log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SATURDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2025 IN SHORT >> `46 cr okayed for Dhargal underpass MAPUSA: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has sanctioned the construction of a vehicular underpass (VUP) at Dhargal, with an estimated cost of Rs 46 crore. The project is set to address traffic congestion and improve road safety in the area. >> See pg 3 Third chargesheet filed against Suleman PANAJI: The Special Investigation Team (SIT-Land Grab) on Friday filed a third chargesheet against accused Suleman Khan in connection with fraudulent land dealings in Thivim. SP Rahul Gupta said that the SIT submitted the chargesheet before the Judicial Magistrate First Class Mapusa. >> See pg 3 GIC aims for zero pendency by Dec PANAJI: Goa State Information Commission has set a target of achieving zero RTI application pendency by the end of 2025. Chief Information Commissioner Arvind Nair informed that the commission has streamlined hearings, limiting them to a maximum of three before making decisions. 3 held for cricket betting at Pilerne PORVORIM: Porvorim Police arrested three persons and seized gambling material worth Rs 1.1 lakh after busting a cricket betting racket in Pilerne late Thursday night. Police raided the place received information from a reliable source that some people were accepting bets in a rented bungalow for the cricket match.  >> See pg 5 Parra local dies after hit-&-run case MAPUSA: A 58-year-old resident of Parra succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC), Bambolim. Nandkishore Salgaonkar was seriously injured in a hit-and-run accident late Wednesday night when an unidentified vehicle rammed his two-wheeler from behind at Parra. WEATHER >> Max: 32.5 C Min: 24 C Humidity: 92% TIDES Low: High: 11.32 03.21 ---19.57 14 pages Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 245 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Cash payments of traffic fines to be discontinued DEPARTMENT TO ENFORCE DIGITAL-ONLY MODE FOR CHALLAN PAYMENTS FROM NEW FINANCIAL YEAR THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI After five years of relying on a system meant to streamline traffic fine collections -- amid a series of alleged irregularities -- Goa Police has purportedly admitted to flaws in its e-challan mechanism. The decision to shift to an entirely digital payment with strict removal of cash for paying fines also comes after a lady constable was accused of misappropriating Rs 17.30 lakh collected in fine while at Bicholim police station. Reliable police sources confirmed to The Goan that the department will enforce a digital-only mode for motor vehicle fine payments from new financial year, doing away with cash transactions entirely. CHALLANS: FINE TUNING ON CARDS „„Traffic violators must make payments digitally (Debit/Credit card or QR code) „„Those unable to pay on the spot will have to visit designated Traffic Cell or Police Station to settle challan „„Dedicated ledger to track cash transactions with the changes expected to be implemented in new financial year „ „ F LA SH BACK : Dept had introduced e-challan machines to replace manual challans in 2020, allowing payments through cash, debit/credit cards and QR codes Inspector General of Police Omvir Singh Bishnoi, reportedly displeased, is pushing for a cleaner system to restore public trust. “The Department introduced e-challan machines to replace manual challans in 2020, allowing payments through cash, debit/credit cards and QR codes. However, loopholes in the system surfaced which prompted the Department to review and re-introduce with a policy change,” sources revealed. With the revised system, traffic violators must make Ro-Ro ferry boats to bring Chorao closer to Ribandar RND SETS MARCH 20 AS TENTATIVE LAUNCH DATE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The River Navigation Department (RND) has tentatively set a March 20 schedule to launch the first ever Ro-Ro (roll in and roll out) ferry boats' service from the ferry wharf currently being readied by the Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) at Ribandar. The service will initially be operated on the Ribandar-Chorao route, according to an RND official. The ferry wharf at Ribandar, meanwhile, is nearing completion with the final, submerged slab of the ramp left to be cast. IPSCDL managing director and CEO, Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS, said this final slab will be cast on February 27-28. "The jetty will be fully ready and handed over by March 7. This final slab does not require time for curing since it is the portion which remains submerged in the river," Rodrigues told The Goan. Ro-Ro ferries will be a huge boon to the Chorao islanders. THE TIDE OF PROGRESS „„Jetty to be fully ready by March 7... only final slab left to be cast „„Chorao-Ribandar sailing time to be vastly reduced „„Ro-Ro do not need to reverse after taking off from jetties  „„Ferries can accommodate more vehicles per trip They vastly reduce sailing time as they do not need to reverse after taking off from the jetties.  