23 MARCH 2011 HERALD PUBLICATIONS PVT LTD

H

O HERALD O

The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 Visit us at: www.oheraldo.in panjim, wednesday, march 23, 2011 postal reg. no. Goa 101 price rs. 3.00

Sports: We’ll silence Indian crowd — Nielsen Pg 16

IN BRIEF New quakes rock Japan Japanese workers scrambled hard to restore power at the troubled Fukushima nuclear plant as smoke rose from two of its reactors in the tsunamihit northeast, which was jolted by a series of new powerful quakes, including two measuring 6.6 on the Richter Scale. Authorities sought the help of the US military in tackling the “extremely tough” situation at the plant. – (PTI) (Details on page 8)

UK to cut student intake by 100,000 Britain has decided to slash the number of foreign students coming to the UK for studies by 100,000 a year under plans to crack down on the regime, the local media said.

Britain’s Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to make a series of measures to tackle bogus colleges and tighten the rules, including restrictions on those wanting to study at below degree level, “The Daily Telegraph” has reported. – (PTI)

TIDES TODAY High Tide: 0029; 1344 Low Tide: 0707; 1926

Cops unwilling to take up Vigilance jobs: CM HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

In a shocking admission, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the Legislative Assembly today that none of the police officials in the State are ready to join the Vigilance Department, owing to political pressures exerted on them.

Replying to queries raised by legislators on the demands related to his portfolios, Kamat said that whenever there is a case registered against any officer, there is tremendous pressure on the investigating officer or the Chief Minister to let him off.

“Several times the legislators call me asking for another chance to the officer against whom the case is registered,”

‘

Rs 1.25 cr Malbhat property gutted HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 22

Panic gripped Margao’s Malbhat locality after the first floor of Sapna Arcade was engulfed in a major fire on Tuesday, destroying property worth Rs 1.25 crore.

The fire completely gutted an office-cum-store housing cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, and left an adjoining residential flat on the second floor damaged. Two other adjoining offices were also damaged in the inferno.

The loss to the office-cumstore and the goods stored inside the premises was pegged at a whopping Rs 1 crore. The second floor apartment, owned

by Sandeep Vaidya, suffered a loss of Rs 25 lakh, while the two other offices suffered losses of Rs50,000 and Rs25,000 respectively, said Assistant Fire Divisional Officer Prakash Parab. He said the fire services managed to save property worth Rs50

(Continued on page 8)

18 injured in Bogmalo bus mishap HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MARCH 22

Eighteen passengers including four lifeguards were injured, while 22 escaped unhurt, after a speeding passenger minibus flipped over on its side near Rangavi Estate, Bogmalo, near Vasco on Tuesday morning.

Two passengers were shifted to the GMC Hospital in Bambolim, while 16 others were discharged after medical treatment at the Chicalim Cottage Hospital.

The accident occurred at about 9 am when the driver of the speeding minibus (GA-01-T2432), proceeding towards Bogmalo, lost control of the vehicle.

Most of the injured passengers blamed bus driver Stephen D’Costa for rash and negligent driving, which they said had led to the accident. “The bus first rammed a signboard, then overturned and dashed against an electricity pole”, passengers said.

(Photo on pg 3) Timely action by residents of

(Continued on page 8)

(Continued on page 8)

‘Misery tax’ rolled back Bowing to widespread demands from within and outside Parliament, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today rolled back the controversial 5 per cent “misery tax” on health care, diluted the excise duty levy on branded garments and promised further relief on some other tax proposals.

“The proposed levy on health care has raised considerable anxiety in this House and outside.

The purpose of the levy was not merely to mobilise revenue. It was to pave the way for the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

“However, I have decided to exempt the new levy in its entirety both in respect of services provided by hospitals as well as by way of diagnostic tests until GST comes into force”, he said, moving the Finance Bill, 2011 for consideration in the Lok Sabha.

The announcement of withdrawal of the 5 per cent service tax on services provided by air conditioned hospitals of more than 25 beds and on diagnostic services was greeted with loud

I have decided to exempt the new levy in its entirety both in respect of services provided by hospitals as well as by way of diagnostic tests until GST comes into force.

— Pranab Mukherjee

thumping of desks by members as the Minister hoped that it will no more be called “misery tax”.

The proposal, mooted by the Minister as part of the budget for 2011-12 on February 28, had evoked sharp reaction from various groups including eminent doctors who had dubbed it as “misery tax”.

During the general discussion on the Budget last week, almost all political parties wanted the Finance Minister to withdraw the

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

(Continued on page 8)

lakh.

The fire broke out in the office-cum-store at around 12.45 pm, following a blast in one of the batteries of the office inverter. This was soon followed by another battery blast, and the premises were engulfed in fire.

(Related report on pg 3) Owner B M Prabhudesai said the staff made an attempt to put out the fire with a bucket of water, but in vain. The sounds of loud blasts from the premises created a panicky situation, prompting alert citizens to evacuate the residents to a safe place.

What made firefighting difficult was the string of explosions of cosmetic aerosol cans and deodorant bottles in the premises, which also added inflammable material to the fire.

Some of the exploded deodorant bottles landed outside the building. Fire tenders from Curchorem, Ponda and Verna were

PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

Employees have no moral right to strike: CM

re-introduce it in the Assembly,” he assured. The chief minister, however, did not give any timeframe for tabling the Bill.

Earlier, the Opposition asked the Government the status of the Lokayukta Bill. Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar said that everyone in the Government and those in direct connection with the Government should come under the ambit

Several times the legislators call me asking for another chance to the officer against whom the case is registered.

he said.

“This is a reality. None of the officers want to join the Vigilance Department,” Kamat stated, adding: “they say they are ready to work anywhere else.”

On the withdrawal of the Lokayukta Bill, Kamat stated that it was done on the advice of the Central Government. “We will withdraw the Bill in this session and, after making some changes,

Goa’s Heartbeat: Are John-Bips Pg 4 still together

Talking tough against striking Government employees, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said they have no moral right to strike work, as the Government has given all the benefits they are entitled to.

“Be it a peon or an LDC, we have given the benefits of the Sixth Pay Commission to all, even when we were not financially ready for the additional expenditure”, he said, adding: “that year the additional expenditure was around Rs 300 crore but we did not deprive the employees of their right”.

Further, he stated, “Goa was one the first five States where the 6th Pay Commission scales were implemented”. Kamat said the main demand was to implement the ‘Secretariat Scale’ to all employees.

‘

Conscience is a sacred sanctuary where God alone may enter as judge.

— Lamennais

Business: Honda to introduce more gear-less scooters Pg 10

health care service tax proposal.

