log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2024 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 15 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 94 Instagram.com/thegoanonline Bumrah’s brilliance leads India to commanding positionPg 15 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Goa varsity grapples with severe manpower crisis POSTS OF PROFESSORS, ASSISTANT PROFESSORS VACANT FOR FIVE YEARS DUE TO 15 YEARS DOMICILE CRITERIA THE GOAN I NETWORK page 7 Goan attire gets limelight at London Fashion Week 4 Goans awarded in London for outstanding services IN SHORT >> Mopa land losers get 2 months to apply for certificates PANAJI: People whose land was acquired for the Mopa airport construction and whose compensation claims have been settled have been given a two-month window to apply for a Land Loser Certificate. A public notice has been issued to this effect by Derrick Neto, Special Land Acquisition Officer, Mopa Airport Cell. Goa awarded as ‘best wedding destination’ PANAJI: Goa has been conferred the prestigious Best Wedding Destination in India award at the Wow Awards Middle East 2024, held in Dubai. The Consulate General of India in Dubai, K Kalimuthu, Dubai Consul, Economic, Trade, Commerce and Education received the award on behalf of Goa Tourism.  >> See pg 5 C’garh woman held with `  L worth drugs 6 PANAJI: A 40-year-old woman from Chhattisgarh, Asha Lakra, was arrested at a rented house in Agniwaddo, Guirim with narcotic drugs MDMA and Ecstasy, along with a mobile phone, all valued at Rs 6.80 lakh. WEATHER >> Max: 31.7 C Min: 24.8 C Humidity: 94% TIDES Low: High: 06:35 18:59 00:53 12:26 PANAJI Goa University, the State’s sole varsity is currently facing acute shortage of professors and associate professors, thanks to Goa government’s mandatory 15 years domicile criteria that have left these posts vacant since last fourfive years. The Varsity’s Executive Council, who on Friday deliberated the consistent drop in ranking at National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), was of the opinion that the government need to relax the domicile criteria for the post of professors and associate professors as the State is not producing the required Varsity invites applications for new affiliated colleges, progs PANAJI: The Goa University has invited online applications for new affiliated colleges or new programmes including starting of research Centres for the academic year 2025-26. The last date for applications is October 15; however an extension with late fee charges is granted till April 30, 2025.   The varsity has also sought applications from the affiliated colleges for continuation and extension of affiliation and affiliations to start new divisions. >> See pg 3 manpower. Goa University vice chancellor Harilal Menon said that there are lot of vacancies of professors and associate professors pending for many years. “If we manage to fill those vacancies now, Goa University would be among the top Universities in the country in another five years,” he said. During a recent event at the varsity, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who also holds HC orders immersion of Ganesh idols left near well in Chimbel Govt asked to give police protection THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Bombay High Court at Goa has directed one Vijayanand Kankonkar to, with the help of police protection, carry out the rituals and immerse several Ganesh idols that were kept on the edge of a well in Chimbel in defiance of the High Court order, which had directed that the idols be immersed in the well in the absence of any other available clean spot for immersion.  “We cannot retain such idols left unattended at the side of the well. In view of our order dated 05/09/2024, directions were given to the villagers to carry out immersion of the idols in the well. However, in defiance of such orders, the idols were kept by the side of the well without carrying out immersion in the well. We request the State Government to give Police Protection to the Applicant to carry out such procedure,” the High Court said.  Controversy erupted after it was found that the water body education portfolio, had expressed resentment towards the State’s only university. He had said that despite providing required financial boost to infrastructure and human resource, the performance has seen consistent drop. Executive Council Chairman Sudin Nayak said that there are various reasons associated to drop in ranking. He said that at present GU does not have professors Fact check fiasco: Court quashes amended IT rules 1 The Bombay High Court on Friday quashed the amended Information Technology rules aimed at identifying through a Fact Checking Unit “fake and false” content against the government on social media platforms, holding it as unconstitutional. 