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O HERALD O The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, monday, january 10, 2011 postal reg. no. Goa 101 priCE rs. 3.00

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Business: I-T offices in several foreign countries soon Pg 12

India: ‘Swayamvar’ a dream come true — Rajpoot Pg 11 IN BRIEF

Atala nabbed in Peru Extradition process soon: cops HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 9

Models posing during final audition of Mr & Miss Bihar at Vidyapati Marg in Patna.

6 Cong MLAs with Jagan for fast Accompanied by about half-adozen Congress MLAs, former Congress MP Y S Jaganmohan Reddy left for New Delhi to undertake his one-day fast to highlight the plight of farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

Jagan, the MLAs and a large number of farmers left for Delhi by a special train from Secunderabad. – (PTI)

Bofors leads to Sonia’s door: BJP BJP declared an all out war against Sonia Gandhi bringing the Congress first family in the line of fire on the Bofors kickbacks issue.

“The Congress, particularly its first family is faced with the power of truth. Truth has the habit of coming up at an inconvenient time. Misusing the CBI to undermine this case, each time and at every level, the party ensured that Ottavio Quattrocchi was enabled to flee the country”, the party said in its political resolution.

– (PTI) Report on pg7

CBI to probe banks in 2G scam Widening its probe in the 2G spectrum scam, the CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry to probe the role of certain public sector banks, including the State Bank of India, for providing loans to certain companies allocated the 2G Spectrum in 2007-08. – (PTI)

The Goa Police were in for some big news on Sunday. The muchwanted Israeli drug dealer Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, who had given them a big slip leaving the whole force embarrassed and red faced, was finally nabbed in Peru.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Crime Branch Chandrakant Salgaonkar confirmed the news to Herald. “Yes, Atala, for whom an Interpol notice was issued, has been arrested in the South American country. We received a written communication to this effect from the Interpol today”, he mentioned.

It is reportedly learnt the drug dealer, who had jumped bail in the State, was nabbed by the Peru police in Lima. A top officer of the Goa Police said the process to extradite him to Goa would begin soon.

Bar tainted MLAs from polls: EC PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

The Election Commission wants the Government and Parliament to ‘revisit’ the issue of criminalisation of politics and take urgent steps to bar candidates facing serious charges of murder, rape and extortion from contesting elections.

The Commission also favours disqualification of incumbent MPs and MLAs on conviction in cases involving serious charges.

Worried that criminalisation of politics or politicisation of criminals is an ill plaguing the electoral system, the Commission says the issue needs to be revisited to enhance the faith of citizens in democracy and to improve the quality of elections.

“I would like to reiterate that such temporary debarment will be in the larger public interest,” Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi told PTI in a wideranging interview.

It covered issues ranging from electoral reforms to mushrooming growth of political parties to independent functioning of the Commission.

“The fact is that power to disqualify anyone is not with EC but with Parliament. Under the existing law, a person is disqualified for contesting election only on conviction,” he said.

He recalled that the Commission had recommended that persons facing serious criminal charges like murder, rape, extortion etc, where punishment on conviction may exceed five years, should be debarred from contesting elections during the pendency of their cases before the courts.

Yes, Atala, for whom an Interpol notice was issued, has been arrested in the South American country. We received a written communication to this effect from the Interpol today.

— DySP Crime Branch The Israeli was arrested on March 11, 2010, after his startling spy-cam disclosures on a networking site. His revelations of close contacts with policemen in the State had led to the arrest of seven of them. All seven, who have got bail are under suspension and a departmental inquiry is on against them.

The arrest of Atala comes at a time when the State is rocking with the news of shocking revelations from another Israeli drug dealer’s sister, who has dis-

closed the name of a top officer, SP Veenu Bansal, now serving out of Goa. This Israeli, David Driham alias Dudu, is lodged at Sada sub-jail in Vasco.

Dudu’s sister, Ayala, claims she carried out a hidden operation of shooting PSI Sunil Gudlar who is also under the scanner of the Crime Branch after local media highlighted spy-cam videos shot by her. She said Gudlar had asked for bribes from her at the behest of Bansal to facilitate her brother’s bail.

All eyes on NCP meet today WILL THEY ATTEND?

MICKKY

JOSE PHILIP

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 9

Even as things don’t appear clear on where the political turmoil within the State Nationalist Congress Party is headed, top party sources said two of the MLAs – Jose Philip D’Souza and Nilkant Halarnkar – who have been asked to resign as ministers are unlikely to attend the party’s first executive committee meeting under its new president Surendra Sirsat on Monday at 5.30 pm in the Panjim office.

Sources said Benaulim MLA Mickky Pacheco, was also unlikely to attend the meeting to avoid a face-off with his bete noire Jose Philip D’Souza. In the last few months the MLA hasn’t been able to attend a single meeting, they mentioned.

However, when Herald contacted Pacheco on his cell phone, he said the party was above everything and he would most probably attend tomorrow’s meeting. He confirmed to have received the notice of the meeting via fax.

Speaking to Herald Nilkant Halarnkar appeared unsure of

NILKANT

his attendance for the meeting.

“I am aware of the meeting but I haven’t seen the intimation.

May be my office has received a fax; will have to see what is the agenda”.

Halarnkar said the mood in the NCP camp was different now then what it could have been if the meeting was convened just a few days after the high command had demanded their resignations. “It has been close to a month and Sirsat is calling the meeting now. We look more like enemies now because we have not resigned”, he stated.

Jose Philip was unavailable for comment.

The State NCP President Surendra Sirsat said he has sent the notice of the meeting to all the three MLAs. They are the ex-officio members of the Executive Committee and I expect them to come.

Sirsat said, “Besides discussion on the political situation, which is the main issue, the meeting will also take up party programmes and look at the party’s prospects for the forthcoming assembly elections”.

Strange justice: Protection comes after destruction Herald reporter VIBHA VERMA travels to the coastal village of Velsao after the new CRZ notification to discover that for many who have lost their stuctures, the damage has already been done VELSAO, JAN 9

Pleasure and pain are strange bedfellows. In the coastal village of Velsao, on the edge of Mormugao on one hand and the taluka of Salcete on the other, 32-year old Domingo Goes is struggling to come to terms with this strange piece of justice.

The draft Coastal Zone Regulation (CRZ) notification 2011, allows for structures of traditional coastal dwellers to be protected.

For Goes, though the Government axe had already fallen. Following the High Court order directing that all structures built post February 19, 1991, all Goes has is a demolished shed where he used to keep his fishing equipment and a house partly “trimmed” by 15 square metres, in 2009.

Sure, Goes did not have all the paper work to protect his dwelling or his family. He felt that his traditional structures would never be touched. In his coastal village,

The residence of one Domingo Goes at Velsao beach which was partly razed prior to the CRZ 2011 notification.

Photo by Vibha Verma.

where life still revolves around fish and toddy, documentation doesn’t quite go with the terrain. Trust does.

Goes fortunately had electricity and water bills to prove that his main house existed in 1978.

“That spared me from being houseless. The Panchayat never educated us on these issues. If we were not to connect electricity, we would

ON THE SPOT

not have known that our houses need registration”, he said.

Goes isn’t alone. 200 other structures in his village were similarly razed as a debate raged on protecting traditional fisherfolk. Many people saw their ancestral huts being pulled down by Government machinery since they did not have adequate proof, that their homes were built before the all important (Continued on page 14)

US shooting spree leaves six dead PTI HOUSTON/WASHINGTON, JAN 9

A prominent US lawmaker was in critical condition after being shot in the head by a gunman, who also killed six other persons including a federal judge in a shooting rampage in Arizona, sending shock waves across the nation.

A nine-year- old girl was among those killed and 12 others were injured when the gunman fired a volley of bullets from his semi-automatic handgun as the Congresswoman was meeting with her constituents in Tucson.

The 40-year-old Democratic lawmaker Gabrielle Giffords, a House Representative, was in critical condition following a surgery late last night for what doctors called a “through and through” injury.

The bullet that was fired at close range entered her head from the front and exited from the rear, and police believes she was the target of the attack.

The 22-year-old man, who sprayed bullets at the event, has not been named by the police but media reports said he was identified as Jared Lee Loughner.

The man is being held at the Pima County Jail and police is yet in the dark over what his motives were.

Five people, including Chief Judge John Roll of the US District Court for Arizona and Gabe Zimmerman, a Giffords staffer, died at the scene. The sixth victim, a 9-year-old girl, was pronounced dead at a hospital.

President Barack Obama termed the incident as an “unspeakable tragedy” and said Giffords was “gravely wounded” in the attack.

(air Surcharge rs 2.00) pages 18

Sports: Rohit, Raina set up Pg 18 India’s T20 victory

BIG GUNS BITE DUST Ganguly, Lara, Gayle, Jayasuriya find no takers

PTI BANGALORE, JAN 9

Reputations counted for little as former India captain Sourav Ganguly and several other big names found no takers for the fourth edition of the IPL even as unheralded Australian Daniel Christian was bought for an astounding USD 900,000 (Rs 4.14 crore approx) on the second day of the auction here today.

Veteran Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya also failed to find a buyer today joining a high-profile list of unsold players which included among others West Indies batting great Brian Lara, Chris Gayle, Mark Boucher and Graeme Swann.

Ganguly’s name, in fact, did not even come up in the second round of bidding, the players for which were handpicked by the franchises, prompting angry fans to stage protests against his former team Kolkata Knight Riders in the Bengal capital.

A total of 241 of the 353

players in fray went unsold in the first round of auctions, which spanned over two days.

28 players came up for a reauctioning on the request of the franchises but again some of them strangely went un-

SURPRISE IPL CATCH

Daniel Christian

` 4.14 crore sold.

New Zealand’s hard-hitting batsman Jesse Ryder (Pune, USD 150,000), spinner Murali Karthik (Pune, USD 400,000) and Mohammad Kaif (Bangalore, USD 130,000) were

among the lucky 12 who managed to sneak through into the cash-rich event.

At the end of the two-day auction all the franchises still had some money left from the USD nine million cap on a rather dull second day considering that Gautam Gambhir had gone for a record Rs 11.04 crore to KKR on the first day.

In a relatively low-key day, it was Christian who hogged the limeli g h t a s h e w a s bought by Deccan 18 times more than his base price of USD 50,000.

No one could have even imagined that the 27-year-old from New South Wales will go for such a high price. He has played just three Twenty20 internationals for Australia and is primarily a fast bowler who can hit a long way in the lower order.

“We believe Dan Christian is a good buy. He is good fast bowler and a decent batsman.

He is also a brilliant fielder”, Deccan Chargers owner Gayathri Reddy said.

OHERALDO

Pg2 GOA, MONDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2011

civic foRum Pathetic signboard ADELMO FERNANDES, VASCO

The condition of the signboard, on the main street, as one enters the city of Vasco, is truly pathetic. The signboard, in question, badly needs a fresh coat of paint. It bears mute testimony to the deplorable state of the port town, and sends a message that politicians are no longer concerned about the civic needs of the city.

Margao garden and migrants JAMES MORAES, CUNCOLIM

The famous Aga Khan garden, better known as the Margao garden, in the heart of the city of Margao, is exploited by migrants, and used as a place of rest. Tourists, visiting the city, get the first view of the garden, where so many individuals are found sleeping in broad daylight. Almost all of them are migrants, but the tourist, who is unaware of Goan culture, may actually consider these migrants to be Goans. This gives a bad impression of Goans, when projected from outside. We have a Municipal council, the police station and the collectorate in the vicinity, but everyone seems to be oblivious to the situation.

Moreover, the Municipal administration has employed security guards to take care of the garden. Are they doing their duties?

They themselves may be non Goan, for all you know, and will definitely have a soft corner for their buddies.

This place should be rid of all such elements so that people can enjoy the garden’s beauty and surroundings. The Municipal bosses need to keep a check on their staff. The policemen should deal with migrants strictly, so that the garden is not used as a place of rest.

Rooms sans bathrooms PETER CYRIL ANDRADE, VASCO

The above picture shows small children defecating on the road leading to the Baina Church from Mangor hill. This is because their Goan landlady has only provided rooms, sans toilets.

She, however, regularly collects the rent. The parents of these children also use the road during early morning hours, for the same purpose. It is suspected that the street lights are regularly damaged by these persons, which leaves the street dark, thus rendering it difficult for those who wish to go to church. Robberies, (snatching of gold chain from the neck) have occurred on this stretch, on two occasions.

Remove the rubber tube PRAVIN U SARDESSAI, ADPAI

A rubber tube has been tied to the live electrical wire adjacent to the high mast at upper bazaar, in Ponda. This is risky and the tube needs to be removed, at once. One such rubber tube fastened to a live electrical wire at Queula village (also in Ponda) for quite sometime, was recently removed by the Electricity department, after the matter was published in the local dailies.

I hope the Electricity department does likewise. So also, a plastic bottle has been tied to an earthing wire, at the electrical pole existing adjacent to the residence of Subhash Naik at Gholiwada-Talaulim (in Ponda). The bottle is placed at the extreme top. Travellers/pedestrians, proceeding through this location, wonder about the purpose of the same. A clarification, in this respect, from the Electricity department, would enlighten the public at large, to a great extent.

Mining trucks create havoc JOSEPHINE GOMES, CURCHOREM

Recently, illegal mining activities in the Sanguem and Quepem taluka have witnessed a phenomenal rise with mine owners flooding the Curchorem roads with tippers, the owners of which were, once upon a time, anti mining activists. The trucks ply from 6am till 11pm, although they are supposed to cease operations by 6pm.The law enforcing authorities like the police, deputy collector Quepem, Asst director of transport Quepem are helpless, for reasons best known to them. Most of the mines are operated by the ruling coalition ministers and MLAs. Who will maintain Curchorem’s law and order problem now? If the general public comes out on to the streets to get justice, then it shows the incompetence of our law enforcing authorities, who should resign on moral grounds.

Dou have a complaint against some authority or service? Are there any violations of the law that you would like to bring to the notice of the public? Do you have any suggestions for improvement and/or redressal of services?

If you do, then write to us at editor@herald-goa.com. With the aim of improving the quality of our civic life, every Monday Herald will publish the best letters on these subjects received during the week. This is in addition to our regular ‘Letters to the Editor’ column.

GOA

Chimbel locals divided on Regularise temple, demand project near Chimbelkarin well Rumdamol villagers HERALD CORRESPONDENT MERCES, JAN 9

The Chimbel gram sabha on Sunday witnessed a heated exchange over a project near the Devi Chimbelkarin well with some villagers fearing that the project will spell doom for the well which is being revered for centuries by the locals.

Others supporting the project asked the panchayat authorities to see to it that the builder preserves the well and keeps the tradition alive.

Initiating the discussion, villager Nagesh Bodke sought an explanation from the panchayat why it has stopped the project and chided those opposing the project as spreading false rumours in the village that the well has already been filled with mud for construction activity.

Nagesh further said that the plot owner is only trying to revive the past tradition by rebuilding the house that existed decades ago and in which house Devi Chimbelkarin was brought first when she visited the Chimbel village.

Nagesh then suggested that the panchayat should give a goahead to the project provided the construction plan adheres to the norms and also preserves the well.

However, Tukaram took exception to Nagesh’s suggestion and said that the project consists of 12 flats and giving license to the project would result in contempt of court since the High Court has already passed a judgment that the panchayat should seek permission from it before giving nod to any project beyond 10 tenements.

Tukaram further said that the assurance of the builder to preserve the well would never be kept and he feared that once the project comes up it would lead to contamination of the well due to the construction of sewage and septic tanks.

O n t h e s e t w o g ro u n d s ,

Demand demolition of structure near proposed police outpost HERALD CORRESPONDENT MERCES, JAN 9

In the last gram sabha, Chimbel Sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar had assured that a police outpost would be set up in the Child and Women Welfare Centre at Indira Nagar at a cost of Rs 32 lakh.

However, in the intervening period, an illegal structure has come up very close to the area, which is being used to undertake gambling activities.

Raising the issue at the gram sabha, villager Rumaldo Carvalho sought to know what action the panchayat has taken against the said structure and urged the panchayat to act swiftly towards its demolition.

Chandrakant said that the panchayat has already issued notices to the concerned person and also to the BDO for Tukaram made an appeal to the panchayat not to give license for the project.

Replying to the discussion, Sarpanch Chandrakant Kunkolkar, however had a different opinion and said that the villagers are resorting to silly excuses to halt the project.

He further said that the project would only help in reviving the past heritage of the village as the owner would not only preserve the well but also construct a separate hall for keeping the idol of Devi Chimbelkarin when it visits the village.

On the issue of 12 flats, the sarpanch said that the panchayat would first study the project and ask the owner to reduce the number of flats keeping in view the HC order. However, Chandrakant fell short of giving a personal assurance that the

information and action.

When Rumaldo questioned why the structure is still standing tall despite a written complaint given to the panchayat more than a month back, the sarpanch replied that the legal process is a lengthy one and it would take time in the matter.

Joining the discussion, Indira Nagar resident M Vaz expressed surprise that when the panchayat is finding it difficult to find a place for an outpost, those indulging in illegal activities are having a field day.

Later, Vaz moved a resolution demanding that the panchayat should immediately demolish the structure and also begin the process of acquiring the area so that a spacious police outpost could be built. well would be preserved.

When Tukaram questioned the sarpanch whether the project has already been issued license, Chandrakant replied in the negative. However, to the surprise of everybody, Tukaram informed that under RTI reply, the panchayat has itself mentioned that the license has been issued, to which the sarpanch informed that NOC has been issued to phase-I of the project.

Later, Tukaram raked up the issue of health city and demanded to know what steps the panchayat has taken to see that the health city is not set up at Kadamba Plateau.

Sarpanch Chandrakant said that the panchayat has already sought the help of the local MLA Victoria Fernandes, who had assured to take up the issue in the forthcoming Assembly.

Rumdamol gram sabha members at the meeting on Sunday which has resolved to ask the government to regularise the Shri Swami Samarth Temple at the Housing Board.

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, JAN 9

The gram sabha of Rumdamol Village Panchayat on Sunday has resolved to ask the government to regularise the Shri Swami Samarth Temple in the Housing Board.

A resolution tabled by a lady gram sabha member requested the authorities to regularise the temple as per the resolution adopted by the Panchayat in 2008 as a special case to bring peace and harmony in the village.

The resolution asked the Panchayat body to forward the decision taken by the gram sabha to the Town and Country Planning department for necessary action.

Announcing the passing of the resolution unanimously, deputy Sarpanch Damu Naik, while addressing the meeting, clarified that the Panchayat is not against the temple, but said the Panchayat body was forced to issue the demolition

notice as per the correspondence from the Deputy Director of Panchayats, South.

“The Deputy Director of Panchayats pressurised the Panchayat to issue the demolition notice or face dissolution of the body. We had only followed the process. The panchayat members are not at all against the temple and will stand by the villagers to get the religious structure regularized”, he said.

Naik appealed to the villagers and the gram sabha members to united make a strong case before the government for the regularisation of the temple and assured the Panchayat’s full support for the regularisation. “No one in the village and outside should think that the Panchayat is against the temple or has worked against the temple”, Naik said, and recalled the letter made by the Panchayat body to the Goa Housing Board in the past to get the temple regularised.

Making an appeal to the temple committee to cooperate in the process to regularise the temple, Naik said “Let us together ensure that the temple is regularized”.

Former Sarpanch and Panch member Ulhas Tuemkar said the government has the powers to regularise the temple since the religious structure falls in an open space.

Stating that the government had in the past regularised a hotel in Bambolim despite Supreme Court order for its demolition, Tuemkar said the government should come out with an ordinance to save the Shri Swami Samarth Temple from demolition.

Assuring the villagers that the Panchayat would not demolish the temple, Tuemkar said the Panchayat would soon write to the Governor, Chief Minister, local MLA and PWD Minister, besides the Chief Secretary to get the temple regularised.

Bus knocks down pedestrian to death

Russian complains of molestation

HERALD REPORTER VASCO, JAN 9

A 23-year-old Russian woman was allegedly molested by a 20year-old youth from Andhra Pradesh at the Arambol beach on Sunday evening.

One Sai Kiran was arrested

by Pernem Police in this connection.

According to Pernem Police, the incident took place at about 4.30 pm when the accused Sai Kiran and his two friends were playing on the Arambol beach, while the woman was alone.

Police further informed that when the trio was playing football, the ball reached near the woman.

Sai Kiran, who went to bring the ball, allegedly tried talking to the tourist in a friendly attitude. He requested her to give him a cigarette. Later, Kiran allegedly molested her.

Hearing the woman shouting for help, the victim’s husband and police, who were nearby, rushed to help the woman.

Pernem Police nabbed Sai Kiran, while his two friends fled from the site. Police is investigating the case.

It may be recalled that on October 1, a 27-year-old Briton was allegedly molested by a youth from Sawantwadi-Maharashtra at the Arambol beach.

A 47-year-old pedestrian from Mangor Vasco died, after he was knocked down by a speeding bus near SBI Bank along the F L Gomes Road, Vasco, on Sunday afternoon.

According to reports, Mohammed Nikodi, who was crossing the road, was knocked down by speeding bus (GA-02-V-4664).

Nikodi, who was working as a daily wage labourer in Vasco, was rushed to Chicalim Cottage Hospital, but he was declared brought-in dead.

It may be recalled on Saturday afternoon, George Mayday (55) from Tamil Nadu, but residing at Galinth-Bogmalo was killed, when a speeding car rammed his parked scooter along the Bogmalo road at Alto-Dabolim.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT PERNEM, JAN 9

A foreigner enjoys her reading while relaxing on an inflatable bed at Palolem beach, on Sunday morning.

Photo by Rozario Estibeiro

Agonda workshop focuses CM to open modern on sustainable development bus stand at Assnora HERALD NEWS BUREAU PANJIM, JAN 9

Agonda Panchayat organised a two-day workshop on January 8 and 9 focusing on economic development, sustainable tourism, and planning and design guidelines.

The workshop marked the renewal of the Panchayat’s and community’s commitment towards sustainable development and sent a positive message by leading the way in participatory planning.

This initiative could serve as a pilot model project to build and strengthen the capacities of other Panchayats to meet the objectives of the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments.

The workshop was organised in association with the Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP), and facilitated with help of Goa College of Architecture of Panaji (GCA), and Pratt Institute of New York which is recognised for its environmental and communitybased planning programmes.

Undeterred by the recent notification of the Regional Plan which neglected the input prov i d e d b y t h e Pa n c h a y a t , Sarpanch Milagrina Fernandes invited the participants to determine the parameters for sustainable development.

Last year, the community developed a vision for Agonda and guiding principles for sustain-

able development which are summarised in a framework report available online at www.sustainabledevelopmentworks.com.

Substantiating those efforts, this year the focus was on identifying ways to protect Agonda’s tangible and intangible natural and built heritage, while simultaneously exploring economic development opportunities in appropriately diversified sectors besides tourism.

Students from GCA and Pratt Institute conducted interactive exercises to draw information from the participants and assisted with the development of recommendations. The economic development exercises focused on exploring employment opportunities in Agonda.

The sustainable tourism exercises focused on capacity building through a stewardship programme relying on voluntary rules and responsibilities for all stakeholders. The Planning and Design Guidelines work group focused on land-use characterisation, green-infrastructure including traffic and pedestrian circulation, and solid-waste management policies and pro gramme.

It was noted that there are many levels of engaging a community ranging from ‘simply informing the public’ to ‘empowering and collaborating

with stakeholders as partners’.

The former may be viewed as a form of ‘Tokenism’. ‘Participatory Planning’ strives for the latter.

Towards that goal, the Panchayat organised two days of ward-level meetings to explain the process and invite everyone to the workshop.

Besides listing problems and needs, the participants tackled the subject of Agonda’s identity and perceived image.

There was a strong sentiment about maintaining the village character protecting its natural environment. Any sustainable tourism programme must position Agonda appropriately, conveying a clear and consistent message in all media and marketing materials.

Communicating expectations and cultivating stewardship promotes a healthy tourism experience for all involved including the residents, the tourism industry work force and the visitors.

At the workshop, it was pointed out that decision makers need to be able to evaluate several alternatives and the associated environmental impacts before incorporating them within a Plan.

The outcome must be monitored and evaluated against the original intent. Plans may be modified periodically to meet the stated intent and stay current with changing conditions.

Artistes urged to retain traditional music culture HERALD CORRESPONDENT MAYEM, JAN 9

Assnora bus stand.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, JAN 9

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat will inaugurate the modern bus stand at Assnora on January 11 at 5 pm.

The bus stand, which has been built at a cost of Rs 13 crore, is ready and will be inaugurated in the presence of Tourism Minister Nilkant Halarnkar, Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, Kadamba Transport Corporation Chairman Deepak Dhavalikar and Industrial Development Cor-

Photo by Anil Shankhwalker

poration Vice Chairman Francis Silveira.

Speaking to media, Halarnkar said that he is happy that the project has been completed during his tenure as Tivim MLA and thus he has fulfilled the assurance he had given to the electorate at the time of assembly election.

“This bus stand will have shopping complex, hall, RTO office, rest room, parking facilities for state and interstate buses,” stated Halarnkar.

Hari Bhajani Pandit Udaybuwa Fadke has called upon youth artistes to worship music to retain traditional music culture of the nation.

He was addressing the gathering during the inaugural function of Hemant Utsav celebrations organized by Shant Swarbrahma Sangeet Sanstha at Sri Siddhivinayak Temple Naiknagar-Bicholim.

Association President Santosh Bhat, Dr Gauri Nayak Bhat, Jagganath Pethkar and Mahabaleshwar Hedge were present.

On the occasion, Sarita Umarye, Sunita Chari, Pratibha Munde, Raksha Patil, Sweety Sawant, Geetgandha Gaad and Apur va Ukalkar presented singing recitals. They were accompanied by Shailesh Shirodkar and Kaustabh Karapurkar on Tabla while Nitin Shirgaonkar on Harmonium.

OHERALDO

GOA

Pg3 GOA, MONDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2011

Burglars target Nag Temple at Fatorda Rob Rs 15K from donation box

(TOP): The door latch which was broken by the miscreants to enter into the Nag Temple at Fatorda.

(RIGHT): The donation box which was broken into to lift away cash.

Photos by Santosh Mirajkar

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, JAN 9

Residents of Fatorda woke up on Sunday to hear the shocking news of a burglary in the Nag Temple.

In fact, after lying low for some time, temple thieves have struck once again, this time at Fatorda, when they burgled the Nag Temple last night.

The miscreants managed to lift away cash of around Rs 15,000 from the donation box, but could not lay their hands on a gold and silver items housed in the cupboard.

Margao PI Santosh Desai informed that the miscreants effected entry into the temple by breaking open the latch of the main door. Once inside, the miscreants opened the donation box with the help of a lever and lifted away the cash.

Temple committee member Krishnath Pandari Naik said that a gold chain besides some silver

items were housed in the cupboard, which were left untouched by the miscreants.

Fatorda MLA Damu Naik, who visited the temple, said it is high time the government initiates some strong measures to stop the burglaries. He disclosed plans to raise the issue in the ensuing session of the Goa Legislative Assembly.

“It is indeed sad that temple thefts have continued in the New Year. The Chief Minister and the Home Minister should pay attention to the sensitive issue. If required, additional force should be deployed to tackle the situation”, he said.

Naik said the police should intensify patrolling pointing to the burglary that had taken place in an apartment in Fatorda.

He also demanded that the police should concentrate in certain areas of the city to flush out anti-social elements.

Install CCTVs at check posts too: AGPBOA HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 9

Welcoming the move to install close-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the seven RTO offices across the State, the All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOA) said it was necessary the same should also be set up at RTO offices on the border check posts.

President of AGPBOA claimed there were innumerable complaints received by him of corrupt practices by motor-vehicle inspectors stationed at the four border check posts at Dhargal, Dodamarg, Molem and Polem.

Secondly, Tamankar, maintained most of the inspectors at all these four check posts have been stationed in one place since 2008. Our demand for their transfer every six months has fallen of deaf ears.

He said installation of CCTV cameras, which is an expensive affair, was a welcome move, but at the same time we feel it will not root out corruption fully. If an officer wants to indulge in corruption he will do it anyways, he added.

