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The Voice of Goa – since 1900

Panjim I SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2018 I PRICE `6.00 I AIR SURCHARGE `10 I REG. NO. G2/RNP/GOA/101/2018-20 I PAGES 14 I www.heraldgoa.in I facebook.com/oheraldogoa I twitter: @oheraldogoa

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Arunachal districts
on flood alert
PTI, ITANAgAr/New
DelHI: Districts along the
Brahmaputra river in
Arunachal Pradesh have
been put on high alert for
possible flash floods after
China informed India about a
landslide blocking its main
stream in Tibet leading to
formation of an artificial
lake, officials said Friday.
MEA Spokesperson Raveesh
Kumar said the government
is in regular contact with the
Chinese side for further up-
dates.
All relevant authorities of
the central government and
state governments con-
cerned have been apprised
about the emerging situation
to enable them to take neces-
sary precautionary meas-
ures, he said.
A senior official of the Union
Water Resources Ministry
said the flood water is likely
to reach Arunachal Pradesh
by Friday night.
'Statue of Unity'
illegal: Guj ex-CM
PTI, AHmeDAbAD: Former
Gujarat Chief Minister
Suresh Mehta Friday claimed
that the "Statue of Unity", a
memorial dedicated to Sar-
dar Patel, is "illegal" and has
been built by the BJP to gar-
ner votes.
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi is scheduled to unveil
the 182-metre statue, touted
as the world's highest, in Ke-
vadiya in Narmada district
on October 31.
BLOODY DUSSEHRA: 61 dead as train hits revellers
Crowd had spilled onto railway tracks while watching burning of Ravana effigy; The train was coming from
Jalandhar to Amritsar when the incident occured
PTI, AmrITsAr (Pb): At
least 61 people were killed
and 72 injured Friday
evening after a crowd of
Dussehra revellers that had
spilled onto railway tracks
while watching burning of
Ravana effigy was run over
by a train near here, offi-
cials said.
The train was coming
from Jalandhar to Amritsar
when the incident occurred
at Joda Phatak where at
least 300 people were
watching 'Ravana dahan' at
a ground near the tracks.
Sub Divisional Magistrate
Amritsar I Rajesh Sharma
said 52 people have died
and at least 72 injured have
been admitted to Amritsar
hospital.
As the effigy was lit and
the fireworks went off, a
section of the crowd started
retreating towards the
BJP again rules out leadership change
Cabral claims Parrikar is monitoring administration on daily basis; Tendulkar
says government has support of 23 MLAs
Team Herald
PANJIm: The Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) on Friday ruled out
the possibility of any leader-
ship change in Goa while main-
taining that the coalition
government it is leading will
complete a five year term with
Manohar Parrikar as its leader.
The statement comes a day
after BJP national president
Amit Shah held talks with al-
liance party leaders Vijay
Sardesai and Ramkrishan
(Sudin) Dhavalikar on the lead-
ership issue. Names of BJP
MLAs Pramod Sawant, Vishwa-
jit Rane and State president
Vinay Tendulkar have been
discussed as alternatives to
Parrikar who is ailing.
Addressing media persons,
BJP MLA and Power Minister
Nilesh Cabral ruled out any
leadership change and stated
that Parrikar is their leader
and will continue to be. “We
have our leader Manohar Par-
PTI
HOW IT HAPPENED parts laid strewn on the
blood-soaked ground. Many
n The train was coming from Jalandhar to Amritsar when
bodies could not be identi-
the incident occurred at Joda Phatak where at least 300 fied.
people were watching 'Ravana dahan' at a ground near the People shouted slogans
tracks against local MLA Navjot
n As the effigy was lit and the fireworks went off, a section Kaur Sidhu, who was pres-
of the crowd started retreating towards the tracks where a ent as chief guest during the
large number of people were already standing to watch the event. She later said she
event rushed to the hospital im-
n Two trains arrived from the opposite direction at the same mediately after the inci-
time giving little opportunity to people to escape dent.
n Several people were mowed down by one of the trains There was shock and dis-
belief as panic-stricken peo-
Several times we have been requesting the ple recounted the horror.
authorities and local leaders telling them to "I have lost my minor
child. I want him back," an
take up the issue with railway authorities to slow inconsolable mother could
down the trains near this Phatak during Dussehra, be heard.
but no one has listened "Several times we have
— A local been requesting the author-
Relatives mourn near a victim at the site of a train accident at Joda Phatak in Amritsar on Friday. ities and local leaders
tracks where a large num- rived from the opposite di- mowed down by one of the for their near and dear cident with angry people telling them to take up the
ber of people were already rection at the same time trains, they said. ones. Severed bodies, in- not allowing authorities to issue with railway authori-
standing to watch the event, giving little opportunity to Wails and cries of people cluding of many children, remove them. ties to slow down the trains
officials said. people to escape, they said. filled the air as friends and were still lying on the acci- It was heart rending sight
However, two trains ar- Several people were relatives frantically looked dent site hours after the in- as the dismembered body Contd on Pg 11 >>
Union cabinet to take up
MMDR Act amendment: Mauvin
Team Herald Goa he said, “Parrikar can’t
PANJIm: Amendments
government be separated from BJP.”
On employment,
has compelled the
PARRIKAR IS ONE OF THE FINEST We want to to Mines and Minerals Centre to bring Godinho said that with
continue this (Development and the development of
ADMINISTRATORS: SHIRODKAR Regulation) Act legislation to restart cargo and logistics
coalition government for mining in the State
C alling Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar as one of the finest
administrators, new entrant to BJP and former Congress
MLA Subhash Shirodkar said Parrikar is monitoring the State
the next three and half
years thus completing five
(MMRD) will come up
before the next Union
government cabinet
—Mauvin Godinho,
hubs at Mopa, as as-
sured by Union Minis-
ter Suresh Prabhu,
Panchayat Minister
administration even from his bed. year tenure under meet to enable the employment would be
“Parrikar is one of the finest administrators I have come across Manohar Parrikar’s restart of mining activ- has been affected due generated and locals
after Pratapsingh Rane,” Shirodkar said. “I have worked with leadership. We want to ities, Panchayat Minis- to CM Manohar Par- would not feel the need
many chief ministers, but except for Rane Senior, Parrikar is ter Mauvin Godinho rikar’s sickness . “I do to go abroad for work.
give a stable government said on Friday. not accept that admin- Stating that develop-
finest administrator,” he commented. to the people of Goa.
“Even today when he is on sick bed, day in and day out he is “Goa government has istration has collapsed ment was taking place,
monitoring the development of the State, particularly finances —Vinay Tendulkar, compelled the Centre to and nothing is happen- he said that around
of the State,” the leader said. BJP State President bring legislation to restart ing due to sickness of 3,000 vacancies would
mining in the State,” God- CM,” he said and added, be created in various
rikar. Who told you, we are accessible to the public, the Delhi, Sardesai had said that inho said while speaking “Wrong impression is government depart-
seeking for leadership Minister said, “When you are the BJP central leaders are se- to media persons. being created amongst ments and in a month’s
change?” he countered the sick you are also not accessible riously considering the leader- He denied that the people.” Supporting time posts would be
media, adding, “There is no to the public, same is here”. ship issue to give Goa a stable administration in Goa Parrikar’s leadership, advertised.
question of leadership as we When asked about Vijai government.
have Parrikar as our leader.” Sardesai’s statement that BJP Earlier, Tendulkar said that
Cabral said that Parrikar is is considering the leadership in March 2017, BJP senior
monitoring the State adminis- issue seriously in Goa, Cabral leader Nitin Gadkari took the
tration on a daily basis. “He said, “It is Vijai’s statement of lead to form a BJP-led coalition
may not be physically present personal interest. It is not BJP’s government in Goa. “We want
but he is handling the adminis- statement or government com- to continue this coalition gov-
tration,” he said. ment. I don’t need to clarify on ernment for the next three and
Responding to a question on that.”
whether the Chief Minister is Soon after meeting Shah in Contd on Pg 11 >>

