UNION Ministry of Power has decided to regulate ACs in the country, including car ACs. The ACs in the country can be regulated only between 20 and 28 degrees. This means you cannot reduce the AC temperature below 20 or above 28. The lower the temperature the greater the amount of power consumed. It is estimated that the new regulation will result in a massive saving of power. India has reportedly two crore plus households using ACs. ACs are considered important for the safety of children and senior citizens, particularly during intense summer tropical humid heat.

ATTACK ON SILICON VALLEY

DONALD Trump has launched a war against IT hardware and software companies in Silicon Valley in California for hiring illegal immigrants.  The Silicon Valley is the greatest source of employment for IT professionals the world over. The largest number of H1B1 visas granted to highly skilled professionals are for IT companies in the Silicon Valley and elsewhere in the United States. The major IT companies like INFOSYS, TCS and WIPRO export a large number of IT professionals to service their clients in the United States. For the first time in the history of the US the National Guard has been sent to California, which is also the scene of many protests against the Israel attacks on Gaza.

CALANGUTE EID HORROR

THREE minor girls aged between 11 and 15 years were reportedly raped in a Calangute hotel by two young men. Altaf Mujawar, native of Karnataka, 19,  and 21-one-year-old Om Naik, resident of Porvorim. The young teenage boys reportedly accepted an invitation to celebrate Eid from the boyfriend of the 15-year-old girl. The prime accused reportedly made friends with the girl on social media. The police have arrested the two accused and the owner of the Calangute hotel, Rajat Chauhan, native of Haryana and the receptionist, Mansoor Shafi Peer, native of Jammu and Kashmir, who gave them rooms without checking their ID proof. There are a number of small hotels in Goa which are used for prostitution.

SPACE FLIGHT DELAYED

THE maiden space flight of Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla failed to lift off due to bad weather and safety concerns. The launch on the SpaceX rocket owned by Elon Musk was initially delayed due to bad weather. It was subsequently found that there was a liquid oxygen leakage.  Axion-4 was to start its journey to the International Space Station from Canady Space Center at 5:30om IST on Wednesday, June 11. It is not clear if the space flight could be cancelled.

WIFE MURDERS HUSBAND

SONAM Raghuvanshi from Indore is alleged to have conspired to murder her husband Raja Raghuvanshi while they were on their honeymoon in Meghalaya. Sonam is reported to have hired four killers to murder her husband at the instance of her alleged lover, Raj Kushwaha, and his three childhood friends. Sonam’s mother met her in-law families in Indore and apologized. She said that she was convinced by the evidence that her daughter should be punished.

PAK CATHOLIC DEPORTED

A GOA-born Pakistani Catholic has been refused permission to remain in Goa. Jude Mendes, who was born in Goa to a Pakistani national in 1987, completed his studies in Karachi in Pakistan. Mendes arrived in India on a long term visa which was extended June last year. Mendes was even granted an Aadhar card and married a Goan girl in February 2025. Three days after the Pahalgam attack the visas of all Pakistan nationals in India were cancelled including that of Mendes. The Supreme Court has refused to let him stay back in Goa.

UNITY MALL IN CHIMBEL

THE State government has given permission to Construction Pvt Ltd to construct a huge Unity Mall at Chimbel at the cost of Rs161 crore The State government has transferred 25,000 sq mtr of land at Chimbel to the Tourism Department for the Unity Mall which will showcase Made in India products. The project is backed by the Union Finance Ministry which has sanctioned Rs100 crore for the project.

NO NON-VEG DURING SAPTAH

THE Mormugoa Municipal Council has decided that no non-veg food stalls will be permitted during the annual Saptah in port town Vasco da Gama.  The story behind the annual Saptah is that there was plague in Vasco, during which time the leading citizens led by the Joshi family got a sacred coconut from Margao. Every year this sacred coconut, which seems to have helped end the killer plague, is thanked and honoured at the residence of Joshi family.   Alongside the week-long Saptah there’s a fair which attracts a large number of stalls so that people may do some shopping for the monsoon season.  The Mormurgoa Municipal Council has decided to increase the rates for the stalls for the Saptah which starts on July 30, 2025. 

