Panaji News

Security beefed up outside Goa hotel ahead of Eknath Shinde-led rebel camp’s arrival
The Indian Express | 13 hours ago
The Indian Express
13 hours ago

Security has been tightened outside the Taj Resort and Convention Centre in Goa’s Dona Paula ahead of the arrival of rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde and MLAs backing him. The rebel leaders will fly to Mumbai Thursday to take part in the floor test at the Maharashtra legislative assembly.The Shinde faction, which is set to break away from Shiv Sena and stake claim to form the government in Maharashtra with the BJP, is expected to arrive in Goa late evening after a long stay in Guwahati.The rebel MLAs took off from Guwahati even as Shiv Sena’s petition challenging the floor test called on Thursday by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was being heard in the Supreme Court. Flying in closer to Mumbai on a special Spice Jet flight, Panaji will be the third stop for the breakaway legislators in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra. While initially they had reached Surat, they later shifted to Guwahati and will now reach Panaji.The sea-facing hotel located in the posh Dona Paula area near Panaji is a short distance from the Goa Raj Bhavan. “On Wednesday evening, there was heavy police deployment outside the hotel with over 100 rooms booked for the Shinde camp and their aides,” said sources.As tourists milled around the hotel lobby Wednesday, sources added that armed officers of the Goa Police kept vigil at the hotel. Outside, there was heavy barricading on what was an overcast Wednesday afternoon.Sources also said that senior police officers of the Goa Police also reviewed the security arrangements at the five-star hotel Wednesday evening.The Goa Police have also strengthened its checks at its northern border at Patradevi. Goa shares a border with Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. Shiv Sena MLA from Sidhudurg Vaibhav Naik is backing Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray while senior Shiv Sena leader and MLA from Sawantwadi Deepak Kesarkar is among the rebels with Shinde.

Security beefed up outside Goa hotel ahead of Eknath Shinde-led rebel camp’s arrival
Assembly archives intact, CM misguided: Goa Speaker
The Indian Express | 1 day ago
The Indian Express
1 day ago

Goa Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar on Tuesday said that archives of the state Assembly were intact and that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant may have been “misguided” when he said that records of the House from 1963 to 2000 were destroyed.On Monday, Sawant had said that records of the Assembly’s first session in 1963, and up to 2000, were destroyed when the Assembly was relocated from Adil Shah Palace in Panaji to Porvorim in 2000.“I wanted to preserve them, but they were destroyed. I am sorry, this should not have happened. Since 2000, we are preserving the records and their digitisation is being done,” Sawant had said on Monday while addressing the opening of a training programme for MLAs ahead of the monsoon session next month.On Tuesday, Tawadkar told The Indian Express, “The statement is incorrect. Somebody has misguided him (Sawant). All our documents are intact. Nothing has been destroyed.”Sawant, who was the Speaker in 2017, had said, “Old records of the Assembly proceedings, including speeches of Goa’s first chief minister, Dayanand Bandodkar, were destroyed when the Secretariat was shifted from the Adil Shah Palace building to the new complex in 2000.”Tawadkar, however, said that all documents, including Bandodkar’s speeches, questions and answers, and proceedings of the Assembly were available in digitised form. He also said, “I have told him (CM Sawant) that somebody has misguided him. The statement is not correct.”

Assembly archives intact, CM misguided: Goa Speaker
Goa International Film Festival of India 2014 | ‘Irregularities’ in IFFI spending: Police told to file FIR
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

