19 FEB,2011

saturday

Panjim I February, 19, 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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‘vICTORy MARCH’ IN EGyPT TO CELEbRATE MubARAk’S OuSTER >> P12

InsIde

P8

Anil Counto talks cement, cars and more

The ailing salt industry in Goa

Cricket bookies, punters in Goa?

IT’S ME OR LuIzINHO, THuNDERS CHuRCHILL >> P3

herald investiGation

Why is Govt hiding Mopa consultant when Centre confirms it’s Ammann & Whitney? aJaY thaKur & suJaY Gupta Goa has been kept completely in the dark about one of it’s Government flagship Public Private Partnership projects — the Greenfield international airport at Mopa.

Herald’s investigations have revealed the steering committee to finalise the consultant for Mopa, after many postponed meetings finally zeroed in on one consultant,

the New York-based Ammann and Whitney. The Joint Secretary Union Ministry of Civil Aviation looking after Greenfield Airports, Alok Sinha told Herald on phone from Delhi Tuesday last “Yes the consultant has been finalised. It is Ammann and Whitney”.

The Goa Government, however, has gone into confusion-mode deliberate or otherwise with its senior most bureaucrat Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava saying

Yes, the bids have opened and the Consultant selected.

But I can’t divulge the names”. Replying to the same question the PP Director Anupam Kishore said “No, we haven’t selected anyone even though all bids have been opened”.

It’s important to know that a very critical decision on the future of Mopa has been taken. Herald will continue to investigate and bring to its readers facts about Ammann and Whitney, its background

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Panjim, Feb 18: Many top bookies and big punters have shifted base from Mumbai on the eve of the Cricket World Cup to avoid the attention of the police. While some have moved to plush farmhouses on the outskirts of Mumbai, others have moved to Gujarat and a few are camping at casinos in Goa, according to a report in Mid-Day. Law enforcement agencies are now equipped with phone tracking systems, making bookies vulnerable to arrests.

India remains the firm favourites given the advantage of home turf, and betting on the World Cup is going to be a huge money-spinner, says the report. The underworld, it says, is going to make a killing on the upcoming World Cup matches.

Sources say the turnover from the 49 World Cup matches could be higher than the >Continued on pg 10

INDIA SEEkS REvENGE IN OPENER >> P16

Mopa – suspiCious silenCe - i

Panjim, Feb 18: The public of

P9

sports

JustiCe for JudGe

S Goa unites behind beloved Desmond

Santosh Mirajkar

TEAM HERALD Margao, Feb 18: Demanding forthwith revocation of the suspension of Judge Desmond D’Costa, an impressive rally-cum-public meeting of advocates and citizens on Friday demanded justice for the suspended judge within 15 days and rooted for an independent High Court for Goa. The meeting held at the historic Lohia Maidan here this evening resolved to intensify the agitation after 15 days if justice is not done to Judge D’Costa.

A section of the crowd at Lohia Maidan.

“The High Court has requested the advocates to grant 10-15 days to inquire into the issue. We have agreed to give time, but we will chalk out our future course of action and intensify

the agitation if justice is not done within 15 days”, thundered president of South Goa Advocates Association, Adv Anacleto Viegas.

The meetingfurtherresolved >Continued on pg 10

‘Dum’ punch for Goa’s tourism?

No, get real, say film makers TEAM HERALD Panjim, Feb 18: Film Maker Rohan Sippy has just canned his Goa-based film, Dum Maro Dum, a potboiler of sex, drugs and the underbelly. But a can of worms is opening up, a week before the release of this much anticipated film.

The tourism industry is apprehensive that tourist footfalls will hit the pause mode as soon as the play button is pressed on Sippy’s movie.

Film makers though, have called for reality check saying “If it’s true why can’t it be portrayed?”.

“Unfortunately throughout the history of Bollywood, Goa is portrayed negatively.

While men are shown as drunkards, women are shown as loose characters.

Such depictions are damag-

ing but nonetheless the world knows real Goa”, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa spokesman Ralph D’Souza told Herald.

Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) President Gaurish Dhond said that the

censor board should have cut off the objectionable parts, if it portrays the State in a bad light.

“Goa is rejuvenating from its sluggish past and we cannot afford to go back to negative publicity. Our major economic activity (tourism) will be at stake”.

Filmmakers though, took a much more real view than their tourism counterparts.

Award winning filmmaker, Laxmikant Shetgaonkar, said there should be no hassles if a movie is based on true issues without exaggeration.

National award winning Goan filmmaker Rajendra Talak also echoed Shetgaonkar’s opinion. “True facts should be made known. If DMD is based on true facts, it should not be >Continued on pg 10

one CoMMittee - three poWerhouses three truths?

Alok Sinha, Joint Secretary (GoI) - Civil Aviation (I/c of Greenfield airports) / Member - Mopa Technical Opening Bid Committee “Yes, the Mopa Technical Bid has been opened and it has gone to Ammann & Whitney. But why are you asking me, ask (Anupam Kishore) Director PPP, Goa Government he has the details”.

Sanjay Srivastava, Chief Secretary (Goa) / Chair - Mopa Technical Opening Bid Committee “Yes, the technical bids have opened and the Consultant selected. But I can’t divulge the names.”

Anupam Kishore, Director, PPP/Member - Mopa Technical Opening Bid Committee “No, we haven’t selected anyone as yet. The bids have all been opened”.

and projects and activities of its parent companies. But an

immediate red flag needs to be raised on whether the se-

lection of the consultant was fair and above board. Was the process transparent? Of the 13 bids that came in, 4 were apparently short-listed. Why weren’t the names of the four disclosed? Can the Government also assure that the consultant chosen to prepare a road map of the project including the selection of the final company to design and construct the project, will not itself be in line for being selected as the executor of the project. Ammann & Whitney,

with its corporate office in Morton Street New York, provides design and construction services for public and private sector clients. It has worked on several airport projects including the expansion of the Chennai Airport. Significantly, its architectural affiliate, A&W Architects and Engineers, executes many of these projects and there is a huge possibility of Ammann and Whitney being in the race for >Continued on pg 10

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Goa is undoubtedly one of the most developed States. We have more than 2,500 advocates practicing in various courts in Goa. Our Judicial system is well established, yet we are denied the privilege of having our own High Court.

-- Adv Anacleto Viegas

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Goa I Saturday 19, February 2011

Canvassing and campaigning by government employees for monetary gains is a standard practice here. -- Nelson Cabral

January-December: 18th June road is choked 18th June road is the main artery on Panjim’s lung that stretches from leafy Campal and heads close to the Panjim church. For romantics, the road would have been an ideal walkway with no cars. Plans have been made to decongest 18th June road and even make it car free. But it hasn’t and won’t be easy. Franky Gracias finds out why PANJIM, FEB 18: Panjim is beautiful, but not it’s parking arrangements. Enter the city and you will have to perfect the art of finding a suitable place to park your vehicle.

City fathers have failed to address the problem, which in the days to come is only expected to get worse.

Case in particular is the busy 18th June Road where parking is at its worse at any given time of the day. Authorities concerned have looked the other way and there seems to be no immediate solution in sight. The idea of pay-parking too on this stretch never took off for reasons unknown.

Given the fact that traffic on this road is continuous, double parking is making life miserable for motorists. The residential complexes, commercial establishments, hotels, several government offices and offices along the street do not have parking

spaces of their own escalating the problem further.

According to the traffic police, on an average more than 300 cars and 800 two-wheelers are found parked daily on both sides of the busy road making it even narrower for vehicular movement.

According to Patricia Pinto of People’s Movement for Civic Action, she remembers since 1997 ideas and talks doing the rounds of designating the street for use of pedestrians only. But the idea has remained only on paper and nothing like this ever has been tried even on trial basis.

Corporation of the City of Panaji Commissioner Elvis Gomes informed some five months back Urban Development Secretary A K Acharya also suggested the street be marked for pedestrian use only during weekends.

Acharya’s idea was to con-

Photo by Sachin Ambdoskar

18th June Road witnesses heavy traffic throughout the day and round the year. vert the road into a pedestrian street for certain hours and give it a touristy look by allowing food courts, music

performances, street plays and corners for artists. This, he thought, would boost the most glamour quotient of the

Advocates petition Prez for HC

HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, FEB 18 : South Goa Advocates Association has petitioned the President of India to initiate the process of establishing an independent and separate High Court for Goa. In a petition the Association pointed out that no State can be complete unless it has its own Executive, Legislature and independent Judiciary.

“Goa is undoubtedly one of the most developed States. It has

a literacy rate of above 85 per cent and has the required infrastructure to have its own High Court. We have more than 2,500 advocates practicing in various courts in Goa. Our Judicial system is well established, yet we are denied the privilege and the honour of having our own High Court,” stated the representation jointly signed by Association president Adv Anacleto Viegas and secretary Adv Pritam Moraes.

The Association pointed out

Khadi Panel offers state-of-the-art plaza Photo by Santosh Mirajkar

Governor S S Sidhu evincing keen interest in Khadi products at the Khadi Bazar 2011 at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, FEB 18 : Khadi and Village Industries Commission has offered to put up a state-ofthe art Khadi Plaza in Goa if the local government makes available the required land.

That’s not all. The Commission has disclosed plans to introduce mobile khadi vans at the popular beaches in the state to popularize khadi products amongst visitors and locals.

Speaking at the inaugural function of the Goa Khadi Bazar 2011 at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, Commission Chairperson Kumud Ben Joshi said the Plaza could come up if land was made available by the Goa government.

Turning to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, Ms Joshi said the Khadi Plaza can become a reality in Goa within two years if the government makes available the required land. It is learnt that the Commission is looking for land admeasuring 1,000 sq mts for the Khadi Plaza.

In his address, Goa Governor

S S Sidhu emphasized the need to promote khadi products to bring about socio-economic change in the villages.

“Khadi can bring about socio-economic transformation in the village”, the Governor said, while asserting a lot needed to be achieved in the khadi sector. On the question of providing land for the Khadi Plaza, Governor Sidhu said the state government will do the needful in this regard.

In his address, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat underlined the need to give boost to production of khadi products as it had the potential to solve the employment problem.

Chairperson of Khadi Village Industries Board, Monica Dias, in her address, assured that the Board will continue to attain more heights in the overall development of the Khadi and Village Industries sector in the state. “The Goa KVIB has acquired premises to set up a suboffice-cum-marketing outlet of KVI products at Fatorda,” she added.

that at the time of Opinion Poll, Goans had unanimously opposed the state’s merger with Maharashtra, adding, “We are, however, pained that till date there is no separate HC and our judicial system continues to be merged with Maharashtra.”

The Association citing Article 214 of the Indian Constitution maintained each State should have its own High Court. However, Goa has not been given the pride of having its own high court, the association asserted.

NCP candidates enter poll fray

street of this main artery of the city which is a hit with both domestic and international tourists.

In the past this move has been scuttled by a lobby of business owners who have shops on this busy street

Nagpur native held for kidnap HERALD CORRESPONDENT

using the alibi their businesses would get affected, but more so because they would have to park their vehicles elsewhere.

The CCP wrote to the Traffic Cell to help them implement the idea by diverting the traffic and taking care of the parking of the vehicles which otherwise used to be parked on the 18th June Road.

However, the Traffic Cell expressed their inability to help the CCP. SP Arvind Gawas wrote to the Commissioner saying that making 18th June Road, a pedestrian only road would choke the other streets and lead to double parking leading to further chaos on weekends.

Deputy Mayor, Yatin Parekh, who owns a shop on the street, said he personally doesn’t feel the idea was good. The reason cited by Parekh is more or less close

CCP polls: candidate files complaint HERALD REPORTER

CALANGUTE, FEB 18: Anjuna police arrested a youth and rescued a 15-year-old girl at Nagpur.

According to police reports, Larao Patel (27) went to his native place Nagpur on February 2 along with the minor girl.

The girl's parents immediately lodged a complaint with the Anjuna police. A police team headed by PSI Vishwajeet Chodankar was dispatched to Nagpur to trace the accused.

The police team got in touch with its counterparts at Nagpur and arrested Patel at Nagpur.

Anjuna Police confirmed that the minor girl was not residing in the house of the accused.

Patel has been remanded to 7 days judicial custody while the rescued girl has been sent to Apna Ghar at Merces. Further investigations are in progress.

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, FEB 18: Ten candidates of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) backed panel led by Adv Avinash Bhonsle filed their nominations before the returning officer for Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) polls scheduled for March 13.

Adv Bhonsle filed his nomination from ward 20.

The NCP panel, which is contesting the civic polls for the first time, had declared 15 candidates and ten of whom filed their nominations today.

Prominent among them was social activist Adv Rui Ferreira who filed his nomination for the first time from ward 26. Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination Adv Ferreira said, “Panjim voters are clever and they will distinguish between candidates who offer drinks and those assuring development of the city.”

Another candidate Adv Aires Rodrigues was also among the candidates who filed his papers from ward 30.

The other NCP candidates who filed their nominations today included Kiran Zambaulikar – ward 1 (reserved for OBC women), Raju Martins ward 2, Sebastiano Barreto ward 3, Alex Felizado ward 6, Sameer Chari ward 18, Neeta Gaitonde ward 19 and Jitendra Keni ward 24.

Senior journalist Ashley Rosario (contesting as independent), who is backed by CCP corporator Surendra Furtado filed his nomination from ward 11. However, veteran journalist Rajan Narayan, who had declared his intention to contest from ward 2, has backed out.

Narayan said he had decided against contesting on the request of Devika Sequiera, President of La Marvel Residents Association. “I will support independent candidate Evaristo Fernandes backed by the La Marvel association.

to what the police think: 18th June Road is a central road preferred by many to move out of the city.

However, the deputy mayor is in favour of implementing the idea during festivals like Diwali and Christmas.

But this can be done only if there is some alternate arrangement for the parking of the vehicles during such days. He feels there is a need to move out government offices, most of them situated in the Junta House, out of the city to a centralised location.

So, for now, it can be concluded till such time city fathers, authorities concerned and other stakeholders come together to find a sure-shot way of putting an end to the street’s parking and traffic woes, the same continue to remain to only get worse by the day.

PANJIM, FEB 18 : Nelson Cabral, a candidate of the BJP-backed panel from Ward II for the CCP polls, on Friday filed a complaint before the assistant returning officer alleging voters were being lured with all kinds of goodies, including household articles and gadgets.

Cabral maintained voters are being lured with funds for repair, renovation and reconstruction of residential and commercial premises. These activities go on during late hours to hoodwink the election commission machinery, he stated.

Pointing out that the election expenditure limit was Rs 75,000, he asserted “there is complete breach of Clause 9 of the Code of Conduct.”

Making a serious allegation, he stated that some government employees were canvassing along with a Cabinet minister in his ward. “Canvassing and campaigning by government employees for monetary gains is a standard practice here,” he charged. He further pointed out that Clause 8 of the Election Code of Conduct stipulates appointment of observers to seek intervention by the government authority to stop violation of the election code.

bATTLE fOR PANjIm: wARDS 13 & 19 With a little over three weeks before the city goes to the polls, all eyes and ears are on the respective corporators and their opponents as the battle for Panjim is about to peak. Shweta Kamat looks at wards 13 and 19, one that is fed up of the often-talked-about St Inez nullah, while the other laments a stalled lake beautification project.

Troubled colonies and An area of unfulfilled packed crossroads promises PANJIM, FEB 18: The St Inez nullah was personally seen supervising running through ward number 13 the reconstruction of this pothole raises a stink as it passes through ridden road stretch.

Amonkar said that he has unthe densely populated housing colonies. For the 2011 CCP polls, dertaken works worth Rs 50 lakhs the residents feel that the corpora- in this ward which includes hot tor should promise to clean the St mixing of roads, repairing of drains Inez nullah, which not surprisingly, and two separate gardens for Tamba and Navketan colonies. has become the bane of the ward.

Work worth another Rs 40 P r a s a d Amonkar, a corpo- Prasad Amonkar lakhs through the public works department, are in rator from the the pipeline.

Babush panel, Amonkar, in 2006, had elected last time Drains defeated Ramchandra around, tried his Hot mixing of roads Bakhle. This time around, best to fix the prob- Gardens for Tamba the ward is reserved for lem, but the block- and Navketan women forcing Amonkar age of funds under colonies to shift his aspirations to J a w a h a r l a l a Badminton court another ward. Mangala Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JN- Karapurkar, supported by Babush NURM) impeded his intentions. and BJP-backed Bharti Borkar The ward has Tamba colony, will be locking horns for the upNavketan colony, Evergreen coming 2011 polls. Thirteen is usucolony, Madhuban, Parijat and ally considered an unlucky many other housing societies, number; let’s hope these resident’s where many of the who’s who of fortunes will change in the coming years. the city stay.

The ward also houses the city’s only traffic signals, which inciden- C. Shetye, a housewife tally were supposed to work on says, “The colony where solar energy but ceased to function I live is well maina few years later, forcing the traffic tained,especially the police to man the flow of vehicles. garbage problem, which The road at this intersection wears was haunting us, has a worn out look post the heavy been solved. But only small patches of roads monsoon, but just recently, that have developed potlook is getting a makeover. A few holes, which required months ago, just before IFFI, the hot mixing.”

Panjim MLA Manohar Parrikar

I Did This…

PANJIM, FEB 18: The authorities’ as CM, but since then it has been failure to complete the Mala mar- kept on the back burner.

The Mala lake beautification ket project due to a paucity of funds is staring voters and work comprises a promenade, prospective councilors in the face pavements, railings all around, a in ward number 19 when they will parapet wall, marine life in the go to the polls in three weeks. lake, parking, a bridge, a food Menino Da Cruz, the BJP-backed court, a boat club and more. The corporator, who tried to get the NGPDA, who had forwarded a deproject executed, has found him- tailed report on the revised projself helpless in a ward with 840 ect, is awaiting the final approval voters, that covers areas like Mala, from the government for inviting tenders.

Bhatlem and Patto. Menino Da Cruz Menino Da Cruz deA Rs 1.83 crore feated Nilesh project, which inMoraskar during 2006 cluded a facelift of elections, and had a the existing market Retaining Walls total expenditure of 70 complex and the Asphalting of road lakhs out of which the beautification of the New link road CCP contributed 40 lake was stopped in Tilling lakhs, while the gov2008. The empty coffers of the CCP and the state gov- ernment provided the rest. Now, ernment’s failure to fund it has left this ward is reserved for women it 85 per cent incomplete. For the and Menino’s wife Deodita Da last two years, not a single brick Cruz is contesting against Babush has moved an inch. The entire panel’s Maria Rita Fernandes. project, conceived in the year 2000, will be now taken up under a Pub- A senior citizen, relic Private Partnership (PPP) questing anonymity said, “The flooding of mode.

People look at the de-silting of lake has been a major the Mala Lake and its subsequent problem for the ward. beautification as a solution for the We cannot blame the annual flooding problem. The corporator alone. The lake beautification projward is situated on the lower ect which was underplank and has water gushing taken by Parrikar, was down from the nearby hilly localithe only hope for us, ties. The lake beautification proj- but that was apparently ect came to the drawing board a pipe dream.” during Manohar Parrikar’s reign

I Did This…

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Four barracks for jail inmates, two kitchens, a big multipurpose hall and a workshop room will be completed on war-footing. We hope to shift prisoners from Aguada and Mapusa by June 2012.

-- Mihir Vardhan

It’s me or Luizinho, Churchill thunders

GPCC chief calms down tempers HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, FEB 18: An agitated PWD Minister Churchill Alemao on Friday point blank told the Congress leadership to decide between him or former Chief Minister Luizinho Faleiro for the Navelim seat well in advance and asserted that he would contest from Navelim even without the Congress ticket.

An embarrassed GPCC President Subhash Shirodkar tried to calm down a fuming Alemao saying that no one can snatch away the Navelim ticket from him.

The PWD Minister mobilized his supporters from Navelim Constituency at the Blasco Executive, MandopaNavelim late Friday evening after it became known that Congress President Sonia Gandhi reportedly put a remark for inquiry on an application from some residents of Aquem-Baixio opposing the Firgulem-Dongorim bridge.

Taking offense over the de-

velopment and blaming Faleiro for being behind the letter episode to Ms Gandhi, the PWD Minister told the GPCC president in no uncertain terms to submit a report on the activities of the former Navelim MLA to the high command.

“I appeal to you to decide atleast three months in advance who will be your candidate in Navelim. If I am not going to be the Congress candidate, I have no problem, but tell me atleast three months in advance. Even if the party denies me the ticket just 10 days prior to the polls, I will contest from Navelim as Churchill Alemao. You take your decision and I will take my decision”, he thundered.

Saying he is deeply hurt over the development, Alemao reminded the Congress leadership that he had twice quit the Congress after he was cold shouldered by the party and told the GPCC president that he will not take things lying down any more

when some leaders are trying to sabotage his development work. “I don’t care for leaders”, Alemao told his supporters, while reiterating his stand that he would contest only from Navelim.

“If you want to let me down, it is your decision. But, I want to make it amply clear that I will contest only from Navelim”, he repeated.

“I had dislodged the government on two occasions. I can contest and win from anywhere. Sonia Gandhi does not knon what is happening in Navelim”, he said, while repeating his demand to submit a detailed report on Faleiro’s activities in Navelim to the high command.

The GPCC president, however, advised the PWD Minister not to be upset or harbour any doubts on his candidature because of letters written to Sonia Gandhi.

“No one can take the ticket from you. Moreover, the party needs you to strengthen the organization

in other parts of Goa to achieve the goal of the Congress to win 28 seats on its own”, Shirodkar added.

Asking the PWD Minister not to attach much value to the letters written to the party high command, Shirodkar gave a clean chit to Alemao for his functioning and his initiative to build bridges in Navelim constituency. “You don’t think of Navelim alone.

The party wants you to canvass for the candidates in other parts of the state as well”, he added.

Churchill’s younger brother and Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao IN his address, Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao came down heavily on the former Navelim MLA, blaming him for obstructing development work in Navelim constituency.

He declared that the Firgulem bridge will be completed and inaugurated for the benefit of the people.

“Even after serving for 25 long years, Faleiro could win

only two booths in Navelim constituency in 2007. The people has shown him the place”, he added.

Navelim ZP member Cipru Carodoz said that the proposed Dongorim-Firgulem bridge is required by the local residents and not for the PWD Minister Churchill Alemao.

