log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) Instagram.com/thegoanonline Pg 16 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 WPL: Delhi Capitals beat Gujarat Giants by 6 wickets SLUMS IN EYE OF A STORM Panaji plunges into internet chaos as dept cuts cables WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 26, 2025 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 249 District Magistrates named nodal No one can touch Moti Dongor slum as long as officers to eliminate hutments THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a move towards planned urban development, the Goa government has decided to identify and eliminate all illegal slums and for which District Magistrates are appointed as nodal officers. The Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting with the Chief Secretary, DGP, and other senior officials to review key agendas for the State Budget 2025, set to be presented next month. The agenda of 27th  Western Zonal Council meeting, held in Pune, last week was also discussed. According to the press statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), directions have been issued to the district magistrates to identify and eliminate illegal slums reinforcing efforts towards planned urban development. >> pg 6 Weaving dreams, empowering women and reviving handlooms IN SHORT >> Sub-letting of shacks: Hearings begin PANAJI: The Tourism Department has commenced hearings into 99 notices issued to shack owners, citing alleged violations of the shack policy, particularly the unauthorized subletting of these temporary beach structures.  >> See pg 3 IGP Omvir Singh is Additional DGP PANAJI: Inspector General of Police Omvir Singh (IPS) has been promoted to the rank of Additional Director General of Police with an order issued by the Department of Personnel (Goa government) directing him to hold the additional charge.  >> See pg 3 The move aims towards utilizing the land for providing affordable housing.   The directions were also issued to the authorities to revise the Panaji master plan and formulate new master plans for Vasco, Margao and Mapusa town. The meeting also discussed addressing the issue related to malnutrition in rural areas and implementing measures to reduce school dropout rates. Accelerating the implementation of special fast-track courts for swift disposal of Rape and POCSO Act cases and enhancing the 112 Emergency Response Support System to significantly reduce response times across the state. “Directions have been issued to explore successful governance models from other states for potential implementation in Goa,” CMO said. Strengthening the banking network to ensure every village has a bank branch within a 3 km radius was yet another issue discussed. Ahead of the Budget presentation, the Chief Minister reviewed the expenditure of the current budget, the status of key assurances, and preparations for the forthcoming budget. I am there: Digambar THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Days after the government constituted a panel to look into the rehabilitation of the slum dwellers at the migrant-inhabited Moti Dongor, Margao MLA Digambar Kamat on Tuesday thundered atop the hillock that as long as he is there no one will dare raze down even one structure at Moti Dongor. “We have seen WhatsApp messages being circulated on social media that Moti Dongor structures will go for demolition. These people do not know the history and background of Moti Dongor and the existence of the structures atop the hillock over the years. I want to tell all these people that as long as Digambar Kamat is there, no one will dare touch the structures”, he Govt to task casino operators with offshore relocation plan MAY PUT BALL IN THEIR COURT ON FEASIBLE SITE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Finding itself in fix over identifying an alternate site for relocation of offshore casino vessels from River Mandovi, the Goa government is likely to ask casino operators to look for a feasible location and shift. The government in December, last year, granted a final extension till March 2027 for casinos to continue their operations in River Mandovi. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said that casinos must relocate from the Mandovi River by March 2027, as it marks the end of their final extension. Highly placed sources confirmed that the government is considering directing casino operators to identify a feasible site and submit proposal for their relocation. “The government had identified four possible sites in the past but all faced public objection. So now, it’s better that casino operators themselves look for an BETTING BEYOND MANDOVI >Continued on P10 Goa’s temp hits unusual highs; no respite for a week, says IMD THE GOAN I NETWORK IV, MV Royale Flotel, and MV Lucky. Sources confirmed that till date, the government has not issued any directions to the Home department or Captain of Ports (CoP) to initiate fresh process for identification of alternate site. Way back in 2018-19, the State government through home department along with Captain of Ports (CoP) had tentatively identified four sites PANAJI Goa has been experiencing higher-than-normal temperatures for the last two days with the maximum temperature reaching a little above 36°C on Tuesday. However, it was a slight drop from 37.4°C recorded on Monday. The minimum temperature stood at 22°C-23°C on Tuesday while the humidity level dropped to about 68 per cent.  As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) Goa, the maximum temperature over the next seven days is expected to range between 35°C and 37°C while the minimum temperature will be between 21°C and 23°C. Humidity levels are predicted to rise to 80 per cent in the coming days.  