A local court in Panaji has asked the Goa police to file in a case of alleged financial irregularities in the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) held in Goa in 2014.In a complaint filed in 2015, Goa Forward Party (GFP) General Secretary (Organisation) Durgadas Kamat had  alleged illegalities in the bills raised for IFFI causing a loss of Rs 5 crore to the state exchequer. He said he filed a private complaint before the magistrate after the police did not act on his complaint.“The allegations made in the complaint are of serious nature involving huge money and therefore, the respondent is required to do detailed investigations based on documentary evidence available. The manner in which the inquiry already done by the respondent appears to be mere eye wash and not seriously done. The authority under which said inquiry done is also not known,” wrote Chief Judicial Magistrate, ‘A’ Court, Panaji Ram Subrai Prabhu Dessai, in his six-page order of June 8.🚨 Limited Time Offer | Express Premium with ad-lite for just Rs 2/ day 👉🏽 Click here to subscribe 🚨The court ordered that an FIR under sections 408 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and 419 (cheating with knowledge of wrongful loss) be registered. “I find that there is absolute need for thorough investigation in the matter in order to unearth the truth in respect of the allegations made in the complaint,” the magistrate said.On April 6, the court had asked the state government to produce all the case files related to this complaint. The court was informed that they were handed to a special public prosecutor who died in 2018. The court noted that the special public prosecutor died and “the case papers remained with him and inspite of efforts made by the police the file could not be traced.” The court said that there was no documentary evidence to show that the files were handed over to the prosecutor and it was not the specific case of the police that the files of the case were destroyed.“Even otherwise, during the pendency of the present proceedings, the respondent ought not to have destroyed the records pertaining to the investigation in this crime. It is also not the case of the respondent that final report has been filed in the said crime and therefore, the question of destruction of the investigation papers does not arise at all,” the court said.The court also asked the police to file a monthly report in the case.

Goa International Film Festival of India 2014 | ‘Irregularities’ in IFFI spending: Police told to file FIR
Explained: Goa’s new Raj Bhavan plan and what happens to the old structure?
The Indian Express | 1 week ago
The Indian Express
1 week ago

