log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY DECEMBER 16, 2025 GOA PANAJI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has expelled 10 of its members for alleged anti-party activities ahead of the Zilla Panchayat elections. The action was ordered by BJP state president Damu Naik, who directed their summary expulsion from the party’s primary membership with immediate effect. Those expelled include Shiva Chodankar, Kartik Kudnekar and Bhavana Naik from Shiroda; Sanjana Velip and Sanjay Velip from Guirdolim; Atish Gaonkar from Dharbandora; Sudha Gaonkar from Sanvordem; Vipin Prabhugaonkar from Poinguinim and Atchut Naik and Rajesh Shetty from Sancoale. Party sources said the disciplinary action was taken in view of reported activities detrimental to the party’s interests in the run-up to the Zilla Panchayat polls. IN SHORT >> 18-month-old toddler drowns at Benaulim MARGAO: In a tragic incident, a one-and-a-halfyear-old boy drowned at Tolleaband, Benaulim, on Monday after being left in the care of a neighbour while his parents went to work. The incident occurred when the child’s parents, both primary school teachers, left their son with a neighbouring caretaker, as was their routine. See pg 3 Goa’s Salkar wins Filmfare OTT award PANAJI: Goa’s Swapnil Salkar, along with Karan Tejpal and Gaurav Dhingra, won the Filmfare OTT Award 2025 for Best Story (Web Original Film) for their work on the acclaimed web movie ‘Stolen’. Their gripping, emotionally charged narrative forms the backbone of the film. 2 men from Punjab shot dead in Canada TORONTO: Two Punjab men were allegedly shot dead while they were sitting inside a car in Canada’s Edmonton. The incident took place early Friday, local time, a family member said on Monday. The victims were identified as 27-year-old Gurdeep Singh from Barre village and 19-year-old Ranvir Singh from Uddat Saidewala village. WEATHER >> Max: 33.2 C Min: 19 C Humidity: 75% TIDES Low: High: 02:12 07:23 14:35 21:56 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 179 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 3 2 Goa cops to take custody of Luthra brothers today Zilla polls: Kejriwal’s Salcete blitz sets stage for high-stakes duel BJP expels 10 members ahead of zilla elections Facebook.com/thegoan GOA Consolidated Porvorim flyover report points to violations, safety lapses INFO Homemade masks to include before taking bath n TEAM REACHES DELHI; TO RETURN TO GOA BY NIGHT n BROTHERS TO BE TAKEN TO ANJUNA POLICE STATION THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI A team from the Goa police travelled to New Delhi on Monday evening to formally take custody of Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra from the Central Bureau of Investigation, officials said, as Indian and Thai authorities have been completing their deportation from Thailand. CBI officers arrived in Bangkok over the weekend to coordinate the final stages of the deportation process with Thai authorities. While the process was expedited on Friday, a day after their detention in Phuket; the weekend holiday delayed the process. Officials said the Luthras will be handed over to the Goa police in Delhi ruling out any travel by Goa police to Thailand. The Goan had reported last week that the local police remained on standby, with central agencies expected to handle the overseas leg of the operation. Under the current schedule, the brothers are expected HC takes suo moto cognisance of Arpora nightclub tragedy PANAJI: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has taken suo moto cognisance of the fatal fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub and appointed advocate Rohit Bras De Sa as amicus curiae to assist the court. During a brief hearing on Monday, the court made strong observations, saying the core issue appeared to be the existence and continued operation of illegal structures. The Bench said it would now hear two matters -- a writ petition already filed by Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar and Sunil Divkar, the owners of the land on which the nightclub stood, and a suo moto public interest litigation initiated by the court. >> See pg 3 to arrive in Goa on Tuesday night. They will be taken directly to the Anjuna Police Station for questioning and produced before the Mapusa court on December 17. The Goa government has meanwhile constituted a special legal team to pursue the case. The duo along with the six currently in police custody, have been booked for culpable homicide not amount- ing to murder under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, along with other serious sections dealing with negligence endangering human life, negligent handling of fire or combustible materials, and common intention, among others. “The deportation of the Luthra brothers from Thai- land has now entered its final phase. Indian authorities have submitted all required documentation to the Thai counterparts including Emergency Certificates issued after the cancellation of the brothers’ passports. Procedural hurdles that had delayed the process have largely been resolved,” officials said. The Thai officials will now be issuing emergency travel certificates. Earlier on Monday, lawyers representing the Luthra brothers met them in Thai custody for about 30 minutes. The brothers were detained by Thai police at the Indigo Hotel in Patong, Phuket, last Thursday, following India’s move to suspend their passports. The Embassy of India in Bangkok, Interpol, the CBI and the Goa Police have been coordinating with Thai authorities since the Luthras were traced and detained. The brothers had fled India on December 7, shortly after the fatal fire at the Birch nightclub in Goa. 9 Messi’s GOAT India tour ends on a high in Delhi Govt grants one week more for probe into Arpora blaze FOUR-MEMBER COMMITTEE TO FOCUS ON ROLE OF OFFICIALS WHO GRANTED NOCs THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State government has granted a one-week extension to the Magisterial Inquiry Committee headed by the North Goa Collector, to complete its  probe into the tragic fire at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora that claimed 25 lives, and submit a report.  