log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY AUGUST 5, 2025 GOA Despite 75% disability, this young mother keeps moving - in work, life and poetry IN SHORT >> Builders now get to pay infra tax in two instalments PANAJI: The Goa legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Goa Tax on Infrastructure (Amendment) Bill, 2025, to amend the original law and permitting the payment of infrastructure tax by builders in two equal instalments instead of the earlier regime where the entire tax had to be paid at the start of the project.   Bill on public varsity postponed PANAJI: The Goa legislative assembly on Monday postponed the passing of the Goa Public Universities Bill, 2025, after the Opposition raised objections and demanded that it be pushed to the last day of this session. Opposition MLAs questioned the hurry and expressed fear over the future of Goa University. Thousands queue up for 100 contract posts PANAJI: Thousands of candidates turned up outside the Directorate of Health Services on Monday to attend the interview for 100 contractual nursing posts. The candidates, who queued up as early as 6 am, were seen waiting for their turn enduring sun and rain.  >> See pg 3 Ruckus in House over Old Goa bungalow MAPUSA: The long-simmering controversy over an alleged illegal bungalow near Old Goa’s UNESCO World Heritage Site exploded in the Goa Legislative Assembly on Monday, with Opposition MLAs storming the well of the House and bringing proceedings to a temporary halt.  >> See pg 2 Dudhsagar tour operators protest PANAJI: Tour operators operating trips to Dudhsagar waterfalls staged a protest demanding immediate restoration of access to their original booking website, which they allege is currently being managed by outsiders for private benefit. WEATHER >> Max: 31.3 C Min: 25 C Humidity: 92% TIDES Low: High: 01:25 09:21 14:37 18:41 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 48 Oppn corners govt over OBC injustice, CM promises course correction >> See pg 6 Facebook.com/thegoan 2 GOA Key officers calling in sick scuttles election for Rumdamol sarpanch 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO You don’t need coffee to keep you awake! Monthly smart meter charges to be added to electricity bills n TO BE STAGGERED OVER A PERIOD OF 93 MONTHS n POWER TARIFF TO RISE BY ALMOST 5.75 PER CENT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Going ahead with the implementation of prepaid smart meters, the Goa government is set to charge Rs 117.50 per meter per month to the consumers as part of power tariff, which will raise the tariff by almost 5.75 per cent. However, the government has justified that it is just a minor increase and the payment impact would be minimal as it is staggered over a period of 93 months. ON PAGE 2 Power Minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Monday informed the Legislative Assembly that the Electricity department has proposed a 5.75 per cent overall marginal tariff hike for the financial year 2025-26, with a minimal increase of around 3 per cent State hits 50 MW green power: Min PANAJI: Power Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar on Monday claimed that almost 50 megawatts of solar power is being produced in the State with over 2,100 consumers having installed units refuting Opposition legislators’ claims that the State was laggard in meeting its renewable energy targets. Dhavalikar was replying to the discussion on the demands for grants related to the New and Renewable Energy Department (NRED) and the Electricity Department. The minister also refuted claims made by members that the government was not proactive in creating for the lower slabs covering nearly 70 per cent of domestic consumers. He stated that the tariff revision process is a statutory awareness about renewable sources of energy even as he claimed that programmes to create awareness are held at the taluka level regularly. As for subsidies to buy EVs, Dhavlikar said, subsidies worth Rs 5-odd crores had been disbursed for purchase of four-wheeler EVs while another Rs three-odd crore was disbursed to 2,294 people for purchase of two-wheelers. Meanwhile, replying to the discussion on the demands for the electricity department, Dhavalikar refuted the Opposition claims that transmission and distribution losses were at a high of 11 percent. He added that the T&D losses in the State were at 7.6%. annual exercise mandated under the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) regulations, while also clarifying that, compared to oth- er states, Goa has one of the lowest electricity tariffs, even as the per capita income is the highest. “In accordance with JERC WASHINGTON he State Department is proposing requiring applicants for business and tourist visas to post a bond of up to USD 15,000 to apply to enter the United States, a move that may make the process