'I prefer chilling on a beach which isn't crowded'

Times of India | 1 month ago | 17-05-2022 | 09:33 pm

Singer Shilpa Rao was recently in Goa to perform at a corporate gig. "I started coming to Goa mostly for concerts and I used to always stay back another day and have that day to myself to unwind. Goa has been a sweet little getaway away from Mumbai, as Mumbai is quite hectic. Goa is a great place to connect with yourself and rejuvenate. This time is a little special, as my husband Ritesh is here and we took a couple of days off to explore Goa beaches. The beauty of sitting at the beach and doing nothing is impeccable," she says. Talking about how she likes to spend her time in Goa, she says, "I prefer to go to a beach which is not very crowded were I won't find anyone, so I will just find a place where I could just sit and maybe put out some music and chill. Also, Goa has some amazing art driven cafes and curated meals which is fine too." "We were in Goa for my husband Ritesh's birthday and honestly the best thing about Goa is the beaches and the calmness of it. Sit by the beach and do nothing are my best memories from Goa," she says. On the work front, she has a few film songs in the pipeline.

Read more

Share:

Similar News

Pollution control board to collect tar ball samples for NIO analysis

Times of India | 1 month ago | 26-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Times of India

1 month ago | 26-05-2022 | 01:57 am

Panaji: Over the last week, beaches across Goa are seen streaked with large quantities of tar balls, marring the coast’s beauty. Officials of the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) are now set to inspect the beaches and collect samples, which will be analysed by scientists of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). Board chairman Mahesh Patil said that tar balls usually wash up on the beaches during the pre-monsoon period and towards the fag-end of the monsoon season. However, this year, the tar balls appeared earlier than expected and in larger quantities than ever before. Last year, environment minister Nilesh Cabral had said that the tar balls are found to be originating from oil discharged by vessels operating in the high seas off Mumbai’s coast. Cabral had also written to the Centre for assistance in tackling the issue of vessels discharging oil irresponsibly. “Pollution control board officers will visit some of the sites, collect samples and give them for testing to NIO which is already carrying out research in this area as it requires very specialised expertise. As per preliminary findings, NIO has said tar balls are coming due to vessels plying in high seas and from Bombay High. But one is yet to pinpoint the exact cause and further research is on,” Patil said. With every year, the issue of tar balls appearing on Goa’s beaches seems to be worsening. In 2021, in a single day, on September 12, tar balls landed on 12 different beach stretches in the state. The tarballs left the beaches of Mandrem, Arambol, Morjim, Keri, Ashvem, Calangute-Baga, Caranzalem, and Miramar scarred in North Goa while in South Goa, the beaches of Velsao-Cansaulim and Cavelossim were affected last year.

Tar balls cover shore at Patnem beach

Times of India | 1 month ago | 25-05-2022 | 12:57 am

Times of India

1 month ago | 25-05-2022 | 12:57 am

Canacona: Two days after they surfaced on Agonda beach, tar balls were noticed on Patnem beach on Tuesday. A layer of the black sticky substance covered the shore of the South Goa beach. Residents have demanded that the government carry out an immediate inspection of the beach. It may be recalled that the issue of tar balls had been raised in the Assembly last year and environment minister Nilesh Cabral had said that following an NIO's study, the government had attributed the source of the tar balls to oil spills from the Mumbai high region, an offshore rig off the coast of Maharashtra.

Pay Rs 2.5crore damages for violations on turtle nesting beaches: GCZMA

Times of India | 2 months ago | 08-04-2022 | 01:36 am

Times of India

2 months ago | 08-04-2022 | 01:36 am

Panaji: Based on its commitment to the National Green Tribunal (NGT), the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) had formed a 3-member committee to fix environmental compensation for violations on turtle nesting beaches of Goa. The panel has now submitted its report, in which it has stated that the monetary compensation to be paid by the violators works out to Rs 2.5 crore in all. The GCZMA has accepted the committee’s report at its meeting held last month and decided to begin the work of calculating the recovery per violator based on satellite imagery. “The Authority received the report of the 3-member committee headed by Sujeet Kumar Dongre, expert member, GCZMA on February 21,” the GCZMA said. In brief, the committee has come to a finding that the environmental compensation works out to be Rs 2,59,6174 crore, per hectare per year, which translates to Rs 2,590 per sq mt per year,” the GCZMA noted. After presentation of the report by the committee members, the GCZMA resolved to accept the report. The cases of violation on the turtle nesting beaches include alteration of natural landscape, erection of temporary or permanent structures, landscaping by removing native vegetation, flattening of sand dunes, change in native vegetation composition, construction of swimming pool, among others. “The Authority resolved to carry out exercise of calculation of fines based on area damaged, calculating difference in land use change in square meter by satellite imagery (from the year the violation was noticed) along with field verification on a case-to-case basis so that compensation can be recovered from the violators,” the GCZMA said. With respect to the sound and light pollution, an additional fine will be levied using polluter pay principle with assistance from the Goa State Pollution Board, the GCZMA has said. Goa Paryavaran Savrakshan Sangharsh Samitee had sought that the regulations should be enforced to restrict activities on the four Olive Ridley turtle nesting beaches in Goa at Morjim, Mandrem, Galgibaga and Agonda, including provisions to fine the violators. The Samitee had approached the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on the matter of fixing appropriate environmental compensation to be recovered from violators for the damage caused. The recovery of Rs 2 lakh earlier from the violator was seen as inadequate as against the damages caused.

Shack operators rue poor business

Navhind Times | 4 months ago | 01-03-2022 | 01:45 am

Navhind Times

4 months ago | 01-03-2022 | 01:45 am

Seek relaxation in licence feesPanaji: The beach shack operators on Monday informed that their business has been affected due to the ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia. These operators said that for the past two years, they had already been out of business owing to the coronavirus pandemic and now the war has only added to their woes.Stating that the government has not provided any related relief to them yet, these shack operators further demanded that the new government coming to power should give them 50% relaxation in shack licence fees.They have also claimed that no tourist, especially foreign tourist approaches them to rent the beach shacks and this situation is same in North as well as South Goa. The beach shack owners also predicted that the ongoing tourist season would be dull for them.

Visitors to get feel of Goa right from airport

Times of India | 7 months ago | 15-11-2021 | 05:51 am

Times of India

7 months ago | 15-11-2021 | 05:51 am

Vasco: Goa airport has taken steps to give visitors a Goan feel from the minute they arrive. Airport director Gagan Malik said there is quite a lot about Goa that people do not know and that the airport authorities are attempting to highlight those facets. As part of the initiative, the arrival lounge and the aiprort’s compound wall have art work showcasing various heritage sites of Goa. The entrance gate, meanwhile, has been given a carnival look with face masks decorating the area and colourful illumination at night. “People feel that Goa is about beaches and merry-making. But Goa is also a serious destination that is rich in heritage. It’s nice to see people taking selfies at the entrance gate of airport. Visitors are also often seen exploring Goa at the airport itself,,” Malik said.

More News

Latest News