Referring to the concern expressed by small scale garment manufacturers on 10 per cent excise levy on branded ready made garments and made-ups of textiles, Mukherjee proposed to enhance the abatement from 40 per cent to 55 per cent of the retail sale price.

With this relief, a unit will continue to be eligible for SSI exemption in 2011-12 even if it had a turnover based on retail sale price of Rs 8.9 crore in the current year, the Minister said.

The garment traders had criticised the proposed 10 per cent excise duty on ready made garments saying it would hurt the small business.

On the reduction of basic customs duty on raw silk from 30 per cent to 5 per cent ad valorem, he said, there has been representations supporting and opposing the move.

The Government would keep a close watch on import volumes and domestic prices and respond, if required, to mitigate any impact on the domestic sericulture sector, the Minister said.

(air surcharge rs 2.00) pages 16+4

CCP chief trains guns on KA, Convention Centre HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

Minutes after donning the chair of the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP), Mayor Yatin Parekh announced that two important projects – the proposed Kala Academy expansion and the Convention Centre – would be opposed by the Corporation.

Addressing the media after being elected as CCP Mayor, Parekh said that the Corporation will unanimously oppose both these projects, which would further congest the city.

“We will make sure that no permissions are granted for these two projects. The city is already messed up due to heavy traffic flow in this area. Further development will lead to more traffic problems”, the Mayor said. There has been strong opposition to the 2,000-seater Convention Centre proposed to

GURU-SHISHYA PARAMPARA: Babush Monserrate greets Mayor Yatin Parekh and Dy Mayor Rudresh Chodankar. Photo: Rozario Estibeiro

be constructed in the Inox parking lot. Critics claim it will result in traffic congestion in and around the area. However, the Government has decided to go ahead with the project.

Putting across his 12-point agenda for a tenure of one year,

Parekh said that the Corporation won’t grant any new construction licenses or occupancy certificates to builders without proper parking plans. “Builders should strictly see that proper parking is provided before (Continued on page 8)

GOA

OHERALDO

Pg 2

GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

RP for entire Goa likely by year end, says CM

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22 The entire exercise of notifying the Regional Plan 2021 for the state of Goa could be completed by 2011, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the House today.

Kamat said that though the RP 2021 has been notified for two talukas – Canacona and Pernem, changes can be made to the plans of these talukas only if there are any “genuine errors” brought to the notice authorities.

He said the RP for three more talukas will be notified shortly, and by June end whole exercise will be completed. The Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said this while replying to a query tabled by Fatorda MLA Damodar Naik.

He said that the RPs for Sattari, Ponda and Quepem will be

Support for English surges HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

While the parents are demanding grants to elementary schools offering English as the medium of instruction, the issue was debated in the on-going budget session of the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

Speaking on the demands for grants in the State legislative assembly, Dy Speaker Mauvin Godinho supported the change while also backed Konkani to remain as one of the compulsory subjects in the primary education.

“We want our children to grow. Besides giving grants to Konkani and Marathi schools, government should also provide grants to aided schools offering education in English,” Godinho said.

He told the Assembly that the issue should not be allowed to become a political issue. Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, who also supported grants to English primary schools, was quick to add that English as a medium of instruction is a different issue.

Few other elected representatives supported Konkani as the official language while also ruing that Roman Konkani was getting step-motherly treatment.

Other elected representatives including Education Minister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate, Agnelo Fernandes, Churchill Alemao, Francisco Pacheco, Jose Philip and others have also lend support to English along with Konkani and Marathi as Medium of Instruction for the Elementary education in Goa.

out shortly whereas plans for two more talukas will be out during next month.

“The plans of three talukas are placed before the TCP board and is being submitted for government approval,” he said.

The RP (surface utilization plan) of Pernem and Canacona have been completed and notified whereas work is in progress as regards to plans for Sanguem, Bicholim, Ponda, Salcete, Tiswadi and Mormugao taluka, he explained.

The Chief Minister said this exercise has taken more time as all sur vey numbers are mapped and there is no scope for manipulation even as Opposition MLAs Vijay Pai Khot and Laxmikant Parsekar pointed out that recommendations made by panchayats in their constituencies have not been considered while finalizing taluka RPs.

Parsekar who was critical of the Town and Country Planning Department (TCP) pointed out that TCP has not considered suggestions given while converting over lakh sq mts of areas within jurisdiction of village panchayats of Mandrem and Arombol.

Chief Minister assured the Mandrem MLA that they will rectify the mistakes even though RP has been notified. The facilitation centre has been set-up where the complaints need to be registered, he added.

The Chief Minister also clarified that they would also spell out tribal policy when Release II of RP will be out, while responding to a query raised by Poinguim MLA Ramesh Tawadkar seeking to know what will be fate of tribals residing in the forest land.

As per release I, 65.86 per cent of area in Canacona taluka

Vigilance Dept under fire HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

The ruling and opposition benches were unanimous in condemning the functioning of Vigilance Department, which according to them, has become toothless.

Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho, speaking during the cut motion for the demands of grants, on Tuesday said that there is no fear of the Vigilance Department, which is fostering corruption in the state.

“There is a general feeling that ‘We (Government) come and go but they (Government employees) will remain till their retirement. This all is be-

cause there is no fear of the government,” Godinho said demanding that the vigilance department should be strengthened so that it can work like a watchdog.

Godinho said that there is no stern action against the erring officers, which has reduced the importance of this department in their eyes.

Aldona ML A Dayanand Narvekar accused the department of sluggish investigation.

“Vigilance department sleeps for years together and people (accused) go scot-free,” he said on the floor of the house.

Deepak Dhawalikar, representing Priol constituency also

Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza on Tuesday told Goa Assembly that within three months investigation into alleged illegal sale of Communidade land of Saligao Communidade will be conducted even as he acknowledged that rates fixed by the Communidade to purchase the paddy fields are illegal.

The Revenue Minister made the statement during “Question Hour” after he came under heavy criticism from the Opposition demanding action against Saligao Communidade that allegedly sold agricultural land in contravention to rate fixed

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar alleged that two government departments were circumventing the government laid procedures while filling vacancies, which is against the law.

Speaking on the demands for grants in the State legislative assembly, Narvekar accused Captain of Ports (CoP) and Civil Supplies departments of by-passing the rules in their selection procedure.

Narvekar, former law minister, pointed out that written and oral tests and experience is mandatory. But both the departments were not taking written tests. “From the LDC to junior stenographer to any other posts, he said that norms are not being

nNarvekar accused Captain of Ports (CoP) and Civil Supplies departments of bypassing the rules in their selection procedure.From the LDC to junior stenographer to any other posts, he said that norms are not being followed which is amounting to illegality. followed which is amounting to illegality.”

“What is happening in the ad-

under the Tenancy Act. Saligao MLA Dilip Parulekar who raised the issue demanded to know when the action will be taken against erring Communidade while highlighting three-four cases alleged illegal sale of Communidade land.

