News

RESULT AFTER DEATH: Akshata Prabhu, a student of Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya and Research Centre, Shiroda, is no more to see her results. The Goa University declared her results on August 10 and as expected she passed out with flying colours. Akshata committed suicide on 23 July after being distressed over the University's decision to keep her results in the reserved category for the double assessment system.

BENAULIM FINANCE PANEL: Benaulim panchayat has formed two committees-finance and environment-to oversee the financial transactions and garbage disposal mechanism. The tentative members of the environment members are Correa Afonso and Sales Lima Fernandes…Apparently rich Benaulim panchayat, which reportedly has an annual income of Rs.20 lakh, has some ambitious proposals for the village.

August 13, 2002

CURBS ON BARS ON HIGHWAYS: Minister for Finance Manohar Parrikar stated in the House on August 12 that the State government may consider imposing restrictions on issue of licences for opening of bars on national highways and State highways.

UNFAIR TO NRIs: "Goa's industrial policy will be finalized by September 15 this year," said Industries Minister Ramrao Dessai during the question hour in the Goa Assembly on August 13. Dessai was urged by the Opposition to provide benefits to those desirous of investing in the State including NRI Goans, who, Dr Wilfred de Souza felt, were not being given a fair deal.

CAR SALES UP: Domestic car sales went up by 8.7 per cent in July on the back of growth attained by auto-makers like Hyundai, Tata Engineering, Fiat and Honda. Commercial vehicles too climbed 33.8 per cent to 13,368 units from 9,988 units in July last.

August 15, 2002

TOUGH CHALLENGE: Goa's Rs.1,000-crore iron ore export industry, hitherto the backbone of the State economy, would soon face the toughest challenge for its very existence because of the failure of the Parrikar government to safeguard the interest of this capital-cum-labour intensive activity, unlike Andhra Pradesh where his counterpart Chandrababu Naidu is busy mopping up advantages.

AID PATTERN FOR SCHOOLS: The State government plans to simplify the grant-in-aid pattern to the aided high schools, besides also to change the curriculum of higher classes from Standard VII onwards by linking them with technical subjects as a part of upgradation and improving the quality education in the State.

NO QUESTION OF QUITTING: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said there was no question of him resigning in connection with the court order to frame charges against Town and Country Planning Minister Atanasio Monserrate in a case of alleged extortion, cheating and threatening to kill a Mapusa-based builder.

MARGAO'S DEAD: Close on the heels of the Muslim community's long-pending plea to the government for a new burial ground, the Catholic community from the heart of Margao city has renewed their plea for a cemetery. Writing on behalf of the Fabrica, Fr Joao Pedro Fernandes, the Parish Priest of Grace church, has drawn the municipality's attention to the urgent need to construct a cemetery for the parishioners.

FOR KAMPALA TRADE FAIR: M/s Colfax Laboratories, Nirankal Ponda, M/S Blue Cross Remedies, Verna, M/s Eleconic Condensors, Kundaim and M/s Power Engineering, Tuem are the four small scale units from Goa that will participate in the Kampala International Trade Fair, scheduled to be held between October 3 to 12, 2002 in Uganda. The Uganda International Trade Fair is an annual event being organised by the Uganda Manufacturers Association at its permanent fair grounds at Kampala. It is one of the most prestigious and popular public programmes being held in Uganda. (<pib@goatelecom.com>)

August 17, 2002

ANJEDIVA CHURCH: The State government has expressed its inability to take any steps in the matter of the proposed closure of the 500-year-old Our Lady of Springs church at the Anjediva island as Navy's Sea Bird project is all set for commissioning. Making the State government's stand quite clear in the Goa Assembly, the Chief Ministers, Manohar Parrikar, stated on August 16 that the Navy project involving national security had to be given top priority and as such nothing much could be done in the matter.

OPEN SPACES TO CIVIC BODIES? The private member's resolution was to recommend to the State Government to "to enact a suitable legislation for making it compulsory to the developers of the plots including Comunidade to hand over open spaces to the local self bodies as it becomes no man's land and becomes a nuisance in the area".

CARDIAC MIRACLE! The Department of Cardiology, KLE's Heart Foundation, Belgaum, added another feather to its cap by successfully performing the closure of a hole in the upper chamber of the heart of a 40-year-old female by amplatz device (without cutting the chest).

August 18, 2002

GAS PIPELINE: Goa State Pollution Control Board has fixed an environmental public hearing on a proposal for laying of an underground pipeline for transportation of natural gas and hydrocarbons from Goa to Hyderabad on 17 September at Kansarpal and 18 September at Margao. The 57-km pipeline (in Goa), which will be set up by Goa transportation and Infrastructure Company Ltd, will pass through Pernem, Ponda, Bicholim and Mormugao talukas.

