log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY NOVEMBER 14, 2024 2 Salpem lake case: Amicus Curiae asks HC to issue directions to agencies, civic body Govt’s proposed Goa State Youth Commission buried in sands of time CYBER TECH Cyber Warfare and the vulnerability of critical infrastructure: A modern conflict >> See PG 6 IN SHORT >> Opposition brewing against Sunburn in Dhargalim PERNEM: The Sunburn organisers could face the music amid plans to host their mega music festival at Dhargalim-Pernem, with Pernem MLA Pravin Arlekar sending out a stern warning on Wednesday that he would not allow the festival in the village under any circumstances. >> See pg 3 Fake marksheet racket busted, 5 arrested PANAJI: The Crime Branch (CB) sleuths arrested five persons on charges of allegedly operating a fake marksheet and certificate racket across Goa. Prime accused Bindi Parab (34) from Cumbarjua, created and distributed fraudulent academic certificates and marksheets for various educational institutions while the other four connived in the crime.  >> See pg 3 Man kills father, later ends life in Usgao PONDA: A 40-year-old man Pramod Chandigadkar is alleged to have killed his father Baliram (70) in Avantinagar-Usgao and later committed suicide in his house.   >> See pg 5 Delhi’s air quality hits ‘severe’ this season NEW DELHI: Delhi recorded the country’s worst air quality on Wednesday as it turned ‘severe’ for the first time this season, with the AQI soaring to 418.  >> See pg 7 WEATHER >> Max: 31 C Min: 26 C Humidity: 68% TIDES Low: High: 03:27 09:25 15:55 22:51 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 147 GOA >> See PG 3 Facebook.com/thegoan GOA North Goa police intensify crackdown on illegal touts 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Ways to raise low blood pressure PANAJI The investigations into the ongoing jobs-for-cash scandal in the State involving multiple police stations come across as impressive with the menin-uniform arresting multiple ‘main accused’ and accomplices. However, members of the legal fraternity do not seem to be impressed and some hold the opinion that a conviction from a court will be highly improbable. Multiple lawyers primarily taking up criminal briefs The Goan spoke to have said the investigations in such cases and the evidence gathered in SPORTS Tilak ton sets up India’s nervy win over SA 14 Major boost for State’s power, Unique ID for students gets ‘poor’ response in State Tamnar transmission goes live Only 6 per cent enrolment as of date 400KV XELDEM-MAPUSA LINE COMMISSIONED, TO ENHANCE SUPPLY POWERING AHEAD THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a major boost to State’s power scenario, Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited (GTTPL) has successfully charged their freshly laid line ‘400 kV & 220 kV’ between Xeldem and Mapusa. With this, the 400kV Xeldem-Mapusa line has been commissioned while the Xeldem–Xeldem 220 kV commissioning will take a few more days, with the Electricity Department working on required infrastructure. During the line-charging, high voltage electricity was supplied through these transmission lines. The 400 kV and 220 kV high voltage electricity will be supplied through the transmission lines between the villages from Colvale, Tivim, Aldona, and Corjuem in Bardez; Mayem, Bicholim, Pilgao, Karapur, Virdi, Amona, Navelim, Codnem, Surla, and Pale in Bicholim taluka; Usgao and Ganjem in Ponda; Conquirem, and Melauli Mhadei case adjourned to Jan next year SC applies brakes on bulldozers, lays down rules for demolition THE GOAN I NETWORK PTI NEW DELHI Equating ‘bulldozer justice’ with a lawless state of affairs where might is right, the Supreme Court on Wednesday laid down pan-India guidelines and said no property should be demolished with- move that local politicians are alleged to have facilitated, further cementing these families as potential “vote banks.” In another instance less than a month ago, Mapusa Municipal Council dismantled around 35 unauthorised structures in Karaswadda, some of which had been operational for over 25 years. A councillor reportedly owned eight of these structures, highlighting the entrenched connections that allowed such unauthorised establishments to operate unchecked. Similarly, illegal constructions were recently PANAJI The Supreme Court will now hear the Mhadei river diversion matter in January, 2025. The Apex Court will hear the special leave petitions filed by the three-riparian States- Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, along with the contempt pleas in the third week of January, next year. When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday morning, after almost nine months, the Court refrained from hearing while adjourning it to January. Sources informed that all the three States have filed additional written submissions before the Court, as directed during the previous hearing held in February. Before that, the matter was heard in July, 2023. The Court had also directed the three States to nominate a nodal counsel for the bookmarking of the convenience compilations and that during the course of arguments; only the convenience compilations will be referred. Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra have filed Special Leave Petitions in the Court >Continued on P5 >Continued on P5 the Karnataka region, is expected to be completed by mid-2025. Speaking to The Goan, GTTPL Project Director Ninad Pitale said that charging of the lines has been successful and the commissioning will give a major boost to power infrastructure in the State. He said that the project will provide quality power to South Goa apart from curbing the transmission and distribution (T&D) losses. The commissioning of the Wave of demolitions uncovers political misuse, land scams Victim families face displacement, financial ruin THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA A series of demolitions of allegedly illegal structures built on government-acquired comunidade land in Cunchelim has cast a spotlight on a disturbing trend in Goa, where low-income families have been duped into buying land by influential individuals, allegedly including local politicians, councillors and comunidade officials. Affected families in Cunchelim, who had invested their life savings in hopes of securing a permanent home, are now facing displacement and financial ruin. Reports suggest that these individuals were allegedly persuaded by well-connected local figures who assured them that their houses would eventually be regularised. This incident in Cunchelim is only the latest in a string of similar demolitions across the State. In Arambol, a similar situation unfolded two months ago when authorities demolished 15 illegal structures violating Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) norms. Govt warns of legal proceedings against comunidade members PANAJI: The government has warned of civil and criminal action against office bearers of the Comunidade involved in illegal land allotments. The State, through Advocate General Devidas Pangam, made this submission before the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday in connection with a petition by four occupants of Cunchelim Comunidade land.  >> See pg 3 These structures included properties reportedly owned by a former sarpanch and his family. This case, which gained traction in the High Court, underscores how influential community members have been able to erect unauthorized buildings with seeming impunity. Six months earlier in Sangolda, authorities demolished 22 houses also built on comunidade land. In this case, panchayat members allegedly convinced the owners to construct homes with the promise of eventual legalisation. Some of these houses were even connected to utilities, a Charging Pooja for ‘abetment to suicide’ a fallacy, says top lawyer PANAJI: The police action of booking a First Information Report (FIR) and charging Pooja Naik for ‘abetment to suicide’ in the case of the death of the government official from Priol, Shridhar Satarkar, is fallacy, a top lawyer principally practicing criminal law has said. For applying the charge of ‘abetment to suicide’ there has to be a direct connect with the persons act of ending his/ her life, the lawyer said, adding that in the case of Satarkar, he went missing after he was called by the police to join the investigation and later found dead in what is suspected to be suicide. the process have to thread a path that is deep enough to link the chain of all the ac- cused involved in specific cases and eventually to a public servant actually responsible THE DATA: REGISTRATIONS The ‘One Nation, One Student ID’ initiative has so far received poor response in Goa, with only six per cent students getting enrolled for a lifelong 12-digit Automated Permanent Academic Account Registry (APAAR ID) – a programme aligned with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The new initiative that aims to streamline academic records, track student progress and support students’ educational journeys, is currently not mandatory but the Education Department has advised schools to ensure students, across all divisions, opt for it for streamlining academic records. Goa shares rank with Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand with 6 per cent registration. While the enrolment at pre-primary, primary and upper primary level is three, four and five per cent respectively, 10 per cent students at higher secondary level have got reg- „„GTTPL has charged its 400 kV & 220 kV line between Xeldem and Mapusa „„The 400 kV Xeldem-Mapusa line is commissioned, while 220 kV commissioning will take a few more days „„The transmission lines cover villages in Bardez, Bicholim, Ponda, Sattari, Sanguem, Dharbandora, and Quepem talukas in Sattari; Sancordem, Sanvordem and Rembrem in Sanguem; Bandolim, Codlim, Dharbandora, and Sangod in Dharbandora; Amona, Xeldem, Cacora, Horder Curchorem in Quepem. GTTPL – an interstate transmission system project – covering Goa and Karnataka States that was proposed by the Union Power Ministry in 2015 had envisaged laying a 400 kV transmission line to Goa which is completed while the entire project, including SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI project, coupled with State government effort to strengthen its existing 33kV and 22kV transmission lines, will give a major boost to power availability 24x7 to the consumers. “The 400kV line will further feed power to the upcoming new substation at Verna and also Ponda,” he said. Goa is currently dependent on the Western and Southern grid to meet its growing power requirements. Transmission line projects are environmentally friendly and do not involve any disposal of solid effluents and hazardous substances in land, air and water. The constructional features of 400 kV transmission line is such that it is not affecting the environment as it’s not dividing the existing forest because of long spans between the towers. Layout of transmission line follows along the forest road/ forest block boundary thus involving minimum tree felling and also allowing free movement of birds due to high towers heights 45-50 metres. Jobs-for-cash: Legal experts unimpressed by probe, foresee improbable convictions THE GOAN I NETWORK 9 INFO Vasco police arrest mother-son duo for duping woman of `  L 6 VASCO: In a case of alleged jobs-for-cash, Vasco police have arrested a mother-son duo, both residents of Zuari Complex, Baina for allegedly cheating a Ribandar-based woman of Rs 6 lakh on the pretext of giving her son a government job. Vasco police have also seized vehicles belonging to the accused in the case.  >> See pg 3 for the job selection process. At least two lawyers, who have handled criminal matters in their decades long legal careers have said that convictions in such cases of bribery and corruption are extremely rare and possible only when the chain of links and connectivity among all involved and the proceeds of crime (cash) is tightly established. >Continued on P5 „„At the pre-primary level, 710 students out of 23,972 have registered, while at the primary level, 4,059 students out of 106,669 have obtained the ID „„At the upper primary level, 3,686 students have registered, making up a small fraction of the 69,815 students enrolled „„At the secondary level, 3,702 students out of 44,554 have registered, and at the higher secondary level, 3,667 students out of 35,925 have enrolled istered for the unique ID and another 8 per cent of secondary students. As per the available information, of the total 2,80,935 students across 1,480 schools, only 15,824 have registered for APAAR-ID as on November 3. The data shows that at pre-primary level, 710 students have registered of the total 23,972, while at primary level of the total 1,06,669, 4,059 students have got the ID and at upper primary level, 3,686 students have got registered. There are 69,815 students at upper primary schools in the State. At the secondary level, the total registration is 3,702 out a prior show cause notice and the affected must be given 15 days to respond. The executive cannot assume judicial powers to punish citizens by demolishing their properties without following due process, the apex court said while terming such excesses “high-handed and (44,554) while at higher secondary level 3,667 (35,925) students have enrolled for APAAR ID. APAAR ID will be linked to Aadhaar and also DigiLocker. As per Union Ministry for Education, with this ID, students will be able to digitally store and access their results, comprehensive assessment report cards, Olympiad achievements, sports awards, skill training records, and various other credentials. “The ID will be a lifelong one allotted to the student. It is expected to make it easier to track a child’s >Continued on P5 arbitrary” and ruling that they need to be dealt with the “heavy hand of the law”. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and K V Viswanathan described as “chilling” the sight of a bulldozer demolishing a building, rendering >Continued on P5