log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY OCTOBER 28, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 130 Instagram.com/thegoanonline SHREYAS IYER IN ICU AFTER SUFFERING SPLEEN INJURY RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 >>12 FESTIVAL OF SAVINGS, SEASON OF JOY Our family vacation is now cheaper Utsav IN SHORT >> Inform fishers before hosting events: Dept MAPUSA: In the wake of the Oceanman swimming event at Caranzalem beach being abruptly cancelled on Sunday following a clash with local fishermen, the Directorate of Fisheries has stated that while it is not mandatory, organisers of any event conducted near the sea do approach the department for a No Objection Certificate and inform the local fishing community in advance.  >> See pg 3 Govt steps in with aid for rain-hit farmers PANAJI: As the unseasonal rainfall dashed the hopes of hundreds of paddy growers across Goa, the agriculture department has now stepped in to provide financial relief to the farmers, who are reporting severe losses days before harvest. The department on Monday initiated a process to assess the loss across all 12 talukas to prepare a report for compensation.  >> See pg 3 Woman loses cash, mangalsutra on train VASCO: A person stole a mangalsutra and cash worth around Rs 2.81 lakh from the bag of a woman near the Vasco Railway Station. According to a complaint by Gulam Ahmed Raza Mulla of New Vaddem, Vasco, his mother was travelling with her family from Belagavi to Vasco Railway Station.   >> See pg 5 Thousands duped in Agarbatti scam BELAGAVI: Thousands of women from Belagavi and Khanapur taluka, as well as those from villages neighbouring Goa, have been duped in a massive Agarbatti scam in Belagavi after they fell prey to a fraudulent workfrom-home job offer. The accused is alleged to have collected over Rs12 crore from women before disappearing.  >> See pg 5 >> See pg 5 Clicking through the pain to keep his passion alive THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The electoral roll in Goa stands frozen from Monday midnight with the Election Commission of India announcing the second phase of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters list across 12 States and Union Territories including the coastal State. The month-long house-tohouse enumeration process will commence from November 4 and will go on till December 4. The printing/training process will commence from October 28. “The second phase of SIR is about to be carried out in 12 States/UTs,” Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said, addressing a press conference in New Delhi. The 12 States and Union Territories where SIR will be conducted include Andaman & Nicobar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil CM hails SIR, says will strengthen integrity of Goa’s poll process PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has emphasized that a clean and transparent voter list forms the foundation of a healthy democracy. Welcoming the Election Commission of India’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories, including Goa, Sawant said the state fully supports the initiative to ensure accurate and up-to-date voter rolls comprising only genuine and eligible voters. He added that the revision drive will help detect discrepancies, eliminate ineligible entries, and further strengthen the integrity of Goa’s electoral process. Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. In Goa, for the upcoming Zilla panchayat elections, the State Election Commission has decided to adopt the Electoral Roll of the Goa Legislative Assembly prepared under the provisions of Representation of People Act, 1950 (Central Act 43 of 1951) for the time being in force as on January 1, 2025 (as the qualifying date) and published on January 6, 2025 (Basic Roll of Special Summary Revision 2025 and List of Addition, Deletion and Correction carried out during continuous updation till October 1, 2025, for the preparation of voters list for the polls, scheduled on December 13. Google Maps blunder leads jeep into river at Corjuem MIRACULOUS ESCAPE FOR 2 TOURISTS; BEER BOTTLES FOUND IN VEHICLE RAISE QUESTIONS THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA In a bizarre late-night mishap, two tourists from Chandigarh had a narrow escape after their jeep plunged into the river at a defunct ferry ramp in Corjuem-Aldona. The incident occurred around 2 am when the driver reportedly followed directions from Google Maps, which led the vehicle onto the unused ferry wharf amid heavy rains. The driver, identified as Aman Singh, currently residing in Moira, managed to escape by tearing open the roof of the A CLOSE SHAVE: Mapusa fire personnel, aided by local residents, toil to pull out the jeep that plunged into the river at Corjuem. vehicle and swimming to the shore. The incident came to light only after villagers noticed the vehicle submerged in the river early in the morning >Continued on P5 C GOA AT INDIA MARITIME WEEK: KEY HIGHLIGHTS „„Goa’s Sustainable Maritime Roadmap unveiled under the theme “Blue Meets Green” „„Rs 200 crore allocation from IWAI for development of Goa’s inland waterways „„2 MW solar power plant to come up at Mormugao Port „„Goa Maritime Waterways Vision Document launched for eco-friendly maritime development „„New international and domestic cruise terminals planned at Mormugao and Panaji Ports „„Development of 7 permanent jetties and 40 floating jetties under National Waterways „„Plans for floating marina, Goa–Mumbai ferry, and submarine tourism under study „„Promotion of solar-powered cold storage, modern fishing boats, and aquaculture an LNG facility at Mormugao Port, marking a significant step in the transition to green fuel. Besides, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) announced a Rs 200 crore allocation for developing Goa’s inland waterways network. “With this allocation, the pace of infrastructure development in the waterways of Goa will be clearly visible,” the CM said, adding that the theme “Blue Meets Green” reflects Goa’s vision of rapid, sustained development in harmony with the environment, waste-free waterways, and carbon-neutral shipping ecosystems. Goa also reaffirmed the validity of its existing MoU with IWAI, signed on January 10, 2025 and effective till January 2030, ensuring protection of the State’s jurisdiction