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Panjim I March 13, 2011 I Postal Reg. No. Goa 101 I Price Rs. 3.00 I Air Surcharge Rs 2 I Pages 16+8

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HERALD ExCLUSIvE

CM backs Jose Philip’s move to de-notify land worth Rs 75 cr for Dabolim expansion to benefit ally SURAJ NANDREKAR PANJIM, MARCH 12: On Valentine’s Day, the chief minister chaired a high-powered land acquisition meeting for expansion of the Dabolim airport. The meeting instead decided to de-notify 36,800 square meters of land, valued at about Rs 75 crores of one Bernard D’Costa, a proposal moved by Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza. The matter was moved to the cabinet which formally approved

this decision on March 9, last Wednesday.

The decision was actively pushed by the revenue minister who overruled the airport director’s view that acquiring this land was in the “public interest” since it was one of the contiguous areas available for expansion.

The other prominent politician of the area Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho was also present in this meeting and a party to this decision.

Extract from the cabinet note proposing de-notification of land acquisition.

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It is reliably learnt that the beneficiary of this de-notification Bernard D’Costa, is known to be close to both Jose Philip D’Sousa as well as Mauvin Godhino.

Herald is in possession of the cabinet note moved by Revenue Minister dated March 9 to ratify the decision of the Chief Minister led team which gave the in-principle approval to-in essencegive back D’Costa the land (Survey number 8/1).

The cabinet note refers to the February 14 meeting

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TOKYO, MARCH 12: An explosion at a nuclear power plant in Japan destroyed the building housing the reactor today triggering radiation leaks under the impact of the massive quake and the tsunami it spawned which has left at least 1,700 people dead or unaccounted for.

The radiation leak was low after the explosion destroyed the exterior walls of the building where the reactor is placed, but not the actual metal housing enveloping the reactor, government spokesman Yukio Edano told reporters. The explosion which left four persons injured led to a “nationwide atomic alert”.

Kyodo news agency said the combined number of people who have died or are unaccounted for in yesterday’s double disaster that devastated the country’s north-western coast is feared to top 1,700.

Local media reports said at least 1,300 may have been killed while chief government spokesman Yukio Edano said it was believed that more than 1,000 people had died.

There were fears that the death toll would rise with Fuji TV reporting that as many as 10,000 people were missing in the town of Minamisanriku in Miyagi. One report said four whole trains had disappeared and still not been located.

The building housing the main reactor at Fukushima nuclear plant in northern Japan, 250 km north of Tokyo, exploded this afternoon leading to radiation leaks injuring four people as the authorities told 45,000 residents living within a 10km radius of the leaking plant to evacuate their homes, Kyodo reported. The injuries are not life threatening, an official said.

“The plant is experiencing a nuclear meltdown,” Japanese nuclear scientists confirmed, after Prime Minister Naoto Kan visited the site in a helicopter early today.

Kan urged calm among people living near the plant.

PANJIM, MARCH 12: Describ-

IN SAFE HANDS: A soldier carries an elderly woman on his back as people are evacuated to a shelter at Kesennuma city in Miyagi prefecture on Saturday.

CURTAIN RAISER

Will Panjim come first, at long last?

Corrupt or Communal. It’s a battle of tags on poll eve BINDIYA CHARI PANJIM: Close to call. If this is the status of the predictometer on the eve of the CCP elections, a partial victory has already been reserved for Manohar Parrikars Panaji First and his silent supporters the Panjimites Initiative for Change.

This has been a hard battle.

As the stage is set for that one last and most important call that the people of Panjim will take, getting that sweet sixteen, the magic majority

Counting on Monday

I

n view of the law and order concerns expressed by the Goa Police, the State Election Commission (SEC) has postponed the counting of votes for the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) elections to Monday, March 14.

The SEC today declared

that it has deferred the counting to March 14 morning, fearing a law and order problem.

Earlier, it had declined the request of the police to postpone counting of votes to next day.

It was, however, not known why police were so >Continued on pg 10

figure, will be hard fought.

In the two corners-Panaji First (PF) of opposition leader

Manohar Parrikar and Panaji City Corporation Development Front (PCCDF) of the

GSCW seeks report on alleged custodial death TEAM HERALD

Toll rises to 1,700

PTI

where it was decided to denotify the land under section 48 of the Land Acquisition Act. Though notified, the government had not physically taken possession of the land.

Look at the official reason for this largesse, an absolute tear jerker to those who do not how this government works. “In order not to cause injustice to the applicant by denying his rightful claim on the land already coming into settlement zone >Continued on pg 10

Taleigao MLA. Babush Monseratte, though a front runner, faces these elections with certain distinct disadvantages. He is not new anymore. If the glitter of Taleigao rubbed off on the Panjim voters, the same glitter hasn’t rubbed off on Panjim.

The fact that the panchayat of Taleigao is showcased as an area of development while Panjim deteriorates has also struck many Panjim loving middle class voters. >Continued on pg 10

ing the alleged custodial death of a 50-year-old woman as unfortunate, Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) Chairperson Ezilda Sapeco on Friday said that she would be seeking a detailed report on the incident from the Bicholim police station.

Rajani alias Kalyani alias Babita was arrested on March 4 for allegedly murdering her 54-year-old paramour Babi Mote as she suspected him of getting closer to a younger woman.

Two days after her arrest, she was referred to Goa Medical College and Hospital after she complained of breathing problem. She, however, died on March 7 while undergoing treatment >Continued on pg 10

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Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

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CCP CANDIDATES WARD I -- WOMEN OBC Ana Rosa Lobo, Natty Po Kiran Zambaulikar WARD II -- GENERAL Nazareth Cabral Nelson Cabral Evaristo Fernandes Ravindra Kurtikar Raju Martins Mahesh Shirodkar

WARD XVIII -GENERAL Sameer Chari Faterpekar Ratnakar Laxman Kharde Ravish Kharde Sitaram Naik WARD XIX --WOMEN Deodita Da Cruz Neeta Gaitonde Vera Nunes Maria Rita Pereira

WARD III -- GENERAL Sebastiano Barreto Margarida Coelho Benjamin Po Gloria Po

WARD XX -- GENERAL Avinash Bhonsle Suraj Kande Viren Mahale Krishna Shirodkar

WARD IV -- OBC Tukaram Dongrekar Carolina Po

WARD XXI -- OBC Mahesh Chandekar Gangaram Kale Kedar Shirgaonkar

WARD V -- WOMEN OBC Sheetal Naik Shubhada Shirgaonkar WARD VI - GENERAL Alex Felizado Bento Lorena Gurudeva Sinai Gaitonde WARD VII - WOMEN Regina Almeida Shweta Lotlikar WARD VIII -- GENERAL Tukaram Chinawar Durga Keluskar Tony Rodrigues WARD IX -- GENERAL Surendra Furtado Sudin Kamat Domnic Rodrigues WARD X -- WOMEN Ruth Furtado Dr Tosha Kurade Maya Joshi WARD XI -- GENERAL Manoj Patil Kabir Pinto Makhija Ashley Rosario WARD XII -- GENERAL Prasad Amonkar Vaidehi Naik WARD XIII -- WOMEN Bharati Heble Mangala Karapurkar Seema Pednekar WARD XIV --GENERAL Ashok Naik Yatin Parekh Prasad Surlekar

WARD XXII -OBC Hema Chopdekar Maya Talkar WARD XXIII -- OBC Rudresh Chodankar Shailesh Ugadekar Satchit Vaigankar WARD XXIV -- GENERAL Jitendra Keni Diksha Mayenkar Manda Shetye Mohanlal Sarmalkar WARD XXV -- WOMEN Shubhada Dhond Nameeta Narvekar

Polling will take place in all 30 wards at 68 booths wherein a total of 32,090 voters will exercise their franchise. Elections will be conducted on Electronic Voting Machines and 30 EVMs have bee kept in reserve in case of any emergency.

Around 450 designated polling staffers and 500-odd security personnel including policemen from different police stations in North Goa, Indian Reserve Battalion and Goa Reserve Police (GRP) have been deployed for poll duty.

WILL OLD BE GOLD? Veteran Corporators sweat hard to get victory glitter They are the stalwarts who have won many elections in the past. But CCP 2011 may well be their toughest challenge yet. Bindiya Chari finds out that the past is not necessarily a sign for the future

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he veterans of Panjim have their task cut out. For the first time in many years, hardnosed corporators who have won their seats easily are facing a tough fight The contest between deputy mayor Yatin Parekh and a former mayor Ashok Naik in ward XIV of the CCP is likely to be hard on Parekh who has won from here three times consecutively.

Parekh who is part of Babush panel is considered to be a front runner for the post of mayor whereas Naik heads the BJP panel.

The second ward where the fight is likely to turn fierce and interesting is ward VIII. A former mayor Tony Rodrigues was shifted from his comfort zone of ward XVIII to ward VIII, after Nagesh Karishetty opted out from the panel.

Rodrigues who is seeking election for the third time is set to face a tough fight from a novice and an independent candidate, Tukaram Chinawar. Chinawar is receiving support from unexpected quarters and his candidature is also supported by PINC. Election in ward II is likely to be intriguing as there are six contestants in the fray however the real fight is likely to be between Cabral brothers. The sitting corporator , Nazareth is a Babush candidate whereas Nelson Cabral is backed by the BJP panel -Panaji First(PF).

Yatin Parekh

Ashok Naik

Tony Rodrigues

Accused in market scam, the sitting corporator of Ward XVII Uday Madkaikar raised his ante against Babush, after he was belatedly dropped from the panel.

Madkaikar revolted against Babush and entered the fray as an independent after he was dropped.

Uday who is known to have pull among the migrant population settled in BhatlemChincholem area may turn out to be a spoil sport for Babush’s man Prajot Vaigankar.

This part of the area being adjacent to Taleigao constituency , the BJP panel is eager to make a break through here. And if Babush loses this ward to BJP candidate

Nilesh Khandeparkar as a result of spilt in votes, it will be a hard blow to Babush.

Adv Avinash Bhonsle, who is contesting from the NCP supported panel is also likely to find it difficult in getting re-elected for the third term. He is contesting from ward XX. Milind Shirodkar of the Babush panel who is seeking election for the second term, is expected to pose a tough challenge for Bhonsle who repeatedly raised his voice against corruption in CCP. The PF’s Suraj Kande seems have made an impression on the voters. And if there split in votes here it is likely to benefit Kande.

Ward XII is where two sitting councilors are

contesting against each other -- a close fight between enterprising Vaidehi Naik of PF and Prasad Amonkar of Babush panel is expected.

The contest in ward XXV located in Kundaikarnagar area as well as ward XXIV, Boca de Vaca area which is considered to be a stronghold of BJP, can turn out to be very interesting.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that Babush panel has made strong efforts to enter the BJP strong hold. There are four contestants in fray in ward XXIV, however , the contest likely to be between the outgoing corporator Diksha Mayenkar and Manda Shetye of Babush panel.

Sachin Ambadoskar

WARD XXVI -- GENERAL Cunha Oscar Edward Jorge Rui Ferreira Premanand Naik

TEAM HERALD

WARD XXVII -- OBC Shubham Chodankar Suraj Kandolkar

PANJIM, MARCH 12: The

WARD XXVIII -- WOMEN Nivedita Chopdekar Sujata Haldankar WARD XXIX -- OBC Vanita Fernandes Pratima Hoble Garudi Naik WARD NO XXX -GENERAL Rupesh Halankar Shamsunder Kamat Vivina Nasnodkar Aires Rodrigues.

WARD NO XV -- GENERAL Shekhar Degvekar Mangaldas Naik WARD XVI -- WOMEN Pascoela Mascarenhas Satisha Shirodkar Nina Silimkhan WARD XVII - GENERAL Nilesh Khandeparkar Uday Madkaikar Prajot Vaigankar

Suspended constables unofficially shunted!

VIBHA VERMA & SURAJ NANDREKAR PANJIM, MARCH 12: Goa Police was quick enough to suspend the two constables responsible for the escape of Michael Fernandes, but few may know that the suspended constables were posted on Escort duty without being relieved from the Police Training School (PTS) at Valpoi.

Sadanand Malik and Gaurish Pednekar were suspended on February 23 after the notorious gangster escaped from judicial custody at Chicalim junction while being escorted for medical check up at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) at Bambolim.

Sources said that the two constables, who were in a batch of 131 constable recruits, had passed out from the Valpoi PTS on May 7. After languishing in the PTS centre for the following months, reliable sources said, the two constables were unofficially transferred to the Escort Cell.

Moreover, they were neither trained in the functioning of escorting prisoners or undertrials nor were they issued “relieving orders” when shunted to Vasco Escort Cell from the training centre.

Similarly, there are other pass outs who were posted at Goa Reserve Police (GRP), Altinho for escort prisoners’ duty for a period of six months without any formal intimation. They are taken back to the training centre without any duties allocated to them.

District administration, police geared up

poll prep: A policeman escorts election officials to a jeep outside the Goa College of Pharmacy, Panjim on Saturday.

Panjim SDPO shunted to Ponda TEAM HERALD PANJIM, MARCH 12: Hours before the start of municipal election on Sunday, State Election Commission late on Saturday evening ordered transfer of Panjim Sub Division Police Officer (SDPO) Deu Benaulikar to Ponda till Monday, March 14 midnight.

Similarly, Ponda SDPO Serafin Dias has been shunted to Panjim for the

opposition effect!

The order comes after the Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar on Friday alleged Benaulikar’s strong links with Babush Monserrate and demanded his immediate transfer. election duties till the counting of votes on Monday.

The order comes after the Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar on Friday alleged Benaulikar’s strong links with Babush Monserrate and de-

manded his immediate transfer.

“Benaulikar is acting as a stooge of Babush Monserrate. We have demanded immediate transfer of the DySP. We have written to the SEC in this regard,” he had said.

Battle for Panjim

district administration and the police are all geared up for the Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP) poll duty on Sunday.

Officials said that around 450 designated polling staffers and 500-odd security personnel including policemen from different police stations in North Goa, Indian Reserve Battalion and Goa Reserve Police have been deployed for poll duty.

Polling will take place in all 30 wards at 68 booths wherein a total of 32,090 voters will exercise their franchise. Election would be conducted on Electronic Voting Machines and 30 EVMs are kept as reserves in case of any emergency.

To ensure free and fair

polling, Goa Police has made elaborate security arrangements starting from Saturday evening till the counting day on March 14.

North Goa Superintendent of Police Arvind Gawas told Herald that seven mobile jeeps with mobile officers, two supervisory officers, five police motorcycle teams and three Police Control Room vans would be patrolling throughout the Election Day on March 13.

Similarly, six pickets have been stationed at six different places even as senior officers are personally patrolling the polling place.

All polling booths will be under strict security vigil and specific officers will monitor the situation there.

Whereas on the counting day, a separate batch of 160 police personnel will be placed on duty.

Restrictions on liquor TEAM HERALD PANJIM, MARCH 12: In view of general election to 30 wards of CCP, the Government in a notification has prescribed the maximum quantity of liquor which can be transported from one place to another within the municipal areas of CCP. This also implies to the jurisdiction of panchayats

areas of Taleigao, St Cruz, Chimbel, Nerul, Penha-deFrance and Old Goa by any person or which can be possessed by any person without a permit issued in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Rules in force.

Three quart bottles of Indian made foreign liquor other than beer and six bottles of beer for any person including his family.

Three quart bottles of country liquor for any person including his family.

The Notification shall remain in force within the Municipal area of CCP and also within the jurisdiction of Panchayats areas of Taleigao, St. Cruz, Chimbel, Nerul, Penha-deFrance and Old Goa, on the day of polling (March 13) and counting of votes (March 14).

Scarce parking problem in Ward 26

Ward 16 lacks sewage facilities

TEAM HERALD

TEAM HERALD

PANJIM, MARCH 12:Ward 26 which forms part of Portais area of the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) is marked with some beautiful houses.

It though does not have inherent problems which other parts of the city face consequent to rampant construction activity, it does have its share of problems.

Scarcity of parking facility is one such problems which has been aggravated as there is no scope for widening of roads here.

"Only solution is to control the vehicles

using inner network of roads," suggested one resident but did not want to be named.

Well, the problem seems to have slipped the attention of the city fathers while residents keep complaining about vehicles causing obstruction to their passage in the area.

Also the problem which has been ignored is about open drains which are there in most part of the St Tome area.

"The open drains have led to many a accidents here, mainly in monsoons, "pointed out one of the resident who has witnessed many such incidents. One of the open drains happens to be in front of her house.

Sachin Ambadoskar

PANJIM, MARCH 12: Located on the PanjimTaleigao border, Ward 16 appears to be in a mess.

The area is St, Inez, Vodlem Bhat which looks like a village but is faced with problems such as influx of migrants, lack of sewage and drainage facilities.

Reserved for women , this ward will witness a triangu-

A view of the slums in Ward 16. lar fight -- Pascoela Mascarenhas (Babush panel), Nina Silimkhan (Panaji First) and one Satisha Shi-

rodkar.

However, it is likely to be a straight contest between Pascoela and Nina.

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Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

Constables are undergoing another onemonth commando course, which requires physical fitness. The basic requirement of the fresh commando course is physical fitness and we are preparing them for it.

-- PTS Principal

Suspended constables Sadanand Malik and Gaurish Pednekar were neither trained in the functioning of escorting prisoners or undertrials nor were they issued “relieving orders” when shunted to Vasco Escort Cell from the training centre.

Constables still in Valpoi PTS sans posting for 9 months VIBHA VERMA & SURAJ NANDREKAR PANJIM, MARCH 12: In the backdrop of manpower crunch faced by State Police Department, ironically, there is a batch of constables, who have completed their

training but are still languishing in the Police Training School (PTS) at Valpoi, without any posting for last nine months.

Reliable sources told Herald that 131 police personnel, selected from the annual recruitment program, passed out

from the PTS on May 7, 2010 after undergoing stringent nine months basic training courses. As per police set of laws, the process of deploying them in police stations should have begun. But except for a selected few, others have been sta-

Brit killed in Colva mishap

HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, MARCH 12: A 61year-old British national Walter McDonald Shuff was killed in a road accident at Colva on Saturday morning.

Colva police informed cyclist Shuff was knocked to death by a 4-wheeler.

tioned at PTS without postings.

Sources stated that two sub inspectors, who were the part of training were posted at different police stations while 17 lady constables were sent to GRP. The remaining 119 candidates were

given a 10-day-long break and later sent for pre-commando training at Nanoda, Valpoi. Subsequently, 45 students amongst them were chosen for anti-terrorist squad training at Hyderabad and remaining were asked to report to PTS,

where they are still there.

In the series of training and coaching sessions, Goa Police ordered one more training ‘Force I Commando Training’ to now remaining 74 recruits at Pune Police Centre.

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Incidentally, due to the porous Chapoli dam canal track, a large amount of water meant for irrigation purpose gets wasted as it mostly flows down the Arabian Sea through Devabhaga-Palolem River or gets accumulated in some non-cultivable low-lying barren lands.

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Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

The Korgaonkar couple has been surviving largely due to the generosity of the villagers, who are taken aback by their sorry state of affairs. The locals have even been providing them with meals and other requirements.

Water bodies play a vital role in the lives of people in the State. But authorities rarely harness these networks for the benefit of the people. In two such places, Herald correspondents have reported that while one river is in danger or extinction, precious water is being wasted elsewhere as freshwater is seeping from a nearby canal meant for irrigation purpose.

Mined Out: Old iron ore dumps choke Telaulim’s lifeline

Alfred Fernandes

Huge tracts of mining ore dumps in the vicinity of Telaulim, which poses a threat to the Uguem River.

T

he Uguem River, which commences from the hilly terrain of Telaulim ward of Bhati village of Sanguem taluka, is in danger or extinction, if no preventive steps are taken at the earliest.

This is because the old mining dumps and ore stacked in the vicinity of the Telaulim is now causing a nuisance in the locality and threatening the flow of river water.

The history of mining activities in Telaulim goes back some eight years, when mining was rampant in Telaulim, Verlem, Salgini, Neturlim and other nearby areas of Bhati, Villian and Neturlim.

However, since the declaration of the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary, most mines in these villages are closed, as they were coming under the ‘buffer zone’.

The Uguem River, which subsequently flows into Sanguem River, has

its base at Telaulim. There are some four streams flowing from the two hills surrounding Telaulim, which marks the beginning of the river.

But villagers fear that the Uguem River is now in danger and claim that the river could become extinct if the mining department fails to act in the matter.

alfred fernandes

sanguem Sources in the village informed that some eight years ago, three mines were reportedly in operation in the vicinity of Telaulim.

After the closure of the mines the firms left huge amounts of iron ore fines at the mine sites, which are now in the process of causing damage to the ecology and the very flow of the river.

Moreover, in addition to large quantities of processed ore, there are also huge dumps of mining rejects barely few metres from the river, which over a period of time have begun to flow into the river.

Ironically, when the Netravali Wildlife Sanctuary was declared, the mine owners were reportedly given sufficient time to lift the extracted ore, which they failed to do.

The river is almost on the dead end of its existence and hundreds of farmers along the downstream of the river, who depend on the river for their livelihood, are likely to be the worst sufferers.

The mining department over the years has been indifferent to the unplanned dumping of iron ore rejects in the remote areas.

If the department fails to initiate and prevent the flow of ore rejects into the river, then the Uguem River is sure to stop flowing for good.

Problem of plenty: Porous Chapoli canal wastes irrigation water

W

hile most rivulets in Canacona taluka have run dry during this time of the year, the Devabhaga River is flowing in full force.

The reason is largely due to a porous irrigation canal of Chapoli dam, passing in close proximity to the river, which presently runs round-theclock to supply water for irrigation activities in Devabhaga-Palolem.

The Chapoli canal is running round the clock, as manifold rabbi crop cultivation activities are underway in DevabhagPalolem. More and more non-cultivated and idlelying paddy fields are also brought under cultivations this rabbi season.

Incidentally, due to the porous Chapoli dam canal track, a large amount of water meant for irrigation purpose gets wasted as it mostly flows down the Arabian Sea through Devabhaga-Palolem River or gets accumulated in some non-cultivable low-lying barren lands.

It may be recalled that last year, Herald had highlighted heavy wastage of Chapoli dam water meant for irrigation purpose due to the leaking canal track, where the water either flows into other low-lying land or flows into the sea through

Kathy Pereira

Boys enjoy freshwater overflowing from a Bhandara at Devabhaga River in Canacona. a river.

Some of those areas where dam water was wasted last year are however brought under rabbi

kathy pereira

canacona cultivation this year.

Incidentally, Chapoli dam is known as Canconcar’s lifeline as its water resource is extensively used for irrigation purpose in most cultivable areas of Shrishtal and Canacona Municipal limits. Besides, the treated

water is supplied to residents of Agonda, Canacona Municipal, Shristhal and even Poinguinim throughout the year.

When contacted, a source at local irrigation office informed that annually department is carrying out normal checks and maintenances of dam’s irrigation canal route, but no major repair works are undertaken ever since the canals were made operational some years ago.

Presently, irrigation supply is unlimited, informed the source, which means that large amounts

of water seeping through this porous canal goes to waste and is not of any use to the farmers.

The source admitted the fact that Chapoli irrigation canal is not 100% porous free and given the ground conditions, seepages on the canal route are bound to take place, even if some of the prone zones are repaired.

However, locals fear that if authorities fail to repair the canal, water could soon drain out from the dam’s basin, seriously affecting domestic water supply in the months of April and May.

It is not uncommon to mega housing projects mushrooming in many parts of the State. Amid these high-rise structures, there are many who struggle for a basic shelter and bare living conditions. Herald correspondents visit two such places where migrant labourers have been forced to live in makeshift sheds on government land, while an elderly Goan couple has been living in a thatched hut devoid of any benefits from the government.

Cowshed like existence for Mormugao migrants

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eople in other parts of the State have been crying foul over illegal activities, but authorities and residents have remained mute spectators to illegal shanties erected by migrant labourers on government land at Bogda-Mormugao.

Over 300 workers, mostly from Murshidabad District in West Bengal, one of the poorest districts in India, are living in small shanties at Bogda-Mormugao. The makeshift structures, made up of corrugated tin sheets, appear to be cow sheds but people have been living in them since the last one year without any basic facilities.

Incidentally, the Mormugao Police station is located in the area, while educational institutions, a temple, police quarters and residential quarters are also located in the vicinity.

The government land is now filled with open toilets, sewage water and garbage scattered all over the place. However, except

M Prabhav

Labourers from Mursidabad District in West Bengal live in deplorable condition in sheds at Bogda-Mormugao. for a few women from the police quarters, none of the residents have complained about the nuisance in the locality.

“The living condition in these sheds is very pathetic. Some labourers have already complained about malaria in the area,” said Jahrul Alam, a labourer from Murshidabad.

“There is no toilet facility, sewerage is discharged in the open and garbage scattered all around the place,” complained Alam.

“We have worked in Gu-

taurappa lamani

mormugao jarat, Delhi and other places. Contractors have provided all the facilities over there, but it is unfortunate that in a place like Goa, contractors have kept us in such shabby conditions,” complained Manoj Mondal, another worker from Mursidabad district.

He further said that not a single worker has a health card or other nec-

essary facilities.

A local resident complained that contractors have allegedly erected illegal shanties on government land without taking any permission from the concerned authorities.

“It is government land, but we don’t know who has allowed these illegal structures, which have become a nuisance and are prone to vector-borne diseases,” complained Nilkant Desai of Bogda.

Mormugao MLA Milind Naik, who had recently carried out inspection,

stated that none of the residents have complained about the nuisance.

“Since the issue has been highlighted by media, I inspected the area,” said MLA Naik.

Interestingly, when the MLA was inspecting the shanties, some health officers arrived and disappeared from the site after they saw media persons at the site.

“It appears that the health authority is aware about these structures, but do not want to take action, the way they disappeared after looking at the media,” said Naik.

When enquired how illegal structures could have gone without notice from the health authority and others, one Filaria officer from Vasco Urban Health Center had visited the site and had verbally instructed the contractors to stop the open sewage.

Health Officer Vikash Kuvelkar said he has asked Mormugao Municipal Council chief officer to remove the illegal shanties in the area.

