After the post-mortem of the student, it was revealed that a BITS Pilani student had died due to a drug overdose. The report has shocked the people of Goa, raising questions about how drugs could enter the institute premises despite security at the entrance.
The recent death has forced the management to take the issue seriously and to become more vigilant about movement inside the campus. It is known that the institute has its own canteen, but every day food is also delivered by services like Zomato and Swiggy. Many students, staying away from home, order food from hotels which is brought in by delivery boys on bikes. These packets were never checked by security guards as they were assumed to contain only food. Now it has come to light that drugs may have also reached the premises in this way.
Students then become aware of the availability of such substances and some get addicted, which harms both their health and the reputation of the institute. In addition to peer and academic pressure, as well as parents’ expectations, students go through mental stress, which sometimes leads to smoking, drinking, and taking drugs. It is now necessary to act against such habits and also provide counselling to students through the institute. The Goa Police has taken note of the case and decided to take strict action and tighten security.
Raju Ramamurthy, Vasco
Water bodies contaminated with human waste
Some time ago, you carried an article on the contamination of Goa’s rivers and seas. Tests carried out by the Goa Pollution Control Board found human faecal matter and ecoli bacteria in the seawater. While everyone agrees this is a problem, there is still no clear explanation of how this contamination is taking place.
Authorities suggest that the waste may come from people living along riverbanks and embankments, and they have tried to play down the seriousness of the issue. But the question is: how will a tourist feel about swimming in a sea that is contaminated with human waste? Won’t this damage Goa’s tourism industry in a big way?
The main cause lies in fats, oils and grease (FOG) from hotel and restaurant kitchens. These are collected in pits, septic tanks, or sewage treatment plants depending on the size of the establishment. Since Goa does not have a proper drainage system, once these tanks are full the waste is either removed manually or sucked out mechanically. What happens next is unclear”the collected waste is often dumped somewhere without proper treatment.
The real problem is when FOG mixes with sewage. The oil forms a layer around the waste, creating clusters. On their own, human or animal waste can break down naturally, enrich soil, and even be used as fertiliser. But when mixed with FOG, the oils prevent the waste from disintegrating. The faecal matter trapped inside provides ideal conditions for ecoli bacteria to survive and multiply.
Trying to clean Goa’s rivers and seas after contamination is nearly impossible. Instead, the government should focus on ensuring that the hospitality industry treats FOG at the source. There are biological solutions available, such as biodigesters, which can break down fats, oils and grease. But for this to work, the government must introduce and strictly enforce clear policies.
Richard Dias, Alto Porvorim
Goa is a distribution hub for drugs
Goa, once known for its beaches, temples, and beautiful landscapes, was a safe haven for Goans. But today, in the name of development, the government has turned it into a concrete jungle. Leaders give long speeches about creating jobs for Goan youth, but in reality, more jobs are going to outsiders and migrants. Many local young people are left unemployed, which leads to frustration, depression, and in some cases, drug addiction. Is our Goa still a safe haven for the youth?
Anita Fernandes, Verna
Road safety week exposes
unsafe roads
The 14th Goa State Road Safety Week is being observed. Some people have rightly asked what is the use of such programmes if the roads themselves are not built properly. How can a safe driver handle a car or two-wheeler when the road conditions are so poor? Is it not the duty of the public to complain to the PWD or even take the engineers responsible to the consumer court?
To bring discipline among drivers, Goa needs AI cameras on the roads and proper traffic signals at all junctions. At the same time, engineers should be sent for refresher training in road construction, along with members of the Indian Road Congress.
Bridges and flyovers are often built without safety measures, which is a disaster waiting to happen. Just a few minutes of rain creates large pools of water on the roads. When one vehicle speeds through, the water splashes onto the windscreen of another, leading to the risk of major accidents. Drain pipes fixed along bridges are already coming loose. Water gushes down like a waterfall onto vehicles passing below. This is the poor quality of work by engineers who claim to be building roads “better than American roads.”
If such negligence continues, Goa may face a situation similar to Nepal’s road disasters, and local representatives along with engineers will have to face public anger. For real road safety, we need not just the government and contractors but also active participation of citizen groups and activists.
Otherwise, Goa may soon “earn” the number one spot as the state with the poorest quality contractors, where kickbacks matter more than people’s lives. Even footpaths are ignored. In Porvorim, during a recent ministerial visit, broken and misused pavements went unnoticed. Today, some of these footpaths are used more by pet owners to let their animals defecate than by pedestrians.
Gregory E Dsouza, Siolim
CCTV and black spot mapping needed to fight drugs
Calls for black spot mapping, CCTV surveillance to curb drug peddling - The Goan Everyday - September 13, 2025. We are all aware that drugs are one of the biggest curses on society. It is not just the person addicted to drugs but the entire family that is disturbed on account of drugs. And it is the youngsters who are caught in its web. It is important, therefore, that this issue of drugs is tackled with utmost urgency and brute force if necessary. Does it take a protest or a delegation from any political party in order to act?
The authorities must order surveillance in all educational institutions and surrounding neighbourhoods and ensure that drug peddlers are dealt with severely. Awareness programmes and counselling would also help to a great extent. The task is difficult and huge but not impossible. What is needed is the willingness and sincerity to act.
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
When will Fr Agnelo of Pilar
be declared a saint?
