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Saturday 31st of July 2010 |
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Rai-Shirode (Shiroda ferry point) (Courtesy to: joegoauk23)
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‘Govt failed to collect Rs 200 cr green cess’
| Green cess of more than Rs 200 crore has not been collected by the government, a legislative panel has said.
The estimates committee of 2009-10 on mines department, chaired by Aldona legislator Dayanand Narvekar, has said that it is pained to hear about the lack of revenue accrued to the government from the mining industry.
“The committee did not get figures of transportation or green cess for movement of minerals to Goa and could not assess revenue collected as per the decision of the government in 2008-09 to levy green cess,” the report says adding ‘…but officially it was stated that the government has not collected green cess of more than Rs 200 crores the in last two years.”
However, it adds, the mineral ore imported in Goa has attracted transportation cess of around 25 to 30 crore every year.
“It is highly objectionable that the government has failed to collect cess for transportation from miners to loading point to export.
Further, the committee observed that there are no details available as yet of the iron ore of non-Goan origin which is moved into Goa sector and thereafter exported through.
The committee also stated that the figure published by the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA) for 2008-09 cannot be totally relied upon. [H] |
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| The Goan Weather Update |
Max temp: 26.2°C Dew Point: 25°C
Humidity: 97% |
"Heavy Rain" |
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| Upcoming Events |
Choir singing course
Bal Bhavan has proposed to start the Choir under the guidance of Dr Gerald Rodricks, well-known personality in theatre and music from the month of September 2010. This training course will be imparted from 4 pm to 5:30 pm thrice a week. Likewise, Bal Bhavan has also invited applications for the children between the age group of 10 to 16 years for the Choir group to sing the National Integration songs during the various State level functions. Pranic Healing workshop
Dr Anjali Shackleton will conduct a Pranic Healing workshop on July 31 and August 1 at Clube Gaspar Dias, Miramar-Panjim from 10 am to 5 pm. "Pranic healing is a No Drug, No Touch form of healing that stimulates the body's own self-recovery mechanism to work at optimum efficiency level and the most beautiful part of it is that it is self-administrable with no side effects," stated Dr Shackleton. For registration and further details, Dr Anjali Shackleton may be contacted at 2451080 or 9987062209. Feast of St Ana on Aug 1
The feast of St Ana will be celebrated on August 1 at St Ana Church, Santana Talaulim in Tiswadi. The fama will be held on July 22 with the blessing of maddi followed by Mass at 6 pm. The novenas will start from July 23 with Rosary at 5.15 pm followed by Mass, sermon and salve. The vespers will be held on July 31 at 6.30 pm. On August 1, the feast day, there will be masses at 6.30 am and 8.30 am. The concelebrated Mass will be at 10 am, There will also be Mass in the evening at 4 pm. Portuguese Conversational Course
The Heritage Cell of Rosary College of Commerce and Arts, Navelim, in collaboration with Communicare, Panaji will, conduct a conversational course in Portuguese Level I and II. The course will be held twice a week on Monday and Wednesday in college premises and will be from August 9 till September 29. The resource person for the course is Ms Joana Marto, MA in Portuguese Literature, Lisbon, For further details contact Ms Alison Quadros at Rosary College on 2736864, 2701564 before 1:15 pm from Monday to Saturday. Independence Day races
Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs will organise the annual Independence Day road races in collaboration with Goa Amateur Athletic Association on August 15. from Old secretariat, Panjim to Miramar and back. |
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| Goa Scan |
Goa to have gateway!
The Goa legislative assembly today resolved building a “Gateway of Goa” at three major check-posts of the state.
In an attempt to promote awareness on Goa’s history, Congress legislator Victoria Fernandes had tabled a private members’ resolution on building a ‘Gateway of Goa’.
Citing that Gateway of India in Mumbai was constructed by Britishers ‘for their own glory’, the only lady legislator said this move in Goa would promote patriotism and nationalism. “This will depict Goa’s freedom’s struggle, satyagrahas and a tribute to all the soldiers and satyagrahis who sacrificed their lives for freedom…It is not about money or expenditure but patriotism,” she said.
Doctor rules out negligence at GMC
The post mortem on Raveena Rodrigues, a 16-year-old girl who died in Goa Medical College (GMC) on July 29, a fortnight after she was admitted, was conducted on Friday.
The girl was admitted in GMC after she underwent appendisectomy at a private hospital in Vasco earlier this month.
The girl was apparently brought to GMC when she developed complications while she was undergoing treatment at Vasco hospital but her case was not registered as medico legal case when she was admitted in GMC.
The girl’s family had filed a police complaint at Vasco police station yesterday alleging negligence by doctors.
A senior doctor who did not wish to be named, said when any patient is brought to GMC in unconscious state or in critical condition from other hospital, the case has to be registered as medico legal case.
