log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SUNDAY MAY 11, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 323 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 MOVIES »PAGE 16 GOOD LIFE »PAGE 12 PLAY & PAUSE »PAGE 13 Cooking up a storm with Ishita Arun Eat the paleo way Divine rhythm SPORTS »PAGE 8 Gill to captain, Pant likely vice-captain for England Tests: Reports Medicine Cures, Nature Heals Mind at War Foreign players fly out of India after IPL suspension ‘Important to respond with unity & restraint’: Aamir Khan postpones release of Sitaare Zameen Par trailer Bring raw nature to your plate for better gut health The multi-hyphenate Raja Kumari talks about her new album, role of spirituality in her music journey, and more Ceasefire in jeopardy after Pak resumes border firing INDIA ASKS PAK TO ACT RESPONSIBLY AFTER BREACHING UNDERSTANDING, SAYS FORCES WILL RESPOND STRONGLY; INDUS WATER TREATY TO REMAIN IN ABEYANCE PTI NEW DELHI Hours after India and Pakistan on Saturday reached an understanding on stopping military actions, the arrangement came under severe pressure with New Delhi blaming Islamabad of breaching it. In a media briefing close to midnight, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri called upon Pakistan to take “appropriate steps” to address these violations and deal with the situation with “seriousness and responsibility”. This came around five hours after the foreign secretary announced that India and Pakistan had reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea with immediate effect. In a short announcement, Misri told the media at 6 pm that the Directors General of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries agreed on >> SEE PG 2 Pakistan army spokesman has Osama bin Laden connection NEW DELHI: Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the spokesperson for the Pakistan Army, has a dark past with a shadow of terrorism looming large. He is the son of a nuclear scientist who was sanctioned by the United Nations and the US for providing crucial information and technical expertise to the terror group al-Qaeda, Indian officials have disclosed. Indian armed forces on guard along the Line of Control after Pakistan breached ceasefire violation on Saturday. the understanding during a call this afternoon. The decision by India and Pakistan on stopping military actions was first made public by US President Donald Trump in a social media post, while claiming that the talks between the two sides were mediated by America. Top government sources, however, clearly said the outcome was the result of direct engagement between Indian and Pakistani sides and that Islamabad agreed to it with “no pre conditions, no post conditions and no links to other issues”. In the late night press conference, the foreign secretary said Pakistan violated the understanding and that the armed forces had been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. “For the last few hours, there have been repeated violations of the understanding arrived at earlier this evening between the Directors General of Military Operations of India and Pakistan,” he said. “This is a breach of the understanding arrived at earlier today,” Misri said. “The armed forces are giving an adequate and appropriate response to these violations and we take very very serious note of these violations,” he added. The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation, the foreign secre- Fire engulfs industrial waste in Sanguem, triggers alarm VILLAGERS DIRECTED TO EVACUATE AS PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE; CURCHOREM FIRE TENDERS CONTAIN CORE FIRE, EXPLOSIONS FROM SITE POSE ADDITIONAL RISKS; AUTHORITIES RUSH TO SCENE TO ASSESS SITUATION tary said. “The armed forces are maintaining a strong vigil on the situation. They have been given instructions to deal strongly with any instances of repetition of the violations of the border along the International Border as well as the Line of Control,” he said. The sources cited above said India's punitive measures announced against Pakistan, including putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the Pahalgam terror attack, would remain in place. MAGAZINE MAGAZ 09 10 Mother’s Day: Honouring love, sacrifice and strength Skincare routine for summer Ankylosing spondylitis: Signs, treatmment, and road to relief Flavours of Goa: How Jackfruit Tree Cafe took root in Assagao Rule of law, not revenge: Dissecting Operation Sindoor in Kashmir 11 IN SHORT >> Monsoon likely to hit Kerala on May 27: IMD NEW DELHI: The southwest