log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline THURSDAY JANUARY 9, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 202 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Central agencies recommend noise barriers to combat sound pollution INSTALLATION RECOMMENDED ALONG 5 KMS COVERING 4 BEACHES IN NORTH; REPORT SUBMITTED TO POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As the coastal belt continues to grapple with a serious noise pollution menace, the State government-appointed Central agencies have recommended installation of transparent noise barriers along a five kms long coastal stretch covering four beaches – Calangute, Baga, Ashvem and Arambol to mitigate sound disturbances. The report ‘Noise Mapping, Identification of Hot Spots and Mitigation Plan for Control of Noise Pollution for Goa State’ prepared by Envirotech Instruments Pvt Ltd and CSIR-Central Road Research Institute has observed that at night time the sound level along these beaches along with Candolim, Miramar, Anjuna and Sinquerim exceed CYBER TECH NATO’s evolving cyber threat landscape >> See PG 7 RECOMMENDATIONS: MITIGATE DISTURBANCES „„Transparent polycarbonate noise barriers (15 mm thickness, 5 meters high) along 5-km stretch of Calangute, Baga, Ashvem, and Arambol „„The barriers will face the sea and curve slightly to reduce noise spillover „„Workers in noisy beach areas to use earplugs to reduce prolonged exposure to high noise levels „„An automatic shutdown mechanism to deactivate the music systems when noise levels exceed 90 dB(A) „„For beaches near residential zones, noise barriers along the boundary between the sea and residential areas to prevent permissible limit. The agencies had undertaken noise mapping across nine as only these beaches have got sound check stations installed and the music levels are notably high. “In these areas, the installation of transparent noise barriers has been recommended noise from intruding into quiet zones „„Morjim beach and a proposed ‘Turtle Island’ require special protection through noise and light bans and declaration as protected zones to preserve sensitive wildlife habitats „„Planting mangrove trees in buffer zones can naturally reduce noise, eliminating the need for artificial noise barriers to mitigate sound disturbances. Total length of the noise barriers proposed is approx. 5 kms out of 105 kms coastal area beaches 4.7 % of the total FC GOA AND HYDERABAD FC SHARE POINTS IN 1-1 DRAW>> 11 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 length,” the report, which will be kept open for public suggestions, reads. The report has been submitted to the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) the nodal agency appointed to undertake noise mapping and identify hotspots. “Installing transparent noise barriers made of 15 mm polycarbonate sheets with a height of 5 metres could be beneficial. These barriers could be set up at the sides and back of music setups, with the front facing the sea and slightly curved towards it to reduce noise spillover,” it added. The agencies have recommended that the workers in noisy beach areas may use earplugs to reduce prolonged exposure to high noise levels. >Continued on P8 Shacks along North Goa coast ordered to shut by midnight Owners cry foul as police enforce early closure THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Police officials have ordered the closure of all shacks along the Candolim, Calangute and Mandrem beaches by midnight, following recent incidents of shack staff assaulting tourists. The tourist police are enforcing this directive and a total of 236 shacks have been affected at the three beaches. The decision by police to force shacks to close by 12 am has been questioned by the shack owners association, as it claims that shack owners have permission to keep shacks open till 1 am. Justifying the action to direct shacks to close by 12 am, a police officer said the police was taking action as per the shack policy. In a recent incident, shack owners and their staff fatally assaulted one tourist at Calangute beach, while there have been similar incidents of assaults on tourists at beach PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES „„All 236 shacks along Candolim, Calangute, and Mandrem beaches have been ordered to close by midnight „„The decision comes after recent incidents of shack staff assaulting tourists, including a fatal assault at Calangute beach „„The police are justifying the action as per the shack policy and to ensure tourist safety SHACK OWNERS’ CONCERNS „„The shack owners association claims that they have permission to keep shacks open until 1 am and are questioning the police’s decision shacks in Mandrem and Candolim beaches. In light of the recent incidents of assaults on tourists on the beach, the tourist police are ensuring that no one