log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY MARCH 23, 2026 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 274 2 Redeveloped Margao wholesale fish market in limbo GOA Goa to restore 570 ha of mangroves under MISHTI scheme 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Wake up frizz-free: How to guard your curls while you sleep Goa stares at water crisis as supply deficit widens n STATE GRAPPLES WITH DAILY SHORTFALL OF 65 MLD n 40 PER CENT WATER LOSS EXPOSES AGEING NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Despite being among the first States to declare 100 per cent “Har Ghar Jal” coverage, Goa’s water reality is beginning to tell a very different story – one of shortages, leakages and a system struggling to keep pace with its own claims. As of March, the State is grappling with an estimated daily shortfall of 65 million litres per day (MLD), with residents in fast-growing urban pockets like Porvorim and Taleigao facing repeated disruptions. In several areas, supply is not just irregular but also compromised due to contamination from ageing pipelines. What is emerging is a paradox: A State that officially achieved universal tap connectivity is now battling to ensure that water actually reaches those taps. >> pg 6 WATER SHORTAGE SAGA: KEY FACTORS „„Aging pipeline network (over 40 years old) causing frequent leaks and bursts „„Large-scale water loss before reaching consumers „„‘Bleeding’ distribution system despite adequate production on paper „„High non-revenue water (40%) due to leaks, theft, and poor metering „„Inefficient supply -- waA network past its lifespan At the heart of the crisis lies a crumbling distribution system. Nearly one-third of State’s 6,000-km pipeline network is over four decades old, resulting in frequent bursts, leakages and contamination. Officials privately admit that the system is bleeding water. ter doesn’t reach tail-end areas properly „„Rapid urbanisation increasing water demand „„Tourism development adding extra pressure on “We are producing enough water on paper, but a significant portion never reaches consumers. In some stretches, losses are so high that supply becomes meaningless by the time it reaches the tail-end,” a senior engineer in the Department of Drinking Water told this newspaper on condition of anonymity. The scale of the problem resources „„High-consumption users (hotels, villas, complexes) straining supply „„Over-extraction of groundwater „„Wells drying up and facing saline intrusion in coastal areas „„Mismanagement, rising demand worsening overall water crisis is reflected in the State’s non-revenue water (NRW), estimated at nearly 40 percent – treated water lost to leaks, illegal connections and metering gaps. Demand outpaces planning Compounding the issue is a surge in demand driven by rapid urbanisation and tour- IN SHORT >> Two youngsters killed in mishap VASCO: In a tragic accident that raised fresh concerns over speeding, two youth from Zuarinagar were killed on the spot after the bike they were riding collided with an Innova on the internal Cuelim-Verna road on Sunday evening. The deceased -- Venkatesh Basar (21) and Rakesh Sankappanavar (24) -- were travelling on a scooter when they crashed into an Innova coming from the opposite direction.  >> See pg 3 SUV gets stuck on  beach, tourist booked MAPUSA: A 22-year-old tourist’s vehicle was partially swept by waves after it got stuck on Vagator beach early Sunday.  >> See pg 3 Big plans, slow execution Facing mounting criticism, the government has announced an ambitious roadmap to bridge the gap by the end of 2026. This includes augmenting >Continued on P7 Late Jhingan header rescues point for FC Goa THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO Even as diarrhoea cases at the Prabhu Violetta residential complex in Dabolim rose to 160 with two fresh cases reported on Sunday, the situation on the ground appears to have eased only because several residents have temporarily moved out, citing fear of contamination and unsafe water. DABOLIM DIARRHOEA Health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, including the two suspected typhoid cases detected earlier, while medical teams remain engaged in follow-up visits and treatment of affected residents. However, many occupants say the visible dip in distress is largely due to families vacating their flats and shifting to rented accommodations or relatives’ homes. “People are not feeling safe staying here anymore. Many Builder begins tanker disposal of sewage AIMS TO PLUG GAPS IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has decided to undertake a comprehensive fire safety audit and risk assessment across all its 24 industrial estates, aiming to strengthen disaster preparedness, plug critical gaps, and ensure strict compliance with national safety standards. Managing industrial estates spread over nearly 4,450 acres, IDC has invited proposals from reputed agencies through a transparent two-cover bidding process. The selected agency will be tasked with completing the audit within 16 weeks, including field testing and submission of detailed reports. Officials said the move follows internal reviews and stakeholder feedback that highlighted the urgent need to upgrade fire safety systems, assess preparedness levels, and align infrastructure with the National Building Code (NBC) 2016, the Factories Act, 1948, and the Industrial Park Rating System (IPRS) 3.0 norms. As part of the exercise, the empanelled agency will un- WHAT THE AGENCY WILL HAVE TO DO „„Conduct baseline audit of all industrial estates „„Inspect existing firefighting systems across each estate „„Assess adequacy of infra against fire risk scenarios „„Recommend upgrades and new installations as required „„Perform detailed risk assessment based on industry types „„Classify units into low, moderate, and high hazard categories „„Carry out vulnerability & exposure analysis „„Evaluate emergency preparedness, response systems „„Review response plans, manpower readiness, training levels „„Compile findings, submit audit reports with actionable recommendations dertake a detailed analysis of existing firefighting systems in each industrial estate, assessing their adequacy in addressing fire risks. The audit will identify deficiencies in current systems and recommend critical interventions, including upgrades or installation of new firefighting infrastructure to meet statutory standards. At present, IDC’s fire-fighting infrastructure is integrated with internal water supply systems, with hydrants placed at intervals of 50 to 80 metres. These are supported by PWD water sources, ground-lev- VASCO: In a significant development, the builder has now begun transporting sewage through night soil tankers to government sewerage facilities, following directions issued by the Goa State Pollution Control Board. The move comes after sustained scrutiny and action by authorities, with the GSPCB mandating tanker-based disposal until both Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) at the complex are made fully functional. “After so much pressure and action from authorities, the builder has finally started sending sewage through tankers to PWD plants as directed. This should have been done much earlier,” a resident said. families who have been suffering for days have now moved out temporarily. That is one of the main reasons why the situation looks under control,” a resident said. Residents expressed disappointment over what they described as a lack of visible support from elected representatives during the crisis. “Except for the sarpanch, no elected representative has come here to understand our problems. We have not seen any politicians including MLAs, ministers or even MPs visiting the site, which has been very disheartening for all of us,” a resident said. >Continued on P7 PARAB SAYS AIM IS TO DEFEAT BJP THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Congress received a boost on Sunday as the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) announced it will not contest the April 9 Ponda by-election. Instead, the party will back Congress candidate Ketan Bhatikar. RGP chief Manoj Parab said the decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s central executive committee.  Parab said, the Congress had not approached the RGP for an alliance and no discussions were held before the announcement of Bhatikar’s candidature. “Despite this, we have decided to support Congress in the larger interest of defeating the BJP, even though many party worker are unhappy,” he said. The move carries weight in Ponda, which the RGP considers a stronghold following its  electoral performance in the 2022 Assembly elections where its candidate Sanish Tilve secured 1,777 votes, near- 12 GIDC rolls out fire safety audit across Ind estates Residents vacate flats as Ponda by-poll: RGP backs cases continue to mount out, to support Congress 2 MORE INFECTIONS DETECTED, TOTAL UP TO 160 Factors to watch: Middle East tensions, oil prices, FII outflows, rupee fall ism-led development. Large residential complexes, villas and hotels are placing unprecedented pressure on both piped supply and groundwater sources. In several coastal and peri-urban areas, traditional wells are either drying up or witnessing saline intrusion – an early warning sign of over-extraction. Concerned citizens warn that unchecked groundwater use, particularly by high-consumption establishments, risks deepening the crisis in a State otherwise known for abundant rainfall. 9 SPORTS Nominations to be filed today PANAJI: Monday is set to add fizz and colour to the Ponda by-election as candidates line up to file their nomination papers. The deadline closes at 3 pm, and all three major contenders are expected to make it a show of strength. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Ritesh Naik, Congress’ Ketan Bhatikar and Aam Aadmi Party’s Geetesh Naik are expected to file their papers on Monday with supporters in tow in processions, turning the nomination exercise into a display of political muscle and optics. The contest is shaping into a triangular battle, with each party banking on its ground strength and campaign momentum. >> See pg 2 ly 7 per cent of the vote share.  That performance had strengthened calls within the party to contest independently this time but the leadership opted for a strategic withdrawal and Parab admitted the decision was not easy. He said, the party was opting for a united front over individual gains. The by-poll is expected to be a keenly watched contest and with the RGP stepping aside, the Congress is hoping to consolidate votes against the BJP.  