The four-member committee was formed on December 8 and was originally directed by the government to submit its findings by Monday (within eight days). However, due to ongoing verification of documents and the continued examination of officials linked to the case, the committee  sought additional time to conclude the inquiry. The request has been approved by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Apart from the North Goa Collector, the committee comprises Superintendent of Police (South) Tikam Singh Verma, Director of Forensic Sciences Ashutosh Apte and Deputy Director of Fire and Emergency Services Rajendra Haldankar. The panel has been tasked with ascertaining COMMITTEE’S ACTION SO FAR „„Scrutinising legality, validity of permissions & licences issued to the nightclub by various authorities „„Examination of role of officials instrumental in giving NOCs underway „„Compliance with prescribed safety norms being reviewed to identify any lapses „„Inquiry reconstructing sequence of events leading to the fire incident „„Responsibility to be fixed on departments or agencies found accountable „„Till now, then GSPCB Member Secretary Shamila Monteiro and original landowner have been questioned the exact sequence of events and circumstances that led to the deadly incident and placing its findings before the government. According to sources, the committee is currently scrutinising the legality and validity of various permissions and licences issued to the nightclub by multiple authorities. The inquiry is also focusing on the role of officials responsible for granting no-objection certificates (NOCs) and identifying lapses, if any, in compliance with safety norms. So far, the committee has questioned the then Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSP- Diaz club issued demolition ‘The Cape Goa’ shut down order, but p’yat dir stayed it after glaring safety lapses HALARNKAR ALSO UNDER LENS FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN FAILURE TO DEMOLISH BIRCH NIGHTCLUB THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Fresh details have emerged revealing that demolition action against the popular ‘Diaz’ club at Anjuna—sealed by authorities over the weekend— had earlier been stalled due to a stay granted by the then Director of Panchayats, Siddhi Halarnkar, who is currently under suspension. Halarnkar is under the scanner of investigating agencies for her alleged role in the failure to demolish the fire-ravaged Birch by Romeo Lane. On December 13, the Joint Enforcement Committee constituted in the wake of the tragic Birch nightclub fire carried out an inspection of the Diaz club at Anjuna. During the inspection, the committee found that the establishment was operating without a valid No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Fire and Emergency Services. It was also observed that mandatory fire safety measures were either inade- Panchayat action exposes regulatory gaps in Calangute nightlife sector MAPUSA: Show-cause notices issued by the Calangute village panchayat to 17 restaurants allegedly operating clandestine clubs along the coastal belt have exposed widespread violations of licensing norms, with most establishments found to be functioning without mandatory No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from key departments. According to sources in the panchayat, scrutiny of documents submitted so far has revealed that only a handful of establishments – including the well-known Tito’s – possess all the required permissions.  >> See pg 3 quate or not in place. In view of these serious lapses and the absence of mandatory fire department permissions required to run such an establishment, the committee directed that the nightclub be sealed. Acting on these instructions, authorities sealed the Diaz club late Saturday evening. Sources informed that on July 4, the Anjuna–Caisua village panchayat had issued a notice to Diaz directing removal of encroachments and demolition of alleged illegal constructions at the premises. The club management, however, challenged the panchayat’s notice and approached the Directorate of Panchayats for relief. “Following an ex-parte hearing, the Directorate of Panchayats granted a stay on >Continued on P7 MASSIVE VIOLATIONS EXPOSE DARK REALITY THE GOAN I NETWORK CANACONA In yet another crackdown on establishments in the aftermath of the Arpora nightclub fire that claimed  25  lives, authorities on Monday sealed the famous ‘The Cape Goa’ in Cabo de Rama for alleged violations and endangering public safety. The order issued by Maya Pednekar, Executive Magistrate and Chairperson of Joint Enforcement & Monitoring Committee, Canacona, was passed ex-parte, dispensing with prior notice, in view of the imminent threat to human life and property. “Upon careful consideration of the inspection report and material placed before me, I am satisfied that the danger is real, proximate and imminent; the premises are being used in a manner endangering public safety; and immediate intervention is necessary in the interest of protection of human life and property,” stated Pednekar in her order. 