log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 24, 2025 GOA NOW ON STANDS NORTH GOA SOUTH GOA 90757 60380 99225 82700 >> pg 6 Christmas in Goa: A sweet season of treats and timeless bakeries IN SHORT >> HC blocks Mallya’s FEO plea, asks him to return MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday sent a clear message to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya that the court will not consider his challenge to the Fugitive Economic Offenders (FEO) Act until he submits to Indian jurisdiction. A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad also questioned when the businessman plans to return to India. NSUI–Goa Forward wins GU council polls PANAJI: In a historic outcome, the NSUI–Goa Forward alliance has swept the elections of the Executive Committee of the Goa University Students’ Council (GUSC), ending a 15year wait for a decisive victory on campus.  >> See pg 3 P'yat secy held in sexual assault case PANAJI: The Women Police on Tuesday arrested a village panchayat secretary in connection with a case of sexual assault, sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.   >> See pg 3 IRB cop found dead at Korgaon home PERNEM: A 42-year-old IRB police employee, Siddheshwar Vasant Gawade, a resident of Gawade Wada, Korgaon, died by suicide after allegedly hanging himself at his house.  >> See pg 3 Court rejects bail in minor assault case PANAJI: The Fast Track Special Court (POCSO) at Panaji has rejected the bail application of an 18-year-old in connection with the kidnapping and sexual assault of a minor girl, citing prima facie evidence and preliminary stage of investigation. IndiGo cancels 50 flights MUMBAI: Domestic carrier IndiGo, which is being probed for massive operational disruption earlier this month, cancelled around 50 flights on Tuesday, however, did not provide any reason, according to the website. The flights have been cancelled from across airports. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 29 C 21 C 59% TIDES Low: 07:47 18:58 High: 01:31 12:26 The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 187 Uncomfortable query for AAP: Why did Salcete voters repose faith in Congress? Christmas Magazine Facebook.com/thegoan 2 GOA Arpora–Nagoa sarpanch faces disqualification plea over Birch licence 3 Instagram.com/thegoanonline RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO What are the best exercises to sleep better? 10 Wildlife board gives nod to ore handling in sanctuary NBWL CLEARS KALEM RAIL YARD WITH CONDITIONS; P'YAT PROTESTS, ENVIRONMENTALISTS WARN OF HABITAT IMPACT THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI In a major setback to the locals and the environmentalists, the National Board of Wildlife (NBWL) has granted its consent to the South Western Railway (SWR) for handling iron ore from the Kalem railway yard located in the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park. The NBWL, at its meeting held earlier this month, recommended the proposal to the Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) for grant of wildlife clearance for the use of 0.7616 hectares of forest land from the Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS). The clearance, however, comes with conditions, including a strict directive that no damage RAIL YARD OPERATION CLEARANCE „„Clearance allows use of 0.7616 hectares of forest land under strict conditions to prevent damage to forest and wildlife habitat „„SWR to handle loading, unloading, and transportation of iron ore within the protected area „„Kalem railway station has operated since the Portuguese era, later under Southern Maratha Railway, and now SWR „„Annual certificates required from user agency to State Chief Wildlife Warden, and from the Warden to the Union government should be caused to forest land or wildlife habitat during the execution and operation of the activity. According to the proposal, the SWR intends to handle the loading, unloading and transportation of iron ore at the Kalem railway station yard, which is located inside the protected area. The railway authorities had earlier declined to shift the iron ore handling activity beyond a two-kilometre radius from the sanctuary boundary, citing “lack of feasibility” for relocation. The State Wildlife Board during its meeting in September had approved the proposal. During deliberations at the NBWL meeting, members were informed that Kalem railway station has been operational since the Portuguese era and continued functioning under the Southern Maratha Railway, before coming under the South Western Railway following its formation in 2004. The station is presently open for handling inward goods traffic in train loads. “The station has been handling the transportation of minerals,” the proposal stated adding that the proposal has been recommended by Chief Wild Life Warden, the State Board for Wild Life and forwarded by the State government. The Board recommended the proposal with a condition that an annual compliance certificate on the stipulated conditions shall be submitted by the User Agency to the State Chief Wildlife Warden and an annual compliance certificate shall be submitted by the State Chief Wildlife Warden to the Government of India. The Kalem panchayat had strongly objected to the Chief Wildlife Warden’s approval for the project and had even petitioned the Chief Minister, urging the State not to allow iron ore handling activities within the ecologically sensitive area. Environmentalists and local residents fear that iron ore loading and transportation within the sanctuary could aggravate ecological stress, disturb wildlife movement and increase pollution in the biodiversity-rich Bhagwan Mahavir landscape. SPORTS Shafali Verma blazes India to seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka Investment boost: IPB clears projects worth `217 crore Move likely to generate nearly 1,000 jobs in multiple sectors THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa Investment Promotion and Facilitation Board (GoaIPB) on Tuesday approved ten new projects involving a total investment of Rs 217.25 crore that is expected to generate 941 jobs across multiple sectors. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant chaired by the 40th Goa-IPB meeting in the presence of Industries Minister Mauvin Godinho, Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) Chairman Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, the Chief Secretary, senior government officials and industry representatives. Sawant informed that during the meeting projects worth Rs 217 crore were approved that span across diverse sectors including aviation and adventure tourism, food processing, automobile and mobility, packaging, tourism and BJP vote-share math dents Divided Oppn clears BJP’s Opposition’s unity theory path in nearly six ZP seats POST-POLL ANALYSIS SHOWS BJP–MGP AHEAD OF COMBINED OPPOSITION Election data indicates vote split proved decisive in key constituencies THE GOAN I NETWORK SHWETA KAMAT MAHATME THE GOAN I PANAJI PANAJI The outcome of the just concluded Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections has punctured the Opposition’s oft-repeated claim that the BJP’s sweeping victory was solely due to a fragmented anti-BJP vote. A closer analysis of voteshare data reveals that even a hypothetical alliance of the Congress, Goa Forward Party (GFP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) would not have been enough to unseat the ruling party from its dominant position. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), contesting the elections largely on its own strength, emerged as the single largest force with a commanding vote share of 40.63 per cent, translating into victories in 29 of the 40 seats it contested. ZP VOTE-SHARE: THE DATA „„BJP emerged as the largest force with 40.63% vote share, winning 29 of 40 seats and polling 2.5 lakh-plus votes „„Congress placed second with 18.93% votes, 10 seats and 1.16 lakh votes „„RGP polled 9.15% (56,331 votes), while GFP secured 4.96% (30,573 votes) „„AAP, despite fielding 43 candidates, managed 5.35% votes (32,995) „„A united Congress– AAP–RGP–GFP would still trail the BJP–MGP combine (44.47%) with 38.39% votes 11 RULING ALLIANCE WOMEN WINNERS STAKE CLAIM FOR TOP POSTS >> See pg 2 The Congress, which finished a distant second, secured a vote share of 18.93 per cent, winning 10 seats out of the 35 constituencies it contested. The party secured almost 1.16 lakh votes. While the party improved marginally over its previous performance, wherein it had won The party garnered more than 2.5 lakh votes, underlining its extensive grassroots reach across both North and South Goa. >Continued on 5 Goa first in country to roll out bodycam-only traffic challans Only camera-equipped PIs and PSIs to issue fines THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI oa has become the first State in the country to permit traffic challans to be issued exclusively by Police Inspectors and Police Sub-Inspectors equipped with bodyworn cameras, a move the Goa government has stated is aimed at improving transparency, road safety and public confidence in enforcement. “Each and every traffic PI and PSI will be fitted with body cameras, and Goa will be the first State to implement this. This is to strengthen public safety and ensure smoother VIP movement, especially during the tourist season,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said before flagging off a new fleet of security and operational assets for the force, includ- G „„Bodycams to help reduce dependence on reduce disputes outsourced security and improve road during VVIP visits safety TRAFFIC „„Initiative to „„New police POLICING aid tourist-seaassets flagged GETS TECH son traffic manoff, including agement and BOOST jammer-mountVIP movement ed vehicles, „„Move aimed at motorcycles and heavy transparency, accountabilequipment ity and public confidence in „„Jammer vehicles to enforcement ing vehicle-mounted jammer units, Tata 407 trucks, a 10-ton twin-boom crane and Royal Enfield Bullet motorcycles, at a ceremony held at GRP Camp, Altinho. Sawant further said the induction of jammer-mounted vehicles would reduce Goa’s dependence on such vehicles hired from other states during VVIP visits. “Earlier, we had to hire jammer vehicles from outside. Now we have our own, procured through MHA support and State funds... >Continued on 5 The Zilla Panchayat (ZP) election results have laid bare a familiar and costly failure of Goa’s Opposition – the inability to put aside political egos and forge a united front against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The absence of a grand alliance between the Congress, Goa Forward Party (GFP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) did not just weaken the Opposition; it effectively handed the BJP a smooth passage in several constituencies. Post-poll analysis indicates that the division of anti-BJP votes gave the saffron party a decisive edge in at least six constituencies where a united Opposition could have altered the outcome. Despite clear signals on Projects span sectors including aviation, adventure tourism, food processing, automobile, mobility, packaging, logistics, electronics, toys, and hospitality Major proposals Vedanta Ltd: Rs 722 crore DI pipe manufacturing project 3B Advanced Composites Pvt Ltd: Rs 1,500 crore glass fibre expansion Siemens Ltd: Rs 363 crore medium voltage switchgear unit hospitality, logistics, electronics, and toys manufacturing. >Continued on 5 Parab dials down spat, apologises to Congress Goa desk in-charge THE GOAN I NETWORK modest vote shares in multiple constituencies, while the combined tally of Opposition candidates comfortably outnumbered the winning margins. According to estimates, a grand alliance could have helped the Opposition win an additional seven seats — Barcem, Calangute, Siolim, Chimbel, Corlim and Poinguinim — over and above the >Continued on 5 >Continued on 5 PANAJI: Independent candidates emerged as key spoilers for the Opposition in the Zilla Panchayat polls, inadvertently giving the BJP a clear edge in at least six constituencies—Karapur-Sarvan, Poinguinim, Sancoale, Mayem, Shiroda and Sanvordem.  >> See pg 2 the ground about the need for unity, Opposition parties failed to stitch together a comprehensive seat-sharing arrangement. The resulting three or four-cornered contests allowed the BJP to scrape through with relatively SUSTAINABLE GROWTH PANAJI RGP president Manoj Parab has publicly apologised to Congress Goa Desk In-charge Manikrao Thakare, seeking to dial down a week-long political spat by acknowledging that his earlier remarks were made in a moment of frustration after the collapse of talks for alliance. "I sincerely apologise to Congress Goa Desk In-charge Shri Manikrao Thakrey for the harsh words spoken by me in a moment of frustration. The alliance breakup was emotionally upsetting, especially since RGP genuinely wanted the alliance to happen in the larger interest of Goa," Parab posted on his social media page. The RGP leader also stated that his words were not personal and were said in that moment of disappointment. "I take back my words and express my regret," he added. Independents emerge key spoilers for Opposition PARTY-WISE VOTES POLLED IN SIX CONSTITUENCIES >> See pg 5 13