On the road with snakes for company: The plight of an elderly Assagao couple

T

Thomas Fernandes

he State government may have come up with various schemes for the benefit of the poor and the needy Goans, but in many cases the schemes rarely reach the intended sections of society. thomas fernandes

bardez Dwelling belonging to the Korgaonkar’s family.

In one such instance, an elderly couple from Assagao has been living in abject poverty and local authorities have been clueless about their existence.

Eknath (71) and Vasanti Korgaonkar (65) have been residing in a thatched hut at Bairo Alto-Assagao for over 10 years.

They have gone through various ordeals and have spent many nights with snakes frequenting their hut, as they struggle to eke out a living.

According to the elderly couple, they were cheated of their house dwelling by the landlord and have been liter-

ally on the road for almost 10 years.

“Politicians have also not come to our aid even though we are voters of Siolim constituency and Assagao Panchayat with valid Election Photo ID cards in our possession,” added the couple.

The Korgaonkar couple has been surviving largely due to the generosity of the villagers, who are taken aback by their sorry state of affairs.

The locals have even been providing them with meals and other requirements.

Despite their pitiable condition, local politicians are yet to assist the couple in avail-

ing of government schemes.

Assagao Panch Daisy D’Souza claimed that she had brought the sorry state of affairs to the attention of authorities concerned. “But nothing has been done in favour of the Korgaonkar couple,” D’Souza said.

Incidentally, Assagao Sarpanch Pradip Naik claimed he was unaware of the sorry plight of the Korgaonkar’s, who have been living in his own village for almost 10 years without proper shelter. Moved by their situation, Naik has, however, pledged to provide some sort of relief to the elderly couple.

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Primary education is free in regional languages, but not in English. At the same time, the government has allowed opening of several unaided primary schools.

-- Reginaldo Lourenco

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‘Govt should not impose CS served notice to stop medium of instruction’ permit for beach festivals

HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, MARCH 12: Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has appealed to the Education Minister Babush Monserrate to ensure that the medium of instruction at the elementary level is not imposed on the parents and the student community.

Instead, he has called for a liberal approach and allow the managements of the existing private aided schools to select the medium of instructions from Std I-VIII in consultations with PTAs of their respective schools and to continue releasing grants from Std V-VIII to all existing private aided schools, irrespective of the medium of instructions.

“Primary education is free in regional languages, but not in English. At the same time, the government has allowed opening of several unaided primary schools. While the

middle class and the elite are admitting their children in English medium primary schools by paying exhorbitant fees, the poor have no choice, but to admit their children to primary schools having medium of instructions in regional languages as the same is free. We must provide equal opportunities to all the children”, he said, while underlining the need to review the policy on elementary education on a priority basis.

He termed the existing government policy as discriminatory since the poor parents have no choice to select the medium of instructions for the child at primary level of education.

Referring to reports that the Goa government wants to change the medium of instruction in stages from Std V-VIIII to vernacular languages in government and private aided schools, where the existing

medium of instruction is English, Lourenco said such a policy would be retrograde in nature in the world of globalization and computer era.

“It would be prudent to allow the existing government and private aided primary schools to decide the medium of instructions at elementary level of education in consultation with the PTAs of the respective schools as such measures would be within the spirit of the Right to Education Act and Rule 6 of the Education Rules”, he added.

Saying that he strongly believes that a child must grow with strong bonds of love and affection to their local culture and ethos, Lourenco said “For this purpose, Konkani or Marathi or other regional language could be introduced as a subject from Std II onwards where English is the medium of instruction.

Need for competent teachers at primary level: Nadkarni HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 12: Emphasizing on the need for quality and competent teachers at the primary level, educationist Pandurang Nadkarni has called for a host of measures to bring about changes in primary education, including changes in the syllabus to meet the requirements of local students.

Presenting his paper on the status of Primary Education in Goa at a seminar at the Ravindra Bhavan here on Saturday, Nadkarni lamented that the text books are not well designed since the state has adopted NCERT syllabus. He called for making suitable changes in the syllabus to meet the requirements.

Underlining the need to introduce pre-schools in government primary schools to stop sending their wards in these schools outside the village, Nadkarni also emphasized on the need to improvised Angawadi schools in the state.

Saying that teachers a the

Santosh Mirajkar

Educationist Pandurang Nadkarni presenting his paper on the status of primary education in Goa at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. primary schools have no mastery over the language they teach, he suggested imparting six month orientation program for the teachers in the language they teach in schools.

On the medium of instruction at the primary level, Nadkarni said that primary education is the foundation of education, mother tongue plays an important role, adding “it is an universal phenomenon that a child can acquire knowledge better through the mother tongue”.

In his paper of the status of Secondary education, Dr Narayan Dessai sought to know whether the heart is

missing in education, while expressing concern over the drop out rate at the secondary level.

“Looking inward is the need of education in Goa”, he said, while asserting that the statistics would not give a proper insight to the state of affairs.

He said the time has come for introspection and to be accountable and to use good quality system.

The seminar was organized by the Directorate of Art and Culture in collaboration with Ravindra Bhavan, Margao and Bhausaheb Bandodkar Birth Centenary celebration committee.

Mission Congresses at parishes in State

Skeleton recovered at Canacona

HERALD NEWS BUREAU

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

PANJIM, MARCH 12: As a follow up of the Goa Mission Congress in February 2009 at Pilar and in preparation for Easter 2011, the Diocesan Centre for Missionary Animation (DCMA) is planning to hold similar Mission Congresses in eight parishes of the State during this Lent.

The Mission Congresses will be conducted in Taleigao (March 13-15), Siolim from (March 24-26), Curtorim from (March 28-30), Navelim (April 5-7), Merces (April 9-10), Santa Cruz (April 12-14), Fatorda (April 16-17) and Moira (April 18-20).

The programmes will take place from 6 pm to 9.15 pm, except at Merces and Fatorda where the program of the second day, which is a Sun-

day, will be from 3.30 pm to 9.15 pm.

"The purpose of these Mission Congresses is to bring the Message of the Goa Mission Congress at the grassroots level and help people understand their faith better and deepen it so that they can witness that faith in their day to day living, both as individuals and as members of a community," said DCMA Director Fr Saturnino Dias.

"Every faithful is called for a daily witnessing of Christ.

When this witnessing cannot be done through words there is always the possibility of doing it in deeds of love and service."

"We need to do it at our workplace, especially in our educational and healthcare institutions, Fr Dias added.

CANACONA,

MARCH

12:

Canacona Police recently recovered a male skeleton from the thick vegetations on Ponsulem hillock.

Canacona Police recovered human bones, a pant, shirt and slippers at BhaitalemPonsulem in the thick forests behind the ITI building.

A rope was also found at the spot and based on the findings of pant, shirt, police have suspected that the body could be of a male person, while it is suspected that the man has committed suicide.

According to Canacona PI Raju Raut Dessai, some people who had gone to cut firewood noticed the human skeleton under a tree and accordingly informed the police.

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 12: A notice under section 80 of the Cr PC has been served on the Chief Secretary to stop forthwith the practice of granting permissions to hold festivals on any beach in Goa. Adv Radharao Gracias, who issued the notice upon instructions from Green Goa Foundation, maintained that permissions granted to hold festivals on the beaches is illegal.

He has threatened to file a civil suit in the court of District Judge either at Margao or Panjim to restrain the state government from granting such permissions.

Saying that the Tourism

CCP Polls: Plaint filed against candidate HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 12: Rui Ferreira, contesting from ward number 26, has filed a complaint with the State Election Commission (SEC) accusing his opponent for the violation of election Code of Conduct.

In a complaint to the SEC dated March 10, Ferreira has said that his opponent Dennis Edward Jorge has been supplying alcohol at his bar free of cost.

“Certain youth are being lured by my rival candidate with free supply of alcohol at his bar George and restaurant premises, for the last one week,” the complaint reads.

He has also stated that one Peter Rebello, employed in the bar has been distributing money there on behalf of the aforesaid rival candidate.

department has been illegal and surreptitiously granting permission to some companies from outside the state to organize three-day festival on the beaches of Goa, Adv Radharao asserted that the law does not permit the use of the public beach for such private functions.

“The Director of Tourism has over the years stopped granting permission to local people to hold summer festivals on the beach, which was previously regular features at Colva, Candolim, Calangute, Velsao, Benaulim, and Majorda beaches on the ground that the CRZ regulations do not permit such activities on the beach”, he said.

HE said that a festival

was held on the beach at Mobor-Cavelossim, last year with the organizers setting up a huge air conditioned tent right on the public beach, block the access to the public on the beach.

‘The grant of permission to hold the Goa Fest or such other festivals or program on the public beaches is complete violation of the law. The Director of Tourism has been acting in a haphazard and illegal manner in giving such permissions”, he stated in the notice.

Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

The purpose of these Mission Congresses is to bring the message of the Goa Mission Congress at the grassroots level and help people understand their faith better.

-- Fr Saturnino Dias

Meet at Velim today

BY HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 12: The Velim Civic and Consumer Forum will have

its monthly general meeting of consumer on March 13 at 10.30 am at St Xavier’s high school, Velim.

6

“ opinion www.oheraldo.in

Babush, of course, has no enmity with the Jews, but he believes in the torture chamber brand of politics that has only one method and lots of madness.

— Edit

“

Vol. No CXI No. 71 I Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

Look at it this way. Whatever the analysis of the historic opinion poll, one set of Goans won and one set lost.

– Dr Oscar Rebello

WEEKENDEDIT

SHOOTING FROM THE HIP

PEOPLE’SEDIT

Monserratte is a German

G.H.A.N.T.I

A meaningful manifesto is key

G

guys down the river, like disposable tampons.”

“And as this tsunami of destructive development is ready to swamp, you and drown you out of existence, you still can’t figure out if you should cry for help in Romi or Nagri Konkanni or Marathi or rush to a church or to a temple to seek divine succor.”

“But the migrant influx in slums is choking us out of reckoning,” I protested strongly.

“True doc,” he countered. “The slums are traditionally fixed vote banks with recurring compounded interest to highest bidder. But things are changing.

The youth in the slums unlike their parents are rebelling for being treated like toys without dignity. And in any case, can the migrant vote ever match you, if you guys stay united?.”

“But where do your loyalties lie,” I asked this crackling, sharp G.H.A.N.T.I? “Whose side are you on?”

“Unfair question doc,” he murmured. “Having lived off this land, my loyalties will always lie with Goa and all that you are fighting for. But talk to us, engage us, win us over to your side. We are tired of being pawns in the chess board of dirty politics.

True, there are bogus voters amongst us, huge blocks of guys who sell their votes, but then, so do Niz Goenkars, hundreds of illegal squatters, but crack down on them as per provisions of the law. Don’t stuff us all in the same basket for God’s sake.”

Having probed the deep, intelligent recesses of the mind of my friend, I was stupefied by his lucid and simple analysis of Goa’s socio- political scenario.

I asked him “So, do you think there’s a just and hopeful future for us in Goa?” With a large smile on his face as he downed his last drop of feni, he winked at me “yes,” he said, “but only if you let go of the ghosts of the past that are constantly shackling you.”

“And if you realize that in this battle of yours, you must necessarily take everyone along on the ride – Hindu, Christian, Muslims and the bhailo.

Democracy my friend gives you no other choice after all!!!

abush Monserrate has not been in politics for a long time, relatively speaking. But he has mastered the math, science and cunning of winning elections in a manner which can be described in three words – ruthless, cold and target oriented.

The life and times of Goa’s most watched maverick politician also has an uncanny resemblance to a gentleman called Adolf Hitler.

Babush, of course, has no enmity with the Jews, but he believes in the torture chamber brand of politics that has only one method and lots of madness. Winning at all costs, winning at any cost, winning without fear and without the pressure of retribution – in the ultimate analysis the score line matters.

He has other German traits. Imagine a football battle royale between Germany and Brazil. The fans sit on the edge of their seats watching Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and earlier Zico and Socrates play with their hearts in their boots, weaving waves and magic around the dogged German defence. Brazil is all over but they haven’t quite scored, but it is the beautiful game alright. One minute before the final whistle, Germany counterattacks with series of boring passes and nets in a drab goal. They win.

In the ongoing run up to the Panjim elections, Monseratte has not spoken to the press, not clarified or defended several allegations – some serious in nature – but gone about doing what he does best.

Where goodies worked, he gave goodies, where a bit of quiet worked, he spoke quietly and if a stronger course of action was required he initiated it. As a result, notwithstanding the efforts of all those who have played this elections with their hearts for the sake of Panjim, they still may not get the only prize that matters – a majority of seats.

The romance of the PINC (Panjimites Initiative for Change) is Cameroon-like. Remember the very popular Roger Milla and his gutsy footballers who set the 1990 World Cup alive by a series of shock results? PINC’s heartfelt campaign will cause ripples and maybe some shock upsets, but they may sadly still fall short of upsetting the Babush applecart. He is German after all!

If we leave the playing fields of football and return to our streets and homes, we will realise that good guys do not always finish first.

But the innocence, simplicity and passion of the good boy to bring about change is the only candle we have. Our children need to grow up guided by the light of this candle and hope that someday a Roger Milla will win the World Cup. At the same time, the lone candle has covered some ground already. From an election that was Babush Monserrate’s, barring the formalities, it is closer now. It doesn’t look like a clean sweep anymore. In fact, even if Monserrate calls upon the late Paul the Octopus, Germany’s most famous contemporary resident till he died, to predict the number of seats he will get, he may not get an accurate prediction.

After all, the heart has nothing to lose. Bringing down Monseratte’s tally will be a strong signal that Panjim will not just surrender.

On the other hand, a huge upset victory of the anti Babush forces will be revolution. In this hope lies the triumph. After all, the heart does pull some strings.

aganappa Hassan Ali Nagarjuna Tennyson India (G.H.A.N.T.I for short) is an old friend of mine. Now, graying at the temples, he has been working in Goa, for years now making this little land his home, away from home, since the early 60s.

His perception and critical analysis of Goa, her socio-political climate and her tortured history is something, I usually listen to with rapt attention.

As we sit down, at Clube Nacional, over a glass of feni, these are the pearls of wisdom he proffers.

“Goa, is completely fed to the dogs, don’t you think? Many people blame Goa’s disastrous woes on you, the ‘outsider,’ the perennial bhailo,” I said menacingly.

He smiled knowingly, “No doc” he said. “I share your sentiment, that the Goa we all know and love so much is being destroyed by powerful economic forces, both from within and from outside who care a fig for Goa, her people, her beauty and her splendor as long as their private profits are ensured.”

“Mmm,” I responded, “but then despite democracy, despite a reasonably fair electoral process why can’t we tame and destroy these forces that are driving a dagger through our soul?”

“Simple,” he grinned cunningly, “Because you Goans have never ever been united throughout your brief history in your small land, never!”

He then went on to elaborate, dissecting our history.

1961. “Some called it liberation, some still call it an invasion, so, you guys still could not reconcile if you guys were free or enslaved. Your first blow against unity.”

1966. “Opinion Poll. The overwhelming majority opted to retain Goa’s separate unique identity. And some wanted out, to merge, it with Maharashtra.

Look at it this way. Whatever the analysis of the historic opinion poll, one set of Goans won and one set lost. Did you all as a community ever try to figure out why the almost entire Bahujan Samaj wanted to merge with Maharashtra then? Were their grievances suitably addressed, or was the Jalyach Payge

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search for heraldweekend Jenny Harrop Rubbish and male urination in public areas needs to be looked into.

Visitors are being blamed for dumping rubbish, which is totally unjust.

Lourenco Fernandes There is a serious garbage problem in Goa. At places like Birla the garbage is strewn all along the roads, this is mostly because of migrant population settled there. We also have issues with water scarcity, especially in the summer months.

Gustavo Stephen Godinho These representatives lack the charm of being true leaders. They are known for their buying capacity, in votes, and not for their leadership qualities. And they are not interested in leading the people towards success but more interested in looting the people.

Paganini Fernandes Both the panels are equally to blame for the inaction on issues – The garbage, parking, the smelly nullahs, the Ourem creek, new Patto.

It has become a trend to enter politics with the sole aim of getting rich in the shortest possible time and nothing else. Imagine, with the goodies alleged to have been distributed, what is at stake.

Croydon Medeira The carnival does not have the charm it used to as in the past. We used to wet each other, apply indigo on friends, wear masks and go for the parades and khell tiatrs. The floats used were artistically done with themes depicting the Goa as it was then, today we see the floats more commercialized with companies participating and advertising their products.

Dr oScar reBello war chant always seen as an act of betrayal?. The fault lines between communities continued through this period.”

1986. “The historic language agitation. Again a vicious battle of Goans versus Goans. Kokanni won, Marathi, sort of lost. But in a repeat of Goa’s di-

The slums are traditionally fixed vote banks with recurring compounded interest to highest bidder. But things are changing. The youth in the slums unlike their parents are rebelling for being treated like toys without dignity. And in any case, can the migrant vote ever match you, if you guys stay united? visive history one Goan won, the other lost. In addition, Romi Konkani was given the short end of the stick. Their grievances mounted. The faultlines now threatened to become an earthquake”.

“Hence,” he patiently explained, “when the unprecedented economic boom of Manmohan Singh swept into Goa, where land, minerals, sand and other natural resources were all put up for auction and Goa’s future was on the chopping block, your leaders, beneficiaries of your historic divisions, sold you

I

met him a few days ago, a friend of a friend down from Bombay. It was over some live blues, specifically to the strains of Stormy Monday, belted out by a young band, that he told me what his next project as a photographer was. “I’m going to be capturing every facet of the Ajanta caves, photographing every square inch, so they can shut down the original caves that are reeling under the constant onrush of visitors, and create a replica in front of it that will be the new tourist attraction.”

That’s an interesting proposition I thought – a group of people coming together with Maharashtra Tourism to preserve their heritage.

A few days later, I watched as Japan, or parts of it more rather, went underwater. As I felt pain for the people who suffered, I realised that there are certain things that can’t be predicted. Some things can be preserved but you never know when the forces of nature or otherwise will come and swallow it up.

There are little things that happen here in Goa. Little instances that in the larger scheme of things, aren’t really that little.

Ask yourself this. How is it caring for Goa when you discreetly, or sometimes blatantly, throw your garbage over your neighbour’s wall? How is it a call for better law and order when you over-

Kurt Bento take one vehicle and then force the oncoming vehicle to swerve out of the way just so you can drive the way you want?

Or parking erratically in a space that can fit two cars and not caring that you haven’t left space for the second?

How is it caring for your fellow Goan when you openly criticize a competitor or a peer, just so you can get that client that wants to hire them, instead of courting them by talking yourself up instead? There’s a fine line between right and wrong and we cross it all the time.

There have been so many times, driving on the Mandovi bridge that I have seen people throw bags of garbage over the side. How many times have you heard someone talk ill about another person, just because they didn’t like his or her grandfather?

How many times have we heard about families fighting over property, or one sibling forging wills and taking it all? You can’t make rules up as you go along. If you put it all together in the same pot, then that makes one no better than the people they hate.

Some people preach about Goans becoming strangers in their own land.

Many Goans are leaving for better salaries, for what they think is a better life in other countries or cities, or for many other reasons.

But, no one’s sticking a gun to their head and forcing them out. They leave because they want to. Coming down once in a few years and lamenting about the state of Goa and waxing nostalgic about the old days is fine, but they have no real right to question the people here about what’s being done.

They’re there. We’re here.

If every Goan in Goa stood up, voted, resolved to be a better person and look out not just for personal interests but for the interests of the people and meant it, then Goans would not be a minority. It’s a choice everyone in Goa needs to make. Goa will move on. Goa will evolve. It will grow with the times.

Some things can surely stay the same.

We don’t need to build a replica of certain aspects of life and culture to preserve it. It’s time to stop crying and start working towards a better future.

Sometimes, we just need to grow up and realise that it’s not about the selfserving politicians and it’s not about the ‘outsiders’. Stand up and look in the mirror. That’s who it’s really about. And that’s who really needs to change.

Dr Joe D’SouSa

O

n Sept 23, 2009 I had written a detailed letter to Babush. I also enclosed the copy of the manifesto declared

by Babush in 2006 requesting voters of Panjim to elect his panel. I appealed to him to help ensure that Panjim does not get neglected as it was his panel that was in power then, and is still responsible for taking care of Panjim.

Babush did present a very good manifesto in 2006 – 24 promises among others. I only leave it to the people of Panjim to assess the manifesto of 2006 and decide accordingly.

Panjim is in dire need of actions, oriented towards regulating festivals, exhibitions, new buildings as we do not still have in place a solid waste management plant, since the detailed project report for a solid waste management plant is languishing due to political consideration.

Similarly, the beautification of Mala Lake , Lake View, Boca de Vaca ,Tigur-Dhobi Ghat (or Tigur Bain), at St Inez, as well as the St Inez Creek would be stalled for eternity as long as people keep on electing wrong persons, who stand for election with the sole motive of loot and plunder.

Sadly many candidates now in the fray do not even know how the CCP functions and what their responsibilities are!

We must know and realise emphatically that the citizens or residents of Panjim are to blame for the complete mess we are in.

The lackadaisical approach at the CCP has not only polluted our rivers, suffocated our mangroves and degenerated streets across Panjim and blocked our drains; we lost our Curca garbage site as Mapusa garbage was dumped there.

Today, every new building, and hotels built in the last 19 years are without parking faculties as corrupt officials at government offices convert garages into shops with gratification, thus placing Panjim under traffic and parking chaos.

There may be eyebrows raised as to why I have directed queries to Babush and not Parrikar, the MLA of Panjim, during this Corporation election of 2011.

The answer to this is simply the fact that being a member of subcommittee of JNNURM, I had all the opportunity to place my observations and challenges before Parrikar as well as the mayor of Panjim in Babush’s absence during meetings.

In 2011 what Babush has actually achieved in real terms, needs to be assessed, as it was his panel which was in power from 2006 to 2011.

Hopefully, we would like to see progress. It is voters who would decide. People of Panjim, especially the residents must realise what promises were in 2001, become relevant in 2006.

These promises should be repeated in 2011, assuming that public memory, especially that of Panjimites, is short and neglectful.

The growing menace of garbage, sewage, water shortages, loud music cuises, chaotic roads and parking woes, open urination and defecation and the festering St Inez creek, seem to be the problems to last a eternity for the residents of Panjim.

It is time for all of us to pull up our socks and nip the loot and plunder of Panjim in the bud. The work for the people of Panjim for the next five years is on.

Fo r l ette rs to t he e di to r c o nt act us at e d itor wee ke n d@ h e rald -go a.c o m 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: Sujay Gupta (Responsible under PRB Act). Regd Office: St Tome Road, Panjim, Goa. Tel: 2224202, 2228083, Fax: 6658510 (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.

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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.

7 www.oheraldo.in

“

goa

We want every Goan to visit us irrespective of the economic class he belongs.

-- Manoj Caculo

“

Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

The Assembly Session begins later this month and UTAA demands that the Chief Minister fulfill the charter of demands of the ST Community.

--- Prakash Velip

SNAPSHOT

Caculo Mall all set to unveil on Monday

Stress management course

By BHARATI PAwASkAR

PANJIM: Stress management course will conducted

by Prof Agnel Crasto, on March 14 at the Institute of Personality Development at Pinto Chambers, block A, 2nd floor, Menezes Braganza road, opp Dena Bank, Panjim, from 10 am to 11 am. Those interested may call Prof Agnel Crasto on 2435838/9420818302.

Retreats at Parra, Verna PANJIM: Good News Retreats will be conducted by Br Johnson Sequeira on March 14 and 15 at Blueberry hall, Verna and on March 16 and 17 at Emerald Lawns, Parra, between 10 am to 5 pm. For details contact: 9326868179.

Fr Jerry's retreat PANJIM: Fr Jerry Sequeira of Divine Mission Society of Mangalore will be conducting a retreat at Emerald Lawns, Parra on March 14 and 15 from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm. Free buses will be available, for details contact Br Willy on 9823055659 /8806506939.

Goan film for GIFF PANJIM: ‘Half cut’- an animation short film directed

by Yogesh Gajanan Kapadi will be screened at Gujarat International Film Festival 2011 on March 13.

The Festival is being celebrated in memory of versatile superstar late Sanjeev Kumar.

‘Half Cut’ is an animation film depicting the social problem of child Labour.

This film won first prize in the Chota Cinema Centre 2010 (IFFI) at Panjim, and also nominated in Nasik International Film Festival 2011 in Animation Category.

Govt for database of fraudulent travel agents HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 12: With rising number of complaints of cheating against the recruiting agents, the government has finally decided to crackdown fraudulent travel and recruitment agents in the state.

The government has also decided to create a database of the fraudulent travel agents and initiate appropriate action against them.

Disclosing this at a press conference, NRI Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro said the Commission will set up a Committee which will work for protection of emigrants and deal with unscrupulous

recruiting agents.

"The Committee along with police authorities would gather intelligence and create a database of such fraudulent travel agents, recruiting agents and intermediaries who indulge in irregular migration," Faleiro said.

The Commission had to initiate the data base exercise considering the number of complaints against these agents, he said.

"There are several cases of people being sent abroad on fake documents after charging huge money. Many a times, these gullible candidates are trapped abroad forcing the missions there to rescue them," he said.

CM urged to fulfill STs demands during budget HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 12: The United Tribal Alliance Association (UTAA) has urged Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat to fulfill the 12 point charter of demands of the Scheduled Tribes in the coming budget session of the Goa Legislative Assembly.

Association President Prakash Velip further demanded that the government allocate 12 per cent of the budgetary funds to the tribal sub plan for the benefit of the tribal population.

Briefing newsmen, Velip has called for the implementation of the Central Tribal Forest Act in the state and also declare scheduled areas in the state.

“The Assembly Session begins later this month and UTAA demands that the Chief Minister fulfill the charter of demands of the ST Community”, Velip demanded.

H further demanded that the government work towards the direction of reserving 12 per cent of the seats in the Legislative Assembly to

the Scheduled Tribes Saying that the Goa government has till date not implemented the Tribal Forest Act and has not declared the Scheduled Areas, Velip said the government can receive grants for the development of the Scheduled Tribes once the Scheduled Areas are declared.

Saying that the benefits of the schemes meant for the general category such as the DSSS scheme be extended to the ST community, Velip said the DSSS paid to the ST beneficiaries ought to be double than the amount received by the general category.