Tamankar said they had learnt there was a move to give the contract of installation of CCTV cameras to an assistant director’s son. We oppose this and call for a tender to award the same, he stated.

He said AGPBOA was seized of many corrupt practices within the Transport Department. If a tender is not issued for awarding the CCTV contract we will open up corrupt practices by seeking information under the RTI Act, he warned.

Madgaon Co-op Bank begins core banking HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, JAN 9

The Madgaon Urban Cooperative Bank added another feather to its cap when it ventured into core banking on Sunday and has drawn up ambitious plans to open ATMs across the state.

The online banking was commissioned at the Aquem branch of the bank at the hands of former bank chairman Ramakant Angle in the presence of Chairman Kishore Narvekar, board of directors, staff and employees.

“We have taken the Bank on Core Banking platform to extend the benefits of ‘anywhere banking’ to our esteemed customers.

Customers can now walk in any branch of the bank to carry out their depository and withdrawal

transactions, besides inquire about their account information, irrespective of the branch where they have an account”, informed Madgaon Urban Cooperative bank Chairman Kishore Narvekar.

He said the bank has plans to open delivery channels like ATMs in the near future, adding that additional channels like ‘web banking’, ‘SMS banking’ will be also implemented in due course of time.

The bank has built their own ‘Data centre’ adhering to the best practices of data centre design, taking care of all required parameters to ensure maximum ‘uptime’, he said.

Narvekar said as part of the golden jubilee year of Goa lib-

eration, the bank has decided to offer one per cent additional interest on their deposits.

The Bank Chairman further said the bank as a mark of respect to all the freedom fighters in the Golden Jubilee year of Goa Liberation has offered one per cent additional interest on their deposits. He further said the Bank will open as many as seven more branches at Pernem, Bicholim, Mapusa, Porvorim,

Vasco, Verna and Canacona in the near future Former Bank Chairman Ramakant Angle said the bank has set a vision to become the No. 1 bank in the state. “Madgaon urban cooperative bank already occupies the number one status in South Goa. We have now set a target to achieve the status as no one bank in the state within the next 4-5 years”, Angle said.

Angle said the Single Infor-

mation Window allows management to view ‘online’ ‘MIS’ reports to make strategic decisions. “Automation shall make staff available for marketing and recovery purposes that shall facilitate potential enhancement in profit”, he said, adding that customer convenience counters will facilitate easy understanding of bank’s products and also attend to any post marketing queries.

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s h o rt ta k e s Vasco teacher awarded VASCO(HR): Retired teacher from Vasco, Budan Shaikh, was recently awarded ‘Maharashtra Ratan’ award at Yeshwantrao Chauhan Hall, Nanded-Maharashtra.

Shaikh, who was earlier awarded as the best teacher and best social worker, has been awarded with ‘Maharashtra Ratan’ award, which was bestowed by the Kanti Guru Lavuji Salve National Association Maharashtra.

Shaikh was short listed for the award for his educational and social contribution for the downtrodden people in Vasco.

Idol installed at Bicholim MAYEM(HC): The installation ceremony of new idol of Lord Hanuman was organised recently at Sudha Colony, Bicholim.

The idol was installed during the 19th anniversary celebration of Hanuman Temple. The programme started with Dsabodh reading, Abhishek, Mahapooja, Laghurudra and Bhajan, followed by classical singing by Bindiya Vast. Various competitions were also organized on the occasion. Siddesh Marathe, Devasri Kavlekar, Adnya Parmekar, Siddhi Shetye, Aditya Parmekar and Adav Narvekar emerged winners in the fancy dress contest, while Janvi Sawant, Adnya Parmekar, Aditya and Shashank won the prizes in dance contest.

Milinda Alvi, Uma Alvi, Neha Sawant, Anisha Parmekar, Disha Shetye and Aditi Parmekar were awarded for best cooking for the items prepared out of milk.

Naresh Sawal, BMC Councilor Narayan Betkikar, Kamlakar Teli, Aruna Patnekar, Milinda Alvi, Jaidev Prabhugaonkar and Naresh Kadkade were present for the prize distribution ceremony. Earlier, Ramnath Desai welcomed the gathering, Deepak Marathe introduced the guests, Atul Parmekar compered the function, while Dattaram Shetye proposed the vote of thanks.

Need to maintain sanctity of temples: HJS HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, JAN 9

Hindu Janajagruti Samiti Spokesperson Rajendra Shinde said the temples are the ‘faith centers’ for the Hindus, but there are growing instances of desecration of Hindu deities and thefts in the State.

He was speaking after inaugurating the ‘Gomantak Mandir and Dharmik Sanstha Mahasangh’ at Gadgemahraj hall, Porvorim.

“The need to form a common forum called ‘Gomantak Mandir and Dharmik Sanstha Mahasangh’ arose to protect the sanctity of the temples,” said Shinde.

Speaking further, Shinde said

in Goa during the course of last six years, over 50 deities of God and goddesses have been desecrated and numerous thefts have occurred.

“However, the police department has not been able to nab the culprits nor the government worked out any effective solution to stop attacks on temples,” added Shinde.

Spokesperson of Hindu Jangajagruti for Maharashtra and Gujarat Ramesh Shinde stated that peace exists in Goa because of the temples, but the government instead of promoting Goa as the State of temples is encouraging casinos and liquor sale.

“It is the prime duty of the

Thousands throng novenas of Bl Joseph Vaz

Awareness programme held

VASCO(HR): Vinayak Kala Sangh Baina organized an awareness programme on the theme ‘Keep Goa Clean and Green’.

On the occasion, Vinayak Kala Sangh distributed about 80 kgs of Nirmalaya (Vermi compost) to the people free of cost.

MMC Chairperson Suchita Shirodkar distributed the Nirmalaya in the presence of Shyam Nayak, Jayant Jadhav, Lankesh Bakshi, Pallavi Shirodkar and Yeshwant Gadekar, Ravi Gorla, Shekar Murgaokar and Suraj Waghmode of Vinayak Kala Sangh.

It may be recalled that on the occasion of Ganesh festival, Nirmalaya collection was carried out in Vasco city from four Ganesh Visarjan emersion sites -- Baina Beach, Khariwado, Vaddem Lake and Bogmolo Beach, where the devotees had willingly offered Nirmalaya to the volunteers.

This project was possible with the collaboration of MMC, ex-chairperson Shekhar Khadapkar, concerned citizens and organizations like Bharat Swabhiman, Vinayak Kala Sangh, Rotary Club of Dabolim and Daji Salkar, Shami Salkar, Lalita Joshi, Kevin D’Silva, Pallavi Shirodkar, Alka Damle, Jayant Jadhav, Neelima Parulekar, Renu Rao, Dinesh Heda, Amit Tapadia, Amit Bandekar, Charuta Mehta, Roshan Gunjal and Rupa Bandekar of Earthworm Eco Store.

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, JAN 9

Photo-journalist Rozario Estibeiro’s second photo exhibition will be inaugurated on January 11 at ESG Art Gallery, Maquinez Palace, Panjim at 11 am. The expo will remain open till 6 pm.

The inauguration will be followed by the release of his calendar designed with love and dedication.

Rozario has been into photography for the last 20 years.

The year 2011 being the Golden Jubilee year of Goa’s Liberation, he has dedicated his calendar to all Goans as he feels that it is his endeavour to protect and preserve the rich Goan beaches, some of them which are not so popular, but yet glamourous.

Rozario says that he has captured glamourous poses of some Goan beauties adorning the eyecatching beaches in his calendar and expects a good response from the public.

Vehicles caught in the traffic jam on way to the Blessed Joseph Vaz Sanctuary, Sancoale.

Photo by Alvaro Colaco HERALD CORRESPONDENT CORTALIM, JAN 9

Thousands of devotees are thronging to the Sanctuary of Patron of Goa, Blessed Joseph Vaz for novenas, which began on January 7.

Pilgrims from various parishes have been attending the novenas, where they are being given insight on the works and miracles performed by Blessed Vaz in Goa, Mangalore and Sri Lanka. The feast will be celebrated on January 16.

On January 12, an inter-religious meet will be held at the Sanctuary at 10.30 am. The meet assumes significance since Blessed Vaz had cordial relations

with all religious communities – Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims in the Island nation.

Museum displaying the works of Blessed Joseph Vaz is also on display at the Sanctuary.

Meanwhile, Sunday morning witnessed traffic jam for about an hour on the Sancoale-Birla road as the authorities failed to control the traffic.

Admitting that there were only two traffic cops to control the traffic, Shamba Dessai said that it was not possible for two of them to control the traffic. “We need more personnel to control the traffic,” Dessai told Herald.

lands, Spain, and also parts of Yugoslavia and Italy.

Albania In the early times, Albania used to be known as Illyria, and the capital city of Albania has been inhabited since Neolithic times and was developed in the 17th century.

Andorra The country of Andorra boasts of a 100% literacy rate.

Austria In German language, Austria is referred to as “Osterreich”, which means “Eastern Empire”.

True to its name, this tiny beautiful country of Austria was once an Empire in Eastern Europe including the present Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the Nether-

Bulgaria Lactobacillus Bulgaricus, the bacterium that is responsible for giving Bulgarian yoghurt its unique flavour and consistency, can be found only in Bulgarian air.

Belarus In 1986, a nuclear contamination at Chernobyl, contaminated most of the population at the time, some severe some not much; 25% of the country is inhabitable, because of radiation of the land and swamp lands.

Belgium One of the interesting

GPCC Secretary Milan Burman along with son Rajiv and daughter Priyanka greeting the President Pratibha Patil during her visit to the State.

facts about Belgium that is noteworthy is the annual production of chocolates.

Approximately 220,000 tons of chocolate are manufactured in Germany each year. The National Airport in Brussels, Belgium, is the world’s biggest selling point of chocolates.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Stecak, a medieval tombstone is a religious monument that can be seen throughout the countryside of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Croatia The White House was built out of Croatian stone, from the island of Brac. This same stone had been used to build Diocletian’s Palace in Split.

Czech Republic Together with Polish and Slovakian, Czech belongs to the West Slavian language family. Remarkable about Czech language is the usage of many consonants in succession.

State level music competition PANJIM (HND): Goa College of Music will conduct a State Level Competition in Indian Classical Vocal and Instrumental Music - Tabla and Harmonium – on January 27 and 28 in Dr T B Cunha Educational complex, Altinho, Panjim The Competition will be held in two Categories: Junior (above 12 years and below 18 years), and Senior Category (above 18 years and below 30 years). For both the groups there will be three disciplines, Vocal, Tabla and Harmonium.

There will be 5 prizes in each category.

The competition is organised to encourage the talent of youth. A copy of rules and prescribed application forms are available in Goa College of Music (Phone 24325287 2232507).

Application forms must be submitted by January 21.

Friday Balcao PANJIM(HND): Friday Balcao the fortnightly discussion event will be held on January 14 will focus on the Palestinian struggle for Human Rights.

The presentation will be made by David Albuquerque, a Goan presently based in Australia who is an active member of Justice for Palestine, Brisbane, a Palestinian rights advocacy group.

Friday Balcao will be from 4 pm to 6 pm at the Goa Desc Resource Centre No.11 Liberty Apartments Feira Alta, Mapusa and is open to members of the public.

Interested citizens wanting more information on Friday Balcao can email to goadesc@gmail.com.

‘Twilight’ at KA PANJIM(HNB): The Goa College of Home Science will organize 'Twilight - Mini Festival, 2010-11' at the Open Air Auditorium in Kala Academy, Panjim, on January 10.

'Twilight' is an Inter Collegiate event with competitions such as fashion mania, RDX - Rhythmic Dance, X-Plosion and Mr and Ms Twilight on stage and side events like Nail Art, Mehndi Design and Nutri-Hair Style. Further details are available in with the college office on Ph: 2425254/2227603.

Civil law certificate course PANJIM (HND): VM Salgaocar College of Law in association with the Faculty of law, Lisbon University will conduct a 6 week civil law certificate course, course commencing from January 17. Six senior and experienced faculty from Lisbon will conduct the course. Those who wish to attend may contact the college office and register by January 14.

PANJIM (HND): Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) will hold elections to elect its new President and 6 executive members for the period 2011 to 2014 on January 30 between 10 am to 1 pm at Tiar Academy, Goa Conference Hall, Second floor, Campal Trade Centre, Campal, Panjim. The counting of votes will be held on the same day at 3 pm.

According to the DKA Constitution, anyone who is registered as member of DKA from 2008, is eligible to contest the elections. For members desiring to contest the elections, nomination forms are available at Akademi’s office, AF-6, First Floor, Campal Trade Centre, Panjim. Filing of nominations will be done on January 22 between 10 am to 4 pm. The scrutiny will be on January 24 from 10 am to 12 noon and withdrawal will be allowed on the same day between 2 pm to 5 pm. DKA has appointed Vincy Quadros as a Returning Officer and Joy Fernandes as the first Secretary and Timothy Dias as second Secretary.

Function depicting Goa’s history held at Curchorem HERALD CORRESPONDENT CURCHOREM, JAN 9

The crib which was awarded the first prize.

Photo by John Fernandes HERALD CORRESPONDENT QUEPEM, JAN 9

The BJP Quepem Mandal organised Quepem taluka level Christmas Crib competition to mark the Golden Jubilee celebration of Goa’s liberation.

The crib presented by Star Boys of Condi Quepem won the first prize of Rs 5,000, while the Smart Heads of Igramol won the second prize of Rs 3,500. The third prize of Rs 2,500 was

awarded to Borimol Youth.

Consolation prizes of Rs 1,000 each were awarded to Joy Crib of Zoglamordi, Vagorna Chapel and Crib of Tolcotto.

Special prizes of appreciation of Rs 1,000 were awarded to Carmu Fernandes of Ambaulim a n d Ro j e t o Fe r n a n d e s o f Copelabhat. Each of the participants will be awarded a cash prize of Rs 500, informed BJP sources.

Teachers urged to resort to simple teaching HERALD CORRESPONDENT MAYEM, JAN 9

Bicholim Deputy Collector Narayan Gad has appealed to teachers to impart education in such a manner which would help even a common student to manage their studies.

He was addressing the gathering after inaugurating annual social gathering of KG and primary section of Rotary Charita-

ble Trust Bicholim, recently.

School Chairman Vallabh Salkar, Ramanad Natekar, Sandesh Burye, Milin Karpae, Pradeep Panjikar and Anwar Shaikh were present on the occasion.

Ramanad Natekar welcomed the guests, Shilpa Chari read the annual report, Poonam Burye and Priya Kotkar compered the programme, while Vallabh Salkar proposed the vote of thanks.

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DKA polls on January 30

Star Boys win crib contest

Around the World Fun Facts about Countries in Europe (Part 1):

government to provide protection to the temples and maintain its sanctity. The government still does not have the record of the temples in Goa and Gomantak Mandir and Dharmik sanstha Mahasangh should take initiative and prepare the directory of temples,” opined Shinde.

Kirtankar Ramakrishnabuva Barve, Rajkumar Dessai and Chandrakant Pandit also spoke on the occasion.

During the occasion, resolutions unanimously adopted were temple protection squad be established at the taluka level, government should not demolish any unauthorized temple unless the temple committee of the respective temple and the Mandir Mahasangh have been taken into confidence, losses incurred due to temple thefts and desecrated idols should be reimbursed at the earliest, not a single temple from Mayem be considered as unauthorised, government should declare the temples which are declared as unauthorized as authorized and government should direct the police department to investigate seriously and booked the culprits involved in desecration of the temples and thefts in Goa. Earlier, Hindu Janajagriti Samiti Coordinator Jayesh Thali welcomed the gathering, while Giriraj Prabhudessai compered the function.

Rozario’s photo expo in city

Curchorem Super School Complex I presented a programme recently to depict the culture, tradition, history of Goa under Portuguese.

A mass drill and integration songs in Konkani, Hindi and Marathi were presented to pay tribute to martyrs and freedom fighters and a salute to the State by the students of member schools of the complex.

President Vaman Bhadri said its objective was to arouse awareness about Goa’s freedom struggle and develop understanding and integrity in younger generation.

Chief guest local MLA Shyam Satardekar inaugurated the function. CCMC Chairperson Alifa Fernandes was the guest of honour.

In his speech, Dr Narayan Desai hoped for the golden days in the State. He recollected the contribution of freedom fighters and called upon the students to voice against injustice and use

education as an instrument in solving the problems.

“Undoubtedly, the land is free from Portuguese rule, but are we really free,” he questioned and stressed that correct use of law and power would free the land in true sense.

Two freedom fighters, Shivaji Kudchadker and Ramesh Fondu Naik, were felicitated on the occasion. M N Prabhu highlighted their contribution in the freedom struggle.

MLA Shyam Satardekar called upon the students to carry the message imparted by the teachers for the development of the land and the nation.

Traditional dances and a skit based on freedom struggle were presented. Musical dance, Kunbi dance, Phulkara dance, Dhangar dance, Shigmo, Dhalo and Fugdi, Goencho Ek Chaar were performed by Sar vodaya High School, Government High School, Savargal, Smt Chandrabhaga Tukoba Naik Higher Secondary School, Curchorem, New Educational Institute, Churchorem, respectively.

POWER SHUTDOWN JANUARY 10

PONDA: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Nr Kapileshwar Doctor clinic, Bhanushali Apts, Upper Bazar, Mankame Bhat, Fish market, Goa Bagayatdar, Sukhtankar Apts, Goa State Co-op. Bank, Ponda.

JANUARY 11

GUIRIM: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Jackniwaddo, Brittowado, Lingabhat, Saliswado, Bokache Aradi, Fondawaddo, Abbaswaddo Canca, Sonarwado Verla, Freitaswaddo Verla, Parpoli Guirim, Sonvem, Kumayamarod Guirim, Vanciowaddo Guirim, St. Anthony Waddo, Prerxetwaddo, Agniwaddo and surrounding areas.

PARRA: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Jackniwaddo, Brittowado, Lingabhat, Saliswado, Bokache Aradi, Fondawaddo Abbaswaddo Canca, Sonarwado Verla, Freitaswaddo Verla, Parpoli Guirim, Sonvem, Kumayamarod Guirim and surrounding areas.

JANUARY 13

Deputy Collector Narayan Gad addresses the gathering at Bicholim.

Photo by Vishant Vaze

PARRA: From 9 am to 5 pm. Areas affected are Jackniwaddo, Brittowado, Lingabhat, Saliswado, Bokache Aradi, Fondawaddo Abbaswaddo Canca, Sonarwado Verla, Freitaswaddo Verla, Parpoli Guirim, Sonvem, Kumayamarod Guirim and surrounding areas.

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GOA, MONDAY,10 JANUARY, 2011

Cortalim BJP block opens office in Sancoale

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, JAN 9

HERALD REPORTER VASCO, JAN 9

Though the election campaign is yet to kick off in the State, Cortalim BJP Block has kicked off its preparation with the opening of its office at Shimpal-Sancoale.

Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday opened the office on the occasion of birthday of Sancoale Panch Tulshidas Naik.

Former MLA Rajendra Arlekar, BJP Vice President (South Goa) Jayant Jadhav, Cortalim Block President Sanjay Naik, former BJP candidate Anthony Vaz, Malika Arjun and Shilpa Naik were present during the occasion.

Addressing party workers, Parrikar asked Anthony Vaz and Tulshidas Naik to start preparations. “BJP has bright prospects to come into power this time, as people of Goa are infuriated with present government inefficiency to deliver,” said Parrikar.

Parrikar in his typical style of oratory compared the Kamat government with famous English rhyme “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.”

Students from J&K interact with Governor

Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar inaugurates Cortalim BJP Block office in the presence of former MLA Rajendra Arlekar and others.

Photo by M Prabhav

“This government only wishes that development should take place, but nothing is delivered to the people of Goa, except rampant corruption,” stated Parrikar.

He further said people have been asking if BJP field its candidates from Cortalim, then what would happen to Mathany Saldanha. “Let Saldanha decide his election prospect, party will decide on it,” said Parrikar.

“There is feeling among common man that BJP governance was one of the best governance

seen by people of Goa. People should judge the performance of present government and bring the BJP back to power,” added Parrikar.

Earlier, Tulshidas Naik while welcoming the guests requested Parrikar to take up the project that is coming in the backyard of Sancoale with cutting of mango groves, which would be disastrous for Sancoale village.

Rajendra Arlekara and Jayant Jadhav also spoke on the occasion. Damodar Naik compered the function.

Governor, Dr S S Sidhu had a free interaction with the group of 23 students from Rajouri and Pooch areas of Jammu and Kashmir, who called on him along with their teachers at Raj Bhavan on Sunday morning. The students studying in vi to xii standards were on the “Sadbhavna” educational tour of Goa organized by the 38 Rashtriya Rifles Battalion.

The students told the Governor that they were very happy to visit Goa for the first time in their lives and that they would carry back with them good memories from this land.

Some of them stated that they wanted to become doctors while others wanted to join the engineering courses or become teachers.

Dr Sidhu complimented the students for setting before them high ambitions and wished they would succeed in their endeavors. He also observed that some of them could also rise to the status of Governors provided they were consistent in their efforts and

BJP emerges victorious in Belgaum ZP polls

K'taka MLAs disqualification case hearing resumes today

failed to open its account in Belgaum first time despite its decision to fight the elections in most of the constituencies in Belgaum with the support of Congress party.

The JDS also was supported by the disqualified MLA Balachandra Jarkiholi in Gokak taluka and Congress was supported by another disqualified legislator Raju Kage in Athani taluka, where Congress could win only two seats against BJP’s nine.

The brisk campaign launched

by Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa from Arbhavi constituency saw all the top BJP party leaders addressing election rallies in Belgaum district, where the elections had become a bone of contention between Congress/JDS and BJP due to the disqualification of two MLAs. The chief minister had challenged during the launch of his campaign at Arbhavi that his party would sweep the polls in the district, particularly in Gokak taluka. He had announced that he will be in-charge of Arbhavi constituency due to the disqualification of Jarkiholi.

At Hukkeri taluka, where

A full bench of Karnataka High Court will tomorrow resume hearing on petitions filed by five independent MLAs challenging their disqualification from the Assembly membership in October under the Anti-Defection Law. The resumption of hearing comes in the backdrop of Supreme Court dismissing a petition by BJP chief whip D N Jeevaraj last month.

Jeevraj had challenged the high court order allowing the MLAs' plea for making Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah and Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa as parties in the case.

D Sudhakara, P M Narend r a s w a m y, M Ve n k a t a r a manappa, Goolihatti Shekar and Shivaraj Tangadagi were disqualified on October 10 by Bopaiah after they, along with 11 BJP MLAs, withdrew support from the Yeddyurappa government.

The 16 MLAs were disqualified on the basis of a complaint filed by Yeddyurappa on October 7. The disqualifications came on the eve of the BJP government seeking a trust vote on the floor of the House.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT BELGAUM, JAN 9

The BJP emerged as a strong force in the biggest ZP of the state registering a landslide victory in Belgaum with 63 seats to its credit out of 86, leaving Congress at 17 seats and Independents at six.

For the Congress and JDS which had entered into a local tie-up with the sole aim of defeating the BJP, the results have come as a disaster. The Congress which was in power in Belgaum ZP with 43 seats was hoping to record a hat trick this time, but miserably failed to get votes in most of the constituencies.

While coming to power for the first time in Belgaum ZP, BJP also dumped Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) in several pro-Marathi constituencies of Belgaum.

The MES which had 10 seats to its credit has managed to win only five this time with four in Belgaum taluka and one in Khanapur.

Of the total of 86 seats, BJP won 63, Congress 17 and Independent six (including five MESsupported candidates).

In several years, the JDS has

money, liquor, sarees and watches were allegedly distributed in a large scale during elections, BJP won all the eight ZP seats. Minister Umesh Katti and MP Ramesh Katti who represent the constituency had assured the party that all the seats in their taluka will be won by BJP. The Congress party which renewed its party ranks at the grassroots including its district and taluka units was hoping to win about 50 seats.

A mega campaign also was organised by the party at Gokak taluka in which several of its top leaders including Gulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge, Dr Parameshwar attended last week. None of the Congress party ’s strategies or plans worked this time as BJP successfully broke into the Congress bastion.

After winning a highest of 11 of the 18 assembly seats and both the parliamentary seats in the district in the last elections, the BJP has never looked back.

The BJP leaders feel that the victory of the party in Belgaum ZP will make way for the total development of the entire rural Belgaum.

PTI BANGALORE, JAN 9

thinking to become great and occupy high positions.

“You are the future of Jammu and Kashmir” and “you are the future of Mother India”, he remarked. He further observed that such “Sadhbhavana” educational tours would certainly help them to acquire wide knowledge and thereby broaden their horizons.

To the teachers accompanying the students, the Governor stated that they had the onerous task of shaping the minds and outlook of the young citizens.

The Governor briefed the students about the socio-economic profile of Goa and added that this State had made tremendous progress because the people cherished the ideals of communal harmony, peace and brotherhood. ”This is the message you can carry with you back to your State”, he told the students.

The students were led by Major Yograj Ingle, Mrs Ingle, four NCOs, two teachers and one young Rifleman Mithun Gawas, who belongs to Shantinagar, Ponda but who has been

Brig PJS Pannu plants a medicinal sapling at the proposed Eco Park in the presence of Sajid Shaikh, L Rodrigues, Dr Rahila Shaikh, Dr Madan Dongare, Vandana Rao, Thangraj Krishnan, Deepak Bhati, Satish Mannurkar, Vijay Rajak, Chandrashekhar Savadi and others.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT BELGAUM, JAN 9

The Cantonment Board of Belgaum, in its bid to give a New Year’s gift to the citizens of Belgaum, has planned an ‘Eco Park’.

This unique kind of park in the region spread across about 3.2 acres has been planned next to the Queens Garden at Camp.

The inauguration of the venue was carried out by planting medicinal herbs by Brig PJS Pannu, VSM, the outgoing Station Commander of the MLIRC and president of the Cantonment Board.

Lauding the project that would be a blessing to the citizens of Belgaum, Brig Pannu said the project should be developed in such a way that along

with becoming an eco park, it would also attract the children and tourists as well.

He also rendered certain valuable suggestions to make the park more attractive and ecofriendly.

Giving details about the park, Chief Executive Officer of Cantonment Board Vijay Rajak said a large number of trees and herbs having medicinal values, ornamental shed trees, flowering trees, etc, would be planted around the park. For the convenience of the morning walkers, a walking track will be developed.

Benches will also be put up all along the park for people to perform yoga and for the convenience of the senior citizens

who can spend leisure time in this park.

“This is the unique project of its kind and will be developed in phases,” CEO Rajak added seeking the co-operation from the citizens and organizations, who could come across to develop this park that would add to the greenery of Belgaum.

Saplings were also planted by CEO Vijay Rajak, Vice President Deepak Bhati and Col Mishra, the Adm Commandant of the Station Headquarters.

Members of the Cantonment Board Dr Madan Dongare, Chandrashekhar Savadi, Thangraj Krishnan, Dr Rahila Shaikh, Vandana Rao, Assistant Engineer Satish Mannurkar and others were present.

Two persons from Canacona were seriously injured, after the scooter in which they were traveling was reportedly knocked down by an unknown vehicle at Mastimoll-Canacona late Sunday evening. According to Canacona Police, the accident occurred when Nikson Fernandes (24) of Mastimoll and Gururaj Dale (26) of Sadolxem were proceeding on Honda Dio (GA-08-H-3266).

Police further informed that the injured duo have been shifted to Hosipico in Margao.

MP Shantaram Naik and Beena S Naik seen with the President Pratibha Patil and her husband Devisingh Patil.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT BELGAUM, JAN 9

Belgaum Police in its attempts to make the district crime-free showed an outstanding improvement in 2010.

According to Belgaum Police Chief Sandeep Patil, majority of the cases that included crimes like pirated CD trade, fake currency, opium and ganja trade were solved by the police.

Last year witnessed 607 major accidents in which 671 persons were killed. Traffic police booked a total of 62,723 cases against offenders, collecting a total fine of Rs 98,78,475 from them. As many as 1,740 cases were booked under IPC Act, whereas 352 cases were booked under Special Act in the district last year.

