log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) WEDNESDAY MARCH 26, 2025 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 277 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Govt to seek fresh consent for Old Goa project work KHAUNTE SAYS WILL NOT GO AHEAD WITHOUT CHURCH, ASI NOD THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As the Opposition cornered the State government over the illegal construction work in buffer zone of UNESCO recognised world heritage site under Central scheme, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Tuesday assured the House that the State will not go ahead with the PRASAD scheme till fresh consent is granted by the Church and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). Responding to the Calling Attention Motion, Khaunte said that no work will be undertaken for now pending fresh clearances. Khaunte said that the Church authorities including Basilica and Archdiocese were taken into confidence Archaeology Dept holds inspection OLD GOA: The Exploration Officer Deepika Gaonkar of the State Archaeology Department held a preliminary inspection of the project site of the Tourism Department in Old Goa where the cannon balls and other artefacts were found in the old Arsenal area. The inspection was held on Tuesday upon the complaint of Old Goa local Glen Cabral who had asked for intervention of the Archaeology Department to stop the illegal construction and to take possession of the artefacts as per the Goa, Daman and Diu Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1978.  >> See pg 3 while finalising the plan for a facilitation centre for tourists under PRASAD --  Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and spiritual Augmentation Drive scheme. He said that the Tourism Department has already obtained permission from ASI, National Monument Authority, Town and Country Planning and Forest department. “However, we will now go for fresh nod from Church and ASI.  The work at Old Goa amenity facilitation will commence only after that. Let the ON PAGE 3 Police plaint against authorities for facilitating destruction of antiquities in Old Goa Tourism department has not submitted project file: Se Old Goa panchayat  Project falls within prohibited zone, reiterates Save Old Goa panel Church tell us that we don’t want further amenities there,” the Minister said. BJP MLA Rajesh Faldesai Beyond the sparkle: A journey of innovation and social impact PANAJI After days of sweltering heat, Goa experienced much-needed relief on Tuesday as pre-monsoon showers brought down the temperature from a high of 34.6°C. Class XII results on March 27 Fishing ban period may be extended MARGAO: The Fisheries Survey of India is considering a proposal to extend the fishing ban period from June 1 – July 31 to June 1 – August 15.  >> See pg 3 ASSEMBLY COVERAGE ON PG 2 >Continued on P5 THE GOAN I NETWORK IN SHORT >> PANAJI: The Goa Board will announce Class XII results on March 27 at 5 pm. A total of 17,686 students -- 9224 girls and 8462 boys -- had answered the 2024-25 Board exam held from February 10 to March 1 across 20 centres. The results would be available on www.gbshse. in and http://results.gbshsegoa.net/#/ and RGP MLA Viresh Borkar had moved a calling attention motion over the  illegal construction work and large scale cutting of trees in buffer zone of UNESCO recognised world heritage site of old Goa to pave way for tourism project. While Faldessai sounded satisfied with the Minister’s reply, the Opposition led by Borkar cornered Khaunte for undertaking work without a panchayat NOC. They claimed that the project, as alleged by the locals, is a Mall. To which, Khaunte replied that misinformation has been spread about construction of the mall. “I have asked the police to investigate the root of the rumour about the mall,” he said. He took a dig at the Relief from heat as pre-monsoon showers lower temperature >> pg 6 BEACH THERAPY: Two young boys enjoy a swim in the sea off Miramar on Tuesday. As temperatures rise, people flock to the coastline to cool off in the soothing waves.   Narayan Pissurlenkar State plans modern museum with dedicated Mario Miranda gallery THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday announced plans to construct a State-of-theArt Museum at Old Goa with a gallery dedicated to Padma Vibhushan renowned cartoonist Mario Miranda. Speaking during the Calling Attention Motion, Sawant said the Department of Archives is currently in process of setting up museum at Old Secretariat-Adil Shah Palace, where a dedicated gallery will be in the honour of Miranda depicting his art work. “This government has the utmost respect for Miranda and fully agrees that the State museum is required to depict his art work as a fitting tribute to his contribution in the field of art and culture,” he said. In the long run, the Chief Minister said that the government is establishing a fullfledged museum at Old Goa in an area of 10,000 sq mtrs provided by the Agriculture Department. “Once that is constructed, >Continued on P5 Shreyas Iyer leads PBKS to winning start  Pg 14 UNSEASONAL RAINS LASH SATTARI; UPROOTS TREES, DISRUPTS TRAFFIC >> See pg 3 The rainfall, which began in the afternoon at many places, provided a refreshing break from the heat. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD) official Nahush Kulkarni, the showers are a pre-monsoon phenomenon that occurs between March and May. “It is pre-monsoon showers. This is due to a trough running across the interiors of Maharashtra and Karnataka, at one km above the mean sea level,” he told The Goan.   While the showers cooled the State, IMD stated that there is no rain alert for Wednesday. Sawant assures to review court order on illegal constructions OPPOSITION HIGHLIGHTS DoP MEMO, CLAIMS HOUSES OF PEOPLE AT RISK THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday assured the Goa Legislative Assembly that the government will review the recent High Court order on illegal constructions, along with the memorandum issued by the Directorate of Panchayats, before making a statement on the matter. The assurance came in response to concerns raised by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, who highlighted the memorandum sent by the Directorate of Panchayats to various panchayat secretaries across the State. Alemao emphasised that the issue had caused confusion and panic among residents, particularly those living in areas with disputed land records. “Houses of the people are at risk. People are confused, and the Chief Minister must make a statement in the House,” DoP orders strict compliance  MAPUSA: Director of Panchayats Siddhi Halarnkar has issued a directive to all village panchayats, Block Development Officers (BDOs), and panchayat secretaries to ensure strict compliance with the recent High Court order on illegal constructions. In a memorandum addressed to officials, Halarnkar instructed them to thoroughly review the High Court’s ruling dated March 6 in PIL No. 3 of 2024 and take necessary action within the prescribed timeline. >Continued on P5 Alemao urged at the beginning of the Question Hour. The High Court had recently directed authorities to take strict action against illegal constructions across the State, citing the need to protect Goa’s fragile ecosystem. The ruling mandated all the local bodies including panchayats and municipalities to inspect roadways, highways and other major roads within their jurisdiction and submit reports on illegal structures within four weeks. In response, the Directorate of Panchayats instructed village panchayats secretaries to take phased action against illegal constructions. As part of the compliance process, the government has initiated a survey to identify such structures, leading to uncertainty among local governing bodies and anxiety among affected residents. The issue >Continued on P5 Govt comes under Oppn fire over live gaming in casinos ACCUSED OF FAVOURING CASINO LOBBY THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA The government faced sharp criticism in the Assembly over alleged illegal live gaming activities in onshore casinos, with Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao blaming the administration for failing to regulate the sector. Alemao insisted that the government’s delay in appointing a gaming commissioner had led to widespread illegalities in casinos across the State. Alemao, in a scathing attack, accused the government of favouring the casino lobby. He lamented that Goa, once known for its pristine beaches and tourism, had now gained notoriety for its gaming industry. “If you travel to Goa by air, road or rail, the first thing you see are billboards advertising casinos. Goa, which was once famous for sun, sand, and sea, is now synonymous with gaming,” he said. No permission has been given for live gaming, will probe, says Sawant MAPUSA: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant denied any wrongdoing and asserted that the government had not granted permission for live gaming in casinos. He informed the House that three complaints had been received regarding illegal activities, of which two had been resolved while one remained under investigation. “We will take action as per the gaming rules,” Sawant assured. He countered the Opposition with a sarcastic remark, stating that everyone was aware of who introduced casinos in Goa. “We have recovered this year’s revenue from casinos. The government will recover Rs 250 crore in pending dues from casinos by March 31, while Rs 100 crore will be