President Ramnath Kovind Wednesday laid foundation stone for the construction of the Raj Bhavan annexe at the Goa Governor’s residence. The new building will come up within the Raj Bhavan premises overlooking the Arabian Sea.Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai said Thursday that the Raj Bhavan building, which was over 400 years old, is a national monument and would be preserved in its existing form.Why is a new Raj Bhavan being built?The Raj Bhavan at Dona Paula in Panaji is a monument that has been standing for over four centuries. Government officials have argued that the maintenance of the Raj Bhavan building is difficult and expensive and modifications to the existing structure are not permissible since it is a heritage building. The government has envisioned use of the existing Raj Bhavan building, a protected Archeological Survey of India monument, for tourism.When was the decision to construct a new Raj Bhavan taken?The Goa government had first announced its decision to construct a new Raj Bhavan in July 2020. However, the then Goa Governor, Satyapal Malik, had written a letter to Goa CM Pramod Sawant stating that “at a time when the state is battling Covid-19 and reeling under financial crises, the idea to construct a new Raj Bhavan is irrational and imprudent”.The Cabinet led by Sawant in his new government formed in March, recently approved the construction of the new Raj Bhavan building.What has been the government’s response to those opposing the move?Opposition parties in Goa have questioned the need for a new building.In a statement issued on May 23, the Raj Bhavan clarified that the “present building of Raj Bhavan and the Governor’s Secretariat Building will remain intact and will not be disturbed or modified in any manner”.Glimpses from Foundation Stone Laying Ceremony at Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula, Goa.@psspillaigov@DrPramodPSawant@ramesh_tawadkar pic.twitter.com/ncf0dAo1uC— Shripad Y. Naik (@shripadynaik) June 15, 2022But it said the building had undergone “a great deal of wear and tear resulting in crores of rupees being spent every year for the maintenance by the Public Works Department”.The statement added, the Raj Bhavan’s requirements too have changed, needing “more space with modern facilities and amenities”.Governor Pillai had earlier said, “This (the existing Raj Bhavan) is a monument, a national monument. Not even a single stone can be changed by the Governor, the Chief Minister or the President.”Officials said Pillai accepted the Chief Minister’s proposal as maintaining the old building was “difficult”. The new project will be executed by the Public Works Department.What is the history of the heritage building?In 1540, the then Portuguese Viceroy had built fort ramparts surrounding the entire cape due to its strategic location, government officials said.Subsequently in 1541, the chapel that exists at site was built along with the present day structure — it was originally planned to serve as a convent.In 1844, this convent became the residence of the Archbishop and, in 1866, it became the palace residence of the Portuguese governor.What is there inside the existing Raj Bhavan premises?The sprawling Raj Bhavan estate is located on a cape in the Goan capital, and is also known by its erstwhile Portuguese name “Palacio do Cabo”. It offers a breathtaking view of the Arabian sea and hosts a number of residential suites along with the Our Lady of the Cape Church, a Grotto, the Estate Beach and a jetty.After being opened for visitors in 2019, it was closed for the public in 2020 citing “security reasons”. Governor Pillai said that it would once again be opened to the public once the new building gets completed.Where will the new Raj Bhavan come up?The new building will come up within the sprawling 88-acre premises of the Raj Bhavan in Dona Paula in Panaji. Government officials said that the construction is likely to begin by September, adding that the building should be ready in about two years.President Ram Nath Kovind laid the foundation stone of the new Raj Bhavan (Annexe) at Goa.राष्ट्रपती रामनाथ कोविंद यांच्या हस्ते गोव्यातील नव्या राजभवन वास्तूचा पायाभरणी सोहळा दोनापावल येथे पार पडला. प्रस्तावित वास्तू सध्याच्या राजभवन आवारातच निर्माणाधीन आहे. pic.twitter.com/ZXz3kTaDz2— PIB in Goa (@PIB_Panaji) June 15, 2022What will the new building look like?According to the PWD, the ground floor of the building will have the President’s quarters with a master bedroom, a large sea-facing deck, living, dining area, kitchen and two guest bedrooms. It will also have the Governor’s office, office space for staff to the Governor, President’s staff on duty, ADCs, video conferencing facility and two VIP guest rooms. There will be a separate entrance for VIPs and another entry for other offices.The first floor will have Governor’s quarters with a master bedroom, a large sea-facing deck, living, dining, kitchen, and two guest bedrooms. It will also have offices of secretaries, joint secretaries, controller, assistant controller, allied staff offices, a control room, a banquet hall and a dining hall.The PWD has said that it has designed a barrier-free, sustainable building design suited to Goan climate while making maximum use of the sea view.

Explained: Goa’s new Raj Bhavan plan and what happens to the old structure?
  • ‘Welcome plan to build new Raj Bhavan’
  • Times of India

    Panaji: Welcoming the government’s plan to build a new Raj Bhavan, Congress MLA Carlos Fereira said Goa government should consider the possibility of getting the project funded by the Centre. “I’m told that funds are made available for building Raj Bhavans by the Centre. The Goa government can examine if the funds can be obtained from the Centre,” Fereira said. President Ram Nath Kovind is on a two-day visit to Goa during which he will lay the foundation for the project. “I will support the move of the government to build a new Raj Bhavan, which will be modern and yet meet the aesthetic standards of the existing Raj Bhavan. We should look at it positively. I don’t want to oppose it simply because I’m an opposition MLA,” he said. The Aldona MLA said the existing Raj Bhavan is the oldest in the country. Being a protected monument, there are limitations involved in restoration, renovations and maintenance. “Since I have been an advisor to governors of Goa, I know the dangers concerning the stability of the structure, the kind of work that was sought to be undertaken in 2000, and the apprehensions of the engineers,” he said.

‘Test even if you think you have the flu’
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

PANAJI: As Covid cases continue to rise in the state, health officials have said that people must get tested for the disease even if they have flu-like symptoms. State epidemiologist Dr Utkarsh Betodkar said that people have no option but to take precautions. On Wednesday, the state recorded a total of 82 new cases.

