log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 234 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Tremors of AAP’s Delhi poll debacle felt in Goa BENAULIM BLOCK OPPOSES ALLIANCE WITH PARTY THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO The first signs of Congress rank and file opposing any truck with the Aam Aadmi Party in Goa post-Delhi election came from Benaulim, the seat represented by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Captain Venzy Viegas. While the top Goa Congress leadership maintained stoic silence on the political developments unfolding post-Delhi election, which saw a rout of Aam Aadmi Party, the Benaulim Block Congress Committee asserted that the Congress should not have any truck with AAP in Goa, exuding confidence that the Congress is capable of winning the election in Goa on its own strength. In fact, a day after Aam >> See pg 3 Paralysed after a mishap, this entrepreneur turns writer with zest for life, literature IN SHORT >> 616 policemen get transfer orders PANAJI: The Goa police on Monday transferred 616 police personnel comprising constables, head constables and assistant sub inspectors in the year’s first major transfer order. The order comes barely days after the department issued a directive enforcing compliance to the transfer orders issued last year.  HC orders hearing for Arambol shack owner PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the Tourism Department to hold a personal hearing for the owner of a shack in Arambol, who is facing a demolition order.  >> See pg 3 Alliance needed to defeat BJP: Venzy MARGAO: Aam Admi Party Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas on Monday said that alliance of non-BJP parties is needed till such time that no individual party is in a position to defeat the BJP. He further made it very clear that the despite the defeat in Delhi, AAP is here to stay. Reacting to AAP’s debacle in the Delhi Assembly election, Venzy said AAP has accepted the verdict of the people of Delhi, saying the party had fought against all the political parties, besides the ED, police etc. “Though AAP has lost power, the party has got a vote share of 44 per cent as compared to BJP’s 46 per cent”, he said.  >> See pg 2 Aadmi Party Goa chief Amit Palekar called for Opposition unity in Goa to dislodge the BJP, the Benaulim Congress point blank wondered why AAP wants an alliance with Congress in Goa when the party had shut doors for alliance in Delhi. Benaulim Block Congress President Keith Gracias sought to remind the people of Goa that both Congress and AAP were part of the INDIA bloc, but blamed Arvind Kejriwal for going alone in the Delhi Assembly elections. “If there was no GOA FORWARD PARTY TAKES STOCK OF POLITICAL SITUATION >> See pg 2 alliance between the Congress and AAP in the Delhi election, why is the AAP Goa president seeking an alliance with Congress in Goa”, he questioned. “AAP had decided to go alone in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi in the Assembly elections, why does the party want an alliance with the Congress in Goa, just to eat into the Congress vote”, he further questioned. Solan Furtado said the BJP has come to power in Delhi because of the selfish politics of the Aam Aadmi Party. “AAP decided to go alone Forced eviction: Anjuna police file FIR against 7 Sinary trying to sell house, says owner in video THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Two days after Rajesh Sinary and his family were allegedly dispossessed of their home at St Michael’s Waddo, Anjuna by some goons, Anjuna Police late Monday evening registered a first information report (FIR) against Janardhan Khorate, alias John and six others for alleged criminal intimidation, theft and trespass. SINARY FAMILY ASKED TO FILE DETAILED COMPLAINT; OPPOSING PARTY MEETS SP >> See pg 3 Sinary in his complaint had said, his family was forcibly removed from their residence by a group of individuals he described as goons, leaving them without shelter. Attempts to contact Anjuna PI Suraj Gawas for details ‘Did not forcibly evict family’ MAPUSA: Janardhan Khorate, also known as John, who claims to be the legal representative of Michael Peters, the original owner of the disputed Anjuna house, has denied allegations made by the Sinary family regarding their alleged forcible eviction. >> See pg 3 on the FIR were unsuccessful as he refused to take phone calls. Earlier in the day, Sinary’s wife, Bronwynn, also known as Bonny, had told The Goan that they had approached North Goa Superintendent of Police (SP) Akshat Kaushal, who had been supportive and advised them to refile their complaint. “The SP has asked us to refile our complaint, and