FLASHBACK ON THE YEAR THAT WAS...

Portuguese connection: 
A tale of two identities  

People with Portuguese Bilhete de Identidade or Assento de Nascimento, looking to renew their Indian passports, were shocked to know their passports were revoked. This news was hard to accept for many Goans who possess these documents along with Indian passports. 

The unexpected change came in view of a confidential circular from the Ministry of External Affairs on November 30, 2022. Surprisingly, even though a few legislators besides MP Francisco Sardinha were aware through various sources, nothing was done to bring respite to the locals. 

The Goan’s reports on this issue spurred MPs Sadanand Shet Tanavade and Sardinha to raise it in Parliament, seeking relief. After much hesitation, quite a few politicians also raised their voices and the matter was brought before the Centre. 

Scam is not end of the story;
Excise has a lot to answer

This incident turned out to be the biggest scam in the history of the Excise Department. Harish Naik, an Upper Division Clerk, is accused of tricking several license holders into paying their annual fees to the department and personally collecting money from them. He allegedly pocketed the money and also shared it with his accomplices - some of his superiors. Fake licenses and fee receipts were issued to the license holders, who were unaware of the scandal until they got notices from the Excise Headquarters about non-payment of fees for the last few years

The Goan’s expose led to the suspension of Naik, and two inspectors Vibhuti Shetye and Durgesh Naik. The then Excise Commissioner Narayan Gad also reluctantly agreed to the scam, and the department recovered Rs 28 lakh from Harish Naik in just three days. The matter also prompted Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to ensure action against the guilty. However, the fate of the inquiry and vigilance action, if any, remains a mystery even as the department has never revealed the exact loss to the State exchequer.

Banastarim accident: 
Probe at crossroads

The horrific mishap involving an influential couple from Panaji – Shripad Sawardekar alias Paresh and his wife Meghana on August 6 remained a topic of discussion for several weeks. The driver mowed down several motorists, killing three instantly and seriously injuring three others just close to the Banastarim bridge. Allegations of a botched inquiry to allegedly protect the high-profile couple led to controversy over determining the driver. 

Subsequently, Paresh was arrested, despite several witnesses claiming it was the wife who was driving the ill-fated Mercedes Benz. There were also allegations of drunk driving.

Amid all this, an FIR was registered, the vehicle was seized, Rs 2 crore in compensation was deposited for the victims in the High Court, the case was transferred from Mardol police to the Crime Branch. PI Mohan Gaude was transferred from Mardol PS for alleged cover-up, and a lot of developments took place.

'Smart' Panaji 
on the brink 

The year has been messy for the capital city with 'smart city' projects being haphazardly executed. Mid-way in June, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant effected a bureaucratic shuffle bringing Sanjit Rodrigues, IAS, to the helm as managing director and CEO of Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Limited (IPSCDL) and believed it's a 'masterstroke'.  But six months later, barring the couple of monsoon months, Panaji and its residents continue to struggle in the mess on multiple intra-city roads at the same time.

Hell on highways 

Despite massive expansion of highways and work on major roads in Goa with new bridges, road widening and erection of signages at a cost of several thousands of crores of rupees, there has been little attention paid to safety and people have been dying in mishaps at an alarming rate. Fatalities on Goan roads continued to dominate the news this year and The Goan dived deep into the subject to unveil a roadmap for reversing the trend, mid-year.

Forest fires: Goa's 
disaster mis-management  

Back in March this year, several forest fires devastated vast patches of Goa's forests in the Western Ghats for several days. The Goan picked holes in the State administration and unraveled the complete lack of battle-readiness in its disaster management apparatus even as the operation to douse the fires, aided by the Navy and the air force, lingered for over two weeks. Goa's Disaster Management Authority, had massively faltered in its response, failing to estimate the magnitude of the fires in their early days and ignored the maxim: a stitch in time saves nine. 

Regularizing illegal houses 
on comunidade land 

This is not the first time that the BJP-led Goa government is talking about regularizing the encroachments or houses on the Comunidade land. It had started way back in 2001 when Manohar Parrikar (late) took over the reins of the State and amended the Code of Comunidade to regularize these encroachments built before June 15, 2000 but in consent with the respective Comunidade. Many Comunidades did not consent and the matter was also challenged in the High Court, who disallowed the regulation. The efforts were revived by Parrikar in 2012 and in 2017 and by incumbent Pramod Sawant led government in 2021; however it failed to materialize. Now, ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections, BJP is mooting a similar proposal, a move, which the experts feel is a “political gimmick” and will not stand the test of 'Constitutional Validity'.

The dark shades 
of khaki

The case: CCTV footage allegedly showed five Anti-Terrorist Squad personnel demanding Rs 10 lakh from a businessman, and subsequently settling for Rs 5 lakh. The alleged “deal” happened at an online gaming company’s office in Salcete, where the men identified themselves as ATS personnel from Panaji. The Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s Office were also in receipt of the video, as the matter sparked controversy and embarrassment for a force that emphasizes Zero Tolerance for corruption, crime and drugs. 

The department has however downplayed such controversies, and it was evident in this case too. Director General of Police Jaspal Singh ordered an inquiry after The Goan’s reports but its outcome remains unknown. 