But it was not done in this case because one of the senior most surgeon attached to GMC who also has "thriving" private practice had operated the girl at the private hospital and as a result, when she was brought to GMC it was not reported as medico legal case, said the source.
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| Obituaries |
Margarida Pereira Fernandes
30th July 2010: Margarida Pereira Fernandes: Beloved Wife of Francisco. Loving Mother of Foestar & Bro Fraser (Rachol Seminary. Daughter of late Pedru (Pidu) & late Catharine, Daughter-in-law of Felizardo & Josepha.
Joana Andreza Fernandes (Serbon)
30th july 2010: Joana Andreza Fernandes (Serbon): Telmorod, Velim Tollecanto: Beloved wife of Late Rosarinho Fernandes, Mother/Mother-in-law of Benecio/Hazel, Silvi/late Oswin, Alvis Rina, late Julius.
Piedade Fernandes
30th July 2010: Piedade Fernandes: Loutulim-Devote: Most beloved husband of Especiosa, Father/Father-in-law of Peter/Katherine, John/Celina, Nicolau/Annie, Ana Maria/Crispino, Anuceisao/late Felicididade.
Jose Martinho Fernandes
29th July 2010: Jose Martinho Fernandes: Handkant-Senaulim-Verna: Beloved husband of Maria Piuri Fernandes, loving father of Rita Fernandes.
Piedade Travasso
27th July 2010: Piedade Travasso: Kakoda Curchorem: Beloved wife of Venancio (Babush) Travasso, mother/mother-in-law of Senika/Anthony Fernandes, Leenet, Efilda.
Joaquim L. Soares
30th July 2010: Joaquim L. Soares: Marra Pilerne: Beloved husband of Veronica, son of late Julio and late Therezin. Father/Father-in-law of Bosco (Ex-CMM/Sonesta Inns)/Joaquina (Secretariat), Etelvina (NDPS Court Mapusa)/Carlos (St.Cruz), Eva/John (Network Enterprises-Cansaulim.
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| Blogs related to Goa |
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In the News |
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Govt will not hesitate to auction unclaimed mining dumps: CM
The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on Friday said that the government has undertaken extensive exercise for identifying mining dumps located in government, private and forest lands in the state.
He said the government would not hesitate to take over the unclaimed dumps and auction them. "The 15-day notices have already been issued to identify such dumps," he added.
Replying to a mining-related question in the House during the Question Hour, the Chief Minister said that the Captain of Ports has been directed to ensure that no vessel leaves the Goan port with mining ore unless the vessel gets clear permission from the department of mining as regards clearance of royalty pertaining to the ore. "The government has, likewise, also written to the chairman of the Mormugao Port Trust, Mr Praveen Agarwal" he added. [NT]
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First EIA, acquire land later: Aleixo
Enviornment Minister Alexio Sequeira yesterday put the spoke in the National Highway widening project a la Jairam Ramesh style when he announced in the Goa Legislative Assembly that he had written to the Chief Minister and the Revenue Minister to keep the land acquisition process in abeyance and appoint an agency to conduct a detailed environment impact assessment. Sequeira made the statement after Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar, Mapusa MLA Francis D'Souza and Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco raised the matter during zero hour, stating that there was anxiety and fear in the minds of the people over the move to acquire land for expanding NH-17 and NH-4A without an environment impact assessment being done. Sequeira said after receiving details from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), it was found that the proposed alignment was passing through turtle nesting sites at Galgibaga and damaging several mangroves at places. "The fact is that the work cannot start without conducting an environment impact assessment," Aleixo said. [GT]
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Fiona absolves Israeli suspect
Scarlet’s mother, Fiona Mackeown, today told court that her daughter’s Israeli friend, Shanti, was a nuisance but harmless, although she suspected him to be behind her murder initially.
“When I learnt about passing away of my daughter, my first suspect was Shanti. But he was harmless,” Mackeown said.
Two-and-half years after her daughter was found dead, the British mother today deposed before the Goa Children’s Court, where she refuted the suggestion that Shanti was threatening the family.
“He was a nuisance. It is not true to suggest that Shanti was threatening us or misbehaving with us,” she stated during her cross examination.
Mackeown statement comes as a sharp contradiction to Scarlet’s boyfriend Julio Lobo’s statement who had said that Shanti was threatening Scarlet and her family, forcing them to shift from Anjuna to Arambol.
“No it’s not true that on account of his threat we shifted,” mother said.
Shanti was reportedly friendly with Scarlet before she met Julio Lobo.
Fiona, for the first time came face to face with Samson D’Souza and Placido Carvalho, both booked as accused in the death of her daughter.
