log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 201 Instagram.com/thegoanonline INDIA TO HOST TOP-TIER JAVELIN EVENT IN SEPTEMBER  >> 13 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 10 months later, govt tells influencers Govt tightens belt, bans to counter negative tourism publicity creation of new posts  9 INFLUENCERS TASKED WITH RESHAPING GOA’S IMAGE  NO COMMUNICATION WAS PREVIOUSLY SENT TO ESG VIBHA VERMA THE GOAN I PANAJI Stung by social media bashing on the tourism front from across the country, the Goa government, despite having empanelled influencers for over 10 months, failed to effectively counter and shape public opinion about the once-renowned international destination. While it did lose the opportunity to showcase diverse tourism offerings despite repeated claims that Goa is beyond beaches, the Tourism Department only acted on January 6, through an official communication to the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) to counter the alleged ‘paid propaganda’ by non-Goan influencers. Highly placed sources told The Goan that an email was >> pg 6 From nurse to artist: A journey of creativity & heritage preservation IN SHORT >> Karnataka diverting Mhadei water near Nerse, claims Kerkar PANAJI: Stating that after Kalasa, Karnataka is set to commence work to divert water at Nerse for its proposed Bandhura project, renowned environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar charged that Goa’s case has weakened with neighbouring States including Maharashtra working to divert Mhadei river water.  >> See pg 3 State’s IPS posts increased to 10 PANAJI: The Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions increased the Indian Police Service (IPS) cadre strength in Goa under the AGMUT cadre from eight to ten posts.  >> See pg 2 36 social media influencers raked in `8 lakhs in 10 months from govt sent with a list of around nine influencers to be tasked with reshaping Goa’s image through social media reels. “We have sent names of some influencers from the mixed category to not only promote Goa but, more importantly, to counter the negative perceptions portrayed over the past few weeks. We will showcase the crowds at popular destinations during the peak period last month and various tourism-related activi- PANAJI: Considering the very fact that social media influencers can sway public sentiment with a single post, the Goa government spent almost Rs 8 lakh in last ten months on empanelled influencers to promote its policies and events including IFFI. Exactly a year ago, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant introduced the Empanelment of Social Media Influencers portal -- a bid to connect governance with digital charisma. The 36 empanelled Goan influencers played their part in 16 government campaigns, costing the State an estimated Rs 7-8 lakh in 10 months. Being a key component of the government’s strategy to tap into the digital space, it has so far propelled several flagship projects into the spotlight.  >> See pg 3 ties to affirm that Goa remains visitor-friendly,” a tourism official said. The government sources have, meanwhile, admitted Siolim woman kept under digital arrest, duped of `1 crore JEWELLER FROM ANDHRA ARRESTED THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Cyber Crime police have arrested a jeweller from Andhra Pradesh for allegedly duping a Siolim woman of Rs 1 crore through a sophisticated cybercrime scam -- digital arrest. The fraud, which has become rampant across India to scare and loot victims, saw its ninth case registered with Goa Police so far. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akshat Ayush (IPS) revealed that the victim was kept under digital arrest by an impersonator posing as a Delhi Crime Branch inspector. The offense occurred between December 26-28, 2024. “The fraudster falsely claimed that a police complaint was lodged against her and even sent forged documents bearing the name of the Supreme Court of India to substantiate his claims. She HOW IT HAPPENED „„The fraudster claimed that a police complaint was lodged against the woman „„He sent forged documents bearing the name of Supreme Court to substantiate his claims „„Forced her to transfer Rs 1 crore in different transactions in three bank accounts was compelled to transfer Rs 1 crore in different transactions in three different bank accounts,” the officer said, disclosing the case details. After a detailed investigation, the police identified one of the recipients as Yaramala Venkateswarlu, 53, a resident of Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, who runs a jewellery >Continued on P5 that not a single official communication was sent to the ESG earlier to promote Goa. It was only a couple of days back that a tourism official 126 KILLED AS HUGE QUAKE ROCKS TIBET 1 A massive earthquake struck near one of holiest cities in southern Tibet on Tuesday, killing at least 126 people and injuring 188 with tremors forcing people to rush out to the streets also in parts of Nepal and India. China Earthquake Networks Centre (CENC) said the quake was of 6.8 