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WEEKEND UPDATES

Mar 28- April 03, 2026, WEEKEND UPDATES March 27, 2026 , by

WOMEN CARTOONISTS

THE veteran Goan woman cartoonist Dr Smitha Bhandare Kamat, the recipient of the Goa State Award for Education presented her paper at the prestigious United Nations Institute for training and Research in Brussels on December 3, 2025. Her study titled “Women Cartoonists on Conflict” – explored responses to conflict situations in West Asia. The cartoonists and their work serve as a powerful advocate for peace. Dr Bhandare is a recognized cartoonist with national exhibitions and international publications. She highlighted how meaningful international dialogue benefits society.

MARIO MIRANDA AT GOA UNIVERSITY

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THE Department of Political Science of Goa University is exploring the political impact of the cartoons of Mario da Miranda. HOD of  Political Science Rahul Tripathi is holding a seminar on the underlying political messages of Mario da Miranda’s cartoons in the late artist and cartoonist’s centenary year. There will be papers presented during the seminar being held in the first week of April at the University campus, there will be presentations by the architect Gerard D’Cunha who has documented the life and works of Mario.

 It may be noted that the only overtly political book of cartoons was published way back in 1977, titled “Politics Indian Style” on the post-Emergency elections. Rajan Narayan wrote the text for the book which was published by Jaico Publishers.

GARDENS OF GOA

MOST of the gardens of Goa were created during the Portuguese times. This includes the Margao Municipal garden which was promoted by Parse George Barretto,  a leading Portuguese official. In the late 50s the Margao Municipal garden acquired a children’s park alongside donated by local businessman Abdul Mavani and it was named after the Aga Khan.

Now there is a controversial proposal to lease a part of the garden to a restaurant and recreation area to an outside party. This is being opposed by Chirag Datta Naik who is currently on a hunger strike to protest against this kind of abuse of public gardens. The only post-Liberation garden is perhaps the Joggers Park up at Panjim’s Altinho and the garden at Caranzalem by Miramar beach established and maintained courtesy Babush Monserrate.  

ADANI LINKED TO PIPED GAS

 IT is not widely known that a company linked to the controversial Gautam Adani has the franchise for supplying piped gas in all of south Goa, including the Mormugoa taluka. Piped gas supply contract in Panjim and north Goa has been given to the Gas Authority of India. It has been rejected by Goans because of the very high tariffs. A renewed attempt is being made to compel Goan residents to opt for piped gas where the facility is available. India and Goa are the only places where LPG is supplied in metal cylinders to domestic consumers. In the West piped gas is universal and is critical for heating homes in cold temperate climates.

PONDA BY-ELECTIONS

THE Ponda bye-elections which are being held on April 9, 2026  will see a 3-cornered contest. The BJP has fielded Nitish Naik, son of the late Ravi Naik who defected to the Congress first from the MGP to become chief minister in the early 90s. When the BJP came to power Ravi Naik was among the 10 Congress MLAs who joined the Pramod Sawant-led BJP. Ketan Bhatikar, originally part of the MGP, has joined the Congress after being offered a ticket to contest the Ponda bye-election. Ketan Bhatikar is the first physiotherapist to contest elections in Goa.

GOA’S FIRST SENSORY GARDEN IN SALIGAO

UNDOUBTEDLY, the social welfare trust of Caritas India comes up with some interesting and much needed projects to make life easier for our children of a lesser god or so to speak. This time the media was invited to take a look at the amazing Caritas Saligao’s new Sensory Garden, designed to aid children with disabilities. Present at the opening of the garden on March 25, 2026 were His Eminence Cardinal Felipe Neri Ferrao, Fr Maverick Fernandes (director of Caritas Goa), Fr Savio Fernandes (asst director of Caritas Goa, Joshua Francis Silveira (Frontline Managed Services director of India Operations, a Porvorim-based MNC), also present were children with multiple disabilities like dim vision, low hearing power, difficulty in communicating and so on, and parents, social workers and specially trained staff.

Cardinal Felipe Neri Ferrao in a heartwarming ceremony blessed the garden and spoke about how most of us take our five senses for granted, while there are children in our world who cannot afford that luxury and are in need of special aids and learning – something the specially designed Sensorial Garden will go a long way in doing. He expressed his happiness at this Caritas milestone and thanked Fr Maverick and his band of loyal NGO social workers and special educators.

Cardinal Neri added that God works through small acts of charity and recounted how Mother Teresa was once asked about who would carry on her work after she was gone? She humbly replied that her work was only a drop in the ocean but if more people offered to be just one more drop…a lot could be achieved! One must be sensitive to those less blessed.

There were brief thanksgiving talks by students and parents, a tea party, and an altogether happy time was had by all present. Also present at the function which took place at the Caritas Goa School for Comprehensive Education and Rehabilitation Services for Persons with Deafblindness, Multiple Disabilities, Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Intellectual Disabilities in Goa in Saligao, was Guruprasad Pawaskar who commented that there was a similar Sensorial Garden in Chennai and he was happy that now Goa too has one. The Caritas school takes care of the needs of about 600 students in Goa and it is located adjacent to a chapel in Saligao.

CEO RE-CONSTITUTES MCMC

THE office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) has re-constituted the State level Media Certification & Monitoring Committee (MCMC). The order has been issued following the directions of the Supreme Court of India.  The Chief Electoral Officer will be the chairperson of the committee, director (M&C), PIB; IIS Nana Meshram, any observer appointed by the Election Commission of India, Dy Director (News), Doordarshan Kendra; Shashin Rai, Independent citizen or journalist as, nominated by PCI and managing director, Info Tech Corporation Ltd, Panaji, Goa (an intermediary expert/social media expert); Praveen Volvotkar, will be members of the committee and addl CEO/Jt CEO in charge of media as the member secretary.

 The State Level MCMC will take decision on the appeal of any political party or candidate or any other person in regard to grant or refuse certification of advertisement. Such appeals will lie only with and will be disposed of by the State Level Committee headed by CEO and no reference in this regard needs to be made to the commission.  It will also examine all cases of paid news on appeal against the decision of District MCMC or cases that they may take up suo moto, in which case it shall direct the concerned ROs to issue notices to the candidates.

 The appeal, both from district and addl/jt CEO committee will lie only with and will be disposed off by the State level MCMC headed by the CEO as per the order of ECI.

NAGESH DAS PAI ASSUMES CHARGE of GSL

GOA Shipyard Limited (GSL) is a premier defence public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Defence, government of India. It is pleased to announce Nagesh Das Pai as director (Corporate Planning, Projects & Business Development).  Nagesh Das Pai brings with him over 27 years of rich, diverse experience in the shipbuilding domain, having joined GSL on January 15, 1998 as a graduate engineer trainee.

His elevation to the board reflects a distinguished career marked by deep organisational understanding, sustained performance, and a consistent track record of excellence. In his most recent role as general manager (Production – Navy Projects),  Pai was responsible for steering critical Naval shipbuilding programmes, ensuring timely execution, adherence to stringent quality standards, and seamless coordination across stakeholders. His leadership has significantly contributed to strengthening GSL’s production capabilities and execution efficiency in complex defence projects.

GSL is confident that under Nagesh Das Pai’s leadership, the company will further strengthen its capabilities in corporate planning, project execution, and business development, while enhancing its competitive positioning in the evolving defence shipbuilding landscape. His appointment is expected to provide renewed impetus to GSL’s strategic initiatives, drive innovation, and expand the company’s footprint in both domestic and international markets, in alignment with the government of India’s vision of aatmanirbhar Bharat in defence manufacturing.

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