Panaji residents rally to save Mandovi river
The residents of Panaji and Reis Magos are once again raising their voices in defense of the Mandovi River. River Mandovi is not only a lifeline of Goa but also a symbol of its ecological and cultural identity. At the heart of the growing unrest lies the proposal to replace an existing small casino vessel with a massive 112-metre ship. The Mandovi River has long sustained fishing communities, supported mangrove ecosystems, and drawn tourists to its scenic banks. However, over the past decade, the anchoring of offshore casinos has significantly altered its character. Residents allege that untreated waste discharge, fuel leakage, and constant marine activity are degrading water quality and threatening fish populations.  Panaji’s narrow roads and limited parking infrastructure are struggling to cope with the steady stream of vehicles heading to casino jetties. The city’s planning framework was never designed to support entertainment complexes of this magnitude. Even if the official number of casinos remains capped at six, the size of the vessel matters. A single vessel equivalent in size and operational capacity to multiple smaller ones intensifies the burden on an already stressed river. Increased vessel size brings amplified ecological risk. It will also set a dangerous precedent. If one operator is permitted to upscale dramatically, what prevents others from following suit? Over time, the river could host six mega-structures instead of six relatively smaller ones. This will sound the death knell of River Mandovi. Short-term revenue from large floating casinos may provide economic gains, but at what long-term environmental and social cost? That is the crucial question.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Taxpayers deserve better
On February 15 the Prime Minister made a historic touchdown from a C-130J aircraft of the Indian Air Force at the Northeast’s first Emergency Landing Facility (ELF) in Dibrugarh District, Assam. The Rs 100-crore ELF is a reinforced 4.2 km stretch on the Moran bypass. This strategic and multifunctional highway would be for IAF’s fighter jets and transport aircrafts so as to strengthen defence, logistics and disaster response. In the past too, fighter airplanes have landed on highways to test the capabilities of the aircrafts and suitability of the highways. Good for the country to be prepared for any eventualities. Whenever VVIPs and VIPs visit a State, new roads and highway are built and the areas leading up to and around the venue are spruced up. These roads, used for just a few hours, are laid in double quick time and at huge costs and last for months. In contrast, highways and roads, that run thousands of kilometres throughout the country hardly last for a few months and some only for days. The defence forces and dignitaries are way ahead of us and we will not grudge the perks that come with their duties and posts. But are not the crores of tax-paying citizens worthy to deserve smooth roads without craters, potholes, absence of poorly built speed breakers, working streetlights, and amenities along the highways? Routine and never-ending constructions of roads and highways are given the short thrift by governments and contractors, although there is more money involved in these than in a one-off short stretch of bypass or roads for State visitors.
Sridhar D Iyer, Caranzalem
Protest derails progress
It’s undoubtedly wrong for the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) to have staged a “shirtless” protest at the international AI summit on February 20, 2026. Approximately 10 IYC members not only disrupted the event but also wore T-shirts with images of PM Modi and Donald Trump, alongside slogans such as “PM is compromised” and “Epstein Files,” all aimed at criticising the recent India-US trade deal. While peaceful protest is a fundamental right that strengthens India’s image as a vibrant democracy, this was not the appropriate forum. Even though the IYC raised legitimate concerns, the timing and setting were completely inappropriate. As a result, their actions have overshadowed more pressing issues—like the Chinese robodog fiasco—which will likely now be conveniently forgotten. The BJP, ever ready to seize on such blunders, wasted no time in using the incident to its advantage. BJP MP Sambit Patra, for instance, wasted no opportunity to launch a scathing attack, calling Rahul Gandhi and the Congress Party “traitors of the highest order.” Patra said, “Wherever the country progresses, wherever happiness prevails, they will surely spoil it. These are traitors. I have three words for Congress: topless, brainless, shameless.” Meanwhile, the IYC protestors are now in police custody, but no action has been taken against Galgotia University for its controversial “dog fiasco.” Despite the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordering the university to vacate its stall for violating exhibition terms, and the university later issuing a formal apology, it raises the question: Is this enough to tarnish the image of the Modi government?
Bidyut Chatterjee, Faridabad