Divulging further details at a press conference here, Superintendent of Police Sandeep Patil said in 2010, police seized 2.915 kg gold ornaments, 354.835 kg silver ornaments, 142 twowheelers, 43 cars and 13 tempo/tractors in connection with different cases.

Three country-made pistols and two foreign pistols without license were also recov-

youths and driver

Close on the heels of arrest of a couple of Kashmiris, Mumbai Police has issued an advisory to various police stations asking them to keep a watch on people from the state, especially drivers, as some of them are suspected to have been carrying out recce for terror groups.

The advisory, which was circulated among various police stations of the megapolis, was issued after the arrest of two Kashmiris in November last year, based on a specific intelligence input provided

by Jammu and Kashmir police.

The J-K police had also informed the Union Home Ministry about the possible sinister designs of some terror groups, especially Lashkar-e-Taiba, to carry out a recce exercise between Mumbai and Ahmedabad for which services of some drivers were used, sources said.

Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) had on November 29 last year arrested two Kashmiri youths - for allegedly trying to recruit members for LeT and obtaining details of military and oil installations in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

Mohammed Shareef Makhandeen Thakkar (33) and Mohammed Isak Mohammed Rasheed Kumlakh (29), both working as oil tanker drivers, were accused of trying to recruit members for the LeT outfit after receiving instructions from their handlers in J-K and across the border.

"Terror outfits like LeT and Indian Mujahideen is trying to recruit Kashmiri youths and driv-

HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, JAN 9

Belgaum police top performance chart in 2010

Cantonment Board plans Mumbai police issues Eco Park in Belgaum advisory on Kashmiri PTI MUMBAI, JAN 9

posted 38 RR in Jammu. Shaukat Khan, teacher, while proposing a vote of thanks, stated that the students were grateful to the Governor for providing an opportunity to them to meet and interact with them.

Two seriously injured in mishap at Canacona

n The J-K police had also informed the Union Home Ministry about the possible sinister designs of some terror groups, especially Lashkar-e-Taiba, to carry out a recce exercise between Mumbai and Ahmedabad for which services of some drivers were used. ers to conduct recce of sensitive areas including defence establishments. Any police station under whose jurisdiction there are oil depots or defence installations should ensure proper security both inside and outside the place," the advisory reads.

It further states if any private security agency is employing any Kashmiri men as security guards, police should conduct proper scrutiny of such men. "A watch should also be kept on any foreign national found roaming in a suspicious manner in crowded places," it says.

Efforts to seek comments from Director General of Maharashtra D Sivanandan, Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjeev Dayal and ATC Chief Rakesh Maria could not fructify as SMS and calls remained unanswered.

SP Sandeep Patil addresses the press conference in the presence of Additional SP S H Gangareddy.

ered and four persons including one person from Goa were arrested in connection with these cases.

“The police in a bid to control to control the crime rate booked three persons for causing communal tensions. Sri Ram Sena activist Dhananjay Jadhav and two others were booked under Goonda Act recently,” he added.

Speaking further, SP Patil said two cases of fake currency trade

were booked and nine persons were arrested with Rs 6,450 fake currency.

“Police also recovered material used for printing fake currency from them. Police raided Durgappa Kallappa Dematti’s place and recovered 9,500 pirated CDs worth Rs 12.20 lakh,” said Patil and added that pirated CDs worth Rs1.5 lakh were also recovered recently.

“In all, 17 cases in which 1.90

Kerala to supply 50,000 laptops for teachers PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN 9

In a major step to strengthen IT learning in shools in Kerala, the state government has launched a scheme to distribute laptops and netbooks to 50,000 teachers at a fair price under the IT@School Project.

Under the plan, computers would be distributed at the rate which is as less as one third of the market prices.

The teachers could purchase laptops at a price of Rs 17,770 and netbooks at Rs.11,450 each respectively, availing a reduction of as much as 37 per cent and 36 per cent of market rates of Rs.28,000 and Rs.18,000.

To p t h r e e c o m p a n i e s - Wipro, HCL and RP Infosystems—have been seleted for the supply of laptops and netbooks through techon-commerical tenders.

As per the tender conditions, teachers would get opportunity to review the pieces of all three companies at the District Offices of the Project.

Over 7500 laptops have already been provided to various schools till 2009-10 under the IT@school programme.

This year, another lot of 8000 laptops and 6000 netbooks would be provided to the schools.

The approach of using laptops and projectors in class rooms rather than the conventional 'Computer Lab' method has been well accepted by the teaching community.

"There have been constant requests from the teachers as well as Teachers' unions that laptops may be provided to the teachers at lower rates, so that

they are well equipped to make use of ICT in their teaching process.

We are sure that this new scheme of providing laptops and netbooks to teachers would create new waves in the educational scenario of the State," said K Anvar Sadath, Executive Director, IT@School Project.

After evaluating the progress of this scheme, we could expedite the possibility of giving other equipment like Multimedia Projectors, Printers, scanners, handycams, digital cameras also to teachers at reduced rates, he said.

kg opium worth Rs 2.9 lakh was recovered, while 16 cases were booked in which 147 kg of ganja worth Rs 3.55 lakh was recovered. As many as 23 persons were arrested in connection with these cases,” informed SP Patil. “ The Belgaum Police is adopting innovative measures to prevent and control crime in order to maintain tranquility in Belgaum district,” he said.

OHERALDO

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www.oheraldo.in

O HERALD O

Goa’s holistic growth under threat

Vol No CXI No: 009 Goa, Monday, 10 January, 2011

N

there is hardly anyone in the Goan political system, committed to the cause of society, says DR JOe D’SOUZA

Sting gets a tail

ow it can be told. The mysterious forces that allegedly trapped the Anti-Narcotics Squad’s (ANC’s) Police Sub-Inspector Sunil Gudlar, who was seen on video tape negotiating with two foreign women over the sale of drugs, have come out in the open. Ayala Driham, sister of jailed drug lord David Driham alias Dudu, has a mission; to establish the innocence of her brother, who she says was ‘framed’ by the Police, and to establish her allegation that it was Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Veenu Bansal who demanded a bribe through Gudlar. This is all down in black and white, in a statement to Crime Branch. Ayala shot Gudlar on a spy-cam in a hotel room. She says Gudlar approached her at the behest of Bansal.

Ayala says that she had to conduct the sting, as former ANC men, including former ANC PSI Gudlar, falsely framed her brother in the drugs case. Gudlar, says Ayala, told her that money was the only option to bail out Dudu. She says after his arrest Dudu was kept in a room next to Bansal’s cabin in the ANC office. “If he was arrested, why was he not in the police lock-up?” she asks. She says she has the evidence to prove her allegations against both ANC officers.

She has also handed over the entire sting footage – comprising three tapes exposing a fresh police-drug nexus – to the Crime Branch.

Last year, seven policemen including a police inspector were suspended and arrested for corruption after their link with Dudu and another Israeli drug baron Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, was exposed. This came after Atala’s jilted girlfriend – with the unlikely name of Lucky Farmhouse – had uploaded film clips of Atala’s confession on social websites in which he bragged about his links with Goa police. Atala has now been held, thanks to the red corner alert issued by the Goa Police. Whether he has been arrested in Peru or Israel, and whether he can be actually extradited to India to stand trial, will be known with the next few days.

Ayala’s assertions about Dudu may be a little prejudiced, as she is bound to look upon her brother much more benignly that the rest of us. Still, the evidence she proffers is interesting, and the case sems to get murkier and murkier, as one or the other new ‘nexus’ keeps creeping in. To top it all, there is the always unspoken allegation that Home Minister Ravi Naik’s son Roy has a ‘nexus’ with these druglords.

Talk is cheap, of course, and the evidence insufficient so far.

Ayala, however, has refrained from making allegations of the typical kind. It is therefore incumbent that these allegations be looked into thoroughly, and some closure brought to the issue.

Kisme kitna dum

I

OPINION

n September-October 2010, motorcycle-borne personnel of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) crossed the border, entered Gombir in the Demchok region in Jammu and Kashmir, and threatened civilian workers who were building a shed for the state Rural Development Department. The place is about 300 km south-east of Leh. And what did the Indian Army do?

It asked the state government to maintain status quo, and to take the permission of the Ministry of Defence before carrying out any construction activities within 50 km of the Line of Actual Control. The local administration is baffled, as it will stop all developmental work in the area. And so are we. Is this how the Indian Army responds to external aggression?

He came, there he saw and alas, he was conquered. If Hariprasad, the Congress Observer, as well as the fund raiser for the Congress in Goa, now feels, that he has comfortably quelled the growing anarchy in the political system in Goa, he is sadly mistaken. The only achievement of the Delhi emissary is that he has delayed the malignant growth of “coteries” based governance, directed to incapacitate the Chief Minister and marginalise the influence of “High Command”, be it of the NCP or that of the Congress itself.

Today, it is Sharad Pawar of the NCP, who apparently appears to be on the receiving end. The Congress bosses in New Delhi should realise that the “family business” of running the government in Goa has assuming cancerous dimensions in Goa, ever since the 2007 elections to the Goa assembly were held. The ever increasing role of a father, son, daughter, wife, sister and a brother in political governance of Goa, is assuming pernicious levels to the detriment of the holistic growth of Goan society. Notwithstanding, even “in-laws” are figuring in the ‘son-shine’ and sonin-law shining conspiracy in the Goan political scenario. The ‘Des Ka Daam’ will transform into ‘vees ka kaam,’ wherein twenty like minded thieves, essentially consisting of husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons and daughters of a few politically ambitious families in Goa, would challenge the Sonia, and Rahul’s authority to undermine the sanctity of austerity, in governance.

The increasing use of the family label to generate funds through extortion, exploitation, coercion, and arm-twisting tactics, may give Digambar Kamat a brief respite, and an uncomfortable stability. But it must be realised that the “patron saint” of Goa’s political opportunism and defection, is grooming up to assume power much sooner than expected, by the hapless Goan society.

There is hardly anyone in the Goan political system, truly committed to the cause of society. It is I, me, myself, and mine as more and more of Goa is facing degradation, deterioration and destruction, in the wake of rampant corruption, exploitation and manipulation. For the short sighted Goan citizenry, it is drinking, dancing, and gambling all the way, as long as adversities do not personally touch oneself.

All in the fAmily Today, 20% contracts, 10% licence, 15% commission, 5% accounting charges , 3% cheque clearing charges, 15% tender approval payment, 8% expression of interest settings are today unwritten or the illegal ways by which politicians, bureaucrats and those involved in managing public money administer. While Goans are sleeping, dancing or drinking, many outstation bureaucrats have not only amassed wealth, but acquired properties for a price, through their acts of omissions and commission. It is an exercise in absurdity, that we blame those in governance alone for the rapid increase in crime.

Isn’t Goa soon turning into a perfect “hole”-aday” destination? Each day the aam admi is a victim of having a ‘hole” in his pocket, as individuals, or as a society, at large. Our religious institutions are under pressure from a series of thefts and burglaries, our youth are scorched by sunburns and varied aspects of drinking, dancing and gambling. The youth have burned out the parental savings. The energy and character of elders in Goan society has been drained out, as they are either fighting the rising prices on an empty stomach or quenching their worries, over a spirited drink.

The issue in Goa is not the smaller picture of marginalising Micky-mouse, but of strangulating the growth of NCP, as the election year in Goa, is fast approaching. But the wider and the real mo-

tives of all those who are preparing to marginalise the NCP, are not the exercise to strengthen the secular Congress forces under the leadership of Sonia or Rahul, but to use the Sonia-Rahul equation to promote the vicious and harmful dynastic rule in Goa, which would be disastrous and harmful to the growth of healthy Congress in Goa. Can the presence of Sonia and Rahul in a population of 110 crores, over a vast country like India, compare well with family based Congress rule in Goa, which appears to be looming large in the state?

The presence of Mickky, surely, is advantageous to the NCP. Sharad Pawar did a blunder, by primarily asking the NCP stalwart to resign from the Digambar ministry, in the first place. But to assume that marginalisation of Mickky would strengthen the Congress, is absolutely fallacious.

Mickky’s presence is not a threat to the Congress, but specifically, he is a deterrent to those aspiring and dreaming of using Congress in Goa, to foster family rule in Goan politics and establish sycophancy, corruption and political manipulations in the governance of the state.

It is gratifying, although the distracters of the BJP, in general, and those of Manohar Parrikar, in particular, would tend to brush aside the gesture of the Leader of the Opposition of selling onions at Rs30 a kilo, as a political gimmick, or a worthless exercise. Instead of purifying the Arabian sea, as

a result of the visit of Sagres III from Portugal, Parrikar has done well to establish that price rise is due to corruption and maladministration, and not only due to crop damage and onion shortages, Parrikar could do more on this front, to help heal wounds of the aam admi, due to the rampant growth of corruption and lethargy, by the present Goan politicians in power. Today, not only the politicians, but bureaucrats have amassed wealth and as well as properties all around Goa, out from the ill-gotten wealth.

It is not the issue as to how Kiran Dhingra, JP Singh, Pal or Surya-Narayan acquired or sold properties in Goa, but as to how Kalmadi, Narayan Rane and a host of other political figures centred in mega cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, or Chennai happen to control the real estate businesses in Goa, and allegedly participate in mega construction, industrial and commercial ventures on the fly, by mode of night operation.

It is a disaster and calamity in the making, that Goan parents are oblivious to the fact, that their children, or the youth, by and large, are tending towards burning out energies, as well as hard earned money in mega festivals, gambling dens and drugs.

The politicians, police, press, priests and the people at large, are under the pseudo spell of pseudo prosperity of Goa, which is neither due to vibrant agriculture or fisheries, nor is it due to stable industrial growth, but sadly it is the “feel good factor” due to drugs, drinks, dope, dupe, deceit and dacoities, mushrooming and flourishing in Goa, as law is made into an ass by our politicians functioning in denial mode, be it Ravi Naik or Dayanand Narvekar.

Hariprasad, the Congress Observer from Delhi, apparently, has calmed a storm in a tea cup of Congress woes in Goa, by acceding to the demand of the “Des Ka Daam.” But Congress High Command must be ready to stem the rot, which is due to follow wherein “Dynastic Ambitions” would be in the open, to rock the Congress in Goa. Is Goa getting ready for the husband, wife, father, son, daughter, brother, sister and the in numerous in-laws, running as a family business? Only time will tell whether it is making hay while the sun shines, or in-laws grind.

A winter that never ends

Straight from the heart

I

happened to stay in Delhi once, for a month, in the long cold cruel biting death like winter. On my way to work, I daily passed a crossing with a roundabout, in the middle of it. Within the roundabout, under the smog filled sky lived a poor homeless family, with four children.

As I observed them daily, I figured out that the wife was a frail thin woman who often carried the youngest and begged on the road. The father was usually busy selling magazines to the people, in the cars that passed. The eldest son sat with a box of boot polish and polished the shoes of the infrequent passerby. One daughter in torn clothes, with a pretty face, often smiled and asked us to buy roses. The other daughter just tagged along, a mere child of three or four, shyly smiling from behind her eldest sister.

On my way back, I could see them sitting around a small fire, on some days. And some days they just huddled together. The baby was lost and shielded in the mother’s clothes and the little ones hid in their father’s, as people stand under a tree when it rains. I often wondered how they lived under the dusty sky, without a roof on their heads, exposed to the freezing cold, yet often smiling and laughing.

The youngest was a baby of about a year old, still suckling. He would lie on the pavement unattended, in tattered clothes, and would often be crying, while the mother cooked on a stove. The probably never heard of a school or that they too were entitled to go there under the right to education act. They lived their life from day to day and probably never thought of a future.

One day, the woman came to me, as my car stopped at the crossing, and asked me if I could help her, as her youngest, the little baby was ill. She took my hand and through the window made me touch the baby, who was burning with fever. I was alarmed! Did this woman have the wherewithal to see a doctor?

What if the child dies? I gave them some money, and feeling smug about my good deed, went away.

Above them, was a huge fly over, under rapid construction, getting ready for the Commonwealth games. The face of Delhi was changing, at least ostensibly so. But its soul remained the same. It was more heartless than ever. Yet, all the same, a new face of the city was being carved, for the benefit of the international participants. This was a grim, polished, painted, sadistic mask which hid behind itself, the suffering and laments of many a poor people who have come to this city to make a life — but have

By Sajla Chawla

barely made a living. Can we credibly hide behind the misleading and deceptive GDP of this country; when there are millions on the streets, homeless and helpless??

A few days later, as I passed by, I saw that the baby was missing from the family. Many a time, I thought I would stop and ask. But didn’t I already know the answer? I was too scared to hear the stark truth. And how could I face that truth when I was, in some way, responsible for what happened? Couldn’t I have spared a few hours and taken the child to a good doctor?

The TV was full of the Aarushi murder case, because it touched many lives. But what about poor children who die everyday on our roads, of starvation, hunger, poverty, lack of medical facilities, molestation or just parental neglect? Who will portray the anguish of such people? This vast multitude is neglected by the whole state, the government, the media, the intellectuals, the corporate houses. They are unimportant, with no access. It is a nameless and faceless class with no God above them and not even their own shadow below them—-utterly alone and helpless. Who will give a voice to them? And till we do that, aren’t we all a part of this farce of democracy and development? And we are all responsible for their plight, each and every one of us.

Letters to the Editor Unclaimed RC books Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco It is understood that there are 12,000 registration certificate (RC) books lying unclaimed with the transport department. This means that a total of 12,000 vehicle owners who use their cars and two wheelers without the mandatory RC books. A registration certificate book is a very important document as it is the only proof of the ownership of the vehicle. Not being in possession of one, is a very serious offence. This alarming number of vehicle owners without the RC book also means that there has been inadequate control by the police in checking the documents of vehicles. A strict vigil needs to be maintained against offenders as we could even have a terrorist in the state, driving in a stolen vehicle, sans the necessary documents.

In appreciation…

Melson F M Louis, Margao The organisers of the traditional New Year’s Eve ball of some leading hotels, institutions, sports and cultural associations in Goa, must be congratulated as

Smile with Smitha

they have refrained from burning the effigy of an old man, which is meant to usher in the New Year. Senior citizens have appreciated this gesture.

In South Goa, the organisers of the New Year’s eve crystal ball, held in Margao, have changed the tradition of burning the effigy of a 12 foot giant old man. Instead, burning the effigy of an evil man has been arranged to get rid of the evils of the previous year and ushering in of the New Year 2011, with clean thoughts.

It is hoped that others will follow this example, and respect senior citizens in Goa.

Cleaning the rot Jonas Correia, Aldona The clarion call given by Herald’s Editorin-chief, Raul Fernandes in both the appeals, is probably the last straw to save of whatever is left of Goa. This is not the first time Herald has made such an attempt. In the past Herald has boldly sent a message to the electorate on the eve of each and every election.

Unfortunately, those messages were never taken seriously, nor spread among the voters particularly the iliterate ones.

Smitha Bhandare Kamat

Letter of the Day

UPA-2: Shore up your credibility

S Kamat, Alto Betim

Our Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee when confronted with the 18 per cent plus inflation on food items last week, wanted to look at the monthly figures.

He should, like any Bengali common man, pick up his shopping bag and shop for fish/meat, vegetables and other essential commodities. In that manner, he will witness, for himself, the spiraling cost of essential items. By asking for figures, he clearly does not want to confront the issue and tackle it head-on.

The government at the helm is showing its inefficiency, incompetence and downright callousness in not taking the aam admi into confidence.

One wonders why the Opposition particularly the Left parties, have not resorted to championing the cause of the oppressed aam admi in the face of rising prices which has persisted over the last 18 months or so. Has the Opposition lost its teeth?

It is, therefore, time for the UPA-2 government to have a concerted plan of action to get back the Indian economy on its rails, and shore up its credibility, if at all it wants to be in government.

As Goa’s famed pop star once said that our election focus lies on who will tar the road, or put an electric pole or legalise the illegal construction and we vote for that person or party. With such selfish attitude of each one for himself, we will continue to drift and lose all control over our destiny.

We also need to change our electoral system as democracy, they say, is for the affluent, and not the effluent. Otherwise, we will continue to have a majority of fools that will keep electing the same tyrants.

Rotten political system Sidonio Mendes, Chandor That Goa abounds with 6,000 MT of gold lying deep from the surface, as claimed by renowned microbiologist Nandkumar Kamat, is heartening news. Then, why this menacing rush to dig our low grade mines to dump ore, in another country?

Should other countries reap the benefit of our mineral export in the long run?

Earlier, the minimum grade of ore required, for processing it into metal and not for dumping, was 65 per cent. It reveals the political system of the state, which has

become rotten and despondent.

Piece of truth Paulo Menezes, Panjim Dr Joe de Souza in his article ‘Who will account for this daylight treat?’ (Weekend Splendour, Herald, 2 Jan) said that it is poverty that drives people into stealing and that he resigns to the belief that it is God’s will as He has plenty to give by His own ways, like burglaries of religious institutions in Goa, as most religious institutions preach.

This goes as a small piece of truth and wisdom of Dr. Joe. The historical encyclical letter ‘Rerum Novarum’ of Pope Leo XIII seems to be followed only by the rulers of the nations. Today, everyone has forgotten that justice and charity begins at home.

Maneka, leave us alone Jerry Fernandes, Saligao This has reference to the article ‘The principles of Justice’ by Maneka Gandhi (Herald, 3 Jan). Well, Mrs Gandhi is not a historian, prophet or a religious leader.

She is an ‘Animal rights activist.’ She,

therefore, has no right to interpret some selected passages from the Holy Bible and draw her own funny conclusions to prove her point. She says that animals have a life like humans, yes they do, but what about the different plants which produce vegetables? Don’t they have a life too? If we follow that logic, then what are we going to consume?

Please do not try to ruin our eating habits, but allow us to live in peace and enjoy our distinct spicy cuisine. Just leave us alone, Maneka.

Upgrade municipal schools Cajetan Peter D’Souza, Mumbai The state government, along with the education department must look into upgrading all municipal schools which will help in providing better education facilities for students below poverty level. There is a need for the government to convert these schools into national open schools where these students will be taught not just the regular education but also methods to have a better living. These schools should also be upgraded to Std XII level.

Sibal’s claim untrue Mathew Oommen, Pune Communication and IT minister Kabil Sibal’s claim that the country did not lose any money in the 2G spectrum allocation during 2007, is a departure from the truth. The minister’s statement is not in the best interest of the nation and is highly inappropriate.

At this stage, Kapil Sibal should not bring in the theory of ‘welfare viz revenue,’ in his efforts to sweep corruption under the carpet. Kapil can dispute the figures on how much the exchequer had lost on account of 2G, but the amount of Rs 1,76,000crore has got embedded in the mind of the Indian citizens.

The government should now focus on bringing the culprits to book, rather than offering justification to the public, that they are quite comfortable with tackling corruption.

Erroneous CAG? P L Fernandes, Old Goa The recent remarks of Union Minister Kapil Sibal, make it look like the CAG has run out of its usefulness. If there was a simple answer as this, then why was precious time wasted in hanging up the parliamentar y proceedings. In the process, a minister was made to resign, which followed a hullabaloo and an attempt to deceive the population at large, besides the Opposition benches? It appeared as if rabbits were pulled out of the proverbial hat, in the hope that the problem might be shooed away.

The chairman of the PAC, has ridiculed him by saying he may have not read the report of the CAG, because they used three models in order to arrive at the figures.

When many of our premier agencies are seized of the matter, why is there a necessity to compound this matter, thus making it worse for everyone? Such wild statements from a person occupying a higher position, is inappropriate.

Inefficient government Croydon Medeira, Margao The Congress Government in Goa has shown its inefficiency in controlling not only the price rise of essential commodities but lacks direction, conviction and willingness to be able to live up to its slogan of being a government for the masses.

The recent statements issued by the chairman of the Goa State Horticulture Development Corporation that the BJP in Karnataka is irked over the supply of vegetables to Goa, and wants it stopped is the most absurd excuse, seen till date. This shows the hollowness of the ruling dispensation.

Government should encourage farmers and provide them with either free or subsidised seeds, fertilisers and impart training on how to improve productivity. Instead, government has gone on a land acquiring spree. Land of farmers has been taken over and converted into settlement areas. If the government is unable to make the state self-sufficient in the produce of vegetables, then its elected representatives have no right to continue, at the helm of affairs.

Printed and published by Vinayak Pai Bir for and on behalf of Herald Publications Pvt Ltd. Printed at Herald Publications Pvt Ltd, Plot No: L-135, Phase II, Verna Industrial Estate, Verna, Salcete, Goa. Published at PO Box 160, Rua Sao Tome, Panjim, Goa - 403001. Editor-in-chief: Mr R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat (Responsible under PRB Act). Regd Office: St Tome Road, Panjim, Goa. Tel: 2224202, 2228083, Fax: 2222475 (all Editorial); 2230535, Fax: 2225622 (Advertising); Margao: 2737689. Mumbai Office: 16-A, Bell Building, 2nd Floor, 19 Sir PM Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400001 (Tel: 22840702/22844908). RNI No: 43667/83.

HOW TO CONTACT US: mail@herald-goa.com — For press notes, general queries. junior@herald-goa.com — Junior Herald; junioryouth@herald-goa.com — Careers. heraldmirror@herald-goa.com — Sunday Mirror. reporters@herald-goa.com — For Reporters. business@herald-goa.com — For Business news. editor@herald-goa.com — For Letters to the Editor. sports@herald-goa.com — For Sports news. advt@herald-goa.com — For Advertisements. 2day@herald-goa.com — For Herald 2day. tiatr@herald-goa.com — For Tiatr Reviews and Reports. Disclaimer: Except for the editorial above, articles and letters in Herald represent the views of the concerned authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Herald editor, publisher, and/or owners.

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INDIA

GOA, MONDAY 10 JANUARY, 2011

oPinionated Bofors kickbacks lead to Sonia’s doorstep: BJP CCP Act – A garbage piece of legislation

BY RUI FERREIRA

Any act, if enacted, is meant to be beneficial to its constituents.

The City of Panaji Corporation Act 2002, which came into force from 21 January 2003, was meant to provide for and constitute a municipal corporation, for a larger urban area for Panjim municipal area and other developed areas. The Schedule I, as described in the Act, includes the areas of “The whole of Panaji Municipal area, Village Panchayat of Taleigao, St. Cruz, Penha de Franca and the entire area of village Bambolim, excluding the area under the military occupation.” However, what factually constitutes the present city corporation, is only the area of the erstwhile Panjim municipal council. Therefore, one fails to understand and wonder what benefit, this legislation has given, or bestowed on the citizens of Panjim.

It has only created a post of a monster, in the form of a Commissioner, who has been given powers to override the elected members, who are termed as councillors in the CCP Act and there exists no provisions to call them as Corporators. Further, it has imposed financial burden in the form of garbage collection tax, sanitation tax, etc., on the citizens of Panjim, besides causing burden to the state ex-chequer, for payment of salaries and emoluments to the 30 councillors.

The former Panjim Municipal Council, with a mere 16-member body, was strong enough to run the affairs of the city smoothly, to maintain it clean and green. The conversion of this municipality into a corporation, without extending the areas has only served the purpose of the rich and effluent, besides increasing the real estate in Panjim and catering to events life IFFI and 5 star hotels, floating casinos which are located within the city limits. It has resulted into traffic chaos and poses a hindrance to free pedestrian movement of its senior citizens.

Till date, the CCP does not have its own garbage treatment plant, sewerage treatment plant, fire fighting machinery, ward committees and ward officials. The inchoate CCP Act does not have its own rules and regulations for its day to day functioning.

It seems, it has only served the hidden agenda of changing the nomenclature from Panjim council to a Panaji corporation, to deprive Panjim citizens, of its identity. Such piece of legislation can only be termed as a garbage piece of legislation, which cannot be recycled.

Its time to restore this beautiful Panjim city, full of scenic grandeur of gardens and riverside promenades, to its original name of Panjim Municipal Council before taxes are raised once again, for the luxuries of a few ruling families.

PTI GUWAHATI, JAN 9

Bringing Sonia Gandhi in the line of fire, BJP today alleged that Ottavio Quattrocchi’s involvement in the Bofors pay-off case lead “directly to the doorstep” of the Congress chief.

