IT Kiosks

The Goa government appears to be quite earnest to ensure e-governance in the State. Last months two IT kiosks were inaugurated, one in Panjim and another in Margao. Land records will be made available through the kiosks at a nominal fee. However, as soon as possible it will take on other facilities like video conferencing, telemedicine and various forms routinely used in the Collectorate offices. Incidentally, the IT kiosks were inaugurated on the day the BJP party in Goa celebrated their one year in office.

Babli Salgaonkar of Chimbel, represented by Adv Aires Rodrigues, filed a Public Interest Litigation before the Panjim Bench of the Bombay High Court, challenging the Government's decision to distribute the application forms of the recently launched Dayanand Social Security Scheme only through the MLAs. Salgaonkar has submitted that the government's action is arbitrary and contrary to Art.14 of the Constitution and the Directive Principles of State Policy. The Goa government in association with the LIC of India has propounded a "Freedom from Hunger" project to provide subsistence level price index linked pension of Rs.500 per month to needy people above the age of 60. The Petitioner has submitted that the Government be directed to make the application forms available to the public at all Panchayat, Municipal, Mamlatdar and Block Development offices.

The Panaji Bench of the Bombay High Court comprising of Justice V.K Barde and Justice A.S. Aguiar directed that notices be issued in the Public Interest Litigation petition filed
by Mario Miranda against an illegal construction on a open public place at Borda, Margao. Notices were directed to be issued against Margao Munipality, South Goa Planning and Development Authority ( SGPDA), Collector of South Goa and Subhash Naik, a Margao based builder. Arguing on behalf of the Petitioner, Adv. AiresRodrigues submitted that the Margao Municipality and South Goa Planning and Development Authority (SGPDA) had given licence to build on a plot, which has been used by the general public of Margao for nearly 100 years and was one of Margao's few open spaces which ought to be preserved for future generations. The petitioner has in his petition stated that the open space which is situated at the foot of Margao's Monte Hill has been used by people to park their vehicles in the said open space and then proceed up the hill by foot. The petitioner has further submitted that there are five educational institutions in the locality using the open space and the said open space adjoins an arterial road of Margao, which is exactly at the junction of six roads.

The Foreign Registration Office of the Goa Police has registered 94 cases pertaining to overstaying of foreigners in the State. Of the total 94, 55 foreigners have already returned to their countries while 35 have applied for extension of their visas.

What quite a few people were looking for is now available. Ismilda Research Consultancy in Calangute offers services like research on Goan laws and legal institutions, Indo-Portuguese legal research, Goan culture and folklore, research in the field of education, publications, etc. For more information ismilda@sify.com   

To recognize the contribution of artistes to Konkani music, to document its rich tradition and also to promote it on the national stage, the Konkani Bhasha Mandal has planned several projects including the hosting of the First All India Festival of Konkani Music in Margao on February 2000, during the 125^th birth anniversary of Shenoi Goembab. (H) Remo Fernandes, Alfred and Rita Rose, Lorna, Kishori Amonkar, Hema Sardessai, Ajit Kadkade, Shaunakh Abhishekhi, Shoba Gortu and Prabhakar Karekar will be felicitated on the occasion.  

The Transport department's lethargy in implementing the rules, and issuance of bogus Pollution Under Control certificates to motorists in some cases by government-authorised emission checking centres, has reduced efforts to curb vehicular smoke emission in Goa to a farce.  

The seventh all Goa State Conference of AITUC at Porvorim on October 14 condemned the new economic policy adopted by the BJP-led NDA and the implementation of  the 'second generation reforms' which have allowed free import of agricultural goods, to the detriment of Indian farmers. The AITUC conference urged the Goa government to enact a legislation for providing the minimum wages of Rs.3,000 to the industrial employees in Goa.  

"Kantteantlem Full" (a flower from the thorns), a Konkani feature film, has been planned by D'Costa Telefilm Productions, as its maiden venture. A number of leading stage artists from the Konkani tiatr, and Marathi and English theatre, will feature in the film.  

