log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) Instagram.com/thegoanonline >P12 SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 14, 2024 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 87 Nearly 100 govt staff opt for voluntary retirement ALL POSTS HELD BY THEM TO BE ABOLISHED THE GOAN I NETWORK page 6 Goans keep alive culture, traditions in Zanzibar Goan restaurant wins multiple awards in Australia IN SHORT >> Port Blair renamed Sri Vijaya Puram NEW DELHI: Port Blair, the capital city of Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, has been renamed Sri Vijaya Puram, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced. Shah said the decision was taken to free the nation from colonial imprints as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands had an “unparalleled place” in the country’s freedom struggle. Govt notifies Pernem, Bardez land rates PANAJI: The State government on Friday notified the revised minimum land rates for Pernem and Bardez for 2024-25 which are now more than double the current rates. The rates are base values and are applicable to S1 zone for area up to 1000 sq mt. Sharp dip in HIV among women PANAJI: Much to the surprise of health officials tracking the contours of incidence of HIV/AIDS, the incidence of the deadly sexually transmitted disease (STD) has been dropping drastically among Goan women over the last five years.  >> See pg 3 Morlem woman cheated of `26L PANAJI: Valpoi police has booked a case against a couple from Honda-Sattari on charges of cheating a woman from Morlem to the tune of Rs 26 lakh after assuring to sell her a flat.  >> See pg 3 PANAJI Close to hundred government employees from group ‘C’ have opted for voluntary retirement under the State government’s VRS scheme that was introduced way back in November 2023. With voluntary superannuation of these employees, all the posts held by them stands abolished. The police department has a maximum number of 29 officials taking benefit of the scheme that included civil staff, police sub inspectors, ASIs, head constables etc. The government in November, last year, approved the VRS for group ‘C’ employees aged 45 years and above. The scheme was amended in February to extend the benefit to those employees who are less than 45 years in age but have completed 20 years of service. TAKING A BOW „„Police dept has maximum of 29 officials taking benefit of VRS „„Scheme amended in February to extend benefit to employees less than 45 years but have completed 20 years of service „„Proposals sent by respective departmental heads with clear recom- mendations for each application „„In the case of those below 45, medical conditions are cited as prime reason A senior official confirmed that the finance department cleared VRS proposals of nearly hundred employees in last nine months. “Majority of the employees are those above 45 years while there are very few cases where the employee has completed 20 years in service but the age criteria is below 45 years,” official said. The Official said that the proposals are sent by the respective departmental heads with clear recommendations for each application. In the case of those below 45 years, the medical conditions are cited as the prime reason. “These numbers are very few. Their VRS is recommended on medical grounds or for 2 weeks on, fate of Gujarat bizman cloaked in mystery NO HEADWAY INTO PROBE, POLICE CLUELESS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Nearly two weeks after Gujarat businessman Bashudev Bhandari ‘vanished’ after a road rage near Marcel, the mystery surrounding his whereabouts continues to baffle the police. ST ESTEVAM TRAGEDY Bhandari’s mobile phone, which rang twice after the August 31 incident, has offered little to help the investigation. Sources confirmed to The Goan that no outgoing calls were made from his phone, but it did receive two incoming calls – one from his father and another from Old Goa police. The call from the police was answered by a supermarket staff, who claimed no connection to Bhandari or the phone number. Bhandari’s father had first alerted police after his own call to his son’s phone QUESTIONS THAT REMAIN UNANSWERED „„If the boy swam back to shore, how has he remained missing? „„How is it possible that his phone is still charged after two weeks since the incident? „„Have the parents alleged that they were against their son’s relation- ship with the management student? „„Is the family happy with the investigation given that no concerns are raised about the failed search for Bashudev so far? „„Did Bashudev inform his family before traveling to Goa? went through. “The call made by the police was answered by a person working in a supermarket. He denied any connection to Bhandari or his phone number. It was likely a cross-connection, but we are