log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2026 GOA FROM ‘ENTRUDO’ TO FLOATS: THE EVOLUTION OF GOA’S CARNIVAL LEARNING BY SEEING: GOA’S FIRST BIODIVERSITY MAP FOR SCHOOLS IN SHORT >> Court rejects bail of Luthra brothers MAPUSA: In a significant setback to the owners of the controversial Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, the Mapusa Additional Sessions Court on Thursday rejected the bail applications of Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra in connection with the December 6, 2025 fire tragedy that claimed 25 lives.  >> See pg 3 Fake GSPCB official dupes club owner MAPUSA: Anjuna police have registered a case of cheating against a man accused of impersonating a Goa State Pollution Control Board official and duping a Vagator-based club owner of over Rs 14 lakh on pretext of renewing a licence. According to police, the offence was registered following a plaint filed by Malhotra.  >> See pg 5 Cashew plantation gutted in Sattari VALPOI: A major fire broke out in a cashew plantation belonging to Sandesh Bhaskar Gadgil at Dhave in Sattari taluka on Thursday, causing a loss estimated at Rs 1.5 lakh. Approximately 250 cashew trees were reportedly destroyed in the fire, including both mature, fruit-bearing trees and younger plants.  >> See pg 5 Man loses `2.30L to fraudster in Vasco VASCO: A Vasco resident was allegedly cheated of Rs 2,30,948 after an unknown person posing as a bank officer induced him to download a fraudulent mobile application.  >> See pg 5 India to buy 114 Rafale fighter jets NEW DELHI: In its largest-ever defence acquisition push, India on Thursday cleared a long-pending proposal to procure 114 Rafale fighter jets under a government-to-government framework with France, nearly two decades after the plan was originally rolled out to boost the Indian Air Force's combat prowess.  >> See pg 9 WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 34.2 C 21.3 C 85% TIDES Low: 02.41 14.11 High: 06.21 21.55 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 236 NGT flags Chapora dredging over turtle nesting concerns, interim plea today M INFO How a healthy lifestyle supports natural conception THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO A huge storm is brewing in South Goa over reports of Navy taking over Dabolim airport and shutting down the Portuguese-era airport for commercial and civilian operations, with Opposition parties issuing a stern warning to the government to come clean on Dabolim airport’s future or face an unprecedented stir. In New Delhi, South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes dashed off a letter to Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh regarding the airport. He later told the media outside Parliament that reliable sources had informed him that the government had put up the file for the closure of Dabolim Airport for civilian use. Back home, the Congress, Goa Forward Party and the Aam Aadmi Party slammed the BJP government for allegedly working in collusion with GMR to shut down Dabolim airport. These political parties Dabolim airport won't be shut: Mauvin GODINHO, AROLKAR PITCH FOR DUAL AIRPORT MODEL FOR GOA’S GROWTH >> See pg 2 have told Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to come clean on the Dabolim Airport issue or face a massive stir from next week. Expressing shock and surprise over the file reportedly being moved by the Navy to shut Dabolim airport for civilian use, Leader of the Opposi- tion Yuri Alemao demanded an immediate clarification from the Chief Minister and the Defence Minister on the status of Dabolim airport. Congress Quepem MLA Altone D’Costa warned the BJP that the people of South Goa will not sit quietly and watch the BJP shut down Dabolim airport to benefit GMR. Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai also attacked the government, giving the Chief Minister and Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho a week’s time to come clean on the status of Dabolim airport. Demanding the immedi- Anti-casino activists fume as CCP mayor skips meet COPS PHYSICALLY REMOVE VALMIKI, APOLOGISE LATER THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Protests and tension was all over at the 'Town Hall' of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Thursday where a group of citizens styling themselves as 'Ponjekars against Casinos' staged a sitin, alleging that Mayor, Rohit Monserrate, had informed them of a scheduled meeting of the Corporation to discuss the introduction of a new casino vessel in the Mandovi river. The sit-in was staged inside the municipal town hall where  CCP Commissioner Clen Madeira interacted with the group and informed that there was no meeting of the Corporation scheduled for the day. The group had earlier this  week met Monserrate when he invited them to a meeting of the Corporation scheduled for 11 am on Thursday.  Monserrate however, did not turn up and no such meeting was scheduled anger- Padma Shri Libya Lobo-Sardesai along with other anti-casino campaigners during the sit-in at municipal hall in Panaji on Thursday.  Narayan Pissurlenkar SEC TO ANNOUNCE CCP POLL DATES ON FEB 16 >> See pg 3 ing  the protesters,  which included several senior citizens and women. Police intervened and physically ejected Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State president Valmiki Naik and another activist who was part of the group from the hall.  The protest lasted nearly two hours before being suspended.  Padma Shri awardee and centurion, Libya Lobo-Sardesai, women's activist Sabina Martins, and former CCP >Continued on P9 Union Minister says over 280 hectares diverted in four years PANAJI ore than 280 hectares (ha) of forest land in Goa has been diverted for non-forest purposes between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2025, according to official data tabled in the Rajya Sabha. Union Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh informed Parliament that a total of 280.65 ha of forest land was diverted for nearly 35 projects during the four-year period. The projects include an airport, road widen- RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729  NAVY REPORTEDLY MOVES FILE TO SHUT CIVILIAN OPS  VIRIATO WRITES TO RAJNATH  OPPN WARNS OF STIR RS data highlights forest land loss in Goa THE GOAN I NETWORK Instagram.com/thegoanonline 3 14 2 11 Demolition looms Fears over Navy's ‘takeover’ of as fate of Birch Dabolim airport sparks unease nightclub sealed GOA Rule of law under scanner in Gogol demolition case >PG 6 Facebook.com/thegoan