‘Test even if you think you have the flu’
  • People urged to get tested even for flu-like symptoms
  • Times of India

    Panaji: Even as Covid-19 cases rise rapidly in the state, health authorities have said that people should get tested even if they have flu or flu-like symptoms. On Tuesday, Goa hit 100 daily cases after nearly four months, after several days of daily cases ranging from 60 to 70. State epidemiologist Dr Utkarsh Betokdar said that people have no alternative but to take precautions. “People should get tested even if they think they have the flu,” Betodkar said. However, health authorities are still not ready to term the present rise a new (or a fourth) wave. “Hospitalisations are still on the lower side, just one or two admissions a week,” he said. “Since the rise, a single fatality has been reported, adding that the patient who died after contracting the infection was a 95-year-old woman. Betodkar said that most patients reported mild symptoms, unlike in earlier phases of the pandemic. Since the rise in cases, the majority of patients have been treated in home isolation. The directorate of health services is still unclear as to how to define the ongoing increase, but one pattern that’s been emerging has been similar to earlier, which is that South Goa is reporting more cases than North Goa. “We haven’t seen any clusters so far, but more infections are being reported from South Goa,” he said. Betodkar said that it may be because of “the higher concentration of population” in certain talukas of South Goa. The first wave originated at Mangor Hill, Vasco, in the first week of June 2020, reaching other parts of the state by the month-en. While Vasco became the hotspot, Salcete also reported a huge number of cases. During the second wave, Margao remained at the top, whereas in North Goa, Calangute, Candolim, Panaji and Porvorim saw the disease spread like wildfire, but the tally of cases in South Goa was higher than that of North Goa. Even during the third wave which began from December 28, 2021, and started dipping by mid-February, South Goa was ahead in terms of numbers.

In 2020-21, Goa had 3rd highest unemployment
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

PANAJI- The Union government said that at least 10.5% of Goa’s population was unemployed during the Covid-19 pandemic, much above the national unemployment rate of 4.2 %. This was the third highest joblessness in the country during that period, after Nagaland and Lakshadweep, according to a report released by the Union ministry of statistics and programme implementation (MoSPI). The data also shows that women constitute just one fourth of the labour force in Goa. At 27.3%, this figure is less than the average 32.5%

In 2020-21, Goa had 3rd highest unemployment
  • ‘In 2020-21, Goa had 3rd highest unemployed’
  • Times of India

    Panaji: At least 10.5% of Goa’s population was unemployed during the Covid-19 pandemic, much above the national unemployment rate of 4.2 %, shows a report released by the Union Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) for 2020-21. Goa had the third highest joblessness in the country during that period, after Nagaland and Lakshadweep. The data also shows that women constitute just one fourth of the labour force in Goa. At a meagre 27.3%, the Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) of women in Goa is below the national average of 32.5%. This data is part of the Union ministry’s Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) annual report for July 2020 to June 2021. For the survey, MoSPI collected data from 24 villages in Goa, contacting 723 persons from 192 rural households. For the urban areas, 962 women and men from 256 households were interviewed. In rural and urban areas, the unemployment rate is more or less the same, with rural areas registering unemployment rate of 10% and urban areas registering unemployment rate of 10.9%. Monthly data published by the Centre for Monitoring of Indian Economy (CMIE) showed that unemployment in Goa increased over the past three months and stood at 15.5% in April, up from the 11.6% unemployment rate in January. The independent research firm had also come to the same conclusion that the prevalence of unemployment in Goa is higher than the national average. As per the Centre’s report, the LFPR for Goa stood at 48.5% for those in the 15 years and above age group. In this, the female participation stands at 33% in the rural areas and at 23.8% in urban pocket. Men form 69% of the work force in Goa (rural 64.6% and urban 71.6%). Among rural males, 33% of the employed men said that they are self employed while 57% claimed to be salaried with regular wages and 9% working as casual workers. Among rural women who said that they were employed, 59% stated they are self employed, 34% earn regular wages and 7% are casual workers. Among urban men, 36% are self employed, 59% are salaried and 5% are casual labourers. At 63%, the percentage of urban women who are salaried outnumbered salaried men. The data also appears to vary from the data released by the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) for 2019-20. According to the MoSPI, Goa’s sex ratio in rural areas stands at 831 females for every 1,000 men, while in urban areas, the sex ratio is 999 females for every 1000 men. However, the NFHS data pegged the sex ratio in rural areas at 1,092 females per 1,000 males and in urban areas at 985 women for every 1,000 males.