Similarly, he demanded that the government should provide Rs one lakh for Self Help Groups formed by the ST communities as against Rs 25,000 provided to the general category.

On the Cavrem mining row, Velip said Cavrem village comprises of 100 per cent population of the scheduled Tribes, adding that UTAA has decided to extend all out support to the agitating villagers under the banner of Cavrem Bachao samiti.

PANJIM, MARCH 12: Completing 100 years in business last year, the fourth generation of Caculos has for the first time diversified and ventured into a totally new arena beyond their automobile industry.

Caculo Mall at Panjim is all set to unveil on Monday, 14 March for commercial operations. Spread over 82,000 sq ft area over four floors, once inaugurated at the hands of the Chief Minister of Goa Digambar Kamat, Caculo Mall will offer Goans everything under one roof. From books to boots, food to fun and gifts to games – all would be available at a price suitable to each pocket.

Stressing the point that this Rs100 crore worth mall is not only for the rich and elite, Manoj Caculo, Chairman and Managing Director of Caculos and the brain behind Caculo Mall says, “It was my intention and passion to have a mall in Goa that would be pride and prestige of Goans.

This mall is for one and all. I want to make it clear to the people of Goa that our mall is not only for the cream of the society or only elite class. In fact, care has been taken to have majority of the things for common man who will enjoy spending time here and get whatever he wants within his budget. We have

everything for everybody.”

Caculo Mall will have all kinds of goods and services – exclusive as well as common.

Besides expensive brands they also have garments ranging from Rs199 onwards. “We want every Goan to visit us irrespective of the economic class he belongs,” says Manoj.

The mall culture is growing in Goa at par with the rest of the country. Speaking on this Manoj says, “Goa is a tourist destination. Domestic as well as international tourists need an organised retail place to shop under single roof. Goa has highest per capita income,

Managing Director of Caculos, Manoj Caculo. spending capacity, pristine beaches, natural beauty, and

fantastic five-stars. The idea of having a mall here always fas-

cinated me. It was three years ago that I and my brother Suraj set on the drawing board with this idea that has eventually turned into a reality now.”

A mall is a wholesome package – entertainment, food and shopping. Caculo Mall has a combination of all three things – Gaming Zone for toddlers to teenagers, Food Court with six types of cuisines as well as KFC and various branded, designer as well budget goods in shopping.

“Now Goans need not go out for shopping, they have their own mall in Goa,” says Manoj adding, “I have not printed in-

vitations. It is impossible for me to print 1.5 million invites.

I want to invite every Goan to Caculo Mall and am quite excited with the kind of response I am receiving through messages and calls. Goans have started to have a sense of belonging that Goa has a mall.

For Architect Siddha Sardesai this was a dream project. With sheer dedication he has poured his heart and soul into it. To start with there would be no special schemes on the first day but gradually the shops would come out with them.

We want people to come and experience first.”

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It was difficult to get a central place for the entire operation, so we had to place composting pits around the ward. De-centralisation is the key to small set-ups like ours — Umesh Phadte

we

I think many Indians all over the world feel very strongly about the discrimination and horrific killing of baby girls from India’s population — Nyna Pais Caputi

Penha de Franca– NIMBY to IMBY

Herald Pics

THE SPIRIT OF TOGETHERNESS: The community together on the initial cleanup MANAGING WASTE: Workers further segregating garbage at the dump

MESSED UP: One of the ‘dumps’ in the ward, before the clean up

Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) is Goa’s most loved phrase when it comes to the dumping and treatment of garbage. But one ward in Penhe de Franca has joined hands with the local panchayat to participate in a unique and very successful garbage management revolution.

It’s called IMBY (In My Backyard) Kurt Bento sees the change

S

oon, the sight of someone driving a gokart laden with garbage bags around the streets of a few wards in Penha de Franca may not be an unusual sight. Soon, almost every resident in those wards will be able to give anyone a crash course in garbage management.

When wards like these are full of educationists, lawyers and retired bureaucrats along with the normal citizen, then it’s hard not to imagine a strong civic sense.

Every morning, and this has been the case for

over a year, 500 residents get their segregated garbage collected from their house by a team of workers. The bags are then transported to a small area in the middle of the ward where the work begins. Pradip Sarmokadam, who headed this pilot project explains, “the public around have been very supportive.

We did get help from a few big companies for the initial funding. But now, we’re working towards a self-sustainable model, with a basic contribution by residents.”

It wasn’t an easy task, considering that almost

every junction was earlier used as a dump and even now, there are certain elements that go out of their way to make a nuisance of themselves. But, when you have positive people in the mix, it’s easy to ignore that miniscule percentage. “It was difficult to get a central place for the entire operation, so we had to place composting pits around the ward. De-centralisation is the key to small set-ups like ours,” says Umesh Phadte, the panch of the area. With 500 residents turning in garbage that they themselves have segregated at source,

the wet waste after 21 days turns into anything between 150-200 kilos of compost. They even have a small biofuel plant, which residents are encouraged to use for some of their waste that services the needs of the few workers that stay in a small house nearby.

The plan is to take this operation to the next level and implement these processes in other wards.

And according to Sarmokadam, “there have been

a lot of things learnt over the past one year that can be implemented better in other areas.” The entire panchayat is keen on seeing this work and there have been many residents who want to take this to the next level too. Indrajit Singh, manufacturer and designer of go-karts is working on an eco-friendly go-kart while Sadanand Desai, former chairman of housing board is working on lobbying for land.

VILLAGE REPORT

Goa’s little nook Velsao-Pale is a tiny paradise amongst the larger villages. It has history, tradition and a beautiful vista. Lionel Messias walks down the small but picturesque bylanes of this little village.

H

ow do you define a village, especially a nano village like Velsao-Pale?

Could it be its serenity?

Perhaps its folklore even!

If that be it, Velsao fits the bill. Nano because it’s so tiny – you could drive past it not knowing you are in it. So small, it has no post office and so a village postal address must have the add-on P.O. Cansaulim, the village next door. So diminutive, its Indo-Portuguese homes like Fidalgo on the main thoroughfare seem larger than the village.

The home of Antonio Barreto, Deputy Director of Accounts in the Food and Drugs Administration is a magnificent Indo-Portuguese home called Fidalgo that he recently got repaired at a cost of Rs 45 lakhs he raised by selling some of his other properties, is a stand-alone. The house is approximately 150 years old and has eight rooms and three bathrooms.

It has a well inside the house located strangely at the main entrance. “It has a wooden roof that looks like the inverted hull of a sail boat,” says Barreto, who wishes to rent rooms on the top floor to foreign tourists with a yen for heritage after he retires in December. There are other old homes that doll up Vels-

ao, where Cardinal Ivan Gracias and Bishop Allwyn Barreto were born; but the statuesque home of ex-Judge Blasio Souza right next to Barreto’s Fidalgo, is a another standalone in Indo-Portuguese homes.

And you ask where does the folklore come in? It has its origins in two tales, according to Barreto. Both appear determined to explain why or how Velsao wanted

in the Barreto family, bequeathed their share of the property to what was then the chapel, now the church of Our Lady of Assumption. The criterion of that period was that a church had to generate its own funds. For that, it needed a kind of pre-determined amount of property. And so, it happened that two Barreto spinsters donated their share of the land to the church. The balance

requirement of land, it is said, was donated by the Sequeira family, also of Velsao. The second fable says that when one of the Barreto sisters fell off her sedan chair into a puddle of water during the monsoon as she was being carried to church by her bearers, the greatly embarrassed lady told her husband that they simply needed to donate land for a separate church for Velsao. As a consequence, both the Barreto and the Sequeira families donated property for a church. Barreto believes the former to be true.

Velsao-Pale is a village full of history and serenity, from the quiet and wide expanse of beach to the heritage houses lining the road. It’s a village that is set apart from many other in Goa. WITH GRANDEUR IT STANDS: The 700 square meter Baretto house WELL PLANNED: The well at the entrance of the Baretto house.

to have its own Parish Church as it then came under the combined parish of the clutch of villages of Cansaulim, Cuelim, Arrosim, including Velsao and Pale. VelsaoPale was therefore under Cansaulim’s Church of St Tome, or St Thomas.

Now Velsao wanted its own church and for that it needed land. The legend has it, over 250 years ago. that two spinsters, relatives of Tony Barreto,

WOMEN UNITED: The walk in San Fransico was a huge success

I

t was a women’s day celebration with a difference. All over the world people walked, to protest against the inhumanity that is female infanticide in India. This coming Saturday, March 19, people will walk here in Goa. This is the global walk for India’s missing girls and it’s a sad but poignant story.

It all started with Nyna Pais Caputi, Mangalore native, San Fransisco resident, producer/director of a documentary titled Petals In The Dust: India’s Missing Girls and now founder of the global walk for the same cause.

“I think many Indians all over the world feel very strongly about the discrimination and horrific killing of baby girls from India’s population and are also concerned about the consequences the gender imbalance.

We can show our support and be a voice for these baby girls and also create awareness by organizing walks in our adopted countries,” says Nyna.

And so it began. Last year, it was just six cities, all contacted over social media, this year, 16 cit-

.. THAT’S THE NUMBER OF LITTLE GIRLS WHO ARE KILLED IN INDIA every day, according to the UN. Globally, Indians are coming together to protest against female infanticide in the country hoping to get the attention of all. The last walk of 2011 is taking place in Goa. Kurt Bento checks out the folks who walk the talk to save baby girls ies across four countries took part.

Goa is where the walk ends. And a new hope begins.

The co-ordinator for Goa is Beaula Knauf, a resident of Baga. For her, it’s not a feminist movement. “If you look at the ratio of women to men in Goa this year, it’s ridiculous. This is happening all over India and in Goa as well. The lesser the number of girls born every year, the more men in the future will also have to suffer,” says Beaula.

The walk will start at 11 am near Calangute

residency and go past the market area to St Alex Church. A few schools have confirmed participation and Beaula hopes

The Pundalik Nagar resident’s association has a few volunteers who will be going door to door and holding public meetings to educate people on the garbage menace, while the Nehru Nagar Association is planning to allot some land so that segregation can be done systematically.

K.B.S. Kerkar, a retired headmasters sums it up fittingly, “It’s on the right track and can only get better from here. Many people are a part of it as a formality, but there are more that really want to see this work.” That, in essence, says it all.

that more people will understand the seriousness of this issue and join up.

“There is an imbalance in the population right now and we have to use these walks to get the attention of the governments and the people concerned,” adds Beaula. A serious issue like this needs immediate attention and there are many who feel the same. PI Sunita Sawant of the crime branch is one who also feels that the increasing rate of female infanticide will come back to haunt society. She states, “This is an alarming issue and will actually result in more crimes against women. I’m glad that this issue is being taken up by people all over.”

Gender abuse

In the last century over 50 million girls have been eliminated from India’s population. 10 million girls have been killed by their parents either before or soon after their birth in India in the last two decades, resulting in an imbalance in the gender ratio -- 927 girls per 1,000 boys .In some regions it is as low as 500 girls per 1000 boys. This has led to an increase in trafficking, sexual abuse and violence against women.

They walk, so she may live… n Protest the daily murder of over 7000 baby girls in India. n To create awareness and remember the victims of this genocide. n To pressure the Indian government to enforce the laws to protect these baby girls and their mothers. n To highlight non-profits and activists who are fighting to end female foeticide and infanticide in India.

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goa

The first time Kambli and his brethren from Warkhand were called to the panchayat and told about the project was in 2003. The first prime agricultural land, linked to the project, was sold to politicians in 1998.

mirror

No Greenfield airport will be allowed within an aerial distance of 150 kilometers of an existing airport. Any Google map search will reveal that Chipi Airport is 135 kilometres from Dabolim, Mopa would be less than half the distance.

Betrayal is a four letter word

Pics: Sachin Ambadoskar

Mopa The land acquisition process for the Greenfield airport at Mopa has been mired in confusion and secrecy. At the receiving end are people in four villages in Pernem taluka, many of whom are tenants on land they have lived on and cultivated for 300 years. They are faced with a government hell bent of throwing them out of their lands without discussion or consensus on rehabilitation. Sujay Gupta treks through these villages for an’ on the ground’ report

T

he patches of green were symmetrically divided into plots, in a neat pastoral tapestry. Long legged white birds dived into little ponds and then flew out. Over yonder, in a little open space in the village, a group of boys oscillated between a game of cricket and mango chucking.

This could be a piece of anywhere in India or Goa. But this piece is a four letter word. And it’s called MOPA. It’s not even a battle ground, across eight five lakh square meters of land. Because, in a battle, you need two warring factions. This is a silent takeover of lives, livelihood and dignity, in a process mired with stealth. And the tragedy of Mopa is that that the government is moving close, in a pincer movement which will displace and dislodge them on a basis of a huge misinformation campaign. And while it does so, very few of the village folk in these villages know that the land, on which they were born and have seen their forefathers die, will soon be taken away. And that too, at a price they will not decide or even perhaps know of.

Warkhand, Ugwem,

WALK OF LIFE: And old lady in Warkhand, at the heart of the proposed Mopa airport Hansapur, Poraskade, Mopa, are dots on the map of the Pernem taluka on north Goa. While the venue of the international airport will take its name from the village of Mopa, the heart of this story of displacement and injustice spreads across these villages. And this really isn’t a story of numbers and land rates.

It’s one of betrayal. And in all quintessential stories of betrayals, the betrayed doesn’t know what’s coming The Shemacheadren Waddo in Warkhand village is a drive into the back of beyond. Getting to homes in the village is like going down to the basement of a very tall building.

These steps lead you from one level of the village to the next. We walked down, turned sharp bends on hill slopes and walked along the edges of hilly paths to reach the home of Sitaram Kambli. His grandfather and their grandfathers have lived here and enjoyed the luxuries of Warkhand – coconut, betel nut, cashew, kokum and mango.

“The economy of four villages run on the trees of Warkhand”, says Kambli.

Kambli has seen it all.

The first notification for land acquisition in 2003

CRUSADER KAMBLI: Sandip Kambli is spearheading the fight for justice, for those who will be displaced when 80 lakh square meters was sought to be acquired, the first offer of acquiring their land at Rs 5.50 per square meter, then the subsequent increase to Rs 12 per square meter to the present offer of Rs 55 per square meter. But look at the enormity of injustice.

More than twelve kilometers away from these villages the value of land has gone up to over Rs 450 a square kilometer.

This land was bought from over a decade ago by politicians, industrialists and hoteliers when the project was envisaged in the nineties, when the villagers who will lose homes and livelihoods had very little idea of what was going on. The

first time Kambli and his brethren from Warkhand were called to the panchayat and told about the project was in 2003. The first prime agricultural land, linked to the project, was sold to politicians in 1998, in the periphery of the project. Therein lies the story of betrayal.

We moved out of Kambli’s hut to trek through the hilly forest, through what will be lounges, restrooms, terminals and duty free shops. The narrow muddy tracks sloped down into cavernous valleys with natural springs flowing into them. Mango and cashew trees flirted with careless wonder.

We trekked, stopping for breath and beauty, sometimes slipping on

the slopes. The forests then opened out into a huge clearing- the top of the MOPA plateau.-a vast expanse with a few scattered huts.

Fundamental justice for the displaced people has been thrown in the drain. When you put the airport project on the environment and a cost benefit canvas, it is flawed anyway. But try putting it on the people canvas, the injustice is phenomenal.

But there is a resistance brewing.

The Mopa Vimantall Piditt Xetkari Samiti, led by the young and tireless Sandip Kambli, has taken the RTI route to get as many documents on the project. His work has ripped open the flaws but that’s another story.

Heroes are being reborn in many villages. A short distance from Warkhand is the village of Ugwem.

In many ways, Ugwem is the centre point-geographically of the airport.

It the village there is a cluster of 200 homes in the Nanachepani waddo.

Cutting through an ancient temple and a mini orchard of betel nut trees, we reach the heart of the cluster. Every home is in agitation mode. Hanuman Lakshman Aroskar, retired from his job in a

public sector company in Mumbai and returned to his village with his life’s savings. Soon he realized that the indiscriminate land acquisition had to be challenged and expenses such as hiring a lawyer and filing petitions would be expensive. Everyone decided to contribute and a collection drive was started. But it wasn’t enough Aroskar did the unthinkable.

He broke his fixed deposit, took a lakh of rupees out and used it to pay for the lawyer and other expenses. Writ petitions are pending in the High Court challenging the arbitrary land acquisition and the invoking of the emergency clause.

“It won’t be easy for the government to crush us,” he says.

To the Goa government, Lakshman Aroskar, Sandip Kambli and the villagers of Warkhand, Ugwem and others have made a fundamental, mortal mistake. They are on the side of the poor.

That is a non-negotiable error in our oligarchic democracy. It’ll be a tough fight. It’ll be a hard fight.

But it’ll be a fight which will make policy makers who want planes to fly out of Mopa, know that they must first have their feet on the ground.

Not cleared for take off, but Mopa still flies Virtually every guideline for selecting a site and then going ahead with a green-field project has been flouted by the both the Union and the state government. Ajay Thakur goes to the ground and looks through records to discover the huge flaws in the project even as land acquisition has according to the civil aviation minister has commenced

I

t actually should have been as simple as this.

Step one – a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment required by the Ministry of Civil Aviation for site clearance. Step two – Ministry of Environment and Forest project clearance as a pre-condition for whetting the project None of these two steps have been fulfilled even as the government is going full steam ahead with the project. The Union Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi announced in the Lok Sabha on March 9 that the government has already acquired 1000 acres of land.

But so far, steps that have been taken to progress with the new airport have violated several guidelines for the setting up of Greenfield

THE NEW DUTY FREE SHOP? One of the many springs in the area airports. The Airports Infrastructure Policy of 1997 says, “Site selection for any Greenfield airport will be undertaken by the promoters at pre-feasi-

bility stage only, in consultation with Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), including AAI, Ministry of Environment and Forest, Ministry of

Defence (MOD).”

AIP 1997 guidelines state, “No Greenfield airport will normally be allowed within an aerial distance of 150

kilometers of an existing airport.” Any internet or Google map search will reveal that Chipi Airport of Sindhudurg is 135 kilometres from Dabolim, Mopa would be less than half the distance. The Union Cabinet too gave a in-principle approval to Mopa on May 5 2000 with none of these guidelines in place.

Moreover, the state government’s own Rapid Environment Impact Assessment Report of August 26, 2006 mentioned the following flora and fauna details – 98 tree species, 251 medicinal plants, 38 shrub species, 77 herb species, 47 climbers, 60 roadside and hedge vegetation. 63 varieties of birds, 20 species of butterflies, six reptile species and 11 mammal types add to the list.

But the L&T Ramboll

conducted REIA itself isn’t above suspicion.

The study was conducted in non-monsoon seasons, December 2005 to April 2006, even when MoEF says, “Rapid EIA is for speedier appraisal process.

This is acceptable if it does not compromise on the quality of decisionmaking. The review of Rapid EIA submissions will show whether a comprehensive EIA is warranted or not.” No wonder then that Goa government was keen on invoking section 17 of Land Acquisition Act 1894 for speedier acquisition of land, so that what REIA called two streams in dry months did not show up, but the rest of three dozen odd streams that gush in the monsoon months which satellite data over decades did.

TEMPORARY: FOR 300 YEARS

NOMADS IN RESIDENCE: The Warak family of Dhangarwaddo Their little hamlet looks a distant mirage in the vast expanse of the Mopa plateau. We walked for miles across vast barren land to reach the Dhangar cluster. At the entrance was a small pole cut from a tree bark with ropes around it, used to fasten cattle.

In a little courtyard sat Dhaku, Sahu and Changu Warak, all between 60 and 70 years old. They and four generations before them have been living in this cluster doing what dhangars do – manage their herds. Years of toil have hardened their skins and deepened their wrinkles. Ask them if they know of the airport or any plans to take away their land and they draw a blank. “Why would anyone take away their land, their home for four centuries?”

Far away in Panjim or Delhi or any of the metros, Dhaku Waraq, Sahu Waraq and Changu Waraq and all their tribesmen are listed as nomads who come to this part of the Mopa plateau to graze their cattle. Hence, when the government appointed a consultant ADPi to carry out a study of the Mopa site, they reported with all the knowledge at their command that there are “no permanent structures. Some nomads have built a few temporary kuccha huts when they bring their cattle to graze and that there are no rehabilitation issues.”

So in short, dhangars of Dhangarwaddo in Mopa that you see in this picture don’t exist as permanent residents. And their homes for hundreds of years where they live are just “temporary huts.”

WHY HAVE GOA’S ECO WARRIORS MISSED THIS? Mopa: a cost benefit snapshot What will be taken Land Needed – 85,00,000 sq.mtr (2100 acre) Land Acquired – 40,00,000+ sq.mtr (1000 acre) Total Area to be cut – 37,00,000 cubic mtr Landfill Material Required – 50,00,000 cubic mtr What has to go Eco-Sensitive Zone 1, Part of Northern Western Ghat Forests Species of Trees..........................................98 Species of Medicinal Plants ......................251 Species of Shrubs .......................................38 Species of Herbs ........................................77 Species of Climbers ....................................47 Species of Roadside / Hedge Vegetation ...60 Species of Birds ..........................................63 Species of Butterflies ..................................20 Species of Reptile .........................................6 Species of Mammal....................................11 Perennial Streams – 2 (as per REIA), 39 (as per Residents of Mopa Plateau)

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india MONTHS MIND

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We have instructed senior MLAs and ministers to adopt the constituencies where BJP had lost in the last polls and nurture them to wipe out Congress from Madhya Pradesh.

- Anant Kumar

Bombs seized from chicken shop BERHAMPUR (ORISSA): At least four crude bombs were recovered from a chicken shop near Purushottampur in Orissa’s Ganjam district, police said Saturday.

The bombs seized Friday were defused by bomb disposal squad personnel, they said. The owner of the shop was arrested, they said adding the bombs were believed to have been stored to commit a crime in the town.

Thomas questions court’s locus to quash his appointment PTI

(Radha Publicity)

NEW DELHI, MARCH 12: Former CVC P J Thomas has decided to move the Supreme Court seeking review by a Constitution bench of its March 3 judgement quashing his appointment, claiming that judiciary has no right to decide his eligibility for the post without prior reference from the President.

His counsel Wills Matthews said that Thomas was waiting for the Centre to file a review petition and in the event of it not being filed the former CVC would file it before April 2.

A review petition has to be filed within 30 days of the judgement.

On March 3 the Supreme Court quashed the appointment of Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner, holding that the recommendation made by the highpowered panel -- headed by Prime Minister Manmohan

Singh -- did not consider the relevant material and therefore its advice “does not exist in law”.

Thomas, in his review petition, has submitted that the apex court should not have quashed his appointment without first allowing him to establish his innocence or otherwise in the Palmolein case.

“The Supreme Court is having the power to initiate the proceeding for the removal of CVC, only on a reference made to by the president, and as such there in no reference of Her Excellency the President of India in the present matter, and hence, I fear whether the Hon’ble Supreme Court exercised jurisdiction on an issue in which it was not having the jurisdiction .

“This point requires further research and we are studying this issue. In case the Court exercised the power which it was not having, it is a void abinitio matter.

Top BJP leaders taken into custody PTI CHANDIGARH, MARCH 12: Several top BJP leaders were taken into custody by the police here today for allegedly violating prohibitory orders under Section 144 during a protest programme by the party in the city.

BJP’s national secretary Kirit Somaiya, party’s city unit chief Sanjay Tandon and former MP Satya Pal Jain and scores of BJP workers were taken into custody from Sector 28 as they marched towards the residence of Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal seeking his resignation for his alleged role in the booth allotment scandal, police said.

Section 144 which bans assembly of five or more persons had been imposed for the day today in the area and

at few other places in the city in view of the BJP’s protest plan.

Recently, city’s top Congress leaders along with certain officials of Chandigarh Police and Estate Office had been indicted by an inquiry report submitted by a senior Union Territory officer to the administration into the alleged irregularities in allotment of booths in the city.

Chandigarh’s former Additional Deputy Commissioner P S Shergill, who had probed the alleged irregularities in the allotment of over 2500 booths during 2002 and 2008, had also recommended a CBI inquiry into the alleged scandal involving crores of rupees.

The BJP had earlier announced its plan to gherao Bansals’ residence seeking his resignation even though the Union Minister has denied his involvement.

Jats dharna enters sixth day, rail traffic disrupted PTI HISAR (HARYANA), MARCH 12: Rail services were disrupted here as the indefinite dharna by Jat activists, demanding reservation for their community in govern-

ment jobs, continued for the sixth day today.

Rail traffic in the Hisar district remained suspended for the sixth day as Jats continued to block rail tracks on Hisar-Bhiwani and HisarSadalpur, an official said.

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Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

Judges must not “give lectures” to the society while doing their job and should not “judge the wisdom of legislature”.

- CJI S H Kapadia

FROM PAGE 1

CM backs Jose Philip ...

the meeting decided to de-notify the property.” In lieu of this, all D’Costa had to do was to “allow” the government to go ahead with the acquisition of his other plot of land (survey no 9/1). But is that enough compensation since this land was going to be acquired anyway?

In fact the Airport Director D Paul Manickam, clearly made a strong case for both the lands. He said (according the minutes of that meeting, also in possession of Herald “The present land acquisition (including survey numbers 8/1 and 9/1)

LAND OF THE POWERFUL Airport director pushed for acquisition of both plots of D’ Costa since they were contiguous to the airport. Rejected by revenue minister who wanted plot 8/1 to be returned. lThough the government doesn’t lose money, one individual stands to save Rs 75 crores while several poor lose lands to projects with poor compensation. lD Costa himself attended the CM chaired high-powered meting which took the decision. l

has already reached the Section 7 state and any deviation/deletion will entail a further long delay. In any case except for survey number 8/1 and 9/1, no other suitable land is available in the vicinity.”

The minister paid no heed to this and said that land of 70,000 square metres opposite the airport, (please note as opposed to the contiguous land of D’Costa) meant for parking, be acquired. This land was sought to be acquired by invoking the urgency clause under the Land Acquisition Act. D’Costa obviously has a free entry pass into the corridors of power. The February 14 meeting where he got his Valentine’s Day gift of his land back was attended apart from the chief minister, revenue minister and the deputy speaker, ( whose presence is surprising), the chief secretary and the secretaries of the revenue and law departments, the airport director, the additional collector South and other officials. But brace yourself for this. D’Costa too attended this meeting, for which the agenda was to discuss land acquisition for expansion. So what was D’Costa doing there?