The April 9 poll will now test whether this show of unity translates into electoral success. Meanwhile, Congress’ Goa desk in-charge Manickrao Thakre welcomed RGP’s decision. “We will work together to take on the BJP,” Thakre said, adding that the support will immensely help the Congress in the Ponda by-election. el and overhead reservoirs, pump houses, and booster systems to facilitate emergency response. The scope of the study also includes a comprehensive risk assessment of each estate. This will involve analysing the type of industries and their operational profile, classifying them into low, moderate, and high hazard categories. A vulnerability and exposure analysis will be carried out to assess risks to human life, assets, critical infrastructure, utilities, and neighbouring >Continued on P7 Centralised UG admissions to kick off today THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The centralised  admissions  for undergraduate courses across 40 government and aided colleges will commence from Monday with the  Directorate of Higher Education  (DHE) set to accept online applications for the academic year 2026-27. Over 16,000 students cleared their Class 12 exams 2026. A total of 10,000 seats are available across these 40 colleges. Candidates have to apply through the Samarth e-Gov portal available on  https://www.dhe.goa.gov. in. Director  DHE Bhushan Sawaikar said the  admissions are available for UG programmes such as BA, BCom, BSc, music, theatre, home science, BVoc, BCA, BBA, BA BEd, BSc BEd, BPEd, BA LLB, BSc Agriculture etc. “Centralised  admissions  will be carried out for all government and aided UG programmes under the administrative control of DHE Goa,” Sawaikar said. Colleges offering BBA and >Continued on P7 48 hours or destruction, Trump Tiny marine crab: New find in Goa’s mangroves CRABBY SURPRISE AT GALGIBAGA warns Iran on Hormuz closure THE GOAN I NETWORK TEHRAN VOWS STRIKES ON US, ISRAELI INFRA PTI DUBAI President Donald Trump warned the US will ‘obliterate’ Iran’s power plants if it doesn’t fully open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, prompting Tehran to say it would respond to any such strike with attacks on US and Israeli energy and infrastructure assets. Iranian missiles, meanwhile, struck two communities in south Israel, leaving buildings shattered and doz- ens injured in dual attacks not far from Israel’s main nuclear research centre. The developments signalled the war was moving in a dangerous new direction at the start of its fourth week. Trump -- who is facing increasing pressure at home to secure the strait as oil prices soar -- issued the ultimatum in a social media post while he spent the weekend at his Florida home. The death toll from the war has risen to more than 1,500 people in Iran, more than 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members, as well as a number of civilians on land and sea in the Gulf region. Millions in Lebanon and Iran have been displaced. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meanwhile said missile attacks on Israeli cities, near Jerusalem’s holy sites, and toward a UK military base in the Indian Ocean, along with the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, are all evidence that Iran is a threat to the world. PANAJI n a significant scientific discovery from Goa’s coastline, a new species of marine crab has been identified in the State’s muddy mangrove forests. The species, named Chhapgarus ngankeeae, was discovered by researcher Sameer Kumar Pati from the Zoological Survey of India. The discovery traces back to Goa, where the main reference specimen of the crab was collected from the muddy backwaters of the Galgibaga River. The small crab, measuring about 1.6 cm, lives in intertidal mangrove habitats -- an ecosystem widely found I „„Crab species Chhapgarus ngankeeae discovered at muddy mangrove near Galgibaga river „„Identified by researcher Pati from Zoological Survey of India „„Very small in size, measures about 1.6 cm along Goa’s coast. Interestingly, the species was identified after Pati re-examined older crab specimens preserved in national collections from Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra, which were earlier thought to belong to another known species. A „„Discovered after re-examining older crab specimens from Goa, K’taka, M’rashtra detailed microscopic study revealed clear anatomical differences, confirming it as an entirely new species. Experts say the crab may look small and similar to others at first glance, but it has unique features, especially on its underside that sets it apart. „„Study reveals distinct anatomical differences „„Unique traits include a narrower abdomen and a distinct reproductive organ „„Named in honour of Ngan Kee Ng „„Importance of mangrove ecosystems in focus These include a narrower abdomen and a distinctly shaped reproductive organ, which acts like a scientific fingerprint for identification. “The main reference specimen used to define the new species, the holotype, was collected from beneath a stone in the muddy backwaters of the Galgibaga River in Goa. By analysing the crabs under a stereo microscope, it was realised these specimens had distinct anatomical features that set them completely apart from any known crab,” the study said. The species has been named in honour of late marine biologist Ngan Kee Ng, recognising her contributions to crab research. Scientists say the discovery highlights the ecological importance of Goa’s mangroves. These habitats support species like mangrove crabs, which play a key role in maintaining coastal health by >Continued on P7