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The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, TUESday, SEpTEmbEr 14, 2010
Goa’s Heartbeat: Ajay-Kajol... it’s a boy Pg 14
Business: K’taka ore export ban hits Railways Pg 12
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Sports: No match-fixing in Indian Premier League Pg 18
17 killed in Kashmir violence PTI SRINAGAR, SEPT 13
The hatred we bear our enemies injures their happiness less than our own. — J. Petit-Senn
IN BRIEF 3 Navy sailors held for molestation Three Indian Navy sailors have been arrested for allegedly molesting three girls and assaulting policemen when they intervened, police said today. According to police, the incident occurred on Saturday night when the three girls along with two boys came out of the Regal theatre in South Mumbai after watching a movie. – (PTI)
Naidu’s convoy stoned in Andhra Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) activists today hurled stones at the convoy of TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu when he was proceeding to Mahbubnagar in the Telangana region, leaving some TDP workers and media personnel injured. Tension prevailed in Parigi as police chased away the protestors who raised slogans against Naidu and in support of Telangana. – (PTI)
CCS mum on AFSPA, all-party meet tomorrow PTI NEW DELHI, SEP 13
As Kashmir witnessed a sudden flare-up in violence, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) today put off any decision on contentious issues like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and called an all-party meeting on Wednesday to discuss the volatile situation. The CCS meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, expressed distress over the “turn of events” in the valley since Saturday and signalled its intention to restart dialogue with all sections of the State, saying it is the only way forward to find an “honourable and lasting solution”. The CCS appealed to the people of Kashmir, especially the youth, to refrain from violent protests as it expressed grief over the loss of lives in the threemonth-long unrest. The CCS meeting had set off speculation that the government could consider partial withdrawal of the AFSPA as demanded by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Fresh violence erupted in Kashmir today leaving 17 dead including a policeman and over 70 injured with mobs torching several government properties and a private school, some of the trouble triggered by a television report alleging desecration of the Quran in the US. The State Cabinet, which met this evening, condemned the alleged act of desecration and made a fervent appeal to the people not to take law in their hands. In New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh voiced concern over the ongoing unrest in Jammu and Kashmir. He also sought to reach out to the peo-
Senior Bureaucrat Nikhil Desai’s frequent foreign private trips are being probed by State administration after a former officer on special duty (OSD) complained to chief secretary that Desai was misguiding the State. Former officer on special duty (OSD) to Tourism Department Lyndon Monteiro has written a letter to chief secretary along with the relevant documents on how Desai, holding two major charges — Managing Director of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) and Goa Handicraft Corporation, allegedly disobeyed the Service Rules. “Desai, on June 2, 2010, travelled to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore on a private visit without obtaining prior permission or intimating the state government of his having left the country till date,” the letter reads. Monteiro said that as per Service Rules, it is mandatory for every government servant to obtain prior permission of the government before leaving the country. The former OSD has attached duplicates of visas stamped by
CVC for stricter laws on ‘benami’ properties PTI NEW DELHI, SEPT 13
The Central Vigilance Commission has sought stricter laws to confiscate ‘benami’ properties in order to deter people from spending or investing money acquired through corrupt means. The anti-corruption watchdog is also planning to strengthen rules to check investment of wealth earned through corrupt activities in other countries. The CVC has prepared a blueprint of ‘National Anti-Corruption Strategy’ to deal with many issues adding to corruption and ways to deal with it. “The strategy recommends a set of action to be taken by the government and a set of action by the political entities, judiciary, media, citizens, private sector and civil society organisations.
The agitators then attacked a police station and tried to ransack it, prompting the security forces to fire at them. While two youth — Muddasir Ahmad Parray and Abdul Majid — were declared dead at the nearby Magam Sub District Hospital, another youth succumbed to injuries at a city hospital here. He has been identified as Abdul Qayoom, officials at the hospitals said. Two injured youth, identified as Afaq Ahmad Khan and Tariq Ahmad Ganai, were declared dead on arrival at a city hospital. Another mob attacked a security forces camp at Humhama in Budgam district, prompting retaliatory fire in which two were killed.