recovered three months after case resolutions,” he said. The opposition leader also highlighted the issue of unpaid dues, stating that casinos owe the government nearly Rs 250 crore. He alleged that while the government was targeting the common man for minor violations, it was turning a blind eye to casino operators who >Continued on P5 India’s peak power demand set to Pope Francis came close to dying, reveals doctor spike amid rising temperatures DOCTOR TALKS OF CRITICAL MOMENTS PTI PTI NEW DELHI India should prepare for a 9 to 10 per cent growth in peak electricity demand this summer with the country expected to experience more heatwaves, many experts have warned. Last year, the all-India peak electricity demand crossed 250 gigawatts (GW) on May 30, which was 6.3 per cent higher than projections. Climate change-induced heat stress is one of the key factors driving electricity demand. Currently, industries, households and agriculture account for 33 per cent, 28 per cent and 19 per cent of India’s total electricity consumption, Experts warn that India will have to brace for extended heatwaves and a peak electricity demand growth of 9-10 per cent, but this peak demand will only last for a short period respectively. Household electricity demand has grown the fastest over the past decade, according to Disha Agarwal, Senior Programme Lead Renewables at the Delhi-based think tank Council on Energy, Environment and Water. The share of household electricity consumption increased from 22 per cent in 2012-13 to 25 per cent in 202223. Much of this rise can be at- tributed to economic growth and the increasing need for cooling due to rising temperatures, experts say. “India must now brace for extended heatwaves and a peak electricity demand growth of 9-10 per cent. However, our analysis shows that this peak demand will only last for a short period,” she added. Agarwal said India’s electricity consumption has been growing at about 9 per cent annually since 2020-21, compared to 5 per cent per year in the previous decade. The Central Electricity Authority (CEA) had estimated that electricity demand would grow at a rate of 6 per cent per year from 2022 to 2030. ROME ope Francis’ medical team briefly considered suspending treatment after a February 28 breathing crisis but instead decided on an aggressive course that put his organs at risk, the doctor coordinating the pope’s hospital care said in an interview published Tuesday. Dr Sergio Alfieri said the 88-year-old pontiff and people close to him alike understood that he might not survive the night,’’ after the bronchospasm attack during which the pope inhaled vomit. “We needed to choose whether to stop and let him go, or to push it and attempt with all possible drugs and the treatments, taking the very P „„Pope and people close to him alike understood that he might not survive that night „„We needed to choose whether to stop and let high risk of damaging other organs,’’ Alfieri told the Milan daily Corriere della Sera. In the end, that is the path we chose. Francis was discharged Sunday after 38 days of treatment, under doctors’ orders to observe two months of convalescence during which he should avoid large gatherings. The pope appeared weak and frail when he greeted the crowd outside the Gemelli hospital before his discharge. The Vatican has said it is not him go, or to push it and attempt with all of the possible drugs and the treatments, taking the very high risk of damaging other organs „„The treatment risked damaging pope’s kidneys and bone marrow „„His body responded well to the treatments and the lung infection improved clear if the pope will meet with King Charles III on a Vatican state visit next month, or any Holy Week activities leading up to Easter. Alfieri said that the pope remained alert’ throughout the February 28 ordeal and that his personal health care assistant, Massi- miliano Strappetti, who knows perfectly the pontiff’s wishes, ‘’urged them to try everything. Don’t give up”. Alfieri acknowledged that the treatment risked damaging the pope’s kidneys and bone marrow, but we continued, and his body re- sponded to the treatments. The medical bulletin that night said that the pope had suffered a bronchiospasm so severe that he inhaled vomit worsening his respiratory picture. Doctors used a non-invasive aspiration to clear his airways. Three days later, in a second life-and-death crisis, the pope suffered a pair of acute bronchiospasms episodes. Doctors used a camera tube with a device to remove mucus plus that yielded abundant secretions. The bulletin emphasised that the pope always remained alert, oriented and collaborative. Alfieri said he believed that prayers for the pope help keep him alive, something that the doctor said is backed by scientific literature.