log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SATURDAY OCTOBER 11, 2025 GOA Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 14 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 114 Govt moves to fill staff shortage at South Goa District Hospital 2 GOA Porvorim flyover: Sections of NH-66 to be closed; trial run on Oct 13 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO What is a blood type diet? Does it have any benefits? 11 SPORTS Jaiswal’s unbeaten 173 powers India to commanding start 14 False ceiling of Sanguem school Siridao murder case: HC orders Zenito to collapses, five students injured surrender by Nov 10  MONKEY JUMPS ON ROOF, CAUSES CRASH  STUDENTS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL; ONE UNDER OBSERVATION, OTHERS DISCHARGED THE GOAN I NETWORK page 8 Goan Book Corner opened at Central Library in Swindon Konkani song invites Goans abroad to come back home IN SHORT >> Palliative med OPD at GMC launched PANAJI: The Palliative Medicine Outpatient Department (OPD) at Goa Medical College was inaugurated on Friday, marking a significant advancement in end-of-life and chronic illness care in the State. Health Minister Vishwajit Rane announced that Goa will be the first State in India to implement a structured palliative care policy and system. The initiative is expected to benefit between 8,000 and 10,000 patients across the state. Restricted water in South on Oct 13-14 PANAJI: The Water Resources Department will conduct pipeline maintenance at Sanguem’s Water Treatment Plant on October 13. The plant will remain operational, but residents of Sanguem, Curchorem, Quepem, Sanvordem, Curtorim, Cuncolim, Velim, Banaulim, Margao, Fatorda, Navelim, Nuvem, Cortalim, Dabolim, Vasco, and Mormugao may face water supply restrictions on October 13 &14. Mandrem hotelier duped in online fraud PANAJI: Mandrem Police filed a case against a hotel owner for impersonating Ashvem, Mandrem resort, and misusing its name and images online to divert bookings. Between August 21 and September 16, 2025, the accused used oyorooms.com/15908, causing a reported business loss of Rs 19.69 lakh. SANGUEM Five students were injured when a false ceiling in the assembly hall collapsed at Government Higher Secondary School in Sanguem on Friday morning. This comes barely a day after one student was injured after a ceiling fan came crashing down in the classroom of the Government Primary School in Poriem-Sattari. According to sources, the injured students along with others were reportedly in the hall making preparations for some programme when the portion of the false ceiling suddenly collapsed. Sources said a monkey had jumped from a tree onto the roof and entered through a gap on the roof. The monkey then came crashing down along with the false ceiling. HSS Principal Sudesh Naik and other teachers promptly administered first aid and got the injured students admitted to the Primary Health Centre at Sanguem. While three of them were False ceiling of AYUSH clinic falls at Ribandar The false ceiling of the Clinical Research Unit (Unani) at the AYUSH Health Centre in Ribandar collapsed. Fortunately, no one was injured, as the damage was discovered by doctors upon opening the clinic in the morning on Friday. A portion of the false ceiling of Government Higher Secondary School Sanguem that collapsed on Friday. treated and discharged from the PHC, two students were shifted to the South Goa District Hospital at Margao, where one was kept under observation and the other was discharged after treatment. Inquiries revealed that a portion of the aluminium false ceiling attached to the roof had partially collapsed earlier, and another portion gave way on Friday morning. The inner portion of the school’s roof was reportedly exposed due to the lack of a proper iron mesh, allowing monkeys to enter and jump on the roof, which ultimately caused the false ceiling to collapse. Soon after the incident, a number of locals, including Sanguem Municipal Chairperson Santiksha Gadkar, Vice-Chairperson Sangameshwar Naik, and Councillor Meshu D'Costa, rushed to the HSS to take stock of the situation. SMC Vice-Chairperson Sangameshwar Naik voiced concern that although the PWD had prepared an estimate for repairs after a portion of the ceiling had first collapsed a year ago, the repair work had not yet begun. Expressing alarm over the persistent danger to students, D'Costa appealed to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who is also the education minister, for his immediate intervention in the matter. “I appeal to the chief minister to initiate the necessary repair work to avert any future tragedy, as the ceiling is badly damaged and exposed to danger,” said D’Costa. The incident at the Government HSS at Sanguem has raised eyebrows among the educationists and parents concerning the quality of work undertaken by PWD contractors. According to