In Charar-e-Sharief, protesters pelted stones at a CRPF camp, Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Rafi Ahmed said. The CRPF personnel resorted to firing to disperse the mob. Seven persons were injured on of whom succumbed to his injuries. A woman died on the spot when she was hit by a stray bullet inside her residential compound at Ompora in Budgam. A policeman, Devender Singh, was killed when he was run over by a vehicle while chasing a stone-pelting mob also in Budgam. In another clash in Bandipora, one person was killed and two others injured when security forces opened fire to quell a stone-pelting mob, police said.
PM for updating war doctrines IANS NEW DELHI, SEPT 13
Backing the modernisation of defence forces, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday underlined his commitment to preserve India’s strategic autonomy and stressed that it is too large a country to be boxed into any alliance or regional arrangement. Commending the Armed Forces for their contribution to the country’s security, the Prime Minister said: “Our Armed Forces deserve the best and I wish to assure you that the government will make every effort to ensure this. No countr y can make progress without ensuring its security and territorial integrity.” Singh also strongly endorsed the growing demand for the modernisation of the defence forces. “As our economy grows and our technological capabili-
Nikhil’s foreign trips under scanner HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, SEPT 13
ple in the State, saying their grievances have to be addressed and promised talks within the Indian Constitution with those who abjure violence. Five persons were killed and more than 20 others injured in firing by security forces at Tangmarg, 45 kms from Srinagar, in Baramulla district after protesters went on a rampage setting ablaze a private school, run by a minority educational group, following the report of desecration. The mob torched a Block Development Office, court chamber, tehsildar’s official vehicle and residence, social welfare office, Patwari office and two huts of Tourism Department, DGP Kuldeep Khoda told reporters.
various countries which confirm Desai’s foreign trips. Showing another instance, Monteiro said that Desai in his capacity as GTDC MD was permitted to travel officially to Canada from August 25, 2010 to November 5, 2010. “However, in total contravention to the instructions of the government requiring prior permission by every government servant before he leaves the country and unmindful of any repercussions, Desai actually left the country four days in advance on August 20,” he said. Providing the proof for the same, Monteiro said that Desai went to USA for personal reasons, without even applying for leave during the period of his absence. He has demanded impartial inquiry into the act of the government official. When contacted Desai confirmed that the inquiry is going on. “I will be submitting my explanation to the government,” he said. The MD said that he has not violated any norms. “I don’t like to discuss the topic in media I will submit whatever I have to say,” he added.
India's Naval Chief Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, Air Force Air Chief Marshal P V Naik, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Defence Minister A K Antony, and Army Chief V K Singh, at the start of the annual combined commanders conference of the armed forces, in New Delhi on Monday.
ties expand, we must set higher standards for modernising our defence forces,” he said. “It is not enough for us to keep pace with change. When it comes to defence capability,
Plane with 51 crashes in Venezuela AP CARACAS, SEPT 13
A plane carrying 51 people crashed today in eastern Venezuela, and officials said at least 21 people survived. The French-built ATR-42 from the state airline Conviasa crashed about 6 miles from the eastern city of Puerto Ordaz at about 10 am local time, Transportation Minister Francisco Garces told State television. He said the plane went down on the property of the State-run Sidor steel foundry. Rescue workers were tending to injured victims, and at least 23 survivors were taken to hospitals, Bolivar State Gov Francisco Rangel Gomez told the Venezuela-based television network Telesur. Two of the injured died, while 21 others were being treated, hospital official Yanitza Rodriguez said. The plane, a twin-engine turboprop, was carrying 47 passengers and four crew members, Rangel Gomez said. He said that Conviasa Flight 2350 had taken off from Margarita Island and crashed shortly before reaching its destination.
we must be ahead of the technology curve,” he stressed. Defence modernisation, the Prime Minister said, must involve the full chain starting with updating war fighting doctrines
to meet new threats to our security, preparation of appropriate staff quality requirements and creating a broad-based production and delivery infrastructure on the ground.
