log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY JANUARY 6, 2025 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 199 River Sal pollution: GSPCB, MMC under scrutiny as deadline looms 2 3 GOA Rising turtle nesting at Vagator beach prompts demand for conservation status Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Ways to use apple cider vinegar for sinus infection SOLEMN JOURNEY: >> pg 6 The sacred Relics of Saint Francis Xavier being taken in a procession to the Basilica of Bom Jesus from See Cathedral on Sunday. D-Street: Q3 results, FII actions, IPOs among 8 factors to watch IN SHORT >> `8 crore road project kicks-off in Mapusa MAPUSA: In a significant development for both residents and commuters, the Public Works Department has commenced the much-anticipated widening and improvement work on the stretch of the main road from Gandhi Chowk to Bodgeshwar Temple in Mapusa at a cost of Rs 8 crore. >> See pg 5 Truck plunges into valley at Chorla VALPOI: A major accident took place at Chorla Ghat on the Goa-Karnataka border when a truck loaded with goods veered off a cliff, fell into the valley, and caught fire. Fortunately, the driver jumped out of the vehicle before the crash and managed to escape without injury.  >> See pg 5 Drugs worth `4.5L seized at Morjim PANAJI: The Anti-Narcotic Cell of Goa police arrested a Himachal Pradesh native with drugs worth Rs 4.5 lakh during a raid in Morjim. ANC arrested Jawahar Singh Jibu, native of Kullu, Himachal, for allegedly being in possession 450 grams of charas. Coast Guard chopper crashes, three killed PORBANDAR: Two pilots and an aircrew diver of an Advanced Light Helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard were killed when the chopper crashed and caught fire at Gujarat’s Porbandar airport on Sunday, government authorities said. The helicopter was returning from a routine sortie and crashed while trying to land on the runway. Snow, rain brings UK to a standstill LONDON: Heavy snow and rain has brought widespread disruption across the UK, with several major airports forced to suspend flights and many key roads in north of England unnavigable. WEATHER >> Max: 32 C Min: 19.2 C Humidity: 72% TIDES Low: High: 08:43 02:25 20:18 14:30 Exposition draws to a close RELICS OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER TAKEN BACK TO BASILICA THE GOAN I NETWORK OLD GOA After being kept for veneration for 45 days in the See Cathedral, the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier was finally brought back to the Basilica of Bom Jesus in a solemn procession on the 46th day, on Sunday, as the Exposition which began on November 21 last year came to an end. Prior to the procession, a prayer service was held inside the Cathedral which started at 9 am and was led by Auxiliary Bishop Fr Simiao Purificacao Fernandes. After the prayer service, the Relics was shouldered by chosen men, from inside the Cathedral to the doorway where it was placed in the waiting electric carriage specially designed for the Exposition. In the procession preceding the journey of the Relics, various people from different backgrounds who helped in the successful organisation of the Exposition participated. Among those included volunteers, security, police personnel, helpers, medical staff, buggy services, water supply, E-rickshaw drivers, laundry staff, tailors, meal suppliers for canteen, electricity depart- Mauvin’s ‘Hindu’ remark: Politics or identity crisis? MY ROOTS INDICATE THAT I AM HINDU, SAYS MINISTER AGNELO PEREIRA THE GOAN I MAPUSA In a politically charged statement that has raised eyebrows across Goa, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho declared that he identifies more with the Hindu faith than with his own religion, Christianity. Speaking at a BJP event in Dabolim, Godinho revealed that his personal beliefs and roots were closely aligned with Hinduism, which he said was “dear to his heart.” His remark, made during the announcement of the BJP mandal president for Dabolim, was met with applause from party workers, but it has ignited a firestorm of controversy, especially regarding the State’s delicate communal balance. "I consider and am proud that I am more Hindu than my own religion because for me it is something dear to my heart. My roots indicate that I am Hindu; only afterwards Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho at the Brahman Devasthan Bhumi Pujan New Vaddem, Vasco. (File photo) we converted… this is my belief. You cannot change that," Godinho said. The statement, though perhaps sincere in his personal context, raises significant questions about the nature of political identity, religious loyalty and inclusivity in Goa’s charged political landscape. Godinho, a long-time representative of the Dabolim constituency and a key figure in the BJP, has long been known for his strong ties to the Hindu community. His frequent participation in Hindu rituals and visits to temples has only reinforced his alignment with the faith. However, his recent comments have drawn uncomfortable parallels to a similar controversy almost a decade ago, when the late Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza, another prominent BJP leader, >Continued on P7 ment, cleaning, security agency, Pilgrim Village volunteers, youth, Diocesan Communication Centre volunteers and media personnel, as well as priests and nuns. The Relics was then taken in the Carriage towards the Basilica as a human chain of youth and others lined up on both sides of the path. >Continued on P7 Cleric fears mass conversions of Muslims at Maha Kumbh 1 Ahead of the Maha Kumbh, a senior cleric has written to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressing fears that mass conversions of Muslims will take place during the event, while other community leaders have flagged the alleged demand raised by some Hindu seers' body to keep Muslims out of the mega gathering. 2 Last year, the Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad had allegedly given a call to procure goods for Maha Kumbh from Hindu shopkeepers to ensure that purchases were made solely from the true followers of Sanatan Dharma. 3 All India Muslim Jamaat president Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, who was in the spotlight recently for advising Muslims not to visit the Maha Kumbh, urged Adityanath to “thwart plans” to convert hundreds of Muslims during the event.  >> See pg 7 Over 36% survey Nos out of Pvt forest classification SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI O ver 36 per cent of the survey numbers identified as private forest by the Thomas and Araujo Committees have been removed from the Private Forest areas by the State government appointed Review Committee after failing to meet the criteria set to determine it as private forest. As per the report of the Review Committee, submitted to the government, the Thomas and Araujo Committee -- constituted for North and South Goa -- had identified a total 3349 survey numbers as private forest. Of these, the Review Committee, through eight interim reports, has excluded 1,225 survey numbers for GOVT’S CRITERIA FOR PVT FORESTS „„Area should be contiguous to government forest lands and „„If in isolation, minimum area identified should be 5 hectares „„Canopy density should not be less than 0.4 „„75% of tree composition of such lands should be of forestry species failing to qualify under private forest criteria. The State government criteria to identify private forests is that the area should be contiguous to government forest lands and, if in isolation, PANEL REPORT „„Thomas & Araujo Committee constituted for North & South Goa, had identified 3349 survey numbers as private forest „„Through eight interim the minimum area identified should be 5 hectare and the canopy density should not be less than 0.4. The third criterion is that 75% of the tree composition of such lands should be of forestry species. reports, the committee excluded 1,225 survey numbers for failing to qualify as private forests „„FLASHBACK: Last year, Goa govt had notified 45.5 sq kms and 46.1 sq kms as private forest in compliance with an NGT order. Committee under CCF too identified an additional 55.57 sq kms as private forest Last year, in two separate orders, the government had notified 45.5 sq kms and 46.1 sq kms of area in the State as private forest in compliance with an order by the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The committee under the Chief Conservator of Forest (CCF) too has identified an additional 55.57 sq kms of area to be notified as private forest. The National Green Tribunal, through its judgment dated September 12, 2023, had asked the State if any out of the total area identified by the two committees, need to be excluded, to ensure no one suffers on account of errors in identification of forest areas, should be done after proper physical verification with respect to all the three criteria laid down for determination of the private forest area. “Till the final decision is taken with respect to whether the area being excluded from the list of being treated as final >Continued on P7 9 12 SPORTS India loses Sydney Test, Australia reclaims BGT title after 10 years Submit revised proposal on ESA, Centre tells Goa SEEKS REASONS FOR EXCLUSION OF VILLAGES THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has directed the Goa government to submit a revised proposal for declaration of villages as Western Ghat Eco-Sensitive Area (ESA) and detail specific purposes for exclusion of 21 villages. “Revise proposal with full rationale, supporting data and maps; details of any relaxation sought in the prohibited categories for specific areas and very specific purposes as presented by the Government of Goa during interactions including the traditional use of materials by local communities,” MoEF&CC Advisor Dr S Kerketta said in a letter to the Chief Secretary on December 13. The Ministry has also sought to know various laws and regulations, programmes or schemes and other measures already in place and proposed to be taken by the government to protect biodiversity (flora, fauna, water, rivers, and land reforms) in the areas proposed to be excluded. The Centre, in its draft notification, issued in August, had proposed 108 villages from Goa as ESA. The Goa govern- MoEF&CC MISSIVE „„Revise proposal with full rationale, supporting data and maps „„Submit details of any relaxation sought in the prohibited categories for specific areas „„Detail various laws, other measures proposed to be taken to protect biodiversity „„Conservation measures for scared groves and biodiversity heritage sites „„Info about major rivers, their origins in Goa, their traverse (distance covered) and point of convergence with sea and key features ment in its submission before the Union Ministry proposed dropping 21 villages from the ESA list and that 87 villages be categorised as ESA since they meet the criteria set out by the Ministry. As per government proposal, 21 villages include 12 from Sattari, five from Dharbandora, three from Sanguem and one from Canacona taluka. The MoEF&CC appointed Expert Committee had visited the State from November 2628 for ground verification and consultation with the State government. Following their visit, the Ministry wrote to the State seeking revised proposal. The Ministry sought details of various traditional conservation measures and practices, including scared groves and biodiversity heritage sites, keystone species of Goa in the proposed ESA area along with unique flora and fauna and measures taken to protect them. The Ministry would also like to know about major rivers, their origins in Goa, their traverse (distance covered) and point of convergence with the Sea and key features. “It is therefore requested that the above may be furnished at the earliest to enable the Committee to proceed with the review and further action on the proposal,” Kerketta said. The State during its interaction with the Committee had raised issues like, dependence of local community on minor minerals and that declaration of ESA may impose ban on extraction of such minerals, which will affect their livelihood and also make State dependent on others to meet the requirement. BJP gets 36 new ‘mandal’ chiefs THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Leaders and workers of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa were on Sunday engaged in hectic last minute lobbying as the party got mandal presidents installed in 36 constituencies most of who were either protégés of ministers and legislators or backed by them. In four constituencies -- Benaulim, Velim, Nuvem and Marcaim -- no exercise was held to pick the new mandal committees and their chiefs. In some constituencies, some of the long-serving karyakatas were upset with changes in the mandal setups forced on them due to the involvement of turncoat MLAs who defected from the Congress and have now tak- en control of their respective mandals, particularly in Mormugao, Saligao and Cumbharjua. Meanwhile, BJP National General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Arun Singh arrived on Sunday to oversee the organisational elections and will be in the State for the next two days. >Continued on P7