Making an appeal to the people of Firgulem not to oppose the bridge, Cardozo said that residents of Firgulem will benefit the most out of the bridge once it takes shape.

Aquem Baixo Panch member, Ashok Shirodkar said the bridge proposal was pending since the last two decades and lashed out at former Chief Minister, Luizinho Faleiro for trying to put spokes in the construction of the bridge.

ZP member Maria Miranda and others who spoke on the occasion rallied behind the PWD Minister and supported the construction of the Firgulem bridge connecting Navelim village.

Colvale appears on horizon; Aguada heading to dusk ViBHA VERMA PANJIM, FEB 18 : Goa may probably fulfill its dream, though partly, of completing the long-pending modern Central Jail at Colvale by May-June, this year. Officials vouch that nearly 50 per cent of the construction is expected to be completed by mid-year as the pace of work has gained momentum.

A team of officials from the Prisons reviewed the construction work at Colvale last Saturday and instructed the contractor to expedite the work. The new jail will replace the existing 17th century fort-turned Aguada prison.

Inspector General of Prisons (IGP) Mihir Vardhan told Herald that four barracks for jail inmates, two kitchens, a big multipurpose hall and a workshop room will be com-

PROgREss REPORT TiLL JAnuARy 2011 l Agency DK KCC has started six units l Barrack 3 – Plinth of the building completed l Kitchen 1 – building has reached plinth level l Kitchen 2 – building has reached plinth level l NDPS – excavation foundation of footing is complete l High Security Unit – foundation casting is completed l Women’s block – excavation started l Barrack 2 – excavation started pleted on war-footing.

The Government has already set the ball rolling for the construction of 19 blocks, three huge compound walls and other facilities by taking opinion of experts at the Central level.

Colvale jail was conceived since the existing Central jail at Aguada, housed in a Portuguese-time fort, was found to be unsuitable from security point of view. The walls are on the verge of crumbling with the continuous lashing of tidal waves.

Officials said that the wall of cell number one had collapsed some three months back. “Three inmates lodged in the cell were lucky to escape unhurt. The renovation of the cell is currently underway,” they informed.

Jail officials said managing affairs of the Aguada jail was becoming arduous due to its topography and the nature of the structure.

Experts have ensured that the new jail at Colvale will be water-tight as far as security within and outside the prem-

Fee hike in professional Institutions notified HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, FEB 18: The state government on Thursday notified the hike in the fee structure for privately run, unaided professional institutions, implementing it from the current academic year.

The state-level fee structure committee constituted under the chairmanship of Justice (Retd) Dr Eurico Santan da Silva, which had submitted its report to the government on May 29, 2009, as regards structuring of fees for unaided professional institutions in the state, for the year 2009-2010, was finally notified on Thursday.

Talking to Herald director of technical education Vivek Kamat said that the recommendations of the committee are implemented by the government.

“All the listed schools will have to follow the prescribed fee structure,” he said.

As per the committee’s recommendation, per semester tuition fees for the Padre Conceicao College of Engineering, Verna, would be Rs

27,500, Rs 31,000, Rs 35,000 and Rs 39,000 for the four years respectively while for Shree Rayeshwar Institute of Engineering and Information Technology, Shiroda, the fees per semester is been hiked to Rs 23,000, Rs 26,000, Rs 29,000 and Rs 32,000, respectively.

The per semester tuition fees recommended by the panel for Ponda Education Society’s College of Pharmacy Education and Research were Rs 22,500, Rs 25,000, Rs 27,500 and Rs 30,000 for the four years, respectively.

The tuition fees for Shri Kamaxidevi Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Shiroda, have been fixed as Rs 25,000 respectively. The fee structure for Agnel Institute of Food Crafts and Culinary Sciences, Verna and Guardian Angel Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Curchorem, for the three-year course is Rs 29,000, Rs 38,000 and Rs 47,000, respectively.

Sources confirmed that besides the tuition fees, the

committee had also recommended developmental fees, institutional fees, gymkhana/ library fees and even the fees for NRI students.

“However, the decision over it has not been taken yet,” sources said.

The committee was appointed in-order to have an appropriate scheme of fee structure for all unaided professional institutions.

The committee in its report has mentioned that the fees would not be uniform throughout the course duration but there would be gradual annual increase. “The fee structure even in case of like institutions (engineering colleges) could vary depending on services/ facilities provided to students and the related financial implications and hence need not be uniform,” the committee recommended.

The panel had further pointed out that the institutions shall strive to develop appropriate infrastructure in order to provide quality technical education to students.

ise was concerned.

“We hope to shift prisoners from Aguada and Mapusa by June 2012,” Vardhan said adding that the department will submit the progress report of the project to the Bombay High Court at Goa in March.

The IGP attributed the delay in finishing the work on the jail to several complex internal works. “Although the structures will take shape, the internal work will be pending. Doors, windows, surveillance, security, electricity and water connection and other major and minor things have to be well-organised as it is a modern structure,” he stated.

Jail authorities have ensured the structure is foolproof with no room for escape by prisoners. The height of three compound walls within the vast premises are of three meters, three and half meters and five meters.

Interestingly, the middle compound will be fenced with electric wire.

Of the total Rs 70 crore estimated for the mega project, the department has released Rs10 crore till now.

“Five watch towers are

complete and functioning.

We are taking expert opinion on security and surveillance to ensure zero jail breaks,” additional IGP Dipak Desai told Herald.

Further work of the project including a hospital, female wards, administration block, Narcotics and Drugs Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) cell, under-trial cell, isolation ward and other divisions in the premise will begin soon.

The modern jail will also be eco-friendly and solar energy would be harnessed to meet several requirements, Desai said.

Interestingly, the construction agency has planned a sewerage purification plant to supply pure water for use in the jail.

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Goa I Saturday 19, January 2011

I appeal to you (Congress) to decide atleast three months in advance who will be your candidate in Navelim. If I am not going to be, no problem.

-- Churchill

CRZ clearance for breaking Princess HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, FEB 18 : Goa State Coastal Zone Management Authority (GSCZMA) has granted permission to Arihant Ship breakers to carry out the work of breaking and removing the grounded M V River Princess off Candolim beach.

Sources in the Government said with the CRZ nod, Arihant will have to wait for the notification a Customs

Point at Britona which is still awaited.

Director of Tourism Swapnil Naik recently said they were likely to get the customs clearance this week. Broken parts of the vessel will be moved via sea to Britona jetty to be transported elsewhere It is learnt Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava who is currently in Delhi has been directed by the government to expedite the work of obtaining clearance from the Cus-

toms authorities in Delhi.

“Meanwhile, the shipbreaking company has been asked by the government to move all required equipments to the site of the grounded vessel,” the sources informed.

The government will able to sign the agreement and issue the work order to the company only obtaining the Customs clearance which has become mandatory as the ill-fated ship was a foreign vessel.

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amchi

xaxti SNAPSHOT

Talk on special status PANJIM (HND): The movement for demanding special status for Goa will organise a talk and interactive session on the issue on February 19 at Sarvodaya High School Hall, Curchorem, at 4.30 pm. The speakers will include convenor of the movement and former minister Matanhy Saldanha, Prajal Sakhardande, Kisan Gaonkar and Rui Da Gama. Pradip Kakodkar will preside over the function. For details, call Martin Menin Fernandes on 9923515337.

Hearing on arguments before framing of charges was completed on September 24 last. The Judge had reserved his orders at the next date of hearing, but absence of one or the other accused has only forced adjournments in the case.

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Discourse on ‘Who Am I’ PANJIM (HND): Fr Abraham Painumkal SJ, a Jesuit priest and counsellor, will deliver a discourse on ‘Who Am I’ on February 20 at Loyola High School Hall, Margao at 4.30 pm. It is open to all and free. Fr Abraham is available for counselling at Jesuit House Panjim. Tel: 9850123667/2223495.

Konkani literary conference

GRoUnDs foR oPPosITIon

Fishing trawlers docked at the Cutbona jetty.

BY GUILeRMe ALMeIDA VELIM: When deputy Collector, Land Acquisition Agnelo Fernandes announced the government’s decision to keep land acquisition proceedings for the proposed fish meal plan/Cutbona fishing jetty expansion on hold, residents felt that the decision would finally pave way for the scrapping of the controversial land acquisition process.

The land acquisition proceedings have been kept on hold from September 1, 2010 with eyebrows being raised amongst the villagers over the real intentions of the government on the controversial fish meal project at the Cutbona fishing jetty.

Land Acquisition officials say they have no idea about the fate of the proposal to acquire 30,000 square meters of land around the Cutbona jetty, with the office awaiting further instructions from the Fisheries department.

But, the delay has only raised suspicions amongst the agitating villagers, with questions doing the rounds

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar

LAO Agnelo speaks “Land acquisition proceedings in respect of the 30,000 sq mts of land at Cutbona jetty are still on hold. We have not received any letter from the Director of Fisheries whether to drop the acquisition proceedings or to take the proceedings to the logical conclusion.”

When asked whether the proceedings will lapse automatically with the government silent on the controversial issue, Agnelo said that the proceedings will definitely lapse if the Fisheries Department continues to maintain silence on the matter. whether the government is only buying time to bulldoze its way with the land acquisition proposal.

Says Velim Civic and Consumer Forum Convenor, Ramona Almeida: “The villagers will settle for nothing less

PANJIM (HND): The third Konkani (roman script) literary and cultural conference organised by Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) will be held on February 19 and 20, at the Kala Academy-Panjim. The conference aims at strengthening not only the bond between writers but also the bond between Konkani language and the people.

Writers, critics and well-wishers of Konkani in Roman script will also get the opportunity to participate in the discussions and directly interact with others.

TeAM HeRALD

Musical concert

MARGAO: The trial in the sensational Moti

CANACONA (HC): Students of St Anne’s Music school, Agonda will hold their first musical concert in the village on February 20 under the guidance of its maestro Fr Peter Cardozo.

Fr Cardoz informed Herald that there will be around 70 participants in the two-hour concert, most of who are present or ex-students of the music school, and all residents of Agonda playing various instruments like Violin, Guitar, Keyboard and present different songs to the audience.

“Trinity College of Music- London, Goa Representative Christopher Gomes, will be the chief guest for the first-ever music concert presented by Agonda locals,” informed Fr Cardozo.

Fr Cardozo is a well-known musician, having different achievements to his credit and has served Society of Pilar Fathers for many years, before he took up the new role as assistant parish priest of St Anne’s church at Agonda two years ago.

Temple’s second anniversary MAYEM (HC): Yogeshwari Devasthan Committee, Kulan-Sarvan, bicholim, in association with Chitpawan Brahman Sangh (Goa unit) will organise second anniversary celebration of Yogeshwari Temple from February 21 to 23.

Religious rituals like Kumkumarchan will be performed on February 21, followed by Kirtan programme by national Hari Bhajani Pandit Charudatt Afle from Pune at 5 pm. Saptashatipath Havan, Kumkumarchan and Kirtan will also be held on February 22.

On February 23, rituals like Shantipath, Mangalacharan, Saptashatipath Havan, Mahapuja, Balidan, Purnahuti, Aarti and Garanhe will be held followed by Kirtan of Aflebuwa at 4.30 pm and dance programme by Varada Fadke at 7.30 pm.

The programme will be concluded with Palkhi procession at 8.30 pm.

than the scrapping of the land acquisition proceedings. What has the government done with the 19,401 sq mts of land acquired by the Fisheries department?

Till date, the government has utilized only 9901 sq mts of land and now wants to acquire additional 30,000 sq mts of Khazan and eco-sensitive fields”.

It’s nearly a year now that Velim villagers have been agitating on this issue.

Resolutions adopted at the gram sabha meetings and representations made to the authorities only goes to show the mounting opposition to the project.

Expressing serious concern over the acquisition of khazan land for the project, the villagers have pointed out that khazan land is ecologically, economically and socially very important for agriculture and pissiculture. “The local farming community traditionally practices rice cultivation by growing salt-tolerant species during monsoon in conjunction with shrimp aquaculture during off seasons. These lands serve as emergency storm water receptacles and play a major role in preventing floods”, they added.

n Water bodies, khazan lands, drinking water wells and River Sal will be perpetually polluted. n The project has no Environment Impact Assessment Report. n Is not in the interests of the villagers of Velim, but will benefit political heavyweights engaged in the fishing industry. n The proposed ice plants will increase the Ammonia discharge. Hence increase respiratory disorders among residents. n Poor infrastructure vis-à-vis drinking water and power supply will further worsen. n The fish meal plant is simply a garbage dustbin for rotting fish which will have detrimental effect on the health and environment. n Increase in the menace of greenish blue flies, maggots, weaver, mosquitoes, pests, rodents and strays. n Strong unbearable odour will affect the surrounding areas.

Land Acquisition shrouded in mystery Perhaps for the first time, the government sought to acquire huge land at Cutbona without specifying the public purpose for which the land is being acquired for.

This was enough to trigger suspicions and contradictory statements by the Fisheries Minister Joaquim Alemao and Director of Fisheries S C Vernekar, which only further added to the confusion.

While Alemao was on record that the land was being acquired for a fish meal plant, the Fisheries Director went public saying the land will be used for the expansion of the existing facilities at the fishing jetty.

It was only after the government was caught on the wrong foot and following public outcry over the proposed fish meal plant, the Fisheries Director wrote to the Revenue Department in September last year to issue an addendum by specifying the specific purpose of land acquisition, i.e. land acquisition for expansion of the fisheries project.

2½ years on, swords seizure MEET THE BENAULIM case awaits trial DIRT BUSTERS Dongor swords seizure case has not yet started more than two and a half years after the incident. The Trial court has been forced to repeatedly postpone pronouncement of order on framing of charges.

Every time, the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class fixes the date for pronouncement of the order on framing of charges, one or the other accused is found absent in the court room. This has been literally going on in the JMFC, Margao since September last year when the court had completed hearing of arguments before framing of charges.

When the case came up before the court on Friday, two accused persons – Jagdish

‘Lokotsav 2011’ MAYEM (HC): Friends Circle at Sarvan Bicholim will organize the ‘Lokotsav 2011’ at Shyampurush Devasthan on February 20 at 6 pm.

Home Minister Ravi Naik, local MLA Anant Shet, Assistant Director of Art and Culture Ashok Parab, ZP member Fondu Sawant, Sarpanch Santosh Talkar, Kalidas Ghatwal and others will attend the programme.

On the occasion, a club house constructed by Friends Circle, Sarvan, will be also inaugurated at 5.30 pm.

The villagers will settle for nothing less than the scrapping of the land acquisition proceedings.

- Ramona Almeida

Fishy delay of Cutbona Jetty Expansion

orientation camp for sHGs POINGUINIM (HC): The Canacona branch of Corporation bank will organize an orientation camp for the Self-Help Groups (SHG) at CMC hall on Saturday at 10 am.

This orientation programme is envisaged to the farmers to take benefits of the various schemes and facilities that are available to the farmers.

Canacona taluka is predominately a home field for farmers and this move by the Corporation bank will guide the farmers on the schemes of the Central and State government that they can avail.

The invitees to this orientation camp are the two local MLA’s of this taluka and the Chairperson of CMC. There are about 40 SHG units functioning in Canacona taluka and they are not flourishing because they receive very little finance or support from the government agencies.

Goa I Saturday 19, February 2011

LIsT of AccUseD Bashir Sheikh Mohammed Mainuddin Floyd Coutinho Jagdish Singh Irfan Khachi Shaikh Aslam Farook Shaikh Jalil Shaikh Maqbool.

offences 120-B 465 468 471 153-A of IPC Arms Act.

Singh and Jalil Shaikh – were conspicuous by their absence in the court. The Court issued non-bailable warrants against the two accused persons, but not before adjourning the matter once again for want of all the accused in the court room.

Says a person in the know: “Hearing on arguments before framing of charges was completed on September 24 last. The Judge had reserved his orders at the next date of hearing, but absence of one or the other accused has only forced adjournments in the case”.

In this case, the Margao police had charged the accused of hatching a conspiracy prior to July 3, 2008 by allegedly forging the Voter Identify Card with the photograph of accused No 2 in the name of Amin Shakh and used the document as genuine with a fraudulent intention to purchase a truck bearing No GA-01 W5785.

The police further said that in furtherance of the conspiracy, the accused without license procured 17 swords and took the weapons to the house of accused Bashir and Jalil from Aquem in a Tata Indigo car belonging to accused No 5.

The police case is that the accused sharpened the swords using a grinder at the house of Bashir and concealed the same in the truck GA-01 W-5785 and later carried the swords in an Hyundai Accent car to Housing Board, Davorlim on June 27, 2008 in the aftermath of communal tension between Hindus and Muslims with the intent to use them for unlawful purpose promoting enmity between different groups by using criminal force on grounds of religion, prejudicial to the maintenance of communal harmony between the two communities.

Incidentally, the Margao police took more than a year to file the charge sheet against the accused person on account of the huge delay by the government to grant sanction to prosecute the accused persons under section 153-A of the IPC for promoting communal tensions between the communities.

This waste has found its way in Benaulim from a starred hotel in Colva.

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar TeAM HeRALD BENAULIM: In this coastal village of Benaulim, youngsters literally maintain vigil day in and out to stop unscrupulous garbage contractors and hotel owners from disposing off waste in water bodies and roadsides.

In the bargain, they have not only faced the ire of the men-in-uniform, but have repeatedly come face to face with the violators over the last few months.

In fact, while the authorities have turned a blind eye to the garage menace, with hotel waste finding its way in Benaulim from neighbouring villages, village youth led by Roque Fernandes and others have taken upon themselves the task of taking on the unscrupulous garbage contractors head on.

If the village youth are to be believed, they have caught red handed several people while disposing off waste along the road lead-

ing to St John the Baptist Church and the PeddaKhareband belt.

Those admitting to the offense are forced to undergo simple punishment – by clearing all the waste found dumped in the vicinity.

That’s not all. These youth have managed to identify the establishments responsible for dumping the waste in the village jurisdiction through their own investigations while the authorities have turned the other way.

Says Benaulim Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes: “These young people deserve appreciation for volunteering to maintain a vigil on the hotel owners and garbage contractors. We have not received much support from the authorities in our efforts to stop outside waste from coming into the village”.

She said that most of the cases detected so far indi-

cate that hotel and other waste from neighbouring Colva finds its way into Benaulim. “It is a sheer irony that issuance of construction license has come to a halt in Benaulim village as per the high court order though the village is hit by outside waste”, She added.

Interestingly, neither the district administration nor the police department has put in place any mechanism to deal with the emerging situation. If the Sarpanch is to be believed, the attention of the district Magistrate, G P Naik was once drawn to flow of waste from other villages into Benaulim, but in vain.

Says a local youth: “When the police are called to deal with the unscrupulous garbage contractors, the police turned their ire on us”.

The Colva police, however, say that many a person were booked in the past for disposing off waste in Benaulim.

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goa

Vasco people are inhaling coal dust beyond permissible limits despite assurances from the Mormugao Port Users Association that effective measures would be taken to control the pollution.

— Adv T T Shreedharan

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Goa I Saturday 19, February 2011

I have requested the State government to convene a meeting of all parties concerned with the Old Goa heritage sites to arrive at an amicable solution in the issue.

— ASI Addl DG Pravin Srivastava

MLA, NGOs to agitate if pollution not controlled HERALD REPORTER VASCO: Claims by Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) that residents are inhaling coal dust way beyond permissible limits has prompted reactions in the port town.

While Mormugao MLA Milind Naik and Mormugao Bachao Abhiyan (MBA) President Simon Pereira have threatened to launch an agitation if coal dust levels are not reduced immediately, an NGO has demanded a health survey of affected resident in Vasco.

Herald had carried a report on the recent assessment by Italab (Goa) Pvt Ltd Industrial Testing and Analytical Laboratories on pollu-

tion in Vasco city and surrounding areas.

Italab had collected samples of ambient air collected on behalf of the GSPCB from December 8, 2010, to January 2, 2011.

The assessment claimed that residents of Vasco are

manual coal handling Berths 10 and 11, a major cause of the coal dust pollution.

“Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) or health authorities should conduct a health survey of the people residing within the pollution radius of

VASCO DUST POLLUTION inhaling coal dust way beyond the permissible limits set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).

Concerned Citizens of Vasco President Adv T T Shreedharan, has taken the coal importers to court, after accusing them of flouting environmental norms at the

port, as people have been inhaling coal dust for over a decade,” said Shreedharan.

“We have been demanding this from the MPT and state government since 2008, when National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) submitted a report that people were inhaling coal dust beyond permissible limits,” said

Church-ASI row: State’s intervention sought HERALD CORRESPONDENT OLD GOA: In a bid to diffuse recent tensions between the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and church authorities in the State, a top ASI official has requested the State government to convene a meeting of concerned stakeholders to resolve the differences.

Speaking to Herald, ASI Additional Director General Pravin Srivastava was reacting to allegations that local ASI authorities had undertaken unauthorized development at the Old Bishop’s House in Old Goa without informing the diocesan authorities.

Srivastava is currently in the State to participate in the 15th Congress of the Rock Art Society of India in collaboration with ASI at Old Goa. “I have requested the State government to convene a meeting of all parties concerned with the Old Goa heritage sites to arrive at an amicable solution in the issue,” said Srivastava.

“There is no point fighting with each other as these are all parts of the same effort to preserve and conserve the world heritage sites in Old Goa. In this regard, I hope

n There is no point fighting with each other as these are all parts of the same effort to preserve and conserve the world heritage sites in Old Goa. --- Pravin Srivastava that the state government will convene a meeting soon to resolve these differences,” he added.

The recent tension was sparked off when local parishioners from Old Goa had stopped ASI officials from carrying out unauthorized developmental work inside the rooms of the Old Bishop’s Palace behind the Se Cathedral Church.

As a mark of protest, a large number of residents recently took part in a peaceful protest at Old Goa. “I have been discussing the issue with my ASI officers in Goa. Whatever has to be done will be done within the framework of rules and laws. Nothing should be done outside the framework and rules of law,” said Srivastava.

When asked to comment

SNAPSHOT

Bank’s panel elected PANJIM (HND): In the annual general body meeting of the Mapusa Urban Co-operative Bank Officer’s Association held recently at Goa Darbar Hotel, Pernem, following committee office bearers and members were elected for the next one year: Subhash Naik George as president, Vishwas Gad and Sandesh Prashant Daure Padgaonkar as vice-president, Prashant Vishram Daure as general secretary, Premsagar Gawas and Shashikant Parob as joint secretaries, Agnelo Rodrigues as treasurer, Narayan Shinde as joint treasurer, Parmanand Amonkar and Anand Kesarkar (auditors).