“We think the way the kickbacks were given being very clearly established by the appellate authority identifying Ottavio Quattrocchi, who all of us know had enviable access to the then Prime Minister (Rajiv Gandhi), takes this whole issue clearly to the doorstep of Shrimati Soniaji,” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said.

The political resolution adopted at the two-day national executive meeting of the BJP said the party resolves to fight corruption tooth and nail.

“To restore hope back to the people, the BJP shall rise to serve as the nucleus of this effort. We are a party born out of a struggle, not very long ago. People, groups, civil society organisations and parties wishing to en-

ergise this ‘clean India of corruption’ effort should come together,” the party said in its political resolution,” it said.

The resolution, moved by Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and seconded by her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley, made a scathing attack on the Gandhi family in the wake of the latest revelations made by the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal order.

The order had said that kick backs of Rs 61 crore were paid to late Win Chaddha and Quattrocchi in the Howitzer gun deal and that they are liable to pay tax in India on such income.

“The Congress, particularly its first family is faced with the power of truth. Truth has the habit of coming up at inconvenient time. Misusing the CBI to undermine this case, each time and at every level, the party ensured that Ottavio Quattrocchi was enabled to flee the country,” the party said.

It claimed that the Congress party had resolutely maintained

that no kickbacks were paid and were closing the case against the controversial Italian businessman.

Party veteran L K Advani in his concluding remarks described 2010 as the year of “stinking scams” and saw the situation as ripe for decisive change in Indian politics.

At the same time, he dismissed as “sponsored agenda of ruling establishment” the talk of mid-term elections.

“When the government is in deep-trouble the talk of mid-term elections is being made. It is sponsored agenda of the ruling establishment in the country as they have many skeletons. They do not have the courage to go in for snap polls at a time when they are faced with the twin challenges of corruption and price rise,” Advani said.

Party leaders also said that the assertions of former Telecom Minister A Raja and Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee that they had ob-

tained “due clearances” for cost escalations, leads to the “doorsteps of the PMO”.

An NDA rally held soon after the conclusion of the BJP meet saw several party leaders, including former party chief Rajnath Singh, targetting the Congress president over the issue of corruption.

The BJP also sought a clarification from the Gandhi family on its relations with Quattrocchi and his dealings.

“The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal is a quasi-judicial body which has found Quattrocchi guilty and he has direct and very clear access to the then Prime Minister. Therefore, what do you expect us to conclude?” was the refrain of party leaders, including Sitharaman.

In the resolution, the BJP wanted like-minded parties, people, groups and civil society organisations to jointly “extricate” the country from the “Congress culture of corruption, greed and loot”.

Ill-gotten wealth should be

BJP trying to divert focus from RSS-terror complicity: Cong PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

Congress today reacted sharply to BJP allegations against Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Bofors and 2G Spectrum issues, saying the opposition party is trying to divert attention from “RSS’ complicity in terrorism” by levelling such accusations.

“These are things being done deliberately to digress and divert attention from documented investigation reports showing full

complicity of RSS in terrorism,” party Spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said reacting to the allegations of BJP. The opposition party at its National Executive meet in Guwahati today decided to go the whole hog after the first family of Congress, alleging that Ottavio Quattrocchi’s involvement in the pay-offs lead “directly to the doorstep of Sonia Gandhi”.

Party Spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman also sought

a clarification from the Gandhi family on its relations with Quattrocchi and his dealings.

Besides, she said the assertions of former Telecom Minister A Raja and Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee that they had obtained “due clearances” for cost escalations, leads to the “doorsteps of the PMO”.

“He (PM) also has to come out clean on those clearances...

clearances by Joint Secretaries would not have been sufficient,” she said.

Dubbing BJP’s allegations a “travesty of truth”, Singhvi said, “BJP speaks up about Bofors and forgets the 2004 Delhi High Court judgement, which passed strictures against NDA and said that Rajiv Gandhi should not even be accused” While maintaining that “for 23 years not an iota has been found about Congress or Rajiv Gandhi in the case,” the Con-

Maoists blow up cabin signal point, train service hit PTI ROURKELA, JAN 9

A boy covered with a quilt warms up by a fire in front of a shop selling quilts at Noida in Uttar Pradesh as cold weather continues to sweep through North on Sunday.

Horticulture rail transport system on anvil PTI MUMBAI, JAN 9

The Government is planning to launch a dedicated horticulture rail transport system by March with an investment of over Rs 18 crore that will link the wholesale markets of the country to reduce the wastage of surplus fruits and vegetables, a senior official has said.

“We have sent a proposal to the Agriculture Ministry for approval and are expecting to launch the trial run in two months, that is sometime in March,” National Horticulture Board (NHB) Managing Director Bijay Kumar told PTI. This initiative will cost over Rs 18 crore and help in transporting fresh fruits and vegetables to different parts of the country in less time without causing damage, he said, adding this will reduce the wastage of surplus horticultural produce.

According to industry estimates, India loses over Rs 55,000 crore worth of harvested produce - mostly vegetables and fruits - annually due to poor infrastructure, which includes cold chain, packaging materials and transport, among others. The project is a joint collaboration between NHB, Container Corporation of India (CCI) and Railways, he said.

brought back from all tax havens wherever in the world, it said.

Political will and national interest is required for this unenviable task, the party said and the discussion saw senior leader Shanta Kumar specifically raising the issue of bringing back money stashed illegally by Indians in Swiss banks.

Kumar said he has written to Prime Minister in this regard but he has failed to respond.

The party decided to make full use of the “disconcerting” political environment by holding rallies at various places across the length and breadth of the country on the issue of corruption and to highlight the failures of the government to addressing the issue of price rise.

It also resolved to seek legal recourse to justice for getting the “nation looters punished and to get back the ill-gotten wealth from the various tax havens abroad”.

Insisting on a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the 2-G scam, the main opposition

Armed Maoists, including women cadres, blew up a cabin signal point of Bandamunda railway station in Orissa and a goods train engine early today disrupting train service on Howrah-Mumbai route and abducted 12 Railway employees.

Around 60 heavily armed rebels blasted the engine and the signal point, about 10 km from here, causing extensive damage to the assistant station master’s room, and left behind a large number of posters opposing anti-Maoist operations and alleged harassment of tribals and demanding the release of activist Binayak Sen. The Maoists then abducted 12 Railway employees but released them after a few hours without harming them, Rourkela senior station manager G B Mahapatra said. Train services in the busy Howrah-Mumbai main line and Rourkela-Ranchi-Hatia line were disrupted for nine hours due to the Maoist attack.

Long distance trains were stranded at various stations.

Chinese troops entered Indian territory last year Threatened contractor, team to halt work on ‘passenger shed’ PTI LEH/SRINAGAR, JAN 9

After remaining peaceful for most of the year, Chinese troops entered Indian territory in the fag end of 2010 along the Line of Actual Control in South-eastern Ladakh region and threatened a contractor and his team to halt work on constructing a “passenger shed”.

The Chinese troops, which included motor-cycle borne personnel of People’s Liberation Army (PLA), entered Gombir area in Demchok region in Jammu and Kashmir and threatened the civilian workers who were building the shed, the plan for which was cleared by the state rural development department, according to details accessed by PTI. The incident took place in September-October last year in a village about 300-kms south-east of Leh district headquarters.

An official report, which was prepared after a meeting of officials from civilian administration, army, central security agencies and Indo-Tibetan Border Police, stated that a passenger shed was approved at an estimated cost of Rs two lakh to be built at ‘T’ point in village Gombir under the Border Area Development Project of Ministry of Home Affairs.

The Chinese army — PLA — came to the ‘T’ point and asked the contractor to stop the work, the report said. An official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the arrival of Chinese troops, some of whom were ironically on motorcycle, triggered panic among the workers who rushed to the nearby Army post for help.

The Chinese troops also shouted some slogans which could not be translated by the officials, the official said.

The Army was quick in responding and asked the state government to maintain status quo, the report said and added that the 3 Infantry Division asked the state Government to take the permission of Ministry of Defence before carrying out any construction activities at least 50 kilometres of the Line of Actual Control.

When contacted, Lt Col J S Brar, who officiates as

spokesperson for Leh-based 14 Corps, refused to comment on the issue.

According to the report, the civil administration proceeded on field verification to the area on October two, 2010 and on the next day, Army wrote to the administration to seek Defence Ministry’s clearance for any project within 50 kms of Border.

The Civil administration said it was baffled by the Army’s missive as this would mean entire Nyoma subdivision would get affected in the matter of developmental work.

The state Government had planned construction of seven link-roads in Nyoma and Damchok areas to increase connectivity and provide job opportunity to the people of this remote and treacherous mountain region, which is close to the Line of Actual Control.

The Chinese troops, which had carried out incursions into Indian territory in June and July 2009, had also carried out such an exercise in November 2009 also when its troops threatened Indian workers to stop road construction in Ladakh.

The road construction was taking place in the Demchok sector which was stopped after the Defence Ministry had raised objections with the then Deputy Commissioner (Leh) A K Sahu and asked them to stop the work.

The work on a link-road in Demchok in South-eastern Ladakh region was stopped last month after objections were raised by the Chinese Army. Work on the road,

which was to connect two villages - the last inhabited areas on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on SinoIndian border in Demchok – was stopped during the last week of October 2009.

The road was being built under the Centrally-sponsored National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS). In 2009, the Chinese Army haD violated the International Border in Ladakh region and painted boulders and rocks in the area red.

The Chinese troops had entered nearly 1.5 kilometres into the Indian territory on July 31 near Mount Gya, recognised as International border by India and China, and painted the boulders and rocks with “China” and “Chin9” in red spray paint.

The 22,420 ft Mount Gya, also known as “fair princess of snow” by Army, is located at the tri-junction of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir, Spiti in Himachal Pradesh, and Tibet. Its boundary was marked during the British era and regarded as International border by the two countries.Before this, Chinese helicopters had violated the Indian air space on June 21 along the Line of Actual Control in Chumar region and also helli-dropped some expired food.

Ironically, Chinese army has done construction activities along the international border across Karakoram ranges in Ladakh sector for the first time in 2009 after the 1962 stand-off between the two countries and a report of Jammu and Kashmir government had claimed that Chinese have been taking “land in inches and not in yards”.

“They (Chinese) have threatened the nomadic people who had been using Dokbug area (in Ladakh sector) area for grazing since decades long, in a way to snatch our land in inches. A Chinese proverb is famous in the world ‘better do in inches than in yards,” the report filed by a former Sub Divisional Magistrate (Nyoma) Tsering Norboo had said.

Norboo had been deputed by the state government to probe incursion of Chinese Army in Dokbug area and threatening the local shepherds to leave the land as it belonged to them.

gress spokesperson made it clear that the party has “nothing to say or do with regard to action taken according to law in respect of other indivduals like Win Chadda, Hinduja and Quattrocchi”.

On BJP pointing fingers at PMO, the Congress spokesperson said,”The BJP is a minority on this planet to dream that even remotely the Prime Minister’s Office is in any way connected with the 2G.”

said a JPC shall be focussed and its terms of reference shall be wide.

Corruption shall be its only subject and it shall exhaustively find the logical links, however deep, far or frightening.

“Towards this end, it shall call and question any, however mighty and powerful they be.

And this is what makes the Congress fear the JPC! And this is why they do not want it! And they are obstinate!” the party said.

Its insistence on the JPC brings into question the smooth functioning of the budget session of Parliament which has seen a deadlock on the issue, leading to a washout of the winter session.

APPoINTMeNTS

HERALD

OHERALDO

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CAREERS & EDUCATION

Pg 10

GOA, Monday, 10 January 2011

Educating children through riddles

By Caetano de Abreu

During the golden days of yore, when we were children, evening was a time to relax and play.

The choice was ours. But at sun down or later, we played indoor games. When it was past 7o’clock in the evening, after the daily religious rituals ended and the hunger pangs were sated with tummy-filling repasts, with dad already asleep and with time to spare before we children went to bed, there were two options open to us children, the ghost stories mingled with tales from mythology narrated by our Hindu womenfolk, and the second was, the riddles posed by the home-ladies in order to educate us and simultaneously sharpen our seemingly dormant minds and also to inculcate knowledge and values in us children. It should be noted that our slumber-time was around 9.30 p.m. and never delayed for our parents and elders believed in and firmly adhered to the adage ‘Early to bed and early to rise makes a person healthy and wise.

It is a fact that riddles are the posers which sharpen one’s mind and wit. And for me they were the best genre of education, something which I could never have accrued from any academia. This is because the riddles narrated were infused with folktale interpretations, and were both, entertaining and educational. Here are a few riddles for example which are narrated as tales but have a deep meaning and forces the brains to work that extra-mile and come out a winner: There was a place which was hounded by trolls from the mountains, and with a zest to devour the baby from the house. Thus they approach a lone caretaker or ayah, and requests that the baby be handed over to them for their gory satisfaction. The fair maiden being at her wit’s end, challenges them with riddles

which goes as thus: 1. Little Nancy Etticoat, in a white petticoat, and a red nose.

The longer she stands, the shorter she grows. What would it be? (Candle); 2. There are four kings, one of them does not have a moustache. Who is he? (In a pack of cards, the king of hearts does not have a moustache).

that is quite relevant to the Indian sub-continent: Prince Vidyasheel of Ujwalpur was on one of his long hunting trips when a storm struck and there far beyond he saw a glimmering light. However the light was not from any human habitation, it was a host of glow worms shining radiantly as if enchanted.

When he awoke at dawn the

be destroyed as it is immortal, thus the spell was broken.

Riddles can be imagined and conjured up differently as each one wants, since it has to do with the way you want to educate your child and what you want to teach them; whether your aim at a particular point of time is to instil fear or love but more often to instil love and

3. I am a five letter word for an item of food (Wheat).

4. Take away the first letter and you are left with a form of energy (heat), take away the first letter and you have something that is necessary for survival(eat). Scramble the last three letters and you can drink me. What’s the word (Tea?); 5. When is four, half of five?

(When it is written in Roman Numbers ); 6. A man was born in 1820 and died in 1830 at the age of 90. How can this be? ( The man was born in room no.1820 and died in room no. 1830 at the same hospital).

Riddles are mind boggling aren’t they? This sentiment brings to mind another poser

prince heard squawking voices telling him that beyond the far blue mountain there lived a beautiful princess waiting to meet her true love. Being intrepid enough, the Prince undertook that perilous journey in order to rescue the princess with the help of a magic carpet.

However when he reached his destination after passing the tests set by the King, while he was ambling into the royal gardens, the prince glanced upon a pond filled with beautiful red lotuses the princess made her regal appearance and asked: What is it that can never die, neither can fire burn it, nor water drown it? The Prince said that it was the eternal soul that dwells within us that can never

respect for oneself their families and elders. In this aspect Indian mythological parables inculcate in the child family values as well as life skills - such as treading with caution and prudence on unknown paths, as this particular riddle will emphasize. Legend narrates that King Vikramaditya’s wicked cousin Bhootnath was trying to capture a Vetal (a spirit with great magical powers) to deliver him to a sorcerer so he could grant him supernatural powers to rule the world. Thus, when he came upon the Vetal he wrenched him from the tree on which he was perched. He was about to carry him when he remembered the cunningness of the Vetal. When the Vetal posed

Professional Email Etiquette in the Office members altogether. If you have an issue with another’s behaviour, bring it directly up with either him or her, or the office manager.

Disciplinary Action

Professional email etiquette is just as important as regular, everyday office etiquette. Some people even argue that it is more important because we tend to lose our inhibitions when sending email. Just because you are sending email, that doesn’t mean there won’t be repercussions. If you feel that your email may contain risqué content, then use common sense and remove the unsuitable material.

It’s not worth losing your job over something so stupid.

Unfortunately, this basic guideline isn’t enough to assure that office email always stays professional. Every workplace

has its own guidelines on maintaining professional inner-office communication. If you have any questions, then don’t be afraid to voice them during office meetings. To get you started, here are some basic guidelines that you can use to start a discussion on professional email etiquette in the office:

Anger and Frustration

Anger and frustration should not be dealt with through email communication. Rather, it needs to be handled face-to-face in a method concurrent to office policies. In fact, avoid gossiping or complaining about other staff

Do not discuss disciplinary action in your email communications. Realize that quality control officers constantly monitor most inner-office email communication. If you complain about disciplinary action against yourself or another, you may discover that it has become the central topic of your next office meeting. Supervisors have no problem using your email as ‘evidence’ to discredit you and support their claims.

Conversations about unlawful activities shouldn’t occur in either company emails or on company property. This includes discussing drug activity, making racist comments, or issuing threats against co-workers, or anybody in the world for that matter. If you are discussing something that your Mother would find inappropriate, then stop immediately. I could careless if you smoke marijuana. But, if your boss finds out, that’s your

ass out the door.

Sexual Innuendo

Unless you work for an erotic entertainment company, avoid discussing sex at work. Such emails can seriously offend both co-workers and supervisors. In general, do not make inappropriate comments, discuss sex, or hit on co workers; Sexual harassment laws are no joke.

Personal Details and Plans

Refrain from discussing either personal details or plans through email communications.

There is no need to discuss ‘where to eat’, ‘what to eat’, or ‘when to go eat’ through office email. These discussions need to be limited to face-to-face communication. Otherwise, you are wasting storage space and essentially creating worthless spam.

As a general rule, make certain that your emails are short, to the point, and relevant to work. If ever your email begins to lean towards the subjects mentioned above, then delete it and start over. It’s not worth losing your job and damaging your career over a fleeting moment of stupidity.

Workplace Etiquette: How to Avoid Conflict in the Workplace L. Zip it: Learn to think before you speak. Bite your tongue before that provocative remark comes out of your mouth and you find yourself embroiled in a fight.

2. Sit, Wait, Think And Act When Correct: Whenever you have issues in the workplace, you’re better off thinking through your words before you voice complaints, thoughts or suggestions. Whether you’re a business owner, supervisor, manager or employee, the workplace can sometimes become a tinderbox for conflict.

3. Listen, Don’t Dispute: Sometimes your manager needs to tell you how disappointed he is with you. Sometimes your coworker needs to go on a diatribe about how you “neglect” him.

Sometimes your employee needs to express his or her resentment about the way you’ve treated them. You can’t argue with feelings. Listen when your co-workers, managers, or employees express strong feelings.

Rather than argue and try to insist that they shouldn’t be feeling what they’re feeling, understand that they ARE feeling that way and simply say, “I’m sorry you feel that way.” Try to put yourself in their shoes and give them the

empathy that you would want yourself. Arguing may only make a situation worse.

4. Document, Document And Document Again: Rule No. 3 having been followed; make sure you protect yourself with thorough documentation of any potentially volatile situation. This rule applies to people on both sides of the power structure. A smart employee as well as a smart manager will document issues that relate to self-preservation and the protection of job security.

5. Good Fences Make For Good Work Relationships: Create boundaries and set limits in the workplace. Know how much contact you can take and how much will ignite your internal nuclear bomb. Also, keep in mind that you don’t know which one of your co-workers will be easily ignited, offended or wounded; another reason why keeping clear, but cordial, boundaries is another way of protecting and preserving yourself.

6. Cordiality And Friendliness: Having vowed to create appropriate boundaries, make every effort to be cordial and friendly.

Ask co-workers and supervisors about how they are; notice

changes in their appearance in a complimentary way; comment upon the quality of their (good) work. Being popular can only make work life easier.

7. Thou Shalt Not Overreact.

Ever: When co-workers feel neglected, they often will create a scenario that invites your overreaction. Overreactions cause all out wars and can get you fired. Don’t do it! Assess a dispute with your co-worker. Is it really worth fighting over? Repeat to your self, “They’re only words and I WANT my job.”

8. Play Well With Others: If you want to win the war (keep your job and progress up the career ladder), sometimes it’s strategically advantageous to lose the battle. Assess a work situation carefully. Strategize and assess your gains and losses in a situation. If your supervisor or manager needs to act as if he or she came up with an idea that was actually yours, don’t argue with them.

9. Let Brevity And Paucity Be Your Motto: In the workplace, if you keep contact limited and utilize a cordial and polite silence to avoid fights, you can often extinguish flames that are being directed your way. Super-

visors and managers appreciate a cooperative employee who gets to the point succinctly.

10. What You See Is What You Get: Do not ever try to change your co-workers, especially those who are above you in the hierarchy of the workplace. It is a cardinal rule that people can change themselves, but none of us can change another. You are doomed to failure if you try to get your supervisor to see their flaws and change their ways. Learn to change what you can and accept what you cannot change.

11. Stay In The Driver’s Seat.

Always: Take control of potentially volatile work situations and take charge of managing them. For example, if you work for an individual who needs ample amounts of admiration and appreciation, give it to them. Work actively to make your work life smoother and to protect your employment and chances of rising on the career ladder. Remember that the best defense is a good offence.

Strategize and evaluate the personalities you contend with and apply good people management techniques to the cast of characters you live with during your workday.

a the riddle like this one : Once there were two men. One was as fast as cheetah while the other was as fast as a horse.

One day they raced over short distance. Both men ran at their fastest possible speed. Who won? Bhootnath answered promptly that it was the cheetah who won, although the Vetal in his cunningness was talking about their eating habits and not their running speed and therefore the correct answer was obviously the horse.

Riddles like these are mainly found in our folktales, although the greatest riddle of all times is the extinction of dinosaurs and the woolly mammoth which is said to have existed about 10,000 years ago when there was a change of temperature.

However this change has been attributed to celestial phenomenon that remains unproven by science. Although this change can be adjusted to, food is becoming scarce due to weather changes and dearth of some essentials, although, we cannot be certain of this either.

These are some of the few riddles which can enlighten everyone irrespective of age, gender or location and thus prepare us to face life and the world on our own terms.

In contemporary circumstances there is plethora of diverting entertainment that is broadcast by TV channels. But what it is doing is turning s all into couch potatoes with no constructivism or substance and no exercise for the brains. In fact they are rather a negative influence –taking us into a world of keeping our minds oblivious to actual realities of life. Hence if we really want to live in the real world that we are inhabiting, we should revert back our attitude to former times and enlighten young minds for their own good with parables, proverbs, and riddles. Is that such a difficult, daunting task?

Build Credibility as a Young or New Professional When you’re just starting out in business it can be difficult to establish a reputation as a credible and valuable member of the team. As a young or new professional, people often don’t take you seriously. They look at your lack of experience and think you have little to offer. On top of that, a lot of professionals make some big mistakes when starting out, which can damage your reputation and after that, you’ll have a hard time building credibility.

It can be especially hard if you’re new to a position of some authority. In such a position there are times you will have to oversee a big or small staff of varied personalities and some very intelligent and opinionated individuals. You will need to work hard to earn their loyalty and respect. It won’t come automatically with the title.

No matter what your title or position, as a young or new professional you offer enormous value to the company you work for. But you have to approach your new situation in the right way. If you want people to take you seriously and see you as a person of integrity, remember the following:

2. Be Open to Suggestions

1. You Have a Lot to Learn

3. Be True to Your Word

Even if you’ve just earned your college degree in business, you still don’t know much about the real world and your new job.

There’s a lot you just can’t learn from books. Experience can only be earned with time and energy.

Of course, your education is an extremely valuable asset, but nothing takes the place of real life experience. You just have to jump in and get your hands dirty.

Remember that your co-workers and superiors who have been in the field for a long time are incredible resources and they deserve your respect. No matter what position you’re in or how well you think you do your job, keep yourself grounded - you have a lot to learn. And time is the greatest teacher.

Don’t get ahead of yourself.

Be open and receptive to the advice of others. Find trustworthy and supportive mentors to help guide you. And don’t expect that you’ll ever know it all, because you never will. Establish your network, actively share your experiences and listen to others.

A Bank manager recalls, When I was hired to manage an experienced staff of bank tellers and new account reps, I thought that meant I was smarter than them. Sure, I had little experience but I had a college degree!

I didn’t want to listen to their thoughts or opinions because I assumed that I had been brought in because of my incredible, vast knowledge. How stupid of me!

These people had been there for years. They had seen it all; they understood how things worked and should work. They had valuable insight that I ignored. It took me about six months to realize that they were my most important resource. I started listening to them and asking for their advice and suddenly, we were all a lot happier. They began treating me with more respect and my decisions were accepted.

Never - and I mean NEVER make a promise that you don’t intend to keep. In business, your word is your bond. If you can’t be trusted to follow through on it, you will inevitably fail. Trust is the foundation of any good relationship - personal or professional. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking people won’t notice a broken promise. They may not say anything but people can harbor private resentment for a long, long time. And it will definitely impact your working relationship. You want to build a reputation for being honest, dependable and trustworthy. If you can’t follow through on something you said you would, approach the topic in a straight-forward and apologetic

manner. Attempt to make it right immediately. Don’t try to hide from it or make excuses. These things happen; it’s how you deal with it that matters the most.

4. Work Hard

This should go without saying but it’s surprising how many young professionals forget that working hard is a critical key to success. If you want to skate on by, you probably can. But you won’t get anywhere; you’ll just be standing still. Hard work pays off - of this, I’m sure.

I realize now, looking back on my experience in bank management, that I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have. If I had put in the tiniest bit more, worked a little harder, I would have had far greater success. Instead, I was more concerned with my social life (like most young adults) and I performed at an average level. I wasn’t a bad employee, but I wasn’t a shining star. I would say that nothing takes the place of hard work in business. You can have the smartest mentors, the best team, and the most innovative strategy on the planet, but you’ve got to put in the work. You don’t build a strong reputation by standing on the sidelines.

5. Be a Team Player

Remember that, like many things in life, trying to go it alone isn’t always the smartest plan. The professional world is all about being a part of a team.

Look out for your co-workers and they’ll look out for you. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is failing to recognize that your success is dependent on the success of your team. Support the people you work with by offering a helping hand when needed. Don’t try to make it all about you. While it may be tempting as a new professional to try to “prove your worth” by taking 100% credit for things, it doesn’t pay off in the long run.

Allow others to share in the glory of your achievements.

Professionalism in the Office The workplace is highly competitive and continuously changing; therefore, the knowledge and use of business manners are essential. Today’s administrative professionals are given greater responsibilities than before such as writing, organizing, and maintaining data; interacting with clients, vendors, and the general public; supervising office and staff; handling purchases and training others. With these additional responsibilities, professionalism in the office is vital. Remember, as a professional, the way you interact with others is essential for career success, no matter what field you’re involved with.

With a better understanding of how to maintain this trait in the office, you can easily enhance the necessary skills to achieve your career goals as well as improve business representations within the marketplace.

To be successful in any business, it is imperative to learn and practice the principles of work behaviour: competence, conduct, accountability, and interest conflict.

Competence includes the knowledge and application of new techniques and ideas. Competent individuals generally possess the ability to multi-task rather easily and make use of a variety of skills, including superior time-management. They maintain respect for and are willing to use appropriate resources within the office environment.

They are responsible leaders as well, supervising others as a ‘doer’ as well as a leader.

Proper Conduct includes the both knowledge and use of basic etiquette guidelines. This also includes discretion with sensitive content, maintaining a ‘team environment’, and complying with all laws, regulations and procedures. All companies and employees should maintain adequate conduct within the office.

Accountability includes the warranty of work, staying with problems until they are resolved, and being both available and reliable. Everyone should be accountable for their own action, and this is no different within the office.

Interest Conflict includes safeguarding all confidential information, honouring copyright restrictions, and complying with software license agreements.

You should also avoid arrangements with competitors for financial gain or personal recognition and keep the overcommitment of personal time from conflicting with work the responsibilities of work. Within

every office there should be specific practices employed in order to avoid future conflicts.

It must be clearly understood that work behaviour greatly affects a business’ clientele. The character of a business is often judged by the quality and efficiency of its administrative support. Therefore, a lack of appropriate manners can result in the loss of clientele

ferent types and how to use them correctly.

There are other ways to maximize your value within the workplace as well, and you will surely learn those as you gain experience.

Remember:When you practice professionalism in the office, you are ultimately maximizing your overall value to your employer.

1. Business etiquette entails presenting one’s self in a way that shows an ability to be taken seriously. This includes appearance, which should be conservative and neat, courtesy and respect; and the practice of both phone and electronic etiquette guidelines.

2. Good interpersonal and customer service skills are essential. The basics of business etiquette can help to avoid any future losses, however.

