No offence under Arms Act booked in South in 2022

Times of India | 1 week ago | 18-01-2023 | 04:22 am

No offence under Arms Act booked in South in 2022

Margao: In 2022, not a single case under the Arms Act was booked at any police station across South Goa, police records reveal. Police sources acknowledge that several people are in possession of guns without procuring a licence, an offence under the Arms Act. Following a couple of incidents involving crimes using guns, TOI had in 2020 run a series on how procurement of guns through illegal means is not a big deal if one has access to the right contacts in the illegal arms trade. “There could be many among the migrant workforce who may have a criminal background, and could have found Goa to be a safe escape route. To defend themselves from their enemies back home, there’s every possibility that they possess a gun, and of course, an unlicensed one,” a senior police officer said.The porous India-Nepal border also facilitates smuggling of arms, some of which invariably land in Goa, sources said.

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Regional cancer institute will be ready in next 16 months, says Vishwajit Rane
Times of India | 6 hours ago | 31-01-2023 | 08:34 am
Times of India
6 hours ago | 31-01-2023 | 08:34 am

PANAJI: The regional cancer institute that is being built on the premises of the Goa Medical College will be completed in the next 15 to 16 months, health minister Vishwajit Rane announced on Monday.“Dr Kailash Sharma has been appointed as the nodal officer for the regional centre and the Assam model will be followed in operating the cancer facility in the state,” said Rane.The Assam model, said Rane, has been recommended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under this model, the regional facility will operate in coordination with the Centre, and in association with the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.“There is a fixed format of the central government and an agreement that will be followed for the regional cancer centre. The process has been initiated,” said Rane. The health minister also clarified that the state will not have a tie-up with any private institute for the running of the cancer centre.He added the government was looking at whether cancer marker tests could be made available at all government facilities.The Centre has given the Goa government Rs 104 crore for setting up holistic and wellness centres in urban areas, and one has been already set up in Sattari. A consultant has been appointed to study where more centres can be established, the health minister said.A palliative care centre was recently started at the South Goa district hospital with the support of the Cipla Foundation, said Dr Anupama Borker, chief consultant and head at Goa Medical College’s department of medical oncology, adding that with the increasing cancer burden, the need for palliative care services was felt to assist patients and their families in dealing with the life-threatening illness. Palliative care services play an important role in improving patients’ quality of life and that of their families too, who face various challenges while dealing with the disease, said Borker. Meanwhile, the superspecialty block of the Goa Medical College is expected to be fully commissioned in three to four months. The appointment of consultants has been cleared. There is a need for an additional Rs 200 crore to purchase the diagnostic equipment for the superspecialty block, Rane added.

Regional cancer institute will be ready in next 16 months, says Vishwajit Rane
Goa Police and Child Rights Commission organised training for PSIs on restorative care and justice for POCSO victims
Times of India | 4 days ago | 27-01-2023 | 01:55 pm
Times of India
4 days ago | 27-01-2023 | 01:55 pm

The Office of Superintendent of Police (Training) and Child Rights Commission launched a series of training for Police Sub Inspectors at GO’s Training Hall in presence of Sanjith Rodrigues, Secretary, GSCPCR, Sucheta B. Dessai, SP (Training), Peter F. Borges, Chairperson, GSCPCR and Child Welfare Committee, North Goa, and South Goa. The training will reach out to more than 260 PSIs from 19-24th January 2023. Sexual crimes against children have captured the stage fraor quite some time now with Goa too has witnessing a surge in the recent times. Very low conviction rate exists in the state with several POCSO cases ending in acquittals. There exists also a grim reality of a gross failure to support and rehabilitate the victims and their families in terms of victim compensation too. As a result of this, there are instances of victims and their families turning hostile, stop cooperating and loosing hope, said Sanjith Rodrigues, Secretary, GSCPCR and Special Secretary, Home The training revolved around need for convergence between police and child protection system to ensure adequate support services for children as provided in POCSO Rules 2020.While it is important to secure punishment for the perpetrator, focus should also be laid on restorative care and justice, said Peter F. Borges, Chairperson, Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, who led the training and called for multi-disciplinary approach on linking POCSO victims to the child protection system. He further stressed the need for curbing re-victimization which happens in the justice system process. Several factors and practices existing in the system makes the victim re-live the horrific experience, leading to further trauma due to their vulnerability. Esther Torres, Chairperson, CWC, North Goa, also highlighted the need to introspect and keep aside the persona biases which exist while handling the cases of child abuse. Adv. Viren Bhende, Member, CWC South Goa also spoke on the need for coordinated approach.

Goa Police and Child Rights Commission organised training for PSIs on restorative care and justice for POCSO victims
NEW ZUARI BRIDGE LEAVES COMMUTERS, LOCALS HAPPY
Times of India | 5 days ago | 26-01-2023 | 02:34 pm
Times of India
5 days ago | 26-01-2023 | 02:34 pm


With commute time cut to half, locals anticipate stress-free travel

The new Zuari Bridge was inaugurated on December 29 and travelling between North and South Goa will never be the same again. The crucial connection over the river – which was the old Zuari bridge – was plagued by traffic snarls and was a nightmare, especially in the tourist season. But about two weeks after the new bridge was thrown open, Goa Times took a drive down the road to find pleased commuters, happy traffic cops and a general sense of ease all around.THE REAL TEST IS DURING THE MONSOONAnzil Fernandes, a lecturer who travels from Margao to Mapusa, points out that the litmus test for traffic on that stretch will be in the monsoons. “Atal Setu, which connects Panaji to Porvorim, had potholes after the monsoons. So we have to see what happens on the new Zuari bridge. I hope we don’t have to go back to the old bridge,” he adds.


With commute time cut to half, locals anticipate stress-free travel


WAITING IN TRAFFIC FOR YEARS IS FINALLY PAID OFFAll commuters we spoke to said that their commute time between North and South Goa had reduced substantially. Brunilda Lourenco from Curtorim says that she reaches Panaji in just 40-45 minutes, while earlier, it would take her one and a half hours or more. “I can now get that extra sleep, which makes me feel fresher at work. At night, I would reach home at 9.30 pm at times, leaving my parents worried. The feel oftravelling on the bridge is exciting,” she says.Vanessa Rodrigues from Vasco travels to Panaji, where she works in the hotel industry. “I would wait for almost 2 hours or more and weekends and long holidays were the worst time. There were times I would stay over at my friend’s house or take a bus so that I didn’t have to drive. The road was a nightmare,” she says.NO HONKING, NO POLLUTION, SAY LOCALSThe traffic jam and bottlenecks would start from Agacaim and continue till the old Zuari bridge. To avoid traffic, many would use the interior roads, which would cause more traffic jams inside the village, leaving locals to deal with the noise pollution. “I am so happy that I don’t have to put up with the honking outside my house. Earlier, many taxis would take this route. The few days before the inauguration was crazy, as my 2-year-old would wake up and cry,” says Katherine Fernandes, who has come to Goa from the UK for a holiday. Santana from Cortalim says all her clothes would catch the grime and dust from the passing traffic, but now things were back to normal, leaving her happy.

NEW ZUARI BRIDGE LEAVES COMMUTERS, LOCALS HAPPY