Author: Team Admin

Team Goemkarponn PANAJI: Traditional taxi operators in Goa are pushing back against the rapid expansion of app-based ride services, calling on the state government to introduce stricter controls to protect their earnings and cultural identity. They argue that these digital platforms are eroding their business by offering rides at significantly cheaper rates—reportedly up to 30% lower than government-approved tariffs. Taxi associations also point to infrastructure challenges, particularly in areas with unreliable mobile connectivity, which they say make app-based models impractical in many parts of the state. They further claim that successive governments have sidelined them in key policy decisions, allowing…

New Delhi: In a rare public admission, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed that India targeted the Nur Khan Air Base during recent cross-border military strikes, and that a ceasefire proposal was conveyed to him directly by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir. Speaking about the incident, Sharif said he was informed of the missile strikes in the early hours of May 10, 2025, during a phone call from General Munir at around 2:30 AM. The conversation confirmed that India had struck the highly strategic Nur Khan Air Base, located in Chaklala, Rawalpindi, near Islamabad. The Nur Khan Air…

New Delhi: Shashi Tharoor, Supriya Sule, Shrikant Shinde Among 7 MPs Leading India’s Global Anti-Terror Outreach In a significant diplomatic initiative, the Indian government has appointed seven Members of Parliament (MPs) to lead international delegations aimed at reshaping the global narrative around terrorism, particularly in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. The move is part of India’s effort to present concrete evidence of cross-border terrorism and advocate its stance of “zero tolerance” against terror on the global stage. The delegations will engage with foreign governments and international institutions, challenging the narrative pushed by…

Team Goemkarponn PANAJI: The villagers of Shirgao have mounted strong resistance against the State government’s recent mining lease granted to Salgaocar Shipping Company Pvt Ltd, alleging that the agreement was finalised without adequate community consultation or consideration of their long-standing concerns. Central to the opposition is the demand for a minimum 200-metre buffer zone from the nearest house to the mining area. Currently, the government has sanctioned only a 150-metre protective buffer from the compound of the revered Shree Lairai Devi temple. Local resident Vijay Gaonkar criticised the government for allegedly pushing forward mining operations without safeguarding the village’s residential…

THREATENED TO DIG… — Road-digging ban from May 15 is openly violated across Goa. — Contractors face political pressure to rush works before monsoon. — Non-compliant contractors are threatened with blacklisting. — Hot mixing continues during pre-monsoon showers, wasting public money. — Repeated road digging shows a lack of departmental coordination. — CM’s circular has little value without proper enforcement. — 2027 election pressure driving urgency over planning. — Financial interests suspected behind the project rush. — Public suffers due to poor quality, and unfinished monsoon infrastructure. — Rules exist on paper, but political influence overrides governance. SURAJ NANDREKAR…

Team Goemkarponn PANAJI: The All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOA) has voiced strong opposition to the State government’s newly notified ‘Mhaji Bus’ Scheme 2025, calling it untrustworthy and inadequate. AGPBOA General Secretary Sudip Tamankar criticised the revised scheme as a “jumla,” citing the government’s failure to clear past subsidy payments. “We have no faith in this scheme. The government still owes us subsidies, and until those are paid, we cannot accept any new proposal,” he stated. Tamankar highlighted that under the earlier pilot version of the scheme, operators on the Margao–Canacona route were paid ₹34 per kilometre, compared to…

As Goa braces for the onset of the monsoon, the state government has dutifully issued a circular banning all road digging from May 15 onwards. The stated intention behind this recurring administrative ritual is noble: to prevent unnecessary inconvenience to the public during the rainy season. After all, open trenches, half-dug roads, and unattended mounds of soil turn into potential death traps when lashed by monsoon rains. Flooding, traffic snarls, vehicle damage, and even serious injuries become common, all consequences of delayed or mismanaged civil works. Yet, this year – as with many in the past – the circular seems…