log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 125 Instagram.com/thegoanonline BIG GUNS UNDER LENS AS INDIA TAKE ON AUSTRALIA AT ADELAIDE  >>12 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 CBC 15502/13/0039/2526 THURSDAY OCTOBER 23, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan Govt cracks whip against illegal water sports trade Available at major newspaper vendors CONTACT North Goa: 9075760380 South Goa: 9922582700 IN SHORT >> Night work proposed for Porvorim flyover MAPUSA: In an effort to accelerate work on the Porvorim elevated corridor and reduce traffic disruption, Tourism Minister and Porvorim MLA Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday floated the idea of carrying out major construction activities during night hours while allowing the roads to remain open for vehicular traffic during the day.  >> See pg 3 Restricted water in parts of S Goa today PANAJI: The Office of Executive Engineer, Sanguem, has informed that water supply will be restricted on October 23 to facilitate leakage repair works on the main pipeline at Verna. The disruption will affect the entire Mormugao taluka, parts of Salcete, and sections of St Andre. Gold worth `20 lakh stolen from train SELLING TICKETS ILLEGALLY TO BE A PUNISHABLE OFFENCE THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa Tourism Department has announced a major crackdown on the illegal sale of water sports tickets by unregistered travel agencies, including those operating from outside the State. The move comes as part of a wider effort to protect traditional Goan operators, curb touting, and ensure a transparent, regulated, and consistent experience for tourists. In a meeting held today, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte met with coastal MLAs, Saligao MLA Kedar Naik, Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, and Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar, along with representatives of all Goan KOCHI: The wheels of the helicopter which carried President Droupadi Murmu for her Sabarimala visit got stuck in a depression in the newly concreted helipad at Rajiv Gandhi Indoor Stadium at Pramadam when it landed.  >> See pg 7 Space scientist Chitnis no more PUNE: Renowned Indian space scientist Eknath Vasant Chitnis died on Wednesday at his residence in Pune, his family members said. „„To keep an eye on travel agencies, including those from Maharashtra, selling Goa water sports tickets online without authorization „„Tourism Dept, panchayats, associations to act against unauthorized agencies „„Only recognized Goan associations or official platforms to be able to sell tickets „„Unauthorized ticket sales outside Goa or by unapproved operators to be treated as a nuisance „„Transport Dept, Tourist Police to assist in enforcement „„Standardized kiosks, colour-coded counters, mandatory ID cards for staff to be implemented „„Tourists to be encouraged to buy tickets only through official counters or department-approved links water sports associations, the Captain of Ports, and senior officials from the Tourism Department to review ongoing enforcement measures and strengthen coordination. Khaunte said the government has taken a firm stand against unauthorized ticket sales that have become rampant through online portals and unregistered travel agen- cies. “Many travel agencies, including those from Maharashtra, are selling Goa water sports tickets online without permission. The Tourism Department, along with local Panchayats and associations, will act against such agencies to ensure that only recognized Goan associations or official platforms can sell tickets,” he stated. He added that such unauthorized activity will now be treated as a punishable offense under the amended ‘nuisance law’. “Through this law, tickets sold for water sports activities outside Goa or by unapproved operators will be treated as a nuisance, and strict action will be taken under the due provisions,” the Minister said, adding that the Transport Department and Tourist Police will assist in the enforcement drive. Khaunte also confirmed that uniform rates for all water >Continued on P5 Pollution watchdog ropes in agency to establish green hub THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has roped in M/s N K Square Solution to establish a centralised online monitoring facility to have real-time environmental data pertaining to air, water, and noise pollution of more than 2000 industrial units in one go. The facility is expected to be ready within two months. The Board on October 6, signed the agreement with M/s N K Square Solution for undertaking development of Digital Portal and Dashboard for Online Continuous Real Time Data Acquisition System for Continuous Emission ON Talks to be held with GU, colleges to understand the pros & cons THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa Legislative Assembly’s Select Committee has decided to consult Goa University and various State-run and private colleges on the Goa Public Universities Bill 2025, that proposes setting up a cluster of universities in the State. The Select Committee, chaired by Minister Subhash Shirodkar held its first meeting on Wednesday, wherein an interim discussion was held to consult the stakeholders like the GU and college managements to understand the pros and cons of the Bill. The meeting with the stakeholders is scheduled on November 19. Speaking to media post meeting, Shirodkar said that the members have come up 2 Monitoring System, Continuous Effluent Monitoring System, Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring System, Continuous Noise Monitoring National Water Quality Monitoring Programme and National Air Quality Monitoring Programme. “The work will be completed in two months,” sources said. As reported earlier, the portal will enable highly scalable systems that can connect more than 2,000 or all available industries/units of Goa, >Continued on P5 with some good suggestions that included taking the educational experts, colleges into confidence. “We have decided to call Goa University, representatives of college management and principals to discuss the likely impact of the proposed bill on the existing Varsity and colleges. Only after consultation with them, we would be in a better position to understand the ground >Continued on P5 SAYS FUTURE EXAMS TO BE EASIER THE GOAN I NETWORK JU NE The Bill, introduced during the monsoon session in August, proposes establishing clusters of State Public Universities in Goa and for which a provision of Rs 25 crore has been made SCERT firm, rules out re-exam for Grade 3 students CENTRALISED ONLINE FACILITY TO BE READY WITHIN TWO MONTHS VASCO: Gold ornaments, cash, and a mobile phone worth over Rs 20.6 lakh were stolen from a passenger travelling on the Poorna Express with his family while the train was en route from Londa to Kulem.  >> See pg 5 Helipad sinks as Prez's chopper lands GOVERNMENT’S PLAN OF ACTION 2025 Now on stands 3, DIWALI MAGAZINE Select panel seeks feedback on plan for varsity cluster BRISON BLAZE: Midfielder Brison Fernandes nets FC Goa’s lone goal against Al-Nassr at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Wednesday. FC Goa lost 1-2. (Report on pg 12) Fatorda comes alive with Força Goa chants, fiery fan support THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda was a cauldron of emotion as thousands of fans backed to the hilt and in full voice the home side FC Goa against Saudi giants Al-Nassr in their AFC Champions League 2 despite their narrow 1-2 loss. The absence of Cristiano Ronaldo whose decision to skip the match disappointed many, but Goa's soccer-crazi- ness was on display as supporters brought unmatched energy with their “Força Goa!” chants echoing and the stands packed with orange flags waving crowd. The mood shifted dramatically when Brison Fernandes netted FC Goa’s maiden goal of the tournament in the 41st minute, sending fans into a frenzy. Al-Nassr, playing without several of their star players, maintained control for much of the match, but FC Goa’s re- silience kept fans cheering all the way. Outside the stadium, fans gathered around screens in cafés and street corners, cheering every tackle and save. The festive mood was tinged with pride, as locals celebrated Goa’s show on the football stage. The electrifying roar of the crowd fuelled the fight of the Gaurs till the end, proving that in Goa, football is more than a game — it’s a celebration. PANAJI Amid parents' demand, the State Council for Education Research and Training (SCERT) has ruled out re-examination for Grade 3 students while assuring to lower the difficulty level in the next summative examination, which too will be competitive and application-based as per the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP). The first ever competency-based examination for Grade 3 students, held earlier this month, sparked outrage among parents, who claim the assessment was far too difficult for seven and eight-yearold children. Parents raised concerns over the 3D aptitude reasoning, pointing out that the model question papers provided to schools and families did not match the final exam and demanded re-examination. Speaking to The Goan, SCERT Director Meghana Shetgaonkar said that they DIRECTOR SPEAK „„Some have raised concern about question papers for Grade 3, but several schools and parents have appreciated our efforts „„If we go for re-examination because some students found it difficult, it would be unfair for those kids who have answered or performed very well have received a representation from some parents demanding re-examination; however, that is not possible. “We have received mixed responses from the schools and parents. While some have raised concern about the question papers for Grade 3, there are several schools and parents who have appreciated our efforts and the competency based level we have introduced. >Continued on P5 Govt steps up efforts to bring back Festive lights fail to brighten Goa’s tourism scene Indian-origin talent from abroad LOW FOOTFALLS: TOURISM TAKES A DIP THE GOAN I NETWORK PTI NEW DELHI The government's plan to get Indian-origin faculty or researchers settled abroad to return and teach or conduct research at Indian institutions is gaining momentum, according to sources. While a similar plan has been considered in the past, it has been hit by several roadblocks, including procedural delays and uncertainties. The plan is being considered afresh against the backdrop of the recent develop- ments in the United States, where most of these faculty members or scientists are employed. According to sources, a scheme is being designed in consultation with ministries of Education and Science and Technology with an aim to bring back established Indian-origin scientists and researchers with significant academic work to their credit who are willing to spend a defined period in India. “The IITs have already been trying to attract reputed foreign faculty, including Indi- an-origin ones who are now settled abroad or have their major body of work there,” a source said. Earlier this month, the White House asked at least nine US universities to sign an agreement pledging to uphold the US administration's higher education priorities or risk losing out on federal funding. At the same time, top universities such as Harvard have had billions of dollars in federal grants frozen as part of demands to overhaul admissions, governance and faculty policies actions. PANAJI ights of Diwali sparkled across Goa, but the cash registers in its tourism sector barely flickered. What was expected to be a booming festive weekend turned out to be a sobering reality check for Goa’s travel and hospitality industry, as footfalls dropped noticeably compared to the past two Diwalis. Despite packed flights and a long holiday stretch, the crowds did not translate into business. Stakeholders even claimed the Dussehra holidays saw a better turnout. L „„Many arrivals were homeowners who did not spend much or contribute to the local tourism economy „„Increasing preference among Indian tourists for Southeast Asian countries „„Strong tourist turnout during Dussehra didn’t continue into Diwali „„Empty beaches indicate low domestic tourist activity „„Unexpected rains disrupt travel, outdoor activities „„Occupancy rates drop to “Many of those arrivals are people with second homes here. They come but don’t contribute to the tourism economy. Moreover, there is a steady shift of Indian travellers to Southeast Asian countries, and this pattern is not new anymore,” said the President of the Travel and Tourism Asso- around 60–70% „„Poor roads, mismanaged beach shacks made Goa less appealing „„Other destinations offering better facilities, affordability drew tourists away ciation of Goa, Jack Sukhija. Sukhija added that the Dussehra holidays brought stronger numbers — a view shared by the Traditional Shack Owners Association President, Manuel Cardozo. “The footfalls are really bad. There are not as many tourists as there were during Dussehra. The beaches are empty and it’s not just the rains but several factors that have led to this ever-declining tourism. The industry is just not picking up,” Cardozo lamented. The hospitality sector echoed the same concern, with Goa Hotels & Restaurant Association President Gaurish Dhond stating that hotel occupancy hovered between 60-70 percent. “The first two days >Continued on P5