Contempt plea against Aleixo, four others HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, SEPT 13
A contempt petition has been filed against Power Minister Aleixo Sequeira and four others for granting service extension to an electricity inspector R A Ghali. The petition has been filed by Anthony Rebello, a resident of Cuncolim before the Bombay High Court at Goa on Monday. Besides the minister, the respondents include Chief Electrical Engineer Nirmal Braganza, Power Secretary S Kumarswamy, Undersecretary Umeshchandra Joshi and Advocate General Subodh Kantak. The petitioner points out that the High Court on December 1, 2009 granted leave for five days to the Government in response to its application seeking leave to extend Ghali’s appointment on November 21, 2009. “…in which time the Government was to frame recruitment rules and make appointment in terms thereof. It was made clear by the said order that no further extension was to be given,” reads the petition copy. The petitioner argues that after two months, Recruitment Rules for the post of electrical inspector were not framed even as on April 20, 2010, Ghali “exits services” as per High Court order. Ten days later, the Government yet again fails to frame Recruitment Rules for the post of electricity inspector. Following this, contempt begins on May 1, 2010, arguments for
Govt bulldozing its way with land acquisitions! HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, SEPT 13
What’s common between the government proposals to acquire land for the multi-purpose utility project at Davorlim, fish meal project at Cutbona and the kabrastan at Sonsodo? Perhaps for the first time in recent years, the government has literally kept the public in the dark over the specific purpose for which the land is sought to be acquired under the guise of public purpose. If the government intends to acquire land at Cutbona Jetty by not specifying the public purpose, land acquisition for the “multi-purpose utility project” at Davorlim gives wide powers and discretion to the government to set up any project on the acquired land. Take the case of acquisition of land admeasuring 30,000 sq mts at the Cutbona fishing jetty. For the first time, the government set in motion the process to acquire the land by maintaining silence on the public purpose. Worse still is the fact that while the Fisheries Director S C Verencar insisted that the land was being acquired for expansion of the fishing jetty, Fisheries
Land admeasuring 1.15,200 sq mts is sought to be acquired for the proposed multipurpose utility project in Davorlim, without keeping the villagers informed of what projects would finally come up on the Communidade land. Minister Joaquim Alemao publicly admitted that it was acquired for the fish meal plant. Why the government decided to keep the land acquisition purpose under wraps is still a myster y, but not before local villagers came onto the streets and forced the government to keep the land acquisition process on hold. The multi-purpose utility project proposed at Davorlim is another case in point. L and admeasuring 1.15,200 sq mts is sought to be acquired for the proposed multipurpose utility project, without keeping the villagers informed of what projects would finally come up on the Communidade land.
Sources in the know said the South Goa District Collector, G P Naik, who is the acquiring department in the case of the multi-purpose utility project, was asked by the Land Acquisition Office to specify the specific purpose behind acquiring the land, but the process continues. It is feared even in official circles that the government might try to dump any project on the land under the concept of “multipurpose utility” taking advantage of court order that land acquired for one purpose can be utilized for another purpose. Land acquisition for the proposed kabrastan at Sonsodo is yet another example how the government can bulldoze its way with acquisition of land, including private land, without complying with mandatory provisions. When the Margao Municipal Council accorded its nod for the acquisition of 30,000 sq mts of land for the proposed kabrastan, city fathers were clear that the land was owned by the Margao Communidade. However, bowing to the dictates of the government and the powers that be, the Land Acquisition Office (Continued on page 2)
State national highways ‘rechristened’ HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, SEPT 13
As part of the nationwide programme, the Ministry of Roads and Surface Transport has renumbered the national highways in Goa. The National Highway 17, from Patradevi to Polem, joining Goa to Mumbai, has been renumbered as NH-66, the NH4A, which is joining Goa to Belgaum, has been renumbered as NH-748. The Cortalim-Vasco NH1-7A has been renumbered as NH366 while the NH-17 B, from Verna to Vasco, has been renumbered as NH-566. Speaking to Herald, the NHAI officials said that the existing number of National Highway does not give any indication of its location and direction. Therefore, the ministry has adopted a systematic numbering of na-
EARLIER & NOW Goa-Mumbai NH 17 — NH-66
Goa-Belgaum NH-4A — NH-748 Cortalim-Vasco NH1-7A — NH-366 Verna-Vasco NH-17B — NH-566 tional highways. “It will indicate the direction of national highways whether it is East-West or North-South and also the geographical region where it is located,” officials, officials said on the condition of anonymity.
