log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline TUESDAY DECEMBER 30, 2025 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 192 New term, old question: Will govt empower ZPs? 2 3 GOA Warnings ignored: Property owner’s twist to Birch saga Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO IT jobs and poor sleep fuelling India’s spike in male infertility Demolition ordered, but Morjim resort still stands MAPPED EVIDENCE AND REPEATED WARNINGS FAIL TO PROMPT ACTION; POLITICAL PROTECTION QUESTIONED AGNELO PEREIRA THE GOAN I MAPUSA Despite clear orders, mapped evidence of illegalities and repeated reminders from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), La Alphanso Marina Beach Resort at Morjim continues to stand – raising troubling questions about administrative sabotage, political shielding and deliberate inaction within the system. Early this month, the GCZMA was compelled to remind top district authorities to carry out its long-pending demolition order against the resort. In a letter dated December 2, GCZMA Member Secretary Sachin Desai wrote to the North Goa Collector and District Magistrate, as well as the Deputy Collector and Sub-Divisional Officer of Pernem, urging immediate action. “The Deputy Collector of Pernem concerned is requested to kindly execute the direc- IN SHORT >> Bandodkar, Chari set to be North ZP chief, deputy PANAJI: BJP’s Reis Magos Zilla Panchayat member Reshma Bandodkar and Honda ZP member Namdev Chari are all set to be elected unopposed as the North Goa Zilla Panchayat Adhyaksha (Chairperson) and Upadhyaksha (Vice-Chairperson), respectively, after single nominations were filed for both posts on Monday.   >> See pg 2 Oppn MLAs meet on January 3 PANAJI: Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao has called a meeting of all Opposition MLAs on January 3 to work out a joint strategy during the upcoming Winter Session of the State Legislative Assembly, scheduled to begin on January 12.  >> See pg 3 Rider killed in Verna road mishap VASCO: A 32-year-old motorcyclist was killed after a passenger bus rammed into his two-wheeler near Fr Agnel Ashram at Verna on Sunday evening, triggering an impact that caused the motorcycle to catch fire. >> See pg 5 tions passed by this Authority In 2020 „„Talathi flags illegal commercial construction „„No permission from competent authority GCZMA inspection „„Multiple unauthorised structures found „„Entire property mapped „„Zero coastal approvals Scale of violation „„2,899 sqm illegal construction on top priority,” the letter stated – an extraordinary reminder that underscores official reluctance to enforce the law. This was not the first deadline. The Collector’s office had earlier fixed November 12 for demolition, but the operation was inexplicably shelved, citing the “non-availability of police personnel” – an explaRED FLAGS IGNORED127/2 without any permission „„Hotel block, 300+ capacity hall „„Conference room, beachside restaurant „„Two-storey residential units nation that has increasingly become a convenient excuse in cases involving powerful interests. The illegality of the structure is not in dispute. As far back as 2020, the Morjim talathi, in an official report, categorically stated that Dilip Sakhwala had carried out illegal construction on survey no Legal action „„Demolition ordered under Environment Act (Sec 5) Deadlines missed „„Collector fixed Nov 12 demolition „„Cancelled citing ‘no police’ Reminder issued „„Dec 2: GCZMA seeks ‘top priority’ action from a competent authority. The structure, built for commercial use and operating as La Alphanso, was flagged as unauthorised from inception. Subsequent GCZMA inspections revealed multiple violations. The authority mapped the entire property and found that not a single structure had been approved. DMA drops ward delimitation ahead of municipal elections CIVIC POLLS TO FOLLOW 2021 WARD MAP THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) has decided not to undertake delimitation of municipal wards for the upcoming civic elections, following the State government’s decision to freeze the boundaries of all administrative units from December 31, 2025. As a result, the municipal elections scheduled for April 2026 will be conducted as per the ward delimitation notified in 2021. The decision also applies to the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP), whose boundaries will remain unchanged for the forthcoming March polls. Ahead of Census 2027, the State government, in October, announced the freezing of boundaries of municipalities, villages and Assembly constituencies from December 31, 2025, till March 31, 2027. The Directorate of Planning had clarified that “the boundaries of administrative units for Census 2027 shall be frozen as on December 31, 2025”. D E L I M I TAT I O N F R EE ZE „„Decision applies to CCP; boundaries to remain unchanged for March polls „„Boundary freeze imposed ahead of Census 2027, effective from December 31, 2025 to March 31, 2027 „„No changes allowed to boundaries of municipalities, villages or Assembly constituencies during this period „„Earlier proposal to increase wards in ‘A’ class municipalities deferred to before the 2031 elections „„Census 2027 reference date fixed as March 1, 2027 „„Census to be conducted in two phases — house-listing from April 1, 2026; population enumeration from February 2027 A senior DMA official said that no delimitation exercise would be carried out for the upcoming municipal elections. “The polls will take place as per the existing delimitation, which was notified ahead of the 2021 elections,” the official said, adding that the jurisdiction of the Panaji