Latest news with #VishwajitRane
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
High Court notice to Goa govt over fees waved for land zone corrections
The High Court of Bombay at Goa Thursday issued notice to the state government, Secretary Town and Country Planning department, Town and Country Planning Department, Directorate of Vigilance and former chief town planner in a petition seeking directions to the authorities to recover the fees allegedly 'illegally waived' under a contentious provision of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act. According to the petitioner, activist Swapnesh Sherlekar, the fees for correction of certain land zones was illegally waived under section 17 (2) of the Goa Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act on the 'specious' ground that 'deletion of proposed road fee is not applicable'. The section 17(2), which was introduced through an amendment to the TCP Act and notified in 2023, allows the conversion of privately owned plots in Goa's Regional Plan 2021, based on individual applications from such parties to 'correct inadvertent errors' and 'rectify inconsistent or incoherent zoning'. The government notified the fees for correction of zones under section 17 (2) of the Act on March 16, 2023. Subsequently, the revised fee for zone changes was notified through the supplement official gazette on March 28 last year. The HC read down the section in March this year. The petition states in the list of cases considered for correction of zone under section 17 (2) of the Act, several entries contained a notation 'deletion of proposed road fee not applicable' without any statutory basis for such exemption. The petition stated that among such cases were properties belonging to TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane, who is also a respondent in the petition, alleging that he 'benefited from an unauthorized exemption of fees'. The petition said there are 'numerous' cases of deletion of proposed roads since the Act was notified, which require scrutiny for similar unauthorised exemptions. It further said that there is no provision in the TCP Act or any rules, regulations or notifications thereunder that provide exemption of fees for deletion of proposed roads under section 17 (2) of the Act. The petition said the respondent authorities have acted with 'manifest arbitrariness, mala fide and abuse of power in exempting certain applications from payment of statutory fees without any legal basis or justification.' The petition further claimed that the respondent authorities have failed to discharge their duties in accordance with law and have instead acted in a manner that suggests collusion to confer undue benefit on certain individuals at the expense of the public exchequer. On Thursday, the High Court heard the submissions of the petitioners. In the order, the court said: 'At this stage, we deem it appropriate to issue notice to respondent 1 to 4 as well as respondent 6 in the capacity of chief town planner (planning)…' The Court also directed the respondents to file an affidavit in response within three weeks. The court said it has 'noted the specific pleadings in the petition, which revolve around the properties' belonging to Rane, but did not issue a notice to him.
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
HC wants replies from TCP on zone-swap fee waivers
Panaji: The high court has called for replies from the TCP department and the director of vigilance in a PIL seeking to recover fees illegally waived under Section 17(2) of the TCP Act. This waiver was for deleting roads proposed in the regional plan, thereby reclassifying them as settlement areas. The PIL filed by Swapnesh Sherlekar alleged a loss to the exchequer in cases considered for correction of zones. under Section 17(2), where several proposed roads were deleted without the collection of fees and without any statutory basis for such exemption. Among these were properties belonging to TCP minister Vishwajit Rane, who benefited from this unauthorised exemption of fees, the petition stated. In one such case at Carapur in Bicholim, published in the official gazette dated Nov 21, 2024, includes the deletion of a proposed road resulting in 4,214sqm being reclassified as a settlement zone. As per the revised notification, this change should have attracted fees of Rs 1,000 per sqm, amounting to Rs 44.1 lakh, which was improperly waived, Sherlekar submitted in the PIL. The decision for correction of the zone was taken post-March 28, 2024, making the revised rates applicable. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Perdagangkan CFD Emas dengan Broker Tepercaya IC Markets Mendaftar Undo In another case published in the official gazette dated March 7, 2024, in the same village, also belonging to Rane, the deletion of a proposed road resulted in 17,802 sqm being reclassified as a settlement zone, the petition stated. 