monsoon is likely to reach Kerala on May 27, earlier than the usual date of June 1, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Sunday. If the monsoon arrives in Kerala as expected, it will be the earliest onset over the Indian mainland since 2009, when it began on May 23, according to IMD data. >> See pg 6 Industrial and chemical waste ablaze at abandoned laterite quarry in Kalay-Sanguem on Saturday. THE GOAN I NETWORK SANGUEM Villagers were instructed to evacuate their homes after toxic fumes from industrial and chemical waste were released following a major fire at an abandoned laterite stone quarry in the remote Chanimol ward of Kalay-Sanguem on Saturday. The fire, which reportedly ignited in the morning, continued to burn fiercely late into the night and dangerously close to a residential area, creating panic among residents in the area. Fire tenders were dispatched from the Curchorem fire station to extinguish the fire. Curchorem Fire Officer Damodar Zambaulikar stated that while the core of the fire within the industrial waste had been contained to prevent its spread to nearby homes and a forest, the unpredictable blasts emanating from the site posed a significant risk to firefighters, as the nature of the dumped materials re- ALLEGATIONS & ACCOUNTABILITY „„Local residents have alleged that the waste originated from the Verna Industrial Estate, with claims that the material was transported to the site using mini trucks. They suspect the dumped materials triggered the fire and subsequent explosions „„As of Saturday evening, the identity of those responsible for dumping the industrial and chemical waste was unknown. The local panchayat and officials are facing criticism for not intervening sooner mained unknown. Responding swiftly to the incident, Sanguem Deputy Collector Milind Velip along with the Sanguem Mamlatdar, Joint Mamlatdar, officials from Curchorem Police Station, and the Goa State Pollution Control Board, rushed to the scene and remained there late evening to assess the situation. Given the intensity of the fire and the overpowering odour of chemicals and toxic fumes, Velip instructed residents in the vicinity to evacuate their homes as a precautionary measure, seeking temporary shelter with relatives or neighbours due to the unknown nature of the dumped substances. As of late Saturday evening, the identity of those responsible for dumping the large quantities of industrial and chemical waste remained unknown. However, local residents alleged that the waste originated from the Verna Industrial Estate and was transported to the site using mini trucks. They further claimed that the dumped material included industrial waste, and plastic and metal barrels, which >Continued on P6 Intercept Haryana truck at Patradevi smuggling premium liquor falsely claimed to be for Customs; driver held, released; probe underway VIBHA VERMA THE GOAN I PANAJI The Goa Excise officials busted a major tax evasion racket involving a Haryana-based liquor distribution company, which attempted – probably for the first time – to push a consignment of premium liquor into the State, that too, illegally and without paying over Rs 1 crore in duties. A truck registered in Haryana, loaded with high-end liquor brands including Chivas Regal, Absolut Vodka, Johnnie Walker and Black Label, was intercepted at the Patradevi checkpost on Wednesday afternoon. Sources confirmed to The Goan that the seizure of high-value liquor bottles was meant for the Goan market, masquerading as a consignment for “Customs”. However, the Excise sleuths saw through the smokescreen. The truck driver, who was briefly ar- THE MODUS OPERANDI „„A truck carrying premium liquor worth Rs 75 lakh was intercepted at the Patradevi checkpost „„Consignment falsely claimed to be for Customs, but packaging (750ml bottles) indicated it was meant for retail sale „„No permits, labels, excise clearance, or duty—the operation was completely off the books „„Post-seizure warehouse raid in Alto Pilerne revealed this was likely the first such consignment to Goa „„Haryana firm now faces potential suspension of wholesale operations in Goa „„Authorities are probing possible larger illegal supply networks posing as Customs-bound stock rested, claimed the consignment was for “Customs.” But inconsistencies began to surface, starting with the size of the bottles. “Those meant for Customs liquor must come in 1,000 ml packaging but the seized bottles were mostly 750 ml and under, which is a standard size for retail sale. We arrested the driver and interrogated him. Being a