Clandestine fishing in Dongorim biodiversity hotspot worries locals
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Panaji: In a bid to tap the prevailing demand for seafood during the fishing ban period, a group of fishermen is illegally venturing into the backwaters of Dongorim, a fish biodiversity hotspot, allegedly with clandestine local support. The fishermen — comprising 20-odd men and women — use small boats shaped like baskets and nets to land a huge catch, stoking fears among locals that this activity may deplete fish resources. “We saw two vehicles returning from the backwaters loaded with catch on Tuesday and warned them not to carry out illegal fishing again,” villager Eknath Mayekar said. The non-local fishermen arrive in a couple of vehicles and carry out fishing in the flooded paddy fields between two major sluice gates — Damra and Cauzem. “They have been resorting to illegal fishing for a few weeks with the support of some locals,” a resident said. The water bodies between the two sluice gates are not covered under fishing rights of any tenants’ association. “These are fish breeding sites and indiscriminate fishing during the ban period will destroy our local resources,” Ramrao Wagh, a local politician said. When confronted by some villagers on Tuesday, the fishermen said a sluice gate operator who had been allotted fishing rights had engaged them. But the residents contended that the fishing area is beyond any sluice gate’s domain. St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar and the Tiswadi mamlatdar have been informed about this illegal fishing activity, sources said.

Clandestine fishing in Dongorim biodiversity hotspot worries locals
CM Sawant: May bring new law to curb conversions in Goa
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the state government's legal team is examining anti-conversion laws in the state and at the Centre, and that if required, the state would bring in an anti-conversion law. He said current anti-conversion laws are "weak". The chief minister added that anti-conversion laws are a state subject and, if required, the state will bring in new laws. Sawant said that he has never differentiated between the majority and minority in the state, and it will not be done in the future too. "Goa follows a common civil code, and everyone is Goan," he said. "At present the anti-conversion laws are weak to act against those involved in religious conversions," he said. "Nobody can be involved in religious conversions. If someone is doing illegal conversion, then we will not keep quiet," Sawant added. Speaking on the construction and renovation of temples which were destroyed during the Portuguese regime and on religious conversions, Sawant said temples showcase Goa's culture.

CM Sawant: May bring new law to curb conversions in Goa
  • Will frame new laws if needed to curb conversions: CM
  • Times of India

    Panaji: Stating that the existing anti-conversion laws are weak, chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the state government’s legal team is examining these laws in the state and at the Centre. The chief minister added that anti-conversion laws are a state subject and, if required, the state will bring in new laws. Sawant said that he has never differentiated between the majority and minority in the state, and it will not be done in the future too. “Goa follows a common civil code, and everyone is Goan,” he said. “At present the anti-conversion laws are weak to act against those involved in religious conversions,” he said. “Nobody can be involved in religious conversions. If someone is doing illegal conversion, then we will not keep quiet,” Sawant added. Speaking on the construction and renovation of temples which were destroyed during the Portuguese regime and on religious conversions, Sawant said temples showcase Goa’s culture.