He also produced documents in support of his case.

While assuring to take immediate action, Revenue Minister also told the House that the Collector of North Goa has directed to revoke the resolution passed by the general body in its meeting held on September 19, 2010 regarding preliminary negotiations with the tenants to purchase the paddy fields.

And the Administrator of Communidade of North Zone has been directed to implement the rates as per Agriculture Tenancy Act, 1964.

Aldona ML A Dayanand Narvekar participating in the discussion said, such cases are not limited to Saligao Communidade alone and there is need to issue directions to all Communidades not to harass farmers cultivating Communidade land if agriculture has to prosper.

“No body has power to supersede, Tenancy Act, “he said while suggesting that the government should issue directions to Communidade in the interest of farming.

CM defends Dabolim land de-notification

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

“While Central agencies easily procure land in Goa, we have to struggle to get even an inch of land from them,” stated Chief Minister while explaining why acquisition was dropped in Dabolim expansion case after section 6 was invoked.

He was speaking during “Question Hour” on Tuesday in response to a question tabled

by Canacona MLA Vijay Pai Khot who wanted to know whether the government had taken permission of Airport Authority of India (AAI) under whose instruction originally acquisition for land admeasuring 70000 sq mts was initiated.

But subsequently, the State Government dropped the acqui-

questioned the department’s competence.

“We don’t understand the functioning of the department.

The officials’ efficiency at work should be improved,” he suggested.

The MLA said that corruption in the government departments should be on the vigilance radar. Dhawalikar suggested that Vigilance department should be given proper direction.

Whereas Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar was sarcastic to say there is no corruption in Goa because of the ‘proper functioning’ of the Vigilance department.

Job selection: CoP, civil supplies accused of by-passing procedure

Probe into Saligao communidade land sale within 3 months: Philip HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

is earmarked as Eco I comprising forests, national park/wild life, mangrove forest, private forests, water bodies and paddy fields.

Whereas Eco II consists of orchard, natural cover, cultivable land, salt pans and fish farms covering about 24.77 per cent of the area whereas area earmarked for settlement is 6.94 per cent which equals to 2443.13 hectors.

Canacona MLA has requested Chief Minister to increase area under settlement zone as well for under industry which is currently, only 0.19 per cent.

For Pernem taluka, area under ECO I is 24.02 per cent and Eco II is 57.59 per cent whereas areas under settlement zone is 11.70 per cent which is 2944.05 hectors.

Total area of the State is 3702 sq mts of 38 per cent, 1424.46 sq mts is notified as forest.

sition for 36800 sq mts, land which was owned by a private party.

The land was proposed to be acquired for building parking facility and CISF barracks for AAI. This newspaper had published a report about this decision of the government, last week.

The Chief Minister while justifying the partial dropping of acquisition told the House that the land in question was located very far away from Dabolim airport.

He also stated that the government has been facing difficulty from Navy in acquiring four acres of land which is required for expansion of Dabolim airport.

As informed to the House in five cases the acquisition was

dropped fully or partly after section 6 was invoked. Currently, Goa Government is in receipt of fourteen applications for land acquisition from Central agencies.

GOMANT BAL RATH SCHEME: Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Tuesday announced in Goa Assembly that Gomant Bal Rath scheme will be extended to government schools with 20 per cent OBC students which is currently applicable to private schools.

Under this scheme, school bus is provided to private schools having 20 per cent OBC students of its total strength.

Bus facility has been most handy for students who have to rely on private transport system to reach school.

ministration?

There is absolutely no control.

The atmosphere is disturbing,” he commented lashing out at the state government.

Talking about the vigilance department, Narvekar claimed that Mapusa swimming pool has been leaking since day one of its inauguration. “But till date, no action has been taken against the concerned official,” the former minister said.

Priol MLA Deepak Dhawalikar, speaking on the floor, questioned why the waiting list for the government jobs is swelling every passing month.

He said that the state government is not considering the cases of these applicants, who are financial backbone for the families.

Canacona RP riddled with loopholes: MLA HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

Poinguinim MLA Rajesh Tawadkar today told the State legislative assembly that the exercise of Regional Plan 2021 for Canacona taluka is riddled with loopholes and the suggestions placed by the local panchayats were grossly ignored by the Task Force.

Tawadkar supporting the cut motion on the floor of the house said that development envisaged in the RP should aim at betterment of the taluka and Goa as a whole.

The surface utilization plans for Canacona and Pernem talukas are already notified by the State government.

The Town and Country Plan-

The Opposition has alleged that set-off in loan of Rs 74 lakh was given by Goa State Co-operative Bank Ltd, (GSCBL) to two educational institutes in Shiroda which are headed by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Subhash Shirodakar is illegal.

Highlighting the issue during “Question Hour” on Tuesday, Shiroda MLA, Mahadev Naik said the set-off given was in contravention to RBI guidelines as also against the by laws of the apex Bank.

The apex co-operative Bank had sanctioned loan Rs 70 lakh each to S E S Rayeshwar Institute of Engineering and Information Technology and SES Shree Kamakshi Devi Homeopathic Medical College in 2000 and 2001, respectively.

However, Minister for Cooperation Ravi Naik maintained relaxation was given as per Bank formulated scheme as per guidelines of the RBI and it was approved in the annual general body meeting of the Bank held on September 30, 2005.

Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar, however, pointed out that Co-operation Minister in his reply given in August 2010 had said relaxation given was not in consonant with RBI guidelines.

The Co-operation Minister however said the government doesn’t have say in the Bank thanks to its multi-

tions were heeded to.

“In all 64 percent land comes under Eco I wherein no development activity can be undertaken whereas 6.94 per cent area is covered under Eco II where settlement can be undertaken,” he said.

Tawadkar alleged that while Goans are being harassed in their own land, the outsiders are prioritized.

His statement was supported by Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar who stated that Goans are pushed out of their own land, as the land price is becoming exorbitant.

Mapusa ML A Francis D’Souza rued that Goa was undergoing various illegal land

conversion. He said that infrastructures like hotels and bars have been put up in the agricultural land.

“TCP should control this.

The illegal land conversion and illegal construction should be stopped,” he demanded.

Shiroda MLA pointed out the illegal hill cutting in his constituency. He alleged that trucks plying in the area dump the debris at the Shiroda bus stand with Government shying away from taking action.

Similarly, NCP legislator Francisco ‘Mickky’ Pacheco listed out the mushrooming illegal projects in the last four years.

IFFI losing its charm: Parrikar

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar on Tuesday said that the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is loosing its charm in Goa as the State government was allowing the interference of the Central government.

