TUESDAY, 1 SEPTEMBER 2026

Not smart meters, but stable power needed


The Goa Electricity Department recently switched to digital meters, and now the Power Minister plans to replace them with smart meters. The question is”who needs these meters, and who will bear the cost? 

Many residents just had their meters upgraded, raising concerns about whether this is another scheme to benefit BJP-linked contractors ahead of elections.

Goans need a reliable power supply, yet frequent outages persist due to weak transformers. LED streetlights remain non-functional for months, plunging streets into darkness, while some flicker erratically, making roads look eerie at night. 

The long-promised underground cabling is still incomplete, yet new projects are introduced, further burdening citizens.

With taxpayers' money funding salaries and perks, the government should prioritize essential services instead of pushing costly initiatives under the guise of development. 

Rather than imposing new technologies, the focus should be on ensuring uninterrupted electricity and proper maintenance of existing infrastructure.


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Time to preserve Goa’s heritage

EVERETTE ASSIS TELLES, Margao
Published Mar 23, 2025, 11:57 PM IST
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The anti-mall protests in Old Goa highlight threats to the State’s cultural and historical legacy. Once the capital of Portuguese India, Old Goa is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, home to landmarks like the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which holds St Francis Xavier’s relics. However, under the Centre’s PRASAD scheme, large-scale tree felling and development projects threaten this heritage.The Save Old Goa Action Committee (SOGAC) and citizens are protesting a shopping mall near the…

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