strolls or drinks alcohol on the beach after the shacks close at midnight. After the fatal assault at the shack in Calangute, North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal had directed that the shacks at the Candolim, Calangute and Creation of third district in final stages: Sawant Mandrem beaches be closed by 11 pm. However, on the request of local MLAs, the deadline to close the shacks was later extended to 12 am. The shack owners claimed that while music at shacks stops by 10 pm, the tourism department has permitted shacks to remain open till 11 pm, while the excise >Continued on P8 ORGANIZED BY PRUDENT NETWORK NEW DISTRICT TO COMPRISE CANACONA, SANGUEM, DHARBANDORA, AND QUEPEM; ALL FROM SOUTH GOA THE GOAN I NETWORK >> See PG 2 Non-working fire hydrants pose grave threat at Vasco market IN SHORT >> Finance panel team in State for talks PANAJI: The three-member 16th Finance Commission under the chairmanship of Arvind Panagariya on Wednesday arrived in Goa for consultation with the State government and stakeholders including MLAs. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the State is ready with its proposal to be placed before the Commission.  >> See pg 3 PANAJI Goa will have a third district and the government is finalising the proposal, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday. He said, the government has already decided positively and is in the final stages of creating the third district comprising of the four hinterland talukas of Canacona, Sanguem, Dharbandora and Quepem. According to Sawant, a Chief Secretary-led committee of eight members had been set up by his administration for the purpose of studying and preparing a report on the proposal to create a third district for the State. Among various aspects related to the pros and cons of a third district for the State, the panel was also tasked with making recommendations related to the geographical borders of the district, availabili- Cabinet approves changes in mining dump policy PANAJI: The Pramod Sawant cabinet on Wednesday cleared another amendment in the ‘dump mining policy’ which will enable erstwhile leaseholders to manage mining rejects dumped in the past in their least areas. These low-grade iron ore dumps, according to the amendment, including those located outside their lease areas but on private property, will be permitted to be handled by these erstwhile leaseholders who will have to pay conversion fees and other government charges specified in the Goa Land Revenue Code. ON PAGE 3 Cabinet nod for 6 more senior scale posts in Goa Police Recruitments will continue but appointments after April 1: CM ty of adequate infrastructure and socio-economic standing of the areas. OPENING TODAY Sawant said that the government is now in the final stages of creating a third district in Goa and will be announced soon. Currently, Goa has two districts – North Goa and South Goa – with headquarters at Panaji and Margao respectively. Should the third district be notified, it will geographically downsize South Goa as the four talukas earmarked for the new district are from there. House committee meets after 2-year gap, resolves to inspect Kalasa-Bhandura site Govt claims no ongoing work at site, faces Oppn ire over inaction THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI he State government on Wednesday maintained that currently there is no work being undertaken by Karnataka at Kalasa-Bhandura project site to divert the Mhadei river water into Malaprabha basin. The Goa Legislative Assembly’s House Committee on Mhadei met on Wednesday, two years after it had its first meeting in February 2023. The Committee unanimously T ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS „„An environmentalist claims ongoing work at the Kalasa project and preparations for water diversion via the Bhandura project „„A pipe fabrication plant is reportedly being set up at Khanapur resolved to inspect the Kalasa-Bhandura site for ground verification and to seek permission from Karnataka Call for inspection „„The House Committee on Mhadei which met after two years has unanimously resolved to inspect the Kalasa-Bhandura site for ground verification for the same. The Committee has decided to write to Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar to communicate with its counterpart in Karnataka for permission. Speaking to media persons post-meeting, Committee chairman and WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar said the officers will visit the site following concern raised by the environmentalist. “However, we observed that currently there is no work going on,” he said. Environmentalist Rajendra Kerkar had said that while work on Kalasa project is going >Continued on P8 From:- 09th Jan To 11th Jan 2025 (Thursday To Saturday) Time:- 11 am To 9 pm Venue:- BPS Sports Club Margao