bailable offence, he was released soon thereafter, but our investigation continues, including the quality and authenticity of the liquor,” the source added. After the seizure, officials raided a warehouse in Alto Pilerne, where the trail led them to a new revelation – this was probably Goa records drop in field, wildland fires post-Covid Fire Dept flags human negligence; blames stubble burning, arson for fire outbreaks THE GOAN I NETWORK DISASTER PLANNING: GOA’S BLIND SPOTS Goa excise sleuths bust over `1 cr liquor tax evasion racket PANAJI Goa has recorded a decline in grass and wildland fires in 2025, according to the latest data released by the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES). However, officials have raised concerns that fire activity rebounded in recent years with a significant number of incidents attributed to human negligence or deliberate acts such as illegal stubble burning. At least four field fire incidents at Taleigao were reported within just five days, wherein the first incident on Monday turned into a massive blaze destroying large portions of open fields and killing reptiles. The situation also forced nearby residents to evacuate their homes till the situation was back to normal. While preliminary reports attribute the first two fires to hu- >Continued on P6 Shirgao report not out, cloud of manipulation looms large THE GOAN I NETWORK „„Grass and field fires dropped to 631 in 2025 from 2,408 in 2023 „„Wildland fires fell to 86 in 2025 from 599 in 2023 „„4 field fires reported in 5 days in 2025 „„One major blaze destroyed open fields, killed reptiles, and triggered evacuation of nearby residents „„Human negligence and intentional acts like stubble burning, arson, and improper cigarette disposal „„Dry spells, dead grass, and wind flow exacerbating fire spread „„Tech intervention „„Launch of AGNI SANDES mobile app to allow real-time fire reporting and alerts from the DFES man activity, the third blaze, which erupted on Thursday, was reportedly caused by dry grass combustion. After a disturbing spike in 2023, when grass and field fires reached a record 2,408 cases, the numbers more than halved to 1,231 in 2024 and further dropped to 631 so far in 2025. Wildland fires followed a similar trend, falling from 599 in 2023 to 190 in 2024 and just 86 this year. The figures further suggest a cautious return to control after a dramatic post-pandemic surge in fire incidents. The DFES noted that the 2023 spike – nearly nine times PANAJI The government-appointed fact-finding committee has reportedly indicted former North Goa Superintendent of Police Akshat Kaushal and former North Goa Collector Sneha Gitte in the Shirgao Zatra stampede but with findings not made public yet, there have been speculations on possible attempts to dilute its recommendations. Senior government sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said lobbying is underway to allegedly convince Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to soften the report’s conclusions as it could tarnish the annual performance reports of several officials involved in the matter. The CMO on Friday had issued a statement that it was examining the findings and Chief Minister Sawant will make a formal statement after the review. While CM’s statement on the report’s findings is >Continued on P6 >Continued on P6 THE DECLINE: THE STATS AI a major challenge to humanity, says Pope Leo XIV in papal vision PTI VATICAN CITY ope Leo XIV laid out the vision of his papacy on Saturday, identifying artificial intelligence as one of the most critical matters facing humanity and vowing to continue in some of the core priorities of Pope Francis. In his first formal audience, Leo repeatedly cited Francis and the Argentine pope’s own 2013 mission statement, making clear a commitment to making the Catholic Church more inclusive, attentive to the faithful and a church that looks out for the least and TWO POPES AND A SHARED VISION P >> See pg 4 Pope Leo XIV (left) after his meeting with the College of Cardinals in the New Synod Hall at the Vatican, on Saturday. rejected. Leo, the first American pope, told the cardinals who elected him that he was fully committed to the reforms of the Second Vatican Coun- cil, the 1960s meetings that modernised the church. He identified AI as one of the main issues facing humanity, saying it poses challenges to defending human dignity, justice and labour. In another hint to his priorities, the Vatican revealed that Leo, a member of the Augustinian religious order, would retain the motto and >Continued on P6