log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY OCTOBER 4, 2024 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO.107 Solutions discussed as officials acknowledge issues at Comunidade 2 GOA Over 50 establishments penalised by Pollution Board in last 3 months 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 9 INFO Foods that can help ease muscle cramps SPORTS Real Madrid’s 36-game unbeaten run ends 14 K’taka restarts Mhadei work Take quick action against guilty, Edu without Wildlife Board nod dept tells school CUNCOLIM STUDENT’S ASSAULT page 6 Will unique battery-as-aservice (BaaS) model change JSW MG Motor’s fortunes? REVIEW: Triumph Speed T4: A modern classic for every rider IN SHORT >> DoE asks schools to upload advts on dept website PANAJI: The Directorate of Education (DoE) has made it mandatory for all primary, secondary and higher secondary schools within its jurisdiction to upload the advertisements pertaining to teaching and non-teaching posts on the department’s website. In a circular issued, Director Education Shailesh Zingade has asked schools to upload the advertisements, as per NOCs granted, on the media site of the department for wider publicity and awareness. “This shall be a mandatory requirement in granting approval for the appointment to the said post,” he said. Six transferred IFS officers told to go PANAJI: MoEF has asked the State to ensure that the six officers of the IFS rank from the AGMUT cadre be relieved so they can proceed to the State where they are posted. The six officers in turn have been sternly warned to get relieved and proceed to the State where they are posted. They have even been warned that their next salary will be paid by the State where they are posted. Demand for PwDs quota in GSHRDC recruitment PANAJI: The much hyped recruitment currently underway through the Goa State Human Resources Development Corporation to hire people to fill nearly a thousand positions in government departments and statutory bodies could face some hiccups with a demand raised for a 4 per cent quota for Persons with Disability (PwDs). >> See pg 3 Student among two arrested for theft PANAJI: Porvorim Police have arrested two locals including a 44-year-old habitual offender for their alleged involvement in a series of organized house burglaries across North Goa. >> See pg 3 WEATHER >> Max: 32.4 C Min: 26.6 C Humidity: 94% TIDES Low: 05.25 High: 11.12 17.39 ---- INSTALLS SIGNBOARDS AT VARIOUS PLACES IN FOREST AREAS NEAR BHANDURA NALLA, LAYS PIPELINES TO FACILITATE WATER DIVERSION THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Karnataka has once again initiated work to divert the Mhadei river water flow. In Nerse village near Khanapur, the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) has started work to lay pipelines to facilitate the water diversion, without any mandatory permission including that of the National Board of Wildlife (NBW). Speaking to The Goan, environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar informed that KNNL has completed their survey in Nerse and has already installed sign posts at various places in the forested areas on the sides of the Bhandura Nalla, where Karnataka has proposed the work of damming and diversion of water of three rivulets of Singur, Pat and Bhandura into the Malaprabha basin ENVIRONMENTALIST KERKAR BLOWS THE LID „„KNNL has completed survey in Nerse and has already installed sign posts at various places in the forested areas on the sides of Bhandura Nalla „„KNNLA has started a unit for creating pipelines to facilitate diversion of water without wildlife clearance or environmental clearance from the Central authorities „„Karnataka has so far received only the technical clearance for their Kalsa-Bhandura drinking through the diversion channels, canals and pipelines. “KNNLA has started a unit for creating pipelines to facil- water project from Central Water Commission „„From Nerse, Bhimgad FLASHBACK: In March, Karnataka was involved in felling a large number of trees at Mhadei site, which was inside the government notified reserved forest, without obtaining any permission. It was also involved in digging deep channels at Kankumbi to allow water to flow into the conduit built in the area. itate diversion of water. However, KNNL has not received wildlife clearance or environmental clearance from the Angry reactions pour in over St Xavier remarks PLAINTS FILED AT CUNCOLIM, RAIA, MARGAO, AGASSAIM AND PANAJI POLICE STATIONS THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO From north to south, agitated people lodged a host of complaints against Subhash Velingkar at a number of police stations over his remarks to conduct DNA test of the relics of St Francis Xavier. Complaints against Velingkar were filed at Cuncolim, Maina Curtorim, Margao, Agassaim and Panaji police stations for hurting the sentiments of a large section of the Goan community. DETAILED REPORTS ON PAGE 2 In Velim, MLA Cruz Silva, who led the delegation submitted a memorandum to Cuncolim PI Diogo Gracias demanding FIR against Velingkar. Silva and members of the delegation told the PI that they want the police to act within 24 hours failing which they will chalk out their future course of action. In Raia, the panchayat lodged a complaint with the Maina Curtorim police demanding FIR against Veling- Arrest persons making communal remarks, Ferreira urges Sawant MAPUSA: Aldona MLA and Congress leader Carlos Ferreira has strongly condemned recent remarks made against St Francis Xavier, calling them “communal in nature” and deeply insulting to the Catholic community and Goans at large. He urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to act on his previous assurances to arrest individuals spreading communal hatred and disrespecting religious figures. Ferreira stated that St Francis Xavier, also known as ‘Goencho Saib’ is revered by people of all faiths, including Christians, Hindus, and Muslims.  > See pg 2 kar for his statement against St Francis Xavier. In the complaint at Maina Curtorim police station, Raia Sarpanch Peter Quadros said the statement made by Velingkar is aimed at disturbing communal harmony. In another complaint lodged at Margao police station, Warren Alemao also urged the police to register a FIR against Velingkar. In north Goa, parishioners of Mandur filed a complaint at Agassaim police station against Velingkar for his derogatory statements against St Francis Xavier and hurting wildlife sanctuary is not even 500 meters and the area where the proposal for dam has been planned lies within the periphery of ecologically sensitive areas „„Presence of Tigers, sloth bears and other species of wildlife have been recorded in this area the sentiments of the Goans and the Christian community at large. The complaint was signed by over 100 parishioners who demanded that stern action be taken against Velingkar so that he never ever utters anything against Goencho Saib. In Panaji, Adv Pratima Coutinho filed complaint at the Panaji police station demanding action against Velingkar. The complaint was submitted to DySP Sudesh Naik in which Adv Coutinho demanded that Velingkar should be arrested. Central authorities like NBWL and from Goa Forest department for the project so far,” he pointed out. Karnataka has so far received only technical clearance for Kalsa-Bhandura drinking water project from the Central Water Commission. Kerkar said that from Nerse, the Bhimgad wildlife sanctuary is not even 500 meters and that the area where the proposal for dam has been planned lies within the periphery of ecologically sensitive areas. “The presence of Tigers, sloth bears and other species of wildlife have been recorded in this area,” he said. Earlier, in March, Karnataka was involved in felling a large number of trees at the Mhadei site, which was inside the government notified reserved forest, without obtaining any permission. Despite several attempts, water resources minister Subhash Shirodkar remained unavailable for the comments. THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Pointing out that prima facie there seems to be negligence on part of teacher into the incident wherein a 7-year old girl student was serious injured in the school premise, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has asked the school management of Cuncolim based St Anthony’s school to immediate take action against those guilty. Massive protest was held outside Cuncolim police station on Wednesday that continued even on Thursday morning, over inaction by police over a complaint of a parent that their 7 year old daughter was grievously assaulted at her school. The child’s parents had stated in their police complaint that she sustained severe head injuries after she was punched in the face by her schoolmates on September 26 and that the teacher and the headmistress ignored, Headmistress, teacher move court for anticipatory bail >> See pg 3 while the child was left unattained. Police on Wednesday later registered an FIR. When contacted, Director Education Shailesh Zingade said that neither the education department nor the school management received any complaint in the matter; however, the department took suo-moto cognizance and deputed an officer to conduct inquiry. “The inquiry report points out prima facie there was negligence. The school has four classes and six teachers and hence the question that the teacher was unaware about, cannot be accepted,” he said. “We have directed the school management to review the CCTVs installed in the >Continued on P5 Marathi, 4 other DIVINE BEGINNING languages get classical status „„The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved conferring classical language status to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali languages. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. „„This is a historical decision and it goes very well with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government’s philosophy of taking pride in our culture, taking pride in our heritage and taking pride in all the Indian languages and the rich heritage that we have,” Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. „„The government said the inclusion of Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali in the classical language category will create significant employment opportunities, particularly in academic and research fields. „„Additionally, the preservation, documentation and digitisation of ancient texts of these languages will generate jobs in archiving, translation, publishing and digital media.  >> See pg 7 A priest conducts a ritual for the idol of Goddess Durga on the first day of Navratri at Mahalsa Narayani Temple in Mardol on Thursday.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Finally, report on KA renovation to be submitted within fortnight THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI After a delay of over one and half year, the State government constituted three-member technical committee is likely to submit its report on the alleged “corruption”, “irregularities”, and “illegalities” in the iconic Kala Academy renovation work, within a fortnight. Task force formed to review KA infra yet to meet >> See pg 3 The committee, however, is granted extension till the next Assembly session to submit the report, with proper recommendations, after it failed to submit the report within 60 days, from the date of its con- stitution in January, 2023. The committee, under its new chairman WRD Chief Engineer Pramod Badami, met ten times, and is currently recording the statements of various officials from the departments of PWD, Art and Culture and the contractors, to whom the works were awarded, post which the findings >Continued on P5 Don’t criminalise marital rape, US report flags ‘abuses’ against India’s minorities Centre tells SC in its affidavit India describes report as ‘malicious’ PTI PTI NEW DELHI If sexual acts by a man with his own wife is made punishable as “rape”, it may severely impact the conjugal relationship and lead to serious disturbances in the institution of marriage, the Centre has told the Supreme Court. Opposing the criminalisation of marital rape, which is sought by many petitioners, the Centre has filed its preliminary counter affidavit in the top court. The apex court is seized of petitions raising the vexed legal question of whether a hus- The apex court is seized of petitions raising the vexed legal question of whether a husband should enjoy immunity from prosecution for the offence of rape if he forces his wife, who is not a minor, to have sex band should enjoy immunity from prosecution for rape if he forces his wife, who is not a minor, to have sex. Under the exception clause of Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), now repealed and replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his wife, the wife not being minor, is not rape. Even under the new law, Exception 2 to Sec 63 says that “sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under 18 years of age, is not rape”. “Furthermore, it is submitted that striking down the exception 2 of section 375 of IPC on the ground of its constitutional validity will have a far-reaching effect on the institution of marriage if sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife is made punishable as ‘’rape’’,” the Centre said in its affidavit. WASHINGTON US federal government commission has flagged the alleged worsening of religious freedom in India and called for it to be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern”. Authored by senior policy analyst Sema Hasan, the section on India describes the use of misinformation and disinformation -- including hate speech by government officials -- to incite violent attacks against religious minorities and their places of worship, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in a statement. In its annual report, the US- A NEW DELHI: India on Thursday trashed a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and described it as a “biased” organisation with a “political agenda”. In a strong reaction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the USCIRF should utilise its time more productively on addressing human rights issues in the United States. CIRF also recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” for engaging in systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. “Our views on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) are well known. It is a biased organisation with a political agenda,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “It continues to misrepresent facts and peddles a motivated narrative about India. We reject this malicious report, which only serves to discredit USCIRF further,” he said. The state department has so far refrained from accepting the recommendations. “This report highlights how, throughout 2024, individuals have been killed, beaten, and lynched by vigilante groups, religious leaders have been arbitrarily arrested, and homes and places of worship have been demolished. These events constitute particularly severe violations of religious freedom,” the USCIRF said. Beginning with the previous Manmohan Singh-led government, India has consistently denied visas to USCIRF members to visit the country, citing “interference” in its internal affairs, it added. India and several Indian-American groups have in the past accused the USCIRF of biased, unscientific and agenda-driven reporting to malign the country. “It further describes changes to and enforcement of India’s legal framework to target and disenfranchise religious minorities, including the Citizenship Amendment Act, a uniform civil code, and several state-level anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws,” the USCIRF said.