log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2025 GOA Tender floated to redevelop Margao bus terminal >> See pg 3 With a limp since childhood, this resilient government officer turns obstacles into new opportunities IN SHORT >> Govt undertakes bureaucratic rejig PANAJI: In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle, the Government of Goa has transferred and posted a number of Senior Scale, Junior Scale and Mamlatdar cadre officers of the Goa Civil Service, with immediate effect. Among the Senior Scale Officers, Rajesh Ajgaonkar, who was awaiting posting, has been appointed as Commissioner of Labour and Employment, the post that was vacant following appointment of Levinson Martins as the chairman of Goa State Pollution Control Board.  >> See pg 3 Crackdown on misuse of power connections PANAJI: In a bid to address the issue pertaining to the misuse of domestic connections for commercial activities, the electricity department will be carrying out a “comprehensive verification exercise” to reassess the consumers, after the new tariff structure comes into force.  >> See pg 3 IIT at Codar runs into opposition PONDA: Locals of Codar-Bethora on Monday reacted with anger and strongly objected to moves that the IIT Goa project is being planned in the area. Voicing their sentiments at a public meeting in Bethora, the locals claimed that they have not been taken into confidence and also feared that biodiversity at the proposed site would be destroyed.   >> See pg 5 Fake gold found from jeweller's premises PANAJI: Fake gold ornaments were seized by the Enforcement Directorate during searches in a Rs 2.63 crore loan fraud case involving jewellers Gundu Kelvekar and Hemant Raikar. ED said an authorised valuer confirmed the ornaments recovered from Kelvekar’s residence were white metal plated to resemble gold.  >> See pg 5 Indian shot dead in US after altercation JIND: A 26-year-old man from a village in Haryana's Jind was shot dead in California allegedly by a local when he tried to stop him from urinating on the road outside the store where he worked, according to his family. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 30.5 C 25.2 C 85% Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 82 2 GOA GSWC’s land acquisition for buffer zone runs into rough weather 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Supplements vs. skin: What really works? 10 Tiger Reserve: No relief for Goa, SC orders status quo REFERS MATTER TO CEC, SEEKS REPORT IN TWO WEEKS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In no relief to the Goa government, the Supreme Court on Monday maintained the status quo on any developments in the Mhadei-Cotigao tiger reserve areas, while also referring the matter to the Central Empowered Committee for a report within two weeks. When the matter came up for hearing on Monday, the Court was informed that following directions from the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the Goa government demarcated a 745.18sq km area of Mhadei-Cotigao region as the Tiger Reserve, which is why the High Court had directed the State government to notify the same within three months. NGO Goa Foundation, confirming the development, stated that the apex court has now fixed the matter in six weeks after hearing the parties on the CEC report. “CEC will hear all stakeholders including the petitioner and government,” NGO Director Claude Alvares said. CHRONICLES FROM APEX COURT „„SC stays developmental works in protected areas after Alvares said while the appeal was pending, the State was approving eco-tourism projects in the proposed tiger reserve „„Court was informed FLASHBACK SC’S SHARP REBUKE „„When the matter was called out, Goa’s HC on July 24, 2023 disenior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, was not in rected the State to notify the Court, which was strongly objected sanctuary as a tiger reserve „„The Bench called his conduct “unfair to within three months. State the Court” since the matter had been listed approached the SC in as high on the board September last „„The matter was kept aside and taken up year when Rohatgi appeared thereafter The Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by the State challenging the High Court's order to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and its surrounding areas as a tiger reserve. The SC, last week, had listed the matter as priority before Chief Justice. The Apex bench stayed the developmental works in the protected areas after Norma Alvares, senior counsel appearing for the Goa Foun- State set for redraw of final electoral boundary by Dec  ZILLA DELIMITATION PROCESS TO BE THE LAST  NO MORE CHANGES AFTER DEC, SAYS SEC SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI The ongoing delimitation process of the Zilla Panchayat constituencies in Goa could mark the final change to the State’s electoral boundaries for the foreseeable future. In a significant move, the Election authorities have decided that no further revisions to the boundaries of Assembly constituencies, municipal wards, or village panchayats will be