3. It never hurts to stay ahead.

This means keeping yourself informed of technological changes and becoming proficient with an array of software systems.

4. It also helps to enhance or gain new skills by pursuing higher education, becoming certified, attending business-related workshops, and improving both written and verbal communication skills.

5. Volunteering your time can also prove to be worthwhile.

Practice leadership abilities offering to train others on improving workplace manners. Become familiar with techniques for managing confrontation such as difficult customers and unpleasant office situations.

6. Practice researching skills.

Today’s office professional often helps with research and managing projects from start to finish; therefore, this is a good skill to have.

7. Another important area to become familiar with is office equipment. Learn about the dif-

Want to Cultivate Professional Attitude?

* How you look, talk, write, act and work, determines whether you are a professional or an amateur. Society does not emphasize the importance of professionalism, so people tend to believe that amateur work is normal. And unfortunately, many businesses accept lessthan-good results. * Schools graduate students who cannot read. You can miss 15% of the driving-test answers and still get a driver license.

“Just getting by” is an attitude many people accept. But it is the attitude of amateurs. * “Don’t ever do anything as though you were an amateur. * “Anything you do, should be done as a Professional according to Professional standards. * “If you have the idea about anything you do that you just dabble in it, you will wind up with a dabble life. There’ll be no satisfaction in it because there will be no real production you can be proud of. * “Develop the frame of mind that whatever you do, you are doing it as a professional and move up to professional standards in it. * “Never let it be said of you that you lived an amateur life.

The first step to making yourself a professional is to decide you ARE a professional.

Amateurs Vs. Professionals * Professionals are not ama-

teur dabblers. They see situations and they handle what they see. * Amateurs skip the learning process whenever possible. Professionals learn every aspect of the job. * Amateurs assume what others need and want. Professionals carefully discovers what is needed and wanted. * Amateurs are sloppy in appearance and speech. Professionals look, speak and dress like a professional. * Amateurs have a messy, or dirty work area. Professionals keep their work area clean and orderly. * Amateurs are confused and distracted. Professionals are focused and clear-headed. * Amateurs ignore or hide mistakes. Professionals do not let mistakes slide by. * Amateurs try to get out of difficult work. Professional are always ready to take on the challenge of difficult assignments. * A professional completes projects as soon as possible. An amateur is surrounded by unfinished work piled on top of unfinished work. * Amateurs get upset and assumes the worst. Professionals remain level-headed and optimistic. * Amateurs are sloppy with money or accounts. Professionals handles money and accounts very carefully. * Amateurs avoid other people’s problems. Professionals face up to other people’s upsets and problems. * Amateurs use lower emotional tones: anger, hostility, res e n t m e n t , f e a r, v i c t i m .

Professionals use higher emotional tones: Enthusiasm, cheerfulness, interest, contentment. * Amateurs give up at the first opportunity. Professionals persist until the objective is achieved. * Amateurs produce just enough to get by. Professionals produces more than expected. * Amateurs produce a medium-to-low quality product or service. Professional produces a high-quality product or service. * Amateurs earn low pay and feel it’s unfair. Professionals earn high pay. * Amateurs have an uncertain future. Professionals have a promising future.

So learn this as a first lesson about life. The only successful beings in any field, including living itself, are those who have a professional viewpoint and make themselves and ARE professionals” — L. Ron Hubbard

OHERALDO

Pg 11

INDIA

GOA, MONDAY 10 JANUARY, 2011

JPC could unravel facets of 2G scam, says Jaitley PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

The leaked Niira Radia tapes indicated that the health of every institution is at stake and only a JPC probe could unravel the various facets of 2G scam, including the “role of power brokers” in allocation of Telecom portfolio, BJP leader Arun Jaitley has said.

Admitting for the first time that he had an “element of regret” over wash out of the Winter Session of Parliament over the JPC demand, the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha said, “But then, look at the way public opinion, media, Parliament, has today accepted that there is a huge case of corruption as far as India is concerned.

“Why was there insistence to give this (Telecom) portfolio to just one person within one party? What is the role of power brokers within the entire system in deciding all this? How was this policy framed? How was this loss caused?” he told Karan Thapar on ‘Devil’s Advocate’ programme.

Impressing upon the need for the Joint Parliamentary Committee probe, he said, “If those (Niira Radia) tapes, to media, to judges to the political system, to government formation are considered, the health of every institution is at stake.... Who else but the JPC can investigate all this”?

Asked if the JPC demand was justified at the cost of paralysing the Parliament for 23 days, the opposition leader said that the larger gain has been much more as the country has been made to realise that corruption in high places is a key issue.

Jaitley disagreed that it was merely because of the CAG report that the matter had attained focus and said, “All these facts stated in the CAG report are a repetition of what we have been raising and the country was not accepting it till the Par-

liamentary protests took place after the CAG report.

“The CAG report merely endorses what we have been saying one and half years ago.”

He claimed that the BJP had got ample public support owing to its relentless campaign in and outside Parliament and added that the larger gains were that the entire public opinion has swung against the government for not acting on an issue of corruption.

He said, “If we had not obstructed Parliament Mr (A) Raja would still have been a minister, CBI would not have acted the way it did. We have put the entire process into motion”.

He also blamed the media for not taking the 2G issue seriously when the BJP had raised the issue one-and-half years ago.

“They don’t merely need a CAG report, these facts were in public domain even before that date”.

To a question if BJP was taking a high moral ground on the JPC issue, when in Karnataka its Chief Minsiter B S Yeddyurappa faced serious allegations of corruption, he said, “There is no CAG report against him”.

On the Lokayukta in Karnataka terming as unethical and improper the government’s move to order a judicial inquiry into land controversies, Jaitley said the matter was in the High Court and he would not discuss it further.

On the issue of corruption in

judiciary, the BJP leader described the situation as “grim and disturbing” and backed suggestions of having a National Judicial Commission as there “is a need to change the way judges are chosen”.

“The present system has failed. It has failed to appoint the best. The whole idea of accountability also is not very successful. If there is a National Judicial Commission, I would blindly support it if it is adequately constituted,” Jaitley said.

He was also for a performance commission which would inquire into conduct of judges and provide a platform for ordinary people to bring their complaints before the judiciary.

“I think the in-house mechanism which the judiciary has had has certainly not succeeded.

It’s about time there is a national debate on an alternative mechanism of accountability. Speed is of essence as the situation is grim,” the former law minister in the NDA government said.

On allegations against the kin of former CJI Balakrishnan of have amassed wealth beyond known sources of income, he said, “Till a few years back the idea of an allegation against a judge was unthinkable, now, it is an every day talk. Today fortunately, we have the benefit of person with strong integrity as CJI ...justice Kapadia”.

Jaitley said, “Despite that the rumours in the past few years

have been far too many, they have been disturbing and I think one inquiry against a judge and retired judge is one factor.

“But, it is time we looked at the kind of people we appoint as judges. “...the appointment process itself, the criteria, the eliminating of subjectivity in those appointments, accountability, the process of removing a judge or taking action against him is almost unthinkable, impeachment is the rarest of rare processes and I think the people moving around in the corridors of the system... telling you how things are manageable... these are rumours for the last few years. I don’t know if they are true or false”.

On the contentious issue of the BJP youth wing announcing that it would hoist the tricolour in Lal Chowk in Srinagar on Republic Day and if it would lead to sentiments being provoked, Jaitely said, “How is a Kashmiri sentiment provoked by a national flag? A national flag is a symbol of national honour.”

Reminded that the last time the BJP did such a thing was 20 years ago and during the sixyear NDA rule at the Centre it did not hoist a flag in the sensitive area, Jaitley said, “The fact that hoiting the national flag can be opposed itself is a good rational for a national party to hold a solidarity march which the BJP youth is undertaking”.

A foreign tourist clicks a picture at Hazratganj with a new look, after its rebuilding as part of 200 years celeberation of Hazratganj in Lucknow on Sunday.

Bifurcation of AP is different, unique case, says panel PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

Telangana protagonists may claim Hyderabad as an integral part of their region but the statehood demand does not arouse the “same intensity of emotions” among the residents of the metropolis unlike people in other areas in the region.

The Justice Srikrishna Committee, which dwelled into the demands for a separate Telangana state as well as keeping Andhra Pradesh united, also says that carving out Telangana may present a very “different and unique case” as the bone of contention here is Hyderabad, the bustling IT hub.

The issue of Hyderabad has been central to the demand for bifurcation of the state with proTelangana activists saying the city is “part and parcel” of a separate Telangana, while people from the other two regions contend that they have also contributed to the development of the city.

The report notes while Hyderabad forms a “geographical component” of Telangana region, it has been the capital of Andhra Pradesh since 1956 and all the three regions – Coastal Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema — contributed to its development.

“A major issue in the present conflict is how the three regions would protect their rights in

and access to Hyderabad,” the 461-page report says.

Though historically and geographically part of Telangana, the cultural and demographic composition of Hyderabad with a very substantial Muslim population and migrants from across the country make the city quite distinct from other three regions of the state.

“The demand for Telangana does not arouse the same intensity of emotions among the residents of the city; yet it cannot escape the tremors of separatist agitations,” the report says.

The fate of Hyderabad itself is of “central concern” to the bifurcation issue as Osmana University remains the hub of student agitation, it notes.

The immigration from within and outside the state indicates that the present character of Hyderabad is quite different from that inherited from the Nizam period or what it was even three decades ago.

“Migrants from the three regions, especially from coastal Andhra, have contributed substantially to the economic growth of the city and continue to hold a stake in important businesses,” the report points out.

Majority of the business houses and real estate businesses in the city are owned by barons from coastal Andhra re-

gion.

The city’s main political party AIMIM, the report says, strongly advocates the cause of united Andhra Pradesh underlining that it is in the best interest of not only the state’s economic growth, but also the well-being of the minority Muslim community.

The report notes that people from the three regions have developed strong material and emotional attachment to the metropolis and fear loss of access in case of changes in the state’s contours.

“Keeping the above factors in mind, it is imperative to ensure that there is no de-stabilisation of the economy of Hyderabad, flight of capital or erosion of business confidence and all stakeholders continue to have safe access to the city,” the report says in its analysis.

It would be in the interest of all regions if the economy of Hyderabad, which is a growth engine for the state and the national economy, continues to grow rapidly as only economic growth can create an expansion of employment opportunities.

The current economic interlinkages of Hyderabad with all regions need to be fostered and further developed especially in the context of Hyderabad now having become a hub of the new economy with an international brand image and interface.

Artist Kaushlesh making spot painting at Hazratganj as part of the 200 years celebration of the construction of Hazratganj in Lucknow on Sunday.

CMs eyeing better investment from diaspora PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

Eyeing better investment flow from diaspora, state heads today showcased the competitive business environment and investorfriendly policy initiatives of their governments while identifying education and healthcare as key areas for deeper two-way engagement.

Addressing the Pravasi Bhartiya Divas here, Chief Ministers of various states sought active support of the 25 million diaspora in enhancing infrastructure in their respective states, while highlighting India as a safe destination for investment.

Making a fervent appeal for enhanced investment in his state, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said inclusive growth should be the “mantra” of the development process if India has to emerge in the right earnest.

“This decade of Gujarat has been a decade of phenomenal growth. We have not only registered overall double digit GDP growth but our important sectors also have registered double digit growth,” he said a gathering of around 1,500 NRIs and Persons of Indian Origins (PIOs).

Showcasing the investment potential of his state in diverse sectors, he said the government has been trying to make people the partners in growth not just beneficiaries.

“Our agriculture has grown at 12.8 per cent in the last five years and at 9.6 per cent over last seven years. This is thrice the national average. The industrial sector has also grown at 13 per cent,” Modi said.

He said Gujarat contributes to 22 per cent of total exports and 30 per cent of the stock market capitalisation of the country, which reflects the opportunities and dynamism of

‘Swayamvar’ is my dream come true, says Rajpoot PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

After Rakhi Sawant and Rahul Mahajan, its Ratan Rajpoot’s turn to find her life partner through ‘swayamvar’ on television and the actress says she it is her opportunity to realize her childhood dream.

The Bihar-born actress, who shot to fame as Lalli on TV soap ‘Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo’, is all set to tie the knot on Imagine TV’s ‘Swayamvar Season 3: Ratan Ka Rishta’, a reality show which helps a celeb choose a life partner from among a list of suitors.

“I was surprised when I got this offer, I could only imagine such a thing in my dreams! Its every girl’s wish to have a lavish wedding and and I am lucky that my dreams are coming true,” Ratan told PTI. Unexpected as the offer was, the actress couldn’t take the decision herself and turned to her family for support.

“I am a very family-oriented person and my parents are involved in all my decisions, including this one,” she said.

One of the major reasons why she took up this form of marriage is that Ratan wanted to save her parents from the trouble of hunting a groom for her.

the state economy.

Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda termed the Indian diaspora as a “formidable global force” who represent a “truly great resource” in the form of intellectual, technical, scientific and entrepreneurial excellence.

Seeking investment for his state, Hooda described Haryana as a land of “opportunities and enterprise” and said it had grown at 8 per cent even during the worst period of economic meltdown.

“Haryana has made rapid strides and carved a niche for itself. The state, which was largely an agrarian initially, is now one of the most industrialised states in the country with the manufacturing and services sector contributing about 80 per cent of the gross state domestic product,” he said.

Both Hooda and Modi spoke about need for enhancing infrastructure in health and educa-

tion.

During the last five years, Hooda said the state has attracted investment to the tune of USD 11 billion (Rs 53,000 crore) from both domestic as well as international investors and investment worth Rs 1 lakh crore is in the pipeline.

Speaking on the occasion, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi said the government has made a huge “turn around” in the state and it is now growing at 11 per cent.

Listing the progress made by Bihar government in the past five years, he said, “all the mines went to Jharkhand but the minds are still with Bihar and to nurture that we have appointed more than two lakh teachers in government schools”.

He also said that the government has improved the law and order to great extent as neither a single case of death or a single incident of booth capturing occurred during the state assembly election last year.

Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, while complimenting the NRIs for their contribution in development of the state, announced setting up of a Commission for NRIs to redress their grievances, especially related to property matters and other legal disputes.

He said the commission would be headed by a retired judge of the High Court and Punjab would be the first state in the country to take such initiative to redress grievances and disputes of the NRIs. Badal said the Punjab Government has already set up dedicated police stations and exclusive fast track courts for taking up issues related to NRIs only.

“The contribution of the NRI fraternity to the prosperity if the state is immense. Every village in the state carries the stamp of their contribution,” he said calling for greater partnership between the state and the diaspora.

Biz12_SUNDAY-Pg-12 1/9/2011 8:17 PM Page 1

OHERALDO

Pg12 I-T offices in several foreign countries soon PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

The government may soon be able to obtain classified financial data from tax-haven countries and some foreign shores as it plans to set up new overseas Income Tax offices in countries like the US, the UK and Cyprus to liaise with local tax authorities.

The units will be manned by a senior Income Tax officer adept in handling tax evasion cases and international tax treaties and will help the department gather investments details of high-profile cases which the I-T is currently investigating.

The eight units will begin functioning in less than two months in the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK), Netherlands, Cyprus, Germany, France, Japan and United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Two such units in Singapore and Mauritius are already oper-

Mutual Fund

ational since last year.

The units will also help investors from abroad and help them understand Indian tax laws and procedures so that they can make informed decisions, sources familiar with the development said.

A number of financial links during the department's probes connect to these countries and the government has to then proceed with a lot of documentation work and involving travel by officers. By having an office in such countries, the Finance Ministry expects the process to become fast.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has recently approved the posting policy for the probable I-T officials for the centres who will be appointed by January-end, sources said.

The minister has also asked the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to fast track the

B

Baroda Pioneer ELSS 96 27.16 Growth Fund (D) 30.97 Growth Fund (G) 54.99 Infrastructure Fund (D) 10.18 Infrastructure Fund (G) 10.18 PSU Equity Fund (D) 9.02 PSU Equity Fund (G) 9.02 Bharti AXA Equity Fund ­ Eco Plan (Bonus) 18.31 Equity Fund ­ Eco Plan (D) 12.89 Equity Fund ­ Eco Plan (G) 18.31 Equity Fund ­ Eco Plan (QD) 12.17 Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (Bonus) 18.20 Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) 12.83 Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) 18.20 Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (QD) 12.09 Focused Infrastructure Fund (D) 10.21 Focused Infrastructure Fund (G) 10.21 Focused Infrastructure Fund (QD) 10.21 Tax Advantage Fund ­ Eco Plan (D) 12.82 Tax Advantage Fund ­ Eco Plan (G) 23.55 Tax Advantage Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 12.78 Tax Advantage Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 23.45 Birla Sun Life Advantage Fund (D) 90.38 Advantage Fund (G) 166.81 Basic Industries Fund (D) 28.88 Basic Industries Fund (G) 104.71 Buy India Fund (D) 24.99 Buy India Fund (G) 43.87 Commodity Equities ­ Global Agri ­ Retail Plan (D) 18.24 Commodity Equities ­ Global Agri ­ Retail Plan (G) 18.24 Commodity Equities ­ Global Commodity ­ RP (D) 14.84 Commodity Equities ­ Global Commodity ­ RP (G) 14.84 Commodity Equities ­ Global Metals Plan ­RP (D) 14.48 Commodity Equities ­ Global Metals Plan ­RP (G) 14.48 Dividend Yield Plus (D) 14.83 Dividend Yield Plus (G) 86.86 Equity Fund (D) 73.18 Equity Fund (G) 277.01 Frontline Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D) 23.34 Frontline Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) 91.46 Frontline Equity Fund ­ Plan B (D) 13.82 Frontline Equity Fund ­ Plan B (G) 13.82 India GenNext Fund (D) 15.02 India GenNext Fund (G) 24.76 India Opportunities Fund ­ Plan A (D) 19.61 India Opportunities Fund ­ Plan B (G) 57.57 India Reforms Fund (D) 10.48 India Reforms Fund (G) 10.48 Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan A (D) 12.87 Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan A (G) 17.52 Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan B (D) 12.57 Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan B (G) 13.10 International Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D) 9.51 International Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) 9.51 International Equity Fund ­ Plan B (D) 9.81 International Equity Fund ­ Plan B (G) 9.81 Long Term Advantage Fund (D) 13.69 Long Term Advantage Fund (G) 14.82 Tax Plan (D) 47.44 Tax Plan (G) 14.07 Tax Relief 96 (D) 88.26 Tax Relief 96 (G) 11.91 Top 100 Fund (D) 15.29 Top 100 Fund (G) 23.44

C

19.55 16.12 23.36 25.53 25.49 56.06 21.84 26.52 12.79 13.73 18.12 22.75 10.45 10.45 15.19 16.38

D

DWS Alpha Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) 17.87 Alpha Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) 82.09 Alpha Equity Fund ­ Wealth Plan (D) 14.30 Alpha Equity Fund ­ Wealth Plan (G) 17.09 Investment Opportunity Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) 27.20 Investment Opportunity Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) 39.26 Investment Opportunity Fund ­ Wealth Plan (D) 13.59 Investment Opportunity Fund ­ Wealth Plan (G) 17.78 Tax SavFund (D) 13.46 Tax SavFund (G) 14.40 DSP BlackRock Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) 53.85 Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) 17.04 Focus 25 Fund (D) 10.84 Focus 25 Fund (G) 10.84 India T.I.G.E.R. Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) 18.50 India T.I.G.E.R. Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) 48.19 Tax Saver Fund (D) 13.28 Tax Saver Fund (G) 17.84 Technology.Com ­ Regular Plan (D) 25.31 Technology.Com ­ Regular Plan (G) 34.68 Top 100 Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) 22.03 Top 100 Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) 103.82

E

Edelweiss Absolute Return Fund (D) Absolute Return Fund (G) Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 Fund ­A (D) Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 Fund ­A (G) Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 Fund ­B (D) Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 Fund ­B (G) Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 Fund ­C (D) Diversified Growth Equity Top 100 Fund ­C (G) ELSS Fund (D) ELSS Fund (G) Nifty Enhancer Fund ­ Plan A (D) Nifty Enhancer Fund ­ Plan A (G) Nifty Enhancer Fund ­ plan B (D) Nifty Enhancer Fund ­ Plan B (G) Nifty Enhancer Fund ­ Plan C (D) Escorts Growth Plan (D) Growth Plan (G) High Yield Equity Plan (Bonus) High Yield Equity Plan (D) High Yield Equity Plan (G) LeadSectors Fund (D) LeadSectors Fund (G) Power and Energy Fund (D) Power and Energy Fund (G) Tax Plan (D) Tax Plan (G)

11.31 11.31 14.60 14.61 14.86 14.66 14.71 14.71 17.84 19.81 12.27 13.47 13.54 13.37 11.91 12.96 78.30 14.87 12.25 14.84 11.42 11.42 12.21 17.05 10.77 50.12

F

Fidelity Equity Fund (D) Equity Fund (G) India Growth Fund (D) India Growth Fund (G) India Special Situations Fund (D) India Special Situations Fund (G) India Value Fund (D) India Value Fund (G) International Opportunities Fund (D) International Opportunities Fund (G) Tax Advantage Fund (D) Tax Advantage Fund (G) BNP Paribas China­India Fund (D) China­India Fund (G) Dividend Yield Fund (D) Dividend Yield Fund (G) Equity Fund (D) Equity Fund (G) Sustainable Development Fund (D) Sustainable Development Fund (G) Tax Advantage Plan (ELSS) (D) Tax Advantage Plan (ELSS) (G) Franklin Asian Equity Fund (D) Asian Equity Fund (G) Build India Fund (D) Build India Fund (G) FMCG Fund (D) FMCG Fund (G) India High Growth Companies Fund (D) India High Growth Companies Fund (G) India Opportunities Fund (D) India Opportunities Fund (G) India Prima Fund (D) India Prima Fund (G) India Prima Plus Fund (D) India Prima Plus Fund (G) India Smaller Companies Fund (D)

Exports to improve current account gap PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

process and operationalise the units quickly, they said. The I-T officers will be designated as First Secretaries at the Indian Mission or Embassy at these foreign locations.

The units would also obtain seamless flow of information on tax and financial data of investments made by individuals and institutions in these countries and facilitate any data on investment or routing of money in the country and viceversa.

This information obtained helps during investigations in cases of tax evasion and ensuring tax compliance under the provisions of the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and other tax treaties to facilitate exchange of financial information, sources said.

The officer should also have the knowledge of tax and other laws of these countries, they said.

Key to abbreviations: R Price: Repurchase Price; S Price: Sale Price; (D): Dividend; (G): Growth

Scheme Name NAVs (Rs) A AIG India Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) 12.54 India Equity Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) 12.54 Infrastructure and Economic Reform ­ Regular (D) 9.38 Infrastructure and Economic Reform ­ Regular (G) 9.38 Axis Equity Fund (D) 11.38 Equity Fund (G) 11.38 Tax Saver Fund (D) 11.50 Tax Saver Fund (G) 12.56

Canara Robeco EmergEquities (Bonus) EmergEquities (D) EmergEquities (G) Equity Diversified (Bonus) Equity Diversified (D) Equity Diversified (G) Equity Tax Saver (D) Equity Tax Saver (G) F.O.R.C.E Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) F.O.R.C.E Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) Infrastructure (D) Infrastructure (G) Large Cap+ Fund (D) Large Cap+ Fund (G) Multicap (D) Multicap (G)

BIZ

GOA, MONDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2011

23.22 36.70 12.81 12.81 17.37 19.16 11.61 11.61 14.08 14.08 19.00 22.81 9.28 9.28 11.16 18.12 11.95 35.32 11.90 13.06 11.36 14.26 11.49 11.49 11.87 12.42 42.70 68.03 12.41 12.96 14.69 32.52 43.76 280.83 30.02 223.58 13.55

India Smaller Companies Fund (G) India Tax Shield (D) India Tax Shield (G) Infotech Fund (D) Infotech Fund (G) Pharma Fund (D) Pharma Fund (G) Templeton India Equity Income Fund (D) Templeton India Equity Income Fund (G) Templeton India Growth Fund (D) Templeton India Growth Fund (G)

"Remarkable" growth of over 36 per cent in merchandise exports in December 2010, is expected to improve India's current account scenario that represents net outflow of income from the country, barring capital movement.

Against the export target of USD 200 billion, the country's outward shipments are projected between USD 215-225 billion in the current fiscal, according to Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar.

"Exports for December 2010 are USD 22.5 billion, imports are USD 25.1 billion. Trade deficit is only USD 2.6 billion, the lowest trade deficit in the last 3 years and that is very good news in terms of keeping our CAD in check," Khullar said.

The December exports growth was 33-month high, while imports contracted by 11.1 per cent.

With April-December 2010-11 exports growing by 29.5 per cent and imports by 19 per cent, the total trade deficit is expected to be USD 120 billion against the earlier estimates of USD 135 billion.

