log on to thegoan.net SUNDAY AUGUST 10, 2025 @thegoanonline Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 16 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 54 Goa's Biggest Media Brand with Highest Viewership which makes us >> SEE PG 2 MONSOON SESSION: FIERY OPPN STINGS GOVT MAGAZINE MAGAZ 09 Are today’s youth losing touch with real life? Beyond the beaches: Discovering Goa’s secret springs How digital nomads can give back to places they work and wander From Comunidade to State: Encroached land authority shifts 11 IN SHORT >> FASTag toll at MPA Gate 9 from Aug 12 PANAJI: Mormugao Port Road Co Ltd has announced that FASTag tolling operations will begin at Mormugao Port Toll Gate near Gate 9 on NH-566 from August 12, 2025, at midnight. Road users are advised to attach and use valid FASTags to avoid double toll charges, which will be applicable for cash payments. Toll charges range from Rs 55 for cars to Rs 345 for oversized vehicles for single journeys, it said. Trump, Putin meeting planned for Aug 15 WASHINGTON: United States President Donald Trump has announced that he will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday, August 15, 2025, in Alaska. The meeting is expected to focus heavily on efforts to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine over the continuing war between both sides. BENGALURU The Indian Air Force (IAF) shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and a large aircraft during Operation Sindoor, in the largest-ever recorded surfaceto-air kill by India, Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh said on Saturday. This is the first official comment on the damage caused to Pakistan during the Indian strikes over three months ago. Many Opposition leaders have been attacking the government over the delay in revealing the extent of damage caused to both India and Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, which was in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Singh, who was delivering the 16th Air Chief Marshal L M Katre Memorial Lecture here, also presented a detailed ac- FOULKES FIRES AS NZ DEMOLISH ZIMBABWE IN HISTORIC WIN >>8 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Come join us Contact: 9011043385 / 9850755549 / 9130004704 / 9689923150 Email: marketing@prudentmedia.in Hundreds throng Azad Maidan Row erupts over students wearing meet, denounce arrest of nuns rakhis in school SPEAKERS WANT MINORITY COMMISSION ESTABLISHED IN GOA, OPPOSE MOVE FOR ANTI-CONVERSION LAW THE GOAN I NETWORK OLD GOA Several hundreds of people from across the State attended a protest meeting at Azad Maidan on Saturday evening to condemn the arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh. Speakers from various faiths lambasted the BJP government in Chhattisgarh for targeting minorities, with some suggesting that the same scenario is emerging in Goa, especially after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had hinted on the need to have an anti-conversion law in Goa. The meeting was organised by Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP) in association with Goa needs Minority Commission, Citizens Initiative for Communal Harmony, FAITHFUL UNITE: A section of the crowd at the public meeting at Azad Maidan, Panaji to protest the arrest of two nuns in Chhattisgarh. the Catholic Association of Goa and other associations. Among those present at the meeting included Archbishop of Goa Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrão, Auxiliary Bishop of Goa and Daman Simião Fernandes, Velim MLA Cruz Silva, Caritas Goa Director Fr Maverick Fernandes, citizens of various faiths, activists, religious and community leaders, who united in a call for the protection of minority rights and the promotion of communal harmony. THREE RESOLUTIONS Three resolutions were adopted during the meeting. Diarrhoea scare hits Cutbona jetty again, 6 cases detected ONE LANDS AT GMC, OTHERS TREATED AT PHC THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO The diarrhoea scare has returned to haunt the Cutbona fishing jetty, with the Balli Primary Health Centre reporting that six individuals were identified with symptoms of diarrhoea during an ongoing screening of the migrant workers. Workers with symptoms of diarrhoea were detected during the screening drive initiated by the Balli PHC at the Cutbona fishing jetty. The workers were immediately taken for medical treatment. Sources say one of the workers is being admitted at the Goa Medical College and hospital, Bambolim for treatment. We have made screening mandatory for all workers arriving at Cutbona jetty before they join the fishing vessels… coordination between fisheries and health officials helped detect the cases — Dr Shamila Monteiro Director of Fisheries Dr Shamila Monteiro said, “we have made screening mandatory for all workers arriving at the Cutbona jetty before they join the fishing vessels”, adding “coordination between the fisheries and health officials have helped to detect symp- 6 Pakistan aircraft shot down in Op Sindoor, reveals Air chief PTI Instagram.com/thegoanonline No aircraft was hit by India, claims Pak defence min LAHORE: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday claimed that no aircraft of the military was hit or destroyed by Indian armed forces during the recent conflict. His comments came hours after Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh said the IAF shot down five Pakistani fighter jets and a large aircraft during Operation Sindoor. count of the May 7 strikes on terrorist headquarters and other terror assets near the border and inside Pakistan. “We have at least five fighters confirmed killed and one large aircraft, which could be either an aircraft or an AWC, which was taken at a distance