The Navhind Times

NT Reporter Panaji Alleging that Goans are being denied adequate healthcare benefits, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday urged Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to provide annual health insurance of Rs 10 lakh to every Goan family without any income criterion. Many Goans are forced to seek expensive treatment at private hospitals because of gaps []

NT Reporter Margao The Electricity Department is accelerating the commissioning of its newly laid underground cabling network and charging new transformers in Navelim as part of a long-term effort to address recurring power disruptions in the constituency. Officials said some of the transformers connected to the new underground network will be commissioned within the next []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday directed the committee, constituted by the court on June 18, to complete its report suggesting amendments to the Goa Prison Rules, 2021, for the establishment of open correctional institutions (OCIs). The direction wasissued during the hearing of a suo motu matter concerning compliance []

NT Reporter Panaji The North Goa District Road Safety Committee has directed the Public Works Department (PWD) to submit monthly division-wise reports on pothole repairs. It also decided that road accident statistics will be compiled and published every six months with a detailed break-up of fatalities, injuries, causes and accident-prone locations. The directions were issued []

NT Reporter Ponda Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday assured the people of Ponda that he had come to solve your problems, not for politics while holding an on-the-spot Janata Darbar at Rajiv Gandhi Kala Mandir in the absence of an elected MLA for the constituency. Responding to questions over the opening of an MGP []

NT Reporter Panaji A police complaint has been filed against Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) general secretary Vishvesh Naik and treasurer Ajay Kholkar, alleging the illegal expulsion of 10 primary members, financial mismanagement and other irregularities within the party. In a complaint with Panaji police, Licio Roncon, Rahul Naik, Premanand Gaude, Dagley Fernandes, Melvin Da Silva, []

NT Reporter Margao With football fever gripping Goa during the World Cup, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Wednesday drew a sporting parallel to predict a decisive victory for the Congress in the next Assembly elections, forecasting a 12-0 score against the BJP in Salcete and Mormugao. There is a World Cup going on in []

AP Dubai United States President Donald Trump warned Iran on Wednesday that the US was preparing for another night of strikes, just hours after he said the ceasefire was over because of Iranian attacks. A day after assaults on commercial shipping escalated into an exchange of fire on Iranian and US military targets, Trump renewed []

NT Reporter Panaji Observing that despite directions from the Supreme Court nearly a decade ago and a state monitoring committee meeting held a year ago, Goa has made little progress in establishing halfway homes and long-stay homes for people with mental illness and homeless persons, the Goa Human Rights Commission (GHRC) on Wednesday recommended that []

Amresh Parab Panaji The response time of Goa Polices Police Control Room (PCR) vehicles to distress calls has improved considerably, dropping from over 18 minutes in December 2023 to 8.27 minutes in June 2026. State police aim to reduce this response time even further to six minutes. Our target will be to bring the PCR []

Ayodhya: A preliminary SIT report has identified Avinash Shukla as the prime accused in the alleged theft of devotees offerings at the Ram Temple here, linking him to a suspected 40-day racket involving nearly 70 instances of pilferage from the donation-counting system, sources said on Wednesday. The interim findings of the three-member special investigation team []

Kolkata: One of the prime accused in the rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl in West Bengals Baruipur was killed in an alleged encounter early on Wednesday after he snatched a firearm from a policeman and tried to escape from custody during a crime scene reconstruction exercise, a senior officer said. The encounter []

Melbourne: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday arrived in Australia on the second leg of his three-nation tour during which he will hold talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and interact with the Indian diaspora. Landed in Melbourne, Australia. This visit will add vigour to the India-Australia comprehensive strategic partnership, Modi said in a []

EDITORIAL Agriculture reforms require field accountability and stronger implementation Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday warned officials of the Agriculture Department of action if they fail to perform their duties. Speaking at Krushi Pe Charcha in Sankhali, he advised agriculture officers not to limit themselves to office work but also to step into the fieldregularly []

The Ministry of External Affairs recently clarified that an Indian passport is a travel document and not a proof of citizenship. Legally perhaps, the statement is correct. Yet it has triggered questions in the minds of Indian citizens that extend far beyond passports. How does one prove Indian citizenship? Although the question appears straightforward, the []

Common misconceptions about gum health often prevent individuals from seeking necessary treatment, leading to preventable tooth loss and systemic health complications DR. RAHUL LOLIENKAR Periodontal disease is an immune-mediated breakdown of dental supporting structures manifesting clinically in a vast assortment of ways, such as gingival morphological alterations, gingival bleeding, oral malodour, gingival recession, pocket formation, []

PTI Wayanad At least three people were killed, 10 injured, and five remained missing after a rain-soaked mound of excavated earth gave way at the site of a multi-crore tunnel project in Meppadi panchayat in this hill district, with two state ministers describing the landslide as man-made. According to officials, the landslide occurred near Meenakshi []