14.64 35.16 213.88 21.91 70.74 34.34 64.89 16.29 21.90 54.71 125.80

H

HDFC Capital Builder Fund (D) Capital Builder Fund (G) Core & Satellite Fund (D) Core & Satellite Fund (G) Equity Fund (D) Equity Fund (G) Growth Fund (D) Growth Fund (G) Infrastructure Fund (D) Infrastructure Fund (G) Long Term Advantage Fund (D) Long Term Advantage Fund (G) Long Term Equity Fund (D) Long Term Equity Fund (G) Tax Saver (D) Tax Saver (G) Top 200 Fund (D) Top 200 Fund (G) HSBC Dynamic Fund (D) Dynamic Fund (G) Equity Fund (D) Equity Fund (G) India Opportunities Fund (D) India Opportunities Fund (G) Midcap Equity Fund (D) Midcap Equity Fund (G) Progressive Themes Fund (D) Progressive Themes Fund (G) Small Cap Fund (D) Small Cap Fund (G) Tax Saver Equity Fund (D) Tax Saver Equity Fund (G) Unique Opportunities Fund (D) Unique Opportunities Fund (G)

27.74 114.50 24.17 42.52 52.79 287.22 35.15 89.76 12.14 12.14 41.84 142.94 13.76 16.63 67.39 239.86 51.30 217.04 10.82 10.82 27.14 107.88 17.02 36.12 12.50 23.39 11.19 13.15 12.39 13.32 14.11 15.30 11.78 11.78

I

ICICI Pru Bank& Financial Services Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) Bank& Financial Services Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) Discovery Fund (D) Discovery Fund (G) Dynamic Plan (D) Dynamic Plan (G) EmergS.T.A.R. Fund (D) EmergS.T.A.R. Fund (G) Equity Opportunities Fund (D) Equity Opportunities Fund (G) FMCG Fund (D) FMCG Fund (G) Focused Bluechip Equity Fund (D) Focused Bluechip Equity Fund (G) Fusion Fund (D) Fusion Fund (G) Fusion Fund Series ­ III Retail Plan (D) Fusion Fund Series ­ III Retail Plan (G) Growth Plan (D) Growth Plan (G) Indo Asia Equity Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) Indo Asia Equity Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) Infrastructure Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) Infrastructure Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) Power (D) Power (G) R.I.G.H.T. Fund (D) R.I.G.H.T. Fund (G) Services Industries Fund (D) Services Industries Fund (G) Target Returns Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) Target Returns Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) Tax Plan (D) Tax Plan (G) Technology Fund (D) Technology Fund (G) IDFC Classic Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D) Classic Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D) Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) Equity Fund ­ Plan B (D) Equity Fund ­ Plan B (G) Imperial Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D) Imperial Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) India GDP Growth Fund (D) India GDP Growth Fund (G) Premier Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D) Premier Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) Small & Midcap Equity Fund (D) Small & Midcap Equity Fund (G) Strategic Sector (50­50) Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D)

17.69 18.14 21.63 49.90 19.49 109.03 17.07 34.29 12.03 13.41 37.00 64.71 16.68 16.68 14.56 15.44 13.09 13.09 18.96 139.93 11.20 11.20 12.45 30.91 17.57 118.35 12.25 12.25 13.46 17.89 14.53 14.53 21.75 145.90 19.92 19.92 15.60 21.56 13.78 16.80 11.59 13.81 16.44 19.88 14.87 17.22 27.12 33.47 15.36 18.61 14.90

Strategic Sector (50­50) Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund (D) Tax Advantage (ELSS) Fund (G) Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund (D) Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund (G) ING C.U.B. Fund (Bonus) C.U.B. Fund (D) C.U.B. Fund (G) Contra Fund (B) Contra Fund (D) Contra Fund (G) OptiMix Multi Manager Equity Fund ­ Plan A (D) OptiMix Multi Manager Equity Fund ­ Plan A (G) OptiMix Retireinvest Fund ­ Series I (D) OptiMix Retireinvest Fund ­ Series I (G) Tax SavFund (Bonus) Tax SavFund (D) Tax SavFund (G)

15.06 16.27 20.32 15.01 15.01 17.85 13.03 17.85 16.74 14.28 16.74 11.05 11.05 12.84 12.84 31.11 15.32 31.06

J

JM Agri & Infra Fund (D) Agri & Infra Fund (G) Basic Fund (D) Basic Fund (G) Contra Fund (D) Contra Fund (G) EmergLeaders Fund (D) EmergLeaders Fund (G) Equity Fund (D) Equity Fund (G) Financial Services Sector Fund (D) Financial Services Sector Fund (G) HI FI Fund (D) HI FI Fund (G) Large Cap Fund (D) Large Cap Fund (G) Mid Cap Fund (D) Mid Cap Fund (G) Multi Strategy Fund (D) Multi Strategy Fund (G) Small & Mid­Cap Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) Small & Mid­Cap Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) Tax Gain Fund (D) Tax Gain Fund (G) Telecom Sector Fund (D) Telecom Sector Fund (G) JP Morgan India Tax Advantage Fund (D) India Tax Advantage Fund (G) India Equity Fund (D) India Equity Fund (G) India Smaller Companies Fund (D) India Smaller Companies Fund (G)

Kotak 30 (D) 30 (G) Contra (D) Contra (G) EmergEquity Scheme (D) EmergEquity Scheme (G) Midcap Fund (D) Midcap Fund (G) Opportunities Fund (D) Opportunities Fund (G) Select Focus Fund (D) Select Focus Fund (G) Tax Saver (D) Tax Saver (G)

2.66 2.66 11.04 15.82 5.69 5.69 8.32 8.31 15.71 38.58 10.08 10.08 5.34 5.34 14.89 20.24 17.08 24.93 14.14 15.20 5.65 5.65 7.27 7.27 7.99 7.99 15.55 19.21 12.89 13.89 7.99 7.99

K

L

10.88 10.90 7.75 11.17 19.30 40.87 10.27 14.47 7.69 7.69 24.08 41.73 15.46 19.39 18.09 45.93 5.42 5.42 16.15 21.98 15.56 16.75 9.77 9.77 11.06 28.05 12.15

13.70 9.61 9.61 11.26 19.79 11.06 30.88 8.70 8.70

M

Mirae Asset EmergBluechip Fund (D) EmergBluechip Fund (G) Global Commodity Stock Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) Global Commodity Stock Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) India Opportunities Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) India Opportunities Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) Morgan Stanley A.C.E. Fund (Across Capitalisations Equity) (D) A.C.E. Fund (Across Capitalisations Equity) (G) Growth Fund (D) Growth Fund (G)

10.84 10.84 13.27 13.27 14.07 16.79 14.75 15.67 20.28 66.42

P

Pramerica Dynamic Fund (D) 9.91 Dynamic Fund (G) 9.91 Equity Fund (D) 9.85 Equity Fund (G) 9.85 Principal Dividend Yield Fund (D) 17.82 Dividend Yield Fund (G) 24.14 EmergBluechip Fund (D) 24.65 EmergBluechip Fund (G) 32.34 Growth Fund (D) 24.90 Growth Fund (G) 54.95 Large Cap Fund (D) 20.49 Large Cap Fund (G) 29.90 Personal Tax Saver Fund 100.46 PNB Long Term Equity Fund ­ 3 yrs ­ Series 1 (D) 11.66 PNB Long Term Equity Fund ­ 3 yrs ­ Series 1 (G) 11.66 Services Industries Fund (D) 13.52 Services Industries Fund (G) 15.25 SMART Equity Fund (D) 9.96 SMART Equity Fund (G) 9.96 Tax Savings Fund 80.07

Q

Quantum Long­Term Equity Fund (D) Long­Term Equity Fund (G) Tax SavFund (D) Tax SavFund (G)

R

33.50 106.22 17.69 21.95 12.15 12.15 18.26 26.25 15.49 47.88 11.05 12.25 11.74 19.17

L&T Contra Fund (D) Contra Fund (G) Global Advantage Fund (D) Global Advantage Fund (G) Growth Fund (D) Growth Fund (G) Hedged Equity Fund (D) Hedged Equity Fund (G) Infrastructure Fund (D) Infrastructure Fund (G) Midcap Fund (D) Midcap Fund (G) Multi­Cap Fund (D) Multi­Cap Fund (G) Opportunities Fund (D) Opportunities Fund (G) Small Cap Fund (D) Small Cap Fund (G) Tax Advantage Fund ­ Series I (D) Tax Advantage Fund ­ Series I (G) Tax Saver Fund (D) Tax Saver Fund (G) LIC Infrastructure Fund Series 1 (D) Infrastructure Fund Series 1 (G) MF Equity Fund (D) MF Equity Fund (G) MF Growth Fund (D)

MF Growth Fund (G) MF India Vision Fund (D) MF India Vision Fund (G) MF Opportunities Fund (D) MF Opportunities Fund (G) MF Tax Plan (D) MF Tax Plan (G) MF Top 100 Fund (D) MF Top 100 Fund (G)

23.25 23.06 23.00 23.00

Reliance BankFund (Bonus) 103.18 BankFund (D) 41.17 BankFund (G) 103.18 Diversified Power Sector Fund ­ Retail (Bonus) 79.43 Diversified Power Sector Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 46.89 Diversified Power Sector Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 79.43 Equity Advantage Fund ­ Retail Plan (B) 13.45 Equity Advantage Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 13.45 Equity Advantage Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 13.45 Equity Fund ­ Retail Plan (Bonus) 14.70 Equity Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 14.70 Equity Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 14.70 Equity Linked SavFund ­ Series I (D) 15.14 Equity Linked SavFund ­ Series I (G) 15.14 Equity Opportunities Fund ­ Retail Plan (Bonus) 36.87 Equity Opportunities Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 26.04 Equity Opportunities Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 36.87 Growth Fund ­ Retail Plan (Bonus) 80.28 Growth Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 59.33 Growth Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 483.97 Infrastructure Fund ­ Retail Plan (Bonus) 10.54 Infrastructure Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 10.54 Infrastructure Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 10.54 Long Term Equity Fund (D) 16.37 Long Term Equity Fund (G) 16.37 Media & Entertainment Fund (Bonus) 29.15 Media & Entertainment Fund (D) 20.96 Media & Entertainment Fund (G) 29.15 Natural Resources Fund (Bonus) 10.87 Natural Resources Fund (D) 10.87 Natural Resources Fund (G) 10.87 NRI Equity Fund (Bonus) 40.99 NRI Equity Fund (D) 24.39 NRI Equity Fund (G) 40.99 Pharma Fund (Bonus) 57.28 Pharma Fund (D) 42.72 Pharma Fund (G) 57.28 Quant Plus Fund ­ Retail Plan (B) 14.15 Quant Plus Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) 14.15 Quant Plus Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) 14.15 Regular Savings Fund ­ Equity Option (D) 25.02 Regular Savings Fund ­ Equity Option (G) 32.10 Small Cap Fund (Bonus) 10.00 Small Cap Fund (D) 10.00 Small Cap Fund (G) 10.00 Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund (D) 16.69

Tax Saver (ELSS) Fund (G) Vision Fund ­ Retail Plan (Bonus) Vision Fund ­ Retail Plan (D) Vision Fund ­ Retail Plan (G) Religare AGILE Fund (D) AGILE Fund (G) AGILE Tax Fund (D) AGILE Tax Fund (G) BankFund ­ Regular Plan (D) BankFund ­ Regular Plan (G) Business Leaders Fund (D) Business Leaders Fund (G) Contra Fund (D) Contra Fund (G) Equity Fund (D) Equity Fund (G) Growth Fund (D) Growth Fund (G) Infrastructure Fund (D) Infrastructure Fund (G) Mid Cap Fund (D) Mid Cap Fund (G) Mid N Small Cap Fund (D) Mid N Small Cap Fund (G) PSU Equity Fund (D) PSU Equity Fund (G) Tax Plan (D) Tax Plan (G)

21.41 46.81 45.46 278.68 6.98 6.97 7.87 7.87 15.73 20.16 11.75 12.82 12.90 16.68 13.20 13.21 12.16 13.38 8.56 8.56 12.03 14.52 14.68 14.68 9.98 11.06 14.92 18.01

S

Sahara Bankand Financial Services Fund (D) Bankand Financial Services Fund (G) Growth Fund (D) Growth Fund (G) Infrastructure ­ Fixed PricOption (D) Infrastructure ­ Fixed PricOption (G) Infrastructure ­Variable PricOption (D) Infrastructure ­Variable PricOption (G) Midcap Fund (Bonus) Midcap Fund (D) Midcap Fund (G) Midcap Fund (Growth Auto Payout) Power & Natural Resources Fund (D) Power & Natural Resources Fund (G) R.E.A.L. Fund (D) R.E.A.L. Fund (G) Star Value Fund (D) Star Value Fund (G) Super 20 Fund (D) Super 20 Fund (G) Tax Gain (D) Tax Gain (G) Wealth Plus ­ Variable PricOption (D) Wealth Plus ­ Variable PricOption (G) Wealth Plus Fund ­ Fixed PricOption (D) Wealth Plus Fund ­ Fixed PricOption (G) SBI Blue Chip Fund (D) Blue Chip Fund (G) Infrastructure Fund ­ Series I (D) Infrastructure Fund ­ Series I (G) Magnum Comma Fund (D) Magnum Comma Fund (G) Magnum Contra Fund (D) Magnum Contra Fund (G) Magnum EmergBusinesses Fund (D) Magnum EmergBusinesses Fund (G) Magnum Equity Fund (D) Magnum Equity Fund (G) Magnum FMCG Fund Magnum Global Fund (D) Magnum Global Fund (G) Magnum IT Fund Magnum Midcap Fund (D) Magnum Midcap Fund (G) Magnum Multicap Fund (D) Magnum Multicap Fund (G) Magnum Multiplier Plus (D) Magnum Multiplier Plus (G) Magnum NRI ­ Flexiasset Plan (D) Magnum NRI ­ Flexiasset Plan (G) Magnum Pharma Fund (D) Magnum Pharma Fund (G) Magnum Tax Gain Scheme (D) Magnum Tax Gain Scheme (G) One India Fund (D) One India Fund (G) PSU Fund (D) PSU Fund (G) Shinsei Industry Leaders Fund (D) Industry Leaders Fund (G) Sundaram Capex Opportunities Fund (D) Capex Opportunities Fund (G) Equity Multiplier Fund (D) Equity Multiplier Fund (G) Financial Services Opportunities ­ Retail Plan (D) Financial Services Opportunities ­ Retail Plan (G) Growth Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) Growth Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) India Leadership Fund ­ Regular Plan (D)

15.09 29.89 24.01 82.70 11.82 16.17 12.30 16.74 31.76 14.04 31.76 31.76 11.46 13.43 8.65 8.65 11.16 12.15 11.68 11.68 17.20 38.58 19.24 23.05 18.38 22.18 11.91 15.24 10.11 10.11 17.11 25.33 23.50 58.94 18.34 41.33 33.32 44.16 29.65 31.40 56.16 24.62 18.55 24.19 14.20 18.69 54.12 85.55 29.75 29.63 37.89 45.84 42.79 62.78 11.48 11.48 10.04 10.04 12.25 12.25 12.91 24.68 11.86 14.54 15.79 19.86 13.12 98.13 13.57

"You save USD 15 billion in your (import) bill..That's big money", the Commerce Secretary feels.

As a result of a "remarkable job" by exports, the country's current account gap, of which trade balance is a major component, is likely to be lower than 3.5 per cent, "which people, including economists from the IMF were forecasting".

Some of the economists were even apprehensive of the current account gap being at 3.7 per cent of the GDP. India's current account deficit, representing net flow of income out of the country barring capital movements, surged 72 per cent to USD 15.8 billion in the July-September quarter over the same period last year.

BOARD MEETINGS Avanti Feeds Mega Corp Jindal Poly Titan Sec Source: Indiainfoline.com

India Leadership Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) Media & Entertainment Opportunities ­ Retail (D) Media & Entertainment Opportunities ­ Retail (G) PSU Opportunities Fund (D) PSU Opportunities Fund (G) Rural India Fund (D) Rural India Fund (G) S.M.I.L.E Fund ­ Regular Plan (D) S.M.I.L.E Fund ­ Regular Plan (G) Select Focus ­ Retail Plan (D) Select Focus ­ Retail Plan (G) Select Midcap ­ Regular Plan (D) Select Midcap ­ Regular Plan (G) Select Small Cap Fund (D) Select Small Cap Fund (G) Select Thematic Energy Opportunities Funds (D) Select Thematic Energy Opportunities Funds (G) Tax Saver (OE) (D) Tax Saver (OE) (G)

44.24 11.72 14.84 11.39 11.39 11.29 15.57 13.13 33.77 10.07 93.09 17.69 156.10 12.55 13.48 8.41 8.41 10.92 46.31

T

Tata Capital Builder Fund (D) Capital Builder Fund (G) Contra Fund (D) Contra Fund (G) Dividend Yield Fund (D) Dividend Yield Fund (G) Equity Management Fund (D) Equity Management Fund (G) Equity Opportunities Fund ­ Plan A (D) Equity Opportunities Fund ­ Plan B (G) Equity P/E Fund (G) Equity P/E Fund ­ Trigger Option A 5% (D) Equity P/E Fund ­ Trigger Option B 10% (D) GrowEconomies Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan A (D) GrowEconomies Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan A (G) GrowEconomies Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan B (D) GrowEconomies Infrastructure Fund ­ Plan B (G) Growth Fund (Bonus) Growth Fund (D) Growth Fund (G) Indo­Global Infrastructure Fund (D) Indo­Global Infrastructure Fund (G) Service Industries Fund (D) Service Industries Fund (G) Tax Advantage Fund ­ 1 (D) Tax Advantage Fund ­ 1 (G) Tax SavFund Taurus Bonanza Fund (D) Bonanza Fund (G) Discovery Fund (D) Discovery Fund (G) Ethical Fund (Bonus) Ethical Fund (D) Ethical Fund (G) Infrastructure Fund (D) Infrastructure Fund (G) Star Share (D) Star Share (G) Tax Shield (D) Tax Shield (G)

14.55 15.58 16.09 18.29 20.81 34.36 13.05 15.10 21.14 82.43 49.26 38.92 38.77 12.62 12.62 12.72 12.72 40.46 17.81 44.53 8.19 8.19 18.69 25.06 16.83 16.83 47.91 44.90 44.61 16.15 16.13 24.04 16.23 24.04 13.64 14.54 41.43 58.84 19.84 36.73

U

UTI BankSector Fund (D) BankSector Fund (G) Contra Fund (D) Contra Fund (G) Dividend Yield Fund (D) Dividend Yield Fund (G) Energy Fund (D) Energy Fund (G) Equity Fund (D) Equity Fund (G) Equity Tax Savings Plan (D) Equity Tax Savings Plan (G) India Lifestyle Fund(D) India Lifestyle Fund(G) Infrastructure Advantage Fund ­ Series I (D) Infrastructure Advantage Fund ­ Series I (G) Infrastructure Fund (D) Infrastructure Fund (G) Leadership Equity Fund (D) Leadership Equity Fund (G) Long Term Advantage Fund (D) Long Term Advantage Fund (G) Long Term Advantage Fund ­ Series II (D) Long Term Advantage Fund ­ Series II (G) Mid Cap Fund (D) Mid Cap Fund (G) MNC Fund (D) MNC Fund (G) Opportunities Fund (D) Opportunities Fund (G) Pharma & Healthcare Fund (D) Pharma & Healthcare Fund (G) Services Industries Fund (D) Services Industries Fund (G) Top 100 Fund (D) Top 100 Fund (G) Transportation and Logistics Fund (D) Transportation and Logistics Fund (G)

24.83 42.74 13.37 14.48 15.17 33.06 12.85 11.34 50.06 56.65 17.71 41.64 11.86 11.86 8.98 8.98 19.90 34.95 14.82 15.98 13.21 13.21 14.64 14.64 22.14 32.49 38.40 59.48 14.91 27.92 32.29 41.79 26.43 61.47 22.98 29.58 15.20 27.86

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GOA, MONDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2011

The vision of the Tax Department

The expected has happened. With the budgeted target of Rs 4.3 lakh crore fixed as direct tax collection is within striking distance, the Finance Minister has raised the bar. At the video conference to unveil Vision 2020, a document that sets the tone for the department in the next decade, Pranab Mukerjee has set Rs 4.5 lakh crore as the budget to be collected – Rs 20,000 crore more. Will the tax department rise up to the occasion? With buoyancy in the economy as also tax collection, the amount appears collectible. The Finance Minster is hoping that the additional revenue collected would help in ensuring adequate funding of the additional expenditure incurred on subsidies to help contain the rising commodity prices. This additional revenue collection will also ensure that the fiscal deficit is kept within the target of 5.5. % of the GDP. THE VISION OF THE TAX DEPARTMENT Vision 2020 , released by the Finance Minister sets the tone for the working of the tax department. The 30 page document charts the course that the tax organisation will take to increase its revenue collections. Government is to set up yet another committee that will look at the various economic trends in the country to find out revenue leakages. For the first time, several academicians, social scientists and other intellectuals will be a part of the group. This is indeed a worthwhile change. For tax payment or evasion is a always within a cultural milieu of Indian society. It would be interesting to have the entire psychology of tax payment or evasion analysed.

The document also talks about the setting up of another expert group to develop a revenue forecasting model that will analyse the various economic sectors and their revenue paying potential. Government is now of the opinion that tax is a function of economic growth and unless a economic model is developed most analyses are merely an educated guess work!

Government has realised that if revenue is to be increased there is need for the modernisation of the tax department. Yes today the department is being provided funds for purchase of computers, hiring of vehicles, and outsourcing. For a long time, tax officers were given an outdated computer will little help to be able to operate these computers. The department is still short of trained personnel, there is an acute shortage of officers at the level of Joint and Additional Commissioners, head of the Ranges. But due to the tardy polices at the Apex level, the promotional process is embroiled a clash of interests between the direct and promoted officers. This has resulted in the delay of any promotions to the cadre of Joint

/ Additional Commissioners.

FAIR PLAY The document talks of the need of officers to be fair in making decisions and assessments.

While tax officers require to use their investigative skills to bring to book income and receipts that taxpayers would normally conceal, they have also to be judicious in cases the taxpayers have a right to deductions, exemptions or where no income is made out. Talking recently with an officer, he did mention that often he would make arbitrary additions, in the know that these were not warranted. His explanation of his actions was that the assessee would get relief in appeal. Is this the mandate of the department? Is it necessary merely to raise demands that will not be collected but will remain ‘paper demands’, Interestingly such assessments are made since these can be taken by the officer as his ‘outstanding work’, for the purpose of his self- appraisal. The fact that the entire demand is subsequently deleted in appeal is often forgotten, since by the time the appellate order comes, the person has been appraised on the basis of the high pitched assessments that he has made! There is urgent requirement of the department to change the mindset of its officers.

Tax assessment requires an internal sense of honesty and fair play – to make a fair assessment of income and to collect only what is legitimately due. But how does one ensure this? There is need of training – to make fair and just assessment. Yes over the years, the department has had several training programs, but in fine, the making of an assessment is personal – it depends upon the perception of the officer and his capacity to look at the particular file before him. Over the years, the arbitrariness in the selection of cases for assessment has been taken over by a computer aided selection, but THE FUTURE OF TAX COLLECTIONS It is indeed heartening to not that the contribution from direct taxes to the central revenues has grown over the years. It now accounts for nearly 60% of the total revenues and has risen to 6% of the GDP. The 13th Finance Commission projects direct tax revenue to reach to 8 lakh crore by the year 2014-15.

This is about 50% more than its present level.

With the projected growth in the economy, this target may not appear as high as it seems today. But government must act to give the tax department both the manpower and the infrastructure as also the autonomy that it requires!

(The author of the article is a retired Chief Commissioner of Income Tax. The views expressed by him are personal.)

‘Rising fuel rates will impact’ PTI BHUBANESWAR, JAN 9

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said it is not possible to completely insulate the economy from rising fuel prices, even as he exuded confidence that the steps taken by the government will cool down inflation. "... There is no way we can completely insulate ourselves from the adverse impact of the rising fuel prices, particularly diesel prices. It has its impact on the economy," he told reporters here.

Describing the price situation as a matter of grave concern, Mukherjee said, "I hope the measures we have taken, both on supply and demand sides and also by allowing import of essential food items, which are in short supply, with zero duty, will improve the situation."

Food inflation shot up to a one-year high of 18.32 per cent in the week ended December 25, driven mainly by rising prices of vegetables, especially onions, fruits and milk products.

The government recently put on hold a decision to raise diesel prices in view of high inflation, despite pressure from state-run oil marketing companies, which are facing the brunt of rising crude oil prices in the international market.

State-run oil firms currently sell diesel, a transport fuel, at a loss of Rs 6.99 per litre and have been demanding an increase in retail prices to narrow their losses.

Pointing out that fluctuation in prices of some food items was taking place every week, Mukherjee said he had written to all state chief ministers, advising them to use the powers vested in them under the Essential Commodities Act to prevent hoarding.

Mukherjee also asked the states to improve the Public Distribution System (PDS) to ensure that subsidised foodgrains and other items are provided to weaker sections of society, mainly BPL families, to reduce the impact of sky-high prices to some extent.

Balance between economy, natural resources must: FM

Surya targets Rs 5,000-cr turnover

Optimistic of around nine per cent growth this year, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the challenge was to find the correct balance between the need for economic growth and sustainability of resources.

"One of the biggest challenges before our nation is to find the correct balance between the need for economic growth, sustainability of resources and natural habitats and the opportunities that need to be created for bringing people such as those in tribal belts into the mainstream of the development process," Mukherjee said.

"While we need to retain the growth momentum we also need to strengthen the inclusive character of the economy," he said delivering the NALCO Foundation Day Lecture here.

Asking companies, including public sector units to look at every aspect being affected including the issues of displacement or environment, the minister said "It is equally important to harness the natural resources in a sustainable manner with due emphasis on human and ecological concerns."

India had recovered its growth momentum from the impact of the global financial and other external shocks, he said, adding that the GDP

Surya Group, which has emerged as the largest G I pipes manufacturer in India, is targeting a turnover of Rs 5000 crore in 2012.

"Surya Group is targeting a turnover of Rs 5000 crore in the year 2012 which would be double the current turnover of Rs 2,500 crore," Surya Group Ex director Utkarsh Dwivedi said.

The Group, having a 10,000strong workforce, is engaged in making steel pipe mills and lighting products at its factories at Kashipur (Uttarakhand), Gwalior, Bhuj and National Capital Region (NCR).

PTI BHUBANESWAR, JAN 9

New policy to include value addition of minerals PTI BHUBANESWAR, JAN 9

The Centre is working together with the chief ministers of mineral-rich states on value addition and the new mining policy would include all suggestions, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said today.

"When the new mining policy will be formulated, all these will be factored in," Mukherjee told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

"I received a representation from the Orissa government in

LAUNCH PAD

this regard (value addition to minerals). I had a discussion with the chief minister too," he said.

Mineral-rich states like Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka and Rajasthan have been demanding among other things inclusion of a value addition clause in the new mining policy to ensure proper utilisation of mineral resources in their respective areas.

There is also a strong demand for substantial increase of coal royalty.

IOT Infra mulls Rs 800-cr IPO

Bausch + Lomb’s Biotrue PANJIM (HBD) -- Bausch + Lomb has launched Biotrue, a multipurpose lens care solution that is inspired by the biology of the human eye and has the protective and moisturizing functioning as that of healthy human tears.

Biotrue can be used in daily conditioning, cleansing and storage all kinds of soft contact lenses, including silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

Biotrue is available in a 300 ml pack at Rs 400 at all leading optical stores in top metros across India.

Clinical testing has demonstrated that Biotrue multi-purpose solution provides a clean and comfortable lens wearing experience. Biotrue uses a lubricant which is naturally found in eyes.

Biotrue forms a hydrating network that envelops the lens in a moisture-rich cushion.

Additionally, it is pH-balanced to match healthy tears has a function of disinfection system apart from germ fighting ability.

It helps remove denatured proteins that can build up on the lenses while maintaining beneficial tear proteins in their natural state, for a hygienic lens wearing experience.

PTI MUMBAI, JAN 9

Turbulent market conditions have forced Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) co-promoted oil EPC firm, IOT Infrastructure and Energy Services, to rejig the timing of its Rs 800-crore IPO, but the company said it is confident of launching the issue before March.

The firm, which started as a dedicated player in oil tanking services in 1998 as an equal joint venture between IOC and German company Oil Tanking GmBH, is ready with all the required permissions, but is constrained because of the choppy market conditions, IOT Infrastructure President (Finance) Jatin Mavani said here.

Tata Prima Construck range PANJIM (HBD) -- Tata Motors announced the launch of Tata Prima Construck range in India. The range comprises of the Tata Prima 3128.K and Tata Prima 2528.K. With reliable design, higher engine power, heavy duty drive line and comfortable AC cabins, the Tata Prima range of Construcks are designed for better productivity and higher returns.

The Tata Prima 3128.K tipper has been developed for road construction and irrigation projects. powered by 270 HP engine, the Tata Prima 3128.K has a larger and wider body for enhanced capacity. The model is tailor made for smooth movement of earthwork and quarry material.

To ensure optimum vehicle usage, the Tata Prima 3128.K is equipped with a data logger that helps measure vehicle performance and driving practices along several parameters on a daily basis and the increased power ensures faster trips and higher profitability.

The Tata Prima 2528.K tipper has been designed for off-road deep mining applications. Equipped with strong aggregates like robust chassis frame, suspension and 1200x24 mining tyres and powered by 270 HP engine, the Tata Prima 2528.K can overcome any terrain. An air conditioned cabin, data logger, suspended driver seat, ergonomically designed instrument cluster improve driver efficiency, resulting in increased productivity and faster returns on investment.

Tata Motors will begin distribution of the Tata Prima Construck range with select customers in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal and Jharkhand. Driving crew of customers will be trained at Tata Motors’ manufacturing facility in Jamshedpur. The company has already equipped its service network to support the Tata Prima range.

The Prima Construck range will be available in the price range of Rs 33 lakh to Rs 40 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

growth in the first half of 201011 touched 8.9 per cent after an average of 7 per cent in the last two years.

"Economy has been remarkably resilient to both external and domestic shocks. More importantly, the recovery has been broad-based with agriculture, industry and services all contributing to the consolidation of the growth process," he said.

Stating that India needed to sustain its momentum through combination of policies and governance over the next two decades, the finance minister said the country needed to enhance investment, rapidly improve infrastructure and to make the growth process more inclusive.

"We need to ensure that every individual and every region in the country benefits from the fruits of this growth," he said.

During the next Five Year Plan from 2012 to 2017, India

Not after NRIs' money: Montek PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia today dispelled the impression that India was after NRI funds saying that more than 95 per cent of investment comes from domestic sources.

"I think we can get rid of the notion that we are connecting with the NRIs because we want investment...we are not reaching out to NRIs because we need money," Ahluwalia said.

"At least 95 per cent of investments in the country is domestic investment," Ahluwalia said adding, "if you feel your money is well spent here, you are welcome... If you think in another country you can do better... as an economist I will tell you that is exactly what you should do."

Sharing the dais with Ahluwalia, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Valyar Ravi said, "The NRIs share in the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country is just 1.3 per cent."

According to the latest government data, the cumulative FDI in the country since 1991 stands at USD 179.45 billion.

RBI says facilitating trade with Iran, not curbing it PTI NEW DELHI, JAN 9

The RBI officials have sought to clear the air over recent payment rules which some suggest will curb India's trade with Iran, especially in the oil sector, saying that the central bank actually aimed at facilitating it.

The move is aimed at helping importers, who are facing difficulties in settling payments through dollar or euro due to sanctions against Iran for nuclear proliferation, a key RBI official explained.