His statement comes a day after Parrikar and Sports Minister Manohar Azgaonkar had almost come to blows after accusations of corruption against each other, following which the session had to be adjourned.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Parrikar said that IFFI is deteriorating because Goa government is allowing the Directorate of Film Festivals (DFF) to take the charge of the festival.

“They (DFF) are typical bu-

reaucrats,” he said.

Parrikar, who introduced IFFI to Goa in 2004 during his chief ministership, suggested the government to stop signing MoUs with the DFF. He referred to the annual agreement signed between Goa government and In-

formation and Broadcasting Ministry on IFFI “We have enough people and experience to take charge of the festival. Goa should mount pressure on DFF to give more role to the State in organizing the festival. Goa should strike direct contact with film directors and involve them in the hosting of the festival,” said the BJP leader.

He stressed that IFFI is not on the lines of Cannes but to Berlin, which focuses on people’s participation.

He further recommended that Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who heads the IFFI organisation, should take people in confidence while planning for the festival.

“One committee can be for contracts and another for con-

cepts. We have to go for local artisans,” Parrikar said adding that he would attend IFFI 2011, after a gap of seven years.

“We really have the good government officers. Give them free hand to work. Other issues like traffic congestion due to peripheral activities can be sorted out by the government,” the leader of opposition said.

Parrikar has further opposed the proposed convention centre near INOX multiplex.

“The area earmarked for the convention centre is too small.

A convention centre requires 16,000 to 20,000 sq mtrs land but the INOX area is too small for a convention centre,” Parrikar who personally inspected the area, said.

HC again pulls up Centre over police-drug nexus case

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

The High Court of Bombay at Goa has once again pulled up the Central government for wavering on handing over the police-drug nexus case probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

CBI in a letter to the Union of India on March 11 expressed their inability to take over the case probe, following which the latter has been indecisive on handing over the probe.

“The local police has better facilities/infrastructure and local language would not be a barrier to them. Whereas the officers of CBI would have constraints of local language, topography, etc…there is lack of manpower in CBI as many cases have been

‘Loan waiver to educational institutes illegal’ HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

ning (TCP) Board has approved plans for three more talukas, which are awaiting the notification.

The BJP legislator said that government has turned its back towards development of Canacona taluka.

“They (government) are just not interested,” he said.

Stating that Canacona comprises 54 per cent of the forest land, Tawadkar demanded that the interest of forest dwellers should be kept in mind while doing any development in this southernmost taluka.

Tawadkar said that the panchayats had given various suggestions under Eco I and Eco II zones but none of the sugges-

nThe apex cooperative Bank had sanctioned loan of Rs 70 lakh each to S E S Rayeshwar Institute of Engineering and Information Technology and SES Shree Kamakshi Devi Homeopathic Medical College in 2000 and 2001, respectively. It therafter waived Rs 38 lakh and Rs 35 lakh respectively. state status.

But Parrikar said the government does have say in the Bank by virtue of its share holding and if it doesn’t heed government’s advise then it should withdraw its multi-state status.

Naik also told the House that the relaxation was given in respect of interest alone and not on principal loan amount.

The apex Bank waived Rs 38 lakh for Rayeshwar Engineering and Information Technology and Rs 35 lakh for Shree Kamakshi Devi Homeopathic Medical College.

While the Co-operation minister stuck to his stand Opposition Leader also warned him, saying the condition of the Bank has tuned bad and it might collapse if corrective measures are not taken.

nIs the CBI binding on you? Are you handicapped with this letter? You have to take the decision,” the Bench said, giving the Central Government two weeks time to rethink on the matter. referred to CBI by Supreme Court and other constitutional courts,” the letter by Dy Secretary (Department of Personnel) to the Central Government reads.

When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Advocate Mahesh Amonkar, representing the Central Government pro-

duced the CBI’s letter to the Court.

The bench headed by Justices S C Dharmadhikari and F M Reis expressed their discontent with the Central Government’s attitude towards the sensational case.

“Is the CBI binding on you?

Are you handicapped with this letter? You have to take the decision,” the bench said, giving the Central Government two weeks time to re-think on the matter.

The bench then directed that State of Goa is responsible to provide all facilities to the CBI when the latter takes over the probe.

The CBI also stated that they are apprehensive for there could be miscarriage or failure of justice or failure of proper and hon-

est investigation is misplaced and without any basis.

“The State has clearly mentioned in the communication to the central government that the case is sensitive and high level police officers are involved.

Moreover, the alleged drug activity is carrying on with the blessing of locals,” the Court observed.

On Jan 14, 2011, Goa Unit of the National Students Union of India (NSUI) had moved High Court pleading a CBI probe into the policemen-drug mafia nexus cases in the state.

In his petition, NSUI Goa Chief Sunil Kawathankar demanded that the case be handed over to the central investigation agency as the conduct of the police officers probing it was doubtful.

Shigmostav in Panjim from March 23

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

The five-day long Shigmostav festival will commence from March 23 in Panjim.

Marking its 23rd anniversary, the Shigmostav festival will offer package of programs apart from traditional ‘Shobhayatra’ (floats) and Romta Mell on March 26.

The festival will also have programs like musical orchestra, dance performances, sangeet program by Zee Marathi’s Sa Re Ga Ma fame, comedy shows and Lavani by Mumbai based group.

The organizers, Panjim Shigmostav committee is expecting participation of around 50 floats

for the festival. “The number has shown a rise compare to last year, where we had participation of 40-odd float,” committee president Shrinivas Dempo told reporters.

During the festival, renowned artists like a well known craftsman and Ganesh idol maker Bhanudas Nhainginkar, tiatr artist Sebastiao Fenandes and Marathi stage actor Mangesh Chari, will be honoured.

The festival will also have the presence of renowned Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure.

Dempo said that a total funding of Rs 12.5 lakh has been granted by state government,

which includes Rs 8 lakh for infrastructure and Rs 4.5 lakhs as price money.

“The amount is much less then what they grant to carnival festival in the city. A slight hike in funding will help us to organize the festival in much better way,” he said.

The first ever Shigmo festival was organized in Panjim in the year 1989.

“The government did not give any financial support to this festival at that time, but Samiti received unprecedented support and appreciations from people belonging from all walks of life,” Dempo recalled.

BEd teachers want ceiling fixed for colleges, to approach court HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

The striking BEd teachers on Tuesday said that they will approach the court to put a ceiling on the number of BEd colleges as the number of trained teachers has exceeded the demand.

Briefing media persons, BEd Holders Association, President Sudheer Kesarkar questioned the wisdom behind setting up four BEd colleges when the employment opportunities are few.

“If government can’t absorb all the students, then what’s the point in having four colleges?” he questioned. He urged government either to close down at least two of these colleges or to reduce the strength of the student’s from 100 to 50 per college.

