log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline SATURDAY NOVEMBER 1, 2025 GOA Konkani radio show: 7 years of making waves in Europe Goan cycles for charity, hosts 1st free senior citizens’ event in Leicester UK-Goa charter flight to start Ops from Nov 5 PANAJI: The Tourism Department has said TUI Airways, a charter holiday service provider, will commence services connecting the United Kingdom to Goa for the Season 2025–26. Operated under the supervision of Freedom Holidays Pvt. Ltd., the charter services will began operations from November 5, bringing British travellers directly from Manchester Airport and London Gatwick to Manohar International Airport, Mopa. With four flights per week, a total of 83 flights are scheduled for the ongoing season, including 17 in December 2025 and 18 in January 2026.  IN SHORT >> Mega meet against coal postponed MARGAO: Goyant Kollso Naka has postponed the mega public meeting scheduled at the historic Lohia Maidan, Margao on Saturday November 1 due to inclement weather conditions. The meeting is now scheduled to be held on November 9 (Sunday) at 5 pm at Lohia Maidan.  >> See pg 2 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 15 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 134 TGLIFE Fervour and faith illuminate Margao’s Dindi Mahotsava Not just moms: Dads too suffer from postpartum depression THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As the flagship EDM festival Sunburn moves out of its traditional location Goa, the State government is now focusing on promoting the coastal State as a “concert tourism hub” by developing plug-and-play facility. During the State Tourism Ministers’ meet held in Rajasthan, the Goa Tourism Department announced that a mega performance arena in Mandrem, with a 20,000-seat capacity, will be developed as a multi-use venue to host largescale international concerts, conventions, cultural shows, and entertainment events. Addressing a press conference on Friday, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, citing the success of high-profile concerts such as Coldplay’s show held in Ahmedabad, said that the concert economy is a new economy that is finding its growth in India. @ over 7 million arrivals, tourist footfalls continue to rise in Goa PANAJI: Goa continued to witness a rise in tourist footfalls, with the coastal state recording more than 7.6 million tourist arrivals, including over 3.36 lakh international visitors, in the first nine months of 2025. By the end of September, the state registered an overall 6.23 per cent growth in footfalls compared to the corresponding period of 2024. A total of 5.45 million tourists had visited the state in the first half of 2025, a number that rose to over 7.6 million by the end of September. In 2024, Goa had recorded a total of 10.41 million arrivals—9,941,265 domestic and 467,911 foreign visitors. >> See pg 3  “We saw the success of Coldplay in Ahmedabad. Concert economy is fastest growing and we would like to promote Goa as a concert tourism hub. On similar lines, we are looking forward, with Centre’s support, to develop a plugand-play facility in the State, especially along the coastal belt. State will also develop a multi-use venue to host largescale international concerts, conventions, cultural shows, weddings and entertainment events,” Khaunte said. “The move is to ensure that our tourism is not restricted 5 booked in `  cr 8 Candolim land fight MAPUSA: Mapusa police have registered a case of cheating against five persons on charges of cheating a Mumbai-based company to the tune of Rs 8 crore in connection with the sale of 2,400 square metres of land in Candolim.  >> See pg 3 10 SPORTS Hazlewood masterclass hands Australia 1-0 lead REFUSES TO EXEMPT CHIEF SECRETARIES FROM PERSONAL APPEARANCE ON NOVEMBER 3 KEY SC OBSERVATIONS PTI just to sun, sand and sea. Concert is an emerging sector and we need to tap it,” he added. Meanwhile, the Minister announced a crackdown on hotels that have opted for incorrect categorization to avail themselves of facilities such as deemed renewals. Khaunte explained that the government has introduced deemed approvals for C and D category hotels if the department fails to renew their applications within seven days, despite all documentation being in place. “Many B category hotels that include luxury villas, have registered themselves under C category and this was brought to our notice. We have started a verification drive and accordingly 15-16 hotels have been issued notices,” he said directing industries to put things in place. He said that under the C category, the total number of hotels as of last month was 9,166, up from 3,647 registered in 2022. NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Friday refused to exempt the chief secretaries of States and Union Territories from appearing before it physically on November 3 in the stray dogs case, saying there was “no respect” for the court’s order. The top court had directed the chief secretaries of all the States and UTs, except West Bengal and Telangana, to remain present before it on November 3 to explain why compliance affidavits were not filed despite the court’s August 22 order. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta expressed displeasure over the non-compliance of its August 22 order and observed that by October 27, compliance affidavits were not filed by the states and UTs, except West Bengal, Telangana and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The court had asked States and UTs about Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules Solicitor General Tushar Mehta mentioned the matter and urged „„It is very unfortunate that here the court is wasting time trying to deal with the problems which should have been addressed by the municipal corporations, by the state governments over the years „„Parliament has framed the rules (ABC) but no action was taken „„When we require them to come and file compliance affidavit, they are just sleeping over it „„No respect for the order of the court… Let them come... We will deal with them the bench that the chief secretaries be allowed to appear before the court on November 3 virtually. “This is that dog menace matter. Because of our default, your lordships were constrained to call the chief secretaries. The only request is, instead of coming physically, can they appear virtually,” Mehta said. Justice Nath said the chief secretaries would have to come physically in the court. “It is very unfortunate that here the court is wasting time trying to deal with the problems which should have been addressed by the municipal Coastal body grants approval for desilting work of Tar river PANEL WARNS AGAINST MANGROVE DESTRUCTION THE GOAN I NETWORK GAME ON! Chief Minister Pramod Sawant lights the traditional lamp to inaugurate the FIDE World Cup Goa 2025 at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Taleigao, on Friday. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandviya, State Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar, and other dignitaries were also present. (Report on pg 12) Govt pulls the plug on Ola, suspends sale of e-vehicles THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Goa government finally suspended the trade licence for the sale of Ola brand electric vehicles in the State following mounting complaints about poor service and delays in registration processes. The decision comes after Ola Electric scooter owners sub- mitted a memorandum to the Transport Department and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, urging immediate action.  According to the complainants, nearly 2,000 Ola scooters remain unrepaired across the company’s three service centres in the state, leaving many users stranded and frustrated. They also alleged that staff at the service outlets routinely offer vague answers regarding their repair timelines and fail to address technical issues.  Another complaint cited is the delay in issuing registration certificates. “The company’s after-sales support has been inefficient, causing significant hardship >Continued on P5 15 SC raps States for ignoring orders in stray dogs case n PLANS PLUG-AND-PLAY FACILITY ALONG COASTAL BELT n MULLS 20,000-SEAT CAPACITY ARENA AT MANDREM PANAJI: The Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education has announced that the Goa Teachers Eligibility Test will be conducted on December 9 and 10, 2025, in computer-based mode. The examination centres will be St Xavier’s Higher Secondary School, Mapusa, and Rosary Higher Secondary School, Navelim. PANAJI: The Judicial Magistrate First Class at Merces extended the judicial custody of Zenito Cardozo and seven others by another 14 days. Cardozo and seven others were arrested in the case of brutal assault of Rama Kankonkar in broad daylight at Caranzalem near a park.  RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO Teachers Eligibility Test on Dec 9 & 10 Court extends custody of Zenito, 7 others Instagram.com/thegoanonline 6 2 Govt grooves to concept of ‘concert hub’ in State Navelim locals to hold candlelight march seeking justice for Edberg on Nov 2 page 8 Facebook.com/thegoan PANAJI The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has granted its approval for the desilting of River Tar and the improvement of the Tar– Moira waterways for navigation purposes even as its expert committee raised concern with regards to possible destruction of mangrove vegetation. During its meeting held on October 10, the Authority granted permission under Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) to the Water Resources Department (WRD) for the improvement of waterways of Tar-Moira River from Guirim to NH bridge at Tar Junction, Mapusa, with a condition that mangroves and aquatic life is not affected. The desilting will be undertaken for a length of 4,415 metres. “The Authority after discussion decided to approve the proposal with a condition that the project proponent should take due care in execution of the project and ensure that mangroves and aquatic ecosystem shall not be disturbed,” the Authority said. The Expert Committee of GCZMA was of the opinion that WRD be directed to con- CONDITIONS OF COASTAL BODY „„Project proponent must ensure mangroves and the aquatic ecosystem are not disturbed „„WRD must conduct a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment focusing on mangrove and riverine ecology before CRZ clearance „„Mangrove vegetation must remain untouched „„Mangrove ecosystem, home to many aquatic organisms, requires extreme care and precaution „„Desilting to be undertaken for a length of 4,415 metres duct a detailed environment impact assessment (EIA) study with specific focus on mangrove and riverine ecology, before granting CRZ clearance. The Committee noted that the proposed project site is surrounded by dense vegetation and clearing bushes and trees are not permitted as per law as it could lead to destabilising the river beds. “The mangrove vegetation should remain untouched. The mangrove ecosystem is a home to numerous aquatic organisms and hence extreme precautions and care to be maintained while carrying