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WEEKEND UPDATES

Aug 08- Aug 14, 2026, WEEKEND UPDATES August 7, 2026 , by



NOW `MISKUT JAR’ PANJIM CULTURE

A GROUP of entitled hi fi non-Goan kids have setup the Misqut Jar. It promises to give residents of Panjim a steady dose of culture. The founder, an Aradhya Mehta, claims that Serendipity and the IFFI do not provide the residents of Panjim an immersive year long cultural experience. Misqut Jar, so named after a popular Goan mango pickle called “miscut” or “miskoot” claims to have organized dozens of small cultural events for groups of 75 to 100 people which are incidentally held at fancy venues. The latest offering is an exhibition  titled  “The Soul of Goa” is offering besides paintings, wine and novelty T-shirts at fancy prices and as symbols of unconditional love.



MEDICAL OVER KILL!

MOLECULAR  biology tests are the latest attempts to make you spend huge amounts of money on diagnostic tests. A company, Mobilo, which presumably means mobile lab, has been claiming that it has developed a Truenat test for quick diagnosis of spinal tuberculosis and other multiple drug resistant conditions. This involves analysis of the spinal fluid.

The actual procedure for extracting spinal fluid itself is a very painful process as we know very well. But now it has become fashionable to force anxious patients and their relatives to do all kinds of tests including the  DNA tests.   The fear mongering extends to even perfectly normal young women who are told to vaccinate themselves against the remote chance of their contacting cervical cancer. 

BJP TAKEOVER HEALTH SERVICES

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THE wife of the chairman of the BJP Medical Cell, Dr Shekhar Salkar, has been double promoted to the post of Director of Health Services of the government of Goa. Medha Salkar,  who till date was the chief medical officer in the Directorate of Health Services has been promoted out of turn to the post of Director of Health Services. The appointment has been challenged in the high court by the senior most deputy director who has pointed out that chief medical officers are not entitled to be promoted to the status of director of Directorate of Medical Health Services.  

QUARTERDECK  PRIVATISATION

THE Quarterdeck restaurant and popular events venue by the river Mandovi at the far end of the Campal promenade was originally a lovely riverside garden. It was leased out to the now defunct Mandovi Hotel by the then Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane in the 90s. Subsequently, when the lease ended in 2024, the 5,000 sq mts garden was gifted to a Bengaluru party. The party has reportedly  encroached on the river bank by putting up a new restaurant on a cantilevered structure. The new party is also reported to have enclosed public space to create a huge parking area. The Goa Bachao Abhiyan headed by Sabina Martins has moved the high court against illegal development within the Coastal Development Zone limits.

THANKSGIVING HARVEST FEST

GOA is perhaps unique in that the church celebrates the monsoon season’s first harvest. This tradition began in the village of Taleigao. The story goes that the villagers of Taleigao village supplied grain and other essentials to  Portuguese sailors stranded off the coast of Goa, following the monsoon, when they were withdrawing from Adil Shah’s army.  Later, when the Portuguese eventually conquered Goa it was stipulated that the people of Taleigao  would have the first right to harvest their paddy crop.  The tradition continues to this day and the first golden sheaves of paddy harvested is presented to the Taleigao St Michael’s Church to be blessed and thereafter presented to the governor of Goa. Similar harvest festivals are held at the Raia Church in which the students of the Rachol Seminary also take part. In the tribal areas of Goa there is a tradition offering fruit and fresh vegetables to the local deity in a ceremonial event.

NEW COVID VARIANT

DOCTORS in Goa claim that a new Covid variant has become very active in the state. Literally hundreds of people are visiting general practitioners in their clinics and also public health centers, complaining of suffering from Covid like flu symptoms of fever, cold, sore throat pain, etc. Patients are swallowing Dolo tablets which were popularized during the Covid pandemic. As it is  pathologists are reportedly trying to scare patients into doing painful nasal swabbing tests to rule out Covid variants. But we know of one stricken patient who rejected the suggestion of a nasal swab test, insisting that she is recovering quite well without any invasive diagnostic tests.

MEGA RALLY AGAINST TCP

SEVERAL groups including Enough is Enough and the Goa Rakhandar headed by Rama Canconkar, have called for a huge protest rally against the ongoing conversations under Section 39-A of the Town & Country Planning Act.  Rama Canconkar and Swapesh Sheralaker of the Kharapur Abhinandan Lodha Protest Movement are camping at Azad maidan currently. The maidan historically has been the Jantar Mantar of Goa. The police brought down a temporary tent erected by Rama to provide shelter for the protestors from the rains. Rama’s wife, Rati, has moved the Human Rights Commission against the inhuman action of the police.  Amreen Sheikh has been projecting herself as the new face of green Goa protest movements from the Azad maidan protest site.

15TH GOA MARATHI FILM FESTIVAL KICKS OFF

THE 15th  Goa Marathi Film Festival started off at the INOX venue on the evening of August 7, 2026 in Panjim with fanfare with Marathi cine lovers and a veritable galaxy list of who’s who of the Marathi cine world present. The festival is scheduled to be inaugurated by chief guest and Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant along with MLA and Vice Chairperson of ESG DelilahLobo and Panjim Mayor Rohit Monserrate.  Veteran actor Mohan Joshi will be honored with the prestigious Krutadnyata Puraskar and this will be followed by the world premiere screening of the film “Bandkhor” written and directed by Mahesh Manjrekar.      

STREET BOVINES  ENDANGER COMMUTERS

RESIDENTS have raised concern over the growing presence of stray cattle on the Morjim-Chopdem (Parsem-Tayu) main road where animals are frequently seen sitting at the carriageway. Locals say the cattle pose a serious threat to motorists, especially at night, and they have been responsible for several near-miss incidents and accidents. They have urged the concerned authorities to take immediate steps to remove the animals and ensure the safety of the commuters.

SECURITY GUARD DIES DUE TO TREE FALL

 A SECURITY guard was feared dead after an old tree collapsed onto his security cabin near Kamat Kinara in Panjim on Thursday, August 6, 2026. Kim Bahadur was trapped inside the cabin. The incident occurred when the tree suddenly fell on the cabin, leaving the guard pinned beneath the debris. Police and emergency personnel rushed to the spot and launched rescue operations to extricate the victim.

Last reported authorities were still working to clear the fallen tree and reach the trapped guard. The victim’s condition has not yet been officially confirmed, although it is feared that he died in the incident. Further details are awaited as rescue efforts continue and police investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

‘KYA BOLTI PUBLIC’

THE COCKROACH Janta Party launches nationwide membership drive. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a nationwide membership campaign called “Kya Bolti Public” to expand its grassroots presence across India.

The key points are: The campaign invites students, young professionals, and citizens to join the movement through the party’s website. CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke said the initiative aims to connect directly with people and strengthen the organization’s presence across the country.

The movement says it will focus on issues such as: Unemployment, high private school fees, improving government schools, restoring trust in public institutions.

CJP further says it intends to function as a public pressure group rather than a conventional electoral political party, using the campaign to gather public feedback and increase citizen participation.

Silver lining in a dreary grey weary India? Time will tell!

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