“If government can’t, then we will ensure that no new BEd colleges come up in the state. We will approach court and get stay

on it,” Kesarkar said.

He said that ever y year around 400 students pass out from various B.Ed colleges, who are either treated as unemployed or are appointed on lecture basis.

It’s been almost four months now since the BEd holders are agitating for their demands. The prime demands of the teachers include permanent jobs in the schools; consider as eligible to teach the primary section and jobs on basis of experience.

The teachers are on day and night Dharna in the capital city since March 14. However, till today there has been no firm decision from the government over their demands.

The association criticized government for not being firm on their demands. “We already had meetings with director of education and Monserrate. False assurances are been given,” the

president said.

He said that the issue was also placed before Chief Minister Digamber Kamat, who refused to hear their grievances. “Did I ask you to study B.Ed? This was the reply given by Kamat to us,” Kesarkar told reporters.

Meanwhile, the education minister Babush Monserrate on Monday assured state Legislative Assembly to create atleast one post for BEd teachers in each government schools on immediate bases.

Welcoming the assurance, the agitating teachers said that they are ready to work in any schools, provided the job is permanent.

The association has also accused DoE, for being partial in creating vacancies for DEd holders. The association feels that the retirement age of the teachers should be curtail to 58 years, as after 55 years, they are physically unfit to teach students.

OHERALDO

GOA

Pg3 GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

Lack of logistics takes toll in Malbhat building fire

Burglars target flats in Vasco HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MARCH 22

Burglaries continue to torment the port town, when burglars on Tuesday targeted three flats, while making an abortive bid on two flats, on the fourth floor of Sushila Smruti Building near Vaddem-Vasco.

According to the owner of two flats, Sidesh Raikar, cash of Rs 8,500 and two mobile phones and silver utensils, amounting to over Rs 30,000, were missing from the flat.

“At about 9 am, I locked my two flats located on the fourth floor of the building and went for work. However, when I re-

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 22

Disaster management came to the fore in the Commercial Capital on Tuesday yet again, as the fire services had to literally fight the Malbhat building fire against odds sans fire hydrants and a hydraulic lift.

District Collector, South G P Naik, in charge of the District Management Authority, flatly refused to share the blame for the deficiency in infrastructure, saying the proposals for fire hydrants, water tanks and hydraulic lift lie pending with the State government.

Sadly, firemen admitted that the loss in the Malbhat fire could have been less had there been water availability with ease, while laying stress on the fire hydrants for the Commercial capital.

Says Assistant Fire Divisional Officer, Prakash Parab: “The fire fighting operations was hit by non-availability of water. Much time was lost by the time the fire tenders returned back to the fire station for refilling. Also, time is consumed when fire tenders from the division reach Margao from their headquaters”, he added.

Parab recalled the proposal lying with the authorities on the need to install fire hydrants, covering the densely populated Commercial Capital. “If there was a fire hydrant at Malbhat near the building, the operation would have continued uninterrupted”, he said.

Thief falls to death HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARCEL, MARCH 22

The office-cum-store on the first floor of Sapna Arcade on fire on Tuesday evening. Fire men seen battling the raging fire.

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar

Incidentally, it was at the initiative of the residents that a hydraulic lift was procured from the power department. In fact, the hydraulic lift helped fire fighting in an effective manner, though the lift came in the later part of the operation.

Residents and locals were highly critical of the authorities in handling disaster management without the basic infrastructure. Questions are raised as to how the fire personnel are expected to fight fire sans facil-

ities.

In fact, residents pointed to the drinking water wells just a stone throw away from the building, but water could not be pumped out for want of pumps.

Says BJP leader Rupesh Mahatme and a resident of the building: “The Disaster Management machinery ought to have been at the spot first, but it was too late. But, alert residents and help from agencies such as the police, power department, fire

The ill-fated passenger bus involved in an accident near Rangavi Estate, Bogmalo-Vasco.

Yatin, Rudresh elected CCP mayor, deputy

men helped to tackle the fire.

There’s a dire need to put the facilities in place to tackle major fires in the Commercial capital”.

District Collector, G P Naik, however, says that his office had proposed a host of proposals to the state government for approval, but in vain.

“We are aware of the deficiencies, but the ball lies in the government’s court to make available the infrastructure”, he said.

Photo by M Prabhav

The newly elected Mayor and Deputy Mayor with corporators.

Yatin Parekh was formally elected as the Mayor of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) through the election held on Tuesday morning.

Rudresh Chodankar was seated as a deputy Mayor of the corporation, which is ruled by Babush Monserrate led panel.

The elections, held under the leadership of CCP commissioner Elvis Gomes, were attended by Monserrate and all 30 corporators.

Though the ruling panel backed Parekh as candidate for the Mayor, the opposition-Panaji First’s Vaidehi Naik also filed the nomination for the post. She was however, defeated by 16:12.

Similarly, Chodankar defeated PF’s Shubham Chodankar by 16:12 to hold the post of deputy Mayor for the tenure of one year.

Interestingly, both Surendra and Ruth Furtado, elected from ward number 9 and 10 as independent candidate, did not supported any of the panel.

“We are independent candidates. We don’t belong to any panel,” Surendra Furtado said.

Meanwhile, for the first time

an equal participation was given to opposition on the various committees of CCP. The corporation unanimously elected six members standing committee, which has participation of Parekh, Chodankar, Maria Rita Fenandes, Edi Jorge, Surendra Furtado and Shubham Chodankar.

The elections for three different committees- Public Works, Public Health and Market and Women and Child Welfare committee, was also held. Total 21 members were appointed on these three committees.

Public Works Committee-

Photo by Sachin Ambadoskar

Tony Rodrigues, Carolina Po, Prajot Vaingenkar, Krishna Shirodkar, Bento Lorena, Shweta Lotlikar and Shekhar Degvekar.

Public Health and Market committee- Yatin Parekh, Rudresh Chodankar, Kabir Pinto Makhija, Gangaram Kale, Margarida Coelho, Vaidehi Naik and Ratnakar Fatrpekar.

Women and Child Welfare committee- Maria Rita Fernandes, Carolina Po, Vivina N a s n o d k a r, M a r g a r i d a Coelho, Pascoela Mascarenhas, Diksha Mayenkar and Sheetal Naik.

Commotion was witnessed outside the Margao police station on Tuesday evening b e t w e e n t h e t w o g ro u p s over the construction project near the Chapel at MuridaFatorda.

The two groups were called to the police station by Margao PI Santosh Desai after Gregory Dias, who h a s p u r c h a s e d the property, complained that construction work at the site is stopped by the rival group.

PI Desai told those opposing the construction project led by former Councilor Tadev Dias that they can approach the Margao Municipal Council and the SGPDA for revocation of the construction license if they have any valid grounds against the project.

