log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 234 Instagram.com/thegoanonline >> P13 SEIFERT, ALLEN SMASH RECORD IN 10-WICKET NZ ROUT OF UAE RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 CBC 06124/13/0006/2526 WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2026 Facebook.com/thegoan >PG 6 GOA’S COMPASSIONATE CARE FOR THE AILING AND TERMINALLY ILL WHEN GOODNESS STOOD IN DEATH’S WAY No communication on opposition to Unity Mall, LS told NEW DELHI: The Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry informed the Lok Sabha that it has not received any communication opposing the proposed Pradhan Mantri Ekta Mall, also known as the Unity Mall, project in Goa. Replying to an unstarred question raised by South Goa MP Captain Viriato Fernandes in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada said the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade is not aware of any objections to the construction of the Mall in Chimbel. According to the reply, the Goa government has informed the Centre that the project is being implemented by the Department of Tourism on land owned by it and does not involve tribal land. Police presence at church sparks outrage in Colva   VILLAGERS STORM POLICE STATION TO ASCERTAIN REASON   COPS RUSH TO PACIFY CROWD PI TRANSFERRED TOP   THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Colva village was on the boil on Tuesday after hundreds of villagers stormed the police station following the police presence at Colva Church, at a time when villagers were holding a meeting near a chapel in the fishing ward in support of a local fisherman’s family amid an ongoing standoff with Delhi builders over a right of way. After news spread that Colva police station in-charge PI Vikram Naik, along with a posse of policemen, had visited the church around noon, villagers left the meeting and rushed to the church premises to ascertain the reason for the COLVA RALLIES BEHIND FISHERMAN’S FAMILY AGAINST DELHI BUILDERS >> See pg 2 Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and others confront police officials over the presence of policemen at the Colva church on Tuesday.  Santosh Mirajkar police presence. Not finding the police team, they rushed to the Col- va police station, seeking answers over the police visit to the Church and demanding CCP polls: Ward reservation notified PANAJI: Goa State Election Commissioner, Menino D'Souza has notified the ward reservation roster for the upcoming elections to the Corporation of the City of Panaji expected to be held in mid-March.  >> See pg 5 PANAJI: A fire broke out at a dump yard in Mala opposite a petrol pump, in the early hours of Tuesday. Firefighters rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: 33.4 C 20.2 C 80% TIDES Low: 11.54 ---High: 03.42 20.21 THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Anjuna police have registered a case against Police Constable Saish Parsekar, the driver of a police jeep, on charges of stealing gold ornaments worth Rs 7-8 lakh from the body of a man who died in a road accident in Anjuna. The case has been registered based on a complaint filed by Jovi Rodriguez, brother of the deceased, Juster Rodriguez (27). The complainant has alleged that the accused constable stole a gold bracelet, earrings and a ring belonging to the deceased. The accident occurred on January 25 at around 3.15 am near Rocky Garage in Anjuna. Juster Rodriguez   APPROVES ONE-YEAR PAID MEDICAL LEAVE GOVT   GOVT, GOVT-AIDED SCHOOL TEACHERS COVERED OLX sale turns into cyber fraud Fire breaks out at Mala dump yard >Continued on P8 Family files plaint after ornaments worth `7-8 lakh found missing Big relief for teachers with terminal illness IN SHORT >> MAPUSA: Anjuna police have registered a case of online cheating after a youth was allegedly duped of over Rs 2.23 lakh in a cyber fraud linked to an advertisement on the OLX platform.  >> See pg 3 action against the police officer, including his immediate transfer and suspension. By Tuesday evening, PI Vikram Naik was transferred out of Colva and was told to report at the South district police headquarters. Cuncolim Police Station in-charge, PI Diego Gracias has been given additional charge of Colva police station. Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas, social worker Warren Alemao, activist Fidol Pereira and Colva villagers descend- ed at the police station as they questioned PI Naik over his decision to visit the Colva Church with a posse of policemen. As a tense situation prevailed at the police station, Sub-divisional Police officer, Margao DySP Sidhant Shirodkar and later Superintendent of Police, South Santosh Desai rushed to Colva to calm down frayed tempers and to avoid a law and order situation. The tension came against the backdrop of a recent incident between members of the local family and the Delhi party over a pathway and right of way, with locals raising suspicious of the cops supporting Constable booked for stealing gold from mishap victim THE GOAN I NETWORK FRESH SPLASH: A vendor displays freshly harvested cashew apples at the Panaji market on Tuesday. The produce marked the arrival of the season’s first crop drawing keen attention from shoppers.  Narayan Pissurlenkar 30 Goans deported from US since January 2025, reveals MEA data THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI As many as 30 Goans have been deported by the United States since January 2025 for reasons including illegal entry, visa overstays and lack of valid documentation, according to data released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). However, officials caution that the actual number of returnees could be higher, as several individuals opt for “self-deportation”, which of- ten goes unrecorded. The MEA data shows that a total of 3,258 Indian nationals were deported from the US to India during the period from January to December 2025. >Continued on P8 PANAJI In a major relief to ailing educators, the State government has approved a Special Medical Leave policy granting up to 365 days of fully paid leave to regular teachers diagnosed with terminal illnesses. The policy will apply to teachers working in government and government-aided schools across the State. As per the order issued by the Directorate of Education (DoE) Shailesh Zingade, terminal illnesses under the policy