Latest news with #Gawas
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
GCCI urges MPA to restart container service at earliest
Panaji: The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has urged the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) to restart container operations at Mormugao as local industries will benefit immensely from the service. Local manufacturers find it cost-efficient to export cargo via sea, said Chandrakant Gawas, the chairman of GCCI Logistics. Mormugao Port chairman N Vinodkumar informed GCCI that the container service would be initiated by Delta Ports Mormugao Terminal Private Limited . 'Recognising the cost and time efficiency of using Mormugao Port for container cargo, the chamber emphasised the need for advance notice regarding the resumption of container operations to help businesses plan effectively,' said Gawas. A delegation led by Gawas met Vinodkumar last week for an update on the commissioning and operational readiness of Berths 9, 10, and 11 at Mormugao Port. He also underlined the importance of a smooth transition for exporters, labourers, shipping agents, and urges MPA to restart container service at earliest
Time of India
13-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
BA, BSc, BEd admissions begin online
Panaji: The directorate of higher education (DHE) has begun the process of online admissions for the BA BEd (150 seats) and BSc BEd (50) programmes in the state for the academic year 2025-26. The programmes are offered by Vidya Prabodhini College , Porvorim, and Harmal Panchakroshi Shikshan Mandal's Ganpat Parsekar College, Harmal. The DHE has said that the last date to submit online applications is May 16. Interested candidates must apply through the Samarth e-governance portal of the DHE website. 'The merit list preparation and counselling process will be conducted by the respective colleges,' DHE official Mahadev Gawas has said. Applications without the GU-ART (conducted by Goa University) score will not be considered for admission, he said. The DHE recently completed the first round of admissions to the first year of the general stream degree programme for colleges under the directorate's administrative purview. Around 40 colleges across the state are participating in the admission process, offering more than 30 undergraduate programmes. Over 9,000 online applications were received. Gawas said that students should check the DHE Goa website and the Samarth portal for further details on admissions.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Shift to e-portal: School intake, student data to be centralised
Panaji: After adopting centralised admissions a few years ago through the e-Samarth portal for the first year of degree programmes, Goa govt is heading towards a similar shift in admission procedures to an online and centralised mode for Class XI. The platform will be implemented from 2025-26 for all academic and administrative activities for schools in Goa right from nursery to the higher secondary level. The state has decided to carry out the implementation of the SamarthX e-governance platform through the Goa State Higher Education Council (GSHEC). This is being done as part of a national-level project under the Union education ministry. In Goa, Mahadev Gawas of the directorate of higher education has been appointed the project director to oversee and coordinate the use of the online portal across the school education system. 'The SamarthX platform is an integrated digital solution for school education to simplify and digitise functions like admissions, academic workflows, and administrative operations,' Gawas said. 'As a preliminary step, the platform was launched on a pilot basis and the Class XI admission process was conducted in a hybrid mode for 31 higher secondary schools, combining online and offline mechanisms.' Gawas said the pilot use of SamarthX is a step towards shifting to a fully digital admission process in the near future. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo 'To sensitise stakeholders and prepare them for the platform's full-scale rollout, the GSHEC organised a five-day training workshop from May 5 to 9, where school heads, in charges, and computer teachers from govt, aided, and private schools underwent 10 intensive sessions,' Gawas said. 'Nearly 1,600 teachers participated in the workshop on the online platform's features, modules, and implementation.' He said that over 1,400 schools have been onboarded onto the platform. 'To ensure the effective use of the platform's modules, the next phase will involve conducting taluka-level boot camps for teachers, focusing on hands-on training, and practical application of the digital tools,' Gawas said. 'It will prove to be highly beneficial not only for schools by providing comprehensive data on every student but also for educational departments across the country that may require access to student information at any level,' said Cecilia Fernandes, the additional district education inspector for Bardez. The Samarth portal will provide paperless operations, simplify admissions, and offer students easy access to academic services like results, certificates, and fee payments. The portal especially supports inter-state student transfers, said headmaster Mhalasakant Deshpande of Mhalasa Narayani High School, Verna.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