Also they can accommodate  more  vehicles per trip which can drive into the ferries at the jetty they embark from and drive out when they reach the destination without again having to reverse. The RND will introduce two Ro-Ro ferry boats on the Ribandar-Chorao route which otherwise requires six ferry boats to service the traffic from the Chorao island to the Panaji-Ribandar mainland. Introduction of Ro-Ro ferries „„Vehicles can drive into the ferries at the jetty they embark from and drive out when they reach the destination without again having to reverse „„RND will introduce two Ro-Ro ferry boats on Ribandar-Chorao route which otherwise requires six ferry boats was a subject of discussion at the highest government and political levels for nearly three decades in Goa. At one stage, industrialist and former Sanvordem MLA, the late Anil Salgaocar, had officially proposed in the Goa legislative assembly that one of his his firms  will operate Ro-Ro ferries on as many routes that the government was willing to privatise and authorise. After more than a decade now, Ro-Ro ferry boats will finally be seen operating in Goa when the service begins on the Ribandar-Chorao route in mid-March. RICKELTON’S HUNDRED SETS UP PROTEA’S BIG WIN  >>14 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 payments digitally (Debit/ Credit card or QR code) and those unable to pay on the spot will have to visit the designated Traffic Cell or Police Station to settle their challan. A dedicated ledger is required to track cash transactions with the changes expected to be implemented in the upcoming financial year. For those with pending challans, payments can be made via echallan.parivahan. gov.in/index/accused-challan which violators will also receive via SMS. The department had earlier this month decided to shift to cashless challan payments for traffic fines starting 2025-26 financial year, after the Rs 17.30 lakh fraud at Bicholim police station between February and December 2024. NEP for Std VI & X to roll out from new academic year Semester pattern, Board exam to be followed THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Directorate of Education (DoE) on Friday announced implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for Class VI and X from the coming academic year 202526. While a semester pattern of two examinations will be followed for the students of Class VI, the students of grade X will go through the annual Board examination In a circular issued, Director Education Shailesh Zingade said that while Grade VI student will have nine subjects with new textbooks to be introduced in all the curricular areas, the Class X and IX will continue with ten subjects. “It is decided by the government to implement NEP 2020 at Middle Stage (Grade 6) and Grade 10 of secondary stage in the year 2025-26,” Zingade said, adding both the grades will have 1200 instructional WHAT THE CIRCULAR SAYS „„Grade VI students will have nine subjects with new textbooks „„Class X and IX will continue with ten subjects „„Both grades will have 1200 instructional hours and 48 periods „„Medium of instruction hours and 48 periods. Zingade said that the medium of instruction for grade 6-12 will be English; however, relaxation will be given to the existing recognized schools having other medium of instruction. The department has assured to provide additional teachers for an increase of workload. While two competency-based MCQ type semester examinations of 50 marks will be held with common paper for grade 6 & 12 will be English „„Relaxation to be given to existing recognized schools having other medium of instruction „„Additional teachers to be provided for increase in workload to be set by the State Council of Education, Research and Training (SCERT) for Class VI, the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GBSHSE) will conduct the examination for class X. For Class VI, the assessment will comprise of two components -- internal comprising activities, assignments, projects, etc and external component of theory. >Continued on P9 Rift in M’rashtra CLEARING THE DECK govt? Don’t take me lightly, warns Eknath Shinde PTI NAGPUR Amid talk of a growing rift between him and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde on Friday said nobody should take him lightly, and made a veiled reference to the toppling of the MVA government. It was a warning for those who were capable of understanding, he said, talking to reporters in Nagpur, but at another event later, maintained that there was no “cold war” between him and Fadnavis. “In 2022, I toppled the cart of those who took me lightly, and we brought in a new government that stayed in the people's hearts,” Shinde told reporters in Nagpur, apparently referring to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Shinde had then become chief minister by splitting the Thackeray-led Sena and forming an alliance with the BJP. “The double engine government (headed by Shinde) ran at full speed, and I and Devendra Fadnavis said we would win over 200 seats,” he said. A JCB removes the top layer of the old Mandovi bridge as part of the plans to lay a new surface. The bridge has been shut for all vehicular traffic.