magnitude while the US Geological Service (USGS) put it at 7.1 magnitude. The quake jolted Dingri county in China's Tibet Autonomous Region at 9:05 am (Beijing Time), with the epicentre located in Tsogo township the city of Xigaze. Xigaze is the last border town of Tibet not far from Nepal-Tibet-Indian tri-junction touching Sikkim. The quake also rattled Nepal and damaged buildings. >> See pg 8 2 3 Step up HMPV surveillance, Centre to States PTI NEW DELHI he Centre has advised States to step up surveillance for respiratory illnesses, including ILI and SARI, and spread awareness about the prevention of transmission of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) after five cases were detected in India. India reported its first HMPV cases on Monday after five children tested positive in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Gujarat. Union Health Minister J P Nadda had said that the government was closely monitoring the situation and there was no reason to worry. HMPV is a globally recognised respiratory virus. It is a viral pathogen that causes res- T Two suspected HMPV cases detected in Nagpur NAGPUR: Two suspected cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were detected in Maharashtra’s Nagpur, and both patients were in good health while their samples have been collected, a senior official said on Tuesday. The patients were sent home after treatment, and their samples have been sent to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and National Institute of Virology in Pune, the official said. piratory infections in people of all age groups. Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Monday chaired a virtual meeting with States and Union Territories to take stock of respiratory illnesses and HMPV cases in District Collector Vipin Itankar said, “media reports about HMPV patients in Nagpur are wrong. Two children aged seven and 14 were treated in the outpatient department of a private hospital, and their samples were tested and marked as suspected.” The samples have now been sent to AIIMS Nagpur and NIV Pune, he said, adding that the children were in good health. the country and public health measures for their management, a health ministry statement said. The meeting was held amid reports of a surge in HMPV cases in China and on a day when India reported 5 cases. During the meeting, it was reiterated that the data from IDSP does not indicate any unusual rise in influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illnesses (SARI) cases anywhere in the country, the statement said. reached out to the ESG, albeit informally, to gather details about the project including the number and categories of influencers. The email followed shortly after. “Had such proactive steps taken before the season started in October 2024 or during its peak, negativity spread on social media might have been defeated. Nevertheless, this would be a new beginning this year,” the official said. The stakeholders have been going through a tough time amid rising domestic and international competition. Viral social media posts showing empty streets, shacks and beaches during the time when Goa usually records a surge in visitors compounded the issue, as new, affordable foreign destinations are increasingly drawing tourists away from the State. Depts get fiat to curb unwanted spending THE GOAN I NETWORK GOVT’S COST SAVING MEASURES PANAJI Launching an austerity drive to contain unnecessary expenditure and provide funds for developmental activities, the State government on Tuesday banned creation of new posts across all its departments, autonomous bodies and Corporations until further orders. Under Secretary Finance Pranab Bhat in an Office Memorandum has issued a series of directions for rationalisation of expenditure in a bid to curb unwanted revenue spending by the departments in the last quarter of the ongoing financial year and encourage them to surrender savings. The government has directed its departments not to spend more than 20 per cent of their budgetary estimates in the last quarter of the fiscal- between January and „„Depts told not to spend more than 20% of budgetary estimates in last quarter „„Can be reduced by 40% till financial year end „„No new posts in all depts, autonomous bodies, corporations until further orders CM rules out Cabinet reshuffle for now >> See pg 3 March, 2025. “Not more than 20 per cent of the Budgetary estimates shall be spent in the remaining quarters of this financial year, except under flagship schemes of the government and wherever possible, may be reduced „„Depts directed to bring into effect 25% cut in budgetary revenue expenditure „„Ban on purchase of furniture, electrical appliances, telephones, office vehicles; Accounts Department asked not to clear any bills by 40 per cent till the financial year end,” the OM stated. “There shall be a ban on creation and upgradation of posts in all departments, autonomous bodies, corporations of the government until further orders,” it added. The Secretary has asked all the departments to ensure rationalisation of >Continued on P5