Goa: Denied Congress ticket, ex-tourism minister Pacheco returns to NCP

Times of India | 4 months ago | 25-01-2022 | 04:30 am

Panaji: A decade after he quit NCP in a huff, former tourism minister Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco returned to the party. Pacheco, who was denied the Congress Benaulim ticket, said that he will contest the election on behalf of NCP from Nuvem. Pacheco blamed everyone from Congress to Revolutionary Goans for destroying Goa and misleading the people. He also said that BJP has flourished in Goa because of former CM Digambar Kamat and former power minister Aleixo Sequeira. NCP state chief Jose Philip D’Souza inducted Pacheco and former Congress and TMC member Shankar Phadte, who was the former Porvorim Congress block chief. In December 2011, Pacheco quit the NCP and resigned as an MLA claiming he was fed up with Congress’ corrupt governance. In August last year, he returned to the Congress fold, anticipating that the party would pick him as its candidate. “I have not returned because the Congress denied me a ticket. I was in touch with Praful Patel before that. I joined Congress seven months ago and they promised me that I would get to fight the seat,” Pacheco said.

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Contract line helpers meet minister over regularisation

Times of India | 5 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 04:09 am

Times of India

5 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 04:09 am

Panaji: The Electricity Employees Union, Goa, presented a memorandum to regularise 323 contract line helpers to power minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar on Thursday. The delegation was headed by R D Mangeshkar, deputy general secretary All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) and general secretary of Electricity Employees Union, Goa, working president Carlos Faleiro, secretary Abel Desilva, and vice-president Pravin Palyelar. The power minister assured the delegation that he would look into the issue positively and resolve it. The union held a meeting of 165 line helpers on Sunday where it was decided to meet authorities to demand regularisation for the 323 line helpers working in the department for more than five years. The chief minister had assured the workers regularisation before the election but the issue has been on hold since.

Green tribunal dismisses plea alleging CRZ violation at D B Bandodkar Ground

Times of India | 5 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 04:05 am

Times of India

5 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 04:05 am

Panaji: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has dismissed an application by activist Kashinath Shetye, who had said in his plea that holding activities and festivals on D B Bandodkar Ground along the Mandovi in Panaji, was violating CRZ norms. The tribunal rejected the appellant’s arguments and said that there is no case for interference by it. “Holding of festivals has been allowed in CRZ area which will result in damaging the mangroves and filling of salt pans and streams. The D B Bandokar Ground is identified as a playing ground in CRZ-II, as per the 2011 CRZ Notification,” the applicant told NGT. The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) said that as the area is a CRZ-II region, such activities are allowed on the ground. “It being admitted that the area in question is in CRZ-II, there is no prohibition for the activity in question. We also do not find any violation of the order of this tribunal dated July 22, 2016. The said orders (of GCZMA) do not in any manner record any specific finding about the violations alleged. Rather, the said orders only direct that there should be no violation of the CRZ Notification. Thus, no case is made out for interference by the tribunal,” the NGT said. The GCZMA told the NGT that in April 2017, it had carried out a site inspection and only then disposed of a complaint about use of the ground. “The said area is actually an existing football ground which is utilised frequently for various sporting activities and that the conduct of the event is in an area outside the no-development zone. In view of the same, the authority has arrived at a conclusion that NOC/permission from it was not required for the conduct of the said event,” the GCZMA had held.

1 held for outraging modesty of 2 minors

Times of India | 7 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Times of India

7 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Panaji: There was outrage at Bhatlem, Panaji, on Thursday afternoon after a 52-year-old man kept two minor girls locked up in his store and allegedly molested them. A native of UP, Tanvir Ahmed, who runs a shop in Bhatlem, was accused of pulling the two minor girls inside and locking the store up, sending the girls’ families helter-skelter in search for them. The families raised an alarm in the area, which led to many locals gathering at the spot. Suspecting Ahmed, the locals began beating at his store doors, but he refused to open it. Police were called in who helped rescue the two minor girls. The accused has been arrested and booked under various sections of the Pocso Act and Goa Children’s Act.

Baina beach can be developed into a model for S Goa: Khaunte

Times of India | 7 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Times of India

7 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Vasco: Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday said that the Baina beach in Vasco has the potential to be developed into a model beach in South Goa and that the government could work on it after taking all stakeholders into consideration. Khaunte along with Vasco MLA Krishna Salkar inspected the Baina beach and Maimollem lake and it was decided to develop both as tourist attractions with proper amenities. Salkar urged Khaunte to develop Baina beach as a model beach in South Goa. Khaunte said that location-wise the Baina beach is the best place considering its proximity to the port and the international airport. “If it is developed with all the amenities and a tourism counter where visitors can access all information and services then it will boost tourism in the area, which will benefit in generating employment opportunities and revenue,” Khaunte said. The minister said that for this all the stakeholders will be consulted for the conceptualisation process and inputs will be taken from them on ways to develop the beach. “The local municipality will carry out desilting and other works related to Maimollem lake. All necessary NOCs will be taken for all these projects, which will help to attract more tourists,” he said.

Konkani should be must for govt jobs: GFP

Times of India | 7 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Times of India

7 hours ago | 27-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Panaji: Appreciating the fisheries department’s decision to amend recruitment rules and make Konkani compulsory for the posts of 24 sagar mitras, Goa Forward Party (GFP) said that other departments need to adhere to the norm and make Konkani compulsory for all future recruitment. GFP environment cell convenor Vikas Bhagat said that the failure to give Konkani importance in the recruitment process will lead to protests. “We will watch to make sure that every post that is advertised in the coming days requires the applicant to know Konkani. And if the government or the department makes a mistake, we will be there to protest,” said Bhagat. After GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai flagged the issue, the fisheries department issued a corrigendum making fluency in Konkani a criteria for the 24 posts. The job interviews, which were scheduled to be held on Thursday, were cancelled and rescheduled to the first week of June. “We will be keeping a close watch on all posts that are being advertised. Our students’ wing will be keeping a close eye on government recruitments,” said Bhagat. Bhagat also said that some part of the interview should be held in Konkani in order to weed out candidates who claim to know Konkani and who produce fake certificates to back their claim.

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