undertaken after December 31, 2025. This decision comes just ahead of four major elections -- municipal councils, municipal corporations, the State Assembly, and panchayat polls -scheduled for 2026 and 2027. This  comes in the wake of directions from the Directorate of Census Operations (DCO) that announced a pause in the process to change the boundaries of districts, towns, villages and tehsils post December 31. The move is expected to have far-reaching implications on the political land- that after directions from NTCA, Goa govt demarcated a 745.18sq km area of Mhadei-Cotigao region as Tiger Reserve „„SC has now fixed the matter in six weeks after hearing the parties on the CEC report REDRAWING THE MAP „„Centre asks States, UTs to make changes in boundaries of administrative jurisdictions before Dec 31, 2025 „„First phase of decadal population count to begin on April 1, 2026 „„Four major elections -- municipal councils, municipal corporations, State Assembly, and panchayat polls -- scheduled for 2026 & 2027 „„DCO announces pause in process to change boundaries of districts, towns, villages and tehsils post December 31 „„Move could reshape Goa’s political landscape, with the govt set to raise ‘A’ class municipal wards from 25 to 27 and considering ST seat reservations in the Assembly scape, especially with the State government deciding to increase the number of wards in ‘A’ class municipalities from 25 to 27 and further eyeing to reserve assembly seats for Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities in Goa. Highly placed sources confirmed that the Centre has asked the States and Union Territories to make any proposed changes in the bound- aries of administrative jurisdictions before December 31, 2025, when they will freeze for the Census-2027 exercise and the first phase of the decadal population count will begin on April 1 next year. “The Census can be conducted only three months after the freezing of boundary limits of administrative >Continued on P8 dation, impressed upon the Court that while the appeal was pending before the Court, the State government was already approving so-called eco-tourism commercial projects in the core zone of the proposed tiger reserve. The High Court, on July 24, 2023 directed the State to notify the sanctuary as a tiger reserve within three months. The State approached the SC in September last year, even as it is also facing a contempt plea in the High Court for failing to comply with the order. On Monday, when the matter was called out for hearing, senior counsel appearing for the Goa government, Mukul Rohatgi, was not in Court, which was strongly objected to by the Court. The Bench called his conduct “unfair to the Court” since the matter had been listed as high on the board. Alvares informed that the matter was kept aside and taken up when Rohatgi appeared in Court thereafter. Rohatgi argued that the tiger reserve would take out 20 percent of Goa’s 3,700 sq km from human use, even though the tiger reserve was being carved out from the existing five notified wildlife sanctuaries and national park. >Continued on P8 SPORTS India beats Oman on penalties to finish third in CAFA Nations Cup 2025 13 Goa gets consent to divert forest land for road in Cotigao PWD directed to safeguard forest, wildlife habitat during the work THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) has approved Goa government's request for diversion of 1.43ha of forest land from Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary for reconstruction of existing kuccha road at Nadkem and Sakal Tirwal villages. The NBWL has  recommended the proposal to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for grant of wildlife clearance. The NBWL, however, has directed the public works department (PWD) -- the project proponent -- to ensure that no damage is done to forest and wildlife habitat during execution of work. The PWD Margao division had approached NBWL with two separate proposals for use of 0.999 ha of forest land from the Sanctuary for reconstruction of existing kuccha road at Nadkem village and another 0.44 ha for kuccha road in Sakal Tirwal village. As per the proposals, the PWD will take up reconstruction of 3123 mts of existing kuccha road at THE 2 PROPOSALS „„0.999 ha of forest land for reconstruction of existing 3123 mts kuccha road at Nadkem village „„0.44 ha for kuccha road measuring 1275 mts in Sakal Tirwal village „„An annual compliance certificate on the stipulated conditions shall be submitted by the User Agency to the State Chief Wildlife Warden Nadkem village and another 1275 mts length of road in Sakal Tirwal. “An annual compliance certificate on the stipulated conditions shall be submitted by the User Agency to the State Chief Wildlife Warden and an annual compliance certificate shall be submitted by the State Chief Wildlife Warden to the Government,” the NBWL said during its meeting held on August 19. >Continued on P8 Stage set for vice-prez poll today, results by evening PTI NEW DELHI The stage is set for a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy for Tuesday's