Revellers enjoy the first Carnival at Porvorim

Times of India | 3 weeks ago | 21-02-2023 | 09:10 am

The three -kilometer stretch from culinary college to Holy Cross chapel was filled with fun, laughter and a lot of selfies, as the Goa Carnival curtain raiser was held in Porvorim on February 17. This is the first time that Porvorim witnessed their own carnival, which was led by the float of King Momo, and was followed by live musicians, traditional floats and people dressed in colourful costumes.Along with a fun parade there were floats which focused on social messages like say no to drinking and driving, unity and diversity and safe forests. Svetlana Andrade, who attended the Carnival with her daughter said, "It was a great feeling to have our own festival. We could sit very close to the floats. This usually doesn’t happen when we attend the parade at Panaji. This felt very homely and the traffic was not a problem. My daughter had a nice time as she could sit and watch the parade.”In the seating arrangement provided, the Carnival venue also had a space kept for the special needs kids who could watch and be a part of the festivities. King Momo, Russel D’Souza, says “Being the King Momo for the first time, I had a great time at the parade in Porvorim.”

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In year of millet, agriculture department promotes the super food via Carnival route

Times of India | 3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 10:17 am

Times of India

3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 10:17 am

MARGAO: Amidst the Carnival revelry at Margao on Sunday, one tableau stood out.Even as this tableau produced by the state’s agriculture department grabbed eyeballs on account of its novel theme, the senior-level agriculture officers who accompanied the float, dancing down the parade route, drew loud cheers and applause. Leading from the front was the department’s director, Nevil Alphonso, attired in Carnival costume. He held a placard proclaiming the nutritional value of millets. “Eat nachnea bhakri (millet pancakes) to stay fit,” the placard read, and the message at once seemed to have found resonance among the spectators.The government of India has decided to celebrate 2023 as the International Year of Millets in order to popularise the superfood. Centred around the theme ‘Grow Millets, Eat Millets, Stay Healthy’, the float presented by the agriculture department had 45 officers participating in the Panaji and Margao Carnival parade.The tableau urged farmers to grow millets like ragi (nachani) and proso millet (vari) and to cash in on their nutritive value-added products like amil, tizen, ladoos, bhakri etc.“The float was aimed at conveying the message through creatively designed images, foot-tapping music, meaningful lyrics, well-choreographed steps, and catchy taglines on placards. This was an out-of-the-box idea for reaching out to farmers, and I am glad the initiative was widely appreciated,” Alphonso said.It was for the first time that the agriculture department participated in the float parade. The float was presented by its extension wing, State Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institute.“We plan to hold several programmes throughout the year with the view to promoting millets,” Alphonso said.

Drunken driving, indiscipline behind spike in accidents: Goa CM Pramod Sawant

Times of India | 3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 10:11 am

Times of India

3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 10:11 am

PANAJI: CM Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that drunken driving and indiscipline on roads are some of the reasons for the increase in accidents. He added that the Goa police traffic cell, transport department and PWD are holding meetings and will chalk out a plan to reduce accidents.Sawant pointed out that the vehicle population has increased compared to the state population. "There are three reasons for the increase in accidents. These include people not following rules, drunken driving, rash and negligence driving among others," he said. The chief minister added that people should cooperate with the authorities, and this will help reduce the frequency of road accidents.In 2020, the vehicle population was 14.5 lakh vehicles, in 2021, it was 14.9 lakh and in 2022 it climbed to 15.4 lakh, but the infrastructure more or less stayed the same. Police said that looking at 2020-21 and 2021-2022, there has been a 3% increase in vehicle population, but the infrastructure hasn't changed much.It has been found that two-thirds of the people who died in road accidents in 2022 were linked to two-wheelers. The state witnessed an almost 9% rise in road accidents during the year.In 2022, 3,011 road accidents were reported, of which 253 were fatal, wherein 271 succumbed to injuries. A total number of 181 persons on two-wheelers died in accidents while 51 pedestrians lost their lives.In 2021, 2,849 accidents were reported, of which 218 were fatal. Almost 226 people lost their lives. A total number of 152 persons on two-wheelers died while 36 pedestrians were killed.The highest number of accidents in North Goa was reported in the jurisdiction of Panaji, Mapusa and Porvorim police stations areas. In South Goa, the highest number of accidents were reported in Ponda, Verna and Vasco police station areas.State witnessed 9% rise in road accidents in 2022In 2020, the vehicle population was 14.5 lakh vehicles, in 2021, it was 14.9 lakh and in 2022 it climbed to 15.4 lakh, but the infrastructure more or less stayed the same. Police said that looking at 2020-21 and 2021-2022, there has been a 3% increase in vehicle population, but the infrastructure hasn't changed much.It has been found that two-thirds of the people who died in road accidents in 2022 were linked to two-wheelers. The state witnessed an almost 9% rise in road accidents during the year.In 2022, 3,011 road accidents were reported, of which 253 were fatal, wherein 271 succumbed to injuries. A total number of 181 persons on two-wheelers died in accidents while 51 pedestrians lost their lives.In 2021, 2,849 accidents were reported, of which 218 were fatal. Almost 226 people lost their lives. A total number of 152 persons on two-wheelers died while 36 pedestrians were killed.The highest number of accidents in North Goa was reported in the jurisdiction of Panaji, Mapusa and Porvorim police stations areas. In South Goa, the highest number of accidents were reported in Ponda, Verna and Vasco police station areas.