City Corporation will also remain untouched. The official further noted that the government had earlier considered increasing the number of wards in ‘A’ class municipalities from 25 to 27. “However, this change will now be taken up before the 2031 municipal elections,” the official said. In all, elections to 11 municipalities across Goa are expected to be held in April 2026, while the polls to the CCP are scheduled for March. The Directorate of Census Operations (DCO) has imposed a ban on any changes to the boundaries of districts, >Continued on P7 After sexual assault, police verification now must for all school transport staff THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI n the wake of the sexual assault of a six-year-old minor girl by a school van driver, the Directorate of Education (DoE) has made police verification compulsory for all drivers and helpers engaged in the transportation of schoolchildren across the State, including those deployed on Balrath buses. The directive follows the arrest of the accused, identified as Allabhaksh Goususab Saiyydabade, by Porvorim police last week for allegedly sexually assaulting the minor. I EDUCATION DEPT DIRECTIVE „„No driver or helper to be engaged without a valid police verification certificate „„Police verification to be renewed periodically, as per DoE instructions „„Fresh verification mandatory for new appoint- ments or replacements of drivers and helpers „„School managements directed to maintain a verification register for all transport staff „„Records must be produced for inspection when sought by competent authorities „„Heads of institutions and school managements made responsible for strict compliance „„Non-compliance to invite strict action, warns the Directorate of Education The accused remains in police custody, which has been extended till January 1. In a circular issued on Monday, Director of Education Shailesh Zingade issued clear instructions to all heads of schools and managements, stating that no driver or helper should be engaged in trans- porting schoolchildren without a valid and satisfactory police verification certificate. The >Continued on P7 In August, invoking Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the GCZMA ordered the demolition of all constructions – spanning a staggering 2,899 square metres. These include a massive commercial hotel structure, a large hall with a capacity of over 300 persons, a mini conference room, a beachside restaurant with a raised platform and double-storey residential units linked to Dilip Sakhwala and others. For complainant Sagardeep Sirsaikar, who first flagged the violations in 2020, the battle has been long and punishing. Faced with departmental lethargy and alleged political interference, he was forced to approach the National Green Tribunal – yet enforcement on the ground remains elusive. “It’s impossible to believe this is administrative delay. Someone is clearly playing >Continued on P7 11 SPORTS Cristiano Ronaldo sets sights on 1,000-goal landmark 14 Twin-tower project atop new Zuari bridge hits CRZ hurdle GCZMA to forward proposal to MoEF; EIA, mangroves and aviation clearances pending THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The construction work of the proposed twin-tower project atop the new Zuari bridge, is expected to be delayed over want of Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) clearance as the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) is likely to move the proposal to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for final approval. The authority is awaiting an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report. Apart from CRZ clearance, the project may also require aviation clearance from the Airports Authority of India (AAI), as the Dabolim airport is located approximately 11 kms from the project site. With the proposed tower height exceeding 120 metres, safety concerns related to air traffic operations have been flagged by the authority. The project proponent – Dilip Buildcon – was supposed to commence the construction work of the Rs 270 crore project post monsoons and was expected to be completed within three years from the time of execution of the work. INSPECTION: THE CONCERNS „„Project site falls in multiple sensitive CRZ zones — CRZ-IA (mangroves and buffer), CRZ-IB (water body), CRZ-III (No Development Zone) and designated fishing areas „„Mangroves found on both sides of project site, flagged as ecologically critical and in need of protection „„Fishing zones under CZMP 2011 overlap with project area, prompting GCZMA to factor in coastal community concerns „„Ancient Gopakapatana port lies beneath project site, with strict directions issued to protect heritage during construction THE PROPOSAL „„Plan includes a 120-metre-long walkway bridge linking mainland to tower base and public amenities on Agassaim side „„High-speed elevators to one observatory planned as part of visitor facilities “It is mandatory for the project proponent to submit the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report and to give detailed presentation, highlighting the potential environmental impacts and applicable CRZ regulations for the proposed project before the GCZMA,” the Authority’s Expert Committee noted during its meeting held on December 24 while recommending that the proposal be forwarded to MoEF&CC for final approval. GCZMA has also informed Dilip Buildcon that additional clearances from the Forest Department and the Goa State Pollution Control Board are required, particularly with respect to mangroves and pollution-related concerns, before CRZ approval can be granted. >Continued on P7