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560 structures to make way for NH17 Porvorim (40), Siridao (30) to bear the brunt SURAJ NANDREKAR PANJIM, JUNE 15
Today’s Matches HONDURAS VS CHILE at 5.00 pm SPAIN VS SWITZERLAND at 7.30 pm SOUTH AFRICA VS URUGUAY at 00.00 Am
IN BRIEF Jaswant set to return to BJP Former union minister Jaswant Singh appears set to return to the BJP, nine months after he was expelled for praising M A Jinnah in his book. BJP sources said party leadership is working out a formula for his return – (PTI)
Its official! Almost 40 structures between the Mahindra showroom and the Sai Service station at Porvorim will face the axe when the widening of the NH17 is undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India. The four-lanning of the NH17 from Patradevi to Polem — around 139 km stretch — will be taken up on BOOT basis at a cost of approximately Rs 2000 crore. Inquiries by Herald have revealed that according to the new alignment sent by the NHAI around 560 structures across the State will have to make way for the project. “These 560 structures include around 280 houses”, sources in the PWD told Herald. Sources also informed that the NHAI has also decided to reduce the width of the road to
45 meters in the densely populated areas and wherever possible to go ahead with 60-m widening. “Most of the structures would face demolitions in Porvorim and Siridao areas”, sources informed. While in Porvorim 40 structures including houses as well as buildings will be acquired by NHAI, in Siridao area almost 30 houses and other structures will be demolished for widening, sources said. “The survey nos of the plots which will be acquired have already been submitted to the Town and Country Planning for the purpose of finalizing Regional Plan 2021,” sources stated. The citizens of Nuvem, which faced maximum demolitions in the earlier alignment, can heave a sigh of relief as the NHAI has decided to take a bypass, avoid-
280 houses among 560 structures to make way for NH17 from Patradevi to Polem. Survey numbers of plots to be acquired submitted to TCP. Nuvem spared of any kind of demolition as NHAI to take bypass. NHAI to reduce width of road to 45 meters in densely populated areas.
LS panel moots gas-based plant for cheap power MPT’s jurisdiction may be changed HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, JUNE 15
The Estimates Committee of Lok Sabha has favoured a gas-based power plant in Goa given the State’s status as a tourist destination and has opined that the NH-17 and NH-4 should be either 6-lane or 4-lane or in some places even with a width of 30 meters depending upon the availability of land Chairman of the Committee Francisco Sardinha said the Lok Sabha panel tried to break even the demands of the MPT authorities and the concerns of locals over the expansion plans of the Mormugao Port. Around 16 Members of Parliament, who are Members of the Estimates Committee headed by Sardinha met for two days at a starred hotel at Betalbatim and visited various places,
Vallabh, Swapnil get re-posting, Sandip is dir of transport HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JUNE 15
Senior grade officer Vallabh Kamat, who was awaiting posting, has been re-posted as the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes. According to transfer orders issued by the Under Secretary Personnel-I Umeshchandra L Joshi, Kamat replaces Sandip Jacques as the Commissioner of Commercial Taxes. Sandip Jacques has now been posted as the Director of Transport. Director of Transport Swapnil Naik has been re-posted as the Director of Tourism. Swapnil relieves Nikhil Desai, who is the MD of GHRSSIDC, of the additional charge.
where they discussed and deliberated on issues relating to power, highways, port and the airport in Goa. He said the Committee has agreed to the proposal for the generation of 240 mega watts of power for Goa close to the
coal block allotted to the State by the Government of India. “During our deliberations, we discussed regarding supply of Coal. The Government of India has allotted a coal block to Goa and with that they want to generate power of 240 mega watts close to the block in due course of time. May be after few years, whatever power allotment is there for Goa will not be sufficient. Right now, the State can break even as our power consumption is 500 mega watts. But, the present power supply will not suffice in due course of time”, he said, adding that the estimates committee also discussed on generation of power through non-conventional sources of energy. Replying to a question, he said there was a proposal to set (Continued on page 10)
Embezzlement of UK grants shocks Govt PTI NEW DELHI, JUNE 15
Government today expressed shock over reports of embezzlement of UK grants in Sarva Siksha Abhiyan scheme and said that the flagship programme follows “rigorous and robust monitoring system”. A day after the British Government launched an inquiry into the alleged misuse of its funds under SSA, Department of School Education and Literacy under HRD Ministry here said it will write to the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of External Affairs in this regard. Britain’s International Development secretar y Andrew Mitchell had yesterday said the UK Government will have a zero tolerance policy to corruption. The Department of School Education and Literacy said the SSA is supported largely by domestic resources. Since inception, India has invested Rs 91,431 crore in the SSA.
