log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY APRIL 22, 2025 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 304 Four houses will have to make way for Bhoma road project, CM tells locals 5 GOA Floating of long-delayed sopo tender at wholesale fish market postponed 6 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Can you really erase wrinkles by rubbing your face? 11 SPORTS IPL: Gujarat Titans outplay KKR with bat and ball 14 POPE LEAVES FOR HEAVENLY ABODE  FUNERAL ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY; MASS LIKELY AT ST PETER'S SQUARE; BURIAL EXPECTED AT ST MARY’S BASILICA  INDIA ANNOUNCES 3-DAY STATE MOURNING PTI VATICAN CITY Pope Francis, history's first Latin American pontiff who charmed the world with his humility and concern for the poor but alienated conservatives over climate change and critiques of capitalism, died Monday. He was 88. Bells tolled in church towers across Rome after the announcement, which was read out by Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, from the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta, where Francis lived. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church, Farrell said. In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs said, as a mark of respect, three-day state mourning shall be observed throughout India.” As per the schedule, two days' State mourning will be on April 22 and 23. Besides, one Govt hikes DA by 2 per cent for employees THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa government on Monday hiked the Dearness Allowance (DA) by two per cent of basic pay with retrospective effect from January 1, 2025, to compensate against price rise. With the hike, the DA has jumped to 55 per cent of basic pay from the existing rate of 53 per cent. The hike, which is in line with the Central government decision, will benefit over 63,000 employees of the State government and grantin-aid educational institutions. The salary as per new pay structure will be paid from May 2025 along with arrears from January to April. In July, last year, the DA was hiked from 50 per cent to 53 per cent. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 30 C 28 C 69% TIDES Low: High: 08:05 20:39 00:50 15:16 POPE FRANCIS December 17, 1936 – April 21, 2025 day State mourning will be on the day of the funeral, the statement said. Pope Francis, who shunned much of the pomp and privilege of leading the global Catholic Church, modified and simplified the papal funeral rites in 2024. The funeral Mass is still expected to be held in St. Peter's Square, but unlike many predecessors, Francis asked to be buried in Rome's St Mary Major Basilica to be near his favourite icon of the Madonna. His body could be moved to St Peter’s Basilica as early as KA glitch: ‘Pained’ BJP steps in, vows to resolve issue UNDERSTAND THE PAIN OF ARTISTES: DAMU THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As the government has once again been left red-faced after another technical failure disrupted a performance at Kala Academy -- second such incident in just a week -- the BJP Goa has conceded the mounting criticism with State President Damu Naik admitting that the situation is “painful.” Speaking on Prudent Media’s programme Head On, Naik said the government, party and central leadership would take appropriate steps. “I am an artiste and also a spectator. I understand the pain artists and public go through. I share the pain of Kala Academy and the artists facing these challenges. The issue will be resolved,” he said. The latest incident occurred during a performance of Shrimant Damodar Pant by popular Marathi actor Bharat Jadhav. The play was delayed due to a malfunctioning air conditioning system. The previous Sunday saw DAMU’S SYMPATHY „„Govt, party & central leadership will take appropriate steps „„I am an artiste and also a spectator... I understand the pain artists and the public go through because of this „„I share the pain of Kala Academy and the artists facing these challenges... The issue will be resolved in due course the Marathi play Purush face an unexpected 15-minute pause after a lighting failure. The lead actors were forced to apologize to the audience for the interruption. After the first incident, Minister for Art and Culture Govind Gaude called for a detailed report. The department subsequently asked the Public Works Department (PWD) to rectify the problems. Wednesday to allow his worshippers to pay their respects, the Vatican said, adding that a formal decision on the issue would be made by a group of cardinals during a meeting on Tuesday. Francis entered Gemelli hospital on February 14, 2025, Mhadei panel meet today to discuss Goa’s pitch for Kalasa inspection THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Mhadei PRAWAH (Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony) will meet on Tuesday in Bengaluru to discuss the Goa government’s proposal for joint