In short, the revenue minister supported by the deputy speaker, who are political rivals, backed this blatant and unfair move with the blessings of the chief minister to do “justice” to this man with powerful connections.

Where was this sense of justice when land from the public was acquired for SEZs paying peanuts as compensation, including land coming under the settlement zone- the cause for giving back D’Costa’s land. Several of these settlements are in the same vicinity including those acquired for the National Highway 17-B and the special economic zones at Sancoale and Zuarinagar.

Did the chief minister, the revenue minister or the deputy speaker fight for the “justice” of any of these poor people?

Custodial death in the hospital.

The medical report has ruled out foul play but the accused woman’s family has refused to buy this contention and claimed that she was a victim of police brutality.

“The matter is very serious considering the allegations that Rajani died in police custody. We have asked Bicholim police for a detailed case report and medical history of the woman,” Sapeco told Herald.

Mote who was working as caretaker of a house in Bicholim was murdered with a koita (sickle) in the house. Rajani had confessed to killing her paramour when interrogated by a team of Bicholim police. Deputy Superintendent of Police Bicholim Boussuet Silva, when contacted, said that those people alleging police brutalities are being vindictive.

The unabated rise of police atrocities against arrested persons is becoming a matter of concern with three such incidents reported in a period of two months. This includes custodial deaths of Cipriano Fernandes and now Rajani and yet another case of a 29-year-old woman who has lived to tell the gory tale of brutality by the men-in-khaki.

The commission is inquiring into this case as well.

Will Panjim come first What the CCP lacked was corporators with vision who could think beyond their wards. The city fathers, opposition included , remained glued to their respective wards. Corporators such as Milind Shirodkar, Uday Madkaikar ( later thrown out of Babush camp) , Bento Lorena, Nagesh Karishetty and Daya Karapurkar were accused of wrong doings in the CCP. Karishetty was named main accused in the pay parking scam. Criminal cases were filed against Karapurkar and Madkaikar.

Babush, worried about this backlash, did a course correction by removing controversial corporators However, inspite of all this election will be no cake walk for Parrikar who is frantically trying to regain his hold on the city through the CCP election. There is just one thing stopping him. The last word is not yet out on what Panjimites rate as the bigger evil-communalism or corruption.

Monday morning will answer that question.

Counting on Monday late in approaching the SEC as it had declared it’s programme a month earlier. The election for 30 wards of CCP will be held through electronic voting machines (EVMs) and results are expected to be out within half an hour of the counting on Monday.

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india SNAPSHOT 51 people arrested for Maharajganj violence LUCKNOW: Fifty one people were arrested and the incharge of Thuthibari police station in Maharajganj was suspended in connection with arson that followed the murder of a village head in the district Friday.

“Incharge of Thuthibari police station has been placed under suspension with immediate effect on charges of laxity in execution of official responsibility,” an official spokesman said.

He said three separate cases have been lodged in connection with the arson and murder and in total, 51 persons were arrested.

“While four persons were arrested for village head’s murder, 47 were arrested for torching the houses,” the spokesman said.

Ten people, including five children, were either burned alive or died due to asphyxia when a mob, angry over the murder of village head Dina Nath Singh in Digahi village, torched houses of two accused.

Arjun tank inducted into 75 armoured regiment JAISALMER: The indigenous Arjun tank was Saturday formally inducted into the 75 Armoured Regiment at a ceremony, over 37 years after the project was commissioned by the government.

“Lieutenant General A K Singh, General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Southern Command, inducted the tank. The ceremony also marked the passage of T 55 tanks from the inventory after forty years of reliable service,” a defence spokesperson said.

He said that 45 Arjun tanks were inducted.

The event also marked the 39th Raising day of the regiment, in which over 1000 retired officers and jawans took part.

75 Armoured Regiment is the only Indian armoured regiment to be raised on foreign soil during the 1971 Indo-Pak war at Gadra Road on 12 March 1972.

TNSTC crew resort to flash strike NAGAPATTINAM: Crew of Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation buses in Nagapattinam resorted to a flash strike and road blockade on Friday night as a woman passenger reportedly slapped a bus conductor following a wordy quarrel.

The altercation took place over return of balance of Rs 2 following which the woman allegedly slapped the conductor with her slippers after he threw a two rupee coin at her, officials said.

The TNSTC crew then resorted to a flash strike and a road blockade in front of the bus stand.

They demanded an apology from the woman and also police action against her. Police and revenue officials rushed to the spot and conducted talks with the TNSTC crew and the woman. The strike was subsequently withdrawn.

Traffic was disrupted for over two hours.

Ram Singh suffers from psychopathic obsession. He used to follow women. He followed Radhika Tanwar regularly. The immediate trigger was the snubbing of Radhika when he tried to speak to her.

- B K Gupta, Delhi Police Commissioner

PTI KOLKATA, MARCH 12: The BJP has sought a “definitive statement” from the government on the release of Punebased stud farm owner Hasan Ali by a Mumbai special court yesterday.

“We seek a definitive statement from the government on Hasan Ali’s release and there is more to the issue than meets the eye,” Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said today.

“Although the matter is still in the court, what has happened is certainly not free from doubt. We expect a definitive statement to come from the government,” Jaitley told reporters on the sidelines of Mondal Presidents’ conference here.

In reply to a query, he said that there was no difference of opinion among the party’s leadership on the question of removal of P J Thomas from the post of CVC. “The Leader of the Oppo-

sition Sushma Swaraj flagged the issue in the appropriate forum. The entire party stood by her. The SC judgment vindicated her as well as our party’s stand on the issue. Our entire party is united on the issue,” he said.

Jaitley said that BJP was in talks with ‘several smaller parties’ in West Bengal on forming an alliance ahead of the polls. “If we strike a common ground, then we can work together,” he said.

Referring to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, Jaitley said, “Her support to Maoists is not in the nation’s interest and she cannot distance herself from the sins of the Centre,” he said.

Khan, alleged to have stashed over USD 8 billion in UBS bank in Switzerland and made other illegal transactions abroad, was arrested on Monday midnight under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Khan is facing charges of massive money laundering and tax

Killer of college girl held: police PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 12 : A 25-year-old man who had a “psychopathic obsession” for stalking women was arrested from Mumbai for allegedly murdering a DU student outside her college here with police today claiming that he took her life for “snubbing” him.

Vijay alias Ram Singh was apprehended by a team of Delhi Police from Tagore Nagar in suburban Mumbai’s Vikroli at around 11 PM yesterday in connection with the murder of Radhika Tanwar (20) last Tuesday.

Investigators attributed the immediate trigger for the

School children in Patna on Saturday paying tribute to the victims of Friday's killer earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 12: A day after Japan was hit by giant tidal waves caused by a massive earthquake which has left 1600 people dead or unaccounted for there, India Saturday said all its nationals are safe as per the information available so far. “...spoke with our Ambassador in Tokyo. All Indians safe acc (according) to presently available info. We have about 100 in Sendai,” Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao said here.

Now, India to have ‘Wagah in the East’ PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 12: The country will soon have a ‘Wagah in the East’ along the Bangladesh border where troops of both countries, dressed in full regalia, will perform the retreat -- ceremonial lowering of flags -- similar to the tradition prevalent along the Indo-Pakistan border.

The decision was taken

Trinamool as an alternative to the CPI-M is unlikely to govern well... Their track record in running the party or at the Centre does not inspire the confidence.

- BJP leader Arun Jaitley

BJP seeks ‘definitive statement’ on Ali APPOINTMENTS

girl’s murder on the footover-bridge outside Ramlal Anand College in South Delhi’s Dhaula Kuan to an incident on last Saturday, three days before her killing, when Vijay was snubbed by Radhika when he approached her to strike a conversation.

Police yesterday said Vijay “nurtured deep grudge” against Radhika after he was beaten up for harassing her and used to tell his friends that whenever he gets an opportunity, he would avenge the humiliation.

“Vijay suffers from psychopathic obsession. He used to follow women. He followed Radhika regularly.

The immediate trigger was the snubbing of Radhika when he tried to speak to her,” B K Gupta, Delhi Police Commissioner, told reporters.

APPOINTMENTS

Indians safe in Japan: govt

“

Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

during the five-day joint coordination meeting of border forces of India and Bangladesh at New Delhi.

“We have taken some new decisions. Something apart the usual beaten track.... We have a joint retreat ceremony at Attari Wagah border where the Pakistani forces and BSF join together in the retreat ceremony lowering the flags.

evasion.

A local court yesterday rejected its plea seeking Khan’s remand for custodial

interrogation and granted him bail after observing contents of some of its “confidential” documents.

APPOINTMENTS

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World

“

After the deadly quake struck in Japan on Friday, Russia placed the Kuril Island chain on high alert, ordering the evacuation of 11,000 people and suspending economic activity on the islands.

“

Goa, Sunday 13, March 2011

I will appoint an envoy to Libyan opposition forces as part of efforts to "change" the balance of the military situation in Libya. the US also broached the issue of no-fly zone.

-- President Barack Obama

Web helps people locate loved ones in Japan quake

Survivors voice nuclear fears

AFP

AFP

TOKYO, MARCH 12 : Searching the Internet on sites such as Google and Twitter and their local variants has become more effective in finding loved ones than sifting through wreckage following Japan's devastating tsunami.

Frantic friends and relatives leapt onto their computers to find information about people who had not been heard from since the mighty wave crashed ashore Friday.

Global web giant Google's person finder service had notched up over 40,000 records of people leaving messages seeking information on friends and family by 0900 GMT. The site was updating, in English and Japanese, by the thousand every few minutes.

A random search of the common Japanese surname "Sato" brought up hundreds

MINAMISOMA, MARCH 12:

A ship lifted up into a town by a tsunami following an earthquake is seen in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan Saturday. of results, many of them for people living in Sendai -- the city that faced the brunt of the thunderous body of rolling water.

Gunduzhan posted a message seeking Aki Sato, a dentist from Sendai who studied at Ohu University in Koriyama. A photo of the pretty young woman was also posted on the site.

"Looking for Aki Sato," the

post read. "Last heard from after earthquake but before tsunami."

Another post seeking Fatima Sato had some good news -- "Mom is ok. She is on her way home."

The international and Japanese Red Cross also set up a similar site.

People in Japan and abroad can register names on the website or consult the list,

Tsunami kills one in US AFP LOS ANGELES, MARCH 12 : Tsunami waves from Japan's huge quake have killed at least one person and sparked mass evacuations on the American continent, but failed to inflict major damage.

Surges of 2.4 meters high

crashed ashore on the coasts of California and Oregon yesterday, up to 12 hours after the 8.9-magnitude quake triggered tsunami alerts in dozens of countries.

In California's Del Norte County, a 25-year-old man was confirmed dead after being swept into the Pacific Ocean near the mouth of the Klamath River.

while those in Japan can inform their family and friends that they are safe and provide contact details.

And micro-blogging site Twitter was updating every second with messages of good will, of condolences and offering aid.

Hashtags, or labels that allow people to share and locate messages around a specific subject, pray for Japan

and tsunami were soon joined by one named radiation.

People used the new label to update information on what was happening with the feared meltdown at the ageing Fukushima nuclear plant.

A service was also being shared on Twitter allowing people the chance to donate to the Red Cross via text message, the donation being added to phone bills.

Some tweets were posted by international celebrities such as the American singer Lady Gaga, who launched a bracelet campaign to support the relief effort.

She asked her legion of fans -- whom she calls "Little Monsters" -- to buy a bracelet on her website saying, "We Pray for Japan". All proceeds will go to relief efforts, she said.

Stunned survivors of Japan's quake and tsunami catastrophe confronted a deadly new threat Saturday -- the spectre of a nuclear reactor meltdown in the desolate disaster zone.

In shattered towns along the vast Pacific coast -- where a massive tidal wave devoured and spat out entire neighbourhoods with houses, cars and people -- an eerie calm had descended over the muddy wastelands.

Birds were chirping in the new mud fields near Minamisoma, where the deadly wall of seawater surged as far as two kilometres (1.2 miles) inland, leaving random debris, vehicles and the ruins of wood houses jutting from the mud.

Sayori Suzuki, a 34-yearold housewife, recalled the utter horror of the previous day, Japan's worst recorded quake.

"It was a tremor like I never experienced before," she told an AFP reporter. " My son cried violently and things just flew from the shelves.

"My house is okay, but a relative's house was washed away. Another relative said he was fleeing in a car but watched in the rear-view mirror as the waves were catching up on him from behind. He escaped very narrowly."

Russia reinforces radiation control AFP MOSCOW, MARCH 12: Russia on Saturday was closely monitoring radiation levels in its Far Eastern regions amid fears of a possible nuclear meltdown in Japan following a devastating earthquake, officials said.

Test results have so far been normal and a tsunami alert for the Kuril Island chain has been cancelled, the emergencies ministry said on Saturday.

"In connection with a radiation leak at a nuclear power station in Japan, control over background radiation in the Sakhalin region has been re-

inforced," the ministry said in a statement, adding that test results had been normal so far.

Background radiation levels were also being watched in the country's other Far Eastern regions such as Primorye, Kamchatka and Khabarovsk, ministry spokesman Sergei Viktorov told AFP. Japan's nuclear authorities warned Saturday that quakehit atomic plant Fukushima No. 1, about 250 kilometres (160 miles) northeast of

Tokyo, "may be experiencing a nuclear meltdown", media said.

After the deadly quake struck in Japan on Friday, Russia placed the Kuril Island chain on high alert, ordering the evacuation of 11,000 people and suspending economic activity on the islands.

Tsunami waves on Friday reached the archipelago's southernmost islands that are at the heart of Russia's long-running territorial dispute with Japan, with waves

on Kunashir Island reaching three metres (10 feet) at one point.

The tsunami alert for the island chain was cancelled earlier Saturday, officials said, adding the islands sustained no damage.

Russia was quick to offer its assistance to Tokyo following the natural disaster despite a recent flare-up in bilateral tensions exacerbated by President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to Kunashir in November, a first by a Kremlin leader.

Libya army recapture rebel-held city PTI CAIRO, MARCH 12 : Speeding down the key eastern coastal highway, tanks and artillery guns of Mummar Gaddafi's forces stormed into the city of Brega and are now within striking distance of the main opposition held city of Benghazi as the western powers were awaiting the nod from Arab League to enforce a nofly zone over the strife-torn Libya.

Keeping up the momentum of their advance, columns of tanks backed by fighters and gunships entered the city of Brega, which was captured by the rebels just a week back after fierce fighting.

"The rebel forces, who for weeks rapidly advanced on the capital Tripoli in a bid to oust Gaddafi, are loosing steam to the better armed government forces," alJazeera correspondent reported from Brega.

The Arab channel said that Gaddafi's forces were now in a good position to take on

Benghazi, Libya's second largest city and the seat of the rebels' National opposition Council, which was recognised by France recently.

There were conflicting reports on Ras Lanuf, the main oil producing town, which saw pitched battle on Friday.

After an intense fight, Gaddafi's forces held the town while the rebels occupied the oil terminals.

But in a fresh onslaught this morning, Gaddafi's forces made the rebel fighters to retreat by laying down heavy air and ground firepower.

The fall of the town was confirmed by Libya's former interior minister Gen Abdul Fateh Younis, who has defected to the rebels. But he vowed that his fighters would launch a counter-attack latest by tomorrow.

The near rout of the opposition forces came as Arab League foreign ministers met in Cairo where they are predicted to back a no-fly zone over the country to ramp up pressure on Gaddafi.

Secretary General of Arab

League told the channel that he wanted the pan Arab organisation to play a role in imposing a no-fly zone.

A sanction by the Arab League is likely to pave the way for the US and its European allies to go ahead with enforcing the zone, which effectively neutralise Gaddafi's air power.

A UN mission was also due in Libya to evaluate the country's humanitarian needs.

As the sea-saw battle continued in Libya, US President Barack Obama has warned that "the noose" around Libyan ruler was tightening and said the international community had an obligation to prevent a Rawanda-style civilian massacre in the North African nation.

"Across the board, we are slowly tightening the noose on Gaddafi," Obama said at a White House news conference, which was dominated by the Libyan uprising and the Japanese tsunami tragedy.

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sports

Aldona Cup 2011 soccer final: Goa Velha Sports Club v. Sangolda Lightning, Quitula ground, 4.45 p.m.

Nagoa Village Panchayat Cup 2011 soccer: Union of Chinchinim Villagers v.

Carmona SC, Nagoa ground, 4.30 p.m.

Novino Gold Cup Inter-Village football tournament inaugural: Sirsaim Sports Club v. Friends XI, Vaddem, Dr. Gustavo Monteiro Stadium, Candolim, 4.30 p.m.

1st All Goa tennis ball cricket, behind Azad Nagar /Deccan Tyres, Margao, 8 a.m.

7th All-Goa cricket hardball organised by Friends Group of Sancoale Club, near St. John of The Cross Convent, Sancoale, 9 a.m.

1st All-Goa 2-a-side tiebreaker organised by Young Boys of Santa Cruz Sports Club, KakumoddiXeldem, 9 a.m.

1st all-Goa tennis ball cricket organised by Young Boys of Chimbel, PattoRibandar, 11 a.m.

All 23 National football players led by Bhutia and the support staff have sent a signed letter to AIFF president Praful Patel, saying coach Bob Houghton had not used any racially abusive language with Indian referee Dinesh Nair and that all the allegations against him were false.

“

Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

The allegations that I used derogatory remarks, racially abusing referee Dinesh Nair in the match against Yemen are nonsensical.

-- Bob Houghton, India coach

Saligao beat Laxmi Prasad

PWD in cricket finals

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER

HERALD SPORTS DESK

Mapusa, March 12 : Saligao Sporting Club woke up very late as they netted two goals in the dying minutes to snatch all three points overcoming Laxmi Prasad Sports Club 2-0 in a Group A GFA 2nd Division fixture, at Duler stadium here on Saturday. The match was goalless at the breather.

Saligao substitute Abhijit Chodankar shot low in the 90th minute to put his side ahead. In the third minute of

injury time Saligao midfielder Uday Naik blasted in to make sure of victory.

In an extremely slow and subdued encounter, it was Saligao’s fighting spirit which kept them focused till the final whistle.

At half time Saligao brought on Abhijit in to the forward line, while striker Desmond D’Souza was shifted into midfield. This allowed Saligao to increase their attempts on goal.

Laxmi Prasad started with the same first eleven which

took three points in their opening match and by the second half it was clear that playing two games in the space of three days had clearly taken its toll on the players as they looked lethargic.

The first half was so unexciting that the fans were seen checking their phones for updates on cricket. The only shot on target came from Saligao, after Desmond neatly backheeled the ball for Uday Naik to strike but his shot was easily gathered.

After the break, bought teams made changes to try and inject pace into the game, but with little luck.

Saligao’s Abhijit had two attempts saved by the rival goalkeeper.

With the match looking like it was heading for a stalemate, Abhijit struck low to put Saligao ahead.

With virtually the last kick of the game Uday Naik punted in the second, which could prove to be decisive as goal average may play a part in this group.

National football camp for AFC Challenge Cup HERALD SPORTS REPORTER Panjim, March 12 : India will hold their preparatory camp for the AFC Challenge Cup 2012 qualifiers (group stage) at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from March 15.

The qualifiers are slated to be held from March 21 to 25.

India are clubbed in Group B alongwith Chinese Taipei, Turkmenistan and Pakistan. India will take on Chinese Taipei in the opener on March 21, while they will lock horns with Pakistan on March 23 before taking on

Turkmenistan in the final group league match on March 25.

Goalkeepers: Arindam Bhattacharya (Churchill Brothers), Subrata Pal (Pune), Gurpreet Singh Sandhu (Indian Arrows).

Defenders: Anwar (Mohun Bagan) Nirmal Chhetri (East Bengal), Denzil Franco (Churchill Brothers), Raju Gaekwad (Indian Arrows), N.S. Manju (United Sikkim FC), Nalappan Mohanraj (Mohun Bagan) Syed Rahim Nabi (East Bengal), Gouramangi Moirangthem

(Churchill Brothers), Govin Moirangthem (Salgaocar).

Midfielders: Joaquim Abranches (Dempo), Shilton D'Silva (Indian Arrows), Steven Dias (Churchill Brothers), Rakesh Masih (Mohun Bagan), Jewel Sheikh Raja (Indian Arrows), Baldeep Singh (Salgaocar), Jagpreet Singh (JCT).

Strikers: Sunil Chhetri (Chirag United), Jeje Lalpekhulua (Indian Arrows), C. Sabeeth (Viva Kerala), Sushil Kumar Singh (East Bengal).

Betalbatim move into St Rock finals HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim, March 12 : Holders Betalbatim Sports Club entered the finals of 22nd St Rock Super Soccer for Nazario Dias memorial trophy edging past Curtorim Gymkhana via the tiebreaker 5-4 at Calata-Majorda ground on Saturday.

Desmond Fernandes put Betalbatim ahead off a free kick in the 22nd minute. Agnelo D’Costa equalized in the 47th minute.

Bradley Rogtao, Desmond Fernandes, Dickson Rogtao, Alison Rogtao converted for Betalbatim. Seby Martins, Roy Albuquerque, Agnelo D’Costa scored for Curtorim.

Novino Gold Cup soccer today HERALD CORRESPONDENT Calangute, March 12: The Novino Gold Cup Inter-Village football tournament organised by Candolim Sports Club gets underway at Dr. Gustavo Monteiro Stadium, Candolim, on Sunday with the inaugural match between Sirsaim Sports Club and Friends XI, Vaddem at 4.30 p.m.

The other teams vying in the prestigious tournament are Calangute Association,

United Club of Nerul, Sangolda Lightning, Nerul Sports Club, Wilfred Leisure Sports Club, PVC Association Parra, Football Club of Siolim, Adarsh Yuvak Sangh, Siolim Sodiem Sports and Cultural Association, St. Augustias Sports Club Pomburpa, Nagoa Sporting Club, Raitura Sports Club, Milagres Sports Club and hosts Candolim Sports Club. all matches will kick off at 4.30 p.m.

Davorlim trounce Verna, enter Nagoa finals HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim, March 12 : Davorlim Sports Club showed their class and some vintage soccer defeating Verna Sports Club 4-0 to enter the finals of Nagoa Village Panchayat Cup 2011 soccer organised by Pax of Nagoa Sports ground today.

Davolim could have taken the lead in the 6th minute but the Verna goalkeeper brought off a fantastic save.

There was no score in the first half.

Davorlim drew first blood through Romeo Colaco when he played his free kick through the wall. As Verna were trying to gain some control and come to terms, Davorlim came up

with the second goal through Verson Figueredo the very next minute.

The Verna boys were subdued in every department and could not match the opponent's quick reflexes and great combination.

With Verna still trying to regain control Davorlim displayed fine combination and were rewarded with the third goal through Paxton Gomes.

Davorlim scored the fourth through Verson Figueredo.

Verna boys resorted to some rough play. Santan Rego was red-carded.

Melwin Figueredo was adujudged man-of-the match.

Officials: Robert Douglas Houghton (chief coach). Savio Medeira (assistant coach), Marcus Anthony Pacheco (goalkeeping coach), Mandhar Tamhane (manager).

Panjim, March 12 : Public Works Department beat Directorate of Health Services by 30 runs to reach the finals of State Level Civil Services Cricket Tournament organised by DSYA at Chicalim Sports Complex.

Put into bat, PWD put up a respectable 166/3 in their allotted 20 overs with useful contribution from Mahesh Gawande who made 17. The highlight of the innings though was a 96-run 3rd wicket partnership between half-centurions Umesh Naik (64 in 41 balls) and Naresh Parsekar (54 not out in 36 balls).

DHS kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and could muster only 136/7 with

Vijay making 40 and Vishal 37. A fine all-round display by Umesh Naik (3/21) and Naresh Parsekar (3/27) helped the PWD not only to register a convincing 30-run victory but also avenge last year’s loss to the DHS. Umesh Naik and Naresh Parsekar were both jointly awarded the man-of-the match award for their fine all-round display. PWD will meet RCS in the finals.

Earlier, PWD beat Directorate of Agriculture by 31 runs to reach the semi-finals.

Put in to bat, PWD started briskly putting on 62 runs in the first seven overs, before losing their first wicket, with handy contributions from Nilesh

Parsekar (40 in 36 balls) and Mahesh Gawande (36 in 28 balls). Yeshwant Jawwaji (12 in 8 balls) and Someshwar Adpaikar (19 in 12 balls) helped PWD to reach 153 in their allotted 20 overs.

Vinod was the pick of the bowlers for Agriculture Dept claiming 3/20, while Deepak picked up 2 wickets.

Agriculture Dept, in a bid to keep up with the required run-rate, lost wickets at regular intervals and could muster only 122. Mayur Naik and Naresh Parsekar each picked up two wickets while Anil and Umesh picked one each.

Nilesh Parsekar was named man-of-the match.

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sports

Man Utd down Arsenal, in semis Man Utd...2 FA CUP AGENCIES London, March 12: Manchester United produced a clinical display to reach the FA Cup semi-final and dump Arsenal out 2-0 of their third Cup competition in a fortnight.

Despite starting with seven defenders, the hosts carried more threat than

Arsenal...0 Arsenal early on and Fabio da Silva scored on the rebound on 28 minutes.

Wayne Rooney then made it 2-0 with a neat header after the break to seal it.

Edwin van der Sar saved from Robin van Persie, Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh to preserve that lead late on.

England spinner Graeme Swann has been fined 10 per cent of his match fee for using ‘obscene and offensive language’ during his team's two-wicket loss to Bangladesh in a World Cup group match in Chittagon on Friday.

“

Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

The Government is ready to help in further development of football in Goa. We are there for football.

-- Digambar Kamat, Chief Minister

RMS HSS principal opposes 15 marks for tug-of-war players l Several educationists ready for tug-of-war with Sports Minister Babu HERALD CORRESPONDENT Margao, March 12: Several educationists, teachers including those connected with physical education, opposed what they alleged as blatant misuse of Sports Policy by Sports Minister Babu Azgaoncar in allotting 15 merit marks to 27 tug-of-war participants in the State championship.