KEEL-LAYING CEREMONY FOR GOA SHIPYARD

GOA Shipyard Limited (GSL), a premier Defence Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, marked a significant milestone in the nation’s maritime capability-building journey with the keel-laying of Yard 1283. This is the fourth ship in the prestigious Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) series for the Indian Navy. The ceremony was held on June 9, 2025 and present to do the honours was Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, AVSM, VSM, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS), who laid the keel in a solemn and dignified tradition steeped in naval heritage.

The keel laying marks continued progress in the construction of seven NGOPVs, being designed and built entirely in-house by GSL under a ₹6,200 crore contract signed on March 30, 2023. The vessels are tailored to the operational requirements of the Indian Navy and stand as a testament to India’s maturing indigenous design and shipbuilding capabilities. Each vessel will be 114 metres in length, 14.6 metres in beam, with a displacement of 2,700 tonnes. The ships will feature dual diesel propulsion with Controllable Pitch Propellers and be equipped with cutting-edge indigenous weapons and sensor suites.

In his interaction with senior leadership and project teams, Vice Admiral Swaminathan commended the Ministry of Defence, Indian Navy, and the Indian shipbuilding industry for their unwavering dedication to self-reliance in defence production. He expressed satisfaction at the quality and pace of execution of critical naval projects, and praised the shipyard’s relentless pursuit of excellence amid demanding timelines.

Chairman & Managing Director of GSL  Brajesh Kumar Upadhyay, highlighted the shipyard’s accelerated growth trajectory, underpinned by its resolute focus on indigenisation, technology absorption, and quality execution. He emphasised that GSL’s evolving capabilities have placed it at the forefront of India’s naval shipbuilding map, with an impressive indigenous content in ongoing projects.

“These strategic orders reflect not just the scale of trust, but also the scope of responsibility placed upon us,” remarked the CMD, adding that “GSL stands committed to delivering world-class warships built on the pillars of self-reliance, innovation, and national service.”

GSL’s shipbuilding activities are not only strengthening India’s maritime security apparatus but are also significantly contributing to national economic growth by invigorating the local ecosystem, empowering MSMEs, and creating thousands of employment opportunities. The shipyard’s expanding order book and indigenous manufacturing ethos are emblematic of a resurgent India taking confident strides towards ‘Atmanirbharta’.

`SANKALP SE SIDDHI’ PEOPLE’S GOVERNANCE 

CHIEF Minister  Dr Pramod Sawant celebrating 11 years of Prime Minister  Narendra Modi’s government reiterated that “Sankalp Se Siddhi” aims to propagate people-centric governance in  Goa, focusing welfare of youth, women, farmers and poor community. 

He was addressing the huge gathering at a program “Viksit Bharat Ka Amrit Kaal, Seva Sushasan, Garib Kalyan ke 11 Sal, Sankalp Se Siddhi” organised by the Department of Information & Publicity at Ponda on June 9. 

The CM stressed upon integral development of the State and said that his government has successfully implemented 80 percent out of 13 flagship schemes announced by the Prime Minister Modi. He distributed around 90 sanads under Forest Rights Acts to forest dwellers. Now 2,000 claims have been settled and around 8,000 claims of forest dwellers are pending and these will be disposed off by  December 19, 2025.

The program was followed by distributing sanction orders to beneficiaries under various schemes and felicitation of senior government officers and bank officers for their remarkable contribution towards development of the society. Distribution of sanction orders under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsha Abhiyan, Eco-friendly Movable Fish Kiosks (three-wheeler) under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana was held. Officers of the Public Works Department were felicitated for their contribution towards Jal Jeevan Mission.

The Chorao Lion Trust was felicitated with financial assistance for running Ummid Centre as also IMA Ponda Charitable Trust for Dilasa pellative care under Directorate of Social Welfare. Community Managed Training Centre and Lakhpati Didi Mascot under Rural Development Department were virtually inaugurated on the occasion. 

Under PM Aa Jivika Grameen Express Yojana a grant of Rs3.19 crore to 13 cluster level self help group federations and Rs6.43 crore of funds were disbursed to 18 cluster level federations, thereby empowering women folk in rural areas to start up their own business. On the occasion various videos depicting all round development of the state were presented and also booklet based on Seva Sushasan Garib Kalyan was released.

Union Minister of State for Power and Renewable Energy Sripad Naik said that both Union and State governments  worked tirelessly for the development of Goa. It has provided all the basic facilities to deprived sections of society to overcome poverty and their hardships.