Fiona, who was accompanied by her legal counsel Vikram Varma, said that she was very disturbed when Varma showed her both the accused in the court. [H]
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Vegetable crop takes beating due to incessant rains
The incessant rains are lashing the state for the last few days and this has put the farmers, who grow vegetables in hilly areas, in a quandary as the crop has taken a beating - the flowering of vegetable crop has been affected to a great extent.
These vegetable growers, locally also known as ‘molekars,’ speaking to this reporter, claimed that the incessant rains have affected flowering of the vegetable crop badly leading to the dropping of flowers prematurely, and as such the crop yield would be reduced.
"Yield of vegetables belonging to Cucurbita genus, which includes ridge gourd, bottle gourd, snake gourd, bitter gourd, etc would be definitely affected if the rains continue with the same intensity. These vegetables require dry spells, at least in patches," informed a vegetable farmer from Priol area. [NT]
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NOTE case against Big B for violating tobacco laws
The Goa bench of the Bombay High Court yesterday dismissed a petition filed by an NGO against Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan accusing him of violating anti-tobacco laws. Justice Nelson Britto dismissed the petition filed by National Organisation for Tobacco Eradicatin (NOTE), an anti-tobacco group which had moved the court against the megastar and three others. NOTE had objected to the roadside hoardings on Margao-Mapusa national highway which showed the actor smoking a cigar. The hoardings, displaying a still picture from the film 'Family' were put up in Goa from December 25th 2005 to January 1, 2006. The NGO had protested against the hoardings claiming that these violated the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Productiion, Supply and Distribution) Act, 2003, and section 7 of Goa Prohibitory Smoking and Spitting Act, 1997. [GT]
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BJP flays Ravi for inaction against corrupt co-op directors
The Opposition on Friday scored some more brownie points against Home Minister, Ravi Naik who also holds Co-operation portfolio by effectively demonstrating inaction of Registrar of Co-operatives office and police department against fraudulent directors of certain Urban Co-operative Credit Societies (UCCS).
Pernem MLA, Dayanand Sopte highlighted the issue of eleven UCCS that are facing the risk of losing public deposits totalling Rs 12.95 crore due to financial manipulation of the directors.
During Question Hour on Friday, Pernem MLA demanded to know what has been done to protect interest of the depositors of eleven UCCS.
Referring to the case of Curti Khandepar Urban Co-operative Credit Society Ltd, Shiroda MLA, Mahadev Naik pointed out that police have not taken any action against three senior office bearers of the Society.
The directors of the society, Netaji Sambary and Audhoot Kamat whereas manager, Neelima Panandikar are still at large even as FIR was filed against three.
The Chief Minister in its reply stated that administrator has been appointed and police complaint has been filed. But Naik demanded to know what action was taken to get back documents attached when the premises of Kurti Khandepar Urban Co-operative Society Ltd, were sealed on orders of the civil court in 2007 after wife of the ex-chairman filed suit. [H]
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Panel questions delay in getting IT Knowledge Centres functional
Expressing shock that though 40 IT Knowledge Centres have been established in various cities around Goa, only 5 of them are operational, the first report of the demands-related ad hoc House committee on education, sports and information technology tabled in the state Legislative Assembly on Friday stated, "Now that the infrastructure is ready, it is difficult to comprehend the reason, as to why the government is taking so much time to get the other centres functional."
"The committee desires that in order to achieve the objectives of this scheme, these centres should be evenly established in the state covering even the remote areas," it recommended, pointing out, "It is also desired that the syllabus of the course conducted be updated periodically." [NT]
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Court denies bail to John Fernandes
South Goa politician John Fernandes accused of raping a Russian woman, was denied bail yesterday by the Additional Session Judge, B P Deshpande, who argued that the accused is not entitled to invoke the liberty granted by the Honourable High Court prior to the examination of the main prosecution witnesses. He stated that the primary evidence in the rape case is that of the victim and is yet to be recieved in trail. He further stated that no successive bail application without any specific charge in the circumstance could be considered and more so when the same has been rejected by the Honourable High Court. However, as words of relief, the court said that the accused John would be at liberty to apply for b ail to the Session Court after the main prosecution witnesses are examined in the trail of the accused. The order was issued after hearing the arguments from both parties yesterday where in Legal Counsel of the accused, Adv Anacleto Viegas urged to release his client arguing that the Crime Branch has failed to gather evidence against JOhn and prove his involvement in the case. [GT]
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Water level at Anjunem dam rising, poses threat!
With torrential rains lashing the State, the water level of Anjunem dam has increased to 89.32 metres, with officials planning to release water if the levels touch around 91 metres.
According to senior engineer of Anjunem dam M P Totagaddi, though the maximum water level of Anjunem dam is 92.20 mtrs, the water will be released any time, but during low tide when the level reaches up to 91 mtrs, to avoid further danger.