  • Goa CM: Looking into conversion laws, will make changes if needed
  • The Indian Express

    Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Tuesday that his legal team was studying anti-conversion laws, and added that if any changes were required, they would be carried out. In an interview to a news channel, Sawant said that “illegal” religious conversions would not be tolerated.“If anyone illegally converts by inducement or duress, that will not be tolerated,” said Sawant. “This is not for votes. This is a wrong idea,” he said, when asked if his stance was a political strategy.“At present, the law is weak. My legal team is studying it. If any changes are required, they will be carried out. Anti-conversion laws in the state and in the country are being looked at,” Sawant said. “If for the last 20-25 years someone is doing it (illegal religious conversion), if this has been going on in broad daylight and no one is acting against it even after a complaint, and if with the existing laws we cannot put an end to it, then there needs to be a new law for it,” he added.

Tourist cabs don’t use meters, may hit S Goa hotels, say stakeholders
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Panaji: With the Mopa International airport expected to be commissioned in September, Goa is set to see an increased flow of travellers. While development at the beginning of the tourist season ought to have made the tourism industry euphoric, concerns have risen over alleged non-implementation of taxi meters. Trade members have alleged that though tourist taxis have been fitted with meters, operators are still not billing travellers as per metre rates and fear that, as an immediate fallout, hotels in South Goa may be affected. A hotelier from North Goa, Francisco de Braganca, said that tourist taxi operators continue to charge exorbitantly and added that the transport department does not have a mechanism in place to check if they are using meters. "If you charge Rs 3,000-4,000 for a one-way journey from North Goa to South Goa, we are afraid hotels in South Goa may lose clients," he said.

Tourist cabs don’t use meters, may hit S Goa hotels, say stakeholders
  • Tourist cabs don’t use meters, may hit S Goa hotels, say stakeholders
  • Times of India

    Panaji: With the Mopa International airport expected to be commissioned in September, Goa is set to see an increased flow of travellers. While development at the beginning of the tourist season ought to have made the tourism industry euphoric, concerns have risen over alleged non-implementation of taxi meters. Trade members have alleged that though tourist taxis have been fitted with meters, operators are still not billing travellers as per metre rates and fear that, as an immediate fallout, hotels in South Goa may be affected. A hotelier from North Goa, Francisco de Braganca, said that tourist taxi operators continue to charge exorbitantly and added that the transport department does not have a mechanism in place to check if they are using meters. “If you charge Rs 3,000-4,000 for a one-way journey from North Goa to South Goa, we are afraid hotels in South Goa may lose clients,” he said. “Is there any system in place to check if tourist taxis operators bill their clients reasonably?” Braganca said. He said coaches will have to be arranged from the North Goa airport rather than completely relying on tourist taxis for transportation. A hotelier in South Goa said that the state has received enough bad publicity in the past on the account of a few operators indulging in unhealthy trade practices. The need of the hour is to have a shuttle service as available at other airports in the country, he said. “Until four-lanning of the national highway is completed fully, travelling from North to South and vice versa will not be smooth and fast. In such a situation, taxi operators are likely to take advantage of the situation,” he said. It has taken the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) over five years and that too, after intervention of the court, to get the government to ensure that tourist taxis install digital meters. Some, however, are yet to get the digital meters fitted on their vehicles. A senior official from the transport department said that so far they have not received a single complaint of overcharging. “The guests should insist that the driver switch on the digital meter and charge accordingly. They should complain to the transport department if they (drivers) fail to do so,” the senior officer said. TTAG has discussed the problem with chief minister Pramod Sawant. “With Zuari bridge expected to be commissioned by the end of the next month, it will cut travel time. When we met the chief minister on Monday, we discussed connectivity issues, and hassle free travelling from North to South should. If meters are fixed and if they are not used, what is the use of having them installed?” Shah said. Shah said a rapid system of transportation has to be in place before the new airport is thrown open. “We will need more vehicles once the new airport becomes functional, so we also asked the CM to remove an embargo on issuance of fresh licences for taxis and rickshaws,” Shah added.

