Red alert in Goa
PANJIM, May 13: Goa Police have issued a red alert in the wake of serial blasts in Jaipur, Rajasthan, on Tuesday, and have set all measures in place to beef up patrolling in crowded places. IGP Kishan Kumar told Herald that all police stations in the State have been asked to heighten their patrolling activities, especially at bus stands, railway stations, market areas and the crowded places. [H]

Willy wails over 'unsteady' govt
PANJIM: Nationalist Congress Party state president Dr Wilfred de Souza yesterday said that the Congress-led government headed by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was "unsteady". He also rubbished claims by his Congress counterpart, Francisco Sardinha, that the coalition's co-ordination committee had not discussed the issue of divesting Dayanand Narvekar of the finance portfolio. [GT]

Plan to control price rise formulated
PANJIM: Initiating steps to control rise in prices of essential commodities, the Goa Cabinet yesterday formulated an action plan to sell these commodities at controlled rates through bagayatdars, marketing federation, horticulture outlets and VKSS societies. Finance Minister Dayanand Narvekar told reporters that the government had decided to rope in these bodies to sell the essential commodities at Rs.5 less than the market rates. [GT]

Education loan scheme to be modified
PANJIM, May 13: In a bid to extend the scheme to the Goan children born outside the State, the cabinet today gave its nod for modification of interest-free loans scheme for higher education. Chief Minister Kamat said that the loan amount has also been raised. [H]

Faleiro to visit Goan communities in Kenya, Mozambique
PANJIM: Commissioner for NRI Affairs Eduardo Faleiro will visit Mozambique and Kenya from May 16 to 24. He will meet the Goan community, other communities of Indian origin as well as Foreign Ministers and others leaders of the two governments. He said that Goans migrated in significant numbers to East Africa in the 19th and 20th centuries and they formed the backbone of the Civil service, railways and the educational system in those countries. [GT]

Big B blooms for parents

Siridao sarpanch, secy face locals' wrath
PANJIM, May 3: Acting Sarpanch of Siridao-Palem Pandurang Mangueshkar and Secretary Lency Julio Dias had to face the wrath of the villagers on various issues concerning the development of the village, at a largely attended gram sabha meeting held on May 11. [H]

Potholes on plastic road
PONDA: The newly constructed 500-metre road in Ponda, using plastic, has developed potholes much to the chagrin of the locals. Though it was a demo road, the potholes ont he road which was constructed at an estimated cost of Rs.6.23 lakh would raise many eyebrows as it would send a wrong message to the curious citizens. [NT]

No reprieve for Betalbatim beach
MARGAO, May 13: Betalbatim's Sunset beach - truly a picnicker's paradise - may have to brace up to face soil erosion during monsoons - may be for the last time. For, Water Resources Department's ambitious plan to erect a barrier along the Betalbatim coast is likely to become a reality only after the monsoons and may give relief to the battered coast next monsoons. [H]

Oliver's getting in the groove
Oliver Sean, Goa's very own GenNext musician, is back with a bang. He's launched his latest album "Getting Around" and is all geared up to travel the world promoting it. "I will be going to Europe, the United States, Canada and hopefully Japan to perform gigs," he says. [Alysha Lobo, TOI]

Sex trade in N Goa beach belt
MAPUSA: With the state being a major tourist destination, drug peddling, paedophilia, child labour and sex rackets have been prevalent here (North Goa). Of late sex rackets have been run in the name of massage parlours in areas of Calangute, Anjuna, Vagator, Morjim, Arambol and Mandrem. [Ervin Fonseca, NT]

Govt decides to boost automatic mutation
PANAJI: The government intends to voluntarily register mutation of property by linking offices of mamlatdars and sub-registrar. This would mean that the transferee (buyer) would not be required to make an application for mutation. Incidentally, a provision for such a mutation already exists in the Land Revenue Code, 1968, since the last 40 years but has never been used by the government. [Shripad S Merchant, TOI]

Goa's media history 'in black and white'
PANJIM, May 13: Titled 'In Black and White', the book covers the period from the launch of "The Navhind Times", in 1963, till recent times. It also looks at newspapers that were started and didn't continue in operation - like the "West Coast Times", "Novem Goem" (Konkani) and sometimes refers to the crop of Portuguese newspapers which didn't survive the post-1961 changes. The book has been edited by journalist Frederick Noronha and has some 22 chapters contributed by 20 different journalists. [H]

Feni goes global
PANAJI: Goa's own local brew, cashew (Caju) feni has transcended the state barriers and is now a popular drink not only in many states in India, but also overseas. Over the years, it has become a brand in itself and is exported to various countries of the world. The state authorities and manufacturers have now sought a patent to this popular brew. [Abdul Rauf Beig, NT]

Leap frog
With the start of this season the one issue that will raise its ugly head is that of catching, killing and eating of frogs, which incidentally, is totally illegal. Despite this, each year thousands of frogs are caught in fields and forests of Goa and consumed, the current law is hardly a deterrent. The Forest department has not had a single conviction, probably due to lack of interest, and political interference. however, this time, WildGoa has also asked the citizens of Goa to be more proactive by calling in to report rogue restaurants, and if they know of people catching frogs. [GT]