The executive committee members are Rajesh Keni, Prassanakumar Shetgaonkar, Hitendra Karmalkar and Sushant Gaonkar.

Power outage on Sundays PANJIM (HND): There will be no power to Durganandnagar, Camral, Khamamol, Sanvordem, Tisk, Gandhinagar, Mapa and Panchwadi, on Sundays starting from February 20 to March 27 from 9 am to 2 pm, due to widening of 4 line road construction work in progress from Sanvordem bridge to Capxem.

on ASI’s controversial action inside the rooms of the Old Bishop’s Palace, Srivastava said: “I don’t think that is correct as far as representation of the facts are concerned.

No organization can occupy a space without the knowledge of the owners and that too, for 35 years. Therefore, this must be some misrepresentation of facts.”

“See, the ASI has to undertake works pertaining to conservation of monuments or for ASI’s own works. In this case, ASI may occupy some place within the premises of the church.

However, I don’t know if church authoroties were aware or not, but yes, they should have been kept informed on these issues,” he said.

Shreedharan.

“Vasco people are inhaling coal dust beyond permissible limits despite assurances from the Mormugao Port Users Association (MPUA) that effective measures would be taken to control the pollution,” said Shreedharan.

Echoing similar views, Vasco Civic and Consumer Forum Convenor Eigonho Rebello said the people do not want “dirty cargo” to be handled in Vasco.

“Despite repeated assurances, MPUA has failed to take corrective measures to control pollution,” he said.

“MPUA and MPT is fooling the high court that pollution is under control. It is practically not possible to

curb pollution at Berths 10 and 11 considering the nature of the cargo. Unless and until operations are carried out in a covered area, it will not be possible to control dust pollution,” added Rebello.

MBA President Simon Pereira accused the government and Mormugao legislators of turning a blind eye on the coal dust pollution.

“They have never taken a tough stand to fight with this menace. We will be forced to agitate to close coal handling operations at Berths 10 and 11,” warned Pereira.

Mormugao MLA Milind Naik told Herald that he would launch a mass agitation against the port within a fortnight on various issues concerning the MPT.

CM to open Goa Mahotasav at Nagpur HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM: Chief

Minister Digambar Kamat will inaugurate a 6-day Goa Mahotasav on February 19 at Nagpur. The Mahotsav will be held by the Directorate of Art and Culture, in association with the Goa Mahotasav Samiti at Nagpur in celebration of Golden Jubilee of Goa’s Liberation.

Goan folk dances, dramas, seminar on Goan theatre, Goan semi-classical and classical music, film on late BB Borkar, poem recital, Bhavgeet, Bhaktigeet, Konkani geet are some of the events and activities slated to take place at the Mahotsav.

Chairperson of Goa Law Commission Ramakant Khalap will be the chief guest at the concluding function.

National Innovation Foundation- India Department of Science and Technology, Government of India

NIF

DST

The Seventh National Biennial Competition for Green Grassroots Unaided Technological Innovations and Traditional Knowledge The National Innovation Foundation – India (NIF), an autonomous institute of Department of Science and Technology, GoI, based on Honey Bee Philosophy, seeks entries of unaided technological innovations and traditional knowledge developed at grassroots by an individual or group comprising farmers, artisans, fishermen and women, slum dwellers, workshop mechanics, students, local communities etc. The innovations can be in agriculture, machines, processes or products for farm/non-farm operations, household utility, transportation, energy conservation or generation, reduction in drudgery, development of plant varieties, development of herbal remedies for human/ animal problems, or any other low cost sustainable green technologies.

These should be unaided/unsupervised and an outcome of one’s own creativity, without any technical support from external agencies. Special awards will be given for innovations and outstanding traditional knowledge of/for women. There will be prizes to recognize outstanding innovations by/for people with physical disabilities as well. Creative ideas for innovative technologies, which may not have been developed into prototypes are also welcome. Children in or out of school are also encouraged to send their original ideas for the competition.

The awards range from Rs 10,000 to Rs 7,50,000 each in different categories. Thirty five to fifty two per cent of the total prize money will be given in the form of monthly fellowship to the awardees of Lifetime achievement, National first, second and third.

Fifteen per cent of the total prize money in these cases would be given to the innovator(s) for their voluntary contribution towards community welfare and nature. The award winner may undertake any activity (s)he chooses for her/his community and nature.

In addition, individuals and/or organizations that make extraordinary contributions in scouting grassroots innovations and traditional knowledge may also get recognition. Technologists adding significant value to the people’s knowledge and creativity, and electronic/print journalists promoting grassroots innovations will also be recognized. Entries may be submitted along with copy of the reports. Individuals or groups may send as many entries to NIF till March 31, 2011. Entries received after this date will be included in the Eighth National Biennial Competition 2011-13.

The entries may be sent to the following address: Honey Bee Network National Innovation Foundation-India, Satellite Complex, Premchand Nagar Road, Ahmedabad -380 015, Gujarat Phone: (079) 26732456, 2095, Fax: (079) 26731903, Email: campaign@nifindia.org, Website: www.nifindia.org Note: People with professional background/experience and students enrolled in professional courses are not eligible for any support/recognition from NIF though they are welcome to add value to the grassroots innovations. For detailed eligibility criteria and guidelines please refer to webpage: http://www.nif.org.in/announcement.

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WEEKENDEDIT

Prevention of Torture Act, desperately needed

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he policemen of the Panjim police station who killed Cipriano Fernandes, have committed a crime that goes far beyond the normal parameters of a criminal violation under which they will be punished. The Prevention of Torture Bill 2010, when passed, along with additional recommendations of the select Committee of the Rajya Sabha, will hold police officers accountable with stringent punishment even for offences which do not lead to the death of the victim.

In fact, the select committee of the Rajya Sabha which is studying the bill is looking to define torture as severe pain or suffering even for a prolonged period of time which could include mental torture. While the act of the Panjim police in the case of Cipriano case is so heinous that there is no doubt about the torture angle, acts similar to that of the Bicholim police in the case of Geeta Pednekar, who became unconscious after being beaten by the Bicholim police in the first week of January, come under the purview of the Prevention of Torture Act 2010 when passed.

The Goa government should know that centre has no choice but to look at torture, committed by those in authority seriously.

The central government introduced the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010 to allow India to ratify the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT). The Lok Sabha passed it on May 6.

The Rajya Sabha however set up a select committee to relook at some of the provisions in the bill to make it more fool proof.

The Rajya Sabha Select Committee‘s report attempts to correct some of the distortions in the Prevention of Torture Bill, 2010.

The bill seeks to provide punishment for torture inflicted by public servants or for torture with the consent or acquiescence of a public servant. As the Indian Penal Code (IPC) neither defines nor deals with torture, Clauses 3 and 4 of the bill aim to fill this gap. According to the bill, to amount to torture, an act must either cause grievous hurt or must cause mental or physical danger to life, limb or health. Article 1 of CAT, however, defines torture as ‘severe pain or suffering whether physical or mental.’ The PreLegislative Briefing Service (PLBS), a group of young legal experts consulted by the Rajya Sabha Select Committee, pointed out in its report that acts that in themselves may not constitute torture become so by reason of their repeated application. The PLBS pointed out that the term ‘grievous hurt’ set the bar too high, without any recourse for persons suffering slightly less but still severe hurt. In order to include many instances of torture within its ambit, the PLBS suggested that the words ‘grievous hurt’ and ‘danger to life, limb or health’ be replaced with ‘severe pain or suffering’ in line with CAT. The committee has accepted its suggestion and recommended that the definition of torture be suitably enlarged so as not to exclude acts generally known to be committed on persons in custody which cause severe physical and mental injury, pain, trauma, agony, and so on. The PLBS also revealed another anomaly in the bill. Clauses 3 and 4 of the bill indicate that only the person who actually committed the act of torture be punished. This implies that a public servant who abets, consents, acquiesces or conspires in an act of torture cannot be punished under the bill. It ‘incentivises and legitimises the outsourcing of torture to private parties and provides the impunity for the public servant who planned or directed the torture,” the PLBS reported. The select committee appears to have missed this subtle distinction between a public servant who commits torture and the one who simply abets or attempts it, and the need to punish both. The PLBS suggested that an act of torture committed by a public servant – in his public capacity – must be punishable regardless of the reason for which that act was committed.

The punishment recommended is three years. While the punishment for the officers in the Cipriano case, if convicted will hopefully be much more than that, the Prevention of Torture Bill should become an act without any further delay to act as further deterrent for the killer cops of Goa.

The Prevention of Torture Bill 2010, when passed, will hold police officers accountable with stringent punishment even for offences which do not lead to the death of the victim.

– Edit

if a proper management system was in place where the local body collects segregated waste at source for proper disposal, there would be no garbage dumped anywhere – Patricia Pinto

The economics of trade Why Goa needs better facilities for manufacturing

T

here are a few things that we need to look at when we talk about industry in Goa. For someone wanting to set up a manufacturing unit or any industry along those lines, it’s not that easy. Lets look at a few main factors and how they contribute to the slow progress of Goa’s economic growth.

Goa is neither a manufacturing destination nor a market place. With the result, all goods come from outside and our finished goods sell outside the state. The cost – transportation, raw material, goods and lifestyle – is much more expensive than elsewhere.

The cost of buying something is lower in Nagpur, Pune, Kolhapur, Nasik or Mumbai than it is in Goa, also the cost of transporting goods within a state is far cheaper there. We have not enough movement for trucks to go back with local goods, as a result they charge higher. The task of transfer of goods within the state is difficult.

This is a big anomaly; something that needs looking into by the government.

They need to bring about a scheme that will eliminate these problems. Let’s look at Maharashtra for instance. Within Maharashtra, if you set up a project in the backward districts, there is 60 per cent capital subsidy. Whatever taxes you pay, you retain them till the capital cost is covered. If you invest in backward, D or D plus districts, the cess on certain prod-

ATuL PAi KANe ucts is withdrawn and the power cost gets cut down – all these add up to making your investment more viable.

Another problem we face is the constant threat of activism. We have people protesting for everything, without even bothering to check whether it is a benefit to the place or not. I am a firm believer that unless there is industry there will not be enough jobs. Large industries help eliminate and eradicate poverty faster. They help the poorer section to merge with mainstream economy. Goa has no jobs in many sectors. Engineering graduates, for instance, are going elsewhere because we’re not able to retain them here with good jobs. Opportunities are very few and far between and so, we need to have more industries coming in here.

For that there must be an invitation but the SEZ scandal sent out negative sentiments leading to a negative response. Whatever decision the government takes it should be firm. But, we tend to flip flop - look at Verna Industrial Estate and the amount of plots lying un-

used. The land in Verna is sold for Rs750 and was aimed at starting economic activity. The idea of giving land to an industrialist to set up a project is not to sell him land but to create economic value out of that land.

Sell the land, create jobs – people who earn salaries there will spend half that money to boost local economy. This helps create a local economic boom.

But when A sells land to B, B to C, C to D and so on, where’s the benefit to the economy? – four people have benefited but the economy hasn’t. This will continue as long as the land fetches value.

That was not the original idea. The IDC is holding land and people are holding up land. There is a task force now and hopefully something will come out of it, but the process is too slow.

The time required to get approvals is anybody’s guess, because people keep opposing everything without doing a little research. So, no one wants to go look outside the industrial estates and buy land to set up industry. Within the industrial estates however, there is no more land available. This is the catch point situation!

Atul Pai Kane is one of the faces of the future of Goan industry. His company designs, manufactures and supplies power generation equipment. He is also a firm believer of investing and manufacturing in Goa, the right way.

Keeping Goa Chaka Chak

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here’s no doubt that Goa is getting dirtier. There is so much garbage and litter lying all around.

Waste is seen not only in the cities but also in our villages, along the streets, on the beaches, in the fields and water bodies. Our garbage disposal sites have turned into ‘dumping’ grounds and due to this people have become wary.

Nobody wants a garbage site in the village. The situation has become so serious that even the High Court too has taken ‘suo-moto’ cognizance of the matter. However, the situation shows no large signs of improvement, and life seems to go on as usual. Can we all just sit back and watch while our quality of life keeps deteriorating?

How do we solve this problem? First of all let us consider this. Why would anyone want to take the trouble to burn or carry their garbage in their car or scooter to dump or fling it elsewhere, if the same was collected from their homes, hotels or establishments for proper treatment? Keeping this in mind and after a lot of brainstorming with a cross section of concerned citizens, we arrived at the conclusion that if a proper management system was put in place whereby the local body collects segre-

PATriCiA PiNTo gated waste at source for proper disposal, there would be no garbage dumped anywhere.

In order to take this idea forward the Chaka Chak GOA campaign was launched on Republic Day, 26 January 2011. Chaka Chak Goa is not only about sweeping and picking up people’s garbage thrown on the streets, but it goes much beyond.

Chaka Chak Goa comprises a three pronged strategy. l To work along with the local bodies specially the panchayats, in order to help them put up a proper waste management system in place through segregation and collection of waste at source by making use of the existing schemes of the government, or work towards modification of the schemes if not found workable at the ground level. l To exert pressure on the law enforcing agencies for enforcement of the prevailing acts/rules on garbage specially the Recycled Plastic Manufacture and

Usage Rules. l To create awareness about the problem through street clean-ups, door to door campaigns, community talks, street plays, electronic and print media, etc, as also educating youth on this aspect of cleanliness through schools and colleges.

Our main partners in this campaign will be the government and the local bodies as we strongly believe that for this initiative to fructify Government–Citizen partnership is a must, and we are moving ahead in this direction.

Chaka Chak GOA is a campaign which has to snowball into a massive movement to clean up Goa for which each and everyone will have to lend his/her support in whatever way possible. We need all connected government departments, industry, hotels, corporates, local bodies, MPs and MLAs, religious groups, service clubs, schools, colleges, NGO’s, individual citizens and, in the true sense, everybody to join in.

However challenging, however hard the job, let’s do it for Goa. Patricia Pinto is an Ex-Councillor of the erstwhile Panjim Municipal Council, Secretary of the People’s Movement for Civic Action (PMCA) and Campaign Coordinator of the Chaka Chak GOA Let’s do it campaign.

PEOPLE’SEDIT

Justice must prevail Aires rodrigues

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here there is unity there is strength. People have demonstrated this by gathering in large numbers to oppose the unfair suspension of Judge Desmond D’Costa and the further injustice being meted to another distinguished Judge Anuja Prabhudesai who though exonerated of all charges by the enquiry officer, was served a show cause notice by the High Court as to why she should not be held guilty of the charges.

Public anger has been building up due to inaction on complaints against judges who are abusive or corrupt and impair the functioning of the legal We are reminded of the observation made by the Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court which said ‘Judges are at times poor judges of judges’ especially in judicial administration.

The observation came in a case pertaining to Additional Sessions Judge S J Pathak who was suspended on charges of misconduct. Judge Pathak was accused of granting bail to some people charged with serious offences, allegedly in return for considerations and gratifications.

Following this, the High Court appointed an Enquiry Officer who concluded that the charges leveled against the judge had not been proved. The report was placed before the Disciplinary Committee consisting High Court Judges B J Shethna and D K Trivedi.

Later, Pathak was asked to respond to the show-cause notice before High Court Judges N G Nandi and M S Shah. This committee exonerated Pathak of all the charges leveled against him.

Subsequently, the committee headed by Justice Shetha ordered Pathak’s dismissal.

The Division Bench of the Gujarat High Court comprising of Chief Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice A L Dave came down heavily on the procedure followed by the court and observed, “We fail to see how the High Court could again entrust the enquiry to the same disciplinary committee, especially in the wake of a contrary report.” The Bench ordered that Judge Pathak be reinstated forthwith and be entitled to all service benefits. Chief Justice K S Radhakrishnan and Justice A S Shah also directed the High Court to pay Judge Pathak costs of Rs 15,000 towards legal expenses incurred.

For Judge Pathak the journey to get justice took a ten long years. In the case of Anuja and Desmond let us hope that such a travesty does not occur again and that justice and fair play prevails.

WEEKEND INBOX A refreshing weekend!

Finally the Herald seems to have woken up from its deep slumber and there looks to be a new reign of innovative minds at one of Goa’s widely circulated and most feared daily – a paper that is capable to take on the establishment single handedly. I congratulate Sujay Gupta for getting it out from the horse’s mouth in his story, the Baba of Moti Dongor and at least the CM seems to acknowledge that he is extending patronage to the inmates of the slum.

Also, Kurt Bento has raised a very important issue through, Bento at the Tinto. In fact it’s a real shame that Goa being a tourist state had to suffer due to the Madhya Pradesh Sound Pollution Act. It is a pity that our self seeking netas, never took up the issue with the centre.

The noise act has curtailed many a careers

of musicians and put a damper on Goan weddings. Being a compere and host, I’ve seen with my own eyes how the police also use this noise act to extort money from wedding parties and allow extensions after taking some money and bottles of booze from the wedding venue. Keep up the good work.

Cedric Da Costa, Margao-Goa

Demonising democracy In how many cases did Judge Desmond D’Costa pass judgment and in how many cases did the so-called “Judge Bakre” pass judgment in the infamous “serial killer Mahanand Naik’s” cases? In how many cases did the so-called “Judge Bakre” acquit the infamous “serial killer Mahanand Naik”? And finally, why did the socalled “Judge Bakre” proceed on sick leave

from March 15 and handed over charge to Judge D’Costa during the period? I want all the news agencies (print as well as media) to check the facts on their own and not to report and publish some freebees provided by the government of “We, the people”.

Ivo Oscar Faleiro, Margao

Scan police first, then movies The Goa police seem to be have woken up from their slumber. The movies ‘Dum Maro Dum’, ‘Ghajini’ and ‘Charas’ has portrayed Goa in some way or the other, in a wrong manner.. A clip reported by a news channel shows how minor girls are kidnapped and taken to Goa for the flesh trade. The Goa police is peeved on this score. But local authorities or the police have no right to poke their noses in between, as there

is a central censorship board for films. So how come the police have now sent a letter to the director asking him to show the promotional events officially? The custodians of law over here should first be subjected to a screen test.

Are they so scared, or has the money making racket reared its ugly head to extort some money from the director?

Amit Soyru, Mapusa

Justifying the unjustifiable After being caught on the wrong foot and in an attempt to justify the suspension of Judge Desmond D’Costa, the charge-sheet accuses him of undue haste in deciding the case, nonexamination of necessary witnesses, etc. It is said that he was instructed not to dispose of cases in a hurry. Can a Judge be given such in-

structions or is he bound by them? Was the Judge’s decision the end of the road? Can he be suspended for such action? Why did the government decide not to appeal against the order, which would have put to rest the controversy over Mahanand’s acquittal? These are questions that need an answer. Or else the people’s confidence in the judiciary will be further eroded.

Jose Maria Miranda, Margao

The Vanishing ‘Poder’ ‘Pao’ is a Portuguese word for bread. The ‘poder’ (baker) bakes it in three varieties; regular bread, sweet and the ‘poie’ made from wheat husk, particularly for diabetics. The bakers were a regular sight in the Mapusa market selling ‘pao’. But today, they are a van-

ishing lot. Only two bakers are seen practicing the trade to keep the tradition live. They too may vanish someday as the younger generation, after receiving education, migrate elsewhere in search of better pastures.

Ayres Sequeira, Salvador do Mundo

Change please, not chocolates It is observed that due to shortage of coins/notes Re1, Rs2 and Rs5, shop owners give chocolates and sweets to customers in place of loose change.

Shopkeepers should have loose change or forfeit the amount due to them. It is the prerogative of a shop-owner to follow this regimen, since he runs a business, irrespective of whether it is successful or not.

Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco

Fo r l ett er s t o t he edi to r con ta ct us at m a i l @he ra l d-go a. co 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: 2222475 (all Editorial); 2230535, Fax: 2225622 (Advertising); Margao: 2737689. Mumbai Office: 16-A, Bell Building, 2nd Floor, 19 Sir PM Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400001 (Tel: 22840702/22844908). RNI No: 43667/83.

HOW TO CONTACT US: mail@herald-goa.com — For press notes, general queries. reporters@herald-goa.com — For Reporters. business@herald-goa.com — For Business news. editor@herald-goa.com — For Letters to the Editor. sports@herald-goa.com — For Sports news. advt@herald-goa.com — For Advertisements.

Disclaimer: Except for the editorial above, articles and letters in Herald represent the views of the concerned authors, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Herald editor, publisher, and/or owners.

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The proposed garbage treatment plant at Sayyad Nagar in Ward 7 will not create any nuisance to residents as it is an eco-friendly project.

Vishwajeet Rane

Court directs cops to re-investigate into demolition of structures at Palolem HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Canacona, Feb 18: The Canacona Judicial Magistrate First Class has directed Canacona police to re-investigate a complaint against Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) in connection with the demolition of three structures at Palolem in August 2009.

In his order, Judge Ram S Prabhu Dessai had observed that the Investigation officer (IO) had not carried out investigations in a proper manner.

'It is further mentioned that contents of the complaint lodged by the applicant

at least expects that the statement of the complainant to have been recorded by the IO, besides investigation in respect of the allegation of damages and theft also be done,' said the court.

The JMFC further observed that the IO had relied on the opinion of the Ld APP to come to the conclusion that no case was made out.

The court directed the investigation officer to further investigate the matter in true, perspective, without being influenced by any other factors.

It may be recalled that in a demolition drive, then CMC Chief Officer Agnelo Fernan-

des had led a demolition party to raze allegedly illegal structures dotting in CRZ areas of Palolem in August 2009.

An aggrieved resident, Shashikant Bhagat, had lodged a police complaint, accusing the CMC of demolishing his three structures without serving any notices on him, and termed it as an illegal act of the CMC. Unhappy over the indifferent attitude of the police, Bhagat took the matter to the court.

Accordingly, the Canacona JMFC in an order on October 12, 2009, had directed police to register an

FIR against the persons named by the complainant within a month.

The police was compelled to register an FIR against Fernandes and three other officials, besides Assistant Engineer (Electricity) and than Canacona Mamlatdar and began necessary investigation under Sections 143, 147, 447, 427, 380 read with 149 IPC. However, the directives to ask police to re-investigate the case came when the JMFC observed that the prima facie, it appeared that the investigation officer had not carried out investigation in a proper manner.