PTI Jakarta India on Tuesday agreed to supply BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Astra air-to-air missiles to Indonesia, marking a significant expansion of defence ties as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Prabowo Subianto underlined the importance of deeper bilateral partnership for a free and peaceful Indo-Pacific. The two sides inked 14 agreements to enhance []

NT Reporter Sankhali Advising agriculture department officers not to limit themselves to office work but to also be out in the field, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday warned that strict action would be taken against officials who fail to perform their duties sincerely. Addressing an agricultural conference in Sankhali, Sawant urged officers to regularly []

NT Reporter Pernem In a shocking incident, a nurse from the Government Hospital and Research Centre, Tuem, was brutally attacked by a youth armed with a knife outside the main gate of the Community Health Centre (CHC), Pernem, on Tuesday around 4.45 pm. According to eyewitnesses, the accused stabbed the victim four to five times, []

NT Reporter Margao A bullfight went horribly wrong in Benaulim on Tuesday evening after a defeated bull fled the arena, ran into the sea and drowned. The incident occurred close to the Benaulim beach when the bull conceded defeat and raced towards the shore, where strong winds and tidal currents pulled the animal into the []

Beijing: At least 20 people died and 331 others injured in one of Chinas worst floods, which also created a snake scare as around 900 slithering reptiles escaped from a farm which collapsed under the force of surging waters, authorities said on Tuesday. The extreme weather in several places in China since Monday night caused []

Jakarta: India will assist Indonesia in the conservation and restoration of Prambanan Temple complex a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yogyakarta, as the two countries on Tuesday exchanged a Letter of Intent to mark the beginning of the project. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently in Indonesia at the invitation of President []

Gynovate AI by Dr. Vikram Dukle combines clinical support, documentation tools,and a mental wellness companion for doctors VINIKA VISWAMBHARANNT BUZZ Artificial intelligence is steadily finding its place in healthcare, not as a replacement for doctors but as a tool to ease the growing administrative burden that comes with modern medical practice. Candolim-based gynaecologist Dr.Vikram Dukle []

NT BUZZ Kala Academy Goa is celebrating the golden jubilee of the Konkani Drama Competition on July 10 at the Dinanath Mangeshkar Kala Mandir, Panaji. The symposium on the topic Samakalin Bhartiya Rangbhoomir Konkani Natak will be held at 3 p.m at Black Box with participation of theatre personalities Dr. Jayanti Naik, Vasant Bhagwant Sawant, []

NT Reporter Panaji Residents opposing the proposed House of Abhinandan Lodha (HOABL)-backed One Goa township at Karapur in Bicholim have secured a hearing before the National Green Tribunal (NGT), western zone bench, Pune. Admitting the application alleging violations of environmental laws, the NGT issued notices to the Centre, Goa authorities and the project developers. The []

NT Reporter Panaji The Special Court, North Goa, will hold the first hearing on July 9 in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against Saurabh Luthra and others in connection with the investigation into the alleged illegal operation of the establishment, Birch by Romeo Lane, at Arpora. Last month, the Directorate of Enforcement []

NT Reporter Panaji The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) examining the Constitution(One Hundred and Twenty-Ninth Amendment) Bill, 2024, and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, will visit Goa on July 10 and 11 to hold consultations with stakeholders on the proposed simultaneous elections, popularly known as One Nation, One Election. The Committee, chaired by Member []

NT Reporter Valpoi The Valpoi fire station has responded to more than 80 distress calls since Saturday as strong winds and rain continued to batter Sattari taluka, with Tuesday alone accounting for 27 calls. Officials said Tuesday was particularly busy as firefighters and emergency crews worked throughout the day to clear uprooted trees, remove debris []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday directed the Goa Chief Secretary to place on record any guidelines issued to regulate the removal of unauthorised structures near protected monuments. The High Court said, The Chief Secretary of Goa to place on record any guidelines if issued in pursuance to letter []

NT Reporter Margao Margao MLA and PWD Minister Digambar Kamat on Tuesday said works undertaken by the Sewerage and Infrastructure Development Corporation and the Electricity Department were the main reasons behind the sunken and potholed roads in Margao. He said that a jet patcher would be deployed next week to speed up repairs. The trenches []

NT Reporter Margao Following concerns over the NAKSHA survey, Citizens for Democracy Goa has called for formal guidelines outlining the process and legal status of the proposed Urban Property Card. The group alleged that the exercise couldeventually push ancestral properties into permanent legal limbo. For unique historical reasons, a vast majority of long-term Cuncolim residents []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Tuesday pulled up the Deputy Town Planner, Mapusa, for failing to comply with its earlier order directing an inspection of a site at Anjuna, where a nightclub is allegedly operating illegally. The court said that the inspection had not been carried out for more []

NT Reporter Panaji Faced with a surge in high-speed accidents, the state government is set to restrict Mahindra Thar sports utility vehicle (SUV) rentals, with Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho announcing on Monday that the State Transport Authority (STA) is likely to stop issuing and renewing licences for these vehicles to improve road safety. Godinho also []