out the excavation work keeping in mind the aquatic organisms,” the committee had said. As per the proposal, the location where the proposed improvement to waterways is to be undertaken is fully affected by a 50 metres mangrove buffer zone, fully affected by intertidal zone and partially affected by water body as per CZMP 2011. corporations, by the state governments over the years,” Justice Nath said. He said Parliament has framed the rules (ABC) but no action was taken. “And when we require them to come and file compliance affidavit, they are just sleeping over it. No respect for the order of the court. Then alright, Let them come. We will deal with them,” Justice Nath said. The SC bench made clear that the chief secretaries would they have to appear in the court and explain as to why no compliance affidavits were filed by the states and Union Territories. Ore e-auction postponed to second week of November THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The Directorate of Mines and Geology (DMG) has yet again postponed the 31st  e-auction of the iron ore, which was scheduled in the first week of November. Total 7.5 lakh metric tons of ore has been put up for e-auction. The e-auction, which was initially scheduled on October 13-14, was postponed to November 3-4. However, the department has now announced a new date for the e-auction and it will now be held on November 13-14. The ore is stacked at various locations including leases, outside leases, jetties, plants, etc. The DMG is expecting revenue of Rs 100 crore through the auction.  The auction will take place through MSTC (Metal Scrap Trade Corporation, a central public sector undertaking). The DMG will announce the list of qualified bidders on November 12. The  ore  will be  auctioned  on an as-is-where-is basis. The cargo is lying on jetties or within the erstwhile mining leases, or on plots. The cargo may be in the form of fines, lumps, ROM (runof-mine, or  ore  in an unprocessed state), or a mixture of them. Unseasonal rains drench Goa, fifth Goa enforces strict safety norms for aero sports wettest Oct recorded in 125 years SKY IS THE LIMIT: NEW AERO SPORTS RULES THE GOAN I NETWORK THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Goa’s October, once known for its mild retreating monsoon, has now turned into a month of relentless downpours. This year, the State recorded 374.6 mm of rain, making it the fifth wettest October in 125 years – a clear sign that unseasonal rainfall is fast becoming the new normal. According to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the only Octobers wetter than this year were in 2019 (540.9 mm), 2006 (423.75 mm), 1955 (413.15 mm), and This year, the State recorded 374.6 mm of rain… the last week of October alone contributed nearly 60 per cent of this month’s rainfall, IMD data revealed 1985 (394.3 mm). Even last year’s October, with 300.1 mm of rainfall, reflected this rising trend of post-monsoon precipitation. “The last week of October alone contributed nearly 60 per cent of this month’s rainfall,” said Dr M R Ramesh Ku- mar, noted meteorologist and former scientist at the National Institute of Oceanography. “Goa was literally sandwiched between the Motha cyclone on the eastern side and a depression over the Arabian Sea, both creating continuous moisture inflow,” Dr Kumar said. What makes this year’s rainfall remarkable is not just its volume but its persistence. Except for two days, rainfall was recorded throughout the month, marking one of the wettest stretches on record. >Continued on P5 PANAJI he Goa government has made it compulsory for all operators of paragliding, paramotoring, hot air ballooning and drone flight activities to provide personal accident insurance of at least Rs 15 lakh for every pilot and passenger. The new Goa Aero Sports Rules, 2025, notified by the Tourism Department on October 30, also introduce stringent penalties for safety violations — including fines up to Rs 2 lakh, permanent blacklisting, confiscation of equipment, and cancellation of registration or licence, T „„Personal accident insurance of at least Rs 15 lakh for every pilot, passenger „„Operators must register with Tourism Dept, obtain registration certificate „„Registration fees: Rs 1,00,000 per aircraft; Rs 10,000 per tandem pilot per season (Oct–May 31); Rs 2,500 per solo foreign pilot (valid for 4 months); Rs 1,000 per solo Indian pilot (valid for 4 months) „„Only trained, licensed tandem pilots with specified flying hours can operate commercially „„Operators must depending on the severity and recurrence of the offence. Under the new regulations, submit bonds releasing the govt from liability for medical or rescue costs in case of accidents „„Permanent blacklisting, confiscation of equipment, or cancellation of registration/ licence depending on the severity and recurrence of violations operators must register with the Department of Tourism and obtain a valid registration certificate before commencing operations. The prescribed fees are Rs 1 lakh per aircraft, Rs 10,000 per tandem pilot per season (October to May 31), Rs 2,500 per solo foreign pilot, and Rs 1,000 per solo Indian pilot, valid for four months. Only trained and licensed tandem pilots with the required flying hours will be permitted to operate commercially. Operators are also required to furnish indemnity bonds releasing the state government from responsibility for medical or rescue expenses in case of accidents. The move comes in the wake of recent safety concerns in the aero sports sector. In January 2025, a fatal >Continued on P5