The central bank's "bona fide move" to smoothen oil imports from Iran, the second biggest supplier of crude to India, was misinterpreted by certain quarters as a step to curb these imports, the official said.

Last month, Reserve Bank of India allowed oil importers to settle payment in any currency outside of the Asian Clearing Union (ACU) mechanism, under which its members -- including India and Iran -- are allowed to pay for oil and gas only in euro or dollar.

"The provisions have been reviewed and it has now been decided that payment for import of oil or gas should be set-

tled in any permitted currency outside the ACU mechanism," a RBI notification had said.

The RBI move means that India can now import oil from Iran and settle the payment in any currency, other than dollar and euro.

Later, the new provisions were extended to all current account trade with Iran. Current account includes trade in goods and services as well as some investment income.

"Our move was facilitative and not restrictive," the official said. Central banks and monetary authorities of Iran, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Maldives are the members of the ACU. While the US has imposed ban on various imports from Iran and importers were finding it difficult to settle the payment in dollars, Europe has allowed oil imports from Iran.

However, European nations insist on a certificate from the importers that payment will be made only for oil imports. But importers are encountering problems because it is not clear as to who has to give the certificates, central banks or bank

which is guaranteeing the payment.

Also, the payments are made on net basis, making it difficult to go through the composition of trade. Under this method, if country A buys goods worth Rs 200 from country B, and country B has bought goods worth Rs 100 from country A, then A has to give only Rs 100 to B. On bankers' meeting with the officials of Petroleum and Finance Ministries on Friday, the source said that they discussed the nitty-gritty of the new mechanism.

After the meeting, State Bank of India refused to facilitate temporary payments through a proposed alternate channel, a move that can potentially halt oil imports from Iran.

The bank has refused to issue fresh Letters of Credit (LCs) to public and private sector refiners, who import some 12 million barrels of crude oil from Iran every month, said an official of the nation's largest lender.

"There are uncertainties involved. We need to be sure about the payment mechanism," the SBI official said.

envisaged financial outlay of over USD one trillion on infrastructure projects, Mukherjee said.

"We have to ensure timely and adequate capacity addition across different sectors of the economy. Private investments, both domestic and foreign, will have to play a vital role developing the infrastructure in our economy," he said.

The country needed to find resources and explore new and evolving methodologies with private sector to make good the anticipated requirements in production of different goods and services in the economy, he said.

PTI MUMBAI, JAN 9

GOA, MONDAY, 10 JANUARY 2011

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From Page 1 Protection after destruction February 19, 1991, cut off date.

Some lost structures built in the 1930’s.

They sat and watched. Any resistance meant one response.

Jail “They asked me for a proof to state that the shed existed before 1991. How can I convince them that even my dad was born in this shed and it was con-

structed before 1930s?” questioned 43-year-old Jose Maria Dias.

“People here are uneducated.

They never thought that their ancestral sheds where they kept their belongings and fishing equipment would ever be targeted. Hence they did not register them. Some didn’t register their homes”, Agnelo Rodrigues, President, Goencho Raponkarancho Ekvott, reacts.

So when the bulldozers moved in, the villagers of Velsao got a rude reality check. For these simple folk who live by the tides, the ebb and flow of the sea is life. The sea god is their employer giving families ten to twenty thousand rupees – a little more and sometimes a little less. And everyone pitches in. For instance, all the four sons of Maria Dias are fishermen While they faced the bulldozers, they saw big companies getting permissions.

“A multi-national company has already begun process to set up its guest house in this village. With these structures obstructing the traditional pathways, the fishermen will have to take a huge round to return with the fish fetched for the day”, said Agnelo Rodriuges, who lost a portion of his ancestral house as he couldn’t produce documents.

Rodrigues says that the CRZ 2011 will bring relief but it will be time consuming. “There is a benefit but at the same time, there are losses also. Local Government has no power. The Centre’s permission will be required if we have to reconstruct or renovate our houses”, he said.

The villagers have decided on a meeting to study the fresh notification after its convener and Chairman of the National Fishworkers Forum Mathany Saldanha gets it from Delhi on January 11.

As an element of uncertainty still persists, the fisherfolk and toddy tappers of Velsao, hold on to the only thing they are sure of — the embrace of the vast ocean.

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GOA, MONDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2011

Historic day arrives after decades of war in Sudan Southern Sudan goes to polls

AGENCIES JUBA (Sudan), JAN 9

Several million people began deciding Sunday whether to give birth to the world’s newest nation.

They started casting ballots on whether to declare independence at polling stations sprinkled across the vast, flat plains of Southern Sudan, an East African landscape long riven by chaos.

War and famine have ravaged generations in the south for as long as anyone can remember.

Fighting forced more people from their homes than in any other nation on earth. Hope remained elusive.

Yet the vote has given many southerners the rare sense of exhilaration that is borne of new beginnings.

For the next seven days, the black Christians and animists in the autonomous region of Southern Sudan will vote on whether to declare independence from a northern government dominated by Arab Muslims. The two sides fought a war that killed 2 million people from 1983 to 2005, when a peace treaty set the stage for the upcoming vote.

Nearly 4 million have registered to cast ballots. Few doubt the outcome.

“I have not encountered a single Southern Sudanese who is interested in voting for unity. I would say at least 98 per cent of them will vote for separation,” says Ezekiel Lol Gatkuoth, a former foot soldier in the southern rebel force who now leads the Southern Sudan’s mission in the United States. “This is what we have been fighting for more than 50 years.”

Voters awoke early Sunday in

A southern Sudanese prisoner votes inside Khartoum’s Kober jail on Sunday on the first day of a week-long independence referendum expected to lead to the partition of Africa’s largest nation and the creation of the world’s 193rd UN member state.

the bustling capital of Southern Sudan, Juba. Mary Dennis arrived at a polling place at 4:30 am.

“I had to come early,” Dennis says. “This is a vote for our country.”

Edwina Loria, 18, also was determined to cast her ballot.

“I want to be a first-class citizen,” she says. “I want independence.”

“I am on a mission,” says another voter, John Baptiste. “My mission is to vote. We have waited for 50 years, and we want to be separate. We have planned for many days to be here first.”

Voters are receiving a ballot with two pictures: One hand signifies independence; two hands, a unified Sudan.

Most everyone agrees that the majority of southerners will choose independence, but there

is less certainty about what will happen after the votes are tallied.

The new nation would face daunting obstacles, from a desperate need for development to the lack of a robust educated class to control the new levers of power.

A flood of refugees, eagerly returning to an independent homeland, could complicate matters in a place that already lacks enough schools and clinics and has few paved roads.

Long-standing grievances among rival southern groups could erupt in violence – several hundred southerners already have been killed in such fighting in the last year or two. Or the north could decline to accept the results or stir tensions by trying to pit one southern faction against another.

The concerns run so deep

Gates warns China not to underestimate US power

that last February Dennis Blair, then the director of national intelligence, warned the US Congress of possible genocide.

“A number of countries in Africa and Asia are at significant risk for a new outbreak of mass killing” in the next five years, he said. “Among these countries, a new mass killing or genocide is most likely to occur in Southern Sudan.”

Looming over concerns about the future is a suspicion that many in the south harbor of Sudan’s rulers in the north.

Sudanese President Omar alBashir, wanted for war crimes after mass killings and rape in the country’s western Darfur region, says that a southern vote for independence would be like “cutting off a part of the nation’s body but not the end of the world.”

Reuters

AGENCIES BEIJING, JAN 9

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has signalled his concern over China’s rapid military modernisation.

His move is highlighted by the latest picture of a Chinese stealth bomber, as he begins talks aimed at repairing security relations in Beijing on Sunday.

But Gates warned China not to underestimate the US or the continuing power of its military.

“I’ve watched this sort of cyclical view of American decline come around two or three times, perhaps most dramatically in the latter half of the 1970s,” Gates told reporters en route to China.

“And my general line for those both at home and around the world who think the US is in decline is that history’s dustbins are filled with countries that underestimated the resilience of the United States.”

This week’s discussions, which will include President Hu Jintao, signal an end to an 11month hiatus in military-to-military relations between China and the US after the $US6.5 billion US sale of arms to Taiwan last February. They come amid mounting evidence Beijing’s arms spending spree is paying dividends.

As well as the stealth plane, Washington is worried about China’s plans for a groundbreaking anti-aircraft-carrier missile as well as longer-term plans for its own aircraft carriers.

“We’ve been watching these developments all along,” Gates said. “I’ve been concerned about the development of the antiship cruise and ballistic missiles ever since I took this job.

“We knew they were working on a stealth aircraft. I think what we’ve seen is they may be somewhat further ahead in the development of that aircraft than

our intelligence had earlier predicted.

“They have the potential to put some of our capabilities at risk.”

Still, he questioned “just how stealthy” the aircraft would be.

China believes the US is not ready to accept another strong military power, especially in the Asia-Pacific. The leaking of the stealth fighter photos has been seen as intentional.

“Whether the reported new weapons are true or not, in the long run China will own firstclass weapons that are capable of competing with the US war machine,” Communist Party-run nationalist tabloid Global Times said in an editorial last week “Apparently the US is not ready to treat China as a major power. They cannot accept the fact that China will . . . possess a first-class military. They are too used to the old power structure.”

A group of 250 unemployed Saudi university graduates staged a rare protest in the capital Riyadh, and the group’s spokesman vowed on Sunday to keep up the demonstrations till the Gulf Arab state creates jobs for them.

The US ally and OPEC ’s biggest oil exporter is an absolute monarchy and usually does not tolerate public displays of dissent. Newspapers tend to carry the official line.

Despite its massive oil wealth Saudi Arabia is grappling with unemployment that hit 10.5 per cent in 2009, the latest published figure.

“We are a group of teachers who have not found any jobs.

We have staged a peaceful protest in front of the ministry of education ... We would like to protest for longer but the police keep dispersing us,” Nayef al-Tamimi told Reuters.

Al-Hayat daily showed a picture of graduates protesting in front of the Ministry of Education yesterday.

The protestors, who staged a similar protest in August, met with ministry officials to demand the creation of more jobs in government schools.

“There is a big chance that we will stage another protest.

They promised us that they will announce jobs soon but if they don’t then we will stage another protest,” Tamimi said.

Teachers are offered 2,000 riyals (533 dollar) a month in the private sector for a job that pays around 8,000 riyals a

New flood fears as rains lash Australia tourist areas Reuters

SYDNEY, JAN 9

Heavy rain lashed Australia’s prime tourist beaches on Sunday, provoking warnings that flooding in vast areas of the northeast could soon hit tourist areas and Queensland’s state capital Brisbane, forecasters said.

Officials at Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology said flooding had been reported today in parts of Brisbane, while flood warnings had been issued for rivers in the Sunshine Coast to the north.

Rainfall of up to 50mm an hour had been reported in some areas, they said. A close watch was also being kept on the Gold Coast, popular with international sun-seekers and an essential part of Queensland’s economy.

Floods have already hit the state’s coal industry hard, with mines flooded, road

and rail links washed away while a string of mining companies have made “force majeure” declarations. The key coal port of Gladstone has had almost no coal to load, with ships queueing up and widely expected eventually to look elsewhere.

Any damage to Queensland’s tourist industry or to the densely populated state capital would be a serious further blow.

The government has said the damage so far is already likely to cost more than A1 billion dollar (1 billion dollar).

Senior weather forecaster Brett Harrison said there had been reports of flooding in some areas of Brisbane today.

“There’s reports of flash flooding in low lying areas in Brisbane,” he told Reuters.

“It is not in the city at the moment but it is certainly going to increase over the next 24 to 48 hours. We are expecting heavy rain to continue during that time.

PTI LONDON, JAN 9

Anil Verma, a senior diplomat in the Indian High Commission here, has been questioned by Scotland Yard on allegations that he assaulted his wife, but has escaped persecution due to diplomatic immunity.

Verma, who is Minister (Economic) in the High Commission, is alleged to have attacked his wife after a heated argument last month, Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

He is closely involved with India-UK trade relations.

The police were called to the couple’s home in Golders Green, North-West London, after neighbours heard a woman screaming.

According to the report, police officers questioned Verma but did not arrest him because of his diplomatic status.

The police have reportedly asked the Foreign Office to intervene.

“The External Affairs Ministry and the High Commission are carefully looking into the incident. It involves sensitive and personal issues pertaining to the individuals. It is premature to make any further comment at this stage,” an Indian High Commission spokesman told PTI here.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “At 9:30 am on December 11, following reports of an assault at an address at Corringham Road, NW11, a man in his 40s was spoken to by officers.

No arrests were made.”

Commenting on the incident, an Indian High Commission spokesman earlier said: “This matter has been brought to our attention. It is now expected that this matter will be resolved between husband and wife to their mutual satisfaction.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We do not tolerate diplomats working in the UK breaking the law. When we are made aware of an offence committed by a diplomat or their family, we will take appropriate action.”

Unemployed Saudi teachers stage rare Riyadh protest RIYADH, JAN 9

A Chinese stealth fighter, in Chengdu, Sichuan province.

Indian envoy in UK probed for wife assault

“There is a possibility of moderate to major flooding for areas west of Brisbane.”

Flood warnings were issued for several rivers in the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, and senior hydrologist Jeff Perkins said a close eye would be kept on the Gold Coast to the south as well, although the fears there were primarily of flash flooding.

“We have been getting up to 50 mm in an hour. In an urban area the drainage system cannot cope,” Perkins said. “The Gold Coast – it should be less, but still close enough that we will be watching it like a hawk. The Gold Coast is really susceptible to really heavy rainfall.”

River levels have stayed stubbornly high in other areas of the state and the latest rains also brought flooding on the Mary River, whose waters in the towns of Gympie and Maryborough were steadily going up today.

month in government schools, Tamimi said.

Many Saudis are forced to work as taxi drivers, private security guards or other low-paid jobs to make ends meet.

Up to a third of Saudi Arabia’s population of some 27 million are thought to be foreigners.

Saudi Arabia offers its nationals social benefits but they are considered below those granted by other Gulf Arab oil producers such as Kuwait and Qatar, which have much smaller native populations.

The kingdom does not publish regular jobless data, a sensitive issue for authorities since it highlights fissures in wealth distribution in one of the world’s most affluent nations.

The countr y is currently spending 400 billion dollar on infrastructure projects in addition to rolling out three consecutive record budgets in an effort to stimulate the economy and create more jobs for its fastgrowing native population.

US Congresswoman shot, undergoes brain surgery PTI HOUSTON, JAN 9

The US Congresswoman, who was shot by a gunman in Arizona, underwent a brain surgery after the bullet fired at a close range passed through her head.

Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who officials believe was the target of the shootout remained in critical condition after the brain surgery, though doctors said they were hopeful of her recovery.

The bullet, from a semiautomatic pistol, entered her head from the front and exited through the rear after passing through her brain in what doctors described as a “through and through” injury.

The mass shooting that besides gravely wounding Giffords, killed a federal judge amongst five more people, has shocked the nation and raised concerns that the heated political discourse had taken a dangerous turn.

Giffords underwent brain surgery after the shooting that authorities said was a targeted attempt on her life.

Neurosurgeons at University Medical Center in Tucson operated on the Congresswomen, and doctors were hopeful she

would recover, Dr Peter Rhee said during a news conference at the hospital.

Giffords was following commands, which is a good sign, he said.

C J Karamargin, Giffords’ communications director said that Giffords remained in critical condition in intensive care and was not fully conscience.

However, he said Gifford’s deputy director Ron Barber, who was wounded in the shooting, was “doing very well” and speaking.

“I’m very optimistic about her recovery,” Rhee said.

Six people were killed and 13 others were injured in the volley

French hostages ‘killed by captors’ in Niger AGENCIES PARIS, JAN 9

Two French citizens who died after being kidnapped in Niger were probably killed by their captors, French military officials say.

The two men been kidnapped in Niamey, the capital of Niger, on Friday – French troops were attempting to rescue them when they found the bodies.

No group has said it was behind the abduction, but alQaeda’s North African offshoot has seized Westerners before.

France has warned its citizens against all travel to the Sahel region.

The foreign ministry said that the threat in the region, from Africa’s western Atlantic Coast to the Red Sea in the east, meant that “no area can be considered safe any longer”.

Antoine de Leocour, an aid worker in Niger, and his friend Vincent Delory were seized from a restaurant in the capital at gunpoint. Mr Delory has recently arrived in the country to attend Mr de Leocour’s wed-

ding.

Thierr y Burkhard, a spokesman for the French army, said Niger’s national guard and a French surveillance plane had chased the kidnappers into the desert.

The troops launched an attack, he told the AFP news agency, in which one Niger commander was injured.

‘Cowardy act’ In a second attack, several of the kidnappers were reported to have been killed. The bodies of the two men were then found in the desert.

“Pending the outcome of an investigation, everything seems to indicate that the two French hostages were executed,” said Mr Burkhard.

President Nicolas Sarkozy has condemned the incident as a “cowardly and barbaric act, but said it would reinforce France’s commitment to “fight terrorist barbarism without respite”.

The deaths are the latest in a string of kidnappings of French citizens in Niger suspected of being carried out by al-Qaeda in North Africa.

of bullets.

The 40-year-old Arizona Democrat was meeting constituents for the first time since surviving a bruising re-election campaign last fall.

The Democrat had drawn the ire of critics on the hot-button issues of immigration and the health-care reform. In fact, a vandal had shattered a window of her Tucson office in the days after she cast a vote in favour of the president’s health care bill.

It was the first time in more than 30 years that a US lawmaker was the victim of an assassination attempt.

Police are holding a 22-yearold man in the shooting rampage, which occurred outside a supermarket where Giffords was greeting constituents.

The gunman shot Giffords in the head at close range and then continued to fire into the small gathering of people.

Law enforcement and medical officials in Arizona said that at least 18 people were shot in the melee and that six of them had died, including John M Roll, the chief US District judge in Arizona, and Gabe Zimmerman, Giffords’s local director of community outreach.

14 dead in Guatemala accident AGENCIES GUATEMALA CITY, JAN 9

At least 14 people were killed and over 25 seriously injured when the bus they were travelling in plunged into a ravine in western Guatemala, officials said. The accident took place on Saturday between the towns of Tejutla and Concepcion Tutuapa, some 280 km west of the Guatemalan capital.

The victims, both dead and injured, were former members of the Civil Self-Defence Patrols, known collectively as the PAC, paramilitaries who collaborated with the army to fight leftist guerrillas during Guatemala’s 1960-1996 civil war.

“We recovered 14 bodies from the wreckage of the bus, and took 25 to the national hospital in San Marcos province, several of them in critical condition,” an official said.

“The driver was going really fast and when he came to a curve, the brakes failed and we crashed down the ravine,” one of the survivors of the accident told local media.

“There were about 60 of us on the bus, all ex-militiamen who were going to Concepcion Tutuapa,” the survivor said.

Disputed Jerusalem hotel razed in settlement project

US disputes reports of Iran arrest AGENCIES WASHINGTON, JAN 9

An American woman reported to have been arrested in Iran for espionage is “safe” and not in Iranian custody, the US state department has said, contradicting Iranian authorities who said she has been detained and has “confessed” to the allegation.

Iranian media, citing police, had reported on Saturday that officials were holding a US woman, identified as 34-yearold Hal Tayalan, on suspicion of spying for the US. But Mark Toner, a state department spokesman, said on Saturday that the “individual is safe”, adding that she is not in Iran at all.

Another US official, who declined to be identified due to privacy concerns, said the woman is in Istanbul, Turkey, and that American consular officials have been in contact with her.

There had been a string of conflicting reports about the case: early on Saturday, a senior Iranian police official reiterated that border guards had detained the woman Brigadier General Ahmad Geravand, the deputy border police chief, told state radio that authorities arrested the woman on Wednesday while she was filming border crossings and guard posts in Jolfa.

Israeli bulldozers, working under police protection, demolish on Sunday part of the former Hotel Shepherd complex in Arab east Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood to make way for 20 new homes for Jewish settlers.

Reuters

JERUSALEM, JAN 9

Israeli bulldozers cleared the way on Sunday for 20 new homes for Jews in East Jerusalem, demolishing a derelict hotel in a settlement project that has angered Palestinians and drawn US objections.

Construction at the Shepherd Hotel compound, whose ownership is contested, was likely to deepen Israeli-Palestinian acrimony as Washington tries to revive peace talks stalled by a dispute over Israel’s settlement policy in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, areas captured in a 1967 war.

“We see this matter as extremely dangerous,” said Hatem Abdel Qader, the Palestinian official who oversees Jerusalem affairs for President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement.

With direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations at a standstill, Israel said an emissary of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a Palestinian envoy would travel to Washington in the next few days to seek ways to restart talks.

But Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said “the meetings, if they happen, will happen on a separate basis with the American administration: PalestinianAmerican, Israeli-American”.

In the predominantly Arab neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah, bulldozers tore into the decaying hotel built in the 1930s for Muslim grand mufti Haj Amin Husseini, who fought the British and Zionists and became a World War Two ally of Hitler.

Israel, Abdel Qader said, was trying to “create a belt of settlements” around East Jerusalem, which Palestinians seek as the

capital of the state they intend to create in the West Bank, where Abbas holds sway, and the Hamas Islamist-run Gaza Strip.

No violence was reported after the demolition in Sheikh Jarrah, where evictions of Palestinian families from homes that Israeli courts have ruled were owned in the past by Jews or purchased from Arabs has led to anti-settler protests.

The hotel was declared “absentee property” by Israel after it captured and annexed East Jerusalem. The title was transferred to an Israeli firm, which sold it in 1985 to Ir ving Moskowitz, a Florida bingo king and patron of Jewish settlers.

Adnan Husseini, the Palestinian Authority-appointed mayor of Jerusalem, said knocking down the historic building was an “act of barbarism”.

Pg 16 GOA, Monday, 10 January, 2011

Cuncolim Union advance

romeo soccer

HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, JAN 9

Cuncolim Union moved into the second round of Romeo memorial football tournament defeating Sirsaim Sports and Cultural Centre 3-0, at Santa Cruz village

school ground, on Sunday.

Dominating from the word go, Cuncolim forged ahead in the 19th minute when Walky Fernandes headed the ball into the net, off a cross.

Walky completed his brace in the 24th minute off a freaky incident when the ball somehow swirled away from an advancing Sirsaim keeper who was trying to catch the ball. The ball then moved into the path of an unmarked Walky, who only had to tap the ball into the open goal.

Crossing over, Cuncolim added the third goal when Freddy Mascarenhas beautifully placed the ball into the right corner of the goal giving no chance to the Sirsaim keeper.

GFA First Division: Calangute Association v. Salcete FC, Poriat ground, Calangute, 4 p.m.

GFA Second Division: Maina SC v. Curtorim Gymkhana, Curtorim ground, 4 p.m.

GFA U-16: Dunes SC v. ABC SC, Morjim ground, Arambol, 4 p.m.

All-Goa inter-village Romeo memorial football: Club Sao Minguel de Taleigao v. Goa Velha SC, Santa Cruz school ground, 4.15 p.m.

SPORTS

Chirag United stun Bagan PTI KOLKATA, JANUARY 9

Joshimar D'Silva struck a late goal to help Chirag United stun Mohun Bagan 1-0 at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan here today, as the green-and-maroon brigade's miserable run in the I-League continued.

Joshimar struck the winner in the 81st minute to help Chirag earn their third win. Chirag now have 13 points from eight matches, while Mohun Bagan remained on eight points from as many matches.

After their humiliating 0-2 loss at the hands of minnows Viva Kerala in the previous match, Mohun Bagan employed a different strategy, bringing star forward Jose Ramirez Barreto in the second half, while their defence saw the inclusions of latest recruit Okwy Diamondstar and N

Mohan Raj. But that did not help as the Australian defender failed to dazzle in his first outing and was duly replaced by a striker in Barreto.

Durand Cup champions, Chirag, kept Mohun Bagan on their toes in the entire first-half and if not for some fantastic saves by custodian Shilton Paul, the purple boys could have enjoyed a 2-0 lead in the first 45 minutes.

Such was Chirag's dominance that Mohun Bagan did not get a single chance in the first half even as their forward got a boost by the return of Edeh Chidi from a long injury lay-off.

In the 10th minute Shilton sparkled thwarting a Joshimar header from a Jerry Zirsanga centre, but the Mohun Bagan goalkeeper's finest save came

when he denied L alkamal Bhowmick a fine goal from a superb curling freekick at the stroke of half time.

Missing his regular partner Elijah Junior who is out with an injury, Joshimar struggled to combine with Branco Cardozo who was replaced by Chirag's Durand Cup hero Mohammad Rafique in the 40th minute.

Having bungled one in front of an open net from a Gouranga Dutta centre in the 29th minute, Joshimar made up for his miss

striking in the 81st minute from a solo run.

Taking advantage of the offcolour Mohun Bagan defence, Joshimar ran from the right flank and got past Kingshuk Debnath before converting it without any fuss.

Mohun Bagan had a solitary chance in the 58th minute with Chidi and Barreto upfront but the duo could not get past Chirag goalkeeper Abhijit Mandal who did a fine job under the bar.

Airmen chief coach Santosh Kashyap said that till this tie they were playing defensive so that they don’t lose any match but from here on he wishes that they start opening up and play an attacking game from the next tie.

Though the first half didn’t have much of action and both the teams were trying to play safe and not open up or attack.

But after a goalless first half it was Kashyap who asked his guys to open up and they did create chances but they came close to scoring but missed the post.

In the 65th minute of the game Air India midfielder Manjit

Singh came close to the post and ran through but he fumbled and missed the post. Just five minutes later Dharamjit ran through alone and went past two HAL defenders but his shot hit the right corner of the post and rebound back into the ground.

It was in the 76th minute that HAL Bangalore took the lead off their striker Xavier Vijaykumar who scored from the left corner. But HAL Bangalore’s happiness was short-lived after Air India came back in with an equaliser in the 84th minute off Collin Abranches, who scored a from the left corner top of the box to give his team some

respite.

Also in the dying moments Air India’s M Okoro missed a golden opportunity to win the match and had to be satisfied with a draw. HAL Bangalore’s Xavier Vijay Kumar was named the man-of-the-match.

Kashayp said, “We have imp ro v e d c o m p a re d t o l a s t match and we have started to create chances. I am happy with the team performance.

We are improving every match and I am sure that we will be winning from next matches onwards. I have set very high benchmark for them and you can see the difference in the next 15 days.”

AGENCIES LUDHIANA, JAN 9

Salau.

Badru Keke wasted no time to score the goal after beating ONGC defender and ONGC custodian Rajat Ghosh Dastidar.

In the initial spell of the match both teams fought for the ball possession and enjoyed equal ball possession for the first 15 minutes of the match.

Thereafter, ONGC got first chance when Jatin Singh Bisht took long range direct shot on JCT post, but alert JCT custodian Naveen made no mistake to rightly chip it over the cross bass and it was good ef-

fort from JCT side to avoid a goal.

As the match was progressing, JCT came back in the game and Maninder Singh combined well with Badru Keke and Nurudeen to make continous moves against ONGC. Just five minutes before half time whistle, Babatunde took a well measured shot on JCT post which was saved by Naveen Kumar.

In the second half, ONGC combined well to make moves through Babatunde and ND Opara but Omoloja Nurain Kareem and Rahul stopper duo of JCT nullified all their designs to break the jinx.

R E S U LT S Chirag United 1 Bagan 0 Man-of-the match: Lal Kamal Bhowmick (Chirag) Air India 1 HAL Bangalore 1 Man of the Match: Xavier Vijay Kumar (HAL) JCT 1 ONGC 0 Man-of-the match: Badru Ibrahim (JCT)

Air India hold HAL Bangalore AGENCIES KOLHAPUR, JAN 9

After facing an array of losses Air India is slowly gaining momentum as they registered another 1-1 draw against HAL SC Bangalore in the round eight tie of the I-league played at the Sahu Maharaj ground, here, on Sunday.

Ibrahim gives JCT full points

JCT took full advantage of its home ground to grab three valuable points out of its I-League round 8 outing against ONGC, Mumbai, at Guru Nanak dev Stadium, here, on Sunday.

The match started in cold weather conditions with chilly winds blowing across the stadium.

