log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2024 GOA Administrative blunders trigger another waste crisis at Sonsodo >> See pg 3 Born with eyes shut, this music lover enjoys playing harmonium IN SHORT >> Call centre racket busted, 24 arrested PANAJI: The Cyber Crime police busted an international call centre racket and arrested 24 persons for impersonating loan agents and representatives of reputed companies and government agencies to dupe US citizens of around Rs 1 crore. The accused allegedly impersonated agents and employees of Amazon, PayPal, Zelle Pay, Apple Pay.  >> See pg 5 CM for boosting trade at MPA PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant met Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal in New Delhi to discuss plans for expanding activities at Mormugao Port. He said import and export activities will boost Goa’s business and economic growth.  >> See pg 3 Interstate mobile theft gang nabbed MAPUSA: Anjuna Police successfully busted an interstate mobile theft gang, recovering stolen property worth approximately Rs 4 lakh, including mobile phones and a MacBook.  >> See pg 2 Suspense over Maha CM’s post continues MUMBAI: Suspense over who will be Maharashtra’s next chief minister continued on Monday, two days after the ruling BJP-led Mahayuti won a landslide victory in the assembly elections, shattering the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi’s dream. Centre approves PAN 2.0 project NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Monday gave its stamp of approval for the Rs 1435 crore PAN 2.0 project modernizing taxpayer services and which promises faster, eco-friendly PAN/TAN registration and validation, enhancing digital access and data consistency. WEATHER >> Max: 32 C Min: 21.6 C Humidity: 86% TIDES Low: High: 13:29 ---06:28 19.54 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 159 2 GOA Cumbarjua politician Harmalkar, three others arrested for assault 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Pandemic linked to rise in early diabetes cases 8 ‘Secular’, ‘socialist’ to stay in Constitution, rules SC JUNKS PLEAS CHALLENGING THE 1976 AMENDMENT KEY APEX COURT OBSERVATIONS PTI NEW DELHI In a landmark verdict, the Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the pleas challenging the 1976 amendment to the Constitution adding terms “socialist”, “secular” and “integrity” to the preamble, observing Parliament’s amending power extended to Preamble too. Rejecting the pleas on grounds, including the delay of over 44 years, the top court said terms like “socialist” and “secular” were “integral to the Preamble making the “prayers particularly questionable”. Authoring the verdict, the Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna said, “We do not find any legitimate cause or justification for challenging this constitutional amendment after nearly 44 years. The circumstances do not warrant this court’s exercise of discretion to undertake „„We do not find any legitimate cause or justification for challenging this constitutional amendment after nearly 44 years „„Circumstances do not warrant this court’s exercise of discretion to undertake an exhaustive examination „„Constitutional position remains unambiguous, an exhaustive examination, as the constitutional position remains unambiguous, negating the need for a detailed academic pronouncement.” The bench also comprising Justice Sanjay Kumar wrote in its seven-page order, “In essence, the concept of secularism represents one of the facets of the right to equality, and negating the need for a detailed academic pronouncement intricately woven into the basic fabric that depicts the constitutional scheme’s pattern.” The words “socialist”, “secular” and “integrity” were inserted into the Preamble to the Constitution under the 42nd constitutional amendment moved by the Indira Gandhi government in 1976. The order observed Article 2 mths after transfers, govt yet to relieve 3 IAS babus Likely to face wrath of Home Ministry PANAJI More than two months after being transferred, the Goa government is yet to relieve three IAS officers from their administration. In September, the Union Home Ministry had issued transfer orders of IAS Sanjit Rodrigues, Prasad Lolayekar and Swetika Sachan. The three officers were given new postings to Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Delhi, respectively. However, the officers continue to serve in the Goa administration till date. While Rodrigues is the managing director and chief executive officer of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd  (IPSCDL), and Secretary of state civil supplies, Lolayekar is Education Secretary and Sachan is the chief executive officer of the Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board. According to highly placed sources, Rodrigues has not been relieved due to pending works under Smart City Mission; the deadline for which is March 2025 set by the Cen- HC orders revised pay scale for DHS Group D staffers THE GOAN I NETWORK es said. On the other hand, the two IAS officers Prasanna Acharya and Cheshta Yadav, who were posted to Goa, through the same order by the Ministry, have already resumed new posting. Acharya is appointed as Director of Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communication as well as Director of Printing and Stationery while Yadav is the new Secretary to Tribal Welfare and also director general of GIPARD. The Supreme Court, in its recent ruling last month, >Continued on P7 >Continued on P7 „„SANJIT RODRIGUES: Transferred to Ladakh, but sources say he has not been relieved due to pending works under Smart City Mission; the deadline for which is March 2025 set by the Centre „„PRASAD LOLAYEKAR: Transferred to Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but has been asked to continue to assist the State in rolling out National Education Policy, which is currently being implemented in phased manner „„SWETIKA SACHAN: Transferred to Delhi but continues to serve Goa administration till date. Sources say that there is no clarity as to why Sachan has not been relieved so far tre.  