Govt is firmly against drugs, says Khaunte

Times of India | 4 days ago | 23-09-2022 | 04:55 am

Govt is firmly against drugs, says Khaunte

Panaji: Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte said that the government has taken a clear stand against drugs and police have conducted several raids over the last few days.“Whether drugs or other illegalities linked to the tourism sector, we are dealing with those issues seriously. The chief minister has shown through his actions that the drug issue is not being taken lightly,” the tourism minister said. “In the days to come, we will see more action to curb illegalities. Goa is safe and secure,” Khaunte further said.The proposed jetty policy, he said, has been introduced to mandate certain regulations and bring in transparency bring in transparency, when pointed out that some stakeholders are against it.“Meetings will be held with stakeholders, but people should not oppose just for the sake of opposing,” he said, responding to objections by some panchayats to the policy.

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Goa: TCP minister Vishwajit Rane scraps plans that paved the way for golf courses, race tracks and film cities
Times of India | 10 hours ago | 26-09-2022 | 07:58 pm
Times of India
10 hours ago | 26-09-2022 | 07:58 pm

PANAJI: In a significant victory for environmental activists and citizens, Town and Country Planning (TCP) minister Vishwajit Rane buckled under pressure on Monday and scrapped the draft Goa Land Development & Building Construction Regulations. Rane, who initially announced that he would keep the contentious norms in abeyance, appears to have backed down in the face of street protests and an admonition by the BJP. Rane also announced that the TCP department has decided to scrap all approvals granted to applicants under Section 16B of the TCP Act. Rane said that the department will file an affidavit before the Bombay High Court at Goa informing the court about the policy decision. “Keeping the TCP amendments in abeyance will create more doubt so I have decided to scrap the amendments,” said Rane. “The expert committee and the TCP board will discuss these amendments.” Earlier in the day, environmentalists and concerned citizens held a peaceful protest against the draft Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations outside the TCP building. The protest was organised by the Federation of Rainbow Warriors and other activists. The activists said that the Town and Country Planning department has shown no scientific basis while framing the amendments to Goa Land Development and Building Construction Regulations. Over the last two weeks, several villages have also organised gram sabha meetings where locals have panned the TCP department’s move to encourage golf courses, film cities, farm houses and other mega projects in the state.

Goa: TCP minister Vishwajit Rane scraps plans that paved the way for golf courses, race tracks and film cities
‘Improve sambar population to raise tiger numbers’
Times of India | 22 hours ago | 26-09-2022 | 08:53 am
Times of India
22 hours ago | 26-09-2022 | 08:53 am

PANAJI: Goa should focus on conserving and improving the population of sambar deer in its protected areas to help tiger conservation in the state. Sambar is the ideal prey for tigers, as it provides sufficient supply of meat for days and will allow tigers to stay and breed in Goa, said A J T Johnsingh, Padma Shri awardee, conservationist, and former dean of the Wildlife Institute of India. While subsequent ministers have often said that there are no ‘resident’ tigers in Goa and these big cats keep shifting base to the forests across the border, Johnsingh said proactive measures are required to get tigers to breed inside Goa’s protected areas. “Barking deer, spotted deer may not contribute to tiger conservation and gaurs tend to attack tigers. Sambar, once hunted, can be consumed for days. First, a detailed survey of the sambar population is required in Goa. There are sambars, but some years ago as many as 20 were poached. Sambar conservation in Goa is tiger conservation,” Johnsingh told TOI. He said the argument that a tiger reserve is not needed in Goa does not stand because though the state has almost 700sqkm of protected area, these have many human settlements within. “At least 150sqkm of core area is required with no human population. Any existing settlements should be rehabilitated. Simultaneously, efforts should be made to improve sambar population in the entire 700 sq km. And Goa will see results in five years’ time. Having a tiger reserve will earn Goa funds from the Centre for support staff, a good field director and vehicles to improve its protected areas,” said Johnsingh, who has helped shape the Wildlife Institute of India over his two-decade-long stint there. An interim cattle compensation policy is also vital for tiger conservation, Johnsingh said. “In Corbett, in the buffer area, more than 10,000 cattle have been killed over the years. But there is not a single report of tiger poisoning. This is because if Rs 20,000 is provided as cattle compensation to locals, Rs 5,000 of it is provided immediately as interim relief. Some wealthy persons from Goa should come forward to help with funds for such immediate relief in the interest of tiger conservation,” he said. Goa also needs more courageous forest officials, Johnsingh said. “We need forest officials who have courage to tell ministers what exactly is needed for Goa,” he said. Johnsingh also said Goa is not suitable for tiger safari focused tourism because of its terrain and other factors. “In Goa, one should focus on nature tourism, like birdwatching, reptile watching, amphibian watching, rather than tiger tourism,” he explained.

‘Improve sambar population to raise tiger numbers’
‘State govt has no right to amend code of comunidade’
Times of India | 1 day ago | 26-09-2022 | 04:49 am
Times of India
1 day ago | 26-09-2022 | 04:49 am

Panaji: Comunidades in Goa can be strengthened by approaching the courts and gaunkars of Goa should stand firm to establish their dominion of their land, said former power minister and MLA Sadanand Malik. He was speaking at the comunidade awareness fellowship held at Navelim-Sanquelim on Saturday. “The state government has no authority to amend the Code of Comunidade through the Legislative Assembly as the code governs comunidades and gaukars,” he said“The centre has never admitted that comunidade land in Goa belongs to them. So, it is surprising that the state government tries to project that it has right over land that belongs to comunidades. ,” Malik said, as he explained to the components how they are legally entitled to stop the government from “trampling over” them. Calling for unity, former Pale MLA Pratap Gawas said, “The fight now is being fought by few individuals. We need to be more cohesive and show our unity more often,” he said. President of Moira comunidade Rui Gama said that comunidades in Goa need to be “alert and active” and that “outsiders tend to think they have rights over comunidade land” because “comunidades are complacent.” The session concluded with gaunkars calling for the setting up of a legal cell and a committee to centrally coordinate problems faced comunidades in Goa.

‘State govt has no right to amend code of comunidade’