and rights over its waterways. The exchange of MoUs was accompanied by a Letter of Allotment for the Rs 200 crore grant. The State also announced the launch of a 2MW solar power plant at Mormugao Port and plans to construct a floating marina, underscoring its commitment to renewable >Continued on P5 ₹1,500 ON A 3-DAY HOTEL STAY @ ₹7,000 PER DAY HOUSE-TO-HOUSE ENUMERATION FROM NOVEMBER 4 `3,500 crore LNG facility to be set up at Mormugao Port PANAJI hief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday unveiled Goa’s sustainable maritime roadmap in Mumbai at India Maritime Week 2025 while announcing Rs 200 crore for waterways, a Rs 3,500 crore LNG facility at Mormugao Port, a 2 MW solar plant and the Goa Maritime Board to drive “Blue Meets Green” growth. At the Goa State Session of India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, Sawant along with Ports Minister Digambar Kamat, unveiled the Goa Maritime Waterways Infrastructure Development Vision Document and outlined Goa’s comprehensive blueprint for eco-friendly maritime growth, innovation, and investment. A key highlight of the session was the signing of a Rs 3,500 crore agreement with Atlantic Pacific LNG to establish OF NEARLY Goa's poll roll frozen as EC unveils Phase-II revision Maritime roadmap: Goa charts green future THE GOAN I NETWORK SAVINGS CBC 15502/13/0044/2526 Bachat Meanwhile, Kumar said that the poll panel had held deliberations with 36 State Election Commissioners after the Bihar SIR exercise. He said the ongoing SIR is the ninth such exercise since Independence, with the last one happening in 2002-04. The draft electoral roll will be published on December 9, this year with claims and objection period to last till January 8, 2026. Election authorities will hear claims between January 9 to January 31 and the final electoral roll will be published on February 7, 2026. Several political parties have been raising issues relating to quality of rolls. He highlighted that the first phase of the SIR was completed in Bihar with zero appeals. “The second phase will be conducted in 12 states and Union Territories. SIR will ensure no eligible elector is left out and no ineligible elector is included in poll rolls,” Kumar said. SC may hand over probe into digital arrest scams to CBI PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court said it is inclined to entrust to the CBI the probe into digital arrest cases after taking into consideration the magnitude and pan-India spread of such crimes, and sought details of FIRs registered in states. A two-judge bench issued notices to all the States and UTs and posted the suo motu cases registered by it on a complaint of an elderly women defrauded by fraudsters. SC noted the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, that cyber crime and digital arrest cases are originating from off-shore locations like Myanmar and Thailand. AFTER PUBLIC OUTCRY, OPPOSITION PROTEST… Govt switches off power rate hike for night hours Sudin says the tariff will be applicable only to industrial users, not domestic consumers THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI After facing backlash over its plan to introduce a “time of day” (ToD) tariff for power consumers, Minister Ramakrishna Sudin Dhavalikar on Monday clarified that the new system will not be applicable to domestic consumers for at least the next three years and will apply only to industrial users. The Minister also announced that the Smart Meter installation will commence from December with the government offices in the first phase and that the project is likely to be completed within three years. Opposition parties including Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday held a protest outside the office of State Electricity Department accusing the government of creating “confusion and mismanagement” DHAVALIKAR’S TAKE ON TARIFF „„Govt will not impose ToD tariff on domestic consumers „„Smart meters need to be installed first before any ToD proposal is considered „„Proposal is for 20% ToD on low tension lines, but a study must be conducted „„Next government will decide on this in consultation with JERC and other stakeholders „„ToD is an old scheme, already implemented in many other States, including Delhi (by AAP) and Congress-ruled States in implementing the new rates. They also demanded roll back of power tariff hike, which is set to come into force from October 1. The parties accused Dhavalikar of misleading the public about the changes. Addressing a press conference later in the evening, Dhavalikar said the government has no intention to introduce ToD for domestic consumers and that the system is in place for industrial users for past ten years, i.e. since 2015, as per JERC norms. “ToD is a very old scheme. It is not just in Goa but across many other States. The low tension consumers do not come under it,” he explained adding that the >Continued on P5 MGP faces storm in Ponda, Bhatikar defies party stand THREATENS TO CONTEST AS INDEPENDENT IF DENIED TICKET THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a surprise political twist, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) faces internal turbulence after its former Ponda MLA and party leader Ketan Bhatikar announced his decision to contest the upcoming Ponda bypoll, despite the party’s official stand to stay out of the race. The seat has fallen vacant following the demise of Minister Ravi Naik, and the MGP had recently declared that it would maintain its alliance with the BJP and not field a candidate. However, Bhatikar on Monday said he was deter- Alliance need of the hour, final call with Cong high command: Patkar PANAJI: While asserting the need for a united alliance of Opposition parties for the 2027 State elections, the Congress said that the proposal would require approval from the party’s high command. Speaking to media persons, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar said that though the party is capable of contesting all seats on its own, the priority is to look for a united Opposition.  >> See pg 3 mined to contest, either as a BJP-MGP-supported candidate or as an independent. “This is democracy, and the people of Ponda will decide who their representative should be,” Bhatikar said on Prudent Media’s Head On. Reacting swiftly, MGP veteran and Minister Sudin >Continued on P5