sources, school authorities had reported the damaged false ceiling to the education department in October last year, and the >Continued on P9 2 persons had died in the attack THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI While dismissing the appeal in the 2009 Siridao beach murder case, the High Court of Bombay in Goa has directed history-sheeter Zenito Cardozo to surrender before the Sessions Court by November 10. Cardozo is convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the case that had left two men dead. The incident took place in May 2009, when rival groups clashed at a shack on Siridao beach following heated arguments. Cardozo, along with associates Mahavir Nadar and Domnic Nazareth, allegedly attacked members of the opposing group using glass bottles and knives. According to the prosecution, the trio allegedly killed Santosh Kalel and Francis Manuel D’Souza alias Mirand from the rival group after a heated argument on May 10, 2009. Agacaim police had registered murder charges against Cardozo and his associates. In July, 2016, the Additional Sessions’ court at Mapusa had sentenced Cardozo to three years of imprisonment for attacking two persons under Govt kicks off 3D survey to map land via drones PANAJI As part of the NAKSHA scheme of the Central government for creation of land records, Goa government has initiated 3D-based land survey using drones and electronic devices as pilot project covering municipal areas of Panaji, Margao and Cuncolim. Under the project, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) will capture high-resolution, ortho-rectified images of the survey areas. Based on these images, teams from the revenue and municipal administration departments will conduct field surveys to prepare detailed maps with geo-location points. These maps will be integrated with property tax data maintained by local bodies, ensuring more transparent and accurate land records. Residents will have the opportunity to raise objections if discrepancies are found in the survey maps.  The lists of unclaimed or vacant land parcels will be sent to the Collec- records maintained by local bodies, enhancing transparency and accuracy of land records „„Residents can raise objections if discrepancies are found in the survey maps „„Unclaimed or vacant land parcels will be identified and forwarded to the Collector for action tor for action under the Goa Escheats, Forfeiture and Bona Vacantia Act, 2024. A senior officer informed that under NAKSHA, Panaji, Margao and Cuncolim is selected for pilot project through central funding. He said that under the project, the government has introduced Goa Geospatial Knowledge-Based Land Survey of Urban Habitations aimed at modernising urban land surveys using ad- vanced GIS technology. “The project involves 3D-based land survey. The survey has started and soon it might be extended in other municipal areas,” he said. The NAKSHA project, an acronym for 'National Geospatial Knowledge-Based Land Survey of Urban Habitations,' aims to modernise land records using cutting-edge >Continued on P9 Section 304(II) for the deaths, and an additional three years under Section 326, along with a fine of Rs 10,000. The court in its judgment discharged Cardozo of the murder charge but held him guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder observing that the murder was not pre-planned and it happened due to an instant fight. Cardozo had then moved the High Court challenging the conviction. Kalel died on the spot. Fernandes died while undergoing treatment at GMC. THE GOAN I NETWORK KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROJECT „„Unmanned Aerial Vehicles will capture high-resolution, ortho-rectified images of survey areas „„Revenue and municipal teams will use images to conduct field surveys and prepare detailed maps with geo-location points „„Survey maps will be linked with property tax PANAJI: The Special Court at Merces has issued a notice to social activist Rama Kankonkar in connection with the bail application of accused history sheeter Zenito Cardozo. The court also asked Kankonkar whether he wishes to be represented by the Public Prosecutor or an advocate of his choice. The hearing on the bail plea has been adjourned to October 13.  >> See pg 3 Govt grants more time to successful bidders to pick up e-auctioned ore PANAJI, MARGAO, CUNCOLIM IN FIRST LIST OF CIVIC AREAS TO BE COVERED UNDER PROJECT THE GOAN I NETWORK Court issues notice to Kankonkar POWER PLAY: Differently-abled boys dazzle with Mallakhamba moves at the Purple Fest in Panaji on Friday. The traditional sport involves acrobatic moves on a stationary vertical pole.