we are in the process of doing so. We expect the police to register a case once we submit our fresh complaint,” Bonny said. She further alleged that the Anjuna police had suggested they reoccupy the house on Sunday evening, but they declined, citing the need for a formal case to be registered first. “The people who forcibly entered our house have removed all our belongings from the house. There has been a break-in and robbery. We need justice,” she added. However, in a new twist, a video circulating on social media features the original owner of the house, Michael Peters, claiming that Sinary >Continued on P5 Bumrah’s participation in CT2025 in limbo Pg 13 and the results are there for all to see. Besides, we have observed that AAP has been targeting only the Congress across India, including Goa. We have not seen AAP going into the States were other Opposition parties have a base”, he added. Another Congress leader pointed out that AAP’s game plan is clear that the party wants to finish Congress so that the BJP can win. “We can see that Congress has a base in Goa, especially in South Goa and in Benaulim. In such a situation, why should the Congress leave the Benaulim seat or other seats to AAP in the election? The Congress should field their candidates in the seats which has been the party’s bastion”, the leaders added. Underwater pipeline to quench Panaji’s thirst Pipeline to be laid in river Mandovi to bring raw water from Tillari to Panaji THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In an ambitious project, the government plans to lay an underwater pipeline in the Mandovi River to bring the raw water from Tillari dam to Panaji. The project is expected to be commissioned within the next two years. Speaking to media Minister for Water Resources Subhash Shirodkar informed about the proposal, which is being currently worked out. “The department is working on a scheme, where we will lay an underwater pipeline in River Mandovi to get raw water directly from Tillari to Panaji. Tillari water currently reaches Porvorim. The project will take at least two years to start,” he said. Meanwhile, the Minister DEPT CRACKS WHIP ON ILLEGAL BOREWELLS „„Dept to inspect, verify around 60 to 70 illegal borewells in Chimbel „„Show cause notices issued to operators-cum-owners „„Necessary action including disconnection of borewells to be undertaken „„Minister warns of hefty fines on those illegally sinking borewells has asked the department to inspect and verify around 60 to 70 allegedly illegal borewells in the Chimbel area following complaints. Shirodkar said the department has issued show cause notices to the concerned operators-cum-owners seeking their reply. He said that following site inspection, the necessary action including disconnection of borewells will be undertaken. Warning to take stringent action against those responsible for illegally sinking borewells, the Minister said that under the Goa Ground Water Law fines ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh would be imposed. Indian eateries among targets of ‘blitz’ against migrants in UK PTI LONDON Indian restaurants, nail bars, convenience stores, and car washes were among the targets of what the Home Office on Monday described as a UKwide blitz on illegal persons working in the country. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said her department’s Immigration Enforcement teams had a record-breaking January as they descended on 828 premises -- a 48 per cent rise compared to the previous January, with arrests surging to 609, and marking a 73 per cent increase from the previous year. The Home Office said while its teams respond to illegal working intelligence in all sectors, a significant proportion of last month’s activity took place at restaurants, takeaways and cafes as well as in the food, drink and tobacco industry. A visit to one Indian restaurant in Humberside, alone led to seven arrests and four detentions, it noted. FIRST THOUGHTS: Students assess their performance after answering the English paper at Don Bosco High School, Panaji. HSSC exams began on Monday.