Recently, the Catholic Church declared Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati as saints, which is a great blessing for the Church. At this time, a question comes to my mind: when will the Church declare Fr Agnelo a saint from Goan soil?
Fr Agnelo Gustavo Adolfo de Souza (SFX) was born on 21 January 1869 in Anjuna, Goa, and died on 20 November 1927 at Rachol. He was ordained a priest in 1898 and served in many places in Goa and beyond. He was known for his humility, spiritual guidance, and service to the needy.
In 1986, Pope John Paul II declared him “Venerable.” The next step towards sainthood, canonisation, depends on the confirmation of a miracle through his intercession. Thousands of devotees regularly pray for this, visiting Pilar every Thursday, and during novenas and feast days. Many faithful in Goa believe that Fr Agnelo has worked miracles and continues to listen to their prayers.
I appeal to our Church authorities, the bishops of Goa, the SFX priests, and Pope Francis to take this cause forward and declare Fr Agnelo a saint. The people of Goa have been waiting and praying for this recognition for many years.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
Rent-a-car menace puts
Goans’ lives at risk
A local scooter rider was hit from behind and dragged for about 40 metres on Tuesday evening by a ‘rent a car’ being recklessly driven by a drunk tourist along with his female friend at the Saligao“Chogm Road, just before the Hindu cemetery. The rider suffered serious injuries to his head, face, legs and shoulders and was bleeding heavily. Locals at the spot gave him first aid before he was taken by ambulance to the District Hospital in Mapusa, which arrived late by 35 minutes.
Saligao police were called to the site for investigation. Although a plastic liquor bottle smelling of vodka was clearly found in the car by locals, the police were seen making a half-hearted ‘panchanama’, acting as if nothing serious had happened, and treating the driver like a VIP.
By now, the drunk driver must have been allowed to walk free after paying the police their ‘share’, because this has sadly become the pattern in Goa. Instead of giving justice to victims, police accept bribes and release such tourists quickly, letting them escape accountability for accidents.
The government must act against this rent-a-car menace. Reckless tourist drivers should be punished, but car owners must also be held responsible. After every such accident, their cars should be seized and kept at the police station for six months or even a year. Only then will they learn a lesson and accidents on Goan roads be reduced.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Is the decision for India to play Pak in the right spirit?
As India prepares to face Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2025 match at Dubai International Cricket Stadium today, September 14, controversy surrounds the fixture as many oppose India playing against Pakistan due to terrorism concerns. A lot more than two points will be at stake as the match will be played under the cloud of lingering hostility after their intense recent conflict, when India launched strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan after 26 tourists were killed in a dastardly attack in Pahalgam.
Calls for boycotting cricketing ties with Pakistan have grown louder since the attack in Kashmir, after which India launched ‘Operation Sindoor’. It is learnt that, as per a new policy announced by the government recently, India will not engage in any bilateral sporting contests with Pakistan but will continue to face the neighbours in multilateral tournaments such as the ongoing Asia Cup cricket tournament or events organised by the ICC.
Whenever India and Pakistan play, emotions run high and a loss is not taken well by fans on either side of the border. In past decades, players’ homes in Pakistan have been torched, their family members threatened, and effigy-burning protests carried out on the streets. The current political climate between India and Pakistan is worse than it has been in several decades. People in India feel that it is not right to play this match while the overall relationship between both countries is so strained. Many consider it an insult to those who lost their loved ones in the terror attack at Pahalgam.
Fans in India may see the fixture as a money-making avenue for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), whom they blame for trying to cash in on the profits generated by these high-profile clashes. The question being asked is: if the Indian government has stopped issuing visas to Pakistanis, if diplomatic ties are suspended, and if the Indus Water Treaty has been kept in abeyance, then why have the cricketers been asked to play this match in the aftermath of a war? That is the big question.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Gen Z’s fury: South Asia’s
youth-led reckoning
The angry protests that shook Kathmandu on September 9, targeting Parliament, ministers’ homes, and media offices, show a major shift in Nepal’s politics. The unrest began after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli banned social media, but it quickly grew into a youth-led revolt against corruption, nepotism, and privilege.
The crackdown on protesters triggered nationwide anger and exposed the deep failures of Nepal’s democracy. Even after Oli resigned, demonstrators continued their attacks, burning leaders’ houses and damaging offices. Unlike Nepal’s earlier democratic movements, this uprising has no clear leaders or demands ” it is driven by pure anger at the state.
This Gen Z revolt is part of a larger youth wave in South Asia. In Bangladesh, student protests forced Sheikh Hasina out but created new instability. In Sri Lanka, the Aragalaya movement pushed out the Rajapaksas and boosted the JVP. In Nepal, the lack of credible alternatives risks opening doors to groups like Hindu nationalists or royalists.
Populist figures such as jailed Rabi Lamichhane and Kathmandu Mayor Balendra Shah have gained support. But Shah’s call to dissolve Parliament shows the risk of extreme anti-institutional thinking seen in other uprisings. The Nepal Army’s decision will be crucial. Its choice between restraint and control will shape whether Nepal moves towards democratic renewal or slips into authoritarian rule.
South Asia’s Gen Z is calling for change, but without clear vision or structures, their rage could damage democracy itself. The real test is turning this energy into reform rather than destruction. Otherwise, what looks like a democratic awakening may become its slow collapse.
Everette Assis Telles, Margao