13 SPORTS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER „„Serious, grave deficiencies relating to fire, electrical & structural safety „„Absence and/or non-functionality of firefighting equipment „„Inadequate, obstructed, and blocked emergency exits and escape routes „„Non-compliance with basic fire prevention and life safety measures „„Absence of a valid Structural Stability Certificate „„Violations of CRZ notification THE INSPECTION An inspection was carried out by the Joint Enforcement and Monitoring Committee at ‘The Cape Goa’ at at Kuddi, Cabo de Rama, on December 12 at 12.25 pm. During the inspection, the committee observed that the ‘The Cape Goa’ “was being operated and used in gross violation of mandatory statutory safety requirements.” “The premises were found overcrowded, accommodating more than 24 persons, far CB) Member Secretary Shamila Monteiro, who has since been suspended, as well as the original landowner, Pradip Ghadi Amonkar. Sources indicated that summons are likely to be issued to former Director of Panchayats Siddhi Halarnkar, Arpora–Nagoa Sarpanch Roshan Redkar, suspended village panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar, among other officials connected with the approvals and clearances. The panel will not only reconstruct the chain of events leading up to the blaze but >Continued on P7 New legislation to guarantee 125 days of wage employment 1 The Viksit Bharat Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Bill, 2025 that seeks to replace the existing rural employment law MGNREGA is set to be introduced in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Winter session of Parliament. 2 beyond permissible limits; no approved structural plan or structural stability certificate was produced; the kitchen was found unsafe, having no proper exit, and was operating with a high fire hazard risk,” stated the order. “The pantry section had no exit, posing a serious safety hazard; 29 commercial LPG cylinders were found stored in open, near the exhaust blower/duct, which is extremely >Continued on P7 The Bill will provide a statutory guarantee of 125 days of wage employment in every financial year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer to undertake unskilled manual work. Within six months from date of commencement, States will have to make a scheme consistent with the provisions of the new law. 3 Under this scheme, the financial liability would be shared between Centre and the states. It would be 90:10 for the Northeastern states and Himalayan states and 60:40 for all other states and Union territories with legislature. >> See pg 7 Coastal watchdog clears Aldona As chill sets in, mango flowers signal a good season STAGE SET FOR MANGO BLOOM BOOM bungalow linked to former CS THE GOAN I NETWORK ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION PLAINT IN NDZ DISMISSED THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA In a decision that effectively neutralises environmental safeguards in one of Aldona’s sensitive coastal belts, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has dismissed a complaint of illegal construction in a No Development Zone (NDZ), clearing the way for a bungalow linked to former chief secretary Puneet Goel. The Authority’s October ruling came on a complaint filed by politician Trajano D’Mello, who had alleged CRZ violations on a property bearing survey no 36/1 of Aldona village. Following the complaint, a GCZMA team comprising an Expert Member, Environmental Assistant and field surveyor inspected the site on May 19, 2025. The inspection report was placed before the Authority, which examined the physical features of the plot rather than the construction itself. The Authority noted the presence of sluice gates on both sides of the property and bunds along two boundaries, concluding that Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) jurisdiction ends at these sluice gates. On this basis, the GCZMA held that the property lies outside the CRZ and therefore beyond its regulatory reach. The ruling hinges on the Goa-approved CZMP 2011, which marks two sluice gates flanking the property. These gates, identified by the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSM), were used by the Authority to invoke a 2020 >Continued on P7 PANAJI s winter gradually sets in across the region, mango orchards are already showing promising signs of a good season ahead, with early flowering reported in several parts of the State. The sight of fresh blossoms on mango trees has brought cheer to farmers, who are optimistic about improved fruiting and better yields this year after facing erratic weather in recent seasons. According to growers as well as the Agriculture Department, the drop in temperature over the past few weeks has created favourable conditions for mango flowering. Adequate A „„Cool temperatures, dry weather have created ideal conditions for mango flowering „„Adequate winter chill has triggered early, uniform, and healthy blooms in orchards „„Uniform flowering is crucial as it improves fruit set and overall yield weather in coming weeks will be key „„Early flowering raise hopes of bumper mango crop „„Sustained cool, dry „„Early arrivals of raw mangoes in local markets has raised optimism „„Though supplies are limited, steady presence of raw mangoes has brought in cheer winter chill, coupled with relatively dry weather, has helped induce early and healthy blooms in many orchards. Farmers say this phase is crucial, as uniform flowering often translates into better fruit set and overall production. “In the last few years, unseasonal rains and fluctuating temperatures affected flowering and led to poor yields. Even last season, the scenario was similar. This time, the weather has been more stable, and the trees are responding well,” said Shivram Borkar, a farmer from ON THE FLIP SIDE… Cumbharjua, adding that early flowering has raised expectations of a bumper crop if conditions remain favourable in the coming months. Another mango grower Rohan Salelkar from Sanguem said “we expect good season this year. Last year, flowering started only in February, thus affecting the overall production. By the time the fruits were ready, the monsoon had approached”. Director Agriculture Sandip Fol Dessai said that with winter setting in, the conditions are favourable for flowering of mangos. “Across Goa, we see flowering. The conditions are encouraging, but sustained >Continued on P7