log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2026 GOA Two wheels and big change: Driving India’s electric future Carens Clavis EV: Space, range and family focus IN SHORT >> B’luru-Goa train service on cards PANAJI: Under the Coastal Vande Bharat initiative of the Ministry of Railways, the South Western Railway has proposed introducing a Vande Bharat Express service between Bengaluru and Goa, promising faster and fully electrified connectivity along the western coastal corridor. The proposed service has an estimated journey time of around 13 hours. >> See pg 2 Classes 5 to 8 exam schedule revised PANAJI: With the CCP elections scheduled for March 11, the State Council of Educational Research and Training has revised the timetable for the second summative examinations for students of Grades 5 to 8. The exams will now commence uniformly from March 4 with no examination on March 11 in view of the polls. >> See pg 3 Day-3: Only 1 CCP nomination filed PANAJI: On the third day for filing nominations for the Corporation of the City of Panaji elections, Uday Chari was the sole hopeful to file his papers for Ward 18. Friday is expected to be a busy day at the Deputy Collector’s office, with several prominent candidates set to submit their nominations. 3 held for growing cannabis plants MAPUSA: Three persons were arrested while hydroponic cannabis plants and seeds worth Rs 1.28 lakh were seized by an anti-narcotics squad from a flat in Porvorim. Five ganja plants planted in a bag, 16 grams of ganja and 22 grams of hydroponic ganja and ganja seeds were seized.  >> See pg 2 Brother of King Charles arrested LONDON: The UK police on Thursday arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, on suspicion of misconduct in public office following damaging allegations over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.  >> See pg 9 WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 33.2 C 21.3 C 85% The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 243 GOA Panaji market imbroglio unresolved as yet another CCP term ends PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the freebies and subsidies culture ahead of elections and said it was ‘high time’ to revisit such policies that hamper the country's economic development. Observing that the ultimate financial burden of such populist measures falls squarely on the shoulders of taxpayers, a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant asked, “But this money which the State says it will pay now. Who will pay for it? This is taxpayers ‘money’. The observations were made during the hearing of a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited which proposed to give free electricity to all irrespective of consumers paying capacity. “It is understandable when some people cannot afford, you have to provide. There are children who cannot afford education, so the state must provide. It is the state's duty. There are children who are bright but cannot afford to go to medical colleges. The state KEY OBSERVATIONS OF APEX COURT „„Aid should target needy (those who cannot afford essentials like education) „„Providing benefits to the affluent is unjustified and misdirected „„States should revisit existing freebie policies „„Indiscriminate distribution of freebies harms economic development „„Such policies are straining state finances and increasing revenue deficits „„Need for a balance between welfare and fiscal responsibility „„Continuous freebie culture may hamper longterm national growth „„Many States are already revenuedeficit yet continue offering freebies must help them. But the persons who can enjoy, have all means available and are affluent and therefore any kind of freebie first comes to their pocket. Is it not high time for states to revisit these policy frameworks,” the CJI asked. The bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, warned that the indiscriminate distribution of largesse is hampering the nation's economic development and straining state exchequers already reeling under massive revenue deficits. “It is high time that all political stalwarts, leaders, parties, and all social engineers, they need to revisit everything. We will be hampering the development of the nation if we keep on having this largesse distribution”, the CJI said. The state-owned firm has challenged Rule 23 of the Electricity (Amendment) Rules, 2024, which imposes strict fi- 12 Anjuna clubs in line of fire, but the show goes on PANCHAYAT ISSUES SHOW-CAUSE NOTICES FOR OPERATING WITHOUT MANDATORY APPROVALS THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA With the shadow of the Birch by Romeo Lane tragedy still looming large, the Anjuna Panchayat has issued showcause notices to a dozen restaurants cum nightclubs for operating without mandatory approvals. Yet, even as notices are served and hearings scheduled, activity continues unabated – and loud music blares deep into the night. Among those served notices are popular establishments such as Diaz, Purple Martini, Mayan, CO2 and Talasha, all of which allegedly lack one or more statutory clearances, including fire safety, health, tourism and trade licences. The most serious action has been initiated against the controversial Diaz Club, which the panchayat claims is operating “completely illegally.” In its notice, the panchayat directed Diaz to immediately Goya shut, Magnes under demolition cloud MAPUSA: Even as Salud and Hill Top Bar and Restaurant were recently sealed by the Goa State Pollution Control Board for violating noise pollution norms, Goya Club remains closed months after it was shut down in December last year. In addition, Magnes nightclub was sealed by Anjuna panchayat in December for allegedly operating without several approvals. A demolition notice has since been issued against the club. However, its proponents have challenged the order and filed an appeal before the Director of Panchayats.  >> See pg 5 cease all commercial activities, citing the absence of multiple approvals – including a valid trade licence from the panchayat itself. The panchayat has also written to the Anjuna Police seeking strict surveillance and enforcement to ensure compliance with the show cause order. However, enforcement appears to be missing on ground. Despite the notices, parties continue, DJs spin tracks through the night, and tourists throng the beachside venues as if no proceedings are underway. Even panchayat members privately admit night parties and loud music persist “without fear of law.” Demolition order ignored? The case of Diaz has a longer trail of controversy. In June 2025, the panchayat >Continued on P9 Over 66% warn of misuse, overuse, wrong info, says report PTI M RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 LIFE World Day of Social Justice: Inspiring action for a just and equitable society SAYS BURDEN OF SUCH MEASURES FALLS ON TAXPAYERS Parents, teachers flag AI risks in EdTech NEW DELHI ore than 66 per cent parents and teachers who knew generative artificial intelligence could be used for learning believe that AI amplifies EdTech usage risks such as overuse of technology and wrong information, according to a new report. While 96 per cent of GenAI-using children leverage it for school-linked learning, 59 per cent are using it exclusively for schoolwork, said the report launched on the sidelines of ongoing Impact AI Summit. Bharat Survey for EdTech Instagram.com/thegoanonline 3 2 Top court takes hard line on freebies during polls River Sal’s makeover masks deeper environmental concerns Page 8 Facebook.com/thegoan Adobe to provide free AI tools to students NEW DELHI: Global software company Adobe on Thursday announced that it will offer its flagship products, including Photoshop, Acrobat and Firefly, free of cost to students across India to strengthen AI skills and support the country's growing creator economy. Under the initiative, students from accredited higher education institutions will get free access to Adobe's creativity and productivity tools along with AI-based learning modules, training and industry-recognised certifications. (BaSE) 2025 is the second edition of a first-of-its-kind, largescale national survey by Central Square Foundation (CSF). It provides insights into access to and use of technology for teaching and learning among parents, children, learners, and teachers from low-income backgrounds in India. The findings presented are drawn from a multi-stage random sample of 12,500 children selected across 10 states in India. Over 2,500 teachers were chosen for the survey in schools in the same states where the survey was administered. In 56% of surveyed households, a mother was the respondent and in 37%, a father was the primary respondent. Sixty-seven per cent of GenAI-using children were introduced to it by peers, while 46 per cent heard about it from school or teachers. nancial discipline on power distribution companies. The impugned rule requires that any gap between the approved cost of supplying electricity and the tariff actually recovered from consumers must not exceed 3 percent and that such gaps must be cleared within a fixed time. The DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu is going for assembly polls this year. The top court, which issued notices to the Centre and others on the plea of Tamil Nadu firm, said it was quite understandable if states hand-hold the poor who are in need. “Most of the states in the country are revenue deficit states and yet they are offering such freebies overlooking development,” it said. Making it clear that it was not singling out Tamil Nadu, the bench said most of the states are revenue deficit and yet they indulge in populist schemes like giving free ration, free cycles and asked was it not destroying the work culture? “We are not talking of Tamil Nadu in particular. We are talking of pan-India. What kind of culture are we developing, it asked. 6 SC defers Tiger Reserve matter, grants 2 weeks to file affidavit THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Supreme Court has adjourned the matter pertaining to Tiger Reserve to March 19 granting two weeks time to the petitioner Goa Foundation to file their affidavit. Goa Foundation has sought time to file their affidavit in response to the State government's affidavit challenging the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) recommending notifying Tiger Reserve covering 468.60 sq km of protected forest areas in the State during the first phase. The proposed reserve includes Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, Cotigao Wildlife Sanctuary, and parts of Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. A senior official at the State secretariat confirmed that the government will contest the findings, citing several lacunae in the CEC report. The State in its affidavit argued that the proposal is based on an erroneous understanding of law, lacks empirical backing, and ignores the State’s right to decide conservation measures best suited to its unique geography and social conditions. It cautioned that directing notification of a tiger reserve >Continued on P9 SPORTS Zimbabwe overpowers Lanka to flex Super 8 credentials 14 NGT extends sand mining restrictions in Goa until Apr 23 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has extended the interim ban on sand mining activities in Goa till April 23, after the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) informed the tribunal that sand mining is a prohibited activity within Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) areas. In its order dated February 16, the NGT’s Western Bench directed that the ban will continue until the next hearing scheduled for April 23. The tribunal noted that the GCZMA, in its affidavit, made it clear that the Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) had proposed sand mining in CRZ areas, where such activity is prohibited. During the previous hearing on January 28, the Goa State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (GoaSEIAA) had informed the tribunal that the DMG had failed to disclose that the identified sand extraction sites fell within CRZ/ICRZ areas. SEIAA stated that had the Mines Department clearly disclosed the CRZ status of the proposed sites, it would have insisted on mandatory prior NGT NOTINGS „„GCZMA stated that DMG proposed sand mining in CRZ areas where it is prohibited „„Goa-SEIAA informed that DMG failed to disclose that sand extraction sites fall within CRZ/ICRZ zones „„Referring to MoEF&CC memorandum the bench noted mandatory prior GCZMA recommendation before EC was not followed clearance from the GCZMA before considering the grant of Environmental Clearance (EC). Referring to the MoEF&CC’s Office Memorandum dated April 26, 2022, the bench observed that projects located in CRZ areas must first obtain recommendations from the GCZMA, following which SEIAA may consider the application for EC. “This procedure does not appear to have been followed in the case in hand,” the bench had remarked in the last hearing. >Continued on P9