Furniture gutted in godown at Socorro Photo by Anil Shankhwalker

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Porvorim, Feb 18: Cupboards and wooden furniture worth Rs 15 lakh were gutted in the fire in the godown of a furniture company at Socorro in the wee hours of Friday.

Mapusa Fire Seation Officer Dattaram Redkar told Herald that they received a call at about 12.30 am, stating that a fire was reported in the godown of Elegante Interiors.

"We immediately dispatched a fire tender to the site. We also requisitioned fire tenders from the Panjim fire station. The fire-fighters encountered difficulty in controlling the fire because of the

Cupboards damaged in the fire. darkness," said Redkar.

"It took nearly four-andhalf hours for 15 fire person-

nel and three fire tenders to extinguish the blaze. While the loss of the property, which

Babush’s supporters tilting towards BJP in St Cruz?

Photo by Manuel Vaz

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Merces, Feb 18: The presence of Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar at a plastic awareness meet at Santa Cruz caused much flutter in the political circles, amid rumours of a possible shift of erstwhile supporters of Babush Monserrate to the BJP. And the rumours got credence as the man behind the awareness meet was Mariano Araujo, who had supported Babush Monserrate's wife Jennifer to the hilt in the last assembly elections in St Cruz.

With Babush no longer a factor in St Cruz since he has already patched up with St Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes, it appears that some of the erstwhile Babush supporters have decided to switch allegiance to the BJP. Though Parrikar sought to brush aside any talks of political significance over his presence at the meet, the ground reality appeared quite different as several Santa Cruz villagers who participated at the meet spoke highly of the BJP and dropped enough hints of a possible switch to the party in

WHAT'S COOKING?: Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar and ex-MLA Victor Gonsalves in deep conversation at a plastic awareness meet in Santa Cruz. the forthcoming assembly polls.

A villager, who refused to disclose his identity, informed Herald that the time has come for change in St Cruz constituency and said that they are going to support BJP in the assembly polls.

However, another villager was of the opinion that the BJP will get more acceptance among the Christians if, this time around, the BJP fields a Christian candidate.

And the presence of exMLA Victor Gonsalves alongside Parrikar, set roll to another round of rumours that Victor could possibly be the BJP's candidate in St

Cruz.

However, when questioned whether there is a possibility of BJP fielding Victor in St Cruz, Parrikar replied: "This is not the right forum to discuss the issue."

But, when asked whether the BJP will give a thought of fielding a Christian candidate in St Cruz since there is a demand from various corners, Parrikar said that they will consider a Christian candidate only if he or she is deserving and capable.

Parrikar also said that the BJP is not averse to give due representation to members of the minority communities in its political setup.

Activists move HC over remarks by Adv Sonak HERALD REPORTER Panjim, Feb 18: A group of social activists today moved High Court of Bombay at Goa alleging the member of Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa Advocate Satish Sonak for making disparaging and contentious remarks against the High Court and

its Judges.

Sonak in an interview last week had stated that media should investigate into the episode wherein Additional District and Sessions Judge Anuja Prabhudesai was issued fresh show cause notice by the disciplinary committee of High Court. “…in the interest of the en-

tire Goan population, the media should investigate the full episode. One thing that the high court should give reasons on suspension of Prabhudesai and thereafter surprisingly issuing fresh show cause notices and this is required to be probe,” a vernacular daily quoted Adv Sonak as saying.

included tables, chairs, sofa sets and mattresses, has been estimated at Rs 15 lakh, we managed to save property worth about Rs 1 crore."

"The exact cause of fire is not known and we have requested the electricity department to ascertain the cause of the fire," said Redkar.

Elegante Interiors owner Irshed Dessai said the fire broke out at around midnight due to a short circuit.

"We immediately informed the fire station at Mapusa.

The first fire tender, which reached the site around 12.50 am broke down 200 meters away from the godown. The second fire tender reached the site at around 1 am and they began extinguishing the fire," Dessai said.

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Goa I Saturday 19, February 2011

The BJP is not averse to give due representation to members of the minority communities in its political setup if he or she is deserving and capable.

Manohar Parrikar

‘Garbage treatment plant at Sayyad Nagar eco-friendly’ HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Valpoi, Feb 18: In a bid to appease residents opposing the proposed garbage treatment plant at Sayyad Nagar in Valpoi town, Health Minister and Valpoi MLA Vishwajeet Rane on Thursday evening said the plant is an "ecofriendly project".

"The proposed garbage treatment plant at Sayyad Nagar in Ward 7 will not create any nuisance to residents as it is an eco-friendly project," assured Rane. He was addressing residents of Ward 7 in Valpoi to allay public fears over the proposed project.

Rane advised the residents to select a group of 10-15 persons fromWard7tostudythefunctioningoftreatmentplantsatSanquelim and Bicholim.

APPOINTMENTS

"I will personally accompany this group from your ward to study the functioning of treatment plants at Sanquelim and Bicholim. Only then will we take a final decision in the matter," he added, while sensing the mood in the audience.

He urged the people not to oppose the plant without understanding the knowledge of its operations, technology and system of disposing garbage. Rane, however, clarified that he was not his idea to set up the plant in Ward 7.

"The government had acquired revenue land in Ward 7 to set up the garbage treatment plant following high court directives to the

APPOINTMENTS

Valpoi Municipal Council

(VMC)," he said.

APPOINTMENTS

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SNAPSHOT

NtPC – the most respected company in Power sector PANJIM: NTPC the largest power utility in the country has been bestowed the honour of being most respected company in Power Sector for the year 2011 by Businessworld.

The Award was presented by Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister of Finance to Shri Arup Roy Choudhury, CMD, NTPC at a function in New Delhi.

NTPC has been awarded for its innovativeness, depth and quality of top management, ethics, transparency, quality of product/services, people practices, global competitiveness, financial performance and return to shareholders.

The selection is based on a survey by Ipsos Indica Research of 249 companies based on 757 respondents in phase I and 506 respondents in phase II. NTPC lights up every third bulb in the country with a total installed capacity of over 33000 MW and plans to be a 75000MW company by 2017.

New CPi series out, retail inflation at 6 pc in Jan NEW DELHI: The new consumer price index, intended to reflect the actual movement of prices at the micro-level and help policy-makers like the RBI in better framing of decisions was launched today, with initial data pointing to six per cent retail inflation in January.

While Consumer Price Index (CPI), according to new series, has increased to 106 in January this year from a base of 100 in 2010, government has chosen not to mention the inflation figure saying the exact level could be arrived only next year.

G-20 ministers meet begins PARIS:Finance ministers of 20 most influential countries will discuss ways to deal with rising energy cost and food prices moving to “dangerous levels”, at their two-day meeting which began here today.

“International commodity prices are rising. Food situation is a major issue which is going to affect the international economy and trade. (It) is going to be discussed,” Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said ahead of the G-20 ministerial meeting here.

While it is important to create jobs, it is more important to create jobs in Goa that Goans can avail of and eliminate jobs that we have to import labour for — Anil Counto

KUALA LUMPUr, FEB 18 : India and Malaysia today signed a comprehensive market opening pact that throws up myriad trade opportunities for both sides and gives a boost to India's Look East Policy and the prospects for its economic integration with South-East Asia.

The Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) was signed by Commerce Minister Anand Sharma and his Malaysian counterpart Mustapa Mohamed in the presence of Prime Minister Najib Razak and several leading captains of industry from both sides.

"The CECA will usher in a new era of much deeper economic cooperation," a beaming Premier Najib said, adding that his Indian counterpart, Manmohan Singh, was very supportive of this and a very good friend of Malaysia.

The agreement, which was reached after seven rounds of negotiation, will

see Indian mangoes, cotton, motorcycles, trucks and basmati rice attract less duty in Malaysia, among other things.

As a quid pro quo, the South-East nation will face less barriers on the sale of its fruit, engineering goods and chemicals in India.

Building a legacy…

n The start of first generation entrepreneurs is always interesting. How did you start off?

On finishing Civil Engineering from VJIT Engineering College – Mumbai in 1966, I worked for five years gathering information in mining, roads, bridges, drydocks and construction.

Once I got a decent amount of experience under my belt, I started my own firm Khaunte Engineering in 1971.

Then, in 1973 I partnered with my friend Victor Albuquerque to form the wellknown and successful joint venture Alcon Constructions which took business to a higher level. Delmon in 1980, Ronil in 1987 and Dona Sylvia in 1989 were some of the famous projects we undertook.

We also did a brief stint in Bahrain which was not so successful in business terms, but a good learning experience.

n Alcon now operates as separate entities, why did you separate?

After 25 years together, we wanted to grow individually for the next generation. This was not possible in a partnership, so we decided to part ways very amicably. n You started off from construction and today you have diversified into various other spaces. How did you go about doing it?

We started with construction and are now into hospitality, industries, infrastructure and automobiles. Being in construction, hotels are a natural progression for any builder because it involves real estate and construction. n What do you mean when you say you are into industries?

Under industries, the cement and ready-mixconcrete (RMC) too are natural extensions of construction. The idea of RMC however germinated during

mental services.

The pact includes provisions for freer movement of skilled professionals for IT, accounting, architecture and banking. The CECA will also allow increased cross-flows of investment in the services sector through liberalisation of foreign equity limitations.

it’s a deal

The CECA marks a new era in bilateral ties, with both ministers calling the agreement a vehicle that would serve to enhance trade and investment flows and encourage freer movement of goods, services and professionals between India and Malaysia.

India was Malaysia's 13th largest trading partner in 2010, with exports from Malaysia to India amounting to USD 6.5 billion and imports at USD 2.4 billion.

Indian investments in Malaysia are valued at USD

15.9 million and are mostly in the fields of scientific and measuring equipment, fabricated metal products, furniture and fixtures.

The Consortium of Indian Industries in Malaysia (CIIM) said the CECA will open several business opportunities, especially in the SME and services sector.

"While it is important to look at big companies and projects, the full engagement between the business communities in India and Malaysia will come with the engagement of the SME sector," CIIM President Umang Sharma told PTI. He said his group believes that the SME sector is the engine of growth.

More than 25 per cent of the workforce in India is employed by the SME sector and contributes more than 50 per cent to the GDP. "There is a lot of SME engagement potential in the second tier cities in India in the high tech industry and services sector, both sectors which Malaysia is keen to develop," he added.

Sensex down 295 pts, snaps 5-session gaining streak PTI MUMBAI, FEB 18: The BSE benchmark Sensex fell sharply today by over 295 points to 18,211.52, as weekend profit booking across the spectrum pulled down the stock markets amid weak cues from overseas peers and the widening probe in the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

Both the key indices, Sensex and Nifty, fell by 1.6 per cent after decent gains in the

past five sessions.

The Bombay Stock Exchange 30-share barometer opened higher and touched a three-week high of 18,690.97, up by over 184 points.

However, it fell back on profit-booking amid weak cues from European markets to settle the day at 18,211.52, displaying a net fall of 295.30 points or 1.60 per cent.

The Sensex had jumped by 1,043.78 points or 5.98 per

Sachin Ambadoskar

Armed with only an education, willpower and ambition, he set out to build what is today the 250 crore Anil Counto Enterprises. In an interview with Kirth George, Anil Sadassiva Naique Khaunte a.k.a. Anil Counto reminisces about the climb, the enterprise today and its fit with his vision for Goa

Sharma, who inked a trade pact with Japan on Wednesday, said the CECA would boost IndiaMalaysia trade to USD 15 billion by 2015, "which we can hopefully achieve much earlier".

Sharma, who inked a trade pact with Japan on Wednesday, said the CECA would boost India-Malaysia trade to USD 15 billion by 2015, "which we can hopefully achieve much earlier".

An India-Asean FTA is already in place, but Sharma said the biggest benefit of the CECA was the doors being thrown open for a wide range of services. These include professional services, telecommunications, research and development, transport, retail and environ-

It is time that we take up the cause of the LDCs on a war-footing and work together. Without the progress there can be no equitable global growth — S M Krishna

BOARDROOM

India, Malaysia ink CECA PTI

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Goa I Saturday 19, February 2011

cent in the past five sessions.

Similarly, the 50-issue Nifty of the National Stock Exchange also dipped by 87.50 points or 1.58 per cent to settle at 5,458.95.

Selling was so strong that all 13 sectoral indices closed in the negative terrain, down between 4.04 per cent and 0.69 per cent with the realty, auto and refinery segments as the pace-setters of the decline.

Marketmen said the overall sentiment was dampened

by CBI raids in the offices

and residences of top management of DMK first-family run Kalaignar TV in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.

Stocks of RCom tumbled 6.80 per cent to Rs 93.15 on massive selling, in view of the scam.

Marked fall in ICICI Bank, L&T, RIL, Tata Motor, ONGC, ITC, TCS, Tata Steel, Bharti Airtel, M&M, HDFC, Infosys Tech and SBI mainly weighed on the Sensex.

the Bahrain stint. The level of mechanization in the field of construction was very high and our exposure there gave us the edge over competition here. The RMC business is a runaway success. Today, we have four plants at an investment of Rs 15 crore.

Our next offering, microfine materials, will again be a first of its kind and something revolutionary. Microfine cement requires short open time and a very short setting time of two and a half hours hence reducing the waiting time for the next activity to start. n What other sectors does the company work in?

We also own and operate a jetty for ore handling in North Goa which again is building on our strengths.

Infrastructure will be one of our focus areas moving forward.

The foray into the auto space happened because they are areas of interest to

PlaN PaNel: Anil Counto (left) in the conceptual stage of a new business venture.

Aakaash, my son. Apart from being the C&F agents for Bridgestone, he now has dealerships for Hyundai and Mercedes Benz.

Marcou Artifex is a venture started along with Francisco Martins (Fanquito) to produce and sell Goan curios for visiting tourists. It was a little embarrassing, that for such a hot tourist destination like Goa had nothing of its own to offer. n Is Marcou Artifex your way of giving back to Goa? Is it a social initiative rather than a business?

I believe every initiative should have a commercial touch or else it cannot be sustained. Yes, the inclination should always be social,

but on commercial foundation.

For that matter even the RMC business has a social inclination. I think it is important for Goa to maintain its demographic balance.

Goans by nature will not get into manual labour. While it is important to create jobs, it is more important to create jobs in Goa that Goans can avail and eliminate jobs that we have to import labour for.

The RMC plants in my estimate have reduced six lakh man-hours till date, thereby reducing that much of migrant labour. n What plans do you have for Anil Counto Enterprises in the near future?

I want to consolidate in

areas that we operate in and start new verticals that will propel growth in the future.

By 2012, we plan to start a cutting, bending and binding plant at an investment of Rs 10 crore. Again, this will be similar to the RMC business.

We also have plans to set up a knowledge village at an investment of about Rs 400 crore and are looking at a PPP model and tie up with a foreign university. The plan is to have kindergarten to post graduation with specialisations in biotech, engineering and instrumentation. We are looking to open a hospital and enter solar energy space. I want the company turnover to be Rs 500 crore in the next 3 years.

Govt bans export of milk powder PTI NEW DELHI, FEB 18:India, the world’s largest milk producer, today banned exports of milk powder and its derivative casein to rein in rising prices in the domestic market.

The ban, announced by the Commerce Ministry, will

come into effect immediately and will be valid till “further orders”.

Milk prices have risen by about 20 per cent in the retail market and by 12 per cent at the wholesale level in the last one year, adding to the food inflation which is well into the double digit.

Food inflation was 11.05 per cent for the week ended February 5.

“The export of milk powders (including skimmed milk powder, whole milk powder, dairy whitener and infant milk foods), casein and casein products has been prohibited and hence not allowed

to be exported till further orders,” said the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).

The decision came a day after an Empowered Group of Ministers, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, reviewed the price situation of commodities.

External Affairs Minister SM Krishna speaks to Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao as Minister of State for External Affairs Parneet Kaur (R) looks during the India-Least Developed Countries (LDC) Ministerial Conference in New Delhi.

India announces more aid to LDCs PTI NEW DELHI, FEB 18:India today announced additional assistance to Least Developed Countries (LDCs) which included establishment of a special fund of USD five million and a USD 500 million credit line for developmental projects, strengthening its commitment to aid these nations.

Terming as “clearly unacceptable” the pace of

progress in LDCs in changing their country status, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said, “The number of Least Developed Countries has almost doubled from 25 in 1970 to 48 in 2011.

Only three countries have so far graduated out of their LDC status.

“It is time that we take up the cause of the LDCs on a war-footing and work together. Without the progress of these countries there can

be no equitable global growth and prosperity,” he said while inaugurating a ministerial conference of LDCs. Given the enormity of the challenges facing the LDCs and the “less than satisfactory results of international efforts” so far, it is imperative that “we explore new and innovative ways to supplement the mainstream effort to assist these countries and look for out-of-the-box solutions to assist our least

developed country partners,” he said.

Apart from announcement of financial aid including the setting up of a special fund of USD five million over the next five years for the follow-up to UN LDC Four conference to be held in Istanbul in May, India also announced another five scholarships every year under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme (ITECP) for each LDC.

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Goa I Saturday 19 , February 2011

The letter of L K Advani to Sonia expressing regret over the pain caused to her on allegations of foreign bank accounts has to be seen in the proper context -- Ravi Shankar Prasad

Swiss account: Advani apologises to Sonia PTI New Delhi, Feb 18: Senior BJP leader L K Advani has apologised to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for a party-appointed task force report, which had alleged that she and her late husband Rajiv had accounts in Swiss banks.

BJP had appointed the task force on unravelling the amount of black money stashed by Indians in foreign banks and ways to bring it back.

The report had alleged that Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi were among Indians who held Swiss bank accounts.

This had led Sonia Gandhi to write a letter to Advani denying the allegation.

Sources said in the letter, Gandhi had said that neither

LeTTer & sPIrIT Advani expressed regret over Sonia’s name and that of her late husband being mentioned in the task force report. However, he said that the Gandhis should have denied this publicly when there were murmurs that names of her family members could figure in the report.

L K Advani

she nor her husband held Swiss bank accounts.

In his reply to the Congress President's letter, Advani expressed regret over her name and that of her late husband being mentioned in the task force report.

However, Advani also stated in his reply that the Gandhis should have denied this publicly when there were murmurs that names of her family members could figure in the report.

Advani said had she done so, the name of her family members would not have fig-

ured in the task force.

Meanwhile, the BJP said that Gandhi should have issued a rebuttal or a denial earlier as several magazines and journals had made these allegations against her family members.

"The letter of L K Advani to Sonia Gandhi expressing regret over the pain caused to her on allegations of foreign bank accounts in her family members’ names has to be seen in the proper context", BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.

G20: India for transparency in functioning of tax havens PTI Paris, Feb 18:Facing flak at home over black money stashed abroad, India will press for transparency in the functioning of tax havens at the G20 Finance Ministers meeting here today to unearth "ill-gotten" money lying

in such sovereign jurisdictions.

"There should be transparency. Particularly the tax havens should cooperate with countries to unearth the ill-gotten resources which are being deposited there," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said ahead of the meeting.

The finance ministers of the world's 20 top countries, including India, China, the US, UK and Russia, are meeting here to review the international financial situation and issues like black money, rising energy and food prices.

He said a part of the black money generated through tax evasion is being deposited in foreign banks, particularly in tax havens. The Indian government is taking steps to tackle the menace, he said.

"We are addressing this issue by entering into agreements with them (tax havens)," Mukherjee said.

At present, India has Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAAs) with 78

countries and has started negotiations with them for making banking information related to taxes available.

There are sovereign jurisdictions which, however, are not sovereign countries, like St Kitts and the British Virgin Islands, among others.

"With them, we are not having DTAA, but we are entering into agreement, which is called exchange of tax information," Mukherjee said, adding that the problem of black money can be addressed only in a legal way.

"Without any legal framework, nobody is going to give information to you," he added.

India has already signed tax information exchange agreements (TIEA) with four jurisdictions -- the British Virgin Islands, Isle of Man, the Bahamas and Bermuda.

The coalition government in India, headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, is facing heat over black money stashed abroad from the Supreme Court, the Opposition and the media.

The tax havens should cooperate with countries to unearth the ill-gotten resources which are being deposited there.

-- Pranab Mukherjee

FROM PAGE 1 Why is Govt hiding Mopa consultant the lucrative design and construction of the Mopa airport.

Mopa has been shrouded in controversy ever since inception. From being used as an effective poll plank by the powerful South Goa political lobby to the arbitrary pricing and acquisition of land at throwaway value, the whole process has been shrouded in secrecy. The decision on who will be the Consultant was to be made as early as October 2010. With controversy building up on land acquisition for Mopa, the D-Day for final selection of consultant was pushed mysteriously to January 20, 2011.

In another twist, on January 19, a fax was sent from the highest levels of Government to the steering committee finalizing the bids to push the meeting to January 24 Simultaneous queries at Alok Sinha’s office revealed that the meeting was actually scheduled for January 28. Why the hush, hush belies any logic?

The “open tender” opening was being rescheduled not by any public notice but by Inter Office Communication known only to the Government and the bidders.

The Committee for opening of Mopa’s Financial Bids was chaired by Chief Sectary, Goa and has amongst its Members re

Joint Secretary (Greenfield Airports) Union Ministry of Civil Aviation, Sec- from – Finance (Govt, of Goa), Chairman retary ports Authority of India, the Chair- – Air velopment Credit Bank, the Direcman, De Mopa Airport (Collector – North Goa) tor of Director – Planning & Statistics (Govt, and Goa). The Convenor of the Committee of is Anupam Kishore, Director PPP Cell (Govt, of Goa).

Surprisingly, the Goa Government has made no official announcement of who were in the fray and who made the grade as is common practice. Sources also reveal that the prime movers of any decision on Mopa were Secretary (Finance) S Kumaraswamy, Director (PPP Cell) / Jt. Secretary (Finance) Anupam Kishore and Director – Planning & Statistics Anand Shekhane. This begs the question. Why weren’t people associated with airport construction and development, available within the country, made a part of this committee?

Herald will continue to ask questions and track this story. And questions there are plenty. After all, Rs 3000 crore will be spent on this project and this will be public money.

We have a right to know if the right amount will be spent and the right people selected to do this job.

