log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY MARCH 30, 2026 GOA Iran tensions, oil prices, rupee fall, FII selling to drive market mood IN SHORT >> Pollution haunts Colva creek again MARGAO: Concerns over contamination in the Colva creek have resurfaced, with residents and activists voicing strong criticism after stagnant, blackened water was observed in the water body on Sunday. The development has intensified calls for a comprehensive restoration plan—one that tackles sewage inflow, enhances water circulation etc.  >> See pg 2 Ponda by-election: Home voting begins PANAJI: Home voting has commenced for senior citizens aged 85 and above and for persons with disabilities who have opted for the facility in the Ponda by-election 2026. Polling teams are visiting voters at their residences to facilitate doorstep voting. Chimbel: Reject all 39A applications The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 12 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 281 GOA Mapusa vice chairperson under fire for altering council minutes Morning glow: Breakfast habits for radiant, healthy skin n PULLS THE PLUG ON 32 WEEKLY FLIGHT OPERATIONS n CHANGES LIKELY DUE TO STAFF CRISIS, DUTY RULES THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Dark clouds gather once again over Goa’s skies -- not from the monsoon, but from mounting operational strain -- as IndiGo pulled back a significant portion of its flight network from the State. IndiGo has suspended six city routes from Goa with effect from Sunday, reducing its weekly departures as part of efforts to manage operational constraints. As many as 32 weekly flight operations have been cut short. The affected routes include services from Manohar International Airport (Mopa) to Surat (once weekly), Bhubaneswar (three times weekly), Rajkot (seven times weekly), Vadodara (seven times weekly), and Chandigarh (seven times weekly). Additionally, the Bhopal-Goa International Airport (Dabolim) route, operating seven times weekly, has also been suspended. According to sources, these cuts are part of a broad- Airlines to offer 60% seats in flights without extra charges from April 20 NEW DELHI: Airlines will start offering at least 60 per cent of seats in a flight without levying any additional charge from April 20, as well as maintain a transparent seat allocation policy, according to aviation watchdog DGCA. On March 18, the civil aviation ministry announced that directions have been issued to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to direct airlines to allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats for selection on any flight free of charge to ensure fair access for passengers. er network adjustment aimed at streamlining operations amid crew shortages and changes in duty regulations. This is not the first time the airline has faced turbulence. In December 2025, several flights to and from Goa In this regard, the DGCA issued the amended Air Transport Circular dated March 20. A DGCA official said the circular would come into effect from April 20. The regulator has said that airlines should ensure at least “60 per cent of the seats in any flight shall be offered free of charge”. “Airlines should maintain transparent seat allocation policies and clearly communicate the availability of free seats and applicable conditions on their booking interfaces,” as per a revised circular dated March 20. -- across both Dabolim and Mopa airports -- were cancelled due to similar issues, including crew shortages and adverse weather conditions. On one such occasion, 18 flights scheduled to operate PANAJI: Rohit Monserrate, who has already made history by becoming the only mayor to complete five consecutive years in office, is set to continue in the top post.  >> See pg 3 WEATHER >> Max: 33.2 C Min: 24.3 C Humidity: 75% TIDES Low: High: 03:20 15:14 09:18 21:46 PTI HOSANNA!: Parish priest of Immaculate Conception Church Fr Cipriano D’Silva blesses palm fronds to mark Palm Sunday in Panaji, commemorating the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. The observance sets the tone for the Holy Week, leading to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.  Narayan Pissurlenkar BITS Pilani student killed, another critical after bike rams into tanker THE GOAN I NETWORK VASCO A tragic road accident near the IAV junction at Zuari Nagar claimed the life of a 26-year-old BITS Pilani student and left another critically injured after their motorcycle rammed into a tanker late Saturday evening. According to information from Verna Police, the incident occurred at around 5:15 pm near the IAV Private Limited junction at Upasnagar, Zuari Nagar, Birla. The accused tanker driver, Pedro Ivo Medeira (66), a resident of Raia, Salcete, was reportedly driving from Upasnagar towards BITS Pilani. Police said that upon reaching the IAV junction, he took a right turn to enter the company premises without ensuring the safety of oncoming traffic. At that moment, a TVS motorcycle travelling from BITS Pilani towards Verna, carrying Karan Narasimha Murthy of Mysore and Soham Adhikari (26) of Shantinagar, Ponda -- both students of BITS Pilani >Continued on P5 Goa gets relief for solar pump rollout THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI n a relief to Goa, which was at risk of losing its allocation under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Uthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme, the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has granted an extension until March 31, 2027, to complete project implementation wherever power purchase agreements have been executed. The scheme, implemented in Goa since 2021, has made very slow progress, with just 182 solar pumps installed out of a total of 900 as of the end of February, while another 18 are currently under installa- I from the two airports in the State were cancelled. Of the 37 flights planned from Dabolim, 10 were cancelled, while operations at Mopa were also impacted, with eight out of 25 scheduled IndiGo flights grounded. Will set troops on fire if ground invasion begins, Iran warns US Old Goa for carrying capacity study Rohit set to be CCP mayor again RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO PANAJI: The Chimbel Gram Sabha resolved to urge the State government to reject all applications for zone change under Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act, stressing the need to protect land for future generations and preserve the village’s environment and biodiversity.  >> See pg 3 PANAJI: The Old Goa Gram Sabha resolved to undertake a carrying capacity study of the village, particularly its heritage areas, and decided that no permissions for new mega projects would be granted until the study is completed. The meeting also opposed changes under Section 39A of the TCP Act.  >> See pg 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline 3 2 Goa air connectivity hit, IndiGo cuts six routes Focus on Pajifond as ward delimitation exercise begins >> pg 6 Facebook.com/thegoan CENTRE’S OUTREACH TO GOA „„PM-KUSUM deadline extended up to March 31, 2027 „„Only 182 of 900 solar pumps installed; 18 under installation „„GEDA had sought more time for completion „„Extension applies to projects approved before Dec 31, 2025 „„Centre warns strict milestones must be met to retain allocation „„State must speed up implementation significantly „„Centre asks Goa to coordinate with banks for project financing „„Failure could lead to cancellation of remaining allocation tion. The Goa Energy Development Agency (GEDA), the implementing body, had sought additional time to complete the long-pending project. According to a communi- cation issued on March 28, the Ministry stated that for the completion of PM-KUSUM projects where power purchase agreements (PPAs) have been signed or Notices to Proceed (NTPs) issued before December 31, 2025, the timeline has been extended until March 31, 2027. Officials said that while the extension offers temporary relief, the State must significantly accelerate implementation to meet the revised deadline and retain its full allocation under the scheme. “The PM-KUSUM 2.0 scheme will also be rolled out soon, and the current scheme will be subsumed under the new >Continued on P5 DUBAI A top Iranian official warned the US against a ground invasion, saying its troops would be set “on fire,” as regional diplomats met Sunday in Pakistan in hopes of opening direct US-Iran talks and ending the month-long war. Elsewhere, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will widen its invasion of Lebanon. Netanyahu said Israel would expand what he called the “existing security strip” in southern Lebanon. Iran’s parliament speaker, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, said Iranian forces were “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever,” according to Iranian state media.  >> See pg 7 9 SPORTS Mumbai Indians defeat Kolkata Knight Riders by six wickets 12 24x7 gambling den sparks outrage, fear in Honda RESIDENTS CLAIM VISITORS FLOCK FROM ACROSS THE STATE IN LUXURY VEHICLES THE GOAN I NETWORK VALPOI A shadow of fear looms over Honda’s heart as an illegal gambling den continues to thrive in plain sight, pushing residents to the brink of outrage. The round the clock gambling operation in central Honda has triggered anger and anxiety among locals, who allege that despite repeated complaints, the police have failed to take any meaningful action. Frustrated by the prolonged inaction, residents have now warned that they will escalate the matter to Pramod Sawant, demanding immediate closure of the illegal hub. According to locals, the gambling den has been running unabated for months, operating 24 hours a day. The constant movement, loud noise, and late-night commotion have severely disrupted daily life, depriving nearby residents of sleep and peace. Multiple complaints have reportedly been NO MORE BETS PLEASE! „„Illegal gambling den operating 24x7 for months „„Severe disturbance to locals -- noise, late-night activity, loss of sleep „„Police complaints filed, but no visible action taken „„Participants arrive from across Goa, often in luxury vehicles at night „„Night gamblers leave by morning; locals sustain daytime activity „„Location close to police outpost, raises enforcement concerns „„Frequent quarrels, physical fights among gamblers reported „„Rising fear among residents of serious crimes, including potential murder lodged with the police, yet no concrete steps have followed. Residents claim that participants arrive from across Goa -- including Panaji, Mapusa, Pernem, Margao, and Ponda -- often in luxury vehicles under the cover of darkness. After gambling through the night, they leave by morning, while lo- cal players keep the activity alive during the day, effectively turning the den into a 24-hour operation. What has shocked many is its proximity to the Honda police outpost, raising serious questions about enforcement and oversight. Tensions at the site have >Continued on P5 Autonomy in focus as govt backs bigger role for p’yats MIN OUTLINES EXPANDED FUNCTIONS FOR VPs THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA At a time when concerns are mounting over how much autonomy village panchayats actually enjoy, Panchayat Minister Mauvin Godinho has asserted that the State government is strengthening grassroots bodies and positioning them at the center of governance and development. Godinho said village panchayats are being empowered to play a “broader and wider role” beyond routine civic duties such as issuing licences, garbage collection and sanitation – a claim that comes even as critics argue that key decision-making powers remain tightly held by State departments. “Panchayats are not limited The road ahead for panchayats MAPUSA: As the State grapples with rapid development, landuse pressures and governance challenges at the village level, the role of panchayats is likely to become a key political and administrative issue. The government’s emphasis on convergence and service delivery may improve efficiency – but whether it translates into genuine decentralisation, with empowered local decision-making, remains the larger question. to basic functions. They are involved in development works, implementation of State and Central schemes, removal of encroachments and enforcement of rules,” Godinho said. Autonomy v/s implementation The minister’s remarks highlight the government’s push to project panchayats as engines of grassroots governance. However, they also bring into focus a growing debate: are panchayats truly self-governing institutions, or largely implementation arms of the State? Across Goa, questions are >Continued on P5