The tourism scene in Goa was quite bleak in October, the month when the inflow begins. The overall drop in the business is estimated to be in the region of 30 per cent this season. However, 91 per cent of the charters tourists from Europe arrived on schedule at the Dabolim airport by two different flights on October 14. Monarch Airlines brought flew in 354 passengers while Air 2000 brought in 222. Thomas Cook Leisures took care of 144 tourists while Sita Air Travels, UVI and TCI shared the remainder. 

The power supplied by Reliance Salgaocar Power Company Ltd to the State will be reduced to 19.8 MW from the earlier decision to purchase only 36 MW from the agreed 48 MW, according to a Cabinet decision taken on October 15. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar told the Press that the State cannot afford to purchase expensive power when Goa already has its surplus. 

Random checks will be conducted by the Directorate of Health Services at the various ultrasound clinics in Goa, to check whether sex-determination tests are being conducted. Pre-natal sex determination tests have been banned in India vide the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique Regulation and Prevention of Misuse Act, 1994.  

The Indian Express Group will comanise a Goa festival called "La Vida Goa" in Mumbai from November 8 to 11 at the Bandra Reclamation ground. The highlight of the various activities, which are expected to attract a crowd of about 1.5 lakh, will be a fashion show by Wendell Rodricks and a performance by rockstar Remo Fernandes.  

The Ayurvedic Natural Health Centre at Saligao has introduced a programme serving for the bedridden senior citizens round the clock. The programme is also specially tailored for those working abroad, with ailing parents in Goa, who need constant care and attention. Contact Jennifer on 409762/281324.  

A dozen private parties have sent 'expressions of interest' in the beach management plan for Miramar. The bidding process for its implementation will commence from October 22. The privatisation of the beach, however, has generated a public debate with citizens questioning the government's motive in entrusting the work, which can be done by the civic bodies, to private agencies.  

Two conmen told the family of Mohan Lal Gangani, a builder in Panjim, that they had found a metal pot containing gold coins, and offered to sell the glittering find for Rs.4 lakh only. When a goldsmith assured that the coins were of pure gold, Gangani paid the conmen Rs.1,25,000 and gave them some jewellery worth Rs.32,000. The duo agreed to come back for the balance on Friday. However, when the Gangani family took the coins to another goldsmith, they were shocked to learn that they were all made of fake gold.  

With the residents of Colvale and Mapusa's Housing Board Colony opposing the dumping of garbage in their areas, garbage collectors seem to have chosen the Assagao plateau, near the DMC College, to dump their waste. The president of the Assagao Comunidade, Tony D'Souza, found a tempo which was about to unload garbage at an isolated site in the late evening on October 16. Before the cops could arrive on the scene, the driver drove the vehicle away. However, it was tracked down the next day, and issued a fine of Rs.500. 

Though the population of Goa according to the latest Census stands at 13,43,998, it seems that the Civil Supplies Department has issued ration cards for the benefit of essential commodities to a population of over 14 lakh in the state.  

No cases of anthrax have been detected in Goa so far, said Dr Rajendra Tamba, epidemologist with the Directorate of Health Services. "Whatever the eventuality, we are prepared for it. We have a rapid action team...If we detect even the slightest symptom, we will rush to the spot," Dr Tamba informed.  

The Goan comanisations for Action and Networking (GOAN), an NGO comprising of various Goan associations, NGO groups and individuals, will field their candidates for the forthcoming elections. Co-ordinator of GOAN, Jawahar Dias, told presspersons that the association believes that the panchayats and the municipalities must be depoliticised. Besides Dias, the co-ordinating committee is made up of Olav Menezes of On Line Action Network, Floriano Lobo of GEAG, TT Shreedharan of Nagrik Samiti, John Mendes of SGPIAG, Sinatra Paes of Bailancho Ekvott, Fritzie Moraes Lobo of CRAC and Gurudas Kamat of Global Greenforce and AGHC. 

Going by the decision of the Tourism Department not to permit shack operators to put up deck beds, chairs or umbrellas, either in front or at the sides of the shack, there may be no deck beds or umbrellas in front of the beach shacks this season in Goa.