S Goa unites behind beloved Desmond that the report filed by the inquiry officer in the case of charges against Judge Anuja Prabhudessai be accepted and the disciplinary proceedings be closed within the shortest period of time.

The meeting further demanded an inquiry against Judge Utkarsh V Bakre for intentionally filing incorrect, misleading and biased report against Judge D’Costa and for false and misleading statements made to the members of Advocates Association in connection with the suspension of Judge D’Costa.

Speaker after speaker strongly rooted for an independent High Court for Goa in consonance with Article 214 & 215 of the Constitution of India.

In his spirited address, Adv Viegas said the advocates are not afraid of Contempt of court as it is the constitutional right to demand an independent High Court. “No one can haul us for demanding a separate High Court. We are not demanding an independent High Court because of Judge Desmond or Anuja Prabhudesai, but the Constitution mandates that every State should have its own High Court”, he asserted.

Social activist, Mohandas Lolienkar said lawyers and citizens need not worry about contempt of court, adding “let us face anything to ensure a good Judiciary in Goa”.

Eminent city-based cardiologist, Dr Francisco Colaco said that Judge D’Costa has been above board, and yet has been wrongfully suspended. “The wrong done to Judge D’Costa has to be set right. He must be reinstated”, he asserted.

In his address, Adv Radharao Gracias said the Judiciary will lose a good judge if the High Court does not do justice to Judge D’Costa. He also demanded that the seniority of Judge

Anuja Prabhudesai be restored, while supporting an independent High Court for Goa in Margao. Adv Radharao demanded to know whether Judge Bakre is liable for suspension as the anticipatory bail granted by the Judge to John Fernandes was set aside not just by the High court, but by the Supreme Court as well.

Adv Shanti Fonseca said advocates need not fear of victimization and demanded to know why suspension of Judges came just on the eve of their promotions. “The issue before us is much larger. It is indeed frightening when Judges go corrupt. The Court has erred in the case of Judge D’Costa”, she said, adding “we are going to fight and not succumb”.

Adv Rajiv Gomes said there is no bar on any Judge to pass judgment on the same day, adding that a session judge is re quired to give precedence to murder case over all other cases and dispose off the cases expeditiously.

He said the suspension of Judge D’Costa is a conspiracy to eliminate good Goan judges from going to the High Court.

While calling upon advocates and citizens to join hands to fight against corruption, Dr Jorson Fernandes said “Today, it is Judge Anuja and Desmond. Tomorrow, it can be anyone else”.

Adv Mike Mehta, Adv Amey Prabhudessai, Roland Martins, Adv Shrikant Naik, Adv Shruti Kothari, Adv Ashok Naik, Adv Uday, Sabina Martins, Adv Avdhut Arsekar and others also spoke.

Earlier, the advocates assembled at the South Goa district Court premises and later took out a rally which went through the city before culminating at the Lohia Maidan.

‘Dum’ punch for Goa’s tourism? opposed. He goes on to add “Such petty things should not thwart Goa’s image. But if Goans feel that DMD shows Goa in a bad taste, instead of launching an agitating that will give the movie nationwide publicity, they should not go to theaters. Let there be zero collection from Goa for DMD”, he remarked.

Goa’s portrayal in Hindi films has bordered on the embarrassment. As Talak said “Hindi filmmakers keep labeling a character as Pedro who is a drunkard. Actually, outsiders booze in Goa and fall on the roads whereas Goans are still in their conscious state”.

But Dum Maro Dum goes beyond the incence of Bobby. It’s is about the Goa of no as real in it’s beaches and music as of it’s today derbelly and underworld, it’s drug trade un it’s prostitution rackets. It’s not a pretty and ture but it’s also a real snapshot of the Goa pic canvas.

This is a snapshot which doesn’t paint a pretty tourism picture. The Tourism Director Swapnil Naik said that the Goa Government should look into the matter to ensure that it is not an exaggerated portrayal of Goa. But it might be too late to call “cut”. The prints are ready and the movie is set to roll.

Cricket bookies, punters in Goa? country’s entire defence budget, estimated at around Rs 1.47 lakh crore. Estimates for the 18 group elimination matches are between Rs 1,500 and Rs 2,000 crore per match.

From the quarterfinal stage onwards, the

stakes could move up to between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,000 crore per match, Rs 4,000 crore if India makes the semi-final and a staggering Rs 5,000 crore if India reaches the final.

11

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World

The cries against Bahrain’s king reflect an escalation of the demands from a political uprising that began just with calls to weaken the Sunni monarchy’s hold on top govt posts and address claims of discrimination against the Shiite majority in the island nation.

CIA-ISI ties hit an all time low Pti wasHinGton, FeB 18: Ties between US and Pakistan intelligence agencies have hit an all time low due to standoff over the arrest of American official Raymond Davis on murder charge compromising critical counter-terrorism operations including drone strikes targeting top terror leaders.

The state of relations, while never being perfect, is now alarming, Wall Street Journal reported quoting top US security officials who said the tensions are costing US the chance to hit key terrorists in the region.

US officials say the Pakistan’s ISI is no longer providing the targeting information and as a result there have been no drone attacks in Pak-

istan’s turbulent tribal region since January 23.

While, some officials and experts say that weather may be a factor but this is one of the longest periods without a strike since the start of the Obama administration.

Drone strikes peaked in September 2010 with a record 22 attacks claiming as many as 321 lives of terrorists

but they have been falling to as low as just seven since the beginning of new year.

The paper said US intelligence officials suggest that the sharp drop in strikes may be because CIA is having trouble in pinpointing new ‘Haqqani’ network targets, either because the militants have gone deeper into hiding or have moved to new areas, possibly with the help

Activists of All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), led by former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf, carry banners as they chant pro-Musharraf slogans during a rally in Karachi on Friday.

Davis case: Pak exploring ‘blood money deal’ Pti isLaMaBaD, FeB 18:Pakistan government is exploring a possible “blood money deal” between American official Raymond Davis, arrested for double murder in Lahore, and relatives of the victims for ending the tense standoff

has raised the possibility of “blood money” to settle the double murder case under Islamic and Pakistani laws.

Gilani made references to such a settlement during his speech to a gathering of Islamic scholars and clerics and also his meeting with US Senate Foreign Relations

on a sticky wicket Gilani told Kerry that the “expression of remorse and regret by the US over the loss of lives as well as the option of benefiting from the Qisas and Diyat Law should be considered to cool down the rising temperatures in bilateral relations.” with the US. Finding itself on a sticky wicket on the issue of freeing 37year-old Davis, the government is looking at a face-saving option under which the relatives of the two men killed by the American agree to withdraw charges in exchange for money to be paid

by Davis.

Davis, who was arrested in Lahore on January 27 after he shot and killed two men he claimed were trying to rob him, may have to spend at least three more weeks in custody with a Pakistani court yesterday putting off till March 14 the case to decide his diplomatic status.

Police have rejected his claim that he was acting in self defence and charged him with murder.

The government had planned to provide details about the diplomatic status of Davis during the hearing of petitions seeking his prosecution by the Lahore High Court, but dropped the move after former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s assertion that the accused is not entitled to “blanket immunity”, official sources said.

The government yesterday sought three weeks to inform the High Court about Davis’ status, following which the case was put off till March 14.

At the same time, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani

Committee Chairman John Kerry on Wednesday.

The Premier told Kerry that the “expression of remorse and regret by the US over the loss of lives as well as the option of benefiting from the Qisas and Diyat Law should be considered to cool down the rising temperatures in bilateral relations.”

of ISI. The Haqqani network has long used the Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan as its main base of operations in Pakistan. But US officials says there are signs that the group may be shifting base to nearby Kurram agency on directions of ISI. US has been exerting pressure on Pakistan to launch a major military operation in

North Waziristan, but the Pakistan military has been dilly dallying a response for the past six months.

The falling out was traced

by US officials to a series of controversial incidents starting late last year, which prompted tit-for-tat accusations that burst into the open with the outing of CIA station chief of Pakistan in December.

“

Goa, Saturday 19,February 2011

The Pakistan govt is looking at a face-saving option under which the relatives of the 2 men killed byRay mond Davis agree to withdraw charges in exchange for money to be paid by Davis.

5 wounded in kuwait KUWAIT CITY: At least five people, including a security man, were hurt and dozens arrested today as Kuwaiti riot police clashed with hundreds of stateless Arab protesters demanding rights.

12

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World

“

The Libyan authorities should cease the use of lethal force unless absolutely necessary to protect lives and open an independent probe into the lethal shootings.

-- Human Rights Watch

“

Goa, Saturday 19,February 2011

I expect cooperation and support from everybody to institutionalise the federal democratic republic system in the country.

-- Nepal PM, J Khanal

SNAPSHOT 8 protesters injured in Jordan clashes AMMAN: Clashes erupted today in Jordan’s capital between government supporters and opponents at a protest calling for more freedoms and lower food prices, injuring eight.

It was the seventh straight that Jordanians, inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, took to the streets to demand more say in decision-making.

The Amman protest drew about 2,000 people, including hard-line leftists, Muslim conservatives and students calling for reduced powers for the king and the chance to elect members of the Cabinet.

Students from the growing Jaayin or “I’m Coming” movement chanted “we want constitutional reforms; we want a complete change to policies.”

Jordan’s king enjoys absolute powers, ruling by decree and he can appoint and dismiss Cabinets and parliament whenever he wants.

Khanal calls on parties to join his govt

A Nepalese man carries clay pots through the Bhaktapur Durbar Square in Bhakatpur, some of 12 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu, on Friday. Bhaktapur is famous for fine architecture and pottery making.

Bahrain mourners call for downfall of monarchy AP MANAMA, FEB 18:Thousands of mourners called for the downfall of Bahrain’s ruling monarchy as burials began today after a deadly assault on pro-reform protesters that has brought army tanks into the streets of one of the most strategic Western allies in the Gulf.

The cries against Bahrain’s king and his inner circle reflect an escalation of the demands from a political

uprising that began just with calls to weaken the Sunni monarchy’s hold on top government posts and address claims of discrimination against the Shiite majority in the tiny island nation.

The mood, however, appears to have turned toward defiance of the entire ruling system after the brutal attack on yesterday on a protest encampment in Bahrain’s capital Manama, which left at least five dead and more than 230 injured.

“The regime has broken something inside of me ... All of these people gathered today have had something broken in them,” said Ahmed Makki Abu Taki, whose 23year-old brother Mahmoud was killed in the pre-dawn sweep through the protest camp in Manama’s Pearl Square. “We used to demand for the Prime Minister to step down, but now our demand is for the ruling family to get out.”

Outside a village mosque,

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s new Premier Jhalanath Khanal today appealed to all parties, including the opposition NC, to join the coalition government and sought their support in drafting the Constitution, as his CPN-UML failed to strike a power-sharing deal with Maoists.

“I expect cooperation and support from everybody to institutionalise the federal democratic republic system in the country,” Khanal said in an address to the nation, which was televised live.

He called on all political parties, including Nepali Congress (NC), to join the government.

He also sought cooperation from all sides in accomplishing the task of drafting a new Constitution and completing the peace process on time.

HRW puts Libya crackdown death toll at 24

several thousands mourners gathered to bury three men killed in the crackdown. The first body, covered in black velvet, was passed hand to hand toward a grave as it was being dug.

Amid the Shiite funeral rites, many chanted for the removal of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the entire Sunni dynasty that has ruled for more than two centuries in Bahrain, the first nation in the Gulf to feel the pressure for changes sweeping the Arab world.

“The government has

shaken something inside us all and we have lost all trust in it,” said Mohamed Ali, 40, a civil servant as he choked back tears. “Our demands were peaceful and simple at first. We wanted the prime minister to step down. Now the demands are harsher and have reached the pinnacle of the pyramid. We want the whole government to fall.”

There were no security forces near the mosque on the island of Sitra, where three of those killed had lived.

Suicide car bomber kills 9 in Afghanistan

‘Victory March’ in Egypt to celebrate Mubarak’s ouster PTI

AFP

CAIRO, FEB 18 : Waving KHOST, FEB 18:A Taliban suicide car bomber struck a district police headquarters in Afghanistan today, killing nine people and wounding 40 others near the Pakistani border, officials said.

It was the second major attack in a week on Afghan police, who alongside a fledgling army, are due to take control of security from US-led NATO troops by the end of 2014 to allow the bulk of Western forces to withdraw.

Public health official, Amir Badsha Mangal, said nine people were killed and 40 others injured four of them seriously, in Friday's attack in the eastern city of Khost.

Local police chief Abdul Hakim Eshaqzai said one policeman was killed, and that women and children were among the dead.

Hospitals in the city have been "overwhelmed" by the influx of wounded, he added, warning: "The casualty toll will possibly increase."

An AFP reporter said blood and body parts littered the road after the attack and that nearby windows in a busy civilian area had been shattered.

flags and playing musical instruments, tens of thousands of Egyptians today packed Cairo’s Tahrir Square, the hub of the 18-day revolt that toppled President Hosni Mubarak, for a “victory march” and to keep up pressure on the new military rulers to carry out democratic reforms.

The groups, which had organised the uprising, called it the “Friday of Victory and Continuation,” reflecting both their achievement in forcing 82-yearold Mubarak out and their concerns about the future. On the day of prayers and celebrations, many flag-draped protesters played musical instruments at the Square, which wore a festive look and where a large number of children were also present.

The Coalition of the Revolution Youth, an alliance of pro-democracy groups that helped launch the revolt, called on the gathering to “remember the martyrs of freedom and dignity and justice,” Al-Jazeera reported.

At least 365 people were killed and 5,500 injured during the protests against Mubarak’s 30-year regime, according to Egypt’s Health Ministry.

Pro-democracy activists

CAIRO: Libyan security forces killed at least 24 people in a violent crackdown on anti-regime demonstrations during a “Day of Anger” against strongman Moamer Kadhafi, Human Rights Watch said today.

The New York-based rights group, citing witnesses, said 24 protesters were killed and scores injured during yesterday’s assaults on protests in two Libyan cities.

“The authorities should cease the use of lethal force unless absolutely necessary to protect lives and open an independent investigation into the lethal shootings,” HRW said in a statement.

The worst violence hit the eastern city of Al-Baida where hospital staff put a call out yesterday for additional medical supplies to treat 70 injured protestors, half in critical condition, said the rights group.

also sought an investigation into the killings during the uprising, lifting of the decades-old emergency law and support for the pay strikes by workers across the country.

“We are going today to commemorate the martyrs

democratic reforms.

Protest organisers have kept up pressure on the interim military government, demanding that politcal prisoners be freed, emergency rule lifted and fair elections held soon.

Rights groups have claimed

FRIDAY OF VICTORY AND CONTINUATION!

On the day of prayers and celebrations, many flag-draped protesters played musical instruments at the Square, which wore a festive look and where a large number of children were also present. and in doing so we are awaiting justice,” Mohammed Waked, a protest organiser, was quoted as saying by the pan-Arabic satellite channel.

“If those detained during the protests are not released, let alone the older political prisoners, it would be a bad sign,” he said. “It would show the army is not sincere about political reforms.”

The coalition has vowed to maintain pressure to ensure the rest of its political demands are met, including the “immediate release of all detainees,” it said in statement posted on Facebook.

The situation in Egypt remains unsettled amid labour strikes and apprehensions that the military council running the country may not implement promised

that hundreds of people went missing during the protests and alleged army’s involvement. Since Mubarak’s fall a week ago, Egyptian workers have been staging pay strikes despite calls from the military for them to return to work and warnings of “disastrous” consequences.

Workers are seeking resignation of leaders of state- controlled trade unions and company board members, accusing them of corruption, and demanding higher wages and better working conditions.

Egyptian authorities yesterday arrested three former ministers, including ex-Interior Minister Habib el-Adly who was widely blamed for the brutality by riot police while trying to quell protests, media reports said.

13

Goa I Saturday 19, February 2011

www.oheraldo.in

sports

Sachin Tendulkar is the key to India's World Cup chances and has to play the sheet-anchor role for his team by being there at the crease for at least 40 overs.

-- Ex-Pak captain Wasim Akram

I will use unorthodox shots, particularly his 'Switch Hit', to challenge traditional field-setting during the World Cup -- England batsman Kevin Pietersen

Nerul oust Sai Avtar

Photo: Fr Savio Fernandes

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER

Taleigao down Vaddy

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER Mapusa, Feb 18:Sao Minguel de Taleigao got back to winning ways with a 3-1 win over

Vaddy Sports Club to boost their play-off ambitions in GFA’s Second Division at Dr Remigio Pinto ground, Taleigao on Friday. Taleigao

led 3-0 at the breather.

Steven Baptista punted in after just nine minutes to give Taleigao the lead.

Eight minutes later, Gau-

Bhakti, Arantxa in finals HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim, Feb 18: Talented youngster Bhakti Pandit was in fine touch as she stormed into the finals of U-18 girls category GCCI Cup talent search All-Goa TT tournament.

In the semi-finals at Indoor Stadium, Campal, Bhakti smashed her way to a 12-10, 11-3, 11-5 win over Laxmi Shetye. She will meet Arantxa Noronha, who beat Padma Dharwadkar

11-7, 11-4, 11-6 in the other semi-finals.

In the U-12 girls semi-finals, Pranali Sonawane beat Shanaya Javeri 11-4, 11-1, 11-2.

Deepali Desai beat Aditi Dharwadkar 11-4, 14-12, 11-3.

In the Girls U-14 semis, Sabia beat Sonabar Khan 11-2, 11-7, 11-3 while Pranali beat Shanaya Javeri 11-2, 11-5, 11-7.

The finals are slated for February 19 at 5 p.m.

St Anne’s Agonda champs

Photo: Kathy Pereira.

The U-13 Canacona Taluka level primary-middle school sports and athletic meet champions, St Anne’s Institute, Agonda alongwith Fr Mathew Fernandes (principal/manager), Pio Vales (headmaster) and Agnelo Pereira (PE teacher).

HERALD CORRESPONDENT Canacona, Feb 18: St Anne’s Institute, Agonda emerged overall champions in the Taluka Level U-13 primarymiddle sports and athletic meet.

St Anne’s Agonda boys won the football championship defeating St Sebastian, Loliem 3-1 via the

tie-breaker.

Rayzon Fernandes, Criston Miranda and Cherwin Monteiro scored for St Anne’s in the tie-breaker after a goalless draw.

Earlier, in the semi-finals, St Anne’s defeated St Anthony’s, Galgibaga 1-0 with a goal from Cannon Pereira.

In the athletic meet, St Anne’s Institute, Agonda

ONGC champs HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim, Feb 18: ONGC cruised to a very comfortable victory over IOC in the billiards team championship finals on Friday.

Pankaj Advani gave ONGC a flying start beating Aditya Mehta (200 – 112) to give a lead of 88 points in the first

game. Dhruv Sitwala then left Dhwaj Haria on 99 points (200 – 99) to extend ONGC’s lead to 188, leaving Rupesh Shah needing only 13 points to win the last frame and match against Arif Akhtar.

Non-ranking event billiards finals: Arif Akhtar (IOC) beat Rahul Pateria (15 – 56).

Holy Cross win HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim, Feb 18: A fine hattrick by Pandurang Goltekar (4) helped Holy Cross High School, Siolim thrash Sacred Heart of Jesus High School, Anjuna 7-0 in Mahindra Youth Football Challenge (MYFC) U-14 school football.

Sahil Vernekar, Alton D’Sousa and Aaron Fernandes were the other goal scorers.

Assagao Union High School were awarded a walkover.

At Curtorim ground, a fine hat-trick by Jewell Fernan-

des helped Manovikas High School, Margao trounce Mae Dos Pobres High School, Nuvem 3-0 while at Tilak Maidan, Vasco Regina Mundi High School hammered Our Lady of Candelaria 5-1.

Delroy Pereira, Deepak Aagre, Ronil Azavedo and Fernando Araujo (2) scored for Regina while Savio Dias scored the consolation goal for Candelaria.

At Don Bosco ground, Auxilium HS, Caranzalem defeated Fr Agnel High School, Pilar 2-0. Rohan Shaikh and Prajat Mandal scored.

also clinched the Taluka athletic championship with the students dominating the event at SAG grounds, Agonda.

Abhishek Pagi bagged the individual championship while Manasavi Pagi, Prachi Velip, Deepika Faldessai, Plim Fernandes, Abhishek Pagi, Aman Komarpant, Rohit Redkar and Rolfy Fernandes displayed outstanding individual performances.

The students were trained

by PE teacher Agnelo Pereira. St Anne’s institute manager, Fr Mathew Fernandes, headmaster Pio Vales and PTA chairman, Jovi Fernandes congratulated the students for the feat.

tham Kankonkar finished well, to double the lead.

In the 26th minute, Pramod Mandolkar netted Taleigao’s third.

In the second half, Vaddy came back stronger but could only muster up a consolation goal, which came four minutes from time through Francis Fernandes.

Sao Minguel has now collected 15 points while Vaddy stay on 10 points.

GFA Second Division: Goa Police SC v. St Sebastian SC, St Cruz, Taleigao ground, 4 p.m.

GFA U-14: Wilred Leisure SC v. Guardian Angel SC, Curchorem ground, 4 p.m.

Aldona Cup soccer: Mandopa SC, Navelim v. Sinquerim SC, Quitula ground, 4 p.m.

Mahindra Youth Football Challenge: St Xavier’s HS, Moira v. St Anthony HS, Duler, Duler Stadium, Mapusa; Santa Cruz HS, St Cruz v. St Ann’s HS, Tivim, Don Bosco School ground, Panjim; Marina English HS, Verna v. St Anthony’s HS, Majorda, Tilak Maidan, Vasco; St Joseph’s Institute, Chandor v. Our Lady of Perpetual Succour HS, Navelim, Nehru outside ground, Fatorda, Margao. Kick off 9.30 a.m.

Merces volleyball semis: Goa Police v. Churchill Brothers, Varca, Molloca court, Merces, 8 p.m.

State senior hockey men quarter-finals: Bastora Boys v. Quepem Crusaders 10 a.m.; Panjimites v.

Stars of Sattari, 4 p.m., Don Bosco Oratory ground, Panjim.

Sarfraz stars for GMC HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim, Feb 18: Goa Medical College defeated Department of Planning and Statistics by 79 runs in Civil Services cricket tournament organised by DSYA at Chicalim ground on Friday.