Principal of RMS Higher Secondary, Margao, Vinod Powar came down heavily on Sports Minister Babu for allowing his own 27 students to get benefit of 15 marks under the Sports Policy, just for directly participating at State level and that too through a sports club and not school.

At one stage, there was a move by the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education that these students be given just 5 marks that are earmarked for Taluka participation.

“Anybody who fails in

Photo: Savio Dias

Farrel FurtaDo, J Rebello, Vinod Powar, Mario Quadros, More at the press briefing against the allottment of 15 marks to tug-of-war players at Margao Municipal Council hall on Saturday. studies can be made to play for a club and get the benefit of merit marks,” complained Powar. “It is injustice to students who excel in sports, going from the Taluka level to State level,” he stressed.

“These 27 students participated directly at State level and that too through a club and quickly got 15 marks. We will mobilize other students and we are ready to demonstrate in large numbers against this misuse of policy,”

added Powar, who stressed that tug-of-war was an unknown game which did not figure in the list of approved 22 disciplines by the general council.

J R Rebello, principal of Higher Secondary Forum, stated that the Sports Policy was designed to encourage students to take up to sports.

“Proper procedure needs to be followed and only the deserving ones should get the marks in a fair manner,” dis-

closed Rebello.

Mario Quadros, president, Goa Headmasters Association felt that the policy for students should be implemented through the heads of schools so that only genuine students get the benefits.

More, secretary of Higher Secondary Teachers Association and Vitobha Dessai, president of Teachers Association said there is no identity for the

game like tug-of-war, which is not part of the inter-schools competitions.

“It has never been played at school level.”

RMS HSS physical education teacher and former Ranji player Vinod Dhamaskar also criticised the authorities for misusing their power in allotting marks for tug-of-war.

“Proper procedure and guidelines need to be followed or else it will give an

impression that it is being done for the benefit of those connected with the powers that be,” remarked Vinod.

Football, cricket players have to slog to reach the State level and earn 15 marks, since they have to play right from Taluka level, whereas the tug-of-war players played only at State level directly and got the marks, the speakers opined.

Farrel Furtado, who is connected with hockey also spoke against the allotment of 15 marks to the 27 students who represented some sports clubs at the State tugof-war championship directly at the State level, without holding the Taluka, District and Zonal level competitions.

Nelly Rodrigues, HISTAG vice-president, Kiran Dahargalkar, president of PETA and Oswald D’Costa, physical education teacher, Rosary Higher Secondary, Navelim were also present.

Gracy for Colombo Churchill have tough task against Viva Pa n j i m , March 12: Former international, Gracy D’Costa has been selected by the AIFF to attend the AFC ‘C’ License course in Colombo.

Gracy played for India in the AFC U-19 girls championship in Malaysia when she was just 15 and was studying at Bethany Convent HS. The Sao Jose de Areal born footballer has played for the State football team in U-17 and U-19 categories. She represented Goa senior team eight times.

coming FC Siolim 6-5 on penalties. Sangolda defeated Nerul Sports Club 2-0 in the other semi-final.

Tourism Minister Nilkant Harlankar will be the chief guest, while Sporting Clube de Goa president Peter Vaz and GFA vice president Lavinio Rebello are the guests of honour.

Panjim, March 12: Viva Kerala, with their newly found confidence, will face Churchill Brothers at Jawahar Municpal Stadium, Kannur in the 19th round I-League match on Sunday.

Viva Kerala are placed 11th, while the Goans, who played an extra game, are four points behind League leaders Salgaocar.

Churhcill Brothers are on a four-match unbeaten run, grabbing ten points from their last four matches and climbing up the league table in the process.

After a terrible first leg, it seems the Kerala outfit have adapted to the conditions in the I-League. The team has scored 12 goals in the last four matches, which in-

Panjim, March 12: The Goa Velha Villagers will organise a 9-a-side open Goa Velha Super Soccer tournament, the finals of which will be played on April 12 on the occasion of Procession of

Saints in Goa Velha. The winners and runners-up will be awarded Rs.25,000 and Rs. 15,000 respectively.

Teams may contact Anthony D'Silva on 9881824401 before March 16.

Aldona Cup finals today HERALD SPORTS REPORTER Mapusa, March 12: Goa Velha Sports Club and Sangolda Lightning will fight it out for the Aldona Cup 2011 trophy football on Sunday at Quitula ground, at 4.45 p.m.

Goa Velha qualified for the final after eventually over-

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER

Goa Velha Super Soccer

cludes a seven-goal thrashing of Air India at Kannur and a four-goal comeback at Pune. They also defeated HAL by a lone goal scored by their International midfielder NP Pradeep.

The ambitious Churchill Brothers will be looking for nothing but three points against Viva needed to challenge Salgaocar to the title.

But the job they have in their hand won’t be an easy one.

In their last meeting, it was Viva Kerala who almost managed to upset Churchill through a goal form Felix Chimaokwu, but the Goans took the advantage of a late penalty to draw level and save the day. It was Odafa Okolie who made it 1-1 that day.

Churchill will be without Indian striker Mohammed Rafi who sustained an ankle

injury and was recommended to take rest for a few days. Rafi is the only player missing from the strong line up. Odafa and Jerry Boima will line up in the attack while Steven Diaz, Gouramangi Singh and ex-Viva Kerala captain MP Sakeer will make the midfield stable in the hostile conditions at Kannur. Another Kerala player, Bineesh Balan, who have made 13 I-League appearances and scored two goals this season, will be in the substitutes’ bench. Lalit Thapa will guard the goal for the away team.

Viva Kerala will be boosted with the return of striker CS Sabeeth who had a successful outing with the Indian National team in the round 1 of Olympic qualifiers were his late goal proved

TODAY’S FIXTURES Viva Kerala v. Churchill Pune v. ONGC Air India v. Indian Arrows HAL v. Chirag United

vital for India’s advancement into the second round of the competition.

Sabeeth is expected to start with Anil Kumar PK upfront with Felix being dropped to the bench as a substitute who can be brought on in the later stages of the match. Once again, NP Pradeep will prove to be vital in the team’s movements on the ground with the midfield maestro combing with Jimshad U, Ummer Faroque and Karma T to create goal scoring opportunities for the home side.

Don Bosco HigH scHool, Panjim, winners of U-16 boys Tiswadi Taluka cricket tournament organised by DSYA alongwith (l to r) Sarvesh Surlakar, Sanjay Shirodkar (TSO), B D Powar (APEO), Shirshir Diukar (SAG coach), Vishwas Gawade (official) and Chandan Dongrekar (official).

CM hails Goa’s football progress l Armando, Joaquim laud Salcete FC

HERALD CORRESPONDENT Margao, March 12: “Football has been the pulse of Goans and we should be proud of our excellent performances at State and National levels,” said Digambar Kamat at the glittering felicitation function organised by Salcete FC at BPS Club here, Friday.

Kamat said his government was ready to help in further development of the game. “We are there for you, take every opportunity to develop football.”

The CM complimented

Salcete FC for their initiative in honouring their players as part of Goa’s 50 years of Liberation.

Srinivas Dempo, GFA president said Goan football was going in right direction, with three Goan teams in contention for the I-league title. Chairman of Salcete FC, Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao said the club had been a nursery for many years.

Armando Colaco, Dempo’s head coach who was felicitated remarked that Salcete had given him the base. PWD Minister Churchill Alemao also spoke.

Among those present were Sushila Naik, chairperson of MMC, vice-chairperson Gonzako Rebello, Vijay Sardesai, Councilor Tito Cardozo, Luis Alex Cardozo, Lavino Rebello, Fortunato Franco, Bruno Coutinho, Brahamanad Shankvalkar, Dr Susana De Sousa, Juliana Colaco, ex-Salcete, Dempo, Salgaocar and Churchill players.

Those who were feted were Climax Lawrence, Clifford Miranda, Mahesh Gawli, Samir Naik, Marcus Pacheco, Savio Medeira, Armando Colaco, Alberto Colaco.

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Saina Nehwal went down in straight games to unseeded Japanese Eriko Hirose in the quarterfinals of the All England Badminton Championship.Saina, who was expected to win at the event given the absence of some top Chinese players, lost 21-11, 2220 to her little-known Japanese rival on Friday.

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Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

The shock loss to Bangladesh has not derailed our team's WC campaign even though there is real risk of elimination -- England captain Andrew Strauss

Kiwis focusing on qualifying, not net run-rate: Taylor PTI Mumbai, March 12: New Zealand are focusing only on winning their last two league games to advance into the next stage of the World Cup and not thinking about what the net run rate should be or who their quarterfinal opponents could be, said stand-in skipper Ross Taylor here today.

"Net Run Rate may play a part, but the focus is to win the next two games, whether chasing or batting first. We don't want to look at net run rate just yet," said Taylor, who will be leading the Kiwis tomorrow in their penultimate league game against Canada at the refurbished Wankhede Stadium here.

"Whoever you play in the

quarterfinals or the semifinals, the scenario is going to be tough. Obviously, facing India at home is always tough," he explained when asked if the team was mulling over who their quarterfinal opponents would be.

The Kiwis are strongly poised to advance to the next stage as they just need a victory over Canada, who they

have beaten in two previous Cup clashes, to leapfrog Sri Lanka and go to the top of the pool, besides making it to the knockout stage of the competition.

Taylor, whose blazing unbeaten 131 pulled the rug under Pakistan's feet in their previous clash in Sri Lanka's Pellekele Stadium in Kandy, felt if they can put Canada

under early pressure, the North American team would crumble.

"They are a solid side. In the last two World Cups, they have played well against us and will try to take confidence from it.

"But we know that if we can put the so called minnows under pressure early on, we can try to dominate from

there. But we have to try and restrict them. We know the result should be a win," said the Wellington-born elegant middle order batsman.

The 27-year-old conceded that he was lucky to have been dropped twice (by Pakistan stumper Kamran Akmal) early in his innings off Shoaib Akhtar's bowling in a league game against Pak-

istan, before he went hammer and tongs at the rival at-

Ross Taylor stretches during a team training session at The Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

We’ve not played great level of cricket: Ponting PTI

conference.

Ponting said the best Australian XI would Bangalore, March 12: Australia have not take the field tomorrow and no key player quite played their best cricket so far in the would be rested just because the opposition is Kenya.

World Cup, captain Ricky "We will not be resting. We Ponting said today while TODAY’S MATCHES have not rested for 16 days. We promising to turn up the inNew Zealand are really trying well. Obvitensity as his team approaches v. Canada ously, we will be picking from the ‘business end’ of the mega9.30 a.m. the 15 and field the best team," event.

Australia v.

Ponting said.

Set to take on minnows Kenya Asked whether senior batsKenya in a Group A clash here 2.30 p.m. man Michael Hussey, who tomorrow, Ponting said the joined the squad recently after Aussies would look to improve upon what they have managed in the past coming in as replacement for pacer Doug three matches one of which was washed out. Bollinger, would get a game tomorrow, Ponting "We have not played great level of cricket said it would depend on his fitness levels.

"If Mike pulls up well today in the training in this tournament. So, it is for us to (start playing great cricket) getting into the busi- session, there is a chance of his playing toness end of the tournament. That means, we morrow. We are going to wait and see who go out tomorrow and play our best game pos- pulls up today and then we will finalise our sible," Ponting said at the pre-match press 11 for tomorrow's game," he said.

Lee sends Bolton into semis FA CUP

Bolton Wanderers' Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen (right) and English defender Paul Robinson (2nd right) vie with Birmingham City's English striker Kevin Phillips (left) at AFP London, March 12: Lee Chung-Yong fired Bolton into the FA Cup semi-finals

as the South Korean's late goal clinched a 3-2 win over Birmingham in the quarterfinals at St Andrew's on Saturday.

Cesar rescues point for 10-man Inter SERIE A

AFP Rome, March 12: Goalkeeper Julio Cesar saved a last minute penalty to rescue a point for 10-man Inter Milan away to Brescia on Friday night.

Samuel Eto'o scored his 31st goal of the season to give the championsafirsthalfleadbefore Andrea Caracciolo equalised six minutes from time.

But then substitute Ivan Cordoba was sent-off for bringing down Eder in the

box only for Cesar to save Caracciolo's spot-kick.

In a bizarre finish, Caracciolo then also received his marching orders for a second yellow card.

The point means AC Milan could extend their Serie A lead to seven points if they beat rock-bottom Bari on Sunday.

Inter coach Leonardo claimed his side had deserved more than a draw.

"We had many chances and there could have been a different result," he said.

Owen Coyle's side looked to have been denied a place in the last four when Kevin Phillips hit a late equaliser for Birmingham, but Bolton midfielder Lee headed the winner in the 90th minute to send the visitors to the Wembley semis.

Bolton had taken the lead through Johan Elmander's cool finish in the 21st minute before Cameron Jerome lashed in Birmingham's first equaliser in the 38th minute.

Kevin Davies converted a 66th minute penalty, awarded after Curtis Davies fouled the Bolton striker, only for Phillips to scoop in a superb equaliser with 10 minutes to play.

But Birmingham's dreams of adding the FA Cup to the League Cup they won against Arsenal last month came to an end when substitute Lee ran onto Davies's header and nodded past Ben Foster.

Jankovic, Clijsters advance AFP Indian Wells, March 12: Reigning champion Jelena Jankovic and two-time winner Kim Clijsters cruised into the third round at Indian Wells Friday as three of the past eight women's winners were in action.

Jankovic also showed plenty of firepower, crushing Coco Vandeweghe of the United States in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.

The women's draw also includes world No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark who lost in the final last year to Jankovic 6-2, 6-4.

Bor. & Dig. : Comedian ‘64

tack to help New Zealand add 114 in the last six overs.

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Somdev Devvarman stormed into the second round of the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells with a straight set win over Adrian Mannarino from France on Friday.

Somdev beat Mannarino 6­2, 6­3 in a match that lasted for an hour and 24 minutes. Somdev broke the French­ man twice in both the sets to wrap an easy win.

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Goa I Sunday 13, March 2011

The thrilling win against England has taught us the important lesson of not throwing away good starts -- Bangla captain Shakib Al Hasan

SA clinch thriller Sachin extends record Steyn sparks India collapse after Tendulkar ton

Dhoni successfully run-outs South Africa batsman Jacques Kallis at VCA Stadium in Nagpur on Saturday.

AFP

lost their last nine wickets for just 29 runs in nine overs to be bowled out for 296.

Man of the match Steyn (5-50) played a key role in his team's fightback to bag his maiden five-wicket haul in

final place but suffered their first defeat, still top Group B with seven points from five Nagpur, March 12: South matches.

Africa backed paceman Dale They are followed by West Steyn's five-wicket burst with Indies (6/4), South Africa their batting depth to end (6/4), England (5/5) and India's winning run with a thrilling three-wicket P W L T NR P NRR Bangladesh (4/4) as the pool heads for a victory in the World GrouP A Cup on Saturday.

Sri Lanka (Q) 5 3 1 0 1 7 +2.705 thrilling conclusion Needing 13 to win New Zealand 4 3 1 0 0 6 +1.848 in the final week of 4 3 1 0 0 6 +0.760 first round games. in the last over off Pakistan 3 2 0 0 1 5 +1.813 Jacques Kallis seamer Ashish Australia 4 1 3 0 0 2 -0.690 (69), Hashim Amla Nehra, South Africa Zimbabwe Canada 4 1 3 0 0 2 -2.083 found an unlikely Kenya 4 0 4 0 0 0 -3.403 (61), AB de Villiers (52), Faf du Plessis star in Robin Peter- GrouP B son who plundered India 5 3 1 1 0 7 +0.768 (25 not out) and JP 16 runs off the first West Indies 4 3 1 0 0 6 +2.206 Duminy (23) also +1.352 contributed to four balls to help his South Africa 4 3 1 0 0 6 5 2 2 1 0 5 +0.013 South Africa's win. side achieve a 297- England Bangladesh 4 2 2 0 0 4 -1.241 Tendulkar earlier run target.

Ireland 4 1 3 0 0 2 -0.444 the India looked set to Netherlands 4 0 4 0 0 0 -2.728 dominated South African atpost a mammoth total (played, won, lost, tied, no result, points, net run rate) tack, cracking three when they reached sixes and eight fours in a 101267-1 following Sachin Ten- one-day internationals. dulkar's brilliant 111 for his India, who had been hop- ball knock.

He now needs just one 48th one-day hundred, but ing to wrap up a quarter-

Nehra has done well for us, will win crunch games: Dhoni SCorEBoArd India: V Sehwag b du Plessis 73, S Tendulkar c Duminy b Morkel 111, G Gambhir c Kallis b Steyn 69, Y Pathan c Smith b Steyn 0, Yuvraj Singh c Botha b Kallis 12, MS Dhoni not out 12, V Kohli c and b Peterson 1, Harbhajan Singh b Steyn 3, Zaheer Khan c Morkel b Peterson 0, A. Nehra c Smith b Steyn 0, M Patel b Steyn 0. Extras: 15. Total 296 all out. Fall of wickets: 1-142, 2-267, 3-268, 4-268, 5-283, 6286, 7-293, 8-294, 9-296, 10-296. Bowling: Steyn 9.4-0-50-5, Morkel 7-0-59-1, Kallis 8-0-43-1, Peterson 9-0-52-2, Duminy 3-0-29-0, Botha 9-0-39-0, du Plessis 3-0-22-1.

South Africa: H Amla c Dhoni b Harbhajan 61, G Smith c Tendulkar b Zaheer 16, J Kallis run out 69, AB de Villiers c Kohli b Harbhajan 52, JP Duminy st Dhoni b Harbhajan 23, F du Plessis not out 25, M van Wyk lbw b Patel 5, J Botha c sub (Raina) b Patel 23, R Peterson not out 18. Extras: 8. Total: 300 for 7. Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-127, 3-173, 4-223, 5-238, 6-247, 7-279. Bowling: Zaheer 10-0-43-1, Nehra 8.40-65-0, Patel 10-0-65-2, Pathan 4-0-20-0, Yuvraj 8-0-47-0, Harbhajan 9-0-53-3.

Man-of-the-match: D Steyn.

Smith hails win PTI Chittagong, March 12: South Africa skipper Graeme Smith said Saturday that successfully chasing nearly 300 to beat India was a "massive thing" for his team after a confidence-sapping defeat to England.

"For 15 overs up front we took an absolute beating but for 75 we played some incredible cricket," said Smith after the threewicket win.

"Chasing 300 on that deck,

second innings was a hell of an effort from the guys and I think we're all pretty speechless at the moment."

He said India's openers had put his side under "massive pressure" at the start of their innings but the Proteas had "showed a lot of composure."

"When we got our chance we took it with some great bowling by Dale and a couple of the other guys chipped in," he said.

PTI Nagpur, March 12: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni today defended the decision to give Ashish Nehra the last over of the South Arican innings, saying the paceman has been doing a nice job and hoped that the left-armer will win crunch games for the country later in the World Cup. South Africa needed 13 runs in the last over to beat India in a group B league match but Nehra could not stop them from doing so, leaking 16 runs in the first four balls.

"Bowlers need to bowl at the right spots and if you are not doing that, more often than not, you are going to get hit. Bhajji (Harbhajan) was the only other choice but I thought a seamer would be better.

Maybe I was wrong, but I thought that was the better option.

"Nehra has been the mean bowler for us right from the start till the old ball. We have belief in him.

Not this one, but may be he will come good in crunch games for us," Dhoni said after India's three-wicket defeat.

Dhoni also said not batting the full quota of overs, cost India.

more century to become the first player to score 100 international hundreds, having already made 51 in Test cricket.

South Africa's attack came under pressure for the first time in four matches as Sachin, Sehwag (73) and Gambhir (69) comfortably gathered runs against pace and spin.

Bollywood stars cheer Team India

AGENCIES

PTI

Nagpur, March12: Sachin Tendulkar today extended his record of highest centuries in the World Cup history by smashing his sixth hundred against South Africa in the mega event event here.

Tendulkar had scored the record fifth World Cup hundred against England last month. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, Australia duo of Ricky Ponting and Mark Waugh have all scored four World Cup hundreds.

Tendulkar scored 111 runs during his 101ball stay at the crease in India's group-B match against the Proteas. His dazzling knock ended when JP Duminy caught him at point off Morne Morkel.

Today's knock was Tendulkar's 48th ODI hundred and is now just one shot of creating a century of international centuries as he also has scored 51 Test hundreds.

Tendulkar also completed 2000 ODI runs against South Africa and incidentally, the legendary batsman had scored the recordbreaking 200 against the Proteas in Gwalior in February last year.

South Africa is now fourth team in the world to have conceded 2000 or more runs to Tendulkar. Australia (3005), Pakistan (2389) and Sri Lanka (2965) are the other teams, that have conceded 2000 or more runs to Tendulkar.

Tendulkar, playing his sixth World Cup, also holds the records for most runs and most half-centuries in the flagship event of the ICC. Meanwhile, Sachin also became the first one to score 20 ODI centuries in his home country.

Nagpur, March 12: Bollywood stars, including Abhishek Bachchan and Bipasha Basu were on Saturday seen cheering the Indian cricket team during match against South Africa at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium at Jamtha here.

Clad in a white shirt and blue jeans, Abhishek was seen holding the national flag along with Bipasha, dressed in blue, and screaming "Come on, India" at the stadium.

The duo are starring in the upcoming film 'Dum Maro Dum'.

Daggubati Rana, who is making his foray into Hindi film industry with the film, was also spotted along with them.

ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat was also seen alongside Bipasha in the stands.

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GOA’S HEARTBEAT

‘Eighty Five Percent of My Workforce is Goan’

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email us at: goasheartbeat@herald-goa.com

Relaxation means releasing all concern and tension and letting the natural order of life flow through one's being - Donald Curtis

Photos by Christina Viegas

BY CHRISTINA VIEGAS HERALD FEATURES ow aptly said that ‘The people make the place’! Yes, a journalist learns this lesson very early in one’s calling: a place is never just about the landscape or the climate or the food; it is the people that make it special. It is the people who give a particular place its special vibe, energy and pulse. That is why a sharp journo always pays special attention to the people one interacts with. Getting people to reveal bits of local wisdom, their stories and their memories are gems gathered during this journey.

And in this case we can say that this one person makes this place. We are talking about Victor Soares, general manager at the Royal Orchid Beach Resort and Spa. The intricate little details taken care of and the small, little touches he has lent to the resort is perhaps what makes it stand out among many others.

Having trotted around the globe for 28 years, the gentleman has amassed a good amount of experience in dealing with the different kinds of peoples of the world. In Goa for the last seven years, he enlightens, “I wanted to get back and give back to my hometown before I reach a stage where I can’t even stand on my own (laughs).” Yes, our entire chinwag is interspersed with generous humour; a conversation that is riveting as Victor divulges all those special touches that he has lent in making Royal Orchids what it is.

One real surprise is his attitude towards staying unbiased when it comes to allotting rooms for the foreign tourists. He says, “Most hotels always give first preference to foreign guests. That leaves our very own Indians feeling really bad at this prejudice. On my part, I firmly stick

H

to the 50-50 quota. And this is the reason why our travel agents constantly support me during any season.”

A look around the resort and the abounding life resonating from his 100 per cent occupancy is testimony to his statement! Even sources from our Department of Tourism have always confirmed how it is the Indian tourist who is our main revenue as today’s Indians are high spenders vis-à-vis the foreign tourists who hardly use the services in the resorts and look out for cheaper options.

Another fact worth penning is Victor’s leaning towards recruiting Goans first. He enlightens, “Eighty five percent of my workforce are Goans; this is besides the trainees.

The Goans are on the main rolls from all categories. I always encourage local labour.”

Just like Victor ensures most of the foodstuff used in the restaurants are locally grown.

As for his resort, the moment you walk in, you feel a whiff of flower-like fragrance that makes you feel you are in some beautiful paradise of lovely smelling petals. Victor informs, “The fragrance is from the lemongrass we have planted all over.”

While his resort is on par with the best of resorts with his fine-dining restaurant, banquets, beckoning swimming pools, ultra-luxurious rooms (the royal suites even have their own individual plunge-in pools), a restaurant for grills right on the beach and much more, it is Victor’s little thoughtful touches to the resort that make it stand out. He enlightens us about the fish-feed time, “Among all the facilities mentioned on our blackboard in the lobby, I have included fish feeding at 9.30am.

The hundreds of fish, we have in this long, narrow pond in front of the hotel, dutifully assemble in one corner at 9.30 sharp every morning for their feed. I get many children promptly attending this important ritual.”

Similarly, Victor has ensured kids and parents are together and yet in their own individual spaces by positioning the outdoor but enclosed gym and kids’ room alongside each other on stilts. This magnificent setting where you are outdoors and yet in an air-conditioned glass-walled gym feels superb and all the more because you can keep an eye on your kids in the adjacent glass-walled kids’ room, again on stilts.

The resort has a 24-hour coffee shop which serves some delicious eats, right in the lobby. And for all you people who like the spirits flowing, this will come as great news – alcoholic beverages too are served 24 hours in this coffee shop. With great pride, Victor informs, “I believe in doing everything legally. I have the required license for whatever I provide here.”

To enable the coffee shop to function even during Goa’s bountiful monsoons, Victor boasts of the installation of a folding partition made from glass from Switzerland.

He says, “So, the guests can enjoy the dining with the rain beating down on the glass partition.”

For a person who has been around the world, he enlightens, “The tourism in Egypt is really, really huge. Their infrastructure is far, far superior to India. There people are highly trained for hospitality and their approach is very, very professional.”

Presently, Victor is excited about the soft launch of his Aristo Spa After an experience at the spa, one will come away feeling absolutely relaxed and rejuvenated. The gentleman’s meticulously hardworking yet un-hurried and warm nature which is arguably patent to every Goan is perhaps what makes this resort as alluring as it is.

From Humble Loaf to Slice of Multi-grain Joy

here once was a time when bread came in white or brown, and anything more sophisticated would entail a drive to a special bakery. But just walk down to your friendly neighbourhood store today and a profusion of bread varieties greets you – multi-grain, whole wheat, garlic, dalia, fenugreek and more.

Thanks to growing awareness about health and also more adventurous eating habits, the demand for new health-based or flavoured breads has gone up in Indian metros. And manufacturers have been more than happy to oblige.