DEFRAUDED A BANK, ALMOST! One Jennifer Fernandes, attempted to swindle two private banks of a whopping Rs.7.5 lakh by depositing two bogus banker's cheques of a third private bank. Jennifer, who has been arrested, allegedly scanned two 'banker's cheques' of the ICICI Bank and used the print-out.

GOA DESC WEBSITE AND E-DOCUMENTATION: Goa Desc Website and E-Documentation Service will be launched on 20th August at Goa Desc Resource Centre at Mapusa at 9.30 am, at the hands of Mr George Pinto of Goa Sudharop Inc, USA. (Goa Desc <goadesc@goatelecom.com>)

August 19-20, 2002

MUCB DIRECTORS MAY QUIT: In a new development on the Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank front, the directors of the bank have offered to relinquish their positions and pave way for the appointment of an administrator in order "to instill confidence in the public about the safety of the bank".

LOAN SPENT JUDICIOUSLY: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said yesterday that loan availed by government corporations and autonomous bodies over the last two years have been spent judiciously and purposefully. Parrikar said that of the Rs.152 crore loans for the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation, about Rs.97 crore was allotted to the PD, Rs.20 crore to Tillari Irrigation Project, Rs.15 crore to the KTCL and Rs.6 crore to the Education Department, and the balance for infrastructure development. (H)

NAVELIM FEARS WATER CONTAMINATION: Location of the Margao sewerage treatment plant near the village border has fuelled apprehensions of underground water contamination by the people of Navelim.

NATURAL GAS: If all goes well and the government does not drag its feet for too long, Goa will soon be the newest provide of natural gas to the country. A concern of the Reliance group has been allotted the exclusive exploratory rights to the two natural gas reserves that have been detected by government agencies about two kms of the Goa coast.

August 21, 2002

NRI'S INTERET WILL BE PROTECTED: Befriending and protecting the interests of non-resident Indians (NRIs) of Goan origin to benefit the State is apparently on top of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's agenda if his utterances in the Goa Legislative Assembly are any indication. Mr Parrikar said he would take personal interest in strengthening the NRI cell formed by his government under the Home department. Mr Parrikar also said, the government must do something to ensure that Goans abroad in distress are taken care of.

CHANGE IN GMC TELEPHONES: The Goa Medical College telephone numbers have been changed: Dean 458727/Fax 458728, Medical Superintendent 458730/Fax 458729, Dirctor of Administration 458940, blood bank 458724 and casualty 458725.

ST FRANCIS' 450TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY: With the 450th death anniversary of St Francis Xavier barely three months away, religious and academic programmes are being planned by the archdiocese of Goa and Daman as well as the Jesuit community in the State to commemorate the occasion.

August 22, 2002

WOMAN HELD FOR DUPING YOUTH: Quepem police have registered an offence against one Karmala Pillai, resident of Neturlim, Sanguem, who had recruited 8 youth for jobs in Mozambique under unauthorized placement services known as Seagull Marines.

August 23, 2002

BOGUS CHEQUES, DOCUMENTS SEIZED: Following the search of the premises of the couple-Leeann Cabral alias Jennifer Fernandes alias Disha Patel and her husband Jonas Fernandes at Porvorim--the Panjim police seized all the important material proof which confirmed the involvement of the couple, who attempted to swindle two private banks of a whopping Rs.7.5 lakh by depositing two bogus banker's cheques of a third private bank. (H)

TEACHER CUTS OFF STUDENT'S HAIR: In a shocking incident, a teacher forcibly cut of the hair of a 7th Std girl student in the classroom of the Shree Shraddanand Vidyalaya at Poinguinim, sparking off a protest march in the village. The girl's long hair would dangle in front of her eyes, compelling her to repeatedly brush them with her fingers, which annoyed the teacher, who had been repeatedly telling the student to cut her hair. (H)

August 24, 2002

GOA MET COMPLEX: In the Assembly yesterday Mayem MLA Harish Zantye pointed out that while in 1997-98 the income was shown as Rs.3.85 crore and expenditure incurred at Rs.1.5 crore. He said that he failed to understand why in 1998-99 and 1999-2000 the income was shown at Rs.76 lakh and Rs.84 lakh while expenditure at Rs.1.4 crore and Rs.1.2 crore respectively.

CARVALHO'S NAME FOR DULER STADIUM STAND: One of the stands of the GFA stadium, Duler, Mapusa, will be named after the late Edward Carvalho of Siolim, who was instrumental in completing and giving the ground its beautiful playing surface. The other stand is named after Zuari Industries Limited, whose contribution of Rs.6 lakh emboldened GFA to start the project.