tracking the number closely,” said one of the investigating team members. Despite extensive search operations including Navy divers and Fire personnel scouring the St Estevam River, Bhandari remains untraceable. The local police had also launched a combing operation stretching several kms around the river, however, all efforts have yielded no results. Two suspects, Yasim and Salman Gous, both from Belgaum, were detained from Hubli a week back. The charges against them are that they allegedly chased Bhandari’s rental Swift car after a minor >Continued on P5 MUMBAI CITY SALVAGES POINT AGAINST MOHUN BAGAN IN ISL RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 some reason related to health, because of which the employee is not in position to continue,” official explained. The government’s noting about the scheme clearly mentions that the posts that are vacated by virtue of VRS would stand abolished. “If we fill up these posts again and also pay those VRS employees, it would amount to a cost burden,” the official said. As per the scheme, addition to the facilities covered under the CCS Pension Rules 1972 (now 2021) and the employee covered under new pension system, the employee who avails VRS is entitled two months’ salary for each year of service left till superannuation, subject to a maximum of 20 per cent balance non-incremental salary receivable based on the basic pay drawn as on the intended date of voluntary retirement. Goa makes fresh plea for joint inspection of Kalasa project Asks PRAWAH to issue directions to Karnataka THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Expressing its discontent towards failure of the Authority to note the violations of Karnataka government over Mhadei river diversion, Goa Government, in a fresh submission before PRAWAH -Progressive River Authority for Welfare and Harmony -has requested for yet another joint site inspection of the Kalasa Diversion Project site at Kankumbi, Karnataka, the one that was missed out during the first visit in July. The State has also requested PRAWAH to issue necessary directions to Karnataka, during its upcoming meeting (date of which is yet to be finalized) to restore the reverse slope of the Mhadei river water which is currently being diverted to Malaprabha basin. Following the request from the Goa government, PRAWAH team visited the Mhadei basin areas in Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, GOA’S CASE IN POINT PRAWAH has been requested to conduct a joint inspection immediately and acknowledge diversion of Mhadei water into the Malaprabha, Krishna Basin in July. The outgoing chairman PM Scott in its report gave a complete skip to Karnataka’s violation as the team failed to make visit to the crucial diversion point at Kankumbi. In a letter to PRAWAH, the State Water Resources Department (WRD) has asked for a fresh joint inspection of the Kalsa diversion project site at Kankumbi. The State also pointed out that the PRAWAH’s first visit, which according to their report was a ‘Familiarisation visit to Mhadei basin’ failed to inspect or get familiarized with Karnataka’s Kalasa diversion site -- the crucial point where the natural flow of Mhadei river water coming towards Goa is been diverted to Malaprabha basin. “We have requested PRAWAH to conduct the joint inspection immediately and acknowledge diversion of Mhadei water into the Malaprabha, Krishna Basin,” sources said adding ‘we are hopeful to get a positive response from PRAWAH’. The letter mentioned that diversion is in the contempt of SC order as well as that of the award of Mhadei Water Dispute Tribunal. As reported earlier by The Goan, State has already written a letter to PRAWAH last month, just ahead of its third meeting scheduled in Delhi -- that later stood postponed -- highlighting the various violations undertaken by Karnataka. The department informed that government had already filed a disobedient petition before the Tribunal and contempt petition before SC, which will come up for hearing. Kejriwal walks out of jail after six months „„Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal walked out of Tihar Jail on Friday, hours after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the CBI case linked to the alleged excise policy scam holding that prolonged incarceration amounts to “unjust deprivation of liberty”. „„The court also held that Central Bureau of Investigation must dispel the notion of being a “caged parrot”, as the bail came as a major relief to the 56-year-old AAP chief just ahead of Assembly elections in Haryana and months before in Delhi. It further observed the arrest of Kejriwal by the CBI was unjustified. „„Addressing party workers from the sunroof of an SUV, Kejriwal, sporting a half-sleeve blue shirt, raised ‘’Inquilab Zindabad’’ and ‘’Vande Mataram’’ slogans.  >> See pg 7 TRADITION & FESTIVITY: A float depicts a mythological theme during the Sangodd Utsav at Cumbharjua on Friday. People thronged the area to partake in the Utsav which is celebrated on the seventh day of Ganesh immersion. (2 canoes carrying float capsize... pg 3) Narayan Pissurlenkar Goan girl falls off train, dies THE GOAN I NETWORK CANACONA A 17-year-old girl from Goa died after falling off a moving train on the Konkan Railway route between Loliem and Karwar stations. The incident reportedly took place on Wednesday when the girl and some oth- ers were travelling on a Margao-Mangalore train. After crossing the Loliem KRC Tunnel, the train was running at full speed and crossed Goa, before entering the Majali forest area of Sadashivgad-Karnataka. It is learnt that the girl was reportedly holding a mobile in her hand and was close to the edge of the open door of the train, when she accidentally fell off the train due to strong jerks of the fast moving train. It is further reported that the girl was thrown a few metres away from the railway tracks. >Continued on P5 Coal hub: Min quells fears, cites MPA dome Disappearance of sale deeds from Mapusa THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO aying that Goa has been a beautiful destination for tourists, both domestic and international, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday said the Union government is committed to make Goa one of the global hubs of cruise industry. He allayed fears raised by the people of Goa that Mormugao Port is being converted into a coal hub with increased coal handling activity, asserting that certain infrastructure that is being put in place at the MPA will never create any pollution. He said the dome under construction at the Mormugao Port at a cost of Rs 183 S MARITIME MEET: SONOWAL SPEAK CRUISE TOURISM „„Certain infrastructure is being put in place at MPA that will never create any pollution „„Dome under construction at Mormugao Port at a cost of Rs 183 cr by JSW will never create pollution „„Govt always wanted to make Goa an eco-friendly and green destination crore by JSW will never create pollution, asserting that the government always wanted to make Goa an eco-friendly and green destination. The Union Minister was in Goa along with Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shantanu Thakur for the two-day 20th Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) at a starred resort in Benaulim. Saying the event concluded with remarkable outcomes for India’s maritime sector, Sonowal said the two-day event saw the resolution of over 80 critical issues between the Central Government, States, and Union Territories, that focused on port infrastructure „„Goa will be one of the biggest cruise industry „„Goa is a lovely destination for both domestic and international tourists „„Our Ministry is committed to make Goa a cruise hub with the support of the people of Goa „„We are definitely going to make Goa one the global hub for tourists modernization, connectivity, statutory compliances, >Continued on P5 sub-registrar office leaves police baffled THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA The disappearance of three sale deeds from the office of the Mapusa sub-registrar has baffled both the police and legal professionals, turning the incident into a perplexing mystery. While an inside job has not been ruled out, investigators are still struggling to determine the motive behind the missing documents, deepening the intrigue surrounding the case. The incident came to light in late August when three individuals, whose sale deeds were registered between May WHODUNIT: THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION „„The involvement of an insider is being considered as a possible theory „„An advocate said records are digitized which would make their phys- ical disappearance less impactful „„Possibility of theft being related to tampering with property records or stalling transactions not been ruled out „„Incident came to light in late August when three individuals approached the sub-registrar’s office to retrieve their documents and June of this year, approached the sub-registrar’s office to retrieve their documents. However, the files were nowhere to be found. Upon discovering that the deeds could not be traced, the sub-registrar, Rishik Naik, alerted his superiors and promptly decided to file a police complaint. According to Mapusa Police, the three missing sale deeds belong to separate individuals, and each was registered on different dates. One of the deeds was registered in May, while the remaining two were processed in June. The police have since requested Naik to provide a detailed complaint, outlining the circumstances under which the sale deeds vanished, and have also sought access to CCTV footage from >Continued on P5