If not, PI Desai suggested that they can approach the office of Director of Municipal Administration (DMA) with their grievance for redressal.

On the other hand, PI Desai told Gregory Dias to

Corporator seriously ill HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) ruling panel corporator Gangaram Kale had to be admitted to the hospital when he took seriously ill at his residence at Altinho.

While intense rumour mongering was on, about his sickness in the city, Kale claimed that he got ill because of the overdose of the tablets that he consumed to treat his stomach

pain.

CCP Mayor Yatin Parekh, who was with the corporator in the hospital, however, claimed Kale was down with food poisoning.

Kale had left the first ever CCP meeting to elect Mayor and Deputy Mayor halfway. The youngest corporator, elected from ward number 27 was elected as one of the member on the Public health and Market committee of CCP.

In an unusual incident, a thief died after falling off a building while trying to escape at Haveli-Curti, Ponda, on Tuesday.

According to Ponda Police, the incident occurred at about 2 pm, when the unidentified man entered the second floor flat of the building at Kazi Residency, Haveli-Curti.

The thief entered the house by break opening the front door lock. Neighbours in the building became suspicious of the activities in the flat and raised an alarm.

Fearing his arrest, the thief ran towards the terrace and in an effort to escape, he jumped off the terrace and tried to leap into the terrace of another building.

However, he failed to clear the distance and ended up falling to the ground.

He was rushed to the ID Hospital in Ponda, where he was declared dead. Police later recovered gold ornaments worth Rs 60,000 and a digital camera from the deceased.

KTC to ply Volvo buses on Goa, Bangalore route HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 22

There’s good news in store for Goans traveling to Bangalore by the KTC. After Mumbai and Shirdi, the KTC will ply a Volvo bus on the Goa-Bangalore route, beginning from March 31.

If KTC Managing Director, Venancio Furtado is to be believed, the bus will ply via Karwar and will leave Panjim at 8 pm. That’s not all. He said passengers need not stand in a queue to buy tickets, saying the tickets can be booked online.

“The 45-seater Volvo bus to Bangalore will Panjim at 8 pm and will reach Margao at 9 pm.

There will not be any halt on the way since the KTC management want the bus to reach Bangalore the following day at 8-9 am. Similarly, the bus from Bangalore to Goa will leave at 9 pm”, he added. He said the bus fare is priced Rs 775 per seat.

Replying to a question, he said the KTC management has decided to press two additional

Construction project raises hackles at Margao police station HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 22

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

turned at 1 pm, man doors of both the flats were found broke open,” informed Raikar.

“Since one flat was undergoing renovation and painting work, it was empty. Burglars ransacked belongings from another fl at and d ec amp ed with valuables and cash,” said Raikar.

One more flat, adjacent to Raikar’s flat, was also found broke open.

The flat inmates had gone to their native place in BangaloreKarnataka, police are yet to register the case.

Police informed that belongings were ransacked and it ap-

While he was being taken in the city hospital, Parekh said that Kale had returned from his two-day tour to Shirdi.

Incidentally, Babush Monserratte loyalist Naguesh Karishetty had also accompanied Kale on his pilgrimage.

Police Inspector Ramesh Gaonkar said that he had received call about Kale taking the overdose but no medico legal case has been filed with them.

approach the civil court or the district Magistrate for police protection to carry out the construction work.

Gregory told newsmen after the meeting that the rival group is trying to stop construction work at the project site though he has all the valid permissions from the MMC. He said he will ask for police protection to carry out the construction work.

Tadev Dias, on the other hand, said the local residents of Murida want the land in question to be reserved for the Chapel to hold religious activities and community recreation.

He alleged that Gregory was part of the local community to oppose construction project on the plot of land and has now purchased the same property for a construction project.

luxury buses on the Goa-Mumbai route to cater to the passengers. “We have received inquiries from passengers for additional luxury buses from Goa to Mumbai. The passengers have suggested that the buses should ply upto Dobi Talao. We are open to this suggestion”, he added.

Replying to a question, he said the KTC has also decided to deploy two Blue coloured buses on the Polem-Panjim and Pernem-Panjim route for the benefit of long distance travelers.

“These buses will start plying from April 1. They would leave their starting point early mornings collecting passengers along the route to Panjim”, he added.

pears that some valuable have gone missing from the third flat, as police could not verify exactly what went missing as the flat owner is out of the State.

Residents informed that the burglars tried to break open two more flats located on the third floor of the building, but could not succeed and left half way

noticing movement of people.

It may be recalled that within fortnight, five flats have been targeted in and around Vasco city. Burglars had targeted flats at New Vaddem and MangorHill and decamped with valuables and cash amounting to lakhs of rupees.

OHERALDO

Pg4 GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

UPCOMING EVENTS Prayer service at Mapusa

PANJIM (HND): “There is no name under Heaven and Earth by which we can be saved, but only by the name of Jesus.”

(Acts 4 v/s 12). A Prayer service will be held on March 26 at Sirsat Hall, 3rd floor, above Union Pharmacy, Ramchandra building, Mapusa from 3 pm to 6 pm. For further information call 8805527265.

Mentally challenged beggars a nuisance in Mapusa

Ex-students’ meet

PANJIM (HNB): The ex-students of Nirmala Institute of Education, Altinho-Panjim, will meet in the institute hall on March 26 from 3.30 pm to 5 pm.

In a press note, Institute Principal Dr Rita Paes has stated that the re-launching of the Alumini Association and the role it can play in the educational arena will be discussed at the meeting. All ex-students of the Institute are invited to the meeting.

A mentally challenged beggar lying on the road in Mapusa.

Photo by Anil Shankhwalker

Corlim gram sabha PANJIM (HND): The ordinary gram sabha of the Corlim Panchayat will be held on April 3 at in the community hall of the Panchayat, at 10 am. Voters who wish to place any proposals on developmental works in the Gram Sabha may forward the same to the Sarpanch by March 30 in the office of VP Corlim.

Mexican vocalist to perform PANJIM (HND): The Embassy of Mexico in India, Indian council for cultural relations, Directorate of Art and Culture, Goa and Kala Academy will jointly present ‘Blue’ a live performance, ‘Mexico’ by Mexican vocalist Magos Herrera on March 23 at DMK, Kala Academy AC Hall, Panjim, at 7 pm. He will be accompanied by Reubens de la Corte on guitar, Jason Lindner on piano, Panagiotis Andreu on bass and Alex Kautz on drums. Entry for the performance is free.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, MARCH 22

The mentally challenged beggars in dirty rags who roam on the streets in Mapusa have become a nuisance to the public.