site inspection of the Kalasa Nala project of Karnataka. This is the fourth meeting of PRAWAH. The committee was initially scheduled to meet on March 4 in Mumbai but the same was postponed to April 22 at 11 am. The third meeting of PRAWAH under Chairman Navin Kumar was held in Goa on October 25, last year, during which the authority had decided to approach the Central government seeking legal opinion with regards to joint site inspection request. Speaking to The Goan, WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar said that the State will press for its demand of fresh joint site inspection. “We will see that our demand is met. A joint site inspection of the Kalasa project is must to understand the kind of violation that Karnataka has undertaken,” the Minister said. Centre clears decks for Peddem underpass  TO BE COMPLETED IN 540 DAYS  BIDS TO OPEN ON MAY 8 THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA In a significant development aimed at easing traffic congestion and improving road safety, the Central government has given the green light to a long-pending infrastructure project at the accident-prone Peddem junction on the National Highway 66 (NH-66). The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has officially floated a tender for the construction of a vehicular underpass (VUP)/flyover near the Peddem junction, with an estimated budget of Rs 33.31 crore. The proposed underpass is HUGE RELIEF: The government has floated a tender for the construction of a vehicular underpass/flyover near the crucial Peddem junction, on the NH-66.  Agnelo Pereira set to come up approximately 200 metres away from the existing junction while heading towards Panaji, at kilometre 502.37 of NH-66. According to the detailed tender documents, the scope of work includes the full construction of the underpass along with approach roads on either side. The tender has been issued under the authority of Executive Engineer of Work Division VII (NH), Jude Carvalho. The project is expected to be completed within 540 days – roughly one and a half years – from the date of commencement. The bidding process for the tender will culminate with the opening of bids on May 8, 2025. The decision to build the underpass comes as a response to the persistent demands of residents from the localities of Peddem, >Continued on P6 for a respiratory crisis that developed into double pneumonia and, at 38 days, became the longest hospitalization of his papacy. Part of his right lung was removed in the late 1950s after a bout of pneumonia, and he suffered from chronic lung disease. He emerged on Easter Sunday his last public appearance, a day before his death to bless thousands of people in St Peter's Square, drawing wild cheers and applause. The death now sets off a week-long process of allowing the faithful to pay their final respects, first for Vatican officials in the Santa Marta chapel and then in St Peter's for the general public, followed by a funeral and a conclave to elect a new pope. From his election on March 13, 2013, the Argentine-born Jorge Mario Bergoglio signaled a different papacy, embracing refugees and the downtrodden, especially following the troubled tenure of >Continued on P6 ON PAGES 2, 3, 4, 7 Papa Francesco: The Pope of Surprises What happens when the Pope dies? 10 things to know Pope guided Church with wisdom, humility, open heart: Cardinal Ferrao A good man goes Political class remembers Pope Francis Goan Bishops pay rich tributes to Pope Francis Goan priests recall memories of Pope Francis POPE FRANCIS LEAVES BEHIND A LEGACY OF COMPASSION >> See Edit pg 4 POSSIBLE CONTENDERS Cardinal Peter Erdo Erdo (72): Budapest Cardinal Reinhard Marx Marx (71): Munich Cardinal Marc Ouellet Ouellet (80): Canada Cardinal Pietro Parolin Parolin (70): Italy Cardinal Robert Prevost: Washington Cardinal Robert Sarah Sarah (79): Guinea Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn Schoenborn (80): Austria Cardinal Luis Tagle Tagle (67): Philippines Cardinal Matteo Zuppi Zuppi (69): Bologna Cerebral haemorrhage likely cause of death VATICAN CITY: A cerebral haemorrhage is a possible cause of Pope' Francis's death and not the respiratory issues stemming from his recent bout of life-threatening pneumonia, well-informed sources told ANSA Monday. According to what ANSA has learned from the sources, one of the possible causes of Pope Francis' death was a cerebral haemorrhage. Pope a beacon of compassion: Modi NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered glowing tributes to Pope Francis, hailing him for his “compassion and humility” and commitment to social justice. Modi said he was deeply pained by the passing of Pope Francis, adding that he will always be remembered as a beacon of compassion and spiritual courage by millions across the world. “In this hour of grief and remembrance, my heartfelt condolences to the global Catholic community,” he said in a post on X.