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Comunidade land bill sparks debate among stakeholders THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA The recently passed Goa Legislative Diploma No. 2070 (Amendment) Bill, 2025, has sparked mixed reactions among stakeholders of comunidades. The bill empowers the comunidade administrator to reclaim land if it is used for purposes other than those initially approved by the government. While some stakeholders welcomed the move, provided it is implemented in its true spirit, others opposed it, arguing that the government has no constitutional right to interfere with the comunidade code. President of Assagao Comunidade, Ruildo D’Souza supported the bill, stating that it was necessary to curb the rampant misuse of comunidade land. “It is a good bill passed by the government, provided it is >Continued on P5 Maha Kumbh witnesses The curious case of Mormugao’s recurring hoax bomb threats massive traffic snarls PTI PRAYAGRAJ Thousands of devotees heading to the Maha Kumbh are stranded on highways due to massive traffic jams, reportedly spanning hundreds of kilometers, on routes leading to Prayagraj. Reports suggest the queue of stranded vehicles stretches up to 300 km. Days after Basant Panchmi’s Amrit Snan, there were assumptions that the crowds may drop. However, it now looks like just the opposite, as thousands of people continue to head to Prayagraj for the holy dip. According to government data, an average of 1.44 crore people are taking a holy bath every day. The Uttar Pradesh government asserted that despite the huge rush, there were no traffic jams in the Prayagraj district. However, Ayodhya and Varanasi are chock-a-block with vehicles and visitors, officials said. However, due to the influx of visitors, schools in Ayodhya and Varanasi will remain closed from February 11 to February 14, officials said. A motorist, however, disclosed that the traffic jam could be linked to navigation maps, people choosing the same options, and bottlenecks in entering and exiting Prayagraj. He said he returned from the Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj to Lucknow in five hours. VIKRAM NAYAK THE GOAN I VASCO T he recent bomb scare at the BITS Pilani in Sancoale on February 7 which turned out to be a hoax has been yet another instance in a long list of false bomb threats to have rattled Mormugao taluka over the past few years. While such threats often lead to panic and large-scale security operations, they have also become so frequent that many locals have started dismissing them as routine hoaxes. Mormugao taluka, which is home to Dabolim Airport, the Mormugao Port, and several key installations and institutions, has witnessed at least six hoax bomb threats in the past two years. Most of these incidents have targeted the Dabolim Airport, causing significant disruptions to flights and passenger movements. ment was restricted, and a thorough search was conducted. Security was heightened, but the threat was ultimately deemed a false alarm. JANUARY 9, 2023 A bomb threat was reported on board a Russian charter flight (Azur Airways) heading to Goa. Security agencies were immediately alerted, and the flight was diverted to Jamnagar Airport, where a full-scale investigation took place. After hours of rigorous checks, authorities confirmed it was a hoax. The flight, carrying 244 passengers, finally landed in Goa the next day. JANUARY 21, 2023 Barely two weeks later, another Azur Airways charter flight carrying 247 passengers was diverted, this time to Uzbekistan, after the Goa Airport director received a APRIL 29, 2024 A file photo of a police team and an Anti-Terrorism Squad on guard following a bomb threat at Dabolim airport.   Vikram Nayak bomb threat email. The flight was scheduled to land at Dabolim Airport at 4.15 am, but following security protocols, it was redirected. A thorough investigation revealed no explosive devices, confirming yet another hoax. JULY 29, 2023 A mystery caller reported a bomb planted at Goa International Airport, leading to chaos. The CISF, ATS, the Bomb Disposal Squad, and a Police Dog Squad were deployed immediately. Passenger move- The Dabolim Airport and Manohar International Airport at Mopa were placed on high alert after an email claiming bombs had been planted at multiple airports was received at 9.30 am. Emergency security checks were conducted by ATS, CISF, fire brigade, and police teams, but no explosives were found. The incident was confirmed to be a hoax. OCTOBER 27, 2024 A person on social media had issued a bomb threat targeting Indigo Airlines at Dabolim Airport. The airline, along with security forces, conducted an immediate investigation. The threat was confirmed to be fake, but authorities registered an offence under multiple sections of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Civil Aviation Act, 1982. FEBRUARY 7, 2025 An email claiming RDX was planted in the BITS Pilani auditorium sent shock waves through the Sancoale-based campus, which was hosting a three-day national-level event with 4,500 students present. The premises were evacuated, and security teams including ATS, BDDS, fire brigade, and police conducted a thorough search. No explosives were found, confirming yet another hoax. >Continued on P5