GMC scored 198 for no loss in 20 overs. Sarfraz scored 109 not out and Arfin Prabhu 55 not out for no loss of wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

In reply, Department of Planning and Statistics were all out for 119 in 18.2 overs.

Godfrey Pereira and Verendra Satardekar took 3 wickets each. Sarfaraz took 2 wickets.

The Goa Diocesan Priests team ‘A’ and the Goa Diocesan Priest team ‘B’. The Goa Diocesan Priests team ‘B’ beat Goa Diocesan Priests team ‘A’ 1-0 in futsal tournament for priests organised by Don Bosco Priests, Panjim at Don Bosco school ground, here on Thursday. The all-important goal was netted by Fr Jaison off a pass from Fr George Ratos.

LOK SABHA TV ASATO MAA SADGAMAYA

HIGHLIGHTS OF PROGRAMMES February 19 to 25, 2011 LIVE PROGRAMMES

OTHER PROGRAMMES

PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS TO BOTH HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT

House Highlights Monday to Friday, 9 pm

Monday, February 21, 11 am

Countdown to the General Budget Monday, February 21 to Friday, February 25, 8.30 pm

TELECAST OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE LOK SABHA Starting February 21, Monday to Friday 11 am onwards

PRESENTATION OF THE RAILWAY BUDGET Friday, February 25, 12 noon Agenda Monday to Friday, 10 am Sansadnama Monday to Friday, 1.30 pm Lok Manch Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 7 pm Public Forum Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, 7 pm

A half-hour daily discussion on the upcoming General Budget with a guest panel of economists, experts and journalists.

Weekend Classic Film

Saturday, February 19, 9 pm Sunday, February 20, 2 pm

KUTTY Director: Janaki Vishwanathan 2001 / 118 minutes / Colour / Tamil / English Subtitles Cast: P. Shwetha, R S Shivaji. Ramesh Aravind & others National Award for the Best Child Artist, 2002 Uninterrupted Viewing Film Courtesy NFDC

Log on to http://164.100.24.209/lstv/dailyschedule.aspx for the full schedule

davp 31102/11/0047/1011

SAG’s Steffi Cardoso proudly displays the bronze medal she won at National Games shot put in Ranchi on Thursday alongwith manager Chetan Kawlekar and SAG’s assistant secretary Mahesh Naik. Steffi’s father, Eugenio of Candolim, SAG’s deputy director, hailed the achievement since it is the first and only one in Goa athletics.

Mapusa, Feb 18: Nerul Sports Club defeated Sai Avtar Sports Club, Anjuna 43 via the tie-breaker in Aldona Cup soccer organised

by Quitula Sports Club at Quitula ground on Friday.

Sai Avtar took the lead after just five minutes when Christopher Borges netted from a free kick.

Changing over, Nerul pushed forward and got the equaliser through Janifar Clemente.

Nerul kept their nerve in the tiebreaker to move ahead.

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A victory for Dempo would be historic as we would be the first in India to enter the AFC Champions League.

We are the first Indian club to reach the semi-finals of AFC Cup in 2008,” reminded Dempo head coach Armando Colaco.

Nuvem, Fatorda win handball titles HERALD CORRESPONDENT Margao: Nuvem Handballers and Fatorda Handballers emerged champs in boys and girls categories respectively at 19th State handball championship organised by Goa Handball Association at SAG sports complex, Fatorda on Sunday.

In the men section, Nuvem Handballers beat Fatorda Handballers 14-10 while Fatorda Handballers beat Nuvem Handballers 9-7.

Presley Fernandes, Vicky Fernandes (men) and Trima Mascarenhas and Priti Vaz (women) were adjudged best players.

Fatorda MLA, Damu Naik was the chief guest and gave away the prizes.

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER

Sanjay gets FIDE rating

Referees for kabaddi tourney HERALD CORRESPONDENT Mayem: The following referees have been selected for State junior kabaddi championship to be held at Bordem, Bicholim ground on February 20.

Referees: Deelip Kundaikar, Mohan Thanekar, Suresh Kandolkar, Mohan Arondekar, Aji Samant, Manuel Fernandes, Pratap Desai, Ramlal Vernekar, Nagesh Uddhar, Narayan Marathe, Raufkhan Pathan, Sulochana Kalshaonkar, Pallavi Nagarsekar, Kalpana Sawal Desai, Sharayu Salgaonkar, Rosario Miranda, Anita Bandodkar, Yogesh Sawaldesai, Anand Naik, Pratap Gawas, Sandeep Pednekar, Digambar Pednekar, Bashir Khan, Shubheshha Sulikar, Bindiya Gaonkar, Rupesh Hoble, Siddheshwar Naik, Bharat Harmalkar, Gajanan Korgaonkar, Kishore Kinlekar, Anil Pokle, Damodar Naik, B K Patil, Maruti Patil, Sambhaji Patil, Sudha Kadam, Khushali Namshikar, Bhagdu Gaonkar, Raya Umane, Sandesh Barazankar, Sarvesh Surlikar, Suryakant Wadkar, Subodh Parab, Arjun Gawas, Vishwas Kansar, Raghunath Desai, Dulu Gawas, Balkrishna Patil, Sanjay Madgaonkar, Antonio Pinto and Rahi Dhumaskar.

Those selected may be present on February 20 at GPS Bordem, Bicholim at 8.30 p.m. according to GKA secretary, Mahabaleshwar Surlikar.

Rudresh elected Guimaraes chief HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim: Rudresh Chodankar, CCP councillor waselected unopposed president of Alto Guimaraes Sports Club, Panjim on Monday.

The other members: Agnel Miranda, Samuel D’Sousa and Henrique Lobo (vice-presidents), Silvester Estibeiro (secretary), Seby D’Costa and Oscar Miranda (joint secretaries), Lorento D’Silva (treasurer), Thomas Fernandes (joint treasurer), Constancio Godinho (sports secretary), Lileto Dias and Reeves Mai (assistant sports secretaries), Francis George (cultural secretary), Alfred Fernandes and Mario Fernandes (assistant cultural secretaries).

3-a-side soccer at Raia HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim – Holy Family Boys of Colleandongor will organise their 3-a-side soccer tie-breaker at Bellavista, Santemol, Raia on February 19 at 9 p.m. The winners and runners-up will take home Rs 10,000 and Rs 7,000 respectively. Details may be obtained on 9527007137, 9503210187 or 9011481451.

Volleyball tourney at Loutulim HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim -- Socio Cultural Club of Loutulim in association with Goa Volleyball Association will organise their All-Goa floodlight volleyball tournament on February 26th at Loutulim church ground. The finals are slated for March 6. Details may be obtained from Revlon on 9822136154 or Domnic on 9822150845.

Volleyball tourney at Quepem HERALD CORRESPONDENT Quepem-- United Boys of Ambaulim, Quepem will organise their XIIth South Goa floodlit volleyball tournament from February 20 to 27 at Ambaulim court at 7 p.m.

The winners and runners-up will walk away with Rs 8,000 and Rs 6,000 respectively. In all 14 teams have confirmed their participation including Xeldem SC, Maina Six, Our Lady of Piety SC, Navelim, Vasco, Veling Youth, Ponda, CBS Shepem, Friends Circle , Cuncolim, Silent Winners, Assolda, Sateri SC, Cab de Rama, Cavelosim, Silent Boys, Morpirla, Holy Family Rai, Paddi SC and hosts.

A positive result for Dempo in Doha would surely be a great advertisement for Indian football.

My motivation is to give my best and then let’s see what happens.

-- Dempo’s Mahesh Gawli

Bagan, E Bengal fined; Okpara suspended

SNAPSHOT

HERALD SPORTS DESK Panjim: Sanjay Belurkar secured his FIDE rating of 1428 from nine games. He completed his rating performance by playing at the FIDE rating tournament in Calicut and 64 Square rating tournament in Sri Lanka. Goa now has 84 FIDE rated players.

Sanjay is the father of Nitish Belurkar, World School U-9 champion and Suyan Belurkar, both of whom are rated players.

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German National MX motocross champ, Alexander Ivanyutin of Russia who is currently based in US, demonstrating a motocross flying technique at the MX training camp at Gomes Sports Academy Race Track, Annavadoo, Calangute, Friday.

MPT hold Salcete; big win for Cavelossim

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

Margao, Feb 18: A late strike

by Rockson Fernandes helped MPT Sports Council to hold Salcete Football Club to a 1-1 draw in GFA’s First Division League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Friday. MPT were trailing 0-1 at half time.

Salcete made it clear right from the start that they were not going to let MPT dictate terms, building their own moves from the midfield while their rearguard was strong and did not provide their opponents any space to strike rhythm.

Salcete shot into the lead in the 8th minute when midfielder Don Fernandes received a pass from Rony Monteiro and the former unleashed a right footer which saw MPT goalkeeper Juje Siddi parrying it away and lurking Sidney Colaco pushed the ball in much to the loud cheers of Salcete’s supporters.

Spurred by the early goal, Salcete mounted pressure on the rival citadel and came close to increasing their tally but MPT’s defender Prim-

son Fernandes thwarted Salcete striker Oilex Fernandes’ shot with a neat tackle inside the penalty area.

On the other hand, MPT who were struggling to check Salcete’s attackers had a chance in the 22nd minute but defender Shaikh Aboo’s free kick was blocked

by Salcete goalkeeper Presley Mascarenhas.

Salcete had a couple of scoring chances to inflate their tally but Ashley Araujo blasted wide from handshaking distance after being fed by Oliex Oliveira.

MPT nearly found the equaliser in the 34th minute when Hayen Velho floated the flag kick inside Salcete’s penalty area with Zico Feranndes beating his marker and his goal bound try was halted on the goalline by Ronny Monteiro.

At the stroke of the lemon break, Salcete nearly made it 2-0 but midfielder Francis Andrade’s rasping left footer missed the target narrowly.

Crossing over, MPT went all out in search of the equaliser and nearly found success but

Wilfred Gomes was the culprit as he blasted over from close range off a pass from Rockson Fernandes.

Salcete had scoring chances late in the second half but Ronny Monteiro failed to beat MPT goalkeeper Juje Siddi and later Ashley Araujo was the worst culprit as he shot wide from five yards.

MPT’s equaliser came in the 90th minute following a flag kick taken by Wilred Gomes from the left. Rockson Fernandes’ unimpressive header deflected off a Salcete defender and also eluded the goalkeeper to put his team on equal terms.

With this draw, Salcete have collected nine points from eight encounters while MPT took their tally to 12 from the same number of encounters.

“I am not happy with the refereeing. I am happy with our performance. We also missed many scoring chances and I believe in my boys and we will always play for a win,” claimed Salcete’s coach Roberto Fernandes.

At Cuncolim ground, a 5goal blitz including a hattrick by striker Vitorino Fernandes helped Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim thump St Rock’s Sports Club, Fatrade, Varca 9-1 in GFA’s First Division League on Friday. Santa Cruz led 50 at half time.

Cavelossim were a superior side and outplayed their opponents in all departments as their opponents were struggling to catch the pace of the Cavelossim side.

Midfielder Levino Fernandes rubbed salt to Fatrade’s wounds as he scored four goals including a hat-trick while Melvin Fernandes scored a consolation goal for St Rock.

With this win, Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim stay at the top with 19 points from eight matches while St Rock’s Sports Club have four points from the same number of encounters.

“I am very happy with the way the boys played today,” stated Severino Fernandes, coach, Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim.

Dempo eye historic win today

By SUDHAKAR SHANBHAG

W

e take a lot of pride in the fact that our club has qualified to play in the AFC Champions League play-off against Al Sadd (Qatar) and the boys are prepared to give their best to ensure that the team gets a favourable result on the morrow,” stated a confident Dempo head coach Armando Colaco at a pre-match press conference at Sheikh Jassem bin Hamad stadium.

“Dempo have always approached football in a professional way possible and our club chairman Shrinivas V Dempo has always backed the team. We are very keen to make a mark in the playoff match and give our best to seek a qualification into the main draw of the competition,” Armando stated.

Armando remarked that things are expected to be tough tomorrow not only because Al Sadd are playing in front of their home supporters, but also because they

India’s champion club Dempo all set to lock horns with Qatar giants Al Sadd in the AFC Champions League play-off today have beaten Syrian club Al Ittihad 5-1 coming into tomorrow’s encounter.

“A victory for Dempo would be historic. We are the first Indian club to reach the semi-finals of AFC Cup in 2008,” reminded Armando.

“We possess experience and with a majority of our players having played for India at last month’s Asian Cup in Doha coupled with the presence of experienced foreigners like Beto and Ranti, I am sure Dempo will cast a good impression on Al Sadd, who boast of a strong combination of imports from Brazil and Ivory Coast,” summed up Armando on the eve of the match.

Captain Ranti Martins also backed Dempo to do well. “We have done ex-

tremely well over the past few seasons both in India as well as AFC Cup. So the onus is on the players to get their act right and portray themselves as a competitive team against the Qatari opposition.”

“We are aware that Al Sadd has Keita (Ivory Coast) and Leandro Da silva (Brazil) as their aggressive foreign duo upfront but we will put up a good show as we are a competitive side,” said Ranti.

Meanwhile, Al Sadd coach Jorge Fossati of Uruguay is confident that his team will give a repeat performance of the match against Syria’s Al Ittihad whom they beat 5-1.

“We are eager to complete the match in 90 minutes and show our supremacy against

Panjim, Feb 18: East Bengal’s player, Uga Okpara has been suspended for two matches and fined Rs 20,000 for tarnishing the image of an official in the press, according to AIFF Disciplinary Committee.

The Nigerian had blasted referee Pratap Singh and suggested that he was biased in his decisions Trevor Morgan, coach of East Bengal, who was suspended for a match for leaving the technical area and subsequently apologised to the referee will be asked to ensure that such incidents do not recur in the future.

Trevor escaped major pun-

ishment for having barged into the field in protest of a decision by referee Pratap Singh. Morgan had earlier sent a reply to his show-cause and urged the referee to treat the case emotionally and accepted his fault.

Mohun Bagan’s suspension has been extended by one more match and a fine of Rs 10,000 imposed on him for misbehaviour.

As eight players of Mohun Bagan were shown yellow cards against East Bengal the team has been imposed a fine of Rs 50,000.

In the same match four players of East Bengal were also shown yellow cards and the team imposed a fine of Rs. 25,000.

44 India probables Senior footballers rested HERALD SPORTS REPORTER Panjim, Feb 18: The AIFF has registered 44 players for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers 2011.

Subrata Paul, Arindam Bhattacharya ,Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Denzil Franco, Gourmangi Singh, Anwar, Mohanraj, Nirmal Chhetri, Govin Singh, Syed Rahim Nabi, N.S.Manju, Raju Gaikwad, Steven Dias, Joaquim Abranches, Baldip Singh, Jagpreet Singh, Rakesh Masih, Jewel Raja, Shilton D’Silva, Sunil Chhetri, Sushil Kumar Singh, C.S.Sabeeth, Jeje Lalpekhlua, Jagroop Singh, Ravi Kumar,Vishal Kumar, Abhishek Das, Deepak Devrani, Inderpreet Singh,

Souvik Ghosh, Lalrozama Fanai, Pratamesh Moulingkar, Akshay Kumar Mall, Subodh Kumar, Milan Singh, Bikramjit Singh, Lalrindika Ralte, Trithankar Sarkar, Jibon Singh, Manandeep, Robin Singh, Holicharan Narzary, Malswamfela and Jagtar Singh.

Bhutiawasnotincludedashe wanted to recover from injury.

Stalwarts like Climax Lawrence, Clifford Miranda, Mahesh Gawli, Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, Surkumar Singh, Deepak Mondal, NP Pradeep, Mehrajuddin Wadoo, Abhishek Yadav, Mohammad Rafi have been sidelined.

AIFF secretary Kushal Das stated that the senior players have been given a much-needed rest.

COME ONE!!!

COME ALL!!!

GOVERNMENT OF GOA DIRECTORATE OF SPORTS & YOUTH AFFAIRS Cordially invites you TO WITNESS THE

IIND STATE TRIBAL YOUTH FESTIVAL On 19th & 20th February, 2011 At Morpilla – Quepem Inaugural Ceremony

On 19th February, 2011 at 12.30 p.m.

Chief Guest:

Shri Digambar Kamat Hon. Chief Minister of Goa President:

Shri Churchill Alemao Hon. Minister for PWD Guest of Honour:

Shri. Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar Dempo. We shall be no complacents. We need to respect our opposition and also be aware of what they could dish out tomorrow. I am not in a mood to take anything for granted. The match is very, very important and I am sure the home support will see us through,” expressed Jorge.

“I am confident of victory even when I have never seen Dempo on the field. Our players have been told to respect the rivals but the stress is on start and complete the match well,” the 58-year-old coach divulged.

Tomorrow’s match begins at 5.50 p.m. local time which translates to 8.20 p.m. IST. There will be extra-time if

Hon. M.L.A. Quepem Special Invitees:

Shri T. M. Balakrishnan, IAS Secretary Sports & Youth Affairs, Govt. of Goa Shri Khushali J. Velip

Vice President of Zilla Parishad, South Goa

Smt. Bhakti Velip, Sarpanch, Morpilla Closing Ceremony

On 20th February, 2011 at 12.30 p.m.

Chief Guest:

Shri Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar Hon. Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs

President:

Shri Filipe Neri Rodrigues

Hon. Minister for Water Resources

Guest of Honour:

Shri Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar Hon. MLA Quepem

Special Invitees: Shri Khushali J. Velip Vice President of Zilla Parishad, South Goa Smt. Bhakti Velip, Sarpanch, Morpilla

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Kevin Pietersen 66 off 78 balls thrived in his new position as opener while Stuart Broad clinched a second successive five-wicket haul as England beat Pakistan by 67 runs in their final World Cup warm-up on Friday.

ICC reignites World Cup row AFP New Delhi, Feb 18: International cricket chief Haroon Lorgat Friday stuck to his pledge to cut the World Cup to just 10 teams, reigniting a row with smaller nations who fear for their future if excluded.

Lorgat's comments came just a day before the 10th edition of the World Cup kicks off in Dhaka with a clash between Bangladesh and India, who are joint hosts of the event along with Sri Lanka.

A total of 14 teams are involved in the showpiece event -- tipped to be the most open in years -- including the Netherlands, Ireland, Kenya and Canada but the ICC wants to cut the numbers because it has grown too unwieldy.

ICC chief executive Lorgat said the World Twenty20 would be increased to 16 teams from 12, while the 50-

over World Cup would be trimmed to 10.

"We have felt in the past few years that Twenty20 is the best format to develop the game worldwide and it provides a better environment for competition," Lorgat said.

"The 50-over format is more skill-based and suitable for the top teams."

Lorgat's views are bound to further anger the minnows, who believe they are being muscled out in favour of the Test-playing nations.

Cricket Kenya chief executive Tom Sears said on Thursday the ICC would not be acting in the interests of the game if the smaller teams were locked out of the next World Cup. Kenya became the first non-Test playing team to reach the semi-finals in 2003, and Ireland produced their biggest upset over Pakistan in the 2007 tournament in the West Indies.

Lorgat sticks to his decision World Twenty20 would be increased to 16 teams from 12, while the 50over World Cup would be trimmed to 10. We have felt in the past few years that Twenty20 is the best format to develop the game worldwide and it provides a better environment for competition. The 50-over format is more skill-based and suitable for the top teams.

In the final warm-up game, Pakistan were playing England in Dhaka for the first time since the 'spot-fixing' scandal in 2010 that rocked cricket and led to bans for three Pakistan players.

England were all out for 273, with Kevin Pietersen scoring 66 in his new role as opener as former England captain Mike Gatting backed the swashbuckling star to be the side's batting equivalent of Ian Botham.

"The fact is he (Pietersen) is talented, can hit the ball through the field and over the

Sparta Prague's Erich Brabec (right) and David Ngog of FC Liverpool vie for a ball in Prague on Thursday.

Liverpool draw; Napoli held

AFP Paris, Feb 18: Serie A titlechasers Napoli will travel to Spanish opponents Villarreal next week with their Europa League hopes in the balance after they were held 0-0 in their last 32 first-leg clash on Thursday.

It will not be the ideal scenario for the former Italian champions -- playing in only their second European campaign in 16 years -as days later they face Serie A leaders AC Milan in a match pivotal to their title hopes.

There was no winning return to European competition for Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, meanwhile, as the Scottish legend -- who replaced Roy Hodgson at the helm -had to make do with a workmanlike 0-0 draw at Czech side Sparta Prague.

Spain's twotime UEFA Cup winners Sevilla have it all to do in the second leg after they lost 2-1 at home to Portuguese league leaders FC Porto.

Freddie Kanoute had levelled for the Spanish side mid-way through the second

half, only for Colombian Fredy Guarin to score a late winner.

Other results: FC Twente 2 beat Rubin Kazan 0; Bayer Leverkusen 4 beat Metalist Kharkiv 0; Benfica 2 beat VfB Stuttgart 1; Ajax 3 beat Anderlecht 0; Lech Poznan 1 beat Sporting Braga 0; Dynamo Kiev 4 beat Besiktas 1; BATE Borisov 2 beat Paris Saint-Germain 2; FC Basel 2 beat Spartak Moscow 3; Young Boys 2 beat Zenit Saint-Petersburg 1; Porto 2 beat Sevilla 1; Lille 2 draw PSV Eindhoven 2; CSKA Moscow 1 beat PAOK Salonika 0; Rangers 1 draw Sporting Lisbon 1; Aris Salonika 0 draw Manchester City 0.

Messi, Rooney, Kaka sign for Man City?

AFP London, Feb 18: Greek side Aris Salonika were forced to pulp programmes for this week's Europa League tie with Manchester City after a spoof photograph showing an all-star City line-up was mistakenly included.

The Guardian reported Friday that Aris officials searching online for a team photo of the English Premier League side inadvertently

stumbled upon a doctored picture of an expanded City squad featuring virtually every star on the planet.

As well as City's usual lineup, the picture included, amongst others, Lionel Messi, Didier Drogba, Fernando Torres, Wayne Rooney and Kaka.

City officials spotted the error while attending a pre-match function in Greece, the report said.

Although City officials saw the funny side of the mistake, embarrassed Aris officials immediately called for all of the programmes to be pulped, the Guardian reported.

City assistant manager Brian Kidd laughed off the episode when asked about it on Friday.

