Panaji, Sept 6: Senior journalist Vishant Vaze, known for his extensive reporting on environmental issues and matters concerning the common man, passed away while undergoing treatment at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, on Sunday. He was 58.

Vaze had suffered a brain stroke a few days ago and had been undergoing treatment at GMC.

Born on July 7, 1968, Vaze hailed from Bicholim and was serving as the Bicholim correspondent for The Navhind Times and Lokmat. Over the course of his journalism career, he earned recognition for his grassroots reporting, particularly on environmental concerns, public-interest issues and developments affecting Goa’s hinterland.

One of his significant interventions came in 2023, when he filed an intervention petition before the Supreme Court concerning the buffer zone around the Mhadei and Bhimgadh wildlife sanctuaries.

Following his intervention petition, the Supreme Court issued notices to the Union Ministry of Environment and the Karnataka government. His efforts on the issue were subsequently acknowledged by the Goa Legislative Assembly, which congratulated and honoured him for his contribution.

Vaze had also been felicitated by several government and non-government organisations for his dedicated service to journalism.

The Goa Union of Journalists had earlier honoured him for his contribution to mofussil journalism, recognising his sustained work in reporting from Goa’s hinterland. More recently, he was felicitated by the Goa Marathi Patrakar Sangh for his contribution to the field of journalism.

Condoling his demise, the Goa Union of Journalists described Vaze’s death as a major loss to the journalistic fraternity and conveyed its deepest sympathies to his family.

Vaze’s career was marked by his commitment to grassroots journalism, environmental causes and issues directly affecting ordinary citizens. His passing leaves a void in Goa’s journalistic community, particularly in the field of mofussil and public-interest reporting.