2 Ganesh idols that were left on the edge of the Chimbel well. where the villagers used to originally used to immerse the idols that is located in a disputed property, was filled up with mud, coconut saplings, coconut leaves, coconut husk, wooden logs, banana plantation trunks and leaves with an unclean pathway. It also states that the speed of excavation and cleaning is slow due to less number of labourers.  However, even though the labourers were cleaning up the water body, it wasn’t ex- pected to be completed in time for the festival.  The festival has sentiments and immersion is required to be carried out in clean and fresh water and not in a place where mud, coconut shells, coconut leaves, husk, wooden logs, banana plantation trunks and leaves are dumped. “Considering the photographs and situation, we >Continued on P5 Observing that the amended rules infringed the right to equality and freedom of speech, the court also said the rules being vague and broad could cause a “chilling effect” not only on an individual but also social media intermediaries. 3 The amended rules provided for the establishment of a Fact Checking Unit with powers to flag misleading or false online content concerning the government. The ruling was passed by Justice A S Chandurkar. >> See pg 9 and associate professors as all have retired over last five years. “Those who are there are assistant professors and 80 per cent of them don’t even have PHD and hence they are not in position to guide the students,” he said. “Why is this…I am asking why the positions are vacant… because Goa has made 15 years domicile mandatory for appointment of professors and associate professors. In Goa, we are not getting anyone with 15 years domicile,” he added. Nayak said that the domicile rule can be made mandatory only for clerical and other >Continued on P5 Sawant dismisses K’taka’s claim for Tillari water Says Goa’s share stands at 80%, while Maharashtra’s is at 20% THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Amidst media reports that Karnataka is now eyeing to divert Tillari water, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday out rightly dismissed the neighbouring State’s claim for water share. Speaking to media, Sawant informed that as per Irrigational agreement between Goa and Maharashtra, 80 per cent of water from the Tillari dam is exclusively reserved for Goa while 20 per cent is for Maharashtra. He said that Goa has got the maximum right over Tillari water besides bearing the maintenance cost of the project as and when required. “At any cost, Maharashtra cannot divert or share Tillari water with Karnataka,” Sawant said. There have been media reports that Karnataka, which is already fighting a water battle with Goa and Maharashtra over Mhadei, has moved a proposal to Maharashtra to divert Tillari water through Markdey River to Ghatprabhat There have been media reports that Karnataka, which is already fighting a water battle with Goa and Maharashtra over Mhadei, has moved a proposal to Maharashtra to divert Tillari water through Markdey River to Ghatprabhat. Further speaking, the Chief Minister said that the State has recently requested >Continued on P5 2 Cuncolim fish meal plants directed to cease operations Pollution Board cites discharge of untreated effluents into storm water drains THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO The Goa State Pollution Control Board has finally cracked the whip against polluting units at Cuncolim Industrial Estate issuing directions to a fish meal plant and a fish processing unit to suspend operations with immediate effect. In separate notices, GSPCB Member Secretary Dr Shamila Monteiro has issued issues notices to Ms United Marine Products and Ms Quality Foods to show cause why the operation of the units should not be closed/suspended. The GSPCB order comes a day after a team had inspected the industrial estate following a telephonic complaint lodged by the president of the Cuncolim Industries Association Abhay Keni regarding discharge of waste water from the fish processing/fish meal industries. The order assumes significance and comes against the backdrop of the Effluents from Cuncolim Industrial Estate flowing into the water bodies at Cuncolim and Ambaulim. Collector asks GSPCB to take action MARGAO: South Goa district Collector Asvin Chandru has stepped in to stem the rot at Cuncolim Industrial Estate on Friday after a field inspection revealed discharge of raw sewage at the industrial estate. Invoking Section 34 of Disaster Management Act, 2005, the district Collector has issued directions to Goa State Pollution Control Board for immediate action regarding industrial violations at Cuncolim IDC. >> See pg 2 agitation