Officials said that the popular NH-8 connecting Delhi and Mumbai will be renumbered as NH-48 and similarly, the KolkataD e l h i h i g h w a y, w h i c h i s presently NH-2, will become NH19. Moreover, these primary corridors will also be longer.
Sources said that highways starting from north to south will be in even numbers and those running in the east-west direction will be in odd numbers. For example, the East-West corridor starting from Silchar in Assam and terminating in Porbandar in Gujarat will be renamed as NH-27 and the North-South corridor starting from Srinagar and terminating in Kanyakumari will be renumbered NH-44. Officials said that the primary NHs running along the northsouth and east-west directions will be predominantly double digit for better identification by commuters. In case of NHs with even numbers, the number will increase from east to west and similarly in case of the odd number NHs, the numbers will increase from north to south. “The present numbering is very irrational. You have NH-10
running parallel to NH-1 and NH-58 running parallel to NH24. The scientific numbering is more important considering the fact that now people are covering over 250 km in their cars, which was not the case earlier. We expect this to cross the 1,000 km mark. So, rational numbering will come in handy for commuters at large,’’ said an official. However, the secondar y routes will be in three digits — more than 100. Sources said that though the renumbering is complicated and will take some time for people to get accustomed to, this has been done considering the increasing length of NHs. In fact, the NH network has increased from 21,378 km in 1947 to 70,934 km. Officials said this will cross one lakh km by 2021.
which were heard and its judgment was reserved on May 7. Meanwhile, the Government in a decision reappoints Ghali as electricity inspector on July 14, 2010 for a period till August 24, 2010 which it further extends to one-year till August 24, 2011. The petitioner said that even as recruitment rules for the said post are still not framed, Ghali has been appointed without following the Constitutional scheme as spelt out by the Supreme Court in its earlier judgment. A fresh contempt petition is thereafter filed. “The order of extension of re-appointment while this court was seized of the matter, constitutes contravention of High Court and Supreme Court orders. The extension re-appointment of Ghali constitutes a fraud by the Government when already contempt was pending,” reads the fresh contempt seeking to direct the respondents to purge the contempt by cancelling the appointment of Ghali as electricity inspector.
Deolali camp, police academy were on hit list: M’rashtra ATS PTI MUMBAI, SEPT 13
Arrested LeT terror suspect Shaikh Lalbaba Mohammed Hussain conducted reccé of three security establishments in Nashik including army’s Deolali camp for a Lahore Police Academy-type attack, Maharashtra ATS today said. A terror strike probably similar to that of the 2009 Lahore Police Academy attack was planned on the three establishments as per instructions from LeT handlers in Pakistan, a senior ATS official said. “The Deolali camp, Maharashtra Police Academy and Police Commissionerate in Nashik were on the hit list of Shaikh alias Bilal,” the official said. “There may have been a plan of an attack similar to that of terror strike on Lahore Police Academy,” the official said on condition of anonymity. On May 30 last year, heavily armed terrorists stormed a police academy near Lahore, killing at least 27 cops in an eight-hour siege that ended with four terrorists being shot dead and six captured alive by security forces. Bilal, arrested for allegedly preparing for terror strikes in Maharashtra last week, was staying in Nashik with two fake identities and conducted reccé of these three locations since May as per the instructions of his aide Mirza Himayat Baig, held in connection with Pune blast, the official said. “Baig was directed to select these targets by LeT handlers in Pakistan,” the official said.
I'm looking for eco-friendly water for the immersion of our ecofriendly Ganesh. Have you seen anywhere in the city?