Ramesh Mago, president of the All India Bread Manufacturers Association (AIBMA), says, “At least 3040 varieties of bread are easily available in the market.”

“Consumers have become health-conscious and to keep up with their demand, manufacturers have come up with a variety of breads,” said Gurbachan Singh, the owner of a grocery store.

“New variety is a big hit. Consumers have understood that eating maida is not good for health; so wheat, ‘daliya’ and multi-grain breads have become part of their daily meal,” Singh added.

Consuming fibrous food is part of healthy diet. Whole grain bread, which

Zun zai naslole ponnos dhaddaun pikoita -Anonymous

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Outdoor but glass-walled air conditioned gym and kids’ room adjacent to each other on stilts

Gently asserts Victor Soares, general manager at the Royal Orchid Beach Resort and Spa, Utorda. In a heart-to-heart with the gentleman, Herald extracts the person behind the personality to learn that small, innovative touches enhance the beauty of the big picture

T

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is made with whole grains and seeds such as atta, barley, gram, soya flour, oats, sesame and other seasonal fruit and vegetable seeds is the most sought after. Then there are fruits and dry fruitbased breads such as olive, walnut and fruit bread. Other varieties available in the market are corn bread, mushroom and foccacia.

“In 2007, we were the first to bring the concept of bread variety to local markets in India,” said Darab Khan, marketing head of Harvest Gold, adding, “The graph has definitely shown an increase in demand, specially brown (wheat) bread, which fetches us 100 per cent sales. The section of health-conscious people has increased drastically in the past five years and it is the sole reason why the concept of taking a variety of breads to local market came into being,” he added.

Sales of daliya and multi-grain breads are also picking up. “The concept is a hit in posh colonies. It hasn’t reached the remote areas yet, but it will be a big hit in the next few years,” Khan added.

According to Mago of AIBMA, the per capita consumption of bread is 2.3 kg per year and the growth rate is around three percent annually. It is still not an organised sector. A recent data analysis by Omega Analytics reveals that the organised sector production of bread comes up to 1,500,000 megatonne.

(Courtesy: IANS)

The Aristo Spa is one of the many worldwide Serena Spa chain of spas. The only one in Goa and second only to the one in Bangalore, it offers top-notch aromatic face and body treatments of international standards. The Aristo Spa idea was conceptualised keeping in mind the modern traveler. First hand experience at the spa enables one to step into a sanctuary designed to peel away the layers daily stress with select restorative and rejuvenating therapies that combine the best of time-tested holistic treatments.

There are a wide array of body, feet and head massages, body scrubs and body wraps suited to your skin-type and various other beauty treatments. Indulge in a Bliss Full Body Massage to experience the pampering massage featuring a range of customised aromatherapy oil blends to convey the healing, harmonising and rejuvenating properties of essential oils into the body through rhythmic touch. The highly skilled therapists are professionally trained and appreciatively drape areas of the body that are not a focus of the treatment.

And the aromas envelope you and the music call you to a place deep inside.

After the treatment, you do not have to hop around from room to room wrapped in towels as this spa offers single treatment rooms which comprise of all facilities - Inroom shower, steam room, bathroom with toilet, and if it is the Romeo Juliet twin rooms for couples, you get a private Jacuzzi as well.

You are allowed to take your time to “wake up to reality” and finish with your dressing and titivating before leaving the room after which you enjoy the relaxation area sipping a freshly made juice or a cup of warm herbal tea with a health snack.

All in all, a divine experience where one’s body and spirit gets nourished and rejuvenated!

World’s Most Expensive Painting on Show in London

P

ablo Picasso’s ‘Nu au Plateau de Sculpteur’ (Nude, Green Leaves and Bust), the world’s most expensive painting was to go on display Monday for the first time in Britain at London’s Tate Modern museum. The 1932 painting set a world record when it was snapped up by a mystery bidder for 106.5 million dollars (76.2 million euros) at New York’s Christie’s auction house last May. It will be the first time the painting has been displayed anywhere since 1961 and prompted the famous London museum to create a new Pablo Picasso room to house the loaned work.

“This is an outstanding painting by Picasso and I am delighted that through the generosity of the lender we are able to bring it to the British public for the first time,” said Nicholas Serota, the museum’s director.

(Courtesy: AFP)

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Sunday, 13 Mar 2011

WHAT’S UP IN GOA??

A 5-day workshop in shell craft jewellery, organised Sunaparanta - Goa Centre for the Arts will be held from April 4 to 8 from 3pm to 6 pm at Sunaparanta, Altinho-Panjim. Registration closes on March 24. Call 2421311.

‘E-posium’, organised by the Goa Chamber of Commerce will be held on March 12 at the Goa Marriott Resort, Campal-Panjim. It will have a workshop on ‘Writing Business Plans’ and two panel discussions on ‘Financing and Negotiating a Deal for an Entrepreneurial Business’ and ‘Marketing an Entrepreneurial Business’. It is being held to expand the Young Entrepreneurs Forum – YEF initiative by the GCCI. Call 2424252 or 2422635.

The 2nd Popular Tiatr Festival 2010 cum Competition, organised by Tiatr Academy of Goa is underway till March 24 at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Call 2420452.

‘Right to Information’, will be the topic of the workshop organised by Benaulim Community Centre and Asha Family Responsibilities and Rights Association on March 13 from 4pm to 6pm at Benaulim Community Centre, Benaulim.

Call 2256445, 9822166876 or 9822104033. E-mail trustasha@yahoo.co.in.

‘Heritage Walk through Panjim’ organised by Goa Heritage Action Group will be held March 13 from 5:30pm to 7pm. It will start from the Panjim Head Post Office.

E-mail GHAGwalks@gmail.com.

Take pictures of migratory wetland birds with Goan Shutterbugs on March 13 from 8am to 10am at MainaCurtorim Lake. The event is free.

Call 9822151419.

A workshop with Bondo in an endeavour to boost the resurgence of acoustic instruments among young talent, organised by the Department of Art and Culture and the Entertainment Society of Goa will be held on April

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HOROSCOPE 24 at the INOX Courtyard, Panjim. Call 9822383929.

A music therapy workshop, organised by Centre for Child Development and Family Guidance will be held on March 13 from 9.30am to 1.30pm at Alto-Porvorim. Call 6513749.

A beach, hill and history trek to Shahapur (Chapora), organised by Wildtrek Adventures will be held on March 13. Departure at 8am from Mapusa and 8.30am from Panjim. Call 9822123458, 9822155809 or 8796418565.

An integrated Theology course for Catholics, conducted by Pilar Theological College will be held on March 13 every two Sundays a month at Sangam Spirituality Centre, Vasco. Registration closes on March 11. Call 2541188 or 9890172696.

36 th State Art Exhibition (Student Category), organised by the Kala Academy is underway till March 14 from 10am to 7pm at the Kala Academy Art Gallery, Kala Academy, Panjim.

Call 2420452.

A Duets, Duos, Trios, Quartets, Quintets and Choral Songs Singing Competition, organised by Tiatr Academy of Goa will be held on March 23 from 3pm onwards at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Registration is open.

‘Four Women Artists and a Cartoonist’, an art exhibition, organised

by Alexyz and Gallery Attic is underway till March 17 at Gallery Attic, Panjim. It is held to celebrate International Women’s Day and will feature four female artists along with Alexyz. Call 2257690, 2257931 or 2420929.

‘Lights in Goa’, International Architecture Lighting Workshop will be held from March 14 to 19 and the seminars will be held on March 17 and 18 at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Call 2234477 The BeBook Charity Art Auction, organised by BeBook Charity Trust will be held on March 15 from 7pm onwards at the Goa Marriott Resort, Campal-Panjim.

Let everyone know you're in control -- and you know ex21 Mar - 19 Apr a c t l y w h a t you're doing.

You need to take one big step closer to home. That could mean checking in with your family, cutting a trip short or even considering a big move back to your hometown. Do what feels right.

Taurus Even though your time is completely your own right now, 20 Apr - 20 May there is no time to waste. Speak from the heart today -- not only does it cost you nothing, it is likely to gain you quite a bit in return. Your energy is open and honest right now, so you need to make the most of it!

If you've been Gemini waiting for a time when things free up a bit, today may be 21 May - 20 Jun the day! The tighter the group, the higher the tensions -- at least for now.

You may be surprised to find that your closest friends or colleagues are snapping at you today, but just try to avoid payback.

Push your agenda without any hesitation -people are ready for a fresh voice.

22 Jun - 23 Jul It's all about you right now, so hop to it and show off your best side! All eyes are watching, and it's extremely difficult for you to make mistakes with this kind of energy flowing through you.

People like the direction you are taking things -- let them go along for the 24 Jul - 23 Aug ride! Your pride may get the best of you today if you aren't careful -- and mature. If you're thoughtful, you can avoid the pitfalls and even gain some ground with someone close at work or at school.

Go with the flow and use your flexibility to smooth down 23 Aug - 22 Sep any bumps on your journey.

You need to try something new today -- it could be almost anything, but if you just stick with your routines, you are sure to regret your inaction. It could be as simple as walking to work.

When asked your opinion today, don't be intimidated by 23 Sept - 22 Oct t h e p e r s o n who's asking.

You need to stay calm today -- otherwise, things might get a little too crazy even for you!

Things aren't going your way, but you know that every situation eventually re-balances, so sit tight for a bit.

Scorpio If you give too much of yourself away, there is nothing left 23 Oct - 22 Nov that's private.

Tr y e a t i n g something you've never had before -- your senses of taste and smell need some variety!

It might involve quite an effort if you're typically adventurous, or it might be as simple as a stroll through a store.

Sagittarius If you are in a

Capricorn You're in the middle of everything -and this posi22 Dec - 20 Jan tion is giving you a lot of power. One important person deserves most of your attention today. It could be your mate, your boss, a good friend or someone you just met, but you should know just what to do once things start rolling.

Aquarius To d a y y o u need to stop yourself from continuing down 21 Jan - 19 Feb the path you're currently on.

Today demands quite a bit of attention, so make sure that you don't linger on any one task or issue. Just cross each thing off your list and then get on with life -- otherwise, you are sure to get stuck!

Today is all about making connections. If an opportunity 20 Feb - 20 Mar pops up, follow up on it. You feel a sense of warmth coming from your people right now - one that should keep you smiling and happy for most of the day. Expect praise at work or at home and a real sense of community.

Aries

Libra

contemplative mood today, go with it -- it's time 23 Nov - 20 Dec to take stock.

You've got some serious ideas about how things should operate, and today brings a test of your ideals.

It's a good time to think things through and avoid quick reactions, hard as that may be.

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Pisces

DID YOU KNOW? We all have a funny-bone

rambunctious Pronunciation ram-buhngk-shuhs Function Adjective Meaning 1: difficult to control or handle; wildly boisterous 2: turbulently active and noisy Example Sentence Gavin was a rambunctious child who was always up to mischief, but he had potential of being a brilliant lad.

LAFFS

‘That person sure has a funny-bone.’ How many times have you said something like this for someone with a good sense of humour? While funny-bone does indeed refer to sense of humour, it also refers to that part of the elbow where the ulnar nerve passes by the internal condyle of the humerus, which when struck causes a peculiar, tingling sensation in the arm and hand. The ulnar nerve is the largest unprotected nerve in the human body, so injury is common. One method of injuring the nerve is to strike the medial epicondyle of the humerus from posteriorly, or inferiorly with the elbow flexed. The ulnar nerve is trapped between the bone and the overlying skin at this point. This is commonly referred to as bumping one’s funny bone. This name is thought to be a pun, based on the sound resemblance between the name of the bone of the upper arm, the ‘humerus’ and the word ‘humorous.

WIZARD OF ID

Funny Quote

“The higher the buildings, the lower the morals.”

– Noel Coward

DAILY GROOK FAB JAB

by Francis Rodrigues unlike the injection acupuncture’s so fun, with the satisfaction of...a jab well done!

GARFIELD

MIND BENDERS

SUN MOON TIDES

Tongue Twister Sunday 33° C | 23° C Dawn 06:23

Partly Cloudy

Sunrise 06:45

Sunset Dark 18:45 19:06

Moon rise 12:28 High 02:36

Low 09:58

Yellow leather, yellow feather, yellow lemon

Moon set

TIDES High Low 17:35 22:35

High —

21:00 House Full

Joy Ride 2 Catacombs Taken Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines 18:20 Ghost Writer 21:00 Tomorrow Never Dies 23:20 Hollow Man

09:00 11:15 14:15 16:00 18:45 21:00 23:30

Imagine That Constantine Spartacus The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Hackers Orphan Romeo Is Bleeding

08:30 11:30 15:00 19:00 22:30

08:30 Maayke Se Bandhi Dor 11:00 Maayke Se Bandhi Dor 12:00 Discover India with Anupam Kher 12:30 Superstar Buzz 13:00 Veer 16:30 Action Replayy 19:00 Love U Zindagi 20:00 Saath Nibhana Saathiya 21:00 Dulha Mil Gaya

11:00 15:30 17:30 20:00

C.I.D C.I.D GR8! Awards 2010 Robot

10:00 Kahani Ab Tak

Last ‘Riddle Me This’ Answer: Because he was dead

16:15 U Turn 19:30 FA Cup 22:00 The Bounty Hunter

Khosla Ka Ghosla Super Star Chhoti Si Baat Sarkar Ladder 49 12:00 King No. 1 16:00 Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya 20:00 Billu Bachan 22:30 Jeet

10:05 Butterfly on a wheel 12:05 Anacondas 14:05 An American Werewolf in Paris

08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00

09:45 Bal Ganesh 13:00 Chamatkar 17:30 Swarg 10:30 Idea Jalsa: Music for Soul 11:00 Gold Awards 2010 14:00 Dance India Dance Doubles 19:00 Aakrosh 22:00 Kahani Ab Tak 23:30 Idea Jalsa: Music for Soul

09:00 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma 15:00 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma 15:30 Gili Gili Gappa 17:00 Mrs. Tendulkar 17:30 Mrs. Tendulkar 18:00 Mrs. Tendulkar 18:30 Mrs. Tendulkar 19:00 Chupke Chupke 21:30 Gol Maal

10:30 Koffee with Karan 11:30 Koffee with Karan

SUDOKU 806

It's been around for millions of years, but it's no more than a month old.

What is it?

0057

D Tide timings are for Mormugao Harbour. For Panjim/Calangute add 20 mins. For Colva add 30 mins

09:45 11:40 14:05 16:05

Riddle Me This

Ram Lakhan Aakrosh Om Shanti Om Vivah

Smashed 14:00 Masters of Illusion 15:00 Wipeout 16:00 Guinness World Records Smashed 17:00 Top Chef 18:00 Wipeout 19:00 Guinness World Records Smashed 20:00 Masters of Illusion 21:00 Top Chef 22:00 Men in Black

10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00

Las Vegas American Idol Two And A Half Men Two And A Half Men The Simpsons The Simpsons Friends Friends Koffee With Karan Dexter Dexter Walking Dead The Good Guys The Good Guys

IDIOT BOX 12:30 Superstar Buzz 13:00 Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...

17:30 Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani 18:00 Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani 18:30 Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani 19:00 Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani 19:30 Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani 20:00 Kal Ho Na Ho 23:30 Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein

colours 09:00 Chak Dhoom Dhoom Team Challenge 10:00 Wanted High Alert 11:00 Anhoniyon Ka Andhera 19:00 Golmaal 3

10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00

House House Top Chef Guinness World Records

21:00 Koffee With Kara 22:00 Detroit 187

10:00 Kumbh Karan 10:30 MAD VIII 11:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series 12:00 Bal Hanuman 2 13:30 Chhota Bheem Marathon 17:00 Mr. Bean The Animated Series Marathon 20:00 Barbie: Mariposa 22:00 Takeshi's Castle

10:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 13:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 22:15 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

09:30 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 17:15 Cricket Extra 18:15 Bloopers 18:30 Sec Women's Gymnastics 20:00 ICC World Cup H/ls 20:58 Sportscenter Weekend 21:00 ICC World Cup H/ls 21:58 Sportscenter Weekend 22:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 12:30 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 22:30

ATP 1000 Masters WWE: Superstars Winning Post ICC Cricket World UEFA Europa League H/ls UEFA Champions League H/ls ATP World Tour 500 2011 H/ls WWE: NXT Real NBA Football League Show UEFA Champions League Magazine Show FIFA: Futbol Mundial ICC Cricket World NBA 2010/11 WWE: NXT

10:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 11:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 12:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 13:00 Cricket Extra - ICC Cwc 14:30 ICC Cricket World Cup 22:15 Cricket Extra - ICC Cwc 23:15 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Express H/ls

10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00

Ghost Stories Paul Merton in Europe : Italy Trip of a Lifetime - Ireland Market Values - Jerusalem David Rocco's Dolce Vita Lonely Planet - Israel & West Bank 15:00 Ghost Stories : The Screaming Lady of Ft. Mifflin

15:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 23:00 23:30

10:00 11:00 12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00

Ghost Stories India Investigates Paul Merton in Europe : Italy Greatest Sports Legends : David Beckham Deadliest Warrior It Happens only in India Paul Merton in India Ghost Stories India Investigates The Madhumita Shukla Case

The Known Universe Super Factories Planet Carnivore Nat Geo Amazing!

World's Deadliest Animals Great Migrations World's Toughest Fixes Super Cat Nat Geo Amazing!

Don't Tell My Mother Weird & Wonderful Hotels Weird & Wonderful Hotels Mission Army The Decade : Clash of the Continents Fate of Man

07:00 Rthymic Breathing 07:30 Kids Club 08:00 English News 09:00 Vision 2035 10:00 English News 11:00 Disha 11:30 Jazz Gospel Concert 12:00 Catechist Day at Merces 13:00 English News 14:00 Art of living 14:30 Konkani Duets 15:00 Netravali Trekking 15:30 Fairyland 16:00 English News 17:00 Sunday Mass 18:00 English News 19:00 Way of the Cross Lent 2011 20:00 English News 21:00 St Thomas Pre-primary annual day 22:00 English News 23:00 Sunday Mass 00:00 Konkani Duets 00:30 Jazz Gospel Concert 01:00 Art of living 01:30 Fairyland 02:00 Vision 2035 03:00 Disha Note: Subject to change

Instructions for Sudoku 9 x 9 letter: To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in each of the nine vertical columns, in each of the nine horizontal rows and in each of the nine boxes

SUDOKU SOL 805

HERALD CROSSWORD - 806 Across 1- Biting; 5- Attentive, warning of danger; 10- Receptacle for holy water; 14- Cloak; 15- Mother of Isaac; 16- It may be floated; 17Young horse; 18- New York city; 19- Monogram ltr.; 20- Mine prop; 22- Highly original; 24- Penpoints; 27- E-mail command; 28- Boldly rude; 32- Paces; 35- "Hollywood Squares" win; 36- Get to know; 38Toothbrush brand; 40- Person, place, or thing; 42- Pay for; 44- Celestial body; 45- "Lou Grant" star; 47- Bar, legally; 49- Bambi's aunt; 50- Borders; 52- Shabby; 54- ___ boy!; 56- Song in praise of God; 57- Doctors; 60- Sandy bathing beach; 64- With the bow, in music; 65- ___ Gay; 68- "Rule Britannia" Make ___ for it; 62- Midge; 63- Electric fish; 64composer; 69- River to the Moselle; 70- Ancient ___ see it...; 66- Bruce ___ was a famous kung-fu Mideast region; 71- Double; 72- Brit's exclamation; movie star; 67- Biblical beast boat; 73- Streamlined; 74- Tolkien tree creatures; Down SOLUTION - 805 1- Pound sounds; 2- Poultry enclosure; 3- Support beam; 4- Presidential middle name; 5- Sun Devils' sch.; 6- Back muscle, briefly; 7- Goddess and sister of Ares in Greek mythology; 8- Speed contests; 9- English river; 10- Fragments; 11- Mrs. Chaplin; 12- Arrest; 13- Big bang cause; 21- Fish feature; 23- A big fan of; 25- Sugar source; 26Animal trap; 28- New Rochelle college; 29Snare; 30- Noise; 31- Head lock; 33- Communion plate; 34- Jargon; 37- "Of course!"; 39- Donkey cry; 41- Denying; 43- Member of the Conservative Party; 46- Network of nerves; 48- Splendor; 51Emphasis; 53- Remove cargo; 55- Invalidate; 57Some nest eggs; 58- Final Four org.; 59- A bit; 61-

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Sunday, 13 Mar 2011

It’s all about the Groove

Parenting

Pg3

SORRY... WE’VE ERRED In yesterday’s article ‘Vichitr Natem’, it was mentioned Elvis Mascarenhas wrote the lyrics for the tiatr. The lyrics were written by Elvis Sequeira. The error is deeply regretted!

R

BY CLARON MAZARELLO for free, the French musician Phatmatix is performing everything eaching that stage where you ratio has changed to 10 can call the music you make a live set at Hill Top today, March 13, 2011, per cent on sales and 90 ‘your own’ takes a long journey live shows. “I guess as the last leg of his India four-city tour. from and Stephane Rault – popularly this would be a good The musician talks about his passion for thing,” he replies, comknown as Phatmatix – letting us in on how he became an artiste of internamusic and his journey so far in an exclusive menting on this situation. tional repute. “Every music artist goes “For one, although I would love interview through a lot to reach the hilt where to make more money without havthey finally arrive with their music style,” ing to travel all over and play gigs, he says. And then there’s more experimentation. Many-a-times, music we really do not have a choice now, do we?” artistes play what goes best with listeners. I do not subscribe to this. I’d Rault is known for his ‘fat’ sounding thumps when he played at like to create something new,” mentions this French artist in his late shows. “Since many identified my style of music as one with fat thirties. “Ironically, I was a guitarist at 20 and didn’t know anything about sounding thumps, I clubbed the word, ‘phat’ with automatic to come psy-trance music till I went for a party in 1997. Here, I noticed that this up with ‘Phatmatik’. But since this name was already in use (as a softmusic was very powerful and it was much closer to what I wanted to play ware), I decided to use an x instead of k,” he reveals. with my guitar. Then again, to have a band, one needs to go a long way And the reason for him to make music like he does? Well, it’s his to have all members on the same page. But things would be different own inspiring musical influences and his desire to make people groove with just me and my computer,” he figures out eventually before indulging on the dance floor. “Listening to trance in one’s bedroom and then on in making music on the computer. big speakers outdoors with many people is something totally different.

Stephane Rault however feels inspired with classical music and finds But we do have the law to respect. So changes making psy-trance music on the computer similar to arranging an orchestra will take place but slowly. In my own country in a way. “So while knowledge of musical notations is important in today’s and many more as well, these types of world, one would also need to have computer knowledge for production issues are dealt with sensitively. purposes,” he opines. He admits to going beyond just playing live gigs Having said that, psy-trance to another level – that of making the background score for movies and today is here to stay, the silver screen. “Especially when television networks have deadlines whether we like it or not. where one cannot afford to use many musicians to make a background And the bottom line here score, this computer music production knowledge bridges the gap.” is that music simply cannot Apparently, while he would make about 50 per cent on sales and the be mindlessly categorised other 50 on live gigs, now with the internet giving everyone access to as bad.

Moments with ‘Popular’ Tiatrists

Photos by Rozario Estibeiro

Tibetians charm with Cham Dance at Indo-Tibetian Cultural Festival

Veteran tiatrist Platilda Dias opening the Festival along with judges John Claro and Satish Gawas

HERALD FEATURES he Tibetans in Goa have managed to form a cultural sub-group within the state which is coming to the notice of the government.

The result of this saw the organising of the Indo-Tibetan Cultural Festival, officially opened by Nilkanth Halarnkar, minister for Tourism, Government of Goa on March 11, 2011 at the Vagator Beach in the village of Vagator.

This inauguration was done amidst the extended installation of Tibetan prayer flags by Dr Subodh Kerkar. Also along the beach was the temporary setup of mats with Tibetan people selling their music, costumes, wares and cuisine. These events all overlap in celebration of the 52nd anniversary of the Tibetan struggle for freedom.

Tashi Phuntsok’s address was followed by a performance of mask dancers called cham. This dance which includes long hand and leg movements and colourful masks is performed in Buddhist monasteries.

It was a rare treat for the people present there as they witnessed an exclusive Tibetan custom come to life.

Tibetan treasures were out on display for everyone to purchase. Besides these, there were smells of the exotic Tibetan cuisine.

The art installation will be on display till March 17 at Vagator beach.

T

Judges Fr Bernard Cotta and Young Chico

On a melodious note: Tomazinho Cardozo

2nd Popular Tiatr Festival 2010 cum Competition - Day II Pisollem

BY RON FIDELIS iven his disposition and comic timing, having John D’Silva on stage was a laugh riot with his tiatr, Pisollem that was staged on day two of the Popular Tiatr Festival that is being held at the Kala Academy. A pisollem is the bug that flutters around from one light bulb to another, for want of light, but this tiatr is about how we Goans portray or rather wish to portray ourselves in society. “The exact word here in Konkani is ‘horr’; I do not know the exact English word for this,” informs John.

Keeping his tiatr revolving predominantly around him, his funny lines not only meant more attention, but also more laughter. Through the well written tiatr, John questioned that when we have a gala celebration for our weddings, birthdays and other days, what exactly is it that we achieve? And is this worth it? The tiatr then evoked introspection as we wondered if flamboyant deeds like these lead us anywhere in life. His tiatr had quite a simple story to exemplify this strong message. But then again, some great dialogue delivery by his cast brought out the life of his well spiced dialogues.

“Instead of spending loads of money on celebrating my own birthday, having many dishes and drinks at this occasion and then thanking everyone for being there to grace the occasion, why not donate some food to an orphanage or old age?” asks Joe. Joe plays the son whose wife leaves him when an accident impairs his legs and thus his economic condition too. And of course, no prizes for guessing what happens to this woman who betrays him for the sake of living a comfortable life and her greed for money. The ones who have to bear the brunt of everything are the boy’s parents who take care of their son till he fully recovers months later. Karma however catches up with the

R G E V I E W

Photo by Rozario Estibeiro

runaway wife as she ends up getting ditched almost in the same way when an accident in her flat burns away her beauty. And then suddenly she loses all the charm she possessed to entice well off men into marrying her. While this brings out the meaning of the play, apart from the philosophical script, the comic chemistry between Comedian Nato, and Remy de Raia supporting John did the trick for the audiences of this tiatr.