GOA’S FOREST LAND DATA IN PARLIAMENT „„Over 280 hectares diverted in Goa over 4 years for nearly 35 projects „„Projects include airport, road widening, power substation, transmission lines, and railway double tracking „„Highest diversion in ing works, a power substation, power transmission lines, and railway double tracking. The highest diversion was recorded in 2023–24 at 178.19 2023–24 -- 178.19 ha while 2020–21 saw 97.65 ha being diverted „„15.6 ha cleared for Kulem–Madgaon railway double-tracking project „„Presently, forest diversion approved for 13 govt & private projects ha. In comparison, 97.65 ha was diverted in 2020–21. In recent years, 15.6 ha of forest land was cleared for the Kulem–Madgaon railway „„Proposal to expand a 53mt stretch of Goa–Belagavi highway „„Expansion would require felling 7,774 trees „„Highway passes through eco-sensitive zone of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary double-tracking project. For the current financial year, diversion of forest land >Continued on P9 VASCO: Amid growing speculation over the future of Dabolim airport, Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho has firmly stated that the airport will not be shut down. The Black and Yellow United Taxi Association of Dabolim Airport met Godinho at his office on Thursday, seeking his continued support for the airport’s functioning, even as fresh political claims sparked renewed concerns. “Everyone is aware of the rumours that Dabolim Airport will be shut and taken over by the defence. I personally travelled to Delhi along with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Curchorem MLA Nilesh Cabral and Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanavade and met Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. He gave us a clear assurance that Dabolim Airport will never shut down,” Godinho said. >> See pg 2 SPORTS India crushes Namibia by 93 runs in T2O World Cup DoP clears way; p’yat begins process THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA With the Directorate of Panchayat (DoP) dismissing the plea challenging the demolition order against the controversial Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat has initiated steps to bring down the structure that was gutted in the December 6 fire tragedy which claimed 25 lives. Panchayat authorities confirmed that the demolition process is now underway and could be executed anytime once procedural formalities are completed. “We have initiated the process to demolish the structure. We have asked the police to provide us the original documents of the club so that we can forward the list to the Block Development Officer, who will then requisition a demolition squad,” said Dharmendra Govekar, Secretary of the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat. The police had earlier confiscated key documents related to the alleged illegal structure during the investigation into the fatal fire incident two months ago. THE ROAD AHEAD „„P’yat authorities say demolition could be executed anytime once formalities are completed „„Police asked to provide original documents of the club „„To be forwarded to BDO, who will then requisition a demolition squad „„Cops had earlier confiscated key documents related to the illegal structure The move follows the order of Additional Director of Panchayat Joao Fernandes, who dismissed the appeal filed by property owner Surinder Kumar Khosla, a UK national, challenging the panchayat’s April 20, 2024 demolition notice. In his order, Fernandes upheld the panchayat’s demolition directive and vacated the earlier status quo granted ate resignation of Godinho as the MLA representing the Dabolim constituency, Sardesai warned of a massive agitation to protect what he termed a symbol of Goan identity. Aam Aadmi Party Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas warned that the people of Goa, keeping aside their political and ideological differences, will hit the streets if any attempt is made to shut Dabolim airport. He demanded a white paper from the “double-engine” BJP government to reassure the people of Goa that Dabolim will not be shut and handed over to corporates entering the defence sector. Family of Indian girl killed by US cop gets `262 cr compensation Govt cracks down on misuse of tribal sub-plan allocation PTI NEW YORK The family of an Indian student, killed in January 2023 when she was struck by a police vehicle in Seattle, has reached a USD 29 million (Rs 262 crore) settlement with the city, a media report said. Jaahnavi Kandula, 23, was struck by a police vehicle driven by Kevin Dave as she was crossing a street. Dave was driving at 74 mph (more than 119 kmh) on the way to a report of a drug overdose call. Kandula was thrown 100 feet when she was struck by the speeding police patrol vehicle. PubliCola web portal reported that the Seattle City Attorney's Office reached a settlement last week with Kandula's family.  >> See pg 9 >Continued on P9 ALIGNS SPENDING WITH NITI AAYOG GUIDELINES THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a strong move to tighten oversight and prevent diversion of Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) funds, the State government has issued strict directions to all line departments to ensure that allocations under the TSP strictly adhere to NITI Aayog guidelines and directly benefit the Scheduled Tribes (ST) population. Taking serious note of the discrepancy, the government has now made it mandatory for all departments to obtain prior approval from the tribal welfare department before proposing any new scheme, amendment, project or development work under the TSP. This approval must be secured before administrative „„Mandates prior approval works under TSP from Tribal Welfare „„Approval must be Department for obtained before GOVT’S administrative all TSP-related proposals STRICT sanction is „„Applies to new SCRUTINY granted schemes, amend„„Clearance ments, projects, required before and development sanction issued and expenditure sanctions are granted. The decision follows observations that TSP allocations were not in line with NITI Aayog’s clarification that only Plan (Scheme) allocations -- and not non-plan expenditures such as establishment or other sectoral expenses -should be considered while earmarking funds in proportion to the ST population. “It has come to the notice of the government that the TSP allocation is not in line with the aforesaid guidelines of the NITI Aayog. Considering the same the line departments shall ensure that the >Continued on P9