"I haven't seen it but it was very good," smiled Kidd. "It is just a bit of fun. You have to laugh at yourself don't you?"

top," Gatting added. "He can really give impetus."

As anticipation mounted ahead of the opening match, Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan brushed aside fears about taking on powerpacked India, saying his side was confident of doing well despite trailing 22-2 in headto-heads.

"Our bowlers are in good form, the batsmen have been doing their job and our fielding has improved a lot," Shakib told a crowded media conference at the Sher-eBangla stadium.

Former champions West Indies became the latest side

to be struck by the injury curse affecting the marathon tournament.

Exciting opener Adrian Barath and wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh were ruled out, bringing to 10 the number of players forced to withdraw ahead of the 49-match event.

Kirk Edwards, an uncapped batsman from Barbados, and Antigua wicketkeeper Devon Thomas were named as replacements, subject to approval by the ICC. So far the ICC has approved eight replacement players for teams in the World Cup. It was also confirmed on Friday that hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will play their knockout matches at home if they get past the preliminary rounds.

But if two host countries draw each other, the team placed higher in the pre-tournament seeding will get pref-

erence, Lorgat said.

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Goa I Saturday 19, February 2011

I don't think the warm-up games helped either Ashish Nehra or Munaf Patel in any manner. Their confidence will have definitely taken a dip.

-- Sanjay Manjerekar

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When I got dropped from the team in 2007, nobody expected the selectors to drop me but they did because of poor form. That's when I changed my game both in terms of thinking and playing style.-- Sehwag

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I think Harbhajan is the best spinner in the world. The way he bowls is unbelievable.

-- Australian off spinner Jason Krejza

India seek revenge in opener Fire officials

unhappy with safety norms at Wankhede

I changed my game after being axed: Sehwag PtI

Mumbai, Feb 18: Indian opener Virender Sehwag has conceded that his axing from the Indian team four years ago forced him to look inwards and make changes in his game which eventually paid him rich dividends.

"When I got dropped from the team in 2007, nobody expected the selectors to drop me but they did because of poor form. That's when I changed my game both in terms of thinking and playing style. I started thinking on how to make my way back into the team," Sehwag was quoted as saying in a media release.

The swashbuckling batsman, who very nearly scored a Test triple ton in a single day's play after his comeback, was responding to a query about 'Change the Game moment' in his career as part of soft drinks major Pepsi's World Cup campaign.

"I got a chance and that's when I proved myself again; I saved a test match for India when I scored 150 not out in Adelaide against Australia.

"I had just scored 20 runs in 2 hours...can you imagine Sehwag scoring 20 runs in two hours? That was not how I played, but I changed my game just to save the Test match," he pointed out.

Sehwag, who was dropped in early 2007 from the ODI squad and later from the Test team too before storming his way back into the team, mentions improvisation as the key to his altered game.

"Change The Game for me is the self belief and self confidence that pushes one beyond the limitations. To change the game, one has to think beyond the limitations and improvise.

"I have that confidence and the self belief that I can do whatever is needed to be done and change the game on the field, especially in the crunch situations," according to Sehwag.

PtI Mumbai, Feb 18 : Expressing displeasure at the non-compliance of fire safety norms at the revamped Wankhede stadium, venue of the 2011 World Cup final, the city fire brigade department today said it will seek a reply from the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) in this regard.

"We will soon write a letter to the MCA stating there is a need to comply with fire safety norms at the stadium.

Once they abide by the terms we would again conduct an inspection," Chief Fire Officer Uday Tatkare told PTI.

Sachin Tendulkar and Virendra Sehwag stretch during a training session at The Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Friday.

AFP Dhaka, Feb 18: India will look to settle an old score against an increasingly confident Bangladesh when the cohosts meet in an intriguing opening match of the World Cup on Saturday.

On paper, the day-night clash at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka may look like a no-contest with tournament favourites India having won 20 of their 22 one-day matches against the Tigers.

But the two defeats at Bangladesh's hands will rankle Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men when they take the field in front of some 25,000 partisan fans baying for India's blood.

A 15-run defeat in December 2004 in Dhaka was followed by a stunning five-wicket loss during the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, which knocked India out in the first round.

Indian vice-captain Virender Sehwag, never one to mince words, told reporters ahead of the tournament that his team was charged up for what is widely seen as a grudge match.

"We have not forgotten that World Cup loss," the aggressive opener said.

"We can't wait to play them again, and I am confident we will do better this time."

Bangladesh, who also defeated mighty South Africa in the second round of the last World Cup, could not have asked for a better setting to challenge the Indians.

Familiar home conditions that assist the slow left-arm spin of skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak have seen Bangladesh win seven and lose just one of their last 10 home one-dayers.

The victories included an astonishing 4-0 rout of Daniel Vettori's New Zealand in October.

Athar Ali Khan, who played the last of his 19 one-dayers for Bangladesh in 1998 before becoming a TV expert,

said the current team had the potential to deliver.

"We played for survival, these lads play to win," Khan said. "I have a lot of faith in this team."

Bangladesh will, however, miss former captain and pace spearhead Mashrafe Mortaza, who was ruled out of the tournament due to a recurring knee injury.

Mortaza, 27, has been the pivot of the Bangladesh attack with 146 oneday wickets, including a match-winning 4-38 against India in the last World Cup. Bangladesh will depend on the lefthanded openers, Tamim Iqbal and Imrul Kayes, the fluent Junaid Siddique and former captain Mohammad Ashraful to give the spinners a

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.

Bangladesh: Shakib Al Hasan (capt), Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Kayes, Junaid Siddique, Shahriar Nafees, Raqibul Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim, Naeem Islam, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Abdur Razzak, Rubel Hossain, Shafiul Islam, Nazmul Hossain, Suhrawadi Shuvo.

MAtCh StARtS: 2 P.M.

reasonable total to defend.

India have enjoyed an impressive run over the last three years, which has taken Dhoni's men to the top of the Test rankings and made them number two behind Australia in the one-dayers.

They go into the Cup opener on the back of two convincing morale-boosting wins over Australia and New Zealand in practice matches this week.

The Indians rely mainly on its powerful batting, led by world recorld holder Sachin Tendulkar, to pile up a big total and bat the other side out of a match.

With Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh adding to a topheavy line-up and Dhoni and the explosive Yusuf Pathan coming down the order, Harbhajan Singh has been pushed to number eight despite two Test centuries to his credit.

Off-spinner Harbhajan leads the bowling attack with new-ball spearhead Zaheer Khan, but India will rely on part-timers Sehwag, Yuvraj and Pathan to fill the fifth bowler's spot.

Dhoni shrugs off 2007 shock AFP Dhaka, Feb 18: Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni insists his team will go into Saturday's World Cup opener against Bangladesh without the baggage of their humiliating loss in 2007.

The high-profile Indians suffered a five-wicket defeat at Bangladesh's hands in their first match of the previous

edition in the Caribbean, leading to the team's first round exit.

But Dhoni, preparing for the daynight clash at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium in Dhaka, said the loss four years ago had not even crossed his mind in the past few years.

"Frankly, I have never thought about it, but we obviously don't want a repeat," said Dhoni, who was part of the 2007 squad which was led by Rahul Dravid and coached by Australian Greg Chappell.

Dhoni said his team was in a better frame of mind going into the tournament, and insisted there was no addi-

tional pressure on the boys playing in the sub-continent.

"Being a co-host will always bring a lot of expectations," Dhoni said. "But we do not get bogged down by expectations.

"The important thing is to do the process right. We always look to put more emphasis on the process, rather than on winning, and this is what has made us a successful team."

India are the number one Test team in the International Cricket Council's official rankings, and are placed second behind Australia in one-day cricket.

Indian batsmen switch to heavier bats for WC AGENCIES Mumbai, Feb 18: The heavier your bat is, the bigger shots you can play.

That seems to be the motto of a few Indian batsmen going into the World Cup. According to sources within the team, as many as four Indian batsmen have opted for heavier bats for matches in cricket's flagship event.

As expected, it is Sachin Tendulkar, already accustomed to playing with

heavy bats, who takes the lead in this regard. yusuf pathanBesides the Master Blaster, captain MS Dhoni, opener Virender Sehwag and the hard-hitting Yusuf Pathan have chosen to follow suit.

All the four players mentioned have increased the weights of their respective bats to the tune of 60-70 gms.

The reason for the same being simple -- it is akin to the horses for courses

dictum.

Considering the fact that the wickets in the subcontinent are on the slower side and the ball doesn't come to bat as quickly as expected, a heavier bat enables a batsman to go for a big shot without fearing the consequences.

The idea is to take advantage of the Powerplays and ensures the team benefits the most during the period; for this happens to be phase when

you can actually take the match away from the opposition.

So while most expect the Indian batsmen to ensure a run feast, the latter have ensured that they at least go into the field well-armed for the same.

Get ready, therefore, to witness some heavy hitting starting Saturday -when India play Bangladesh in the tournament opener.

Or shall we say heavier hitting?

whAt FIRE OFFICIALS hAVE tO SAy “We will soon write a letter to the MCA stating there is a need to comply with fire safety norms at the stadium. Among the mandatory fire apparatus are ring hydrant system, water hydrants, internal riser system for the stands, no-smoking indicators, fire alarms and extinguishers have to be installed. There are some lapses which they need to follow.”

On Wednesday, two fire officials, who visited the stadium for the second time to inspect the fire safety mechanism in place, found some lapses in the arrangements.

"The team has found that

the newly renovated stadium has many loopholes in its fire safety mechanism. The stadium must be in compliance with the fire safety conditions," Tatkare said.

"Among the mandatory fire apparatus are ring hydrant system, water hydrants, internal riser system for the stands, no-smoking indicators, fire alarms and extinguishers have to be installed. There are some lapses which they need to follow," a fire officer said on condition of anonymity, but refused to elaborate on the lapses at the stadium.

Meanwhile, MCA joint secretary Lalchand Rajput said the association had not received any sort of communication from the fire brigade department.

"We have not received any sort of communication be it written or oral from the fire brigade department," he said.

Wankhede Stadium, that went into the redevelopment mode soon after the conclusion of the Indian Premier League on June 1, 2008, is to stage two other World Cup ties, apart from the summit contest on April 2.

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Saturday, 19 Feb 2011

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GOA’S HEARTBEAT

Capturing Goa in its True Glory

Ghatkeak ghat, peleak vatt - Anonymous

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email us at: goasheartbeat@herald-goa.com

Culture is the widening of the mind and of the spirit - Jawaharlal Nehru

Goa is blessed with immeasurable treasures and the book ‘Goa Remembered’ has beautifully depicted a number of them. Selling 500 copies even before its release, this pictorial book brings to fore many priceless facets of Goa. Herald speaks to the man behind the pictures, Pantaleao Fernandes, as he shares his ideas about Goa

BY JANICE RODRIGUES HERALD FEATURES or many people, even a lifetime in Goa will not be enough to see what this beautiful state has to offer, but Pantaleao Fernandes through his book ‘Goa Remembered’ gives us a visual treat of everything truly Goan. He has successfully captured Goa’s scenic beauty, the colours of the carnival, the fervour of the ‘zatras’, the everyday chores of a true Goan village and much more over a span of three years. These events are something that many Goans are familiar with but very few have truly experienced. Bringing to the world the true nature of Goa is this civil engineer turned photographer, Pantaleao Fernandes.

Having had a relatively successful career in building homes, Pantaleao followed his heart’s calling and turned into a full time photographer, writer and explorer, and ever since, he has explored almost every nook and cranny in the state. His

F

Sound Musings of the Present

The present music scene is a pleasurable mixture of different genres, from rhythmic reggae to soulful jazz and of course, the timeless beauty of ballroom tunes

W

BY CLARON MAZARELLO hen you hear a Sri Lankan band play Bob Marley songs that sounds almost like listening to a classic Bob Marley CD, one really feels like its Bob Marley’s birthday. It’s always a pleasure to know that many beach belt shacks pay tribute to the man who made many dance, smile and sway to his songs with his energy still showing in his music. After all, he is undoubtedly one of our all-time-favourites among Goans. Talking about such classic beach belt performers, Goans in the business are busy booking the best of such acts to regroup at a mini music festival.

While the US boasts of pop culture, with the amount of music going around in Goa we could very well do so ourselves. With remixes of songs like ‘Meera Meera’ sung by Orville, the music scene seems to be advancing.

“Thankfully, it is not offensive if anyone dances in Goa,” comments Banglorean Paula whose party once got busted by extremist groups. “It was not like they were treating women with any respect. They even tried to strip some of us to ‘teach us a lesson’,” she recalls. However, for a Goan, it is great joy to be able to shake a leg every once in a while; be it our graceful elder generation doing the ballroom, or the enthusiastic teenager trying the high of a jive.

“Well, this trip to Goa was very successful because I got to mingle with the locals,” observes Teresa, citing instances of police dutifully protecting citizens at parties around the world

she has been to. This year was a finer example of peaceful parties and how drugs can be kept out of parties, much to the relief of true music lovers.

And till our systems keep getting fine tuned towards a better lifestyle, we have to have a change of laws that are more adaptable to the state. Until then, better get used to having your outdoor party stopped as soon as it starts picking up by around 11pm. “ The poor police have to solemnly do their duty, sometimes even against their wishes. We can’t imagine going to a wedding before nine, without any last minute wardrobe worries,” pointed out a jolly Goan tiatrist. Also humbly mentioning about venues where ministers only grace their presence to raise the toast after the designated law time restrictions, that too on amplified sound.

The most intriguing thing that baffles one beyond compare is the last m i n u t e wardrobe worry. “Of course, party attire also calls for certain amount of style.

After all, a party is a time and place meant to enjoy the pleasures of one’s hard work every once in a while,” quotes a hat designer of German origin who did big in the business by just being creative about what people can wear on their head. Then there is always the cross of styles from straight hip to hippy – cutting horizontal diamond shaped holes in old clothes being one of these underground secrets of selfstyles creative fashion. But then shapes, forms and systems are always subject to change.

book ‘Goa Remembered’ is a documentation of his travels and experiences. “I see things changing so fast these days; I wanted to bring out this book as a way of saving what is left of the true Goan traditions for the later generations,” he explains.

The book which has four sections captures the different facets of Goa. “The first section ‘A Place for You’ captures the beautiful scenic landscapes of Goa. The second section titled ‘Religious Fervour’ exhibits the religious customs and traditions followed and the religious monuments all around the state. In the third section ‘Sweat of the Brow’ I have captured the traditional occupations of the state which are now dying out while the fourth section ‘Goa Celebrates’ has the vibrant colours of the various festivities all around Goa; some of these festivities are very rare and not many people know about them,” he explains.

The book contains not only a collection of the various sides of Goa, but the foreword is a concise yet in-depth look at Goa’s past and present. “The book also has a comprehensive narrative of Goa’s past, provided by the Padma Shri Dr Maria Aurora Couto, which is really informative,” says Pantaleao.

Having had a base in civil engineering, Pantaleao says that it has helped him in his photography as far as the business is concerned.

“My experience in construction has given me a base to be enterprising in the way I work.

But I’m happy that I made this shift from engineering to photography; it is less stressful now. Also, I always had a knack for photography and I feel creativity gets recognised immediately.”

Apart form writing articles, Pantaleao has been providing his expertise in photography to various magazines and around seven books carry his photographs. “I love to dig out Goa’s past and promote photography too, people should see the beauty in Goa and get hooked on to photography,” says Pantaleao.

Street Children, Homeless gear up for Census

S

treet and homeless children are excited about their enumeration and are spreading awareness about it through their own newspaper and roadside meetings.

Homeless on the streets across India will be enumerated on February 28 under the second phase of Census 2011.

The latest issue of ‘Balaknama’, a tabloid written and edited by homeless children from ‘Badhte Kadam’, the federation of street and working children, talks about the benefits of the census and asks all the homeless people to stay in Delhi on February 28 for enumeration.

“This census is very important for homeless people.

We want to be counted as it will serve as our identity proof. Also, this counting will help the government to make policies for our welfare,” says Vijay Kumar, the 16year-old national secretary of ‘Badhte Kadam’.

Apart from their newspaper, these children are holding roadside meetings and visiting streets, temples, railway stations and footpaths to spread awareness about the census among the homeless living there.

Though the 2001 Census of India counted 24,966 homeless citizens in Delhi in that year, the rough estimates by various NGOs put the numbers between 1 lakh to 1.5 lakh at present.

“We are trying to make sure that maximum number of homeless are enumerated in this Census. This data will be basis for demanding better facilities for them from government in future,” says Sanj a y

Gupta, convener of Bal Adhikar Abhiyan, an NGO working for welfare of children.

“We will request the government to hold enumeration of homeless on two days, February 28 and March 1, since it may not be possible to do the counting in one day. Our volunteers are ready to help the enumerators and have the experience of last census,” says Indu Prakash Singh from Indo-Global Social Service Society, a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working with homeless people.

Gupta says the concerns regarding the timing of the Census and criteria to be counted as homeless have been conveyed to the Census Director and they have been assured about it.

“Enumerators have been told to visit their areas at least once before the final count so that they have an idea of the situation. Some of them were concerned about dealing with alcoholics and drug addicts late in the night. That will be taken care of as well,” says an official from Delhi Census department.

(Courtesy: PTI)

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info ‘nf’un zone

Saturday, 19 Feb 2011

WHAT’S UP IN GOA??

Third Konknni (Romi Lipi) Literary and Cultural Sammelan, organised by the Dalgado Konknni Academy will be held on February 19 and 20 at Kala Academy, Panjim. Call 2420452.

‘Goan Kaleidoscope 2011’ - a group show of 35 contemporary Goan artists, organised by Gallery Gitanjali will open on February 19 at 6.30pm at Gallery Gitanjali, FontainhasPanjim. The works will remain on display till March 5 from 9am to 9pm at Gallery Gitanjali. Visit www.gallerygitanjali.com. Call 9823572035.

A Solo Singing Competition, organised by Omkar Cultural Association will be held on February 19 at 5.30pm in Dhargal. Call 9823306652 or 9673997188.

SEQC’s Twenty Paces – Solo Knock-Out Quiz Finals will be held on February 20. Call 2452805-10.

E-mail prog@incentgoa.com ‘Right to Information’, a workshop organised by Asha Family Responsibilities and Rights Association and Calangute United (Social and Cultural Club) will be held on February 26 from 10:30am to 12:30pm at St. Alex Church Complex Hall, Calangute, Bardez.

E-mail trustasha@yahoo.co.in.

Call 2256445, 9881064985 11th Saraswat Food Cultural Festival, organised

by Goa Saraswat Samaj will be held from February 25 to 27 at the Panjim gymkhana, Panjim.

‘Chhota Scientist’, a state level science competition for students of Std VI to VIII on February 26, organised

by Shiroda Higher Secondary Institute, Shiroda and the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Goa will take place on February 26 at the Old GMC, Panjim.

Registration is open. Call 9890505069.

‘Political System of Germany and India: A Comparison’, will be the topic of the lecture and interac-

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HOROSCOPE tive session by Professor Clemens Herbert Jürgenmeyer. It will be held on February 24 from 6pm onwards at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. Call 9765404391 or 245280510. E-mail prog@incentgoa.com.

‘The 2 nd State Tribal Youth Fest’, organised by the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs will be held on February 19 and 20 at Morpilla, Quepem. Call 2411505 or 2411509.

AZ U R Anniversary will be held on February 19 at Goa Marriott Resort, Campal-Panjim. Call 246 3333.

15th Congress of the Rock Art Society of India, organised by the Archaeological Society of India and the Goa Circle is underway till February 20 at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research Complex, Old Goa. Call 2284678, 2284679, 2285381 or 2284677.

‘The Changing Face of Media Growth and Opportunities’, organised by the School of Media Studies, St Xaviers College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mapusa will be held on February 19 at the College premises. Call 9960076022 or 9823143458.

‘Lokotsav 2011’, organised by Friends Circle, Bocholim will b eheld on February 20 at 6pm at Shyampurush Devasthan, Bicholim.

Gurupadvo Festival will be held on February 19 at Datta Maharaj Temple, Sankhali.

‘Who Am I’, a discourse by Father Abraham Painmumkal SJ, a Jesuit priest will be held on February 20 at 4:30pm at Loyola High School, Margao. Call 9850123667 or 2223495.

Guardian Angel Church Annual Parish Family Day, organised by the Guardian Angel Church, Curchorem will be held on February 20 at 5:30pm at the church premises.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti Samorah, will be held on February 19 at 9am at Farmaguddi, Ponda.

Stragers, a photography exhibition by Nolan Mascarenhas will open on February 19 at 6pm at Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the Arts, Altinho, Panjim. Call 2421311.

Hop onto a wave of momentum today and you'll 21 Mar - 19 Apr t r o u n c e t h e competition tomorrow.This is not the time to skip steps. You may feel like you can save time or effort by trying out that alluring shortcut, but it leads into a quagmire that is sure to cost you more than you would expect.

Taurus M a k i n g h a r d choices is starting to pay off. It's okay to act with 20 Apr - 20 May your heart now.

Something you had thought was going to be a hard slog turns out to be a piece of cake -- so build on your momentum! You should be able to get more done than you would have dreamed possible.

Someone's Gemini looking to you to set an example for someone else -- be 21 May - 20 Jun a forgiving soul. You need to be careful about your communication style, as it's way too easy for you to be misread. Try to let go of anything that seems too complicated, at least for the time being.

A few obstacles may appear today, but overall the vibe is cool, calm 22 Jun - 23 Jul and collected.

Your right brain is tired today, so give it a break and treat all your problems analytically.

You ought to be able to formulate a savvy plan that takes all the little details into account. Get to work!

Unusual perspectives may rub you the wrong way, but ultimately 24 Jul - 23 Aug they're enlightening. Your impulsive nature has worn you out somewhat, so give it the rest of the day off while you go about your business as usual. It's a really good time for reconnecting with your best habits.

Excessive behavior is a waste of time, especially t o d a y. P a r e 23 Aug - 22 Sep down your lifestyle. Now is the perfect time to take care of all the little things that need doing in your life -cleaning, paperwork, errands and so on. Your great mental energy helps you clear space for the good stuff!

You have a lot of clarity today, so have confidence in the 23 Sept - 22 Oct choices you're making. You are a hard one to fool today, though some may still try. You see things that others miss, and you are sure to spot tiny details out of place before the day is through. What you do with the info is up to you!