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Water sports to be streamlined GOVT TO REGULATE RATES, KIOSK BRANDING, AGENTS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a bid to streamline the water sports sector in the State, the government has accepted operators request to bring uniformity in water sports rates, branding of kisoks across all beaches and to address illegal operations of agents. During a meeting chaired by Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, it was also decided to convene a joint meeting with coastal MLAs, enforcement agencies, and other concerned departments to tackle issues related to illegal ticketing and unauthorized operations. The water sports operations in the State will commence once the new rates are notified. On Friday, Khaunte chaired a meeting with Director of Tourism  Kedar Naik, Captain of Ports Octavio Rodrigues >Continued on P9 PANAJI Directorate of Mines and Geology has extended the time limit till May 31, 2026, for successful bidders to pick up the e-auctioned ore lying at various primary locations, following a request from bidders. Initially, the bidders were asked to pick up cargo -- that was auctioned till October, 2024 --  by June 6, 2025. DMG has so far held 30 e-auctions selling close to 16 million tons of ore since January, 2014. DMG director Narayan Gad in an order permitted parties to lift their cargo from the primary location by May 31, 2026. “The time period for lifting of e-auctioned ore had ended on June 6 and subsequently requests were received from bidders. Therefore, the government is now pleased to further extend the time limit for lifting of the cargo auctioned up to 30th  e-auction till May 31, 2026,” the order stated. The parties have to furnish the details like e-auction number, stack number, location, quantity won and balance quantity to be lifted from the primary location of e-auction, total amount paid, etc before obtaining transit permit. SC relief for Goa student, govt Venezuelan Oppn leader Machado wins Peace Nobel told to allot sports quota seat Trump snubbed, White House raps panel PTI SAYS THIS CASE SHALL NOT SET A PRECEDENT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Supreme Court has directed the Goa government to allocate one medical seat under the Sports Quota to India’s international sailor, Pearl Milind Colvalcar, for admission to NEET (UG) 2025. Colvalcar had challenged a Bombay High Court at Goa ruling dated August 25, which had quashed and set aside the State government’s decision to allot vacant medical seats, originally reserved under the Children of Freedom Fighters category, to meritorious sports persons under the Sports Quota. A bench comprising Justices PS Narasimha and AS Chandurkar noted that while they would not interfere with the High Court’s judgment on merits, special circumstances warranted relief for the peti- tioner. The Court clarified that the direction to grant a seat should not be treated as a precedent, stating, “We direct that one seat under the Sports Quota, as per the advertisement dated August 1, 2025, be adjusted from a seat that would have remained unfilled. This is due to the peculiar facts of this case and shall >Continued on P9 OSLO enezuelan Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, winning recognition as a woman who keeps the flame of democracy burning amid a growing darkness. The former Opposition presidential candidate was lauded for being a key, unifying figure” in the once deeply divided opposition V to President Nicolas Maduro's government, said Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel committee. In the past year, Ms Machado has been forced to live in hiding,” Watne Frydnes said. Despite serious threats against her life, she has remained in the country, a choice that has inspired millions. When authoritarians seize power, it is crucial to recognise courageous defenders of freedom who rise and resist. He told the AP that the committee was able to reach Machado just before the announcement and it came as a surprise. Exiled opposition candidate celebrates Machado's ally, Edmundo Gonzalez, who lives in exile in Spain, posted a short video of himself speaking by phone with Machado. I am in shock, she said, adding, I cannot believe it. Gonzalez celebrated Machado's Nobel win in a post on X, calling it a very well-deserved recognition for the long fight of a woman and of a whole people for our freedom and democracy. WASHINGTON: The White House criticised the Nobel Committee after US President Donald Trump was overlooked for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, calling the decision politically motivated. “Once again, the Nobel Committee has proved they place politics over peace," White House Director of Communications Steven Cheung said in a post on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the omission reflected “bias rather than a genuine commitment to global peace." “Trump will continue making peace deals around the world, ending wars and saving lives. He has the heart of a humanitarian, and there will never be anyone like him who can move mountains with the sheer force of his will," Cheung added.