log on to thegoan.net Facebook.com/thegoan @thegoanonline MONDAY DECEMBER 23, 2024 GOA Logistical hiccups paralyse MMC’s ABC programme The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 186 2 GOA Calangute p’yat spreads Christmas cheer, gifts walkway to village 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Herbs that help burn belly fat in two weeks! 9 SPORTS Mandhana, Renuka blow away West Indies in first ODI 12 Govt ignores proposal of special Finally, Margao’s western bypass set to open today court to try land grabbing cases WELCOME RELIEF AGAINST TRAFFIC CHAOS A YEAR LATER, JADHAV REPORT GATHERING DUST „„Govt must appoint a Special Court „„Special court judgments to be bound on all parties and restore land to owners „„Designated public prosecutor to expedite cases of land grabbing „„Special Court empowered to determine order in which civil and criminal liability against the land grabber to be initiated „„Discretion of Special Court whether or not to deliver its decision or order until both civil and criminal proceedings are completed „„Cases be disposed within six months „„Enact comprehensive law, tentatively titled “The Goa Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 2023” „„The Act would criminalize land grabbing, nullify illegal transactions and provide a robust legal framework for prevention, prosecution „„Install CCTVs all across Department of Archives & Archaeology Department land grabber to be initiated. It is the discretion of the Special Court whether or not to deliver its decision or order until both civil and criminal proceedings are completed,” reads an extract of the recommendations from the report, copy of which is in possession of The Goan. While the Commission insisted these cases be disposed within six months, recommendations also included enacting a comprehensive law, ten- THE FLIP SIDE… „„Despite Cabinet nod, implementation is still awaited. In June, CM had announced introducing amendments to existing laws and enacting new legislation during the monsoon session in line with the recommendations of the one-man commission tatively titled “The Goa Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act, 2023,” which would criminalize land grabbing, nullify illegal transactions and provide a robust legal framework for the prevention and prosecution of such offenses. “Any transaction relating to an alienation of a land grabbed or any part thereof by way of sale, lease, gift, ex- change, settlement, surrender, usufructuary mortgage or otherwise or any partition effected or a trust created in respect of such land, which has taken place whether before or after the commencement of this Act shall, except to the extent ordered by the Special Court be null and void,” it stated. However, despite the Cabinet’s nod to these recommendations, its implementation is awaited. In June, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced introducing amendments to existing laws and enacting new legislation during the monsoon session in line with the recommendations of the one-man commission. Meanwhile, the Commission has also recommended installing CCTVs all across the Department of Archives & Archaeology Department after revelations that original documents were stolen/manipulated by the accused. State records robust rise in GST growth year-on-year >> pg 6 THE GOAN I NETWORK Dalal-Street: GST Council meet, Christmas break, Sensex changes among factors to watch this week IN SHORT >> Road digging hazard spreads; Dona Paula, Taleigao bear brunt PANAJI: After the capital city, the malaise of road digging by the authorities has now spread to areas beyond and to its suburbs in Taleigao even as far as the plush Dona Paula area, disrupting traffic flow and annoying citizens. At some locations along the NIO Circle to Bambolim ring road, authorities dug up trenches along the flanks to lay utility cables. >> See pg 3 17 booked for illegal entry at waterfall PANAJI: Seventeen persons were booked for unauthorized entry at a high-risk waterfall in Sattari, which has been closed to the public. A complaint was filed against members of two groups who accessed the Waterfall within the Mhadei Sanctuary. STAR POWER: Around 900 stars shine bright along the road at Agassaim on Sunday. The stunning annual display organised by Anthony Rodrigues, known as ‘Star man of Goa’, attracts thousands of visitors from across Goa and outside.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Muslim vendors prohibited from temple fair in Pernem THE GOAN I NETWORK PERNEM In a move that may have far reaching consequences, Shree Sateri Devasthan Committee at Hasapur-Pernem has decided not to allow Muslim vendors during the annual temple fair or any other Hindu festival in the Hasapur-Chandel panchayat jurisdiction. Confirming this, president of the committee Santosh Malik said vendors from Muslim community have been prohibited to do business at the fair. Awareness boards were also being put up by locals in the area informing the decision of the temple committee. Malik further stated that zatrotsava of Shree Devi Sateri was being organised December 22 in the village and it was noticed that a Muslim vendor was hurrying to put up his stall at the fair in the morning. “When some members saw this, the committee was informed which later banned the said vendor from setting up his stall”, he said. "In future too, Muslim vendors will not be allowed to set up stalls at any Hindu festival celebrated in the village, including zatrotsava", he said. It may be noted that the temple committee of Shree Shantadurga Fatarpekarin Devasthan, Fatorpa had also recently decided not allow Muslim vendors at their annual fair this year. PANAJI The December month numbers, considered Goa's most productive month commercially, are yet to be counted but officials in the State's finance department are already bullish on the State's revenues from goods and services tax (GST) collections for the current fiscal. A senior official said, the State has registered robust growth in GST collections in the first eight months of the current fiscal (April-November) with revenues tipping the 9.5 per cent growth rate mark. He said the State has netted Rs 2,814.76 crore in GST collections during these eight months which is 9.57 per cent higher than what was collected in the same eight-month period last year. The net collections last year for the same period was Rs 2,568.99 crore. Additionally, registered GST payers (tax base) had also soared steadily and has now crossed the 45,000 mark on the back of consistent measures taken by the Commercial Taxes department to better compliance rates and also digitize the transaction