenic and psychedelic drug, first such incident in Goa. Preliminary investigations indicate that this DMT is used for the Ayahuasca ceremony, a spiritual retreat that incidentally takes place in parts of Goa’s hinterland. Speaking at a press conference at police headquarters on Wednesday, SP ANC IN THE POLICE ‘DRAGNET’ „„The ANC conducted its first-ever seizure of the DMT in Goa, linked to Ayahuasca ceremonies „„The raid took place in Anjuna, leading to the arrest of a South Indian individual in possession of DMT, charas, and cocaine, valued at Rs 2.5 lakh „„DMT is reportedly used in Ayahuasca ceremonies, spiritual retreats that take place in Goa’s hinterland, often conducted in secretive locations Tikam Singh Verma stated that these drugs are often associated with ‘spiritual’ Ayahuasca ceremonies. The raid at Anjuna saw the arrest of a South Indian, whose identity >Continued on P5