To make matters worse, these beggars sleep wherever they

Mangueshi Devastan wins architectural award for Rahul Deshpande

Circle Dak Adalat PANJIM (HND): The Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai, will hold the 77th Dak Adalat on April 18 in his office at 11 am.

Complaints/grievances regarding postal services, including non payment of money orders pertaining to Goa which have not been settled within six weeks will be entertained at the Dak Adalat.

Complaints should contain details like names and designations of the officers to whom original complaint was addressed, particulars of articles etc, and send the same in duplicate to H C Patel, Asstt Director (PG) and Secretary, Dak Adalat, office of the Chief Postmaster General, Maharashtra Circle, Mumbai GPO building, 2nd floor, Mumbai 400 001 by March 25.

POWER SHUTDOWN MARCH 24 PONDA: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Dhume, Perigol, Galshire, Ramnathi, Kavle, Paun, Bandore, Shantadurga.

want and eat whatever they find in the dust bins. However, none of the government authorities or NGOs seem to be bothered about it and they are left to live in unhygienic and miserable state.

Since Goa is a tourist desti-

nation and many tourists, both foreign and Indians, visit Mapusa they will carry with them the wrong impression of Goa on seeing the pitiable condition of these beggars.

Shiv Sena Mapusa have urged Mapusa Police Inspector to locate such mentally challenged beggars in Mapusa and take them into custody and hand them over to the concerned government authority, where they would get proper care and a new lease of life.

In a memorandum to Mapusa Police station, Shiv Sena Ad Hoc member Philip D’Souza has stated that these human beings are unfortunate victims on nature who need proper care.

“It becomes the duty of the government to take care of their treatment, upkeep, safety and hygiene,” states the memorandum.

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

Mangueshi Devasthan at Mangueshi was recently awarded the A+D Best Institutional Architecture Award 2010, for its re-vitalisation. The 300 year old complex houses a temple of Lord Manguesh and Agarshalas along with the temple of Mulkeshwar and Purush.

The Mangueshi temple is on the Goa tourist map and is visited

by thousands of tourists everyday. The age old infrastructure needed immediate attention and the Devasthan committee under the leadership of the former President Prashant Nadkarni undertook the Herculean task of upgrading its infrastructure.

Architect Rahul Deshpande, a mahajan of the temple, was requested to plan the re-vitalisation. The design included the construction of the new Agarshala building, re-construction of Mulkeshwar temple and development of Prakhar. The upgradation process that began in 2008, was completed in January 2010.

Rahul Deshpande who is overjoyed with the recognition, mentions that designing the complex was indeed a challenge as new structures had to blend with the character and architectural language of the place, yet had to be contemporary and provide state of the art amenities. Use of wood and local materials are predominant in the design and the Vedic

Vaastu principles have been thoroughly followed. A sense of calm and tranquillity is created by clever use of Landscape, minimal build mass and colour.

The A+D awards are held annually and the best talents of the year in India and Southeast Asia are selected in various categories.

Rahul Deshpande, who has won numerous national and international awards, is a structural engineer practising architecture.

Oz govt rewards Goan for bravery in Iraq

Antonio Po HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

Antonio Po, a resident of Caranzalem, was recently awarded ‘Commendation for Brave Conduct’ by the Government of Australia for aid to injured and dying people following a terrorist attack at Al Kasik Army Base in Iraq on the afternoon of August 8, 2004.

Po was employed as a member of a civilian support team stationed at the Army Base where terrorists deployed two trucks that exploded in quick succession in the front of the dining facility. This was followed by seven rocket attacks.

The award was announced in the media and published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on March 21, 2011. Antonio Po will be invited for investiture ceremony at which he will be presented with the insignia of the award.

GOA

S H O RT TA K E S Principal Day observed

CURCHOREM (HC): The Principal Day cum valedictory function was recently organised at Guardian Angel High School, Curchorem.

On the occasion, a warm send-off was given to retiring teacher Edna Mavis Viegas, who gave her 31 years of long dedicated services to the institution. In recognition of her services and contribution in the field of education, the management awarded her with certificate of appreciation at the hands of Fr Henry D’Souza (Manager of Guardian Angel Educational Complex).

Speaking on behalf of the PTA, Dr Jagdish Kakodkar (exstudent and professor at GMC) praised teacher Mavis for her zealous and untiring services to the students’ community.

While thanking the management and Staff for the co-operation and reposing faith in her, teacher Mavis expressed happiness for being a teacher and seeing her many students occupying top positions in society.

Speaking further, she advised the students to work hard with sincerity to climb the ladder of success and to achieve goal of their life.

Earlier, the staff of Guardian Angel High School and Primary School celebrated the birthday of their headmaster Fr Walter Miranda.

On the occasion, various entertainment programmes were organised by the students of primary and high school.

Students felicitated

Trajano D’Mello felicitates Natasha Pereira.

Photo by Thomas Fernandes

CALANGUTE (HC): Lokacho Adhar felicitated the students of St Anthony’s High School, Monte de Guirim, for its award winning Tiatr ‘Ami Sogllim Ek’.

The students who won the Tiatr Academy Award for their Konkani drama ‘Ami Sogllim Ek’ were felicitated by Lokacho Adhar President Trajano D’Mello. Rockson Fernandes, Marciano Noronha and Alzira D’Costa, the brains behind the drama, were also felicitated.

D’Mello congratulated the great efforts of the child artistes for their superb performance on stage which enabled them to bag the honours at the Tiatr Academy.

The annual scholarships awards were also presented to the deserving students in various categories while the lead boy Roger Fernandes and lead girl Dakshita Salgaonkar were inducted for the next academic year 2011-12.

Headmaster Fr Paul Alvares thanked the organization for encouraging the students in the presence of Principal Fr Steve Rodrigues and others.

Anaemia camp held

Natural World

Living in the Deep Sea

U

nder the blue waves of the vast oceans, there exists an alternate reality.

This reality shares the world with us, but the citizens there could not be more different. We are of course talking about the deep sea.

‘Deep Sea’ is an area inhabited by strange organisms.

These wondrous creatures live below the photic zone of the ocean; meaning they live under the uppermost layer of water, into which daylight penetrates. That means these creatures are not affected by sunlight at all – very simply because they don’t experience it.

Stop to consider life without sunlight: it is unimaginable.

All life on the surface of the earth receives sunlight and is influenced by it; the

biggest example being photosynthesis. The deep sea creatures have adapted to extremely harsh conditions; such as hundreds of atmospheres of pressure, small amounts of oxygen, very little food, no sunlight, and constant, extreme cold.

These zones are called the abyssal or hadal zones which, being thousands of meters below the surface, are almost completely devoid of light. The water is usually (between 3 and 10 degrees Celsius, or 37 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit), and has low oxygen levels. Due to the depth, the pressure is between 20 and 1,000 atmospheres. Creatures that live thousands of feet deep in the ocean have evolved to use energy supplied from our planet rather than our sun.

