log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY DECEMBER 16, 2024 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO.179 Road safety, traffic concerns dog Western bypass 2 GOA Women lead the charge against loud music in coastal Anjuna 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Combat stress eating: Ways to break the habit Govt proposes `425 cr for Zuari River rejuvenation PHASE III AWAITS CENTRAL APPROVAL ON 60:40 FUNDING RATIO; PROPOSAL TO COVER 58 KM OF CURCHOREM AND SURROUNDING AREAS WITH SEWER NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As part of rejuvenation of Zuari River stretch, the Goa government has proposed Rs 425 crore ‘pollution abatement and conservation’ plan covering 58 km long area of Curchorem and surrounding with new sewerage system. The project has been taken up under the National River Conservation Plan (NRCP). The Sewerage Infrastructure Development Corporation of Goa Limited (SIGCGL), the nodal agency for implementing the project, has moved a proposal to the Union Ministry for Jal Shakti on 60:40 ratio between the Central and State government. The proposal is part of Phase III of NRCP, covering ar- IN SHORT >> Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain critical SAN FRANCISCO: Zakir Hussain, the peerless tabla player and multiple Grammy award winner, is critical and in a US hospital over serious heart-related ailments, his family said on Sunday. His manager, Nirmala Bachani, said the artist has been in a San Francisco hospital for the last two weeks. Maha cabinet: 39 ministers inducted NAGPUR: A total of 39 legislators from Mahayuti allies were sworn in on Sunday in the first cabinet expansion of the 10-day-old Devendra Fadnavis-led ministry including 16 new faces, while 10 former ministers were excluded.   >> See pg 7 One booked for illegal hill cutting PANAJI: Quepem Police registered a case against Uday Saha of Mumbai for illegal hill cutting at Paroda, Salcete, using a JCB and truck without TCP permission. WEATHER >> Max: 34.4 C Min: 22.4 C Humidity: 78% THE CONSERVATION PLAN „„The project aims to cover a 58 km long stretch of the Zuari River, including areas such as Assolda, Xelvona, Karmaliwada, and Xeldem „„The project is being implemented in three phases, with Phase I already completed and Phase II currently in progress „„The project includes various pollution abatement works, such as sewage pumping stations, sewerage systems, sewage treatment plants, online monitoring systems, and river front development works eas of Assolda, Xelvona, Karmaliwada, Xeldem and others with sewer network covering 58 km long stretch. During the recently held River Rejuvenation Committee meeting, SIDCGL Managing Director Rajendra Khanna, informed about the implementation of Phase III, the finan- cial nod for which is awaited from the Ministry. Khanna said that the stretch of the Zuari River from Curchorem to Madkai was identified under priority criteria-V in 2021 by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and was later re-categorised under priority criteria-IV in 2022. “In view of the same, SIDCGL desires to expand the scope of the sewerage network to treat the wastewater from the habitations from areas of Assolda, Xelvona, Karmaliwada and Xeldem to prevent any further deterioration in water quality in the absence of proper sewerage facilities in these areas,” he said. Under NRCP, Khanna, explained about the detailed project report towards setting up sewerage network and sewerage treatment plant in Curchorem and its surrounding areas in three phases. The phase I of the scheme, covering Curchorem Municipal area was taken up in 2021 under the State government funding and around 36 km of sewer line was laid, whereas in the second phase, Ministry 15 martyrs to be honoured on Liberation Day eve: CM FIRST GENERATION HEIRS TO GET `15-LAKH PURSE, CERTIFICATE OF HONOUR AT A SPECIAL EVENT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Next of kin (first generation heirs) of 15 martyrs of Goa's Liberation movement are to be honoured by the Goa government with a 'certificate of honour' and a purse of Rs 15 lakh on the eve of Liberation Day this year, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced on Sunday. Addressing a press conference at his official Altinho residence, Sawant said these 'martyrs' lost their lives in Portuguese police and military firing at Goa's borders against thousands of Satyagrahis who were marching to the State on August 15, 1955. "These martyrs lost their lives in the fight for Goa's freedom from Portuguese rule. They never got any recognition or any reward. Now my government has taken this decision to honour them and also award their families a Rs 15 lakh purse," Sawant said. He said, 14 first generation heirs of these martyrs have been identified and will be coming to receive the honour certificate and the cash award on December 18. SAWANT SPEAKS „„We have identified 15 whose first generation legal heirs are still living and will come to receive the honour at a special event to be held at the PAC hall of the Goa legislative assembly complex at 11 am on December 18 „„These martyrs lost their lives in the fight for Goa’s freedom from Portuguese rule. They never got any recognition or any reward „„Now my government has taken this decision to honour them and also award their families a Rs 15 lakh purse Sawant said there were 70odd people who died in the Portuguese military action in 1955. "We have identified 15 whose first generation legal heirs are still living and will come to receive the honour at a special event to be held at the PAC hall of the Goa legislative assembly complex at 11 am on December 18," Sawant said. The 15 martyrs include Bala Raya Mapari of Assonora who conducted a raid on Assonora police outpost in 1929, Sakharam Shirodkar of Ecoxim who was shot dead on Au- gust 14, 1955, Rohidas Mapari of Assonora, Yeshwant Agarwadekar of Oxel Siolim killed in an encounter with Portuguese police patrol at Parra on December 17, 1958. Other Goan martyrs to be honoured include Bapu Vishnu Gavas from Pernem, Ramchandra Nevgi of Bicholim, Babla Parab of Pernem, Laxman Velingkar of Veling, Keshavbhai Tengse from Canacona and Parshuram Acharya of Canacona. The list also includes Karnal Singh Benipal of Punjab and Basavraj Hugdi of Bidar, Karnataka. sanctioned cost of Rs 81.14 cr on 60:40 basis for laying 13 km sewer line in Cuppamodi, Kamral, Khammamol and surrounding areas along with construction of 7.5 MLD capacity STP. “This work is currently in progress and 10 km sewer line is already laid,” he said. The three-year long project aims at reducing the pollution load of the Zuari River stretch through implementation of various pollution abatement works, thereby improving their water quality. The project includes pollution abatement works like sewage pumping stations, sewerage system, setting up of sewage treatment plants (STPs), online monitoring