PTI Ayodhya The Ram temple trust on Monday accepted the resignations of Champat Rai as its general secretary and member Anil Mishra in the wake of the donation theft row. Trustee Krishna Mohan has been named as interim general secretary. Promising to overhaul the donation system and restore the faith of devotees, the Shri Ram []

NT Reporter Panaji Stating that the government will not issue new licences for rent-a-bike and rent-a-car services, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday said the rapid growth of the rent-a-bike business has severely impacted the livelihood of the states traditional motorcycle taxi pilots. Assuring full government support to the community, Sawant also warned of stringent []

NT Reporter Vasco Railway Protection Force (RPF) of South Western Railways Hubballi Division on Sunday fined 32 tourists a total of Rs 16,000 for illegally trekking along railway tracks to reach Dudhsagar Falls despite restrictions imposed for public safety. The action was taken during a special weekend drive conducted by an RPF task force. Surprise []

NT Reporter Ponda Cooperation Minister Subhash Shirodkar, on Monday, called for greater accountability in Goas co-operative sector, saying every Junior Auditor and Auditor should be assigned five co-operative societies to monitor their performance and facilitate theirupgradation. The Minister announced plans to establish mini co-operative banks in100 schools and collegesto give students early exposure to the []

NT Reporter Pernem Residents of Deulwada in Arambol have sought action from the Forest Department following repeated sightings of a leopard in the locality and the disappearanceof five dogs over the past15 days. According to local resident Chandrakant Harmalkar, the latest incident occurred around 3 am last week. It climbed a cement staircase to the []

Special Correspondent Panaji Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, on Monday saidthe state government has identified 2,000 sqm of land for the proposed Goa Vithal-Rakhumai Bhavanin Pandharpur. Sawant said that the building would likely beinaugurated during thenext wari. He also announced that the government has purchased a 4,000 sqm plot in Ayodhya, where Goa Ram Niwas will []

His double helps Norway beat Brazil 2-1 and enter quarterfinals Erling Haaland produced a clinical masterclass as Norway stunned five-time champions Brazil 2-1 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history. Brazil squandered a golden opportunity to take control when Bruno Guimares saw an early penalty saved by rjan Nyland, []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday directed the secretary of theWater Resources Department (WRD) to intervene and oversee the sealing of illegal borewells in the Chimbel area. The High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of enforcement. It said that although 70 illegal borewells were identified in Dharwadkar Colony []

On World Chocolate Day, Alvinia De Souza shares her journey from restoring barren land to producing Goas first single- origin bean-to-bar chocolate RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ Alvinia De Souzas interest in chocolate began during her travels abroad, where she would return home with bags full of chocolates. She says, They werent meant for sharing. []

Mumbai air traffic hit, roads flooded, warning issued for landslides New Delhi: Monsoon kept people across India on their toes on Sunday, grounding flights, flooding roads and claiming seven lives in Mumbai, while Kerala was on high alert for floods and landslides and Odisha and Himachal on the lookout for heavy rain. The India Meteorological []

Ayodhya: Facing flak over donation theft allegations, the Ram temple trust will hold its first meeting on Monday since the row erupted to decide on the resignations of its general secretary Champat Rai and member Anil Mishra and may be briefed on the interim findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT). Ahead of the meeting, []

Ponda: Categorically ruling out handing over electricity distribution to Tata Power, Power Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar has said that the state is committed to strengthening its own power distribution network and will oppose any attempt by private players to enter the power sector. Referring to the Joint Review Committee (JRC) discussions, Dhavalikar said that the []

New Delhi: The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (MFDA) has reportedly issued a public warning against the use of three cosmetic products after laboratory tests found dangerously high levels of mercury and lead, prompting concerns over serious health risks. The regulator declared Goree Beauty Cream, Face Fresh Gold (Beauty Cream + Beauty Serum) and Golden []

Margao: The Carmona gram sabha on Sunday opposed any move to privatise the states power distribution network. It also passed resolutions demanding the scrapping of TCP section 39A and the withdrawal of a recent notification proposing to classify protected land in the village under the Non-Developable Area (NDA). Sarpanch Sandra Martins said that the panchayat []

Panaji: Four industrial units in the state have been included in the Centres proposed greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction framework, which introduces mandatory emission intensity targets under Indias Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS). Among the units covered are four Goa-based companies: Shraddha Ispat Pvt. Ltd., Ambe Metallics Ltd., Goa Sponge and Power Ltd., and Vedanta []

Ponda: The Bhoma panchayat has withheld the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the proposed new Banastarim bridge, citing a lack of clarity in the project proposal submitted by the Public Works Department (PWD) for the expansion of the Kali Mati-Old Goa stretch of NH-748. The PWD sought the panchayats NOC for the proposed the Banastarim []