Rs 70 cr is my rightful
money, says Shirodkar
Fails to justify huge amount paid for acquisition;
Claims to have lost much in interest
HERALD DAILY POLL
TWITTER Team Herald
Is the digital locker
facility providing good PANJIm: Reacting to the
service to the people? Herald report on the Shi-
roda land sale, former Con-
Results on page 6 gressman Subhash
Shirodkar who joined BJP
forecast this week, said that the
MAx. TEMP 33.4oo C amount earned by the land
MIN. TEMP 23.2 C deal is his rightful money.
“That land deal is my
idharudhar rightful money. Nobody can
question me for that as I
have also suffered a lot due
to delay in the land acquisi-
tion,” Shirodkar said, reply-
ing to queries at a press
conference.
Explaining the sequence
of events, Shirodkar said he
purchased the land
through a loan in 2006. “In
2011-12 when my institu-
tion went through financial
issues, I started selling
plots. However, that time
Not infection, it's defection. A Mahadev Naik, who was
political disease that has the MLA, maybe thought if
changed your colour to saffron. I get money I would sur-
That land deal
is my rightful
money. Nobody can
question me for that
as I have also
suffered a lot due to
delay in the land
acquisition.
—Subhash
Shirodkar, former MLA
pass him politically and im-
mediately in 2012 he
started land acquisition
process for the land,” Shi-
rodkar explained.
The former GPCC presi-
dent explained that the gov-
ernment did not leave even
an inch of land. “Total 1.84
lakh sq mt land was acquired
for Shiroda industrial phase
II. He could not implement
urgency clause. Thereafter, in
2013 to 16 this process con-
tinued but Dy Collector could
not finalise the award and I
went to court and it ordered
it should be finalsised in 15
days,” he continued, adding “I
was left high and dry, my in-
stitutions were suffering my
whole family was suffering.”
He said that in 2017
after the elections he met
Chief Minister Manohar
Parrikar and explained the
situation to him. “After
meeting him a formula was
prepared as government
had no money. Land was
taken and no money, so
they started paying me in
instalments,” he said.
Contd on Pg 11 >>
High drama in
Sabarimala again
2 women reach hilltop
but return due to protests
sAbArImAlA (KerAlA): Ending hours-
long drama and tense moments at Sabari-
mala, two women reached the hilltop on
Friday but had to return before reaching
the sanctum sanctorum following mas-
sivem protests by Lord Ayyappa devotees.
A large number of devotees blocked the
young women and police team escorting
them at Valiya Nadappandhal, the queue
complex located a few metres away from
the holy 'pathinettam padi' (the 18 sacred
steps), leading to the sanctum sanctorum.
The women were identified as a re-
porter from Hyderabad in her late 20s and
an activist from Kerala.
The devotees, including senior citizens
and children, protested against the entry
of women of menstrual age group into the
hill shrine.
Tension was defused after the women
agreed to return as the state government
made it clear it did not want to take them
to the Sannidhanam, the temple complex,
by using force against the protesting devo-
tees.
The firm stand taken by the 'tantri'
(head priest) that he would close the tem-
ple if the women were escorted into the
sanctum sanctorum also persuaded them
to return as per instructions of the police.
Contd on Pg 11 >>