Such organisms use inorganic chemicals (usually hydrogen and hydrogen sulfide obtained from rocks and sea water) for energy instead of organic matter.

They utilize carbon dioxide

as their carbon source. Geothermal, rather than solar energy, catalyzes chemical reactions that create lifesustaining inorganic molecules. Organisms consume the inorganic chemicals and convert them to life's fuel ― usually sugar. Water is the only absolutely essential ingredient deep organisms need in addition to the inorganic chemicals they mine from their surroundings.

Many of these creatures also depend on food floating down from above.

It is fascinating to realize that there are some creatures who can actually survive under conditions that are so extreme and existing in constant darkness and unbearable cold.

Shaina D’Costa and Rakshit Gaonker crowned as Miss Tiny Tots and Master Tiny Tots at the farewell function held for Std IV in Ideal Education Society’s, Quepem, Lions tiny tots nursery, KG and primary school, Quepem.

Queen Momo to anchor Bingo on HCN

Flavia Fernandes HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

Flavia Fernandes, who was the ‘Queen Momo’ at the Carnival Parades in Panjim and Ponda will be anchoring the popular HCN’s Bingo Show on Wednesday at 7.30 p.m.

Flavia, a graduate in Home Science, engaged in TRYSEM classes in Benaulim, has followed in her family tradition of being

part of the carnival culture over the years. Her dad, Tome Fernandes of Government Printing Press was the King Momo twice in 2000 and 2004 while her mum Antonetta Fernandes had participated in carnival floats on various occasions. Her uncles, Timoteo, Lourenco and Bondo are Goa’s famous personalities in the field of culture and folklore.

Flavia had accompanied her father for several royal weddings in Indore, Gujarat, Rajasthan where the father-daughter duo enacted the king and the bridesmaid roles. A bright student throughout her school and college careers, Flavia presently is a teacher in craftsmen designing.

She was thrilled on becoming selected ‘Queen Momo’ this year. “It was a great moment and enormous feeling for me to be part of the carnival floats in Panjim and Ponda. I’ll remember this for the rest of my life,” said the 23-year-old, who has a passion for music and fashion designing and wants to pursue her career in craftsmen training.

New rules for kerosene distribution Contact Us:

Comments or queries? Bouquets or brickbats? Talk to us!

Email Junior Herald at junior@herald-goa.com or join our Facebook fan page http://www.facebook.com/Herald.Jr. Our readers are invited to rave, rant, chat or even contribute. No message will go unanswered!

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

A single person household will be entitled to two litres of SKO. A household which has three and more persons and does not possess LPG, will get at least five litres of SKO and additional quantity will be subject to availability.

A household of three or more persons which possess LPG, will be entitled to maximum five litres of kerosene.

Licence of the dealer who does not provide the SKO to the consumers as per these instructions, will be cancelled.

MPHW Kusha Naik addresses the gathering at the anaemia camp at Neura panchayat hall.

MERCES (HC): Betki PHC in association with the Neura village health and sanitation committee recently organised an anaemia camp at the Neura Panchayat Hall.

Multipurpose health worker (MPHW) Kusha Naik spoke on anaemia, its causes and symptoms. He also gave a talk on nutrition and laid emphasis on a balance diet for leading a healthy life. Lady health visitor Gunu Dessai spoke on pre-natal diagnostic techniques (PNDT) Act. Blood test for haemoglobin of 97 villagers was conducted and those who were found anaemic were advised to take medicines from Neura SHC. Neura village health and sanitation committee Secretary Gauri Mangueshkar co-ordinated the programme. Neura Panch Ujwala Naik and public health nurse Sushma Naik were present.

Women’s Day celebrated

Valpoi Action Committee President Shanta Manerkar addresses the women on Women Day celebrations at Honda.

Photo by Ashraf Khan

VALPOI (HC): Sisters of the Cross Valpoi and staff of Jeevanlaya Kendra Honda unit recently celebrated the International Women’s Day at Vodacode-Honda.

The theme for the day was ‘Mai Bhumi Passot Bailancho Awaaz’ (women voices for mother earth).

Speaking on the occasion, resource person Reshmi Dessai highlighted the importance of self-help groups and mahila mandals. She appealed to the women to be self sufficient and stand on their own feet through income-generating activities by availing various government schemes.

She further offered vital information on women empowerment programmes.

Others present were Honda Panch Swarna Dessai, Sr Adelia Vaz, Fr Gerard MFS, Fr Inacio Almeida SFX, Felis Soares, Sr Josephine, Sr Justina, Sr Casendra and Shanta Manerkar.

Sister Pramila Joao highlighted the efforts taken by Savitribai in empowering the women in education field.

Earlier, the dignitaries garlanded the portrait of Savitribai Phule.

A variety of cultural programme including spot games were organised for the women on the occasion.

OHERALDO

Pg 5

GOA

GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

Adm Verma lauds GSL for upgrading shipyard

Rivona resident accused of illegally digging well HERALD CORRESPONDENT QUEPEM, MARCH 22

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma along with Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command during their maiden visit to GSL in the presence of GSL Chief Managing Director RAdm Vineet Bakhshi.

HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MARCH 22

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma appreciated the efforts of Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) in upgrading the shipyard, so as to be able to build sophisticated and high-value ships like ‘Mine Counter Measure Vessels’ for the Indian Navy.

Verma was accompanied by Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. This is Verma’s maiden visit to GSL since he took over as chief of naval staff.

During the visit, a presentation was made to chief of naval staff regarding the growth of GSL from a barge building yard to a sophisticated shipyard capable of designing and building ships

Hotel owner dies in hit and run case

for the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard from concept to commissioning.

GSL Chief Managing Director Rear Adm Vineet Bakhshi accompanied the chief of naval staff around the shipyard and apprised him of the shipbuilding, ship repair activities and the expertise available at GSL. Admiral Verma was also apprised of the modernization plan and progress thereof.

Later, Verma visited some naval ships that are under various stages of construction at GSL. Significantly, the maiden visit of Verma is just prior to the launching of third in the series ‘105M Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel’, indigenously designed in house and being built by GSL for the Indian Navy.

A resident of Ghatiwada-Rivona has been accused of illegally sinking a well within a radius of 15 mtrs from the famous natural water spring ‘Takazor’ in the village.

In a complaint filed before the executive engineer of ground water officer, Water Resource Department, Gogal-Margao, the residents claimed that the ‘Takazor’ situated at Ghatiwada is an important and famous spring, on which the villagers nurtures huge tracts of agriculture and several paddy field.

The complaint further stated that one of the landlords, who recently acquired