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Transport Dept clamps down, orders rental cabs to stick to official bases THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Transport Department has begun cracking a whip on erring rental cab operators, directing that they operate only from their registered main office or designated branch offices, as permitted under their license. In a public notice on Friday, the Department warned that licenses of violators would be suspended. “Offering rental cab services from public places such as airports and railway stations is in violation of the conditions and guidelines prescribed under the Rent-aCab Scheme, 1989,” the notice stated. Citing Section 8(ii) of the scheme, the notice clarified that a license holder cannot shift the principal place of business mentioned in the license without prior written approval from the licensing authority.   The Department has thus directed the rent-a-cab operators to ensure their business is strictly from their registered main office or designated branch offices, as permitted under their license. >Continued on P9 US fund for India voter turnout Govt tightens leash, 10 more dog breeds on ban list ANIMAL LAW OVERHAUL: BIG CHANGES AHEAD was kickback scheme: Trump THE GOAN I NETWORK SAYS DOESN’T CARE, WE HAVE OUR OWN PROBLEMS PTI WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump has claimed that the USD 21 million funding to India for ''voter turnout'' was a “kickback” scheme, as he continued to attack the previous Biden administration over the now cancelled financial aid. Trump made these remarks while speaking at the Republican Governors Association meeting in Washington DC. “USD 21 million for voter turnout in India. Why are we caring about India's turnout? We have got enough problems. We want our own turnout, said Trump. I would say in many cases, many of these cases, anytime you have no idea what we're talking about, that means there's a kickback because nobody has any idea what's going on there, he said. This is the third time within a week that Trump has questioned the funding. Earlier addressing the FII Priority Summit in Miami, he had raised similar concerns over funding to India and suggested that they were trying to “get somebody else elected”. On Wednesday, he questioned the purpose of providing aid to India for voter turnout as he reiterated that the US “can hardly get in there”. His remarks came days after the Department of Government Efficiency disclosed that USAID contributed USD 21 mn to Election Commission to boost voter turnout in India. PANAJI he State government will most likely extend its ban on the import and breeding of aggressive dog breeds, expanding beyond Pit Bulls and Rottweilers to include ten more breeds considered dangerous. The proposed ban is likely to cover Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Russian Shepherd, Tornjak, Sarplaninac and Japanese Tosa. Reliable sources familiar with the matter said that Akita and various Mastiff breeds T „„All existing ferocious dog breeds to be subjected to mandatory sterilization „„Stakeholders to be consulted for suggestions, objections „„Legislation expected to incorporate stringent penalties for those found conniving in breeding might also be included, either replacing some from the initial list or being added later. Sources revealed to The Goan that all existing dogs of these breeds will be subjected „„Beyond dogs currently registered, no new imports or breeding to be permitted „„Dept to maintain record which will be made available through ongoing enumeration of pet & stray dogs „„Assistance of law enforcement agency to be taken for sterilization to mandatory sterilization to prevent breeding. A notification is expected soon. The ordinance titled ‘The Goa Animal Breeding Domestication Regulation and ON THE BAN LIST „„The proposed ban is likely to cover Tosa Inu, American Staffordshire Terrier, Fila Brasileiro, Dogo Argentino, American Bulldog, Boerboel, Kangal, Russian Shepherd, Tornjak, Sarplaninac and Japanese Tosa Compensation Act’ drafted by Advocate General Devidas Pangam and approved by Cabinet will however be put up for public hearing. “All stakeholders will be consulted for suggestions, objections and views but amending the law is the need of the hour given the current circumstances in the State. It will be incorporated and the ordinance will be re-drafted to be tabled in the legislative assembly,” the source added. The proposed legislation is also expected to incorporate stringent penalties for those found conniving in the breeding of these dog breeds. “Beyond the > Continued on P9