After vigorous onset spell, monsoon weakens in Goa
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Panaji: While this year’s monsoon rainfall has so far been highest on June 12 — the second day after the onset over the state — at 69.6mm in 24 hours, it has drastically decreased over the following days and was only 1.4mm as of 8.30am on Tuesday. “June 12 was one of the wettest days so far during this monsoon, with the state receiving 69.6mm in one day,” said M R Ramesh Kumar, meteorologist and former chief scientist of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). An intense rainfall event is one in which a station receives more than 10cm of rain in a day. On June 12, three rain gauge stations in Goa crossed the 100mm mark within a span of 24 hours. “This type of distribution is bad for agriculture, drinking and even for hydroelectric power generation. We need both spatial and temporal distribution of rainfall, not everything in a few days. A break in monsoon conditions during the rest of the period is bad for the state,” he said. There has been weak monsoon activity over the state after the onset of monsoon, five days ago. “The northern limit of the monsoon has reached the southern part of Gujarat. Out of the 36 meteorological subdivisions of the Indian subcontinent, only two have excess rainfall and three have normal monsoon rainfall. A further 18 subdivisions had deficit rainfall and 13 had largely deficient rainfall. The country overall has a monsoon deficit of 36% up to the morning of June 14,” Kumar said.

After vigorous onset spell, monsoon weakens in Goa
‘Focus on archives bldg rather than Portugal junket’
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Panaji: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has slammed archives minister Subhash Phaldessai for announcing that the state would bring archival documents about Goa’s history from Portugal while ignoring priceless documents of historic significance already existing in Goa. The party said the minister should visit the directorate of archives and archaeology in Goa which is the oldest archives in the entire country established in 1595, before planning a junket to Portugal. AAP state president Amit Palekar alleged that Phaldessai doesn’t seem to have understood his responsibility as archives minister. “Before running to Portugal for more documents, he should review the state of the archives building in Mala-Panaji which houses centuries-old documents. There has been non-stop flooding of this area for years, and the dampness and moisture puts these priceless documents at great risk. The flooding is so bad that the records area has to be kept closed to public many times during the monsoon,” Palekar said. AAP vice-president Valmiki Naik mocked the minister for stating that documents from Portugal may “reveal more secrets”. “The so-called ‘Goa Files’ strategy failed miserably after Goans, cutting across religious lines, unitedly condemned the mischievous plan of the BJP to sow communal discord in Goa. So now the Sawant government is now fishing for documents to try and concoct new controversies and divert from their governance failures,” Naik alleged.

‘Focus on archives bldg rather than Portugal junket’
Government will not allow injustice to SC/STs: CM
Times of India | 2 weeks ago
Times of India
2 weeks ago

Panaji: Chief minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said that work of setting up a tribal research centre and museum will be fast-tracked. Sawant said that the Goa commission for scheduled castes (SC) and scheduled tribes (ST) should work along with the state government and prepare a roadmap to implement forest rights to ensure that the communities are beneficiaries of land rights. He was speaking on the sidelines of inaugurating the renovated office of the commission at Patto, Panaji. Sawant said that the government is working to provide justice and equal rights to the SC, ST and Other Backward Class (OBC) community. “We will not allow any injustice to happen to the SC and ST communities with regards to promotions, roster or land rights,” he said. Sawant added that the commission created awareness about the cases that need to reach to the commission such as promotions, roster not being followed, ST rights, forest rights among others. He said that cases which come under the commission include inquiry into violation of any right provided in the Protection of the Civil Right Act, 1955, SC and ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, 1989. He said that the communities should get justice under the acts without any discrimination. “Whatever the government has decided about providing land rights under the forest act can be resolved through collectors, the director of tribal affairs and the director of the commission. At present we have been able to give dwelling rights to only 319 people and in the future we want to give these in a phased manner,” he said. Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar said that as SC and ST people find it difficult to come to Panaji, courts were set up at Canacona and Quepem.

Government will not allow injustice to SC/STs: CM