tracking system, he added. Some measures taken this >Continued on P5 20 & counting: PM’s global laurels hit new heights PTI KUWAIT CITY rime Minister Narendra Modi was on Sunday awarded Kuwait's highest honour ‘The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer’. It is the 20th international award bestowed upon him by a country. ‘The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer’ is a knighthood order of Kuwait. It is awarded to Heads of State and foreign Sovereigns and members of foreign royal families in sign of friendship. “I am honoured to be conferred the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. I dedicate this honour to the people of India and to the strong friendship between P MODI’S ROLL OF HONOUR The Order of Mubarak Al Kabeer, Kuwait (2024) Honorary Order of Freedom of Barbados (2024) Order of Excellence, Guyana (2024) Dominica Award of Honour (2024) Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (2024) Order of St Andrew, Russia (2024) Order of the Druk Gyalpo, Bhutan (2024) India and Kuwait,” PM Modi posted on X. It has been previously ‘Ebakl’ Republic of Palau (2023) Companion of the Order of Fiji (2023) Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, Greece (2023) Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, France (2023) Order of the Nile, Egypt (2023 Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu, Papua New Guinea (2020) Legion of Merit, US (2020) King Hamad Order of the Renaissance, Bahrain (2019) Order of Zayed, UAE (2019) Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen, Maldives (2019) Grand Collar of the State of Palestine (2018) Amir Amanullah Khan Award, Afghanistan (2016) King Abdulaziz Sash, Saudi Arabia (2016) awarded to foreign leaders like Bill Clinton, Prince Charles and George Bush. Last month, PM Modi was conferred with the highest national award of Guyana, 'The Order of Excellence' during his visit to nation. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the conferment of the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Order on Prime Minister Modi is a proud moment for all Indians. The honour recognises Prime Minister's steadfast commitment and leadership in strengthening linkages with the Gulf region. Also showcases the depth of India-Kuwait historic ties and people to people relations,” he said in a post on X. In a release, the Ministry of External Affairs said the Prime Minister dedicated the award to the long-standing friendship between India and Kuwait, to the Indian community in Kuwait and to the 1.4 billion people of India. MARGAO The long wait for commissioning the Margao Western bypass is finally over. Taking cognisance of the increase in heavy traffic on the National Highway 66 and the situation expected to worsen ahead of the festive season, the government on Sunday finally decided to throw open the western bypass for traffic on Monday. The sudden developments unfolded on Sunday morning after Salcete Minister Aleixo Sequeira went to meet Chief Minister Pramod Sawant after his return from Rajasthan with a fervent plea to inaugurate the bypass on priority considering the heavy flow of traffic, putting strain on the roads in Margao and on the eastern bypass. By noon, Sequeira returned home to inform media that the Chief Minister had understood the situation and was kind enough to fix the inauguration of the western bypass on Monday. While the clear government for the comhas been apmissioning of the O N D E 11-km road. The bypass, parently waiting for Union Minister however, was not immediatefor Road and Surface Trans- ly opened for traffic, with the port Minister Nitin Gadkari to government apparently waitcommission the project, Chief ing for the Union Minister NiMinister Pramod Sawant is tin Gadkari to commission the now expected to do the hon- project. ours on Monday at 11 am. The 11-km Margao western The Goan had two days ago bypass, connecting Verna to highlighted the worsening Navelim without entering the traffic situation on the roads commercial capital, has been in Margao and the city out- opened for traffic in phases. skirts, including the Eastern First, the Verna-Nuvem bypass, resulting in traffic stretch was opened for traffic snarls and the government’s followed by the Navelim-Bedelay in throwing open the naulim stretch over a year western bypass for traffic. ago. Commissioning of the enIn fact, it’s now a fortnight tire 11-km stretch was delayed since the western bypass has due to the work on the 2.5km been ready in all respects after >Continued on P5 the road safety audit gave all 21 PANAJI It would be a year in January 2025 since the Cabinet approved recommendation s of the Commission of Inquiry into land grabbing cases, but recommendations to curb the menace including appointing a Special Court remain unimplemented. Retired Justice V K Jadhavled Commission’s report proposed the State government to appoint a Special Court with a designated public prosecutor to expedite cases of land grabbing. The Court would have sweeping powers to determine civil and criminal liabilities, bind judgments on all parties and restore land to rightful owners. “State government must appoint a Special Court a public prosecutor... The Special Court is empowered to determine the order in which the civil and criminal liability against the JUSTICE JADHAV’S RECOMMENDATIONS C THE GOAN I NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK Govt eyes PPP mode for equipment, infrastructure to tackle tuberculosis THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government is tapping investments through the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode to upgrade infrastructure and equipment to tackle tuberculosis. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said, the Department is eyeing advanced technologies, including AI-powered X-ray screening and mobile lab machines to facilitate rapid Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) which facilitate early detection of TB. Goa and India nationally is already lagging behind in its goal of eliminating TB by 2025 but recently 100-day campaigns have been launched across the country to target vulnerable areas. The initiative also includes 'Nikshay Mitra' which links up TB patients with willing donors who provide food kits every month, through the duration of the patient's treatment. In Goa, the Health Department provides patients free medication and also monthly financial support for dietary needs of the patient. Far from eliminating TB by next year, Goa has been logging five new tuberculosis cases daily and this year alone the number is inching closer to the 2000-plus mark.