Minister for Water Resources Subhash Shirodkar welcomed the gathering. Goa Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, Dy Speaker Joshua Dsouza, Minister for Agriculture  Ravi Naik, Minister for Fisheries Nilkanth Halarnkar, Minister for Revenue Atanasio Monserrate, Minister for Information & Technology  Rohan Khaunte, Minister for Art and Culture  Govind Gaude, Minister for Social Welfare  Subhash Phal Desai, Member of Parliament Sadanand Shet Tanawade, Chairman of Ponda Municipal Council  Anand Naik were present on the occasion. Also present were MLAs, IAS officers and senior government officers. Chief Secretary Dr V Candavelou (IAS) proposed a vote of thanks. 

RETHINK DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

GOA is gradually transforming from a place known for leisure to one that supports ideas, innovation and creative enterprise. This shift was evident at the 13th edition of First Friday, a monthly meetup focused on sustainable design, community engagement, and the future of Goa’s creative economy.

Held at the Surendrababu Timblo Hall, GCCI, the event was organised by the Creative Community of Goa (CCG) in collaboration with the Association of Designers of India (ADI) – Goa Chapter, with support from the Startup & IT Promotion Cell, Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, government of Goa.

The keynote session was led by architect and designer Deeksha Thind, who spoke on permaculture and design, saying,  “Permaculture isn’t just a method — it’s a way of thinking. It’s about designing with nature, where every element has a role, and resources are respected and reused. Goa has always attracted creative minds, but building something meaningful starts with understanding the place and the people.”

Founder of Saraya Eco Stays in Goa, Ms Thind shared how her practice is shaped by local materials, community engagement, and sustainable living. She  added, “At Saraya, we work with the landscape rather than against it. It’s a continuous process of learning and adapting.” Following this DS Prashant (CEO of the Startup & IT Promotion Cell) introduced the draft design policy for Goa. “The intent is to position Goa as a destination for creative professionals — a place where ideas can take root and grow,” he said. He described the policy as a framework to align efforts across design, craft, technology and entrepreneurship, with a focus on sustainable growth.

An open discussion on the draft design policy invited feedback from attendees, including suggestions on building stronger links between the creative sector and local communities, education, and industry.

As Goa continues to build on its cultural and creative assets, platforms like First Friday reflect the growing interest in shaping a more design-conscious and inclusive future for the state.

IPSCDL CELEBRATES WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

IN a meaningful celebration of World Environment Day, Imagine Panaji Smart City Development Ltd (IPSCDL) organized a tree plantation drive at the site of its upcoming pedestrian walkway project behind the Spaces Building at Patto Panaji on June 6, 2025. The event was graced by  Sandip Jacques, IAS, CEO & MD of IPSCDL along with Pankaj Rane, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), environmental expert Miguel Braganza and architect Gerard Da Cunha. Members of the IPSCDL project team also actively participated in the plantation activity. To make the event more engaging and educational, IPSCDL had invited students from People’s High School and Mary Immaculate High School from Panaji. The students joined in the tree planting effort, contributing to the greening of the soon-to-be public walkway. A variety of native and environmentally valuable tree species were planted during the drive, including Cassia Fistula (golden shower tree), Peltophorum (copperpod), Ferrugenium (likely referring to Lagerstroemia speciosa), Grewia Robusta, Terminalia Chebula (haritaki) and Terminalia Catappa (Indian almond). Miguel Braganza interacted with the students, educating them on the ecological and medicinal significance of each species planted. He highlighted how these trees would not only enhance the beauty of the area but also support biodiversity, improve air quality, create shaded and pedestrian-friendly zones. This plantation drive marks an important milestone in Panjim’s growth towards becoming a smart and green urban city.

VM SALGAOCAR LAW COLLEGE GETS NAAC ACCREDITATION

THE VM Salgaocar College of Law, Panaji, Goa, has been awarded an ‘A’ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with a CGPA of 3.2 on a seven point scale. The accreditation is valid for five years, from May 29, 2025.

Says principal Dr Shaber Ali, “We are pleased to receive this recognition from NAAC. It reflects the sustained efforts of our management, IQAC, faculty, staff, and students in pursuing academic excellence and maintaining the highest quality of legal education. This milestone strengthens our resolve to continue improving and serving the nation effectively.” IQAC coordinator Dr BS Patil adds, “This achievement reflects the hard work and commitment of everyone at the college. It was truly a team effort.”