The lost opportunity
Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) held a one-day national conference in New Delhi on ‘Goan Architecture and Sustainability’. There were four panel discussions on the ‘Goa Model’: architecture, heritage, energy efficiency and climate-smart construction. An exhibition showcased GoVAN products (NT, August 1, 2026). The conference was addressed by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in the presence of Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Goa’s Rajya Sabha member Sadanand Shet Tanavade and several experts. Why was this interesting and apt conference pertaining to Goa held in New Delhi? This is like cutting trees in Goa and compensating by planting them in the other states! The conference of two-three days could have been in Goa and economically helped local communities, stakeholders, and increased tourists’ footfall. Students of architecture (from Goa and nearby states), environmentalists, builders and others could have benefitted immensely. GSIDC could consider holding a similar conference in the coming days.
Sridhar D Iyer, Caranzalem
Misleading claims
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s claim during his August 1, 2026 visit to Mysuru that engineering and medicine courses are now conducted in local languages is misleading. Let him furnish a list of colleges where this is actually done. At best, lectures may be delivered in a regional language, but technical instruction inevitably relies on English terminology because Indian languages lack precise equivalents for much of the vocabulary required in engineering and medicine. I say this as a B.Tech graduate from IIT Kharagpur (batch of 1971) who has spent 25 years translating technical material, with works published by the Sahitya Akademi and the Goa Konkani Akademi. Developing such terminology will take another generation, provided it is pursued seriously with institutional commitment and government support. Japan and Korea achieved this long ago. Claims made merely for popularity or attention should not substitute for facts.
S Kamat, Mysuru
Gram sabha accountability
The Panchayat Minister deserves appreciation for reminding village panchayats of their statutory obligation to hold gram sabhas and proposing penal action against those repeatedly failing to convene them. However, the issue extends beyond mandatory meetings. Across Goa, gram sabhas are increasingly being reduced to statutory rituals. Resolutions are passed, suggestions recorded, and genuine concerns raised, only to gather dust. The Panchayat Department must ensure not only regular meetings but also accountability for implementing resolutions, with periodic reviews and action against panchayats that disregard them without valid reasons. Equally disturbing is the tendency to prioritise builders over villagers by granting construction licences despite inadequate infrastructure and environmental concerns. Gram sabhas should deliberate on drinking water, roads, sanitation, waste management, public health, environmental protection, and preserving village character. Grassroots democracy cannot survive if people’s voices are ignored. Anything less betrays the spirit of the Panchayati Raj system.
Evaristo Fernandes, Merces
NHs as deathtraps
Major stretches of the Pune-Bengaluru national highway, at least till Belagavi, is filled with potholes and craters. According to government statistics, there were nearly 2,385 road accident deaths in the country due to potholes in 2024 with Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh being the worst-affected states. Poor engineering, corruption and paucity of funds ensure that the roads remain in a precarious condition. Heavy traffic and rains lead to surface expansion underneath the roads, and the consequent cracking, leading to potholes. Insufficient and inefficient drainage system have aggravated the situation. When potholes surface, haphazard patching is undertaken by the authorities. However, they do not stick for long. In a hurry to meet the deadline, engineers tend to utilise inadequate aggregators. The government has stressed on “education and engineering, enforcement and emergency” as steps to prevent and repair potholes. Well, big on words.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Eastern front challenge
The arrival of Pakistan’s Chinese-built Hangor-class submarine and implicit threats to project power into the Bay of Bengal signal a concerning strategic shift along India’s eastern flank. Spanning millions of square kilometres, these waters safeguard critical Sea Lines of Communication and strategic naval bases such as Visakhapatnam and INS Varsha. With China supplying over 70 per cent of Bangladesh’s military imports, alongside its eight-submarine deal with Islamabad, a coordinated maritime challenge is taking shape. The re-establishment of a Pakistani naval presence east of the peninsula, unseen for decades, demands immediate countermeasures. India must rapidly expand its anti-submarine warfare capabilities.
Vijaykumar HK, Raichur
