The Navhind Times

Filmmakers Anil Purohit and Jay Amonkar won Best Documentary and Best Film of Goa, respectively, at the 13th Goa Short Film Festival in Pune for White Gold and Medium Piece RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ The sights and sounds of Goas traditional salt trade have stayed with Anil Purohit from childhood. He recalls, I remember []

NT Reporter Panaji The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has proposed a high-precision aerial LiDAR survey of khazan lands in Morombi-O-Pequeno village in Tiswadi to identify vulnerable areas, map possible encroachments and assess the effects of tidal flooding and coastal changes on the traditional estuarine ecosystem. The pilot project will be undertaken in collaboration []

NT Reporter Panaji Highlighting Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels contribution to Indias integration and his support for Goas liberation from Portuguese rule, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said that Goa could have attained liberation soon after Indias Independence. Sawant flagged off Run for Unity in the city in the presence of Union Minister Shripad Naik on []

NT Reporter Panaji Goa police department on Saturday placed under suspension police inspector (PI) Vikas Deykar of the Crime Branch police, Ribandar, against whom Old Goa police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. Following his suspension, Deykar has been asked to report to Goa Reserve Police (GRP) []

NT Reporter Panaji Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday made a strong appeal to delegates at the valedictory session of the three-day Vibrant Goa Global Business Summit to do business in the state, disclosing that the mega event resulted in the Goa-Investment Promotion Board (IPB) inking nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 8,600 crore. []

NT Reporter Panaji A composite material developed using cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL), extracted from cashew-processing waste, and natural bamboo fibre has shown promising potential in lightweight ballistic protection, with the material successfully arresting projectiles during experimental trials. Gaurish Samant, who recently completed his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Goa University under the guidance of []

NT Reporter Margao Surgical oncologist and President of BJPs Medical cell, Dr Shekhar Salkar has appealed to mandals and organisers which prepare Narkasur effigies to avoid using plastic and cling film, warning that burning these materials can release harmful fumes and pose health risks. Several groups acrossthe state are engaged in making Narkasur effigies, which []

Dr Nandkumar M. Kamat Who were the ancestors of todays Konkani-speaking people? Did they originate in the Konkan itself, migrate from northern India, or descend from populations that arrived along the western coast thousands of years ago? Can genetic science distinguish between the ancestry of Saraswat Brahmins, fishing communities, agricultural groups and Roman Catholics? These []

DR. LUIS DIAS I named my column On the Upbeat when I began writing it some 13-odd years ago, Ive lost count. It was a pun, on the upbeat (also called anacrusis) in music, but also the more general meaning of the term, of being optimistic despite so much doom and gloom. It has not []

Scientists doubling as art detectives have traced Vincent van Goghs The Starry Night to a celestial scene that suggests a new date for one of the worlds most famous paintings. Their findings indicate that rather than being a product of Van Goghs imagination, the painting may have been inspired by what he saw as he []

JOHN AGUIAR Squadron Leader (Retd.) Dr. Swapnil Salelkar is a man whose life has been shaped by a remarkable journeyfrom the rustic surroundings of Karapur to the demanding world of the Indian Air Force, and eventually back to his roots, where he continues to serve society in his own distinctive way. After completing Class 12, []

VENAN BONAVENTURE DIAS Rapid advances in digital technology have transformed how governments, businesses, and citizens interact with financial systems. Traditional cash-based transactions, while convenient in many situations, often create challenges related to transparency, accountability, and monitoring. As economies become increasingly digital, governments worldwide are exploring digital currency to improve financial governance and strengthen trust in []

NT reporter Ella Dempo SC head coach Samir Naik has called on supporters to turn up in large numbers at the PJN Stadium, Fatorda, as the club begins its Indian Football League 2026-27 campaign on Sunday, believing their backing could provide an added boost to his youthful squad. We always want to see our Dempo []

Tawadkar to lead delegation to meet Solicitor General Panaji: The Goa government has decided to approach the Supreme Court to safeguard the process of granting political reservation to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) community in the Goa Legislative Assembly, following an interim order passed by the High Court of Bombay at Goa. The decision was taken []

Panaji: The Revenue Department has notified revised minimum land rates for the financial year 2026-27 across Pernem, Bardez, Tiswadi, Salcete and Mormugao talukas, with base values ranging from Rs 1,500 to Rs 25,000 per square metre. As per the notification, Panaji, Bambolim, Assagao, Anjuna, Candolim and Calangute have been assigned the highest base rate of []

Orders thorough investigation into cause of blaze Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has directed officials to expedite financial assistance to vendors affected by the recent fire in Vascos Sunday Market, identify a suitable location for their temporary rehabilitation and initiate reconstruction of the damaged market on priority. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an []