Although the heat remains tolerable for the general public, IMD Goa has warned that vulnerable groups including infants, the elderly and persons with chronic illnesses, may experience moderate >Continued on P10 >Continued on P10 „„Govt considering directing casino operators to identify feasible site „„May ask them to submit proposal for relocation „„Govt had identified four possible sites but all faced public objection „„Earlier BJP-led govt had taken a policy decision in 2013 to relocate offshore casinos from River Mandovi „„Failure to identify alternative site forced govt to grant them series of extensions alternate site,” sources said. The then BJP-led government had taken a policy decision in 2013 to relocate the offshore  casinos  from River Mandovi. However, the failure to identify an alternative site forced the government to grant them a series of extensions to continue in the river since March, 2014. There are six offshore  casinos  operating in River Mandovi; namely MV Horseshoe Casino, MV Pride of Goa, MV Casino Royale, MV Argosy thundered at the inauguration of Urban Ayushman Arogya Mandir at Moti Dongor at the hands of the Health Minister Vishwajit Rane. The health wellness centre is the second facility set up at the migrant inhabited area after a police outpost in the last four months. While Rane and health officials descended at Moti Dongor with the avowed objective of opening the health facility for the local populace, the Margao MLA used the platform to refresh the memory of the inhabitants how he had saved them around 40 years ago after the government headed by former CM Pratapsing Rane issued a notification notifying Moti Dongor as a slum area under the Slum Act 1960. Sweet deal: Govt eyes truck hub on Sanjeevani land THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI n a significant move that will not only resolve the long-pending issue of disorganised parking of heavy goods vehicles or trailers in Ponda taluka and its surrounding areas but also generate revenue to the State’s lone sugar factory, the State government has proposed to set up a mega truck terminus at an area of 2 lakh sq mtrs belonging to Sanjeevani Sugar Factory at Dharbandora. The proposal, which is currently in the draft stage, will include all basic facilities like washrooms, toilets, resting rooms, canteen and other amenities for the truck drivers and support staff at government prescribed rates thus I FUTURE PERFECT: REVVING UP REVENUE „„Gov proposes to set up mega truck terminus on 2 lakh sq mts belonging to Sanjeevani factory at Dharbandora „„Survey work completed for truck terminus „„Terminus to accommodate around 500 trucks at a time generating revenue to the factory which is shut since 2019. The proposal is mooted by Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik and the same will be developed in phased manner. Sanjeevani Sugar Factory, has completed the survey work for the truck terminus that will accommodate around 500 „„Around Rs 200-250 to be charged as parking fees trucks at a time. The government intends to charge around Rs 200-250 as parking fees. “The proposal is in draft stage. The Minister wants to utilize the land for the project that will help generate revenue and at the same time will resolve the persistent issue of heavy vehicle parking along „„Land to be utilised to generate revenue „„Will also resolve persistent issue of parking of heavy vehicles along the road causing accidents „„Terminus will also creating employment opportunities for locals the road side,” sources said. The proposal was initially discussed in 2023 when Satej Kamat was the administrator. While the project was delayed, Kamat utilized the area as a parking lot for trucks that helped generate revenue. Apart from easing the parking woes, the truck terminus project holds the promise of creating employment opportunities for the local population in the Dharbandora taluka. Since 2019, more than 4.20 lakh sq mtrs of the 15-lakh allotted to the Sanjivani factory for agricultural purposes has been officially given away for non-agricultural purposes. Almost 25,000 sq mts were transferred to a college run by the Trust of MLA Ganesh Gaonkar and another two lakh sq mts to the Union government for setting up a National Forensic Sciences University -the foundation stone for which was laid by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in August 2021. Before that another two lakh were transferred to the Bar Association for a law college, which the government intends to shift to Mayem. n BROADBAND SERVICES AFFECTED n BUSINESSES, WORK FROM HOME PROFESSIONALS BADLY HIT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa Electricity Department on Tuesday wielded the saw and began cutting cables “unauthorisedly” mounted on their street poles in central Panaji around the Azad Maidan causing internet outages and disrupting businesses. The action comes a day after the Bombay High Court at Goa heard the matter between internet service providers and the department but gave no relief. Several businesses and internet dependent professionals, especially those who work from home, have complained of facing severe hardships since Tuesday afternoon. “It is a total mess. We (consumers) are the only ones paying up the internet cess and dues regularly but suffering the most,” said one user who did not wish to be identified. Cut cables dangle from a pole in Panaji on Tuesday.   Narayan Pissurlenkar She said, the ones that have not paid their dues (service providers) and the one who has jumped to cut off the cables (Electricity Dept) are playing their games leaving the consumers (who the only ones who have paid their dues) to suffer. Apart from Panaji, the department went about cutting cables from electricity poles in sporadic places across the State as well.  Executive Engineer Kashinath Shetye said the drive has recommenced as no operator has cleared dues to the department so far. “The drive (cutting of cables) will be conducted across State,” he added The All Goa Internet Service Providers Association (AGISPA) meanwhile has been >Continued on P10 Investment fraud: Chargesheet filed PANAJI: The Economic Offences Cell (EOC) of Goa Police has filed a chargesheet against Myron Rodrigues and his wife Deepali Parab for allegedly cheating a local senior citizen Ivon Suresh Joaquim Almeida of Rs 1.19 crore. The chargesheet, filed before the Principal District and Sessions Court in Margao, on Tuesday, declared Rodrigues as an absconder. It also submitted that a Blue Notice is already issued against him and a Red Corner Notice to soon follow.   Details in the chargesheet reveal that between March 1, 2023, and August 9, 2023, the accused induced Almeida, a 60-year-old resident of Navelim, to invest in the stock market and other financial instruments, promising returns of 25-45 percent on short-term investments. >> See pg 3