Scorpio Walking down memory lane today will be a distraction exer23 Oct - 22 Nov cise. Live in the moment. Any plans you make today should work out for the best. It's a great time for you to lead groups and make sure that every voice is heard -- especially those who are in the minority. Diversity helps!

Sagittarius The actions of

Capricorn Today's not a time for quick action. Contemplate your sur22 Dec - 20 Jan roundings and just chill. Your emotional state is usually pretty even-keeled, but today, you're even more so! See if you can surprise someone with a funny story or a knowing glance that lets them know you're in on the secret.

Aquarius V i c t o r y i s yours, although you won't recognize 21 Jan - 19 Feb it unless you slow down and chill. Other people are trickier than ever to deal with, and you may want to see if you can get them to chill out and let you do things your way -- or just close the door and take care of business as only you can.

Your energy burst is starting to fade, so get things fin20 Feb - 20 Mar ished up while you can. Your helpful attitude is a sure winner today, so you ought to make sure that you're facing all the right people. Friends, colleagues, family members -- whoever needs you the most. Score some points!

Aries

Libra

someone else today will help you take stock 23 Nov - 20 Dec of your own life choices. This is not the best time for you to be considering upgrades of any kind -- especially to your career. Lateral moves are fine, of course, but your energy should align for bigger and better stuff in the near future.

WORD OF THE DAY

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Pisces

DID YOU KNOW? Humors of the human body

ethnic Pronunciation eth-nik Function Adjective Meaning : pertaining to or characteristic of a people, especially a group sharing a common and distinctive culture, religion, language Example Sentence Sustaining one’s ethnic culture is important for any society to flourish.

LAFFS

Humorism, or humoralism, is a discredited theory of the makeup and workings of the human body adopted by Greek and Roman physicians and philosophers. From Hippocrates onward, the humoral theory was adopted by Greek, Roman and Islamic physicians, and became the most commonly held view of the human body among European physicians until the advent of modern medical research in the nineteenth century. The four humors of Hippocratic medicine were black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood. Essentially, this theory held that the human body was filled with four basic substances, called four humors, which are in balance when a person is healthy. All diseases and disabilities resulted from an excess or deficit of one of these four humors. Paired qualities were associated with each humor and its season.

WIZARD OF ID

Funny Quote

“A two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it.”

– Jerry Seinfeld DAILY GROOK VICE ADVICE

by Francis Rodrigues my shop-lifting addiction the docs fail at treating, their useless prescription "u need to take something!

GARFIELD

MIND BENDERS

SUN MOON TIDES

Tongue Twister Saturday 32° C | 17° C Dawn 06:36

Clear

Sunrise 06:58

Sunset Dark 18:40 19:02

Moon rise 19:48 High —

Low 05:24

Dolly and Dally work daily at a deli in Delhi

Moon set 07:23

TIDES High Low 11:25 17:30

21:00 Hero No. 1

Doubt The Deer Hunter Ghost Rider The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen 21:00 Astro Boy 23:05 Double Team

10:45 12:00 14:15 16:15

Spartacus D-Tox Paul Blart: Mall Cop Bring It On: Fight to the Finish 18:45 Monsters vs. Aliens 21:00 Snakes on a Plane 23:15 Spartacus

08:30 11:30 15:00 19:00 22:30

Last ‘Riddle Me This’ Answer: breath

18:00 FA Cup 2010/11 : Chelsea vs. Everton 23:15 Until Death

No Entry Umrao Jaan Aur Pyaar Ho Gaya Khosla Ka Ghosla Mafia!

The Matador The Objective The Art of War III FA Cup 2010/11

17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00

09:45 Josh 13:45 Biwi No. 1 17:30 Raja Babu

13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00

12:00 Sooryavansham 16:00 Aamdani Atthanni Kharcha Rupaiya 20:00 The Real Indian 23:35 Khal-Naaikaa 11:20 13:20 15:15 17:15

Welcome to Sajjanpur Viewers Choice Khoon Pasina All the Best

Rang Badalti Odhni Geet Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Rang Badalti Odhni Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Rang Badalti Odhni Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani

11:00 Reaper 12:00 Got to Dance

IDIOT BOX 10:00 13:00 15:30 16:30 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 22:30

10:00 14:00 15:30 16:30 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00

Sasural Genda Phool Maayke Se Bandhi Dor Gulaal Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya Love U Zindagi Sasural Genda Phool Wife Bina Life Pyar Mein Twist Big Star Entertainment Awards

Khotey Sikkey C.I.D C.I.D C.I.D C.I.D Adaalat Adaalat Jubilee Comedy Circus C.I.D

10:00 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 11:00 Dance India Dance Doubles 12:30 Choti Bahu 14:30 Sanskaar Laxmi 15:59 Ek Nazar 16:00 Sanskaar Laxmi 17:30 Coolie 21:30 Dance India Dance Doubles

10:00 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma 10:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma 11:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma

SUDOKU 788

A barrel of water weighs 20 pounds. What must you add to it to make it weigh 12 pounds?

High 23:55

D Tide timings are for Mormugao Harbour. For Panjim/Calangute add 20 mins. For Colva add 30 mins

10:40 12:50 16:20 18:45

Riddle Me This

15:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma 16:00 Gili Gili Gappa 16:30 Gili Gili Gappa 17:00 Mrs. Tendulkar 18:30 Mrs. Tendulkar 19:00 Papad Pol 19:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma 20:00 Malegoan Ka Chintoo 20:30 Gutar Gu 21:00 Ring Wrong Ring 21:30 Ring Wrong Ring 22:30 Gili Gili Gappa

10:00 Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein 10:30 Rang Badalti Odhni 11:00 Geet 11:30 Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

12:00 Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani 12:30 Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein

13:00 ` 15:00 16:00 17:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00

Breaking The Magician's Code India's Minute to Win It Got to Dance Breaking The Magician's Code Top 20 Countdown India's Minute to Win It Got to Dance 30 Days of Night

10:00 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00

American Idol Two And A Half Men Two And A Half Men The Simpsons The Simpsons Friends Friends Koffee With Karan Masterchef US Masterchef US Masterchef US Koffee With Karan

20:00 Detroit 187 21:00 The Good Guys 22:00 Walking Dead

10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 13:30 15:30 16:00 19:00

The Looney Tunes Show The Looney Tunes Show Chhota Bheem Chhota Bheem Chhota Bheem Aur Krishna Marathon Kumbh Karan Marathon The New Adventures of Hanuman 20:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series 22:00 Takeshi's Castle 22:30 Takeshi's Castle

10:00 10:30 11:30 12:30 14:00 21:45 23:45

World Cup Superstars ICC World Cup H/ls ICC World Cup H/ls ICC Cricket World Cup ICC Cricket World Cup ICC Cricket World Cup Best of the Best

10:00 11:00 12:00 12:30 14:00 21:45 22:45

ICC World Cup H/ls ICC World Cup H/ls Avantha Masters Cricket Extra - ICC Cwc ICC Cricket World Cup Cricket Extra - ICC Cwc Avantha Masters

10:00 10:30 12:30 13:30 15:30 16:00 17:00 19:00 19:30 21:30 22:30

FIFA: Futbol Mundial NBA ATP World Tour 500 H/ls ATP World Tour World Hockey Magazine WWE: Superstars WWE: Smackdown Real NBA NBA WWE: Superstars ATP World Tour

10:00 The Contenders

10:30 11:00 11:30 12:30 14:00 22:15 23:15

The Contenders World Cup Superstars Capturing the Cup Cricket Extra - ICC Cwc ICC Cricket World Cup Cricket Extra - ICC Cwc Capturing the Cup

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 787

HERALD CROSSWORD - 788 10:00 A Traveller's Guide to the Planets 11:00 I Didn't Know That 11:30 I Didn't Know That 12:00 Great Migrations 13:00 Nat Geo Amazing!

14:00 Nat Geo Specials 15:00 True Stories 16:00 Mega Factories 17:00 Wild Russia 18:00 Jailed Abroad 19:00 Nat Geo Extreme 20:00 Megacities 21:00 Dangerous Encounters 22:00 Space Special

11:00 11:30 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:45 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00

Zoom Box Let'z Go! Zabar 10 Stardum Red Hot Countdown TENtalize Let'z Go! Follywood Planet Bollywood Page 3 Link'D Shortcut Movies Club Mix

08:00 Chak Dhoom Dhoom Team Challenge 12:00 The Indian Telly Awards 14:00 Khatta Meetha 16:30 Umang 18:30 Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani 21:00 Chak Dhoom Dhoom Team Challenge 22:00 Dabangg

Across 1- Rendezvous; 6- Like some history; 10- Sleeps briefly; 14Lasso; 15- Former French colony of north-western Africa; 16- Slightly; 17- Relative by marriage; 18- Up and ___!; 19- Han ___ was a “Star Wars” character; 20- Italian wine city; 21Precedence; 23- Apprentice; 25Land; 26- Hairpiece; 27Farewell; 29- Capital city of Yemen; 32- Aft; 33- ___-Locka, Florida; 36- Ruse; 37- Lightweight overgarment; 38- Overlay with wood; 39- Help; 40- Establish as the truth; 41- Artery that feeds the trunk; 42- Similar; 43Put on; 44- Security round; 47Waterproof fabric; 51- Tending to annoy; 54- Accent; 55- Goddess and sister of Ares in Greek mythology; 56Zilch; 57- Declaim; 58- Carry; 59- Tartan skirt; 60- Governed; 61- Amazes; 62- “Hard ___!” (sailor’s yell); 63- Brings up; Down 1- Experiment; 2- Wash lightly; 3- Seaport in the Crimea; 4- Staircase; 5- Shooting marble; 6- Astrologer Sydney; 7- Appraise, charge per unit; 8- Actor Baldwin; 9- Humorous poem; 10Capital of the Bahamas; 11- Bubbling; 12Guide; 13- Expressionless; 21- Fastener; 22Go after; 24- Actress Peeples; 27- Overhead; 28- Fresh-water fish; 29- Health haven; 30Boxer Laila; 31- Silent assent; 32- In a frenzy; 33- Not ‘neath; 34- Casino area; 35- According to; 37- Ceylon, now; 38- Interpret; 40- Scheme; 41- “You’ve got mail” co.; 42- Comes up; 43Become an ex-parrot?; 44- Michelangelo work; 45- Shaft shot from a bow; 46- Hackneyed; 47-

Egg-shaped; 48- Australian marsupial; 49Bury; 50- Food and water; 52- Follow; 53Doing nothing; 57- Bruins great Bobby;

SOLUTION - 787

Lifestyle

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h

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e n in p p a h ’ n ot ‘

g

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Saturday, 19 Feb 2011

Parenting

Pg3

Dhalotsav brings Women Together in Celebration the village where they HERALD FEATURES the married women of d generally revel in by g rin he gat al nu an he d’ an d the tulsi, offer ‘prasa perform ‘pujas’ aroun place in the village of Sonar Bhatt, Verem. k too y n who congregated each other’s compan large number of wome nce and enacted a ed olv inv it ’, alo ‘Dh Called ‘Fugdi’ da The rformed the ‘Dhalo’ and at the ‘Maand’. They pe as ‘Mor’, ‘Godulo’, ‘Gawdi’ and other acts. h suc s ss. ter ne rac wit cha to s ng azi variou of the festival was am uing energy and enthusiasm the women exchanged greetings for contin d, Go After offerings to ppiness in the village.. good relations and ha

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Photos by Herald Features

Sri Hanuman Zatra celebrated with Fervour HERALD FEATURES he recently concluded Sri Hanuman Zatra was celebrated to mark the day when the idol of Hanuman was reinstalled at the Hanuman Temple at the Altinho hillock. The temple is the epic centre of a 3-day festival celebrated every year in February. Though celebrated for three days, it usually lingers on for 5 days and goes well into the night.

The silver idol of hanuman is placed in a ‘palki’ (palanquin) and the procession leaves the temple on the first day of the festival. The procession makes various halts at the Mala Fountain, Sangam Lodge,

Photos by Raymond Fernan

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Photo by AJN Rodrigues

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Mhalo Wado, Precy Building, a tamarind tree near the People’s High School and Ria Café before entering the Vithoba Temple for the night.

The ‘palki’ makes it way back to the temple on the second day.

Stalls selling various items such as eatables, toys, clothes, jewellery etc are installed along the street leading from the Fountain till Precy building.

MOVIE REVIEW

7 Khoon Maaf

Cast: Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham, Naseeruddin Shah Director: Vishal Bharadwaj Rating:

7

Khoon Maaf, based on a short story by Ruskin Bond, is about a woman’s quest for love. Only this woman, Susanna played by Priyanka Chopra, unerringly manages to find and marry the worst candidates, not once but six times.

7 Khoon Maaf is told by a character (Vivaan Shah) who calls Susannah Saheb. He worked in her home as a servant, tortured by his uncle but Saheb made sure he went to school. Since then he developed a fierce loyalty and love for her.

This is a tough story to pull off and despite the voluminous talent on display here – from director-co-writer-composer Vishal Bhardwaj to Priyanka to co-stars like Irrfan Khan and Naseeruddin Shah – the film stumbles and fumbles in certain places.

Priyanka is a chameleon – vulnerable and tearful in one moment and an unfeeling viper in the next. Susanna is vain and cruel and Priyanka doesn’t try to soften her. Instead she revels in the chance to go twisted, dark and frankly ugly.

The strongest acting comes from Vivaan Shah, who plays the film’s lovelorn narrator, and Harish Khanna, as a loyal butler who knows it all. Both men have interesting screen presence and relatively solid characters.

As for the husbands, only two are any good: Aleksandr Dyachenko charms both heroine and audience, as does Irrfan Khan when reading poetry or drowning breathlessly into Priyanka’s eyes. Annu Kapoor is let down by a character written into caricature, while Naseeruddin Shah behaves differently every time we see him. John Abraham, his biceps the size of Bandra, tries hard to be a rocker and fares only marginally better than Neil Nitin Mukesh, playing a furious army man seemingly focusing on his moustache not falling off.

On the whole, 7 Khoon Maaf is a dark film that has its share of positives and negatives. However, the film will meet with diverse reactions – some will fancy it, while some will abhor it. It is definitely something different and Priyanka is brilliant in it!

Gnomeo and Juliet

Cast: James McAvoy, Emily Blunt, Jason Statham, Michael Caine Director: Kelly Asbury Rating:

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nomeo, Gnomeo where for art thou, Gnomeo? He’s drag racing a lawnmower in your backyard! Emily Blunt, James McAvoy and Michael Cane star in this hoot of a Shakespeare adaptation, Gnomeo and Juliet. The film is an adorably embellished/child-proof rendition of Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet. Gnomeo (McAvoy) of the “blues” and Juliet of the “reds” exist in competing backyards among fellow garden gnomes, mushrooms, bunnies, et al.

Battles between lawnmowers, weed-whackers, and miracle grow keep these pint sized statues at odds, until Gnomeo and Juliet meet and sparks fly. You know the rest.

Adaptation: We’ve seen our fair share of both impressive and abominable Shakespeare adaptations, but we’ve yet to see one geared towards kids. Asbury re-writes several pivotal story points to better suit her target audience – most notably, no deaths occur.

Also, the film is aimed to please a younger demographic but Asbury has worked in some subtle adult humour, offering something for everyone.

Let’s not forget the animation. It’s a visually pleasing picture from the character illustrations to the exotic colour palettes to the hysterical ‘fight’ choreography.

The only thing that could have been better was the music. Though one would expect only the best from Sir Elton John, it seems as though he threw in a measure or two from some of his classic jams but the original tunes lacked appeal.

Overall, Gnomeo and Juliet is a love story/garden adventure for all ages. Don’t miss it!

Courtesy www.cinecurry.com

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Saturday, 19 Feb 2011

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inger and actress Demi Lovato has returned to the recording studio to work on new music post her 10-week stint in rehab. The 18-year-old star, who left an unnamed clinic in the Illinois last month after being treated for ‘emotional and physical issues’, was back to recording music at the Hollywood Records’ office in Los Angeles, according to records.

It is unclear as to when the Disney star will start shooting her TV show Sonny with a Chance.

“Demi is recording music, but she’s not back to set yet. She’ll start shooting the show again when she’s ready,” said a source.

Demi entered rehab voluntarily at the beginning of November 2010 after an incident in which she allegedly punched backing dancer Alex Welch.

In December, she settled her dispute with the dancer by giving her a sum of money in compensation.

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areena Kapoor has denied that she is turning back from her decision to only do films with one female lead by costarring with Rani Mukherji in an as-yet-untitled project. The Kurbaan actress famously told Golmaal 3 director Rohit Shetty that she must have the main female role.

She said: “I am not making any exceptions with my new film. Yes, I was clear with Rohit Shetty in Golmaal 3 that it needs to be a performance-oriented role.

“As long as my role is the best role in the film, it doesn’t matter how many other girls are in it.”

The actress also refused to confirm that she is the highest paid actress in Bollywood, saying that she “wishes” that was the case.

Adam Lambert’s Dream Duet would be with...?

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dam Lambert is known for his amazing voice. It is what brought him such fame as a contestant on American Idol in 2008, and it is what has brought him such success as a recording artist in the two years since his experience on the popular reality show ended.

It has also garnered him a Grammy nomination. But who would he like as a song partner if he had a choice? The answer, coming from a glam rocker, was not a surprise...

Before heading to attend the Grammy Awards function where he was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for his song Whataya Want From Me?, Lambert made an appearance on a popular CBS talk show to do a little promotion work for his new CD/DVD set, Glam Nation Live. At the show, one young girl asked him, “On your next album, who would you love to have a duet with?”

“Duets...” Lambert mused. “You know, I’ve always had this dream of working with David Bowie. I think that would be...” He trailed off as the audience roared their approval, but then continued, “I think that would be so cool. I mean, such an innovator, such an artist. He was not afraid to be different and break the mould. And he wrote amazing music.”

Ranbir gives Dance Lessons to Sehwag

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ollywood ‘rockstar’ Ranbir Kapoor, who will be seen giving batting tips to cricketer Virender Sehwag in a new TV commercial, actually taught him to dance during the shooting of the ad.

Ranbir, who has showcased his dancing prowess in films like Saawariya, Bachna Ae Haseeno and Anjaana Anjaani, has teamed up with the cricketer for Pepsi’s cricket World Cup special commercial.

A source from the sets revealed that Sehwag was initially shy, but being a true sportsman, quickly got into the groove and started following Ranbir’s instructions on the dance floor. The actor sports a loud and carefree look in the ad, which has been designed by Aki Narula.

And for the first time, Ranbir wears a ponytail, styled by Hakim Aalim.

Robots now become Chefs in Chinese Restaurant

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My role has to be the best in the film: Kareena

Demi Lovato back to Work after Rehab

isitors to a fast-food restaurant in Shanghai may be pleasantly surprised when they are served food cooked by two robot chefs.

The robot chefs at the Wishdoing restaurant on Shanghai’s Nanjing Road can cook delicious Chinese cuisine within three minutes. They can serve customers eight popular dishes, including ‘crowdpuller dishes’ like Kung Pao chicken, spicy diced chicken with peanuts and Mapo Tofu, bean curd with chilli sauce.

The workers only have to press buttons on the robots to choose a dish and they will display the name of the ingredients and their quantities.

In appearance, the robots look like huge kitchen surfaces equipped with iron pots. It only takes three minutes for a robot to clean the pot from a previous meal, stir the ingredients, finish

Parenting

cooking and then move the food onto a plate for serving.

Although the robots cost 200,000 yuan ($30,350) each, the fast food chain is planning to install them in all of its 100 outlets across the country, said an official surnamed Ma, working with the restaurant’s parent company, Shanghai Qi Ding Food Development Co. “We believe the cooking robots will become a trend in the future for the fast food industry as they guarantee low-carbon emission, food safety and standard tastes that don’t change from one outlet to another.”

The coming of the robots has, however, raised concerns among some chefs, who are worried they could lose the jobs.

But Ma said the concern was totally unn e c e s s a r y. “ T h e robot chefs will be one part of the restaurant, but it doesn’t mean that we would abandon traditional cooking methods.”

‘Killer Paper’ could improve Food Safety

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cientists have developed and successfully tested a new food packaging material that has the ability to preserve food by fighting the bacteria that cause spoilage. The ‘killer paper’ contains a coating of silver nanoparticles that kills E coli and S aureus, two causes of bacterial food poisoning, in just three hours.

This suggests its potential application as a food packaging material for longer shelf life.

Aharon Gedanken and colleagues note that silver already finds wide use as a bacteria fighter in certain medicinal ointments, kitchen and bathroom surfaces and even odour-resistant socks.

Until now, scientists were unable to deposit the particles of silver – each 1/50,000 the width of a human hair – onto paper. The new method involves the use of ultrasound, or high-frequency sound waves, to deposit the particles on paper.

The ‘killer paper’ could also provide an alternative to common food preser vation methods such as radiation, heat treatment and low temperature storage, the researchers noted.

Courtesy Agencies

Music by Take That, Abba makes you Happy

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study has found that listening to Take That and Abba is what makes us the happiest. The study from the Mindlab International Laboratory measured participants’ skin conductance and brain activity and found that songs from these two bands got people’s pulses racing.

After Take That’s Greatest Day, the songs that measured highest in the test included Dancing Queen by Abba, the favourite of wedding disc jockeys; Finally by Ce Ce Peniston, a dance track that was heard across clubs in 1991 as people tried to forget the Norman Lamont recession. And at number five was Jump, by Van Halen.

“Music affects people emotionally, intellectually and at a deep psychological level, as a result of biochemical systems in the body that originally evolved to make us emotionally responsive to the cries of our infants,” stated Dr David Lewis Hodgson.

“The differences between people’s subjective and physical responses clearly show that preconceptions about music tracks do

not always relate to their enjoyment.”

Gennaro Castaldo, at HMV, wasn’t surprised that Take That was people’s favourite.

“Take That have been elevated into national treasures after their come back. Second time around it feels as if they are doing it because they are genuinely enjoying themselves and having fun,” he said.

“And that shines through in their music and reflects back on us, the listener. They can be very joyful to listen to.”

Abba, he said, were the perfect band to listen to in these financially austere times.

“Their lyrics are actually quite mournful, but we associate them with fantastic melodies and sequins. It’s feel-good music at its best.”

Editor –in-chief: R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat. Chief Editor-Features: Christina Viegas.

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