“All the municipal councils, panchayats and villagers have been informed about it through the notices. At Nanora, the water entered into some houses which were situated at low-lying areas,” he said.
“As far as destruction of houses is concerned, 36 houses have collapsed so far,” added Totagaddi.
While informing about the gravity of rainfall, Bicholim Mamlatdar Pramod Bhat said on Thursday itself, the rainfall recorded was 4 inches, however there was no danger even though the water level from the rivers had increased.
There has also been increase in the water level from Walwanti, Kashti and Bicholim rivers, which has led to destruction of 36 houses so far, causing a loss of about Rs 6.19 lakh.
The low-lying areas like Bandarwada, Gaonkarwada, Manderkarwda and some areas from Nanora have come under water. The Disaster Management Cell Bicholim is ready for any rescue operation. [H]
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Porvorim water woes will end by December: Churchill
The Public Works Department Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao has said that the water supply to Porvorim and surrounding areas would be normalised by the end of December 2010, even as he went on to add that the government would study the proposal for setting up a 50 MLD water treatment plant to meet the needs of Bardez taluka under public-private partnership.
Agreeing with the statements made by the members of the House about poor water supply in Porvorim and other areas, Mr Alemao said that water supply was affected by frequent power cuts. He also said that present water supply infrastructure in Porvorim and surrounding areas was not adequate and was being upgraded to ensure better supply of water.
He, however, said that following the commissioning of 10 MLD water supply plant at Assonora, the situation of acute water shortage has eased to a great extent and would further improve when the whole project was completed in December and that areas would get water for at least six hours per day. [NT]
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Stir: GGEA, panels to meet today
The joint meetinf of the various taluka committees and the working committee of Goa Gvoernment Employees Association (GGEA) will be held today, at its Patto office, Panjim at 3.30 pm, to finalise its startegies to organise the proposed indefinite 'Pen-down-Tool-dwon' strike from August 2. All the taluka committees had reported this organisation that there was tremendous response from the employees for the proposed strike. They also informed that they were fully determined to strike work and paralyse entire administration until the written orders upgrading pay scales of all the left out categories was issued. GGEA had taken a serious note over the press statements issued by some disgruntled elements to confuse the Goa government employees. It said that AFG Mascarenhas, who was the leader of Electricity Employees Union was restricted to only linesman and assistant linesman and does not have any authority to give a call to all other categories like meter readers, LDCs, stenos, peons, labourers, helpers, meter testing personnel etc who were the members of the GGEA. [GT]
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MMC worker gains support of ST leaders, hunger strike continues
The indefinite hunger strike resorted by the Margao Municipal worker has entered the third day on Friday, even as Civic body today offered to engage te worker on daily basis, which had no takers. The worker W Silva recieved support from the Scheduled Tribe community as well as from members on the public over his demand for regularisation of his services by the Civic body. ST leaders including ANton Gauncar, Mama Cardozo, Conceisaso Pixtore, Councilor Piedade Noronha on Friday inquired with Silva and offered their support to his just struggle. Citizens Worker Centre President Sriram Raiturkar, who has taken up the cause of the MMC worker, lambasted the Chief Officer T B Tawde for misguiding the people on Silva's decision to go on hunger strike. [H]
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Police book pharmaceutical company for illegally dumping waste
The Ponda police on Friday informed that they have registered a case against a pharmaceutical company based at Verna for illegally dumping medical waste along the bypass road at Mardol.
"We stopped at Mardol when we saw greenish plastic waste in a semi-molten form while crossing the highway. It was revealed after checking that huge plastic bags contained capsules, empty tubes, and ointment tubes. We immediately called the police station and informed the seniors who told us to book the culprits,’’ said the four police constables, Mr Sandeep Kazankar, Mr Mariano Rodrigues, Mr Hanumant Borkar, and Mr Arvin Desai, while speaking to this reporter at the site.
They disclosed that after thorough checking, they found a label mentioning the name of the company.
"Police called up the company officials and told that they had committed an offence by dumping their waste in the open. Interesting the company soon admitted the facts and sent labourers and a vehicle to lift it up,’’ the police said. [NT]
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Sports |
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St Anthony’s ousted from Fraxier Soccer
St Anthony’s Colva made an early exit going down rather tamely 3-1 to Sarzora Sports Club in the Fraxier Trophy soccer tournament, organised by Young Strikers Club Benaulim, and played at St John Baptist grounds, Dando-Benaulim, here on Friday.
Colva were the overwhelming favourites to go through but the former winners made a sloppy start and that encouraged the youthful Sarzora side. Striker Jolex Fernandes who impressed throughout the match created the opening goal in the 11th minute when he found his strike partner Shridhar Dabale with a perfect through pass and the youngster made no mistake in lifting the ball over the advancing rival keeper Joao Falcao into the nylons. [NT]
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