vice-presidential election, with the BJP-led alliance having a clear edge in the poll. Members of both Houses of Parliament will cast their votes in the Parliament House between 10 am and 5 pm on Tuesday. Counting votes will begin at 6 pm, and the results will be announced late evening. Members of Parliament are not bound by party whips to vote in the vice presidential election, which takes place under a secret ballot system. The BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led Opposition grouping held separate meetings with their respective MPs on poll eve to sensitise them about the election process and also held mock polls. The MPs will be handed out ballot papers containing the names of the two candidates and will have to mark their preference by writing the figure ''1'' opposite the name of the candidate of their choice. SACRED MOMENT: A devotee touches the image of Our Lady of Vailankani at St Cruz chapel near four pillars, symbolising deep devotion. Hundreds of faithful across Goa celebrated the feast with special masses and prayers  Narayan Pissurlenkar Govt has no mechanism to check water pilferage, admits minister THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Minister for Drinking Water Subhash Phal Dessai on Monday admitted that the State currently lacks any mechanism to detect or prevent pilferage of water, resulting in a substantial revenue loss to the government. Speaking in an interview with Prudent Media, Phal Dessai said nearly 40 per cent of water usage in Goa does not generate any revenue for the State. He attributed this to three major issues: old and leaking pipelines, faulty meters, and pilferage through illegal tapping of the main pipelines for domestic, industrial, or construction purposes. “There is absolutely no mechanism in the department to find out where the main pipeline is tapped. I am >Continued on P8 Social media shutdown triggers After 3 failed attempts, Bainguinim proposal gains traction PROJECT TIMELINE AT A GLANCE  fierce clashes in Nepal, 19 dead THE GOAN I NETWORK OVER 300 INJURED; HOME MINISTER SUBMITS RESIGNATION PTI KATHMANDU Violent protests by youths against a government ban on social media sites rocked Nepal on Monday, with police's use of force leaving at least 19 people dead and over 300 others injured, and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak resigning over the situation. The Nepali Army was deployed in the capital after the situation deteriorated. The army personnel have taken control of the roads surrounding the parliament complex in New Baneshwor. Earlier, thousands of youths, including school students, under the banner of Gen Z, staged a massive protest in front of the Parliament in the heart of Kathmandu and shouted anti-government slogans demanding immediate revocation of the ban. The demonstration turned violent when some protest- ers entered the Parliament complex, prompting police to use water cannons, tear gas, and live rounds to disperse crowds, eyewitnesses said. Nepal Police spokesperson Binod Ghimire said 17 people were killed in clashes in various parts of Kathmandu during the rally, and two protesters died in Sunsari district of eastern Nepal in police firing. The protests spread to Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Bharatpur and Damak. MAPUSA n a promising development, the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has confirmed that at least five companies took part in a pre-bid meeting last week for the long-stalled Bainguinim waste-processing plant. A GWMC official, privy to the proceedings, said, “These five could definitely bid for the proposal. Besides, some other companies can also come and bid.” Last month, the GWMC had invited Request for Qualification (RFQ) from I 2019 Project conceived 100 TPD; did not proceed due to expired validity as 250 TPD facility 2020-2021 First RFQ floated; three bidders participated; all disqualified due to technical gaps 2022 RFQ reissued for sought government approval to re-float the RFQ for a 250 TPD plant eligible bidders to design, finance, build, operate and maintain a 100-tonne-per-day (TPD) solid waste processing facility at Bainguinim for a concession period of 15 years. The deadline for bid submissions is September 26 though GWMC has hinted that this may be extended if necessary.   May 2025 GWMC August 2025 Fourth RFQ issued for a 100 TPD facility Early Sept 2025 Pre-bid discussion held with five confirmed participants Sept 26, 2025 Submissions deadline (subject to extension) HISTORY OF REPEATED SETBACKS This marks the fourth attempt by GWMC to push the project forward. First proposed in 2019 as a 250 TPD plant, the project has repeatedly faced delays – from technical and administrative hurdles to vocal public opposition. In May 2022, the capacity was scaled down to 100 TPD to align with the enhanced Saligao facility (now 250 TPD) and to make the bid more attractive. The estimated cost for the revised journey is approximately Rs 120 crore.   REFRESHED RFQ: RELAXED TERMS GWMC has updated the RFQ with relaxed eligibility criteria to broaden the pool of >Continued on P8