Textbook worries to be over this month: Board HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, JUNE 15
The academic year may have commenced on June 7, but students studying from Std I to XII will get all their textbooks only by June-end. Textbooks for Std IX to XII are being supplied by Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, however, it is the responsibility of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) to provide textbooks to students from Std I to VIII. This year, there was delay on the part of Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education in issuing contract to
We have received 75 of the 114 titles. Every day, we receive two truckloads of books from Delhi and the balance 39 titles will reach us by June end. — Mervyn D’Souza
the printers due to lengthy administrative procedure, due to which students could not get the textbooks at the beginning of academic year. Speaking to Herald, Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Chairman Mervyn D’Souza said they have received 75 of the 114 titles. “Every day, we receive two truckloads of books from Delhi and the balance 39 titles will reach us by June end,” said D’Souza. “Usually, orders are placed with the printers for supply of textbooks in January or February. However this year, the (Continued on page 10)
Mickky is targeted by S Goa politicos: NCP HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JUNE 15
Making an official statement for the first time since the incident, Nationalist Congress Party today said that its legislator Mickky Pacheco is being targeted by South Goa politicians. The Benaulim legislator is on the run as Crime Branch which is probing Nadia death case has named him prime accused in the case. “The party is behind Mickky on the issue”, NCP spokesman Avinash Bhonsle told reporters here Likening Mickky’s trouble to that of Sita (from Ramayana), Bhonsle said, “even Sita had to give agni pariksha.”
Mickky will have to give agni pariksha by facing the law. He is being targeted by few Congress leaders from South Goa. The NCP is behind him on this issue. — NCP spokesman Avinash Bhonsle Mickky will have to give agni pariksha by facing the law, Bhonsle said. Further, he said, Mickky is being targeted by few Congress
leaders from South Goa after his success in holding massive NCP convention in his village. The local leaders were baffled looking at the response for NCP’s national convention in Salcete taluka, he said. The party spokesperson also demanded that Nilkant Halarnkar, party legislator inducted in the Cabinet in place of Pacheco, be given the same portfolios which Pacheco held before he stepped down after being questioned by Crime Branch in the case. “Congress has to adhere to coalition dharma… These portfolios were given to NCP as a part of coalition and Halarnkar should get them”, he said.
ing any kind of demolition in the area. Officers in the PWD have said that most of the demolitions could have been avoided by the State had it taken caution earlier. “The PWD had stopped giving permissions to the development within 45 meters on the national highways in the State but despite this the Government had gone on granting permissions,” officials speaking on condition of anonymity said. Herald in its issued dated September 27, 2009 was first to report that the Government was bending rules and granting permission for development along highway. The then Superintending Engineer (CO IX) Alka Hede had told this paper that her division does not grant permission to any such projects. “Whenever such files come
to us, we forward them to the Government who decides on the cases,” she had stated. When contacted for his comment on the development, PWD Chief Engineer J N Chimulkar said he has no knowledge of the matter. “I have no knowledge and will have to look into the matter,” was what he told this paper. Not only the Chief Engineer, even the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat feigned ignorance. “I have not received any communication from NHAI in this regard”, Kamat said when contacted. He said he had spoken to the NHAI chairman and he has assured to minimise the demolitions as much as possible.
ON PAGE 5
Corlim locals to meet Churchill, MPs over NH4A
Close shave for AI passengers PTI NEW DELHI, JUNE 15
Over 100 people on board an Air India plane had a close shave when two tyres of the left landing gear of the aircraft deflated soon after it landed at the IGI airport here today. “Air India’s Mumbai-BhopalIndore-Delhi flight (IC-133) with 100 passengers and six crew members landed at Delhi airport around 10.58 a.m and was taxiing towards the parking bay when engineers at the ground noticed two deflated tyres of the left landing gear and sparks emanating due to friction,” an airline official said. They then immediately informed the pilot and asked him to stop the Airbus-320 aircraft. The crash fire tenders were immediately called in, which sprinkled water and foam to cool the aircraft’s undercarriage in order to prevent any fire, he
said, adding “all the passengers onboard are safe”. According to sources, there was no tyre burst as the pilot did not notice any unusual jerk. “The tyres got deflated after the aircraft had landed and while it was taxiing,” they said. Today’s incident at the IGI airport is in the series of close shaves involving passenger aircraft. Earlier this month, an Air India Express Dubai-Pune flight, with 112 passengers on board, rapidly descended several thousand feet over Muscat air space. Reports had alleged that the commander was not in the cockpit and the co-pilot could not control the aircraft as it started the descent. About a week later, a mid-air collision was averted by pilots as a Jet Airways and an Air India plane came ‘dangerously close’ on the same flight path over Tamil Nadu.
Dudu’s bail plea rejected HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JUNE 15
Goa Bench of Bombay High Court today rejected bail petition filed by Israeli drug dealer David Driham alias Dudu. Justice U D Salvi rejected the bail plea dismissing the contention of technical procedural lapses cited by Driham’s lawyer. Public Prosecutor Carlos Ferreira, said that various errors cited by the applicant while pleading for bail could be discussed during the trial stage. He even told court that the accused was arrested with cocktail of drugs at Anjuna, which proves that he is a drug peddler. In the bail application moved before the court on Monday, Dirham, has said that he was innocent. Dudu in his bail petition had said that the letter written by the investigating Officer Sunil Gudlar to deputy superintendent of police (DySP) informing about the raid was fabricated. Dudu’s lawyer, Jos Peter D’Souza in the bail application said, “the very basis of the raid has been fabricated. There are reasonable grounds for believing that the accused is not guilty”.
Soren acquitted Former Jharkhand CM Shibu Soren was today acquitted by a local court in a 36-year-old murder case for lack of evidence, the last of the three cases of murder against him. Soren, who appeared before the court of Additional District Judge, Mohammad Qasim, looked relieved after the verdict. – (PTI)
Their senior surgeon is not available to conduct a post mortem, so they got him for time being...