of about 300 kilometres. This is actually the largest ever recorded surface-to-air kill that we can talk about,” he said. He also said that there were indications of at least one AWC in that AWC hangar, and a few F-16s, which are under maintenance there, were also damaged. Asserting that one of the major reasons behind the success of the operation was “political will”, Singh said, “I'm being very, very candid...very open here, because I hear various versions of it.” “There was very clear political will, very clear directions which were given to us, and no restrictions,” he said. The first demand was to establish a transparently selected and accountable State Minority Commission with the backing of a state law. The second demand voiced opposition to an anti-conversion law which has the potential to be used against the minorities and to deny people of Railways unveils 20% discount on round-trip tickets PTI toms of diarrhoea amongst the workers”. Saying that prompt medical attention was immediately provided to the affected individuals, and necessary preventive measures have been implemented to prevent any further spread of the illness, Dr Monteiro said, “this swift detection and response highlights the effectiveness of the coordinated efforts by the Department of Fisheries, the Health Department, Fishermen Co-operative Societies, and other key stakeholders, which continues to play a critical role in safeguarding the well-being of all stakeholders. “In preparation for the lifting of the annual monsoon NEW DELHI To manage surge in passengers during festivals in the later part of the year, the Railway Ministry on Saturday announced a scheme offering a 20 per cent discount on tickets booked for travel between October 13-26 and return from November 17 to December 1 from the same train. The discount will be on tickets booked from August 14, and the rebate will not be applicable on flexi fare trains such as Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duranto, etc. “Booking start date shall be 14.08.2025 for the ARP (Advance Reservation Period) date October 13, 2025,” a press statement from the Railway Ministry said. “Onward ticket shall be booked first for the train start >Continued on P6 >Continued on P6 services rendered by persons of minority faiths. The third demand was for restoration of law and order by protecting religious freedom and minority rights. A signature campaign was also undertaken and a petition with the three demands will be submitted to the government for implementation of the same. Participants reaffirmed their commitment to justice, peace, and safeguarding democratic values. THE PETITION In his welcome address, Fr Savio Fernandes emphasised the importance of peaceful action in defending the dignity and safety of all communities, stating, “it is >Continued on P6 Police probing Bajrang Dal plaint THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO The Bajrang Dal on Saturday questioned whether the education department has imposed restrictions on wearing religious threads or Raksha Bandhan bands by students in schools. Bajrang Dal leader Viraj Desai has alleged the Headmistress of a Cuncolim school reportedly told students not to wear Raksha Bandhan bands after certain days. Preliminary inquiry by Cuncolim police, however, revealed that one of the students was coming to school with sacred threads on his hand and the parents were reportedly called for an inquiry. Viraj said he called on the Headmistress to find out why there was objection to wearing rakhis or religious threads. “The Headmistress said students can wear rakhis for a Preliminary inquiry conducted by Cuncolim police has revealed that one of the students was coming to school with sacred threads on his hand and that the parents of the student were reportedly called for an inquiry week. But, I want to question whether any ban is imposed on students from wearing the religious threads when they come to the school”, he said. He has demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant clarify on wearing of religious threads or Raksha Bandhan bands by students. When contacted, Cuncolim PI Diego Gracias said an inquiry is being conducted by a Police Sub-Inspection after a complaint was lodged by Viraj Desai and others. CAG slams GTDC over lapses in Swadesh Darshan scheme FLAGS DEFICIENT PLANNING, POOR EXECUTION THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has criticised the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) for deficient planning, poor execution and failure to follow guidelines while implementing the Centre’s Swadesh Darshan Scheme in the State. The audit, the report of which was tabled on the concluding day of the Goa Legislative Assembly on Friday, found that projects were identified and prepared without due consultation and in violation of the scheme’s core objectives. This, it observed, ultimately led to the abandonment or misuse of assets and failure to create a functional KEY CAG OBSERVATIONS „„Identification of projects, project preparation not in line with focus areas in scheme guidelines „„Deficiencies in planning, execution observed in all projects „„Lack of coordination resulted in relocation of Aguada helipad site „„Morjim Khind project executed on leased land in contravention of scheme guidelines CAG raps tourism body for `3.94 cr ‘unfruitful’ spend on sound & light equipment for Aguada jail >> See pg 3 Tourism for the integrated development of themebased tourist circuits, was implemented in Goa in two phases — Coastal Circuit-I and Coastal Circuit-II — with GTDC as the implementing agency. For the eight projects sanctioned under ‘Development of Coastal tourist circuit. The Swadesh Darshan Scheme, launched in January 2015 by the Ministry of >Continued on P6