Dateline Goa

Goa Marathi Film Festival opens

The glitz and glamour of the Marathi film industry were in full flow at the Inox Courtyard on Friday at the inaugural ceremony of the Goa Marathi Film Festival. People flocked in good numbers to attend the inaugural and some of them were seen posing with their favourite film stars, while many clicked selfies before the inaugural ceremony which was delayed for more than half-an-hour. Film lovers will get to see some good Marathi films at the Maquinez Palace and Inox till August 7.

Bleak future for Bicholim govt primary school

Even as the issue of merger of government schools is heating up, this government primary school at Gaonkar Wada, Mulgaon, Bicholim, is looking at a bleak future. In the current academic year, there have been no enrolments in this school, and it is currently closed. Once bustling with children, this school is now deserted. The Goa Infrastructure Development Corporation had renovated the school building two-and-half years ago. Bicholim taluka has a total of 73 government primary schools.

Expo on India's independence movement

Central Bureau of Communication (Goa) and Konkan Railway have jointly organized a three-day multimedia exhibition on India’s Independence Movement and its 75 years of journey at the Margao Railway Station. The expo, which is being held as part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav festivities marking the 75th anniversary of the country’s independence, got underway on Friday and will be on till August 7.

Cong protests against inflation, GST on food items

The Goa Congress on Friday took part in the party's nationwide protest against price rise, unemployment and imposition of Goods and Services Tax on food items at the Azad Maidan in Panjim. The Panjim Town Police detained GPCC President Amit Patkar, Mahila Congress chief Bina Naik and three other party workers.

Harvest feast celebrated in Raia

The first corn of the season was blessed in Raia as the Our Lady of Snows Church celebrated its annual Konsachem Fest (Harvest Feast) on Friday. Episcopal vicar of South Goa, parish priest of St John the Baptist Church-Benaulim, Fr Lucio Alexandre Dias, cut and blessed the first sheaves on the occasion.

Three injured in cylinder blast

A technician of HP company and two women suffered leg injuries when the former was at the house of the latter at Sonarbhat, Quepem, to attend to a complain of gas leak.

According to Quepem PI Deepak Pednekar, the blast occurred due to a wood fire inside the house. The leaking gas spread to the adjoining place where the wood fire was burning. All three suffered injuries to their legs below the knee, he stated.

They were rushed to the South Goa District Hospital in Margao.

Man allegedly jumps from old Mandovi bridge

A scooterist is suspected to have jumped from Panjim's old Mandovi bridge into the river allegedly to end his life at around 6 am. The two-wheeler, parked on the footpath of the bridge, belongs to one Tulshidas Shetye (68) of Boca de Vaca in the capital city. He has been reported missing by his family. The Panjim police and the fire brigade, along with other agencies, have started a search operation for the missing person.

Police say, an eye witness saw Tulshidas jumping into the river.

Two cops injured in accident at Sancoale

Two cops, Ashish Kumar and Sagar Rane, attached to the Verna police station were reportedly hit by a rental car at Sancoale while they had gone to attend an accident call. Both cops sustained minor injuries and were taken to the Chicalim sub-district hospital for treatment.

CM questions poor performance of schools

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday questioned heads of various schools why their performance in certain areas is falling despite state government providing all the required facilities and good pay scale to teachers.

Sawant was referring to the National Achievement Survey (NAS) which has found Goa's performance has fallen below the national average in certain areas of education. He said the state government was held responsible for poor ranking in the NAS.

Manjunath Dukale wins Zambaulim Damodar Devasthan election

The panel of former president of Sri Ramnath Damodar temple in Zambaulim Manjunath Dukale won the election of the new executive committee. Dukale's panel was fully supported by mahajans from outside Goa, which made his victory worthwhile. Dukale himself won the presidential election by 162 votes over Sandesh Hegde Desai.

The election process was mired in controversy over whether mahajans from outside Goa had the right to vote. The non-Goan mahajans had moved the Bombay High Court after they were denied voting rights.

Opposition to merger of schools

The Goa Forward Party has demanded immediate withdrawal of the decision to merge government schools without taking parents and stakeholders concerned into confidence.