unaffordable for many. In a notice to be published in the Federal Register, the department said it would start a 12-month pilot programme under which people from countries deemed to have high overstay rates and deficient internal document security controls could be required to post bonds of USD 5,000, USD 10,000 or USD 15,000 when they apply for a visa. A preview of the notice, T Regulations, the Annual Revenue Requirement (ARR) and Tariff Filing are undertaken as a yearly exercise. Considering the overall annual expenditure of the electricity department, including power purchase, salaries, operation and maintenance, capital expenditure, etc, the ARR is determined,” he said, while responding to a Calling Attention Motion raised by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao and MLAs Vijai Sardesai, Carlos Ferreira, Cruz Silva, Venzy Viegas and Viresh Borkar. Dhavalikar said the project introduced as part of the Central Government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) of the Ministry of Power, gives the department an upper hand to not pay any amount outright to the vendor until the project is commissioned. “The project implementation time is 27 months, and >Continued on P6 Govt to formulate ENGLAND GILL-OTINED! MATCH STATS new policy for gig workers in 6 mths AMID INFLUX OF DELIVERY AGENTS… India clinch nail-biting 6-run win, draw Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-2 CM MANDATES POLICE VERIFICATION THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa government is likely to formulate a comprehensive policy for gig workers in the State within the next six months amid rising concerns over an influx of delivery agents employed by platforms like Zomato, Swiggy and Blinkit. Responding to a joint Calling Attention tabled by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, MLAs Vijay Sardesai, Altone D’Costa, Viresh Borkar, Carlos Ferreira, Cruz Silva and Venzy Viegas, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the new policy will make registration and police verification mandatory for all gig workers operating in the State. “The issue involves several departments including Home, FDA and Labour, as it concerns both law and order and health,” he told the Legislative Assembly, assuring the OPPN RINGS ALARM BELLS „„Claim over 8,000 delivery workers brought in from outside Goa along with their own two-wheelers bearing non-Goa registration plates „„Seek to know steps taken to protect local employment, regulate the sector Shubman „„Siraj removes Smith & Overton to swing momentum India’s way Gill-led „„Prasidh’s perfect yorker cleans up Tongue to bring India one India clinched wicket from victory a dramatic six-run „„Siraj bowls Atkinson with an inch-perfect low ball, clinching a 6-run win victory over England -- their narrowest Test SIRAJ THE SUPERMAN win in history -- in the fifth „„Emerges hero with a Test at The Oval match haul of nine wickets „„Match-winning delivery to bowl Atkinson clocked at 143 kmph „„Finishes series with 23 wickets UNSUNG HEROES policy will be in place within six months. During the discussion, the Opposition MLAs raised alarm over reports that more than 8,000 delivery workers have been brought in from outside Goa along with their own two-wheelers bearing non-Goa registration plates. They sought to know the steps being taken to protect local „„Krishna ends up taking 4 wickets each in both innings „„Sundar smashes 4 sixes and a total of 39 runs for 10th-wicket partnership in 2nd innings (Report on pg 12) >Continued on P6 US visa seekers may soon need $15,000 down payment PTI 9 Trump threatens to raise India tariffs NEW YORK: President Donald Trump on Monday said he will “substantially” raise US tariffs on India, accusing the country of buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling it for big profits. “India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian oil, they are then, for much of the oil which was posted on the Federal Register website on Monday, said the pilot programme would take effect within 15 days of its formal publication and is necessary to ensure that the US government is not financially liable if a visitor does not comply with the purchased, selling it on the open market for big profits,” Trump said in a social media post. “They don’t care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the tariff paid by India to the USA,” he added. terms of his or her visa. Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot programme, the notice said. The countries affected would be listed once the programme takes effect, it said. The bond would not apply to citizens of countries enrolled in the Visa Waiver Programme and could be waived for others depending on an applicant’s individual circumstances. Visa bonds have been proposed in the past but have not been implemented. The State Department has traditionally discouraged the requirement because of the cumbersome process of posting and discharging a bond and because of a possible misperceptions by the public. However, the department said that previous view is not supported by any recent examples or evidence, as visa bonds have not generally been required in any recent period. SPORTS Manchester United wins Premier League Summer Series 14 Bill approved to legalise homes on comunidade land RELIEF FOR PRE-2014 HOUSES THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a major decision, the State Cabinet on Monday accorded its approval to the Goa Legislative Diploma No 2070 (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in a bid to regularise unauthorised houses constructed on the comunidade land before February 28, 2014.  As per the Cabinet note, the bill introduces Article 372 B to the Diploma allowing regularisation of unauthorised dwelling houses up to 300 sq mts of land, comprising the plinth area of their dwelling house, and up to two metres of adjoining area on all sides from the outer walls.  Applicants must be landless persons who have been residents of Goa for at least 15 years before February 28, 2014. The legislation excludes sensitive areas like protected forests, wildlife sanctuaries, coastal regulation zones, and eco-sensitive zone-I. Where encroached areas exceed 300 sq mts, applicants must surrender excess land. The application has to be made within six months from WHAT CABINET NOTE SAYS „„Regularisation of unauthorised dwelling houses up to 300 sq mts of land „„Applicants must be landless persons who have been residents of Goa for at least 15 years before February 28, 2014 „„Excludes sensitive areas like protected forests, wildlife sanctuaries, coastal regulation zones, and eco-sensitive zone-I „„If encroached areas exceed 300 sq mts, applicants must surrender excess land „„Applicants have to obtain Consent from comunidade coming into force in a bid to provide immediate protection to existing dwelling houses constructed before February 28, 2014, preventing their demolition for six months from the Act’s enforcement >Continued on P6 Sancoale panchayat secy suspended for serious misconduct CHARGES RELATE TO HARASSMENT, FLOUTING OF PANCHAYAT LAWS THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO The Directorate of Panchayats has placed Orville C Vales, Secretary (Gram Sevak) of the Village Panchayat of Sancoale under suspension with immediate effect, pending disciplinary proceedings, following serious allegations of harassment, procedural irregularities, and flouting of panchayat regulations. Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai had raised the issue of the Sancoale secretary in the Assembly and questioned the government as to why Vales was not suspended despite the recommendation of the Vigilance Department and the Chief Secretary of Goa. The order, dated August 1, 2025, was issued by Siddhi T Halaranakar, Director of Panchayats, Panaji, based on a detailed report received from the Directorate of Vigilance. An enquiry conducted by VIGILANCE REPORT „„Failed to process building license applications within mandated 30-day period „„Manipulated meeting minutes, passed resolutions without proper quorum or consent „„Issued construction license to one applicant without mandatory NOCs, while denying or delaying similar approvals to others the Anti-Corruption Branch revealed several violations, including the failure to process building license applications within the mandated 30-day period under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994. The Secretary also allegedly manipulated meeting minutes, passed resolutions without >Continued on P6 6-mth-old girl chokes on live fish in Bastora, dies WAS PLAYING WITH OTHER KIDS AND ACCIDENTALLY SWALLOWED IT THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA In a heartbreaking incident that has left the quiet village of Bastora in shock, a six-month-old baby girl lost her life in a freak accident involving a live fish on Sunday evening. The tragic event unfolded when the infant, while playing with other children in her home, is believed to have accidentally swal- lowed a live fish from a water tub kept nearby. The tub reportedly contained fish meant for domestic use. According to Mapusa Police, the child began choking and was rushed to the North Goa District Hospital by her family. However, doctors declared her brought dead. The baby’s father recounted the devastating sequence of events to police during the preliminary investigation, confirming that the fish had been part of a tub kept within reach of the playing children. Mapusa police have registered the case as an unnatural death and are continuing their investigation. The incident has sent shockwaves through the local community, leaving residents mourning and calling for better child safety awareness in homes.