by the residents of Cuncolim on Friday, threatening to hit the roads if the pollution units are not shut immediately. The GSPCB team had ob- served that discharge of untreated effluent was coming from the storm water drain located within the premises >Continued on P5 Finally, Bengal doctors withdraw Tirupati laddu row turns bitter with pig fat claims WHAT TIRUMALA TIRUPATI DEVASTHANAMS SAID ‘cease work’ after 42-day protest PTI PTI KOLKATA Junior doctors protesting the rape-murder of a colleague at RG Kar hospital ended their 42-day ‘’cease work’’ on Friday, announcing partial resumption of duties in essential services after a march to the CBI office following a week-long demonstration outside the state health department’s headquarters. The procession, which covered around 4 km from ‘’Swasthya Bhawan’’ to the CGO Complex, aimed to urge a swift conclusion to the CBI probe into the case. The medics said they would not work in the out patient de- KOLKATA RAPE-MURDER partment (OPD) but partially function in emergency and essential services. In yet another powerful show of solidarity, thousands of citizens gathered here on Friday evening for a massive 42-km torch rally demanding justice for the murdered young medic, coinciding with junior doctors’’ withdrawal of ‘’cease work’’. “Today, we are calling off our ‘’cease work.’’ From tomorrow, we will partially join duties concerning emergency and essential services,” one of the junior doctors said. To commemorate their struggle, junior doctors also announced the establishment of Abhaya medical camps in flood-hit regions of the state, further demonstrating their commitment to public health even amidst the ongoing protests. “Given the flood situation in West Bengal and the government’s agreeing to some of our demands, we will be partially rejoining emergency and essential services from Saturday,” a doctor said. “However, if the assurances and promises (by the government) are not fulfilled, we will again start our agitation,” another protesting doctor warned. AMARAVATI he Tirupati laddu row intensified on Friday with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, which is managing the super-rich temple, backing Chief Minister N Chandra Babu Naidu’s claim that the famous ‘’prasadam’’ had animal fat and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy dubbing the accusations as “atrocious”. The Centre too weighed in, with Union Health Minister JP Nadda seeking a report on the matter from the Andhra Pradesh government and promising suitable action after examining it. Food Minister Pralhad Joshi called for an investigation into the allegations. Addressing a press confer- T „„Lab tests reveal presence of animal fat, ‘’Lard’’ (pig fat) and other impurities „„Board in process of blacklisting contractor who supplied ‘’adulterated’’ ghee ence in Tirupati, a day after the TDP circulated a lab report to back Naidu’s claim that animal fat was used in Tirupati laddus during the previous YSRCP government, TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao said lab tests had revealed the presence of animal fat, ‘’Lard’’ (pig fat) and other impurities and the board was in the process of blacklisting the contractor who „„Previous regime bought inferior quality ghee at cheaper prices affecting quality of Laddu „„We have changed the ghee supplier... we started purchasing Nandini brand ghee from Karnataka supplied ‘’adulterated’’ ghee. Now, the legal process will start, he said and noted that the suppliers took advantage of a lack of an in-house testing facility. The TTD manages the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple. Addressing a public meeting in Prakasam district, Naidu alleged the previous regime bought inferior quality ghee at cheaper prices affecting the quality of Laddu and damaged the sacredness of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. “Today we have changed the ghee supplier. We started purchasing Nandini brand ghee from Karnataka. People are saying their sentiments were hurt (following allegations of adulterated ghee and presence of animal fat in Tirupati laddus). When the sentiments were hurt, should I spare them (culprits) when unpardonable mistakes were committed,” Naidu asked, asserting people have faith in their respective religions. With the fingers of accusation being pointed at the previous regime over the issue, former CM and YSRCP president Jagan Mohan Reddy described the matter as “diversion politics,” and slammed it as a “concocted story.” TTD EO Rao said, “all the four reports of samples gave similar results. So we immediately stopped (receiving) the supplies. And the blacklisting of the contractor was initiated and the procedure to impose penalties would also be initiated. Now, the legal process will start,”