The party also opposed the government circular stating schools should take over anganwadis. It questioned how the education department can issue such a directive when anganwadis come under the Directorate of Women and Child Department.

South police team seize liquor bottles

A team of South Goa district police led by PI Vaibhav Naik raided a general store at Sanvordem and seized illegally stored liquor bottles (27 litres) worth Rs 5,815.

WRD Minister, Vasco MLA inspect lakes in Vasco

The WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar and Vasco MLA Krishna (Daji) Salkar on Thursday morning inspected the Sasmolem and Maimolem lakes in the heart of Vasco.

Two months ago, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, along with the Vasco MLA, had inspected the same lakes.

Salkar informed GT that the lakes will be desilted and developed as a tourism spot.

Nanda lake of Curchorem receives Ramsar recognition

The Nanda lake of Cacora, Curchorem, has received the coveted Ramsar site recognition. Ten new Indian wetlands including one in Goa have got Ramsar recognition as wetlands of international importance. This takes India’s tally of Ramsar sites to 64, informed Bhupender Yadav, Union Cabinet Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change

Over 25 booked for drunken driving

The Goa police booked more than 25 drunken driving cases since Tuesday night on the first day of their intensive drive to curb such cases after the tragic accident on Zuari bridge.

The offence of drunken driving will attract a fine of Rs 10,000 or six months of imprisonment under the new Motor Vehicles Act. Cases were booked in Panjim, Ponda and Mapusa.

Petition against double-tracking dismissed

High Court dismisses petition filed by Ganv Bhavancho Ekvott challenging double-tracking in Chandor-Guirdolim panchayat area without obtaining permission from the panchayat and the Town and Counrty Planning Department.

Police begin drive against drunken driving

The Goa police late Tuesday night started their drive against drunken driving. The police were seen stationed on some of the main highway junctions across the State conducting breath analyser tests on two-wheeler riders and four-wheeler drivers.

Swimming trials in Ponda on August 5

The Goa Swimming Association has organized selection trials on August 5 from 3.30 pm onwards at the Ponda pool. The trials are being held to select swimmers for two national competitions.

The 75th Senior National Swimming Championship will be held in Guwahati (Assam) from September 6 to 10. The second championship will be held in Rajkot, Gujarat, from September 29 to October 6.

Nigerian held with MDMA worth Rs 1.40 lakh

Calangute police have arrested Lucky Ekomeye (40), a Nigerian national, with MDMA worth Rs 1.40 lakh.

P'yat poll candidate held for FB post against CM

Umran Pathan, who is contesting panchayat election from Rumdamol-Davorlim (Ward No 8), was arrested by the Margao police for a Facebook post against Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. Pathan was released on bail. His advocate said the case against him was a politically fabricated one.

Pathan said his opponent was trying his best to subdue him by using government machinery, but people are with him. BJP spokesperson, Urfan Mulla, is also contesting from Ward No 8.

Plans on to bring Durand Cup back to Goa

Plans are on to bring the Durand Cup football tournament back to Goa. The tournament was first held in 2014, after which it was held in places like Delhi, Kolkata and North East.

On Tuesday, all the three trophies of the Durand Football Tournament (the rotating Durand Cup and Shimla Trophy, as well as the President's Trophy awarded to the winning team) were unveiled at Dona Paula.

Lawyer challenges Smriti Irani to a debate

Adv Aires Rodrigues has challenged Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani to come for a public debate to discuss facts and figures pertaining to the now very controversial Silly Souls Café and Bar at Assagao so that the people of Goa know the truth.

Pointing out that nobody has claimed that those premises are owned or that the licenses were in the name of Smriti Irani’s family, the lawyer, who is also a social activist, has stated that all that has been alleged is that the illegal cafe was being run by Irani’s family and that there was enough prima facie evidence to that effect.

SGPDA discusses Sopo collection

The monthly meeting of the South Goa Planning and Development Authority, which was adjourned last time, was held today.

Chairman of the authority Krishna Daji Salkar informed discussions were held on how to tender the Sopo collection. "We have come up with a few suggestions and the same will be sent to the government," he said and added, "We have also discussed the repairs on Usgao market. Also, the SGPDA retail market is being renovated. We will increase some rates to generate income for the authority."