'This should have attracted fees of Rs 150 per sqm (as per rates applicable before March 28, 2024, for areas between 10,000 sqmto 20,000 sqm) amounting to Rs 26.7 lakh, which was similarly waived,' Sherlekar submitted through his advocate, Rohit Bras De Sa. The total revenue loss in just these two cases amounts to approximately Rs 69.8 lakh, he stated, adding that there are numerous similar cases of deletion of proposed roads between March 2023 and March 2024, as well as after March 2024, which require scrutiny for similar unauthorised exemptions. 'The fee schedule as notified in the official gazette specifically applies to 'fee for correction of inconsistent/incoherent zoning provisions which amount to change of zone of land to settlement zone or the sub-zone settlement (commercial), per square metre of land,' and there is no notified order on record indicating that removal of proposed roads under Section 17(2) is exempted from payment of fees,' Sherlekar further submitted. 'We have heard the counsel Rohit Bras De Sa in support of the petition, and noted the specific pleadings in the petition, which revolve around the properties belonging to Vishwajit Rane, and a specific allegation is levelled that he benefited from this unauthorised exemption of fees,' stated the division Justices Bharati Dangre and Nivedita Mehta.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Goa Medical College advisory board to have experts from AIIMS, WHO, says State Health Minister
The Goa Government will set up an advisory board of experts to monitor the functioning of the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Thursday (June 19, 2025). The board, which will be headed by the State Health Minister with representatives from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), World Health Organization (WHO), the Union Government, and specialists from across the country, is expected to enhance healthcare services at the hospital on par with international standards. The State's Additional Secretary (Health) will be the advisory board's Member Secretary. Board members will guide the team of doctors at the GMCH, Mr. Rane told The Hindu. 'The advisory board for the GMCH existed in the past when I was the Health Minister, but when the next Minister came in, he dismantled it. Back then also, we had medical experts from AIIMS, the WHO, and a couple of doctors from Mumbai. This advisory board is absolutely crucial, with independent experts onboard, along with the other government agencies. The board will also decide the standard operating procedures for specialised treatments in the hospital,' Mr. Rane said. The GMCH in Bambolim, north Goa, is the largest government-run hospital in the State, and one of the oldest medical colleges in India, with over 1,500 beds catering to patients from Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. The medical college, established in 1842 as the Escola Medico Cirurgica de Goa, was originally formed to train doctors to serve the erstwhile Portuguese colony in Goa. Following Independence, the GMCH, which was renamed as such in 1963, became a part of the Indian healthcare system. Mr. Rane also said the State was in the process of bringing experts in emergency medicine to the hospital. 'Emergency medicine plays a vital role in providing timely and effective care to people experiencing sudden illnesses or injuries, including road traffic accidents. We are also trying to bring in experts from private hospitals such as the Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, as they are investing a lot in research, and their knowledge will benefit our doctors and patients here,' he said. The team of 12 or 13 doctors will be from Mumbai, Manipal, Delhi, Bhopal, and Arunachal Pradesh. 'We are still in the process of finalising and bringing everyone onboard. So far, we have Dr. R. P. Srivastava, past president, the Association of Surgeons of India; Dr. Ajai Singh from AIIMS Bhopal; and Dr. Sagar Galwankar, emergency medicine specialist associated with AIIMS. From Mumbai, we will have Dr. Ashok Johari, renowned orthopaedic surgeon; Padmashri Dr. Amit Maydeo, Chairman of the Institute of Gastrosciences, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital; and Dr. Sunil Bandekar from the Breach Candy Hospital. Once we have the team, we will divide them into two groups and have a quarterly in-person meeting, and monthly virtual meeting,' Mr. Rane said, adding that the State Government wanted to increase the efficiency of the hospital and provide good care to patients, with the ultimate objective of helping the poor and needy. 'The advisory board will further strengthen Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of providing international standard healthcare in all the states and making healthcare affordable and accessible for all,' Mr. Rane said.