No headway as Shirgao panel fails to meet deadline
Panaji: The fact-finding committee headed by revenue secretary Sandeep Jacques failed to complete the inquiry in connection with the stampede at Shree Devi Lairai Jatra early on Saturday morning within the stipulated period. Govt constituted the committee on Saturday, and initially said it was supposed to give its report by Sunday, but the order granted it 48 hours' time. Saturday's order by undersecretary (home) Mahesh Kedar stated, 'The committee shall immediately visit the incident site, commence the fact-finding inquiry, and submit the report within 48 hours'. The committee visited Shirgao and spoke to the temple committee as well as eyewitnesses. Jacques pointed out that the crowd should have been staggered. 'The problem is when you have the thing staggered over three to four days, the situation is much better. Here, it is overnight, and you expect the crowd to finish within that night only, that is the problem. If you have it over a period of time, you stagger,' Jacques said during his first visit to Shirgao with the team. Meanwhile, social activist Ramesh Gawas said that state govt constituted a committee comprising people who have zero knowledge of the jatra. 'The committee is like a scarecrow in a field. Locals should have been included,' he said. 'They (current panel) don't understand the behaviour and mindset of the 'dhonds', the special devotees of the goddess. How will they come to a conclusion, and even if they do, will it be wrong?' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Switch to UnionBank Rewards Card UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo The committee has as its members DIG Varsha Sharma, transport director Pravimal Abhishek, and South Goa SP Tikam Singh Verma. Gawas said that 'outsiders' can't be on the committee. 'If they don't know the point of reference, how will they come to a conclusion?' He said that local Goans would have had knowledge about the jatra and could have provided better findings and conclusions. In the aftermath of the stampede, state govt took no action against any administrative staff, and only transferred North Goa collector Sneha Gitte, North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal, and some others. At the jatra, there are around 70,000 'dhonds', and they have to walk over the 'homkund' within three hours before the goddess Lairai walks over the 'homkund'. The committee needs two to three more days to corroborate the evidence collected during the inquiry. Gawas recalled the way the area has changed over the years. 'When I was a child, I saw the compound wall way behind the main road. Now, the population has increased, and the compound wall has reached near the road,' he said. Chief secretary V Candavelou said that the committee is still talking to people. 'It will take some time to submit the report. The committee is in the village to conduct the inquiry.'
Time of India
29-04-2025
- General
- Time of India
Massive king cobra rescued and released near Zolambe village in Kolhapur
Kolhapur : A massive 15-foot-long king cobra was rescued and released back into the wild near Zolambe village in Dodamarg taluka, Sindhudurg district . The snake was spotted slithering along a busy road, prompting alarmed villagers to alert snake rescuer Vitthal Gawas and the forest department. Gawas safely captured the venomous reptile, and it was later released into its natural habitat in the presence of forest officials. "The huge size of the snake caused panic among the villagers, and hence it was necessary to capture it without causing any harm to either the snake or the people," said Gawas. "After it was caught, the Dodamarg forest officer was informed, and a team led by range forest officer Vaishali Mandal arrived at the site. After careful assessment, the King Cobra was released into its natural forest habitat." Sindhudurg, rich in biodiversity, remains a vital refuge for rare and threatened species, underscoring the need for active conservation. "The king cobra is generally associated with dense forested areas, and Dodamarg has long been recognised as part of its natural range," said Mandal. "The villagers are advised not to panic upon sightings as king cobras usually avoid human settlements. If sighted, one should immediately contact the forest department." The first official record of a king cobra in Maharashtra dates back to 2015 from Tilari in Chandgad taluka, Kolhapur district, highlighting the ecological value of the northern Western Ghats. Ophiologist Rahul Shinde added, "The king cobra is identifiable by its yellowish-olive, greyish-green, or mossy-coloured body with pale crossbands. Unlike the Indian cobra, its hood is narrower and less flared. It is primarily ophiophagous, feeding on other snakes, and avoids human habitation." Shinde said that while previously considered a single species across Asia, genetic studies have now reclassified king cobras into four species. In the Western Ghats, including Dodamarg, they are now identified as Ophiophagus kalinga, distinct from Ophiophagus hannah found in northern and eastern India.