Panaji: The Goa government on Friday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with energy trading group ANVI to develop a Rs 5,000-crore liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) import and storage terminal at the Mormugao port, aimed at strengthening states energy security and reducing dependence on supplies transported by road from the neighbouring states. The project is []

EDITORIAL Stray dog management needs sustained investment and scientific intervention Instead of sending confusing signals to animal welfare organisations and the animal-lover community by announcing fancy schemes to control the stray dog population on beaches, the state government must focus its attention on increasing dog sterilisation. A recent announcement of an adoption scheme for beach []

A Delhi special courts decision to allow seven foreign nationals under National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation in a terrorism-related case to travel home for a month raises a constitutional question: how should criminal law balance national security, investigative deadlines and personal liberty? The accused, an American national, Matthew Aaron VanDyke and six Ukrainian citizens were []

NT Reporter Panaji The Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has recommended continued monitoring of industrial units operated by United Spirits Ltd and United Breweries Ltd, located at Bethoda, Ponda to prevent a recurrence of foul odour reported by nearby residents. The commission took suo motu cognisance of the issue after a report published in The []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the Mapusa Municipal Council to submit a detailed report on encroachments affecting footpaths in the town and provide a plan for clearing obstructions and completing the work. The division bench of Justice Valmiki Menezes and Justice Amit Jamsandekar issued the directions while hearing []

PTI New Delhi Population census will be conducted across India, except in poll-going and snow-bound regions, from January 25 to February 28, 2027, the Census Commissioner announced on Friday. According to an official notification, the reference date for the census shall be 00:00 hours of March 1, 2027. In all states and Union territories, except []

PTI Kolkata/Guwahati West Bengal shifted 12,000 people living along the Sankosh in Alipurduar district to safety, while Assam closely monitored the situation in vulnerable areas of Dhubri and Kokrajhar districts after the rivers water level rose following a glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) in adjoining Bhutan, officials said. Water level in the Sankosh, which forms []

Shoma Patnaik Panaji Goas two airports Dabolim International Airport in Vasco and Manohar International Airport at Mopa handled 47.97 lakh international and domestic passengers between April and September this year, down from 52.7 lakh during the same period in 2025. Combined passenger traffic across the states airports fell by 8.9% in the first []

NT Reporter Vasco A massive fire broke out at the Vasco Sunday Market, located behind the Mormugao Municipal Council building, around 11.10 pm on Wednesday, sending flames soaring into the sky and a huge plume of smoke billowing over the area. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, []

NT Reporter Porvorim Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announced that the state cabinet has approved Compressed Biogas (CBG) Policy, aimed at promoting large-scale establishment of compressed biogas plants across the state and converting waste into clean energy. Briefing the media on cabinet decisions at Mantralaya in Porvorim, Sawant said the policy seeks to address []

Through fieldwork, photography and conversations with local people, Heta Pandits translation of Pournima KerkarsVismrutichya Umbarthyavar captures the knowledge and experiences behind the objects documented in the book RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ Many traditional household objects are no longer used as they once were, but their stories survive in the memories of those who grew []

Question announcement timing, warn against poll promise without firm guarantees Ponda: The proposed reopening of Goas only sugar factory, Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd. in Dharbandora has renewed hopes among sugarcane growers and workers. However, questions have been raised over the timing of the announcement with some farmers warning that it could become an election []

Porvorim: The Cabinet has approved the renewal of contracts for all doctors and staff working in the cardiac department of Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) for five years, from 2026 to 2031, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said. Briefing reporters on the Cabinet decisions, Sawant said the government had also approved filling 178 staff nurse []

Panaji: Water supply to several areas across Goa is likely to be partially affected on October 31 and in the following days due to a 24-hour shutdown of the 100 MLD water treatment plant at Xelpem, also known as the JICA water treatment plant. The shutdown is scheduled from 8 am on October 31 to []

Panaji: With the 2027 Goa Assembly elections approaching, a political tussle has emerged between Marcaim MLA and Power Minister Ramakrishna Sudin Dhavalikar of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which is an alliance partner of BJP, and sitting Cumbarjua BJP MLA Rajesh Faldessai over the constituency and the selection of candidates. The exchange of words reportedly []

Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said the state government is ready to acquire and develop the historic Shuddhikaran site at Chimbel, restore four deity idols and preserve the states cultural heritage, provided the community concerned formally seeks government intervention. The site is reportedly associated with the Shuddhikaran movement of February 26, 1928, when []

Inaugurates RBIs Rs169-crore data centre in Odisha Bhubaneswar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said wars were no longer being fought only through conventional means but also by targeting economies, and underscored the need to protect Indias banking system from cyber terrorists. Addressing a gathering after inaugurating Reserve Bank of Indias Rs 169-crore data centre []