August 25, 2002

VITAL RIBANDAR CULVERT CRUMBLES: The 358-year-old Ribandar-Patto culvert, a vital causeway to Old Goa and Divar (and which forms a part of busy National Highway No 4), partly crumbled in the early hours of August 24 leaving office-goers and school children stranded. One of the piers of the culvert has collapsed. While two-wheelers squeezed their way through, the 22-meter stretch of the Ribandar-Patto causeway has been closed for vehicular traffic.

ALTERNATE BRIDGE IN EIGHT MONTHS: As informed in the Goa Assembly earlier this week that steps were initiated for an alternate Ribandar-Patto bridge, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar reiterated that the same would be completed within a period of eight months.

SERIAL ON BANDODKAR: "Dayanand", a 13-part serial based on the life, times and works of the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Goa, Daman and Diu, Bhausaheb alias Dayanand Balkrishna Bandodkar, has received sponsorship from the State government.

August 26, 2002

SHUTTLE SERVICES FROM RIBANDAR: Transport department officials have arranged temporary shuttle services between Patto Ribandar to Panjim city as the routes of passenger buses coming from Ponda are to be terminated at Ribandar in the wake of Saturday's culvert collapse. The temporary repair work of the Ribandar culvert began on August 24 with the portion being filled with rubble to stop further erosion of the laterite slabs.

NON-PAYMENT OF TEACHERS' SALARIES: A few teachers working in private secondary schools, as well as some working in government primary schools, who were transferred from one school to another in various parts of South Goa in June, are without their salaries for the last two months.

August 28, 2002

3-YEAR-OLD'S THROAT SLIT IN NAVELIM: In a tragic incident yesterday evening 3-year-old Nelroy Gomes, son of Salsi and Milagres from Telaulim, Navelim, was found dead with his throat slit. The victim went to play along with his six-year-old brother and another cousin barely 50 metres away from the house at 4.30 pm. He needed to release his bowels and went towards a nearby pond. As there was no sign of him, the other two returned home. About two hours later the boy was found floating in the pond with his throat slit.

ALDONA-PANJIM ROAD BLOCKED: Public outcry over the State government's move to pass the "City of Panjim Corporation Bill 2002" has spread to Penha-da-Franca and Salvador-do Mundo, as residents on Tuesday blocked the Aldona-Panjim road for the entire day.

CASSETTE "NACH BABA NACH": Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes released Eugenio's first Konkani cassette "Nach Baba Nach" featuring Lorna, at Saipem in Candolim. The other singers are Young Chico, Maria Cardozo e Martins, Roshan, Lavina, Sandra and Steffi.

August 29, 2002

"HARD CORE" PROJECTS: The "hard core" infrastructure development projects finalized by the Project Identification Committee for Panjim, include re-designing of the Kadamba Transport Corporation bus stand, comprehensive sewerage system, parallel bridge from EDC to MLA which also includes a bypass to Bhatlem, Taleigao and beyond, construction of four-lane road between Campal and Miramar and feasibility for having two lanes on the new Patto bridge. (H)

August 30, 2002

KILLED FOR CALLING HIM A 'PIG': Margao police yesterday arrested Shivram Mane (14) of Telaulim for the murder of Nelroy Gomes (3). The accused confessed to committing the crime by slitting the throat of the deceased by using broken glass pieces. Shivram is said to have murdered Nelroy, as the victim often irritated him by calling him a 'pig'.

PWD TO CHECK CULVERTS, BRIDGES: The Public Works Department has been directed by the Department of Transport to conduct an assessment on the load bearing capacity of all bridges and culverts mainly on National Highway 4A and National Highway 17, in the wake of damage caused to the foundation of the Patto-Ribandar culvert.

CITIZEN DRAGS COPS TO COURT: Augusto Saude Noronha of Cuncolim, whose licenced pistol was misappropriated by police after it was deposited in the armoury of Cuncolim police station around eight years ago, has now knocked on the doors of the judiciary for justice. The pistol is worth around Rs.3 lakh.

INTRANET FACILITY LIKELY: Birth and death certificates, RTO learning licences and other such facilities will be available to Goan citizens at the nearest municipality without they having to go to their native municipalities because all major municipalities in Goa will soon be connected through the Intranet, Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar said in Mapusa on August 29.

August 31, 2002

F A R OF 200 UNSUITABLE FOR PANAJI: A liberal and high Floor Area Ratio of 200 for the small city of Panaji is unsuitable and is destroying its fabric, members of the environment panel of Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry felt.

MAN OF PASSION: Wild passion caught up with Namdev Naik when he found himself behind bars for one year with a penalty of Rs.1000 for outraging the modesty of a married woman.

SNAKES OVER "KAANTE": Taking its opposition to film "Kaante" to strange heights (in Jaipur), the Shiv Sena on Friday threatened to let loose venomous snakes in theatres showing the movie, allegedly financed by people having connections with the underworld. (PTI report in GT)