NO TEST AFTER FEVER
THE Health Department has clarified that Covid-19 patients who have had a mild infection do not have to be tested again. The quarantine period has been reduced from 10 days to seven days. If the patient has been free from fever for three days he or she may assume that the infection has been cured and need not report to hospital for a clearance test.
HOSPITALITY WORRIED?
THE Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) is very concerned about the huge spike in Covid-19 cases. The positivity rate of Covid-19 cases in Goa has risen to 20.5% with 971 new infections on Thursday, January 6, 2022. What is even more disturbing is that there were two deaths the same day on Thursday, taking the total toll of fatalities in the current wave to three. It is also a matter of concern that the national single day increase in Covid-19 infection is over one lakh from 10,000 just eight days ago, and there have been three deaths due to Omicron so far in Goa. The High Court has directed the State to submit a report on steps being taken to tackle the third wave. The TTAG is agitated that both the charter traffic and beach shacks will be the worst affected by the third wave of covid-19.
PUNJAB CM IMPLICATED
THE chief minister of Punjab S Charanjit Singh Channi has been accused of conspiring to create a security threat for Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to Punjab. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was held up on a fly-over during the visit for over 20 minutes without any of his security staff present reportedly. The Punjab CM is accused of colluding with the striking farmers to put the life of the prime minister in danger. This is the biggest security threat to any prime minister since the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi by LTTE activists in 1984!
MORE WOMEN VOTERS
THE revised electoral rolls which were released by the office of the Election Commission has revealed that the number of women voters is higher by 31 lakh over male voters for 2022 elections. Goa’s electoral rate has grown by more than 45,000 of which the majority are women voters. More, 62% of the additional voters are from North Goa. The electorate has grown by a lower margin in South Goa. There have been many charges of registration of bogus votes particularly in Taleigao constituency which have to be investigated.
UTPAL FOR PANAJI!
UTPAL Parrikar, the elder son of late chief minister Manohar Parrikar, has made it clear that he is determined to contest the elections for the Panaji seat. This is despite the BJP having conceded the demand of Babush Monserrate for the Panaji seat and Jennifer Monserrate for the Taleigao seat. It would appear that even at the highest levels of the BJP, Utpal has not been able to convince the BJP High Command to over rule the local leadership. Though Utpal met the BJP national president JP Nadda, he did not get any assurance that he would be given the BJP ticket for Panaji. Incidentally, none of the parties with the exception of the Congress have officially announced their candidates.
TMC FOR MORE PARTNERS
THE TMC which already has an alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) is looking for a third alliance party. The talk is that the Goencho Avaaz or the Goa Revolution Party might join the MGP- TMC alliance. The Goa Forward has made it clear that it will remain loyal to the Congress unlike last time when it joined the BJP.
MUSLIM WOMEN AUCTIONED
ON an App called Bulli Bai several notable Muslim women found themselves being auctioned in a bizzare fantasy. The Bulli Bai is hosted by Jai Hub. The App has also been promoted by a Twitter handle with the name of Bulli Bai and a display picture of a Khalistani supporter. The Twitter account was reportedly created in 2020 by a Nepali national. There have been three arrests so far which include Mayank Rawat (21), a BSC chemistry students of Delhi University, Shweta Singh, a 12th standard pass out from Uttarkhand, and Vishal Kumar from Bihar.
NO CHANGE OF SURNAME!
LAW Minister Nilesh Cabral has issued an ordinance whereby outsiders will not be able to change their surname. Only those born in Goa or whose parents or grand-parents birth has been registered in Goa can change their surname. The ordinance has been issued following complaints that people from outside the State have been changing their surnames to become eligible for government jobs under the backward class category.
MAUVIN POWER SCAM
THE Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court has directed the Special Court to fast track the trial of Mauvin Godinho and others who have been charged under the Prevention of Corruption Act. Mauvin Godinho has been accused of extending unauthorised rebates in the power tariff to the extent of Rs9 crore to steel rolling mills in violation of the decision of the then Rane cabinet. The High Court has directed the special court appointed for hearings against politicians, and with cases pending against them, to conclude the recording of the evidence within one year.