Nigerian recruit Badru Keke Ibrahim scored the lone goal for home side in the 38th minute after he got a well trapped pass from Amandeep Singh Bains on a well-measured header pass from Nurudeen

Churchill lodges complaint against referee Dinesh HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, JAN 9

Churchill Alemao, patron of Churchill Brothers SC lodged a complaint against referee Dinesh Nair for biased and unfair referring during their match against Salgaocar Sports Club in the I-League played at PJN Stadium, Fatorda on Saturday.

Churchill informed Herald that the formal complaint will be lodged with the AIFF CEO in New Delhi on Monday morning, when their official Macario

Rodriguese will meet the official at the Football House.

He stated that the referee was partial in his decision in awarding two penalties to Salgaocar SC; while Churchill Brothers were deprived of atleast one penalty.

Churchill blamed the referee for favoritism and showing no impartiality in his decision, which deprived Churchill Brothers if not a victory than atleast a draw.

Churchill pointed out that ref-

BAFF edge past St Domnic Savio gfa u-16

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, JAN 9

A strong performance from BAFF allowed them to defeat St Domnic Savio Sports Club 2-1 in GFA’s U-16 League at Calvim ground on Sunday.

Nitesh Gaonkar and Amar Kalangutkar gave BAFF a 2-0 lead, while Craig Menezes converted a penalty late in the game to give St Domnic some consolation.

At Candolim ground, United Club of Nerul and Clube Athletico de Parra played out a 1-1

draw.

Jiten Koli kept up his goal scoring run by giving Parra the lead in the first half.

Nerul worked harder after the breather and were rewarded when Bahadur stuck the equaliser.

I n t h e o t h e r G FA U - 1 6 matches played this weekend, Anjuna Gymkhana thrashed FC Sanquelim 25-0.

St Estevam Sports Club edged past SAI STC 4-2.

Brasil Futebol Academia defeated Dempo Sports Club juniors 3-1.

GOA DIARY Masters athletics meet

PANJIM (HSD) – The Goa Masters Athletic Association will organise their State Masters Athletic Championship-cum-selections on January 22 and 23 at SAG Campal ground, Panjim for men and women above 30-35 to select the State team for Nationals in Chandigarh from February 24 to 27.

The winners will represent India in World Masters Championship in California, USA in July.

The U-10 and U-12 boys and girls 100m runs, 50m run and long jump will also be held on the same day. The last date to submit entries is January 15. Details may be obtained from Ana Juliet Fernandes on 9423056148, Martin Pires on 9975876559, Joao Rodrigues on 9823869588, Sally Dias on 9823171457 or Vrunda Vernekar on 9822587719.

eree Dinesh in the past too, had been very unfair in his decision’s and that it was Churchill Brothers who were at the receiving end.

He further added that, ‘if the trend continues he’ll be forced to withdraw the team, as the players get demoralised and for no reason of theirs, valuable points are lost.

He pleaded that referee Dinesh should not be appointed henceforth atleast for the matches involving Churchill Brothers team.

SFX Siolim Zone I champs

u-19 handball HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, JAN 9

St Francis Xavier HSS, Siolim put up a good display as they defeated St Thomas HSS, Aldona 22-10 in the U-19 boys zone I handball finals, organised by DSYA, at Peddem complex, on Friday.

Earlier in the semi-finals, St Thomas HSS defeated St Xavier’s HSS, Mapusa 3-1.

In U-19 cricket tournament, Shree Vijaynanda HSS, Mayem defeated Dr Ambedekar HSS, Colvale by 4 wickets.

SAI-STC selection trials

PANJIM (HSD) – The SAI STC will conduct selection trials for boys in judo, football, taekwondo and boxing at sports complex, Ponda from January 17 to 19 at 9 a.m. SAI will also conduct selection trials for girls in judo, athletics, boxing and kabbadi at Sports complex, Peddem, Mapusa from January 14 to 16 at 9 a.m. SAI will conduct its non-residential scheme (DBS) in judo, swimming, diving and taekwondo at sports complex, Peddem, Mapusa from January 14 to 16 at 9 a.m.

The selections will be for residential and nonresidential schemes in the age group 14-18 years and those interested may report with 2 passport photos, original birth certificate, school bonafide certificate, sports achievement certificates and proof of residence (all attested with 2 xerox copies). Admission forms are available at STC, Peddem, STC, Ponda.

Pg 17

SPORTS

GOA, Monday, 10 January, 2011

Messi, Iniesta guide Barca to 4-0 win AGENCIES MADRID, JAN 9

Ballon d’Or finalists Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta scored to lead Barcelona to its 12th straight Spanish league win in a 4-0 victory at Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

Messi played David Villa clear into the right side of the area before the Spain striker squeezed his 150th league goal past goalkeeper Daniel Aranzubia to open for the Spanish

Soderling wins Brisbane title REUTERS SYDNEY, JAN 9

The captain of Boys of Curca, Pascu receiving the cash prize from CCP Mayor Carolina Po in the presence of GFA Executive Committee member and AYC president Sanjeev Nagvekar, Mahesh Shirodkar, vicepresident, AYC and Menino Pereira at the VIIIth All-Goa one-day 9-a-side football at Aivao greenfield. In all, 28 teams participated.

State bodybuilding team HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, JAN 9

Goa Bodybuilding and Fitness Association will depute the State bodybuilding team to participate in Supremo Shree National Bodybuilding Championship organised by Maharashtra Bodybuilders Association under the aegis of Indian Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation (IBBF) on January 21 and 22 at Paranjape ground, Andheri-East, Mumbai.

The competition will be held in 55 kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kgm 80kg, 85kg, 90kg, 95kg 100kg and above group. The State team was recently selected

at the bodybuilding championship in Usgao.

The team: 55kg Gandesh Shetkar, 60kg Hameed Khan, 65kg Gauresh Parwar, 70kg Rama Bhat, Subhash Andrade and 75kg Abhijeet Shirodkar.

Santosh Mapsekar (coach) and Ravi Desai (team manager).

Winners in each group will be awarded certificates, trophies and cash prizes. 1st place - Rs. 51,000, 2nd - Rs. 41,000, 3rd Rs. 3,1000, 4th - Rs. 25,000, 5th - Rs.21,000, 6th - Rs. 15,000, 7th - Rs.11,000, 8th - Rs. 11,000, 9th - Rs.11,000 and 10th -

Rs.11,000. Besides, best poser will be awarded Rs.11, 000 and selected bodybuilders will take home Rs. 3,000. The champion of champions will pocket a Rs. 2, 51,000.

Sanjay Patil, GBBFA president and other officials of GBBFA alongwith the State Bodybuilding team met Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat at his residence in Margao. Kamat alongwith IDC chairman and Quepem MLA Babu Kavlekar wished the team good luck.

The team will leave for Mumbai on January 20 and will return on January 23.

Top seed Robin Soderling underlined his credentials as an Australian Open contender by overpowering defending champion Andy Roddick 6-3 7-5 to win the Brisbane International today.

The world number five, matched Roddick's fiercesome service game and unleashed his deadly forehand from the back of the court to win his seventh professional title.

The 26-year-old Swede stayed calm while Roddick raged through a delay while rainwater that had got under the roof was cleared from the court and sealed his triumph with a 16th ace after an hour and a half.

Roddick was incensed at the way the umpire had tested how slippery the court was and made it quite clear he was not prepared to risk injury before the year's first grand slam, which starts in Melbourne on January 17.

The Goa bodybuilding team alongwith Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, IDC Chairman and MLA Babu Kavlekar, GBBFA president Sanjay Patil, Sanguem Municipalty chairperson and GBBFA vice-president Sanjay Raikar.

Vasco taekwondo academy excels HERALD REPORTER VASCO, JAN 9

Students of Taekwond\o Academy of Vasco finished on an enthusiastic note winning as many as 22 medals in the recently concluded 19th All-Goa State taekwondo championship at Margao.

Overall 22 medals came in.

Nevedita Kulkarni and Ashish Jareial secured the gold while Mekhala Bekal, Tanvi Kankonkar, Parchi Loyalekar, Dipti Sawant and Prakash Lamani managed to bring silver.

Arshdeep Singh, Shobhit Chauhan, Aniket Shirodkar, Sudiksha Sawant, Savita Telgi, Anjum Khan, Saloni Talvanekar, Tejasvi Kankonkar, Sama Lotlikar, Artha Lotlikar, Rakeh Kumar Birda, Sanely Sannmani, Harimukesh,

leader.

Messi’s 51st-minute goal was a clear reminder of why the Argentina forward was in the running for a second straight Ballon d’Or as the world’s best player. Messi curled a lef t-footed shot around the outside of the defensive wall and into the top left corner for his 18th goal of the season.

But Iniesta also showed why he was up for the prize in the

80th as the Spain midfielder evaded his marker to unleash a low shot through a crowd that dipped past Aranzubia.

One minute later, Pedro Rodriguez scored his ninth of the season after running on to Messi’s through ball to chip Aranzubia.

Xavi Hernandez—the other finalist for FIFA’s top individual player prize to be awarded in Zurich—watched his Barcelona teammates from the sidelines

Bharati Chauhan and Dharamraj Rathod won a bronze each.

The students achieved excellence after being trained by National

coach Mahadev Chavan, Blackbelt IV Dan, instructor and referee.

Nirakar Vidyalaya enter finals HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, JAN 9

Nirakar Vidyalaya defeated Katyayani Baneshwar by three wickets to enter the finals of U16 Deelip Sardesai cricket trophy, Canacona zone at Nirakar ground, Mashe.

Katyayani scored 91 runs (all out) in 19 overs. Vishwadatta Naik top scored for Katyayani with 24 runs while Nandesh Komarpant scored 21.

For Nirakar, Satyam Desai clinched 3/13, Lakhan Pagi 2/11 and Sabesh Nambiar 2/12.

In return, Nirakar Vidyalaya scored 95/7 in 15 overs. Satyam Desai 17, Lakhan Pagi 10 and Nitesh Kharade 10 were the s c o r e r s f o r N i r a k a r. Fo r Katyayani, Hrishikesh Pednekar grabbed 2/25.

Finals will be between Govt.

High School, Agonda and Nirakar Vidyalaya on January 13.

Clijsters wins opener at Sydney AGENCIES SYDNEY, JAN 9

Chubby Cheeks Spring Valley HS boys, winners of Bardez taluka inter-school handball tournament.

Standing (l to r): Prateek Satardekar, Zaki Khan, Roswell Fernandes, Saahil Kinalekar. Sitting: Latesh Mandrekar (captain), Agnela Barretto (PE teacher), Selena D’Souza (headmistress), Cajetan Vaz (PE teacher).

Squatting: Dravin Mandrekar, Gajanan Mandrekar and Myron Fernandes.

US Open champion Kim Clijsters easily won her first-round match in the Sydney International, beating Romania’s Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania 6-1, 6-2 in 62 minutes Sunday.

The third-seeded Clijsters will face Russian Nadia Petrova or a qualifier in the second round in the Australian Open tuneup event.

as an unused substitute.

Barcelona put the pressure on Real Madrid to beat thirdplace Villarreal on Sunday to keep pace with the Spanish champions, who have won all nine games away from the Camp Nou this season. Barcelona pro-

India start as underdogs in Asian Cup opener Rafi replaces ineligible Sushil

2010 World Cup participating playIn the continental ers. big league after a Houghton adgap of 27 years, India mitted that his start as overwhelmcharges face a AGENCIES DOHA, JAN 9 ing underdogs daunting task against formidable Mohammed Rafi will replace ineligible Sushil Kumar against the AusAustralia in their Singh for the first two matches of Asian Cup 2011, as tralians who have opening match of he was red carded against North Korea in the 2010 six players plying the Asian Cup foot- AFC Challenge Cup in Sri Lanka. trade in the Engball tournament here Premier The AIFF apparently did not inform coach Bob l i s h tomorrow.

Houghton, who was not charge of the team in the League.

Making it to the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup where India fielded a young "Australia have showpiece event for side under Sukhwinder Singh. six-seven premierthe first time after However, Houghton dispelled the doubts of the ship players in their 1984 by winning the media and fans alike by naming him in the 23 member squad. They are a AFC Challenge Cup final squad and also making a last minute swap with very good team to in 2008 was a huge Rafi coming in for Sushil. play against. Though achievement but the “We were not aware of that and obviously that is a we have qualified for Indians are unlikely big blow for us. He will be on our roster tomorrow,” the Asian Cup after to trouble the Aus- informed the Englishman.

27 years, it is still not tralians, ranked 26th With Sushil only available for the third and last going to be easy for in FIFA charts, in group match against South Korea on January 18 and us. their Group C match Bhutia's availability doubtful, India are left with only "We have the 23 at the Al Saad Sta- Sunil Chhetri and Abhisek Yadav as strikers. best players from the dium.

The player was ineligible to play and yet he was selected country and they are Talismanic Indian for the national team which undertook the big touring all proud to be a part captain Bhaichung programme in which huge expenditure has been incurred. of the Asian Cup. Bhutia is doubtful for The AIFF will have to identify the person responsible The boys are all extomorrow due to his for such a blunder. cited and we are calf muscle injur y looking forward to India v. Australia while another striker Sushil giving our best," Singh will also miss the match Match starts: 1.15 p.m.

Houghton said. between the lowest and top India, the continental powranked sides of the tourna- meetings were in 1956 with erhouse in the 1950s and 60s, ment.

India beating the Socceroos 4- are playing in the Asian Cup for India, the lowest ranked 2 in the Melbourne Olympics. the third time having finished side in the tournament at The then Asian giants then second in 1964 in Tel Aviv and 142nd in FIFA charts, also had thrashed Australia 7-1 in Sydney crashing out at the group stage a disastrous build-up losing in a post-Olympics friendly in 1984. seven out of nine interna- match.

Under the legendary Chuni tional friendlies they played, History is unlikely to be re- Goswami, India defeated South including the 0-5 and 1-9 peated on Monday with India Korea (2-0) and Hong Kong (3thrashing by the UAE and knowing well that only a mir- 1) but lost to Israel to finish Kuwait respectively. acle will see them unscathed runners-up to the home team Interestingly, India and Aus- in their opening match with an in the 1964 edition which was tralia have met only twice ear- experienced Australian side, competed by only six counlier in their history. Both the having come with 12 of their tries.

PTI DOHA, JAN 9

Barcelona trio in running for FIFA Ballon D'Or REUTERS BERNE, JAN 9

The students of Taekwondo Academy of Vasco alongwith their coach.

LA LIGA Deportivo ............0 Malaga ..................1 Real Sociedad ......2

Barcelona's Xavi, Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta are on the shortlist for the first FIFA Ballon D'Or award for the best player in the world to be presented tomorrow at a ceremony that gets bigger by the year.

The award is a fusion of FIFA's Player of the Year gong, inaugurated in 1991, with France Football magazine's Ballon D'Or, which has been going since 1956.

For the first time, the coach of the year will also be named with Vicente del Bosque, winner of the World Cup with Spain, competing against Barca's Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, who led Inter Milan to the Champions League title last season.

FIFA will also name its world

eleven of the year – one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards -- with five players competing for each position.

Like the candidates for the player and coach of the year awards, the 55 players on the shortlist are all based in Europe.

The merger of the two player

of the year awards means an increased voting panel with selected journalists joining the coaches and captains of national teams, who chose FIFA's award.

In a normal year, Messi's outstanding performances and stunning goals for Barca would be enough for him to win for the second year running.

However, a disappointing World Cup with Argentina could cost the forward, who won the FIFA and France Football awards last year, his crown and leave the door open for midfielders Xavi and Iniesta, who inspired Spain's World Cup win.

Messi would have no complaints if either of his club mates won. ''Xavi and Iniesta deserve it, they are excellent players,'' Messi told Spanish media, adding that he wanted Guardiola to get the coach's award.

Barcelona ..............4 Athletic Bilbao ......1 Sevilla ....................3 visionally leads Madrid by five points.

Earlier, Frederic Kanoute scored twice as Sevilla rallied for a 3-2 win at Real Sociedad while Javi Martinez scored in injury-time for Athletic Bilbao to draw 1-1 at Malaga.

Late Fabregas penalty rescues Arsenal fa cup

AGENCIES LONDON, JAN 9

Cesc Fabregas came off the bench to score a last-minute penalty to earn 10-times winners Arsenal a 1-1 home draw with Championship (second division) side Leeds United in a pulsating FA Cup third-round match on Saturday.

Three other Premier League clubs were not so lucky, with Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Blackpool losing to lower-league opposition as the world's oldest cup competition maintained its reputation for upsets.

Sunderland, flying high in sixth position in the league, fielded a weakened team and were beaten 2-1 at home by Notts County who are struggling in League One (third division).

Championship promotionchasers Reading won 1-0 at home to hand West Brom their sixth successive defeat while League One Southampton overcame visiting Blackpool 2-0.

Bolton Wanderers, seventh in the Premier League, needed late goals from Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander to scrape past minor league York City 2-0 while Everton, Fulham, Wigan Athletic, Aston Villa, West Ham United and Birmingham City also progressed.

Federer wins Qatar Open AGENCIES DOHA, JAN 9

Roger Federer won the Q a t a r O p e n without dropping a set when he beat defending champion Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-4 in a 79-minute final on Saturday.

Federer became the first three-time winner in Doha, following titles in 2005 and 2006.

“It is a great start to the new season,” Federer told the 8,000 fans at Khalifa Tennis Complex. “I felt great all week here. I controlled the game from the first set and did well in the second, too.”

When asked about his chances at the Australian Open this month, a smiling Federer said, “I am not ready now. I will be when I get there. But obviously, the wins here will help me build my rhythm (in Australia).”

Don and Sachin are in different league: Lee hensive 1-3 loss in the Ashes series against England, the New South He has bowled to some of the players from different eras. I Welshman, who has taken 310 world's best batsmen in his career, believe the best players in one wickets in 76 Tests and 324 in 186 but speedster Brett Lee feels iconic era would compare with the ODIs, felt his country can bounce batsman Sachin Tendulkar and the back in a few years' time by introlegendary Sir Don Bradman are in best in others. That said, ducing new players and changing a different league. its policies which worked in the Bradman and Tendulkar are two "It is always hard to compare players that stand out amongst all past. players from different eras. I be"It is disappointing for Australia lieve the best players in one era batsman. They are in a league of their own to lose and to lose the way we would compare with the best in -- Brett Lee have. That said, we have been at others. That said, Bradman and the top for almost 15 years and that helped keep his country on top for Tendulkar are two players that stand out more than a decade in the highest form of we need to start introducing new players amongst all batsman. They are in a league the game, was emphatic that Tendulkar to the team. Australia will be back at the of their own," said Lee in an e-mail interview was the best-ever batsman he had bowled top very soon," he said. to PTI. "I think we need 2-3 years for our new to.

The 34-year-old Australian, who has reHe also hailed the champion batsman rung of players to settle and for a team to tired from Tests, was reacting to a question for his stupendous feats of completing be built. The talent is there -- this I have whether it was proper to compare the In- 50 Test tons and being the first and only no doubt! I think we need to start afresh dian batting maestro with the late Aus- batsman to score a double hundred in and change some of the policies that tralian ODIs, and was wholesome in praise of worked for us whilst we had the players legend when the two players had played the calibre of Warne & co." under vastly dif- the Indian maestro for getting a barrage "For example, I ferent circum- of runs against top class pace away from don't think we stances, rules home. can afford the "I have consistently said that Sachin is luxury of resting and conditions.

Lee, w h o the best player I have bowled to. He is like players the way formed a lethal a good bottle of wine, getting better with we were able to p a c e b o w l i n g age. He is one of my favourite players and do previously," partnership with I am thrilled for him. He got these runs said Lee, whose f e l l o w - A u s - against real pace away from home. He is a thunderbolt was tralians Glenn true class," Lee said. clocked once at Looking at the current state of Australian 1 6 0 - k m p h i n McGrath and Jason Gillespie cricket in the after match of its compre- speed.

PTI MUMBAI, JAN 9

n It is always hard to compare

pg18:Layout 1 1/10/2011 12:27 AM Page 1

Pg18

India start as underdogs in Asian Cup opener Pg 17

Chirag Utd stun bagan Pg 16

GOA, MONDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2011

Rohit, Raina set up India T20 victory

Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma celebrate with the trophy after winning a one-off Twenty20 international at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday.

PTI DURBAN, JAN 9

An injury-hit India produced a disciplined allround performance to notch up an emphatic 21-run victory over South Africa in the only twenty20 international here today.

Playing without key openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, India rode on a brilliant half-century by Rohit Sharma (53 off 34 balls) and Suresh Raina's racy 23-ball 41 to post a competitive 168 for six after

skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat.

The visitors then returned to restrict South Africa to 147 for nine in the stipulated 20 overs to complete the victory at the Moses Mabhida Stadium here.

Ashish Nehra and Yusuf Pathan chimed in with two wickets each to contribute to the cause.

For South Africa, opener Morne van Wyk blasted a whrilwind 39-ball 67 comprising five fours and as many sixes but he didn't get support from the

India: V Kohli b Botha 28, M Vijay c Van Wyk b Parnell 14, R Sharma c Ntini b Duminy 53, Yuvraj Singh run out (Miller) 12, Y Pathan b Theron 6, S Raina c Miller b Theron 41, M Dhoni not out 10. Extras: 4. Total: 168 for 6. Fall of wickets: 1-18, 2-67, 3-109, 4-110, 5-136, 6-168. Bowling: Parnell 4-0-25-1, Ntini 4-0-46-0, Theron 4-0-39-2, Peterson 3-0-20-0, Botha 3-0-25-1, Duminy 2-0-12-1.

South Africa: M van Wyk c Nehra b Kumar 67, H Amla b Nehra 1, C Ingram c Kumar b Patel 2, A de Villiers run out (Raina) 14, J Duminy lbw b Yuvraj 0, D Miller lbw b Pathan 10, J Botha c Sharma b Nehra 25, R Peterson c Kohli b Pathan 2, W Parnell c Pathan b Ashwin 14, J Theron not out 1, M Ntini not out 1. Extras: 10. Total: 147 for 9. Fall of wickets: 1-6, 2-31, 3-88, 4-89, 5-93, 6-108, 7-120, 8-141, 9-144. Bowling: Kumar 3-0-17-1, Nehra 4-0-22-2, Patel 2-0-26-1, Ashwin 4-0-33-1, Yuvraj 4-0-20-1, Pathan 3-0-22-2. Man-of-the-match: R Sharma.

SPORTS Contact us on: sports@herald-goa.com

www.oheraldo.in

other end as the hosts fell short by 21 runs in the end.

India and South Africa will next play the five-match oneday series starting here on Wednesday.

Chasing 169 to win, South Africa had a slow start as they lost their opener Hashim Amla in the second over with seamer Ashish Nehra doing the damage.

Nehra's delivery landed on the off-stump and moved in a bit as Alma trying to play across the line, completely missed it only to see his wickets disturbed.

H o w e v e r, n e w b a t s m a n Morne van Wyk blasted a six and a couple of fours in the first three balls off Munaf Patel in the third over to shurg off the slow start.

He clubbed another six in the next over, pulling Nehra over deep midwicket but Patel removed Colin Ingram in the other end to leave South Africa at 31 for two.

Van Wyk, however, continued his blitzkrieg and picked up another six and a four off Patel to keep the scoreboard ticking.

It’s pleasing to start tour with a good knock: Sharma PTI DURBAN, JAN 9

Indian Express on roll l Wins 5th Chennai Open doubles crown lStanislas claims singles title cess to hosts' 52 on points won on first serve returns.

All through the match, Paes returned to the body of Martin for decisive points whenever he tried to come up front for his returns, while Bhupathi was at his best with his backhand volley returns.

Swiss tennis star Stanislas Wawrinka overcame Belgian Xavier Malisee in a hard fought three-setter to lift the Chennai Open singles title.

In a marathon 134 minute summit clash, Wawrinka overcame a sluggish start to register a 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 to head to the Australian

Rohit Sharma is happy to start the South African tour by shaping India's win over the hosts in the one-off Twenty20 international and sees the upcoming ODI series as an opportunity to cement his place in the side.

When asked if the mind-boggling contract was the inspiration behind the cracking half-century today he said, "Not really. It was important to start on good note. It will be a challenging tournament. It is a very good opportunity (for cementing a place in ODI team)."

The young batsman said his familiarity with the conditions in South Africa helped him score calmly today.

"I have played here in T20 World Cup and in IPL and went accordingly. The wicket was on a slower and lower side and it was not easy to play shots. My plan was to rotate strike," he said.

India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was pleased with the win and acknowledged the role of part time bowlers in the victory.

FA Cup: Man U win Agencies LONDON, JAN 9

A second-minute Ryan Giggs penalty and a red card for Steven Gerrard ensured a frustrating return for Kenny Dalglish on Sunday as Manchester United beat Liverpool 1-0 in their FA Cup third-round clash at Old Trafford.

The penalty and 32nd-minute dismissal of Liverpool's captain enabled United to cruise through to a fourth-round away game with League Two (third division) Southampton and spoil the comeback of Dalglish, who replaced Roy Hodgson on Saturday.

Holders Chelsea progressed with a 7-0 thrashing of Ipswich Town at Stamford Bridge and will visit Everton, while Tottenham Hotspur beat League One (third division) Charlton Athletic 3-0 to set up a fourth-round London derby with Fulham.

(TOP) Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi pose with the doubles winner's trophy at the ATP Chennai Open 2011, in Chennai on Sunday. (RIGHT) Swiss tennis player Stanislas Wawrinka displays with the winner's trophy after winning his match against his Belgian opponent Xavier Malisse.

PTI CHENNAI, JAN 9

The Indian Express duo of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi survived a super tie break to clinch their first doubles title on their reunion and fifth at this venue at the ATP Chennai Open tennis tournament here tonight.

Paes and Bhupathi played with determination to start the season with a win ahead of the Australian Open, which remains the lone Grand Slam tournament that the duo has not won since their united effort on the ATP Tour from 1997 to 2002.

Having played a tough match last night to set up a final against the Dutch-American pair of Robin Hasse and David Martin, Paes

and Bhupathi came out victorious with a 6-2, 6-7 (3), 10-7 win.

Playing before a capacity crowd, the Indian duo raced to a 6-2 first set win. But the Dutch-American pair made amends with better coordination to take the second set.

It was a similar story to yesterday's semi-final as the Indians were not only surprised by their rivals aggression but the manner in which they excelled in service returns for points, especially Hasse, who also succeeded with net play, which is the Indians forte.

Hasse and Martin were a shade better to their strong rivals, but both dished out big tennis at vital times as ratiowise they had 73 per cent suc-

Open on a victorious note.

After splitting the first two sets, Wawrinka, a finalist here last year, raised the level of his game by a few notches and came out victorous.

Wawrinka, in his third appearnce here, became the first wild card entrant to clinch the title in tournament's 15-year history.

Pak claim 10-wkt win against Kiwis AP HAMILTON, JAN 9

Pakistan bowled out New Zealand for just 110 runs and claimed a 10-wicket win in the first test today, beating the home side inside three days.

Pakistan led by 92 runs on first innings, then destroyed New Zealand's batting lineup in just three hours, taking eight wickets before the hosts had even erased the deficit, including a spell of four wickets for one run as the Black Caps' middle order crumbled.

Pakistan then passed its target of 19 runs without losing a wicket.

Stand-in spinner Abdur Rehman took 3-24 to complete match figures of 6-75 which complemented his important contribution of 28 with the bat, and was named man of the match.

Rehman only won selection in the absence of regular spinner Saeed Ajmal who returned to Pakistan mid-week after the death of his father.

Wahab Riaz took 3-38 to join in the destruction of the New Zealand top-order and Umar Gul 3-28 to mop up the tail.

Pakistan openers Taufeeq Umar made 12 and Mohammad Hafeez 9 to ease to victory in 15 minutes, bringing up the winning runs with a four.

The win may be a rallying points for a new-look Pakistan team, which contained in Gul only one player from the series in New Zealand 12th months ago. It might also be a tonic to Pakistan cricket, ailing in the face of match-fixing allegations and internal disputes.

The heavy defeat is likely to heighten a sense of crisis in New Zealand cricket, already in the middle of a near-record run of 11-straight losses in one-day games.