He had begun heading IPSCDL more than a year ago when the state government was in the eye of a storm over the delayed  works under the Mission. On the other hand, Lolayekar has been asked to continue to assist the State in rolling out National Education Policy (NEP), which is currently being implemented in phased manner. However, sources said that there is no clarity as to why  Sachan has not been relieved so far. “The State might face the wrath of the Union Home Ministry if the officers are not relieved in coming days,” sourc- 368 of the Constitution permitted its amendment. “The power to amend unquestionably rests with the Parliament. ,” it underlined. SC said the amendments could be challenged on various grounds, including violation of the basic structure of the Constitution. The fact that the Consti- PANAJI The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday directed the State government to revise the pay scale of Group ‘D’ employees in the Directorate of Health Services, which has been pending for more than eight years. The order by the Division Bench of Justice Makarand Karnik and Justice Nivedita Mehta further directed that arrears be paid within six months from January 1, 2016 till date. The High Court upheld the claim of the petitioners that the minimum salary payable in their favour was Rs 7,000 with effect from the date of their appointment in view of recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. However, at the time of their appointments, the government paid them Rs 5,740 salary comprising a pay scale of Rs 4440 to Rs 7440 with a Grade Pay of Rs 1,300 along with other admissible allowances. The High Court accepted the claim of the 11 petitioners, who were represented by Advocate Shashikant Joshi and Swapna Joshi, that they were BUREAUCRATIC LIMBO THE GOAN I NETWORK „„In essence, the concept of secularism represents one of the facets of the right to equality, intricately woven into the basic fabric that depicts the constitutional scheme’s pattern „„Power to amend unquestionably rests with the Parliament… this amending power extends to the Preamble tution was adopted, enacted, and given to themselves by the people of India on the 26th day of November, 1949, does not make any difference. The retrospectively argument, if accepted, would equally apply to amendments made to any part of the Constitution, though the power of Parliament to do so under Article 368, is incontrovertible and is not challenged, highlighted the verdict. The petitions do not require a detailed adjudication as the flaws and weaknesses in the arguments are obvious and manifest, it added. “While it is true that the constituent assembly had not agreed to include the words ‘’socialist’’ and ‘’secular’’ in the Preamble, the Constitution is a living document, as noticed above with power given to the Parliament to amend it in terms of and in accord with Article 368, it said. SPORTS World Chess C’ship: Gukesh lets it slip as Liren draws first blood 12 Spotlight on Maha; Sawant rules out Cabinet reshuffle CM’s Delhi visit had sparked rumours THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday ruled out Cabinet reshuffle in the State stating that the Central leadership is currently busy with the government formation in Maharashtra. Sawant’s sudden visit to New Delhi had triggered rumours of possible Cabinet reshuffle, which has been pending for long. “My visit is not about any political development. Everyone here is busy with Maharashtra (government formation),” he said. Speculations of a Cabinet reshuffle to accommodate Congress defectors, along with Goa Legislative Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar have been rife in the State since the last couple of months. There were also speculations that the Cabinet reshuffle will take place after Narendra Modi takes oath as Prime Minister for the third time. The dateline was later shift- My visit is not about any political development. Everyone here (Delhi) is busy with Maharashtra government formation — Pramod Sawant ed to post Ganesh festival and later after Diwali. In November, last year, Congress defector Aleixo Sequeira was sworn in as a minister after the then PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral resigned. Since then, speculations of a Cabinet reshuffle to accommodate Congress defectors like former CM Digambar Kamat, MLA Michael Lobo and MLA Sankalp Amonkar, have been rife. Except for Kamat and Lobo, the BJP government has given key positions to six other defectors in various corporations; however, Sankalp Amonkar has not taken charge of his position and is eyeing a Cabinet berth. TEST MASTERY AT PLAY Jasprit Bumrah BOOM, BOOM KEY MATCH TAKEAWAYS led a feisty BUMRAH „„Chasing 534 for victory, „„Bumrah claimed bunch of Indian Australia were bowled out a 8/72 cricketers to their „match haul of36 for 238 „He now has „„India won by a massive wickets on Australimost dominant 295 runs an soil Test victory on „„India were earlier bun„„The batsman dled out for 150 in their first Australian soil in he’s dismissed innings most times is Pat the opening Test Cummins „„India is now of the Border1-0 up in the five-Test Gavaskar series Trophy TOP SPOT IN WTC STANDINGS TEST WINS „„After their emphatic 295-run victory, India has now jumped to the top of the World Test Championship standings „„Overall, this is India’s second biggest Test victory against Australia in terms of runs „„India’s biggest win against Australia was a 320-run victory in Mohali in 2008 „„India’s biggest victory margin in Tests by runs is 434 runs against England in Feb this year Detailed report on page 12 ESA committee to United in faith: Pakistani Goans head to Goa for Exposition visit Goa today Divar to Panaji ferry service to commence from today SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the MoEF&CC appointed expert committee to examine views and objections of the State governments on Western Ghats Eco-Sensitive Areas will be visiting Goa on Tuesday. The team will be on fourday visit to Goa for ground verification on the State’s submission. The Goa government in its submission before the Union Ministry has proposed dropping 21 villages from the ESA list and that 87 villages be categorised as ESA since they meet the criteria set out by the Ministry. GOA PUSHES CENTRE TO APPROVE UPDATED COASTAL PLAN >> See pg 3 Sawant said that he appraised the Union Minister about various reasons identified for excluding 21 villages from the ESA list. “The committee will hold its first meeting on Tuesday,” he said.   The Centre, in its draft notification, issued in August, had proposed 108 villages from Goa as ESA. As per government proposal, 21 villages include 12 from Sattari, five from Dharbandora, three from Sanguem and one from Canacona taluka. A round 170 Pakistani Goans are all set to visit Goa for the ongoing decennial Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier with High Commissioner of India in Islamabad clearing their visas to travel. While the first group of 85 pilgrims set to leave Karachi for India on November 28, another 85 pilgrims will leave for India on December 20 and are set to celebrate Christmas and New Year in the coastal State. When contacted, the Goenkars Own Academy, which is coordinating the group’s travel and visas, confirmed to The Goan that the High Commissioner of India in Islamabad has informed the travellers that they got the confirmation PANAJI: In a bid to ease the traffic at Old Goa during the ongoing decennial Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier, the State government will launch a ferry service from Divar-Old Goa route to Panaji from Tuesday. A total three ferries would be operational for four days from Tuesday on a trial basis, following which a decision to continue the same will be taken depending on public response. “This service will start from November 26 from Divar ramp at 6 am, 6.30 am, 7 am, to Panaji and then ply regularly till 9 pm,” the to grant all the visas. “So now, the Commission will be sending the first group passports today or tomorrow. This group will leave on November 28 and will be part of the Exposition and Feast of the Saint on December 3,” the Academy said. government said. The 45-day Exposition, commenced on November 21, will continue till January 5, 2025. The Academy explained that this year 170 pilgrims from Karachi will be participating in the Exposition in two batches. “The first group of 85 is expected to leave the State post Saint feast, while the second group will celebrate their Christmas and New Year in Goa,” they said. The Karachi Goans are parishioners of various Churches in Karachi, including St Anthony’s Church, St Patrick’s Church, Our Lady of Fatima Church and St Lawrence’s Church. The pilgrims had requested an invitation from the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman for the Exposition and attached this while submitting visa applications to the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. “Preparations for this event began in this year after receiving the invitation from Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and Daman,” said Peter Mendes, President of the Academy. The Exposition, commenced on November 21, will be a 45-days event culminating on January 5, next year.   With no direct flight from Karachi to Mumbai, some pilgrims are set to fly in via Dubai and some via a Sri Lanka. The pilgrims have to shell out around Rs 2 lakh per person on airfare. In 2014 too, a large group of around 400 pilgrims visited the State during the last exposition. In 2004 too, nearly 300 Pakistani Goans had venerated the relics during the Exposition.   Mendes said that the number of Goan Karachi pilgrims attending the Exposition this time has reduced from 400-odd pilgrims, who had travelled to the State during the last Exposition. “Prior to 2017, many used to travel to Goa and Mumbai to celebrate Christmas with their loved once,” he said. The State government sources informed that any pilgrims, including those from Pakistan are free to take the advantage of Pilgrim village, if there are any issues pertaining to accommodation.