Panaji: Goa Cyber Crime police have arrested two men from Pune, Maharashtra, in connection with an alleged fake online share investment fraud involving Rs 39.01 lakh, and secured Rs 23.12 lakh of the complainants defrauded money, police said on Sunday. The accused, identified as Sagar Prakash Dholvi and Ajinkya Ravindra Abhang, were arrested in separate []

Shahin Bepari Lambe Panaji: Portuguese can offer career opportunities in translation, teaching and international business, with demand for language skills extending from official documentation to corporate work involving Portuguese-speaking countries, said experts in the field. There are job opportunities for those who know Portuguese, including translation, teaching and translation work involving documents related to acquisition []

A large tree branch fell on parked cars and two-wheelers near the US Polo showroom, opposite Delhi Darbar Restaurant in Panaji, on Sunday, damaging several vehicles. No injuries were reported. Fire and Emergency Services personnel cut up and removed the fallen branch to clear the area. | Dhiraj Mhambre

Villagers to launch signature campaign for study Mapusa: Siolim residents have decided to launch a signature campaign demanding a carrying capacity study for the village, citing irregular water and electricity supply and growing pressure on infrastructure. They also plan to approach the Department of Drinking Water (DDW) and other authorities, alleging that construction projects are []

Deficit monsoon has not affected the tuber crop in the state much to the relief of farmers dependent on them for livelihood, writes Bhiva P Parab This year the rains are less, however tubers being a hardy crop have withstood the adverse climatic condition, according to farmers. They said that, the 31.7 per cent rain []

Demand for Indian rice remains strong across African markets, with international buyers highlighting Indias importance as a major supplier of the staple grain, even as higher prices and freight costs influence near-term purchasing decision. Overseas traders speaking on the sidelines of the Bharat International Rice Conference 2026, said they remain keen to source rice from []

Amresh Parab Panaji The Goa Traffic Police have booked an average of one case per day since 2023 against private vehicle owners illegally renting out two- and four-wheelers, primarily to tourists visiting the state. According to police statistics, a total of 1,471 cases of unauthorised private vehicle rentals have been registered over the past 45 []

Frederick Noronha Old age isnt a battle. Old age is a massacre. Thats how Philip Roth described it in his short novel Everyman. Roth strips away the romanticism of aging. He frames the gradual loss of health, energy, and peers not as a heroic fight we can win, but as an inevitable, systematic dismantling of []

Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse! The famous star with the cool name has a big announcement: it has a sibling! For the first time, astronomers have captured a photo showing a smaller star next to the iconic red supergiant we all know and love. That Betelgeuse has a companion is not a major shock for astronomers. []

JOHN AGUIAR Brigadier Ian St. John da Costa belonged to a generation that witnessed Indias transformation from a young nation into a confident republic. A soldier, writer, administrator, and community leader, he lived a life defined by duty first to his country in uniform and later to society in civilian life. Born on September []

PRAJYOT MAINKAR Indias ornamental fish industry made the news this month for an odd reason. The government values it at about Rs. 3000 crore at home, yet exports totaled just Rs 16.94 crore in the latest year on record. The gap isnt peculiar to India. Live ornamental fish worth roughly $350 million cross borders each []

PTI New Delhi The countrys largest bank, SBI, on Wednesday said it is investigating the suspected exposure of 3,897 customer records containing personally identifiable information on the dark web, following alerts it received on October 16 from its threat intelligence service provider, Defence Cyber Agency, and CERT-In. A preliminary analysis of around 3.75 lakh records []

PTI Kolkata West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said only followers of Sanatan Dharma would be allowed to touch Durga idols during immersion in the Hooghly river, asserting that religious traditions must befollowed. Adhikari made the statement while reviewing immersion arrangements at Babughat in Kolkata, accompanied by Kolkata police commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand []

NT Reporter Panaji To decongest vehicular traffic in Panaji, particularly near the casino point along the Dayanand Bandodkar Marg, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday directed the authorities to notify the road stretch from the petrol pump near Panaji Residency to the Panaji Church as a no-parking zone. Vehicles linked to offshore []

NT Reporter Pernem The Mandrem Police have registered an offence against six teachers of a private higher secondary school in Arambol in Pernem taluka following allegations that a 14-year-old student was assaulted over a notebook and his mother was wrongfully confined and assaulted on the school premises. The police said the incidents occurred between April []

NT Reporter Panaji Holding that a rat bite suffered by a patient at Goa Medical College (GMC), Bambolim, amounted to a serious human rights violation, the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) has recommended sweeping measures to improve hospital sanitation, strengthen rodent control and prevent waste accumulation in wards. The commission, in its inquiry report dated []

NT Reporter Canacona A 37-year-old man, Sanjay Naik, was allegedly murdered with a sharp weapon at a chicken centre in Mashem, Loliem, on Wednesday evening, triggering protests by hundreds of locals who demanded that the accused be handed over to them. The incident was captured by a CCTV camera installed on the premises. The crowd []