India Today
2 days ago
- General
- India Today
How a new campaign hopes to get illicit delicacy frog legs off Goa's restaurant menus
(NOTE: This article was originally published in the India Today issue dated June 23, 2025)In 2020, Goa's Republic Day tableau on Rajpath had a giant green frog strumming a guitar. Back home, though, they often land on a plate. 'Jumping Chicken', they call it, for the benefit of meat lovers indulging in it on the sly. Up the chain from restaurants that serve it are poachers who track frogs when they surface during the rains, their breeding season. The most hunted species are the Indian Bullfrog and the Jerdon's Bullfrog. Both have fleshy hindlegs, the part that's curried or the frogs themselves eat is quite crucial. Adults and tadpoles feed on mosquito eggs and larvae, exerting a natural control on vector-borne diseases. Besides, they devour a whole variety of insects deemed farm pests, ensuring lower crop losses. Thus, frog poaching impinges on the ecology, public health, agriculture and food security. It also violates the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Frogs are protected species—hunting them can lead you to getting fried in jail for three is now trying to get frog meat off restaurant menus. In May, state forests minister Vishwajit Rane launched a 'Save the Frog' campaign, aiming to protect their monsoon habitats. 'The hunters track down the Bullfrog at night by its croak, using torch light to stun them,' says a forest official. While it's an age-old practice in many parts of Goa, the rising commercial demand for frog meat has started seriously skewing the Frogs, a barometer of ecological health in zones along the Western Ghats, also face threats from urbanisation, deforestation and linear projects like highways. Activist Clinton Vaz says awareness is getting the 'jumping chicken' off menus, but that's only a to India Today MagazineTrending Reel
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
'Had meeting with doctors, passed all 7 of their demands': Goa CM on GMC doctors' strike
Goa's medical fraternity called off their strike after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant accepted their seven demands, addressing concerns over Health Minister Vishwajit Rane's verbal abuse of a senior doctor. The government signed an MOU, promising increased security measures and a commitment to prevent future incidents. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Panaji: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the state government accepted all seven demands put forth by the medical fraternity at the Goa Medical College GMC ) who had been protesting against State Health Minister Vishwajit Rane for allegedly using harsh language with a senior meeting protesting doctors at Goa Medical College, Goa CM Pramod Sawant said, "They (doctors) had given us a 48-hour intimation. Yesterday I had a meeting with the doctors. They presented their demands to me. I passed all 7 of their demands.""Such incidents should not happen again. The committee, henceforth, should be headed by Secretary Health, Dean MS and concerned Head of Department. For Police protection purpose, at our Police outpost here, PSI will be deputed and additional 50 Police personnel will be deputed at the casualty level, at the emergency level and including the ICU level in the interest of people," he Goa Chief Minister also thanked the doctors for ending the strike and said, "I thank the doctors for calling off their strike. As a Chief Minister, I will also keep looking into the matter from time to time."Goa doctors on Tuesday called off their planned strike against Health Minister Vishwajit Rane, who used harsh language against Dr Rudresh Kuttikar during a visit to the Goa Medical College and Minister was accused of humiliating and disrespecting the senior doctor during an inspection.A massive protest broke out at Goa Medical College (GMC) on Monday as doctors, Heads of Departments, interns, and medical students united in anger against Health Minister Vishwajit doctors at the GMC demanded a public apology and an end to the VIP culture in this, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant visited the state-run Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) near Panaji to address the concerns of protesting the visit, he assured the doctors that their demands would be met, paving the way for resolving the ongoing dispute.A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the doctors and the government. The MOU outlines the terms agreed upon by both parties, paving the way for improved hospital safety and security measures."A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed, outlining the terms agreed upon by both Security: Additional police force and security measures have been implemented to ensure the safety of doctors and hospital staff. The government has assured that there will be no tolerance for abuse or threats towards doctors and hospital staff. The doctors have emphasised that patient care will not be compromised and will remain their top priority", said Dr Ayush Sharma (President, Goa Association of Resident Doctors )."We thank the Chief Minister for his timely intervention and for working towards the betterment of the people of Goa. We have decided to call off the strike and will continue to provide medical services without any obstruction," added Dr Ayush to ANI, one of the doctors, Pratik Sawant, said, "The doctors of GMC strongly condemn the verbal abuse of our colleague that happened in the Emergency Medicine and Trauma Department's casualty on Saturday."In response to the backlash, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane expressed regret over his behaviour in a post on X."During the broadcast with Prudent Media last night, I openly apologised to Dr Rudresh Kuttikar for the harsh words I spoke during my visit to GMC. In the heat of the moment, my emotions overtook my expression, and I deeply regret how I addressed the situation. I never intended to undermine or disrespect the dignity of any medical professional," Rane wrote.