include late-stage cancer, end-stage organ failure involving the kidney, liver or heart, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and progressive neurodegenerative disorders, as certified by a recognised government medical authority. Eligible teachers will be entitled to up to one year of fully paid medical leave. “Any was travelling from Arpora towards Anjuna when he reportedly lost control of his car, which plunged into >Continued on P8 Goa-based woman dies, hubby hurt in road mishap near Khanapur THE GOAN I NETWORK Zingade said. The policy will be governed by the provisions of the Goa, BELAGAVI A trip after attending a wedding at Khanapur ended in tragedy when a woman residing in Goa died on the spot while her husband was seriously injured in a road mishap on the narrow Khanapur-Anmod Road via Hemadaga on Tuesday evening. According to sources, the couple from Goa was travelling back from Khanapur to Old Goa after attending a wedding at Khanapur. The accident took place near a treacherous turn near Pali village when the car driver tried to avoid a collision with an oncoming truck and car rammed into a roadside tree.  Jagruti Dattaprasad Haridas died on the spot while the driver Dattaprasad Haridas was seriously injured and was shifted to Goa Medical College hospital in Bambolim. The deceased Jagruti hailed from Asu village near Khanapur and was married to Dattaprasad from Akheri village near Sawantwadi three years >Continued on P8 >Continued on P8 „„Eligible teachers can icate from GMC or other avail up to one year valid documents (365 days) of fully „„DoE will verify. paid medical ELIGIBILITY approve applileave cases CRITERIA FOR cations;referred „„Any extenmay be TEACHERS to a Government sion beyond one year requires Medical Board if a Medical Board’s needed recommendation and „„During leave period, govt approval service benefits, senior„„Teachers must apply ity, continuity of service, through the Head of Instiand pensionary benefits tution, with medical certifremain unaffected WHAT IS COVERED: Terminal illnesses such as latestage cancer, end-stage kidney/liver/heart failure, ALS, and progressive neurodegenerative disorders, certified by a recognised government medical authority. extension beyond 365 days will be considered only on the recommendation of a Medical Board and subject to approval by the State government,” THE COMPLAINT „„Case registered on basis of complaint filed by brother of Juster who died in the accident „„Complaint alleges involvement of police constable „„Constable alleged to have stolen gold ornaments belonging to Juster „„Stolen items include gold bracelet, earrings, ring Goa registers sharp drop in AIDS Centre flags risks in Goa’s ‘safe’ groundwater tag deaths, but HIV cases on the rise KEY OBSERVATIONS OF THE STUDY THE GOAN I NETWORK DECLINE LINKED TO ART COVERAGE: RS DATA THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Goa has reported a striking fall in AIDS-related deaths over five years, even as the number of people living with HIV continues to rise.  Data placed in the Rajya Sabha shows deaths in the State dropped from 105 in 2020 to just 24 in 2025. The decline comes alongside expanded access to free Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) under the National AIDS & STD Control Programme (NACP). The figures reveal a steady increase in people living with HIV in Goa, from 3,592 in 2020 to 4,285 in 2025.  New infections peaked at 113 in 2021 but fell to 90 by 2025.  Officials said the fall in deaths reflects improved treatment coverage and monitoring of drug supplies. The government stressed that no shortages of ARV medicines were reported nationwide, with supplies centrally procured and tracked through an online system. The NACP Phase-V mid-term review, conducted in 2025, found most programme targets achieved or surpassed but recommends stronger advocacy at State and district levels and tighter monitoring of interventions for high-risk groups.  The review highlighted prevention as a continuing priority. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare told the Rajya Sabha that >Continued on P8 PANAJI oa may officially be classified as a “safe” State in terms of groundwater use, but the Central government has cautioned that this status masks underlying structural vulnerabilities that could threaten the State’s long-term water security if left unaddressed. According to the Central Ground Water Board’s (CGWB) study, National Compilation of Dynamic Ground Water Resources of India, 2025, Goa’s total annual groundwater recharge—the volume of water added to aquifers annuallyhas been assessed at 0.38 billion cubic metres (bcm), G „„Goa’s total annual groundwater recharge is estimated at 0.38 bcm, with 0.31 bcm assessed as extractable „„Annual groundwater extraction is low at 0.07 bcm „„Stage of Ground Water Extraction stands at 23.3%, well within sustainable limits „„Compared to 2024, recharge and extractable resources remain unchanged „„Extraction stage has risen slightly from 22.91% to 23.3% „„All 12 groundwater assessment units (talukas) in Goa are classified as ‘Safe’ „„Entire 2,209.59 sq km recharge-capable area falls under ‘Safe’ category „„100% of Goa’s extractable groundwater resources (305.01 mcm) lie within safe units while the annual extractable groundwater resource stands at 0.31 bcm. The annual groundwater extraction in the State is estimated at just 0.07 bcm, placing the Stage of Ground Water Extraction at 23.3 per cent, well within sustainable limits. “Compared to the 2024 assessment, the total annual groundwater recharge and extractable resources have remained unchanged, while annual extraction has shown only a marginal rise. Consequently, the Stage of Ground Water Extraction has increased slightly from 22.91 per cent to 23.3 per cent,” the study said. All 12 groundwater assessment units, corresponding to Goa’s talukas, have been categorised as “Safe”. “The entire 2,209.59 sq km of recharge-worthy area in the State falls under the ‘Safe’ category. Of the State’s total annual extractable groundwater resources of 305.01 million cubic metres (mcm), 100 per cent lies within safe assessment units,” it said. However, the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has cautioned that these favourable figures do not fully reflect the complexities of groundwater >Continued on P8