Tracing the tricks 
of drug trade  

Goa’s deep connection with narcotics is a known phenomenon with instances wherein drug lords have been converting Goa into a manufacturing hub.  

This story highlighted how drug traffickers have adapted, exploiting waterways in various Indian ports as the preferred route for smuggling, ultimately reaching high-demand locations like Goa. These illicit drug traders also use clever tactics such as concealing liquid cocaine in clothes and using crockery as a cover for smuggling these lethal products. So also, lab scientists from drug-infested nations are brought in to manufacture drugs in the State. The distribution of LSD has expanded, with drops being sold at elevated rates.

There’s another concerning trend about many foreigners, particularly Nigerians and Russians on tourist visas in Goa, failing to provide their addresses when caught for criminal offenses.  

Dengue the new threat 
to public health  

Dengue emerged as a major public health concern in October as the monsoon ebbed with the number of localised hotspots increasing -- Panaji, Chimbel, Vasco, Mormugao and Candolim-Calangute. The Goan mapped the pan-Goa spread of the disease which had claimed 16 lives this year and shed light on the strategies of the health authorities to tackle the threat.

Cloud over mid-day meal 
scheme in schools

The nearly two-decade-old  'mid-day meal' scheme meant to provide nutritious meals to students of Class I to Class VIII in all of Goa's schools got clouded in a veil of uncertainty with the State government floating a tender at the start of the academic year in June calling for bids from NGOs to provide the meals. It has put a doubt over the several Self Help Groups (SHGs) currently shouldering the responsibility even as larger organisations could soon step in.

National Games: Goa's medal 
winning spree a flash in pan  

Winning medals, mostly powered by outstation athletes, helped Goa break into the top 10 at ninth position in a field filled up with all Indian States and the Services Sports Control Board. A feat indeed but as The Goan reported, it will only be a flash in the pan, if Goa's Sports Associations and administrators do not pull up their socks and rid themselves of rampant nepotism, corruption, neglect, mediocrity and a general lack of inertia to excel.

Agriculture policy in controversy
even before the draft is ready

It’s been over ten years now since a draft agricultural policy was prepared for Goa; however, a decade down the line, the policy remained a mere document sans the government approval. After a series of failed attempts from the successive State Agriculture Ministers, Minister Ravi Naik has finally taken a lead to put in place a comprehensive, farmers-friendly and robust policy. Considering the current agricultural scenario, where the sector is consumption driven, the government has laid focus on long term agricultural growth in a bid to make Goa self-sufficient in agricultural produce and also to convert it into a profit making sector.

Eco Sensitive Areas 
remain a question  

The process initiated by the Government of India in November 2013 for the demarcation of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) in the Western Ghats region -- the UNESCO identified global biodiversity hotspot-- has been a subject of debate, opposition, criticism in all, which has been a complete mess even a decade after two different committees worked extensively to zero upon 59,940 square kilometres ESA covering six States.

Amendment to Forest Conservation 
Act not welcomed 

On August 14, the Central government notified the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill 2023, which exempts certain forest lands from the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA) 1980, thus making it easier to strip these lands of forests and divert it for non-forest purposes. Roughly, this will impact atleast 46 per cent of Goa’s forest cover. This is because these forests- nearly 1,019.21 square kilometres of forest cover- lie outside the recorded forest area (RFA) and will lose protection under the new amendment.

Vehicle scrapping policy: 
Notified but miles to go

The new vehicle scrapping policy which junks vehicles in 15 years, The Goan reported is a win-win for all sides in the automobile sector but only on paper. In terms of actual implementation, Goa and its government in particular, have miles to go in readying the infra and scrapyard grounds 

Shivaji statue row re-opens Goa's 
underlying communal fissures

In June, the controversy over the installation of the statue of sixteenth century Maratha warrior king, Chhatrapati Shivaji at Calangute read with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant's 'wipe out Portuguese legacy' call exposed the communal faultline in Goan society. An intense and communally polarising debate lingered for several weeks over the issue. Sawant's "need to wipe out all signs of Portuguese legacy'' exhortation at Chhatrapati Shivaji's coronation anniversary event on June 6 was closely followed by the violent Calangute episode where the panchayat was attacked by a group of 'Shiv premis' after they had illegally installed a statue of the Maratha king and were ordered to remove it. This debate re-opened the underlying fissures in Goa's polity and society -- the Hindu-Catholic divide -- and threw up suspicions that the right-wing, Hindu supremacist agenda is being sought to be imposed here in Goa too.

STs denied their constitutional 
right of political reservation 

It was in 2003, when the Schedule Tribe (ST) status was granted to three communities- Gawada, Kunbi and Velip from Goa. As per the Census 2011, 10.23 per cent of the State population comprises of STs and as such the community is entitled to four seats in the 40-member State Legislative Assembly as per Article 332 (3) of the Constitution of India, that clearly defines that reservation of seats in the State Assemblies must be made on the basis of the percentage of the population of the STs in the particular State. Despite their Constitutional Rights, the ST community has been deprived of political reservation for the last 20 years.