system, river front development works, etc. Govt defers ‘one nation, one poll’ bills in LS today PTI NEW DELHI The government has deferred the introduction of bills related to 'one nation, one election' in the Lok Sabha till after the completion of financial business, sources said. Earlier, the two bills – The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and The Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill) – were listed for introduction in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The sources in the government said the bills could be brought later this week after the House passes the first batch of supplementary demands for grants listed for Monday. The revised list of business, issued by the Lok Sabha secretariat, does not have the two bills on the agenda for Monday. However, the government can always bring in legislative agenda to Parliament at the last minute through 'Supplementary List of Business' with the permission of the Lok Sabha Speaker. The two bills related to implementation of the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assemblies have been circulated among members last week as per the rules of procedure. Govt plans restructuring of schools from 2028-29 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI or effective recognition of class under the National Education Policy (NEP), which is being implemented in the State in a phased manner, the Goa government will undertake physical restructuring of the schools cum educational institutions from 2028-29, onwards. In a bid to facilitate the physical restructuring, the government, through the Education Department, will carry out mapping of schools, resources and infrastructure, shortly. Secretary Education, IAS Prasad Lolayekar said that with State gearing up to complete NEP implementation by 2027-28, the physical restructuring, wherever required, would be undertaken from F NEP: EDUCATION TO NEXT LEVEL „„The government will carry out mapping of schools, resources, and infrastructure to facilitate physical restructuring „„Restructuring is proposed at the school level 2028-29 onwards. “Only once our academic restructuring is over we will move on to physical restructuring,” he said. Sources informed that at present, there are standalone higher secondary schools with no attached high schools and there are schools where Class V is part of high school. Sources said that the State Level Committee has proposed restructuring at school starting with the foundation stage followed by preparatory, middle, and secondary stages „„Physical restructuring entails clubbing of classes in line with the stages defined in the NEP, such as Class V being clubbed with Class III and IV „„Primary schools will be converted into schools for foundational, preparatory, or both level as per the NEP 2020 in a phased manner starting with foundation stage followed by preparatory stage, middle stage and secondary stage. “Physical restructuring entails clubbing of classes in line with the stages defined in the NEP,” sources said, explaining that Class V is clubbed with Class III and IV, making it the preparatory stage, while IX is part of secondary stage. Presently in Goa, Classes IX and X are considered as high schools or secondary stage whereas classes XI and XII are running in the Higher Secondary Schools. According to the State Level Committee, constituted to guide the government on NEP implementation, the restructuring should be done in a phased manner so as to maintain continuity in the process. 9 INFO It opined that the schools that are, at present functioning only as primary schools to be converted either as schools for Foundational or Schools for Foundational and Preparatory (Nursery class to class V) or Schools for Preparatory only (class III to class V). “Restructuring of the school may be initiated either by relocating, upgrading or collocating in the school complexes created for the ease of functionalities for all stages,” the Committee recommended. The Committee also suggested that the Directorate of Education should make separate sections in their Directorate as per the stages proposed by NEP 2020 and each section should be headed by Dy Director of Education and Asst Director of Education. SPORTS Head, Smith hit tons in 3rd Test as Indian bowlers toil 12 In viral video, Siddique claims more cops helped in his escape DGP refutes allegations, says trick to divert hunt THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Congress leader Sunil Kawthankar late Sunday night released a video in which Siddique Suleman Khan who escaped from Crime Branch’s custody purportedly claims that two police teams escorted him out of the State. In the video, Khan also purportedly names an MLA, a senior police officer and others of assaulting him while in custody. Nexus will not be tolerated, constable is dismissed: CM >> See pg 5 Goa’s Director General of Police Alok Kumar, IPS, however questioned the authenticity of the claims. “Allegations on the video seems to have been made to deflect the attention from the efforts of Goa police to track Siddique Suleman. Our efforts Dismissed constable attempts suicide in police custody, condition stable PANAJI: A dismissed IRB constable Amit Naik, who helped the notorious land grab criminal to escape from the custody, allegedly attempted suicide while in police custody by consuming toilet cleaning liquid. He was rushed to the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) where his condition was said to be stable. Naik was in Old Goa police lock up, when the incident took place. Alert cops averted the situation by stopping him from consuming and shifting the dismissed cop to the hospital. North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal said that this morning, accused Amit Naik tried to consume toilet cleaning liquid. “At that instance, the police personnel stopped him from doing it. Subsequently, he was sent to GMC for medical examination, wherein, he is at present under observation. His condition is said to be stable,” he said. According to the police sources, Naik requested to use the washroom, where he immediately took the phenol bottle from >Continued on P5 to track him early will continue. The video seems to be the trick of a hardened and clever criminal,” Kumar said. The DGP also said that their investigations so far have not indicated connivance of any police personnel except the IRB constable Amit Naik, who has been dismissed. Over 15 lakh devotees turn up for Exposition as of Dec 9, major footfalls on feast day 1 2 3 Over 15 lakh devotees visited Old Goa from November 21 to December 9 for the Exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier The Feast Day on December 3 recorded the highest attendance, with about 2.25 lakh people attending special services and venerating the saint The event's success also relied heavily on the support and coordination of various government departments >> See pg 3