Goa: Amid hues of Russian Carnival, khaki puts an end to the revelry

Times of India | 3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 09:15 am

Times of India

3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 09:15 am

ARAMBOL: The mood was light but hearts soon turned heavy on Tuesday evening as foreigners at Arambol beach, decked in feathers and tulle, learned that their 'costume party' would not go as planned.The party, organised by some long-stay foreign tourists, at a private beach shack was paused with men, women and children standing outside a shack called 'This Is It' for over an hour. The din of disappointed Russian drowned out what little music could be heard from other shacks. Around 10 men in khaki stood outside the venue in stark contrast to the sequins and rainbow-coloured drapery.With the men in uniform showing no signs of moving, the organisers soon began removing the decorations installed outside the shack.However, the party was stopped even before it began when the main organiser, Zou Zou, was taken to the police station for questioning. "Zou Zou was on the dais posing with an acquaintance, but the police took him to the station. We had decided to have the party at a shack, because the authorities said no to a Carnival parade on the beach," said a Japanese tourist, who is also an associate of Zou Zou.The Russian Carnival is organised by foreigners of different nationalities who have made Arambol and Morjim their home over the last few years.Dressed in black and sporting a full face of dark make-up, tattoo artist Zula who was late to the party was shocked to hear it was a no-go. She questioned if what the police did was right as they were there "only to have a good time and enjoy".Even last year, amid the pandemic and Russian-Ukraine war, the Carnival parade was held with some participants making an appeal for a truce between the warring countries."I do not see any reason for a police force to come cracking down on a party held at a private venue," said the Japanese tourist who had her face coloured in hues of blue.Pernem PI Dattaram Raut told TOI that they stopped a Carnival parade which was organised without permission from the authorities. "Foreigners had dressed up in Carnival costumes and had come for a parade to Arambol beach. We have not stopped any costume party at any private shacks," said Raut.Zou Zou, in his social media post last week, said that while he and his friends had been organising the Carnival parade at Arambol beach for the past two decades, this was the first time they were not having it only because authorities refused permission.Anthony Mickon from Ireland, in a flouncy, fluorescent yellow skirt, said, "Our efforts have gone to waste. The Carnival was Zou Zou's baby. For the past 10 years, I have helped him organise the parade."Mickon said that after authorities refused permission, they came up with the idea of a costume party to put the decorations and costumes created over the last couple of weeks to some use. So, they donned their tie-dyed kaftans, put on the outrageous headgears and dressed their wrists with fringe and beads to click photographs and selfies with everyone who wanted to capture the moment.The posse of IRB outside the shack refused to say what their orders were. They simply stood quietly to one side, not engaging with anyone. They only came forward to stop one foreigner who was chanting 'Hare Rama, Hare Krishna' while being cheered on by his fellow foreigners outside the shack."Arambol is a secluded paradise that has visitors from across India and the globe. The Carnival has been their focus. I do not think we have broken any law," said Mickon.

CM Pramod Sawant moots collab with international universities in Goa

Times of India | 3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 07:42 am

Times of India

3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 07:42 am

PANAJI: In a bid to put Goa on the global education map, the state government intends to open its arms to higher education in the state by collaborating with world class universities, said CM Pramod Sawant. He was speaking at the closing ceremony of the QS India Summit 2023 in Goa on Tuesday.The state is in talks with various stakeholders to set up a national design institute, national sports academy, marine technical academy, and few language institutions. "We are also focusing on having research and development in waste management, which will not only help the state with zero wastage, but also be a changemaker for the rest of the country," Sawant said.He further said that Goa wants to "bring internationalisation in its education". He pointed out that the directorate of international cooperation and exchange looks after the internationalisation strategy at Goa University.

Goa: Plain-clothes cops deployed to nab violators of M V Act

Times of India | 3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 07:39 am

Times of India

3 weeks ago | 22-02-2023 | 07:39 am

PANAJI: Following a hue and cry over the increased number of road accidents in the state, Goa police have started deploying plain-clothes personnel at various locations on Tuesday. These police personnel will take photographs of those violating traffic rules and fine them. Police caught 145 traffic violators on day one.Plain-clothes police personnel are being deployed to ensure that violators do not attempt to escape looking at a policeman in uniform, said deputy superintendent of police (DySP) Jivba Dalvi. “Whenever people see a policeman in uniform, they either try to overspeed or they take another route to escape being caught.” He said that among the violations observed were the failure to wear helmets or seat belts and riding triple seat, adding that helmets can prevent fatalities and major head injuries.“To overcome such practices, we have deployed plain-clothes policemen at all police stations in the Mapusa Sub division, which covers the jurisdiction of the Mapusa, Anjuna and Colvale police stations. The police personnel have been directed to click the photographs of violators,” said Dalvi.Police personnel have been asked to submit their reports, which will be forwarded for the issuing of challans.

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