And of course, having veteran cantorist S Lemos do a small cameo as well as belt out solos apart from some very interesting trios and quartets, the tiatr seemed to have a good mix and match of all required elements. As far as the background music was concerned, Jose, the keyboardist patched up tunes like Spanish eyes to the visual of sad scenes. The rest got handled by some cool sound effects not overdone and of course the comic timing of the comedians.

Then again, having Anthony San also in the singing side besides playing a role as well was another icing on the cake. Peter de Pedda and Roma played the parents while Mita Alphonso played the wife who got verbally clobbered by John much to the amusement of the audiences who already seemed to hate her due to her character disposition and being extremely matlabi (selfish).

Nato’s energy and histrionics had the stage covered with his movements thus making things look more real and less drama-like.

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Sunday, 13 Mar 2011

Knightley is Tinker Bell in new Peter Pan Movie

Travel

Parenting

Pg4

Largest Bollywood Dance to be attempted Down Under

A

ctress Keira Knightley has been roped in to lend her voice to Tinker Bell in the new Peter Pan movie. The 25-yearold star will provide the voice for the mischievous fairy in Neverland for the film, due to be shown on TV this summer.

Neverland was written by Nick Willing, who will also direct it.

Knightley will record her animated role this spring and she appears opposite Harry Potter star Rhys Ifans as Hook, the mentor of a gang of young pickpockets, including Peter (Charlie Rowe), who steal a magical treasure that transports them to Neverland.

The project will be Knightley’s first US television role, following several appearances on British television.

D

ancers from city-based Shiamak Davar Dance Academy will lead locals from Down Under, in an attempt to set a new record for the ‘Largest Bollywood Dance’. The attempt will be held at the Moomba Cultural Quarter on the banks of Melbourne’s iconic Yarra River. The dancers will shake legs to last year’s hit song Munni Badnam Hui from Dabaang. Bollywood actress Malaika Arora-Khan who performed the song in the film will be cheering the participants.

The Melbourne crowd will need at least 2,000 participants to break the previous record of 1,082 dancers set in Singapore in 2009, said organisers.

The event is part of the second ‘Indian Film Festival (IFF): Bollywood and Beyond’. This year’s IFF features over 30 films, including 15 Australian premieres that include celebration of traditional Bollywood sequins and fantasy, and depth of contemporary Indian film.

Daniel, Rachel go Public with Romance

Katrina’s Barbie Doll to hit Markets Soon

A

K

fter several months of keeping their relationship out of the limelight, it seems that Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz are finally ready to go public. The couple enjoyed a romantic meal at a Hollywood restaurant to celebrate the actress’s 41st birthday.

Fellow diners reported that they were ‘all over each other’ and could be heard discussing plans to share a home together in New York.

It was revealed in November that the pair had become close on the set of Dream House. Dream House is an upcoming American horror film directed by Jim Sheridan. It also stars Naomi Watts and will be released on September 30, 2011 in the United States by Universal Pictures and Morgan Creek Productions.

Weisz ended her nine-year relationship with director Darren Aronofsky, father of her four-year-old son Henry, while James Bond star Craig ended things with his fiancée, film producer Satsuki Mitchell. Craig, 43, owns a £4million London house in Regent’s Park, as well as an apartment in Manhattan he had bought with Mitchell for £1.9million.

atrina Kaif Barbie dolls will hit the Indian stores on March 20 and the actress has already drawn up a list of people whom she’s going to give her first batch of Barbies to. Topping the list is her niece Maya and Farah Khan’s triplets Anya, Czar and Diva.

“The first doll will go to my sister’s two-and-a-half year-old daughter Maya because she is obsessed with Barbie. I’m going to London for a couple of days for work. I’ll give her the doll then,” said Katrina.

Katrina also plans to give the dolls to her directors Zoya Khan and Farah Khan. While three Barbie dolls will go to Farah’s kids, of whom Czar is a huge fan of the actress, Katrina wants Zoya also to line her shelves with her dolls. “There are other tots on the give-away list too like Kabir Khan’s daughter Sairah,” says Katrina.

“She’s just three but sings to Sheila ki Jawani with all the words and does the steps too. That’s where my real compliment comes from,” the actress added. Katrina elaborated, “I will give my doll personally to all my friends in the film industry. Ali Zafar (Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’s director) asked me where would he put that doll? But I snapped, ‘office or home everyone should have one doll of mine!’” she laughed.

Your Email Address can give away your Weight, Personality

A

US survey has suggested that email addresses can reveal a person’s weight and what a person’s personality is like. The survey showed that there are deep divisions between users of various email domains.

For example, it found AOL and Yahoo! users are most likely to be “overweight women who haven’t travelled outside their own country”. Hotmail is relegated to pessimists in the suburbs, while Gmail is the hipster of the bunch with users who are most likely to be “thin young men” aged from 18 to 34, with a college education.

The report, from number-crunching technology website Hunch, was based on information from more than 4,50,000 email users. It stated that while Gmail users were overwhelmingly likely to be under 35-years-old (72 per cent), AOL users were nearly as likely to be older than that benchmark (58 per cent).

More than half of AOL and Yahoo! users confessed they were overweight, and just under half freely admitted they had never been outside their home country. Conversely, Gmail users described themselves as svelte and a whopping 31 percent said they had visited more than five countries outside their own almost double the figure for users of Yahoo! and AOL. Courtesy Agencies

Females become Addicted to Cocaine more Easily

F

emales become addicted to cocaine more easily than males and find it harder to give up, according to a new study on rats. The research showed that the motivation of female rats to work for cocaine is much higher than males.

Researchers from the Molecular and Behavioural Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, found that rats bred to have an elevated stress response and increased impulsiveness are more easily trained to reward themselves with cocaine. They are also more determined, than similar rats with low impulsivity and lower stress responses, in pursuit of their next fix.

While cocaine dependency has something to do with thrill seeking and impulsivity, it is also affected by the differences between males and females.

At a low dose, for both sets of rats, it was the females who were quickest to learn self-administration and were the most willing to work harder for their next fix.

At higher doses, the differences in behaviour between the male and female rats were less apparent.

Whilst certain personality types are perhaps predisposed towards drug addiction Dr Jennifer Cummings explained, “An individual’s sex continues to increase the likelihood of drug abuse.”

The study has been published in BioMed Central’s open access journal Biology of Sex Differences.

Editor –in-chief: R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat. Chief Editor-Features: Christina Viegas.

Key Brain Cells Regrowth linked to Exercise

H

ong Kong researchers have reviewed the causes and impacts of neurogenesis. The two studies have linked the regrowth of key adult brain cells (neurogenesis) in two critical areas of the brain to both the benefits of exercise as a stress reducer and also to sexual behaviour and reproductive issues.

“The discovery of neural stem cells in the adult brain was a spectacular event that revolutionised the traditional view that the central nervous system did not generate new neurons in adulthood,” said corresponding author Dr Kwok-Fai So of the University of Hong Kong in the People’s Republic of China.

“Our research is focused on questions about the function and physiological significance of neurogenesis and what factors promote or suppress it.

“Research has shown that exercise can improve mood and cognition and has also demonstrated that a deficit in adult neurogenesis may result in depressive disorders. Our research is aimed at examining the relationship between exercise as a way of combating stress and the possibility that exercise may promote neurogenesis and that neurogenesis functions as the mechanism of benefit.”

According to the researchers, recent studies suggest adult neurogenesis in the brain’s subventricular zone (SVZ), which lines the ventricles (cavities) of the brain that contain cerebrospinal fluid, plays a role in reproductive function and possibly in maternal behaviours, although the function of “SVZ neurogenesis is obscure”.

They suggest that emerging evidence points to reproductive action and sexual cues, such as pheromones, may play a role in regulating neurogenesis in the olfactory system, where the sense of smell is located, and in the SVZ.

Regd Office: St Tome Road, Panjim, Goa. Tel: 6658512, 6658500, 2224202, 2228083. Fax: 2222475. Email: goasheartbeat@herald-goa.com.

OHERALDO

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DRAMA GOA, SUNDAY 13 MARCH, 2011

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Sunday, 13 March 2011

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WEEKEND r u o d n e l Sp

From Goa’s Soil Bottle Palms

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Grandma’s Kitchen

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Fried Fish Fillets

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Preserving the Past Goa is a place that boasts of a vast and rich historical background. But without proper means of conserving this history, most of the state’s heritage will be lost in ashes.

On this note, Herald delves into the scene of curating and restorations in Goa

BY JANICE RODRIGUES HERALD FEATURES ny place’s cultural and sociological history is trapped in the artefacts that are found during the various excavations or the mere handing down through the generations. Every artefact in this world has a story to tell, be it a monument, book, or a ruined statue or manuscript and it is the job of a team of various professionals to bring out that story to the world. And a crucial part of the team is the curator, who takes complete charge of the object and tries to bring out the story to the world. Apart from the state and central owned museums, the Goa State Museum at Patto, Panjim and the Archaeological Survey of India Museum at Old Goa, there has been a spurt of various privately held museums around the state. But how equipped are these museums to preserve the stories of the past for the future generations to learn from, is something only time can tell.

“A curator’s job entails acquiring, documentation, conserving, if required, maintaining and displaying the various artefacts that come into a museum,” states Radha Bhave, director of the Goa State Museum, in Panjim. The job description sounds simple but has a lot of detailed techniques and procedures involved. The curator has to negotiate with the owners of the artefact and a formal written agreement has to be compiled between the two either through loaning the item or the purchase of the item. Maintaining a catalogue of the artefact is a major job to be done once the artefact is acquired.

“All this work requires a proper knowledge and training, which is not available in Goa, I had got my degree in 1986 from the University of Pune and till date there is no course in Goa, I hope in the future there will be some training provided in the state,” says Bhave. Bhave is currently the only curator managing the museum, and had to send a conservation assistant Vinie Naik, to Delhi for a course.

Victor Hugo Gomes, who runs his privately held museum, Goa Chitra, explains that the job of a curator is more administrative while that of restoration is more technical. He says that some museums in the state are run by the wrong people who are more like bureaucrats rather than professionals, “Some of the museums don’t have professionals handling the artefacts, and in the name of restoration have destroyed the original qualities of the piece.” The use of the right material in restoration is of utmost importance according to Gomes. “While restoring you have to use material that will not hamper, further deteriorate or manipulate the artefact. For example, if it’s a painting in oil, you can use water colours or if it is wood, you can use saw dust to mould the missing parts. The idea is to use a substance that can be removed easily to reveal the state in which the item was found, in case of any future study,” Gomes explained.

Restoration is a process of saving whatever is left of the ruins and sometimes can be badly handled too. Citing the example of the demolition of a certain heritage house along the Abade Faria Road, Margao, which according to Gomes was a badly

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handled piece of history, he says, “Anything that is standing should be restored and not demolished and rebuilt. Just building a structure in the Portuguese style, with balcaos, is not restoration.”

Conservation architecture is another branch of the field which has a scope in the state, although there are very few architects in Goa. Gerard Da Cunha is one such architect who has done some restoration projects too, shared the same sentiments as Gomes, “As far as possible, a structure should be repaired and restored unless it’s too far gone. Because however well you rebuild it, it will not be in the same texture or fabric or material that was used at the original construction time. ” Apart from proper technical and professional resource persons, Goa does not have the infrastructure for the finer aspects of the curatorial jobs. “The state doesn’t even have a carbon dating system in place,” says Gomes. “If we have to do any major curatorial job, we have to send the artefact to Mysore,” laments Bhave.

Historical artefacts like any other items are sensitive to the environmental conditions and being old, they often become brittle and faded. It is important to protect these valuables from future corrosion, but some museums in the state don’t follow these protocols, resulting in loss of materials. “Humidity and sunlight are two main environmental forces that can corrode the artefacts and every museum is supposed to have a humidity controller and curtains or shade to protect the artefacts from the sunlight but not all museums in Goa have these facilities,” says Gomes.

The maintenance and preservation of the artefacts is something that a curator or a conservator is supposed to be adept at, “but there is no qualified conservator in Goa, even the archives don’t have a conservation officer,” says Bhave. Vinie who looks after the conservation in the museum says that not all the materials used in conservation is available in Goa, “Only certain chemicals that are used in school labs are found in Goa. The other chemicals that are specifically used for curatorial purposes have to be ordered from outside the state,” says Vinie. For the restoration of sculpture, the state museum has a specialised technical expert, who puts together the pieces, but this is not the case of the paintings, “There is no vacuum table to carry out the restoration of paintings and there is no fine artists either who can give the old paintings a touch up,” says Vinie.

...contd on page 4

Violence in Tiatrs I

t is said that the Goan Tiatr is the mirror of Goan society. As such during the last 118 years, the tiatr has always projected issues facing the Goan society. No society exists without violence. Domestic violence is very common in any society. So also, gendered violence, sexual violence, economic violence, political violence and other forms of violence are all a part of our society. It was Joao Agostinho Fernandes who gave the lead in highlighting the problems of Goan society through tiatrs over a hundred years ago.

Domestic Violence Domestic violence occurs when a family member attempts to physically or psychologically dominate another member of the same family. The conflicts between spouses as well as harassment by a dominant member of the family to others also constitute domestic violence.

In the beginning of the 20th century, Joao Agostinho Fernandes wrote, directed and staged a play called Dotichem Kestanv (The Issue of Dowry). In this play he depicted the physical and mental torture of a newlywed bride for not bringing dowry. His other play, titled Bebdo (A Drunkard) showcased the hardships faced by the wife and children due to the drinking habit of the breadwinner of the house. Divorce by Aristides Dias, in the 60s, Mog, Kazar ani Divorce (Love, Marriage and Divorce) by M Boyer in the 70s, Minguel Rod’s Ghorchem Kestanv (A Family Fight), A R Rocha’s Mog ani Krim (Love and Murder), C Alvares’s Mhoji Vhoni (My Sister-in-law), Prem Kumar’s Dukh (Sorrow), all exposed impressively the cruel consequences of domestic violence on the family in particular and the whole society in general.

Class Discrimination Violence due to class and caste discrimination between rich and poor and landlords and tenants existed in the Goan society. This form of violence was highlighted by Joao Agostinho Fernandes in his tiatr titled Bhattkara (The Landlord). This tiatr was staged in 1904. Odruxtti Jivit (A Miserable Life) written and directed by Joao Cardozo in 1957 and Amchea Xetachi Pavnni (The Auction of our Field) written and directed by Aleixinho de Candolim and staged in April 1960 were other plays which showcased violence lashed out by the landlords on the poor tenants.

Suppression of Talents John Claro Fernandes in his tiatr Puddtugez Kolvont (Portuguese Artist) showcased yet another form of violence in which the person in question is subjected to mental torture in his/her quest of fulfilling his/her artistic goal. A daughter from an aristocratic family, who has been gifted with a melodious voice and extraordinary talent in singing, was suppressed by the elders in the family due to ‘family honour’.

Sexual Violence Sexual violence or sexual abuse is yet another form of violence which shatters the lives of victims of such

On the Tiatr

Stage

violence. Sexual violence has profound immediate and long-term consequences on women’s physical and mental health. Socially women who suffer from sexual violence often experience stigma and face rejection by partners, husbands, families and communities.

Goan society too has experienced such nasty incidents. Accordingly they have been reflected through the medium of tiatr. Kortub Avoichem (Mother’s Deed) written and directed by C Alvares way back in 1954, may be the first Konkani tiatr to show sexual violence and its disastrous effects on the family.

BY TOMAZINHO CARDOZO

Decline in Value System Degradation of values among Goan youth is the important topic which attracts the attention of intellectuals in Goa. Goan culture is on the decline due to the craze for westernisation and the influx of non-Goans in Goa. Nelson Afonso scripted and directed a tiatr way back in the late 1960s, titled, Almas do outro Mundo. The title Almas do outro Mundo is in Portuguese which means ‘Souls from the other World’ highlighting the beginning of cultural invasion of Goa in the 60s.

Political Violence During the Portuguese rule it was practically impossible to show anything that went against the interests of the Portuguese on the tiatr stage. There was a lot of violence inflicted by the dictatorial regime of Portuguese on Goans who wanted freedom for Goa. After the Liberation of Goa in 1961 the writers and directors of tiatrs too did not lag behind to make use of freedom of expression and showcased political violence in their tiatrs. It was late Nelson Afonso in the 1960s portrayed that type of violence in his tiatr. Dr. Salazar followed by Robin Vaz in his tiatr Agente Monteiro.

Sacrifice and Violence Religious tiatrs based on the life of Jesus Christ and other saints of Christianity portray a lot of violence as the lives of Jesus as well as many of the saints are full of sacrifices and torture. Sat Dukhi (Seven Sorrows), a tiatr written and directed by Souzalino way back in the 1960s is one such example in which the agony, sufferings and crucifixion of Jesus Christ was effectively staged.

Modern day Konkani tiatrs portray different types of violence more effectively compared to tiatrs of yesteryears.

(Email your feedback to: tomazinho.goa@gmail.com)

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Sunday, 13 March 2011

GOA’S FIRST AND ONLY GIP

BEAUTY & brains

A Feni-licious Fill of Goan Spirit

Resigned to...

Their Pathetic Plights

BY CHRSITINA VIEGAS HERALD FEATURES ccording to figures dealt out by the Excise Department, on an average, the yearly production of Cashew ‘Feni’ is 15 lakh bulk litres. From this, the Department receives Rs 36 to 37 lakhs revenue. With good crop this year, there is hope to garner in around Rs 40 lakhs. Well, you don’t need rocket science to figure out that the ‘Feni’producedismuch,muchmore.

Sources from the industry, on anonymity, claim that for every 100 ‘kolso’ of the liquor produced, only 20 are declared. And this, the Department is very well aware of and a lot of backhand accommodating takes place.

As forthe toil that goes behind this lucrative industry. Approach the modest farmers to probe into their pitiable living and working conditions and they are reticent to spill out facts. After a lot of persuasion, they coyly divulge stories of their misery. Most of them cultivate the land leased out by the government or the landlords. According to the poor farmers, “On an average, for two plots of 70 acres land, we have to pay rupees two lakhs, seventy five thousand for one season. This is a lot for us to accumulate and for this we sell everything possible like our wives’ wedding jewellery and other valuables.”

And the profit these people earn for the entire season is approximately Rs 5,000 per month; so that is Rs 20,000 for the entire season of four months. It is pitiful that after all the trudging and struggling, these poor folks make only Rs 20,000 profit. Therefore, constantly in debt due to taking loans, is a major snag in their already miserable lives.

We have vaguely only heard about their struggles but to get first hand information from the horse’s mouth makes the story even more sordid. They inform us, “The cashew season is for four months. But no one realises that two months prior to the season, we literally die slogging it out to clean the entire acres of the plantation from dried leaves, weeds, overgrowth etc. After the rains, the plantations get ruined in terms of collection of debris.”

Physically, they are so overworked that getting out of bed every morning is a dreadful struggle. Quiz them on their Photo by Herald Features

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BY DR NANDKUMAR M KAMAT

Apocalypse Panaji AD 2016

food habits and they are too embarrassed to divulge details. But on gentle probing and assuring them that the purpose of our questions is to ensure the government wakes up and improves the living conditions of these pour souls, the pitiful saga continues as they reveal, “We have rice twice a day in the form of ‘pez’.”

No lentils, beans or vegetables! Distressed, we inquire, “Why not fish? It is the staple food of the ‘Goenkar’ and it counts for a nutritious meal?” The reply is, “We just cannot afford it and even if wecould,whichfishermanwouldcome to our farfetched areas?”

Thepicture gets even murkier when we are told, “As for drinking water, we have to travel one and half kilometers to fetch it. There is absolutely no provision of taps with running water.”

On inquiring about baths to ensure personal hygiene, we get some bashful grins and they stammer hesitantly that they bathe when they go to fetch drinking water. It didn’t have to be spelled out that the poor beings were blatantly lying. And to think that these very people with no sense of personal hygiene due to ignorance and fatigue, stomp on the cashew fruit to extract juice for Goa’s exotic traditional beverage, it sure paints a grimy picture.

Continuing with our perusal of the place, we spot some blackened outfits veneered with grime. Immediately, we are enlightened, “The cashew juice is very itchy. So, we use these outfits while picking the fruit and while deseeding it.”

Aren’t they wary of permanently blackened and damaged skin? With an air of resignation, they quip, “We cannot help it; this is our livelihood. We try to cover our limbs. But, very often the juice from the nut leaks out and then the stain is permanently black.”

So, next time you gorge on the tasty nuts or succumb to the lure of that bottle of ‘Feni’ weaving its magnetic web over you, you need to salute the ‘kaju shetkars’ and the ‘bhaticars’. And hope the authorities wake up and provide a better livelihood for them alongside facilitating in ensuring they get competitive prices for their products, so that they are amply motivated to go in for that clean shower as a warm, nutritious meal awaits them and they are rewarded for the slog they put in.

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aving born in Fontainhas ward of Panaji, I decided to return to my city of Orphalese in AD 2016. Despite periodic warnings, my countrymen had not cared for the city or its predictable dark future.

Panaji had followed a mesmerisingly beautiful destructive developmental trajectory in five years since 2011 which had finally brought its’ ruin as had happened in Chandor in 1020 AD, Goa Velha in 1326 AD and Old Goa in the 18th Century earlier.

Nature had handsomely rewarded the political beauticians and masseurs who had controlled Panaji, Taleigao and Santa Cruz.

The governor of Goa had dismissed the Panaji corporation administration and as an emergency measure had given the control of the capital city to military engineering corps. Most of the Panaji corporators who had fled India, had sought and were granted asylum in Portugal, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Mauritus, South Africa and Thailand. A military pass was required to enter the city - by air, land or river route, as Panaji was devastated by manmade floods, bacterial and viral epidemics and the tragic collapse of Altinho hillock which had blocked the flow of Mandovi river causing incalculable upstream havoc. The PatoRibander causeway had sunk in the sediment bed. The congested rehabilitation colony on Kadamba plateau sheltered about 30 thousand people displaced from Campal to Caranzalem area which had been reclaimed by the sea in a storm surge. Another 40 thousand had been shifted to Taleigao plateau in a special camp managed by Indian Red Cross. All the buildings between Saint Michael’s Church, Taleigao to what was once Goa Kala Academy complex were submerged in two metres deep waters. The Nagali rivulet and its saline tidal stretch Santa Inez creek had merged with the main channel of Mandovi. The flood plain of Mandovi estuary was touching what was once the Tourist Hostel.

Ourem Creek had been reclaimed to build a glittering shopping complex - which extended from Old Patto Bridge to Bondir Sports Complex. A chain of scrapyards had obliterated the Chimbel Creek which had turned

Versatality of Feni demonstrated by Kazkar Feni

Feni Ginger-Appie 1.25 Part Cashew Feni 0.25 Part Fresh Ginger 1 Part Apple Juice/lemonade Shake all the ingredients and strain Glass: Cocktail Garnish: Shaved ginger and apple slices

into a stinking gutter. Military engineers had built a small jetty below Hotel Palacio which transported authorised passengers to various marooned parts of whatever that was left in the city. This included a few buildings on higher ground in Boca de Vaca, Mala and Bhatulem.

Accompanied by an army officer and taking brief sniffs from portable oxygen cylinder, I interviewed a few citizens, breathing from their army supplied personal oxygen inhalers inside the makeshift tent on the terrace of Junta house.

They had voted in the Corporation election 2011. “What went wrong, how such a ruin could fall on Princess of Asia? My beloved Orphalese,” I asked them. “We knew the ruin was coming, but we did not expect it so soon,” one of them replied after removing his oxygen mask. “Things were overdone, overbuilt and everybody was busy making money,” another citizen replied.

“But I thought you had voted and elected corporators who had a vision and mission for the city,” I asked. The reply was, “Yes,” but after we surrendered the keys of the city on a platter, we were helpless; we just watched things go out of control everywhere.” I asked, “Could you elaborate?”

The citizen failed to, he fell silent and began crying. The officer took me aside and said, “Don’t bother him now. He lost three family members in a viral epidemic when the water supply had become contaminated.” It took the health authorities many months to bring the epidemic under control. Bodies had to be shifted to other towns as there was no space for last rites. From Junta house I could see the ruined city. Huge mudflow from collapsed Altihno hill had given it a rusty, ghostly look.

After returning to the base camp I met the area commander. “Are you surprised? Look at these reports, all kinds of reports,” he began mocking me. “Almost every report had warned about the disaster. But liberal permissions were granted to destroy drainages, cut hills, fill fields, build anywhere and everywhere, dump anything anywhere in any quantity. Then it came - a massive cloudburst, a storm surge, a drift in river course, collapse of Altinho, sea intrusion - all at once in September 2015. When evil rules a city-this is what happens,” he said and offered me a tissue to wipe out my sweat, blood and tears.

(Email your feedback to: nandkamat@gmail.com)

oil S s ’ oa G From

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BY MIGUEL BRAGANZA

Bottle Palms

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he Carnival is just over and I have landed in Bengaluru (a bustling megapolis that once upon a time was known as Bangalore) that has a Goa connection even before I go there to promote the ‘Participatory Guarantee System’ or PGS that now has the ‘official’ approval of the Government of India.

It was sad to read that eleven persons were injured in my home town of Mapusa when all they wanted to do was to enjoy the ‘floats’ of the carnival parade that also included a new politico-activist group floating by.

I was struck by a stark similarity that Bengaluru had with Goa: Development! The Metro Rail project had requested permission to cut 193 trees along the road median in front of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly building or Vidhan Soudha. In an ecologically expensive ‘sauda’, the Forest Dept permitted the felling of 116 trees and 110 have been cut until last night. Most of the trees that were cut were the Royal Palms or the Bottle Palms, Roystonea regia.

For a person who has seen these palms planted in the early 1980s and seen them grow into majestic palms in the late1980s, it was like seeing a college-mate injured in a road accident. It was the same feeling as one felt when the Rain Trees, Enterolobium saman, were cut in the dead of the night on Dayanand Bandodkar road in Panaji in August-September, 2004, in the run-up to IFFI. This, in spite of the long campaign by the PMCA, GSG, WWF and other public spirited citizens in January, 2004 to protect the 37 Rain Trees that the Goa Forest Department had permitted to be cut and the then CCF justified as ‘environmentally useless’ as they were more than 50 years old till I reminded him that so was he, in spite of his Ph D. The Royal Palms are a thing of beauty with fluted grey trunks and green coconut-like fronds. The best specimens in Goa can be seen along the main road near Bom Jesus Basilica at Old Goa. These were planted in the early 1970s in preparation for the decennial exposition in 1973.

During the term of Mr Mohammad Fazl as Governor of Goa, it was also decided by the Department of Forests that the Miramar to Caranzalem stretch of the beachfront would be converted into a ‘Palm Grove’ and one Range Forest Officer attached to the then ‘Wild Life and Parks’ Division (now Eco Tourism Directorate) was even designated to begin the collection of various ‘palm’ species for planting

along the CRZ strip. That seems to have got buried in the sands of time instead of the sands of Miramar-Caranzalem strip.

Be that as it may be, when the Corporation of the City of Panaji began planting Royal Palms along the median of the so-called Dr Jack Sequeira Road from the Hindu-Kristao amity circle at Miramar to the NIO circle in Dona Paula via Souto Maior Park, I received persistent calls from a reporter of an English newspaper in Goa to confirm that the Royal Palms were just the wrong tree to plant along the Miramar bypass. It reminded me of a provocatively titled book, ‘WRONG’, which had this punch-line, “For every problem in the world today, we have experts who have a solution that is specific, affirmative, plausible and wrong!” I was being cajoled into being one such expert like some Paranjape from Maharashtra who confirmed the Goa CCF's findings about the Rain Trees in 2004! It was a very irritated journalist who slammed the phone when I stated that even the Goa Forest Department had determined with the assistance of the former Deputy Director (Biological Oceanography Dept) of NIO that the “palms” were the best trees to plant along the Miramar bypass, no matter who was planting them.

There is one thing that needs attention when one plants a Royal Palm or a coconut tree, the Rhinocerus beetle. This beetle bores a hole through the crown of palms, specially those around ten to twenty years old. Younger and older palms may also be affected. The typical symptom of a Rhino beetle attack is a Chinese fan-shaped cut on the leaves or fronds, with leaflets cut in ascending or descending order of lengths. Since the palms have only one single growing point, any damage to this point will result in the death of the tree. Hence, care needs to be taken, specially in warm summer months of March to June and in October each year. Plant protection does not necessarily mean that one has to ‘kill’ insects. One can just repel them.

Rub some beeswax or candle on three-fourths of camphor or naphthalene balls and place three or four of these balls in the leaf-base, ‘piddo’, in Konkani near the centre of the crown of fronds. That is all that is required to save one Royal Palm or coconut tree from the Rhino beetle. The population of the beetle is highest if there are cow dung pits where the beetle can lay eggs. The young tiger-prawn like milky-white with hard, black head ‘grub’ (that is the technical name for the young one of a beetle or bug) can often be seen in the cow dung heaps The adult rhino beetle is the hard, black beetle that comes and bangs on the wall near a light bulb or tube at nights. If one enjoys the kill, just crush then underfoot and save money on the camphor balls and the difficult-to-find labour to put them in the palm's crown.

(Email your feedback to: braganza.miguel@gmail.com)

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Sunday, 13 March 2011

Animals and Their Intricate Language Systems

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W E E K LY

eople talk all the time; with their mouths, eyes, bodies. So do animals. Communication is so important that even the amoeba, an organism made up of a single cell, communicates with other amoebae. Chimpanzees greet each other by touching hands. Male fiddler crabs wave their giant claws to attract female crabs.

White-tailed deer communicate danger by flicking their tails. Dogs stretch their front legs out in front of them and bow when they want to play. Giraffes press their necks together with love. Gorillas stick out their tongues to show anger. Kangaroos thump their hind legs to warn others of danger. Prairie dogs bare their teeth and press their mouths together to discover if they are friends or foes. Swans entwine their long necks to fight.

Horses rub noses as a sign of affection.

But do animals talk in complex ways?

For 100s of years, it suited humans to believe that even if animals talked, it was to convey immediate information – I want food, I want sex, I am angry, run from the predator, etc. Now researchers find that animal communication is far more layered and subtle and that the same gesture may have multiple distinct meanings depending on the situation. For example, even a dog’s tail wag has so many meanings including excitement, anticipation, playfulness, contentment, relaxation, anxiety, questioning, reassurance, brief acknowledgement, statement of interest, uncertainty, apprehension, submissive placation… Combined with other body gestures such as yawns, direction of vision, each one means something different.

Birds sing; so do whales. Monkeys and frogs jabber continuously. So do chickens. But is it ‘proper’ language?

A recent development is the discovery that the use of grammar and the ability to produce ‘sentences’ is not limited to humans. The first scientifically acceptable evidence of syntax came in 2006 from the Greater Spot-nosed Monkey of Nigeria. The language consists of separate words which when sequenced together in sentences means something different. A sound like ‘pyow’ warns against a leopard and ‘hack’ is used when an eagle is nearby.

However three ‘pyows’ with four ‘hacks’ means lets go. Two ‘pyows’ with five ‘hacks’ means something else. A dog’s range of vocal sounds – barks, growls, howls, whines and yelps would probably form sentences as well.

A Swedish study from Uppsala University, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological Sciences, shows birds have evolved complex and sophisticated talk patterns as well. Siberian jays mob predators into leaving but before doing that, they use over a dozen different calls to communicate the level of danger and predator category to other members of their own group. Some are specific for owls and others for hawks and contain information as to where the predator is, what the level of risk is and how many birds are needed.

A University of Washington study has found that the chickadees’ ‘chick-a-dee-dee-dee’ calls contain a surprising amount of information. For instance when they see flying hawks, owls and falcons they issue a soft, high-pitched call. However, when they see a stationary or perched predator, chick-

H O R O S C O P E

ANIMALWorld

Mar 21 - Apr 19

On Monday and Tuesday, you're a trendsetter, a pacesetter, the one clearing the path for everyone else. This isn't really something you planned for.

You just have some restless energy.

On Wednesday and Thursday you slow down a bit, to take stock of your feelings and your finances, but you're still 100 per cent agreeable. Friday and Saturday you have about a billion e-mails to catch up on, but Sunday's a go-visit-the-family sort of day.

Adapting to changing circumstances is key as the week begins. Have your contingency plan at the ready, and actively seek out others' input. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, others are looking to you for your expertise or perspective. Help them see the bigger picture. When it comes to the weekend, you'll want to mix it up. Balance it with some time well spent doing nothing at all.

adees use a loud, wide-spectrum ‘chick-a-dee-dee-dee’ alarm to recruit other birds to harass the predator and chase it away.

Chickadees change the ‘dee-dee-dee’ note at the end of the calls, sometimes adding five, 10 or 15 ‘dees’. These additional words describe the size and threat of the predator – a pygmy owl or a great horned owl for instance.

The waggle dance of the bee is not a simple gesture; it is as complex as any human communication. The bee communicates sun position, a system of measure and precise direction. One waggle communicates the location of standing water which is used to cool an overheated hive. Another alerts the bees that their hive is irreparably damaged. They are directed to commence a swarm. In response to the sight of a weasel invading the coop, a bantam hen emits a high-pitched ‘Kuk-kuk-kuk’. If the invader is a hawk circling overhead, she’ll shriek a single long note. In 1980, biologists discovered that vervet monkeys in Kenya also possess a vocabulary. A certain grunt is the actual word for eagle.

When it is vocalised, all the vervets in earshot scan the sky. A bark means leopard, prompting the monkeys to scamper to the top of a tree.

Alex, the African gray parrot, understood the meaning of colour, shapes, objects and numbers. Alex also connected words together to communicate and satisfy his own curiosity, learning the words ‘carrot’ and ‘orange’ by asking a researcher eating a carrot what colour it was and what it was called. Alex’s achievement demonstrated that consciousness is not limited to us.

The idea of animals holding an abstract conversation meets with an innate resistance in scientists. It is easier to objectify them so that you can use and eat them. But with every passing hour, we learn that they have every attribute we do. Koko, the gorilla, learnt 2,000 words of spoken English. As her language skills increased, her ability to communicate emotions and concepts leapt far beyond the mastery of words. She even learned to tell lies, so far thought a uniquely human trait.

When Koko was asked by a journalist if she was an animal or a person, her response was “fine animal gorilla.”

As Jim Nollman says in his book ‘The Charged Border: Where Whales and Humans Meet’, “The practices of traditional culture confirm the virtues of interdependence. Native people observed other species closely, seeking practical insight to help meet their own life challenges. Unhampered by the hierarchal organisation that positions one species above or below another, they had great freedom to learn from every species. By contrast, our anthropocentric society has not yet learned that the prevailing ‘separate but not equal’ worldview is killing the planet and us along with it.”

One day eating animals will be regarded as cannibalism.

Apr 20 - May 20

May 22 - Jun 20

A special dining experience at the beginning of the week with a friend or loved one is an excellent idea. Making it yourself makes it extra charming. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, you may have some issues with authority. Remember to show proper respect or be prepared to deal with the consequences. Good times are coming your on Friday afternoon through the weekend. Over the weekend its a twilight walk in the park.

You'll put up a fight for what you want at the beginning of the week. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, it's about brainstorming with others. Collaborating's fun now, and the concepts you come up with can become very sweet in reality. The weekend's perfect for concrete accomplishments, and crossing things off your to-do list is extra satisfying.

Admittedly sometimes you're all talk, but not right now.

Sept 22 - Oct 23

Oct 24 - Nov 21

(To join the animal welfare movement contact gandhim@nic.in)

Jun 21 - Jul 22

Your instincts can make short work of any uncertainty at the beginning of the week, if you just tune into that inner voice. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, though, you may be inclined to act on impulse. It is a better idea to think the implications through. What you do now could have long-lasting effects. You're industrious this weekend, but you're also adept at communicating and connecting, so make sure you get out and about!

Nov 22 - Dec 21

You've got both the brains and the brawn at the beginning of the week. Be sure to allow for circumstances beyond your control. Expect some tension between you and a certain someone between Wednesday and the end of the workweek. Make a real effort to see it from their point of view; talk about their feeling. From Friday afternoon through the weekend, fostering friendships and making future plans are favoured. Combine the two for extra fun.

BY MANEKA GANDHI

Dec 22 - Jan 19

At the beginning of the week follow your mood and keep your options open. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, you may want to be in charge, but there's a limit to how much you can control.

Changing how others are is highly unlikely; understanding them, much easier.You're a master planner from Friday afternoon through the weekend, with a stunning command of the details and facts at your disposal. Accomplishments of all sorts are a cinch.

Sorting out things between you and a certain someone should not be a big deal. Gain understanding, and consider agreeing to disagree. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, an infusion of confidence and high spirits is your gift from the stars. Use it to explore your world, professionally, personally and romantically. By the weekend, though, your challenge is to look at what's already close to you, and look at it closely.

Jul 23 - Aug 22

Aug 23 - Sept 21

Objectivity isn't your strong suit as the week begins, but your emotional responses tell their own tales. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, the stars are sending inspiration, excitement and pure radiance your way. The spotlight's on you - be ready to shine, at work and at play (and particularly when it comes to affairs of the heart!). When the weekend comes, you may be ready for some downtime, perhaps because you've got something to mull over.

You're a people-person as the week begins. Working in groups is fun and socialising's favoured now too. From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, you may feel like you're at a disadvantage of some sort, but you've got what it takes. Expect everything to get much easier starting around Friday afternoon and lasting through the weekend. These are some of the best days you've seen in awhile. how will you use this energy?

Jan 20 - Feb 18

Feb 19 - Mar 20

Feeling out of sorts at the beginning of the week? A little extra exercise can get your mind and body in balance. Suddenly a problem doesn't seem so monumental.

And you've got the creativity to find multiple solutions to all sorts of issues from Wednesday onwards. Set fixed ideas aside and find flexible, workable options all around. This weekend, you're extra grounded and extra perceptive.

A realisation about someone you know may change your point of view.

You're a real inspiration at the beginning of the week, maybe even romantically. Sharing your own feelings when it comes to matters of the heart is favoured now.

From Wednesday through the end of the workweek, watch out for getting entangled in issues that aren't actually any of your business. Be neutral, especially in the work environment. This weekend, offering a helping hand makes you look like a million bucks, particularly if others are only offering criticism.

GRANDMA’S

Kitchen

VIEW Finder

Rachol Fort

BY LAWRIE COLACO

Finger-licious Fillets for the Soul

BY SANJEEV SARDESAI

S

traddling the road which leads to the Rachol Seminary, one can see majestic gateway to a fort that remains standing in glory, about seven kms east from the town of Margao, on the banks of River Zuari.

Of the fortress itself, only this single gateway remains in existence and the dried-up moat can still be seen in places Rachol Fort, surrounded by the moat of an old Muslim fort, was built by the Muslim Bahamani kingdom. The imposing fortress once encircled the hill on which the Seminary stands today. The Portuguese built the fortress at the height of its power.

The fort situated on the crest of laterite hillock was crucial for Hindus, Muslims and Portuguese. Portuguese considered it as their stronghold on the Christian faith.

King Krishnaraya of the Vijayanagar kingdom, captured it from the Sultan of Bijapur, Ismail Adilshah, only to cede it to the Portuguese in 1520 in exchange for military help against the Muslims The Rachol fort remained in Portuguese hands over the years. At the peak of its power, it had as many as 100 guns on its ramparts, helping it to hold the Maratha armies at bay Rachol Seminary for months.

Today, it is a restored sixteenth-century church and cloistered theological college, one wing of which had been converted into a museum housing The Museum of Christian Art, which was later shifted to Old Goa. As the Portuguese empire in Goa expanded with the new conquests, the guns found new areas of deployment and the fort fell from favour and was finally abandoned. The fort soon fell into a state of disrepair and nothing remains of it today except the stone archway which spans the road and the old moat around the hill.

O

n our culinary expedition and our journey towards finding good food we drove along the Varca belt and guess what….??? We decided to dine at a garden restaurant, Garden Court, hardly 100 metres away from the Zuri and Mahindra garden and excellent and panoramic view of the beach, fields and of course the appetizing food… my spirits are charged and am exited…

Thank God, to quench my thirst, came some excellent mocktails and yes I was waiting for the food to arrive.

The butter garlic prawns, the Mexican potatoes, oh! They were just excellent’ Hors d’ ouveres to begin with a difference.

The candlelight and the moon up above, just got the place very romantic and yes, the Sole Orly, parsley potatoes, pork chops with demi glaze.

My mouth is still watering. I am craving for more.

And a dine away would not cost more than Rs 1,000 for two with some stimulating wine.

I’ve enjoyed myself. Be there to enjoy yourself and your taste buds to get another culinary meal. Check out what the chef from the Garden Court has for us...

Till next week be healthy and cook well!

Rachol Gate Facade (E-mail your feedback to sanscritic@sify.com)

Sole Orly Ingredients • 6 nos (6 oz) sole fillets (Lepo ) For the marinade • 30 ml/2 tbsp chopped parsley • 30 ml/2 tbsp chopped onion For the batter • 1/3 cup (50 g) plain flour (All purpose) • Salt

• oil for deep frying • lemon wedges to garnish

• salt and pepper • 15 ml/1 tbsp lemon juice • 15 ml/1 tbsp corn oil / Refined oil • 15 ml/1 tbsp corn oil • 1 egg white

Method 1. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade in a shallow bowl large enough to hold all the sole fillets in a single layer. Add the fish, cover and marinate for 1 hour. Drain the fish and pat dry on absorbent kitchen paper.

2. Make the batter.

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the centre, add 60 ml/4 tbsp water and the oil.

Mix well, gradually incorporating the flour to make a smooth batter. In a clean, dry bowl whisk the egg white until stiff. Fold it into the batter.

3. Put the oil for frying into a deep wide saucepan to a depth of at least 7.5 cm/ 3 inches. Heat the oil to 180190°C/350-375°F or until a cube of bread added to the oil browns in 30 seconds.

4. Dip the fish fillets in the batter, carefully lower them into the hot oil and fry for 3-5 minutes until goldenbrown. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper, arrange on a warmed platter and serve with lemon wedges.

WEEKEND Splendour

email us at weekendsplendour@herald-goa.com

Pg4

Sunday, 13 Mar 2011

Is Microsoft Office still An Essential Programme?

Virtually synonymous with desktop productivity tools, Microsoft Office is not just the market leader it is the one product that nearly every user has on their PC. It is being updated furiously, but Microsoft’s once-irreplaceable programme now has some viable rivals from the likes of Google Docs, Openoffice and Zoho. Is it still and essential programme for office workers, or an over bloated dinosaur not worth the return on investment?

HERALD FEATURES t is worth noting that this new implementation is not as radical an update as the previous Office 2007 version.

Yes, there are lots of new features and functionality but as far as the user interface and basic ways of working are concerned, it remains much the same, albeit with a number of tweaks to make the component apps easier to use. In particular, the ribbon interface introduced in Office 2007 is now much more consistent and can also be customised to make commonly used tools more readily accessible.

There is also a new Backstage view, implemented in all the apps and accessed by clicking the tab marked ‘file’. This gathers together a variety of management options to, for example save, print and share documents, options previously scattered across the different views and, as a result, hard to find.

Another major innovation is a hosted implementation of Office in the form of Office Web Apps. Like Google Docs and Zoho, Office Web Apps delivers document editing tools via a Web browser—in Microsoft’s case in the form of cut-down implementations of its desktop office apps. Anyone can sign up and use Web Apps to create and share documents online, and do so for free, via the Microsoft SkyDrive online storage service.

However, for maximum functionality a copy of Office 2010 is needed on the desktop used.

I

The ability to edit the ribbon bar is a long overdue enhancement and, once discovered, the new Backstage view is a great addition that really does help simplify document management. The new Web Apps are not fully featured, but do let you share documents and perform basic document editing online - for free.

Other enhancements include beefed up picture editing tools enabling drawings and images to be manipulated in the various applications rather than having to use external tools. Security too is improved in the 2010 release and Outlook made even better with its much enhanced conversation view.

The ability to edit documents cooperatively, at the same time as other users, is another neat new feature.

The biggest disappointment, however, has to be the new Web Apps.

Necessarily cut-down implementations of the desktop tools, the online implementations feel like poor relations and lack consistency. Documents can only be saved in the latest open formats and browser support is limited to Internet Explorer. Online collaboration options in Web Apps are weak also and Microsoft is clearly playing catch-up against rivals Google and Zoho.

Opinions vary as to how good the results are, but overall the new implementation has been welcomed as addressing the shortcomings of Office 2007 in much the same way as Windows 7 fixed what was wrong with Vista.

B O O K W O

TOMES...

ON THE SHELF ----------------------------------------------------Stories of the Lotus Sutra:

Author: Juan Alfredo Pinto Saavedra

-----------------------------------------------------

J

uan Alfredo Pinto Saavedra, the present Ambassador of Colombia to India, has come up with a collection of ten short stories centred around the lives of the people in Latin America and Asia. Having Latin American characters against a multihued Asian setting, Stories of the Lotus Sutra is the English version of the recently-released Spanish book Flor de Loto written by the 57-year-old diplomat.

Pinto’s passion and love for Asia is evident in book as the stories relate to several places in Asia, like the caves of Ellora, a temple at Sri Lanka, the Buddhist shrines at Myanmar, etc. The plight of the contemporary man caught between moral, economic and technological tensions is portrayed with immense subtlety and a rare philosophical depth. Many of the protagonists are women. The issues involved are love and human relations, the struggle between tradition and modernity and other relevant issues.

-------------------------------The Cat’s Pajamas

R M

Author: Ray Bradbury

--------------------------------

R

ay Bradbury’s latest collection of 22 stories, The Cat’s Pajamas is just that. This new volume, for which Bradbury himself did the cover illustration, includes many uncollected stories from his long writing career as well as a number of recent entries. Just two of the stories were published before; the rest were found in Bradbury’s basement files by his biographer.

No matter the decade, Bradbury’s voice rings true. One of the stories which stands out is The Island, which explores what happens when someone breaks into the house of a security-obsessed family. Most of the stories are more in line with Bradbury’s familiar style: a little nostalgic, with a touch of humour, and occasionally a little satire.

The Cat’s Pajamas has more than enough goodies to make longtime fans happy and still work as a strong introduction for new readers.

-----------------------------------3 Men And A Body

...CONTD FROM PAGE 1

Preserving the Past

Author: Stephanie Bond

The laboratory is devoid of any facilities to help in restoring certain historical artefacts.

“We don’t have a lab that can help in conserving the various artefacts, like sculpture, wooden items, manuscripts or coins. But we are trying to set up a laboratory that will help us here in Goa,” says Bhave.

Managing inventories is a major part of a curator’s job description. The inventories should contain every detail of the artefact, from the place of finding to detailed description of the appearance, its constituent material, clear photographs of the items, in case of exhibiting the artefact some other place, following the item’s movement, from the museum to the place which borrows it for exhibitions or study and recording the date of return these are some of the many points a curator has to keep in his inventory. “In Goa very few places do have a detailed inventory; churches, temples and other such places do not maintain an inventory. It be-

comes very difficult in tracing the artefacts in case of theft and vandalism,” says Gomes.

Following protocols is one very important aspect of any job, and curating and restoration is no different, “We as conservation architects keep having meets to revise protocols and have to follow them. The meets will discuss all types of topics from tools to the procedures. But I think the person who has to follow the most amount of protocols is the archaeologist; he has protocols to follow for all the various aspects of the work,” explains Gerard.

A major cause of concern of the situation of the museums in Goa is the lack of awareness among people, “I think it’s the lack of consciousness and the trend of shying away from our cultural identity.” says Gomes. Our history needs its cries to be heeded. If the situation continues at the present rate, we will be at a loss when our future generations ask questions about the past.

------------------------------------

H

eroine Carlotta Wren of Stephanie Bond’s 3 Men And A Body, has trouble – family trouble, man trouble and even more trouble when she investigates the death of celebutante Kiki Deerling. One of Bond’s Body Movers series, the book is part mystery, part romance and part isn’t-this-a-darn-good-time. Twenty-eight year-old Carlotta is conflicted about the three men in her life – her wealthy childhood sweetheart, the detective investigating her fugitive father and the former medical examiner who runs a body-moving business. The brother she raised, Wesley, offers his perspective as well and his 19-year-old voice rings true and promises true present and future complications for Carlotta. Though Kiki’s death is resolved, where the series goes next continues to be an intriguing mystery. Readers who love a combination of suspense and sexy romance will find their thrills in Bond’s latest offering.

Sport

TRAVEL

When Goa’s Kids went riding…

After six days’ camping with the children at the Japalouppe Equestrian Centre, Pune, you learn that one can get into a car to see man’s creation, but one must get on a horse to see God’s creation

BY CHRISTINA VIEGAS HERALD FEATURES here are copious things in this world which are so beautiful, they can bring tears to one’s eyes, but there is something unmatched about the gracefulness and beauty of horses running free. Large liquid eyes exuding intelligence and loyalty, that peculiar unequivocal, yet distinctively adorable aroma of the horse, the swirl of dust around pounding hooves, the action which is a joy to behold as horses move freely and lightly as though on springs as they appear to float, dormitories filled with children’s clamour, a quaint enclosure with a thatched roof for funfilled games and discos, and rugged cottages with an old-fashioned bed in the portico where you can simply lie and idle away, buried in books on a moonlit night, are all part of the camp at Japalouppe Equestrian Centre, Pune.

Sponsored by the Equestrian and Polo Association of Goa, 17 lucky children from the state got their chance to trot into the equine world during the camp. “Familiarity breeds cheekiness,” firm words said into my face by Rohan More, owner of Japalouppe. It is easy to see he is a no-nonsense person who takes a while before opening up and getting familiar. So, an acknowledgment that our children from the state, were the best batch he has ever had, sure comes as a delight. He says, “I have had children coming in from all over the country and this is the first batch of Goan kids, but I must say they are the best so far. I can see responsibility, respect, morals and a sense of good upbringing.”

He adds, “And they are physically very fit.”

Interact with the kids and it is amazing to see their energies as they enthuse jointly, “When the horse pins its ears back, it is angry and you might get kicked, if it pricks them forward it is interested in you, and if the ears flop on the side, the horse is bored or tired.

And the horse moves in four ways – it walks, trots, canters and gallops.”

With each passing day, their confidence keeps growing and it is riding they are constantly waiting for, amidst various other activities like trekking, discussion period, maintaining a journal, a written evaluation, a disco night, right up to the last day when they display their riding skills, bringing proud smiles to their parents and mentors.

“They are allowed to spend every minute at the stables, riding, mucking out or just being

T

near the horses or just inhaling that unmistakable sweet smell of horses,” informs the president of the association, Mac Vaz who was instrumental in patiently catering to the constant never-ending demands of the younger kids, twenty four by seven, ensuring that the kids were well taken care of. He enlightens, “Besides being a great option of keeping fit, riding also teaches youth an apt metaphorical lesson of life which is, when you are dismounted by the horse, you have to remount and raise your excellence level to a new rung.”

Step into this horse farm, and inexorably you just chill.

And when Vaz gets on his horse to do a swift canter, the kids are mighty impressed and chorus, “He makes it look so easy!” In awe, as I watch the kids’ mentor, it is easy to see that a true horseman looks at his horse, not with his eyes, but with his heart.

He enlightens, “From the time anybody mounts a horse up till he/she graduates to a higher level of excellence in tentpegging or showjumping or whatever, this sport gives you a high similar to the ‘runners high’ which is very addictive. As per plans, in tandem with the government, we will offer this sport option to the riding enthusiasts in Goa at the planned National Games facility.”

As I drove away in the wee hours of the last tranquil morning, the kids’ voices were markedly missing and the farm had taken on an air of absolute serenity. I spotted the horses not in harness or saddle, but just as these most beautiful animals were meant to be – free spirits, frolicking and playing, and kicking up their heels with the sheer gaiety of living. Surely, the love for a horse is as complicated as the love for another human being; if you never love a horse, you Children take part in showjumping will never understand.

at Japalouppe Equestrian Centre

Editor –in-chief: R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat. Chief Editor-Features: Christina Viegas. Regd Office: St Tome Road, Panjim, Goa. Tel: 6658512, 6658500, 2224202, 2228083. Fax: 2222475. Email: weekendsplendour@herald-goa.com.