GOA

As more and more institutes and universities enter the race each year,Goa University’s rank slid to the 96th position at the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2021, declared by the Union Education ministry on Thursday. The state’s lone and government-run university, however, continues to feature in the 100 best university list in the country.

In 2020, GU had improved its rank to 81st position, from 93rd position the previous year in 2019. The university’s best rank of 68th was achieved in 2018.

The competition has been growing stiffer as 4,030 institutes participated in NIRF 2021, which was more than double of last years number. It was heartening though for Goa that some of its government colleges continued to make it to the ranks list in their specific categories.

Goa College of Pharmacy was ranked 56th in the list for 75 best pharmacy institutes in the country. Though given the competition, it was not a surprise that Goa College of Pharmacy came down nine positions over its previous rank of 47. The institute has consistently made it to the best list in its category.

The studyClean Drinking Water: A Pipe Dream?assessed Goastapwater and found that the potable water supplied to homes is contaminated with microplastics, one of the sources of which could be the PVC pipes.

Microplastics (MP) are particles of plastic that are less than 5mm in size and have been recognised globally as one of the most critical emerging marine pollutants, due to their persistence, ubiquity and toxic potential.

Though plastic Waste Management rules have been in force in the country, public awareness and participation holds the key to improving plastic waste management and the subsequent reduction in microplastic pollution. Various stakeholders, including the , government, civil Society organisations, need to collaborate to bring about change.

Environment minister Nilesh Cabral on Friday said that teams have been constituted to inspect places to verify the objections and suggestions received during the recently held hearings for the draft coastal zone management plan (CZMP).

The teams will submit their technical reports and necessary corrections will be undertaken thereafter. This is my assurance, Cabral said

The minister said that the public will be informed about the places before the teams make their visit.

Though Goa is not a source of plastic production, the tourist hotpot is unwittingly becoming a sink for plastic waste, retired scientist of the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, B C Choudhary, said while underscoring the urgency in putting some mechanisms in place to tackle the menace.

The retired scientist said awareness that plastics are not welcome in Goa should begin at places like the , with clear and loud messaging for tourists setting foot into Goa.

Without realizing, Goa, a small place, is becoming a plastic sink. Not a source, but a sink. It should be extremely worrying for the State Government, said Choudhary.

He also said that if the Oceans are not protected from plastic waste, fish itself will soon become a rare commodity. Involve fishermen to get ghost nets back from the sea and compensate them for it. We should also cook our own food as much as possible, as purchased food is again packaged in disposable plastics. We should stop using straws. Though it is something small, it contributes to the waste. Close to 20 billion plastic bottles are disposed of every day. This should motivate us to use reusable water bottles instead, said Choudhary.

TheTravel and Tourism Association of Goahas said that the government has informed it that the states hospitality sector would open fully only after the positivity rate falls under 5%.

TTAG has insisted that tourism has to be started at the earliest with all protocols in place, and that tourists who are vaccinated must be allowed entry into the state freely.

The TTAG has also placed its various demands seeking help for the distressed . The body of hoteliers and tourist trade stakeholders again asked the government that hikes in license fees and registration charges that came into force a few months ago be kept in abeyance till the industry stabilises.

The daylongpolicy consultationwas held with panels unpacking topics such as EMPLOYMENT livelihoods and inclusion wherein panelists discussed on accessibility, job reservations in the government and private sectors, business opportunities, and highlighted the importance of supporting people with disabilities in starting their own businesses.

In Entrepreneurshipand Future of Work, they emphasized the importance of equal opportunities, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency.

The iconic environmental activistSunderlal Bahuguna, who initiated theChipko movementto protect the green cover of the Himalayas, wantedGoansto strive for the conservation of the Western Ghats.

He first visited Goa in 1983 to attend the Paryavaran Chetana Saptah. He toured various places in Ponda, Salcete and Bicholim urging the youths to work unitedly to protect the Western Ghats forests, from where most of the regions rivers originate.

Bahuguna visited Goa again in 1986, where all the members of the save Western Ghats movement converged at Bandora. In his speech, he deliberated on a strategy to protect the Western Ghats for posterity.

TheGoa Promotion Board(IPB) headed by CM Pramod Sawant met on Tuesday and cleared six projects, including the proposal for a Mini India theme park in Pernem. “We cleared six projects with investment of Rs 310 crore and EMPLOYMENT potential of 2,450,” said industries minister Mauvin Godinho.

IPB gave Pune-based real estate firm Bramhacorp Theme Park LLP the nod to set up the Mini India theme park on private land at Pernem. The company intends to establish a theme park using miniature models of historical monuments, while also showcasing folk dances, festivals, spices, and cuisine close to Manohar International Airport, Mopa.
A theme park is coming up in the North, and that has also been approved today. It will come up close to Mopa,” said Godinho after the board meeting.

A day after theassemblyelection results, which gave BJP 20 seats, the statecabinet decided to recommend to the governor todissolvetheassemblyon Monday. The tenure of the current House ends on March 16.

Sawant said, he led a cabinet meeting at the assembly complex in Porvorim. Sawant also thanked the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve them over the past three years.

As per procedure, CM has to tender his resignation to dissolve the assembly

In yet another attempt to bring in transparency and provide online Services to entrepreneurs and industrial units, Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) has decided to create a digital land bank of all industrial estates by October.

Aside from digitization of services and the creation of a digital land bank, GIDC is trying to plug the gaps at every industrial estate. This includes roads, power supply, water supply and other amenities, said Lourenco.
In 2020, the Centres Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade launched the countrys first digital industrial land bank and Goa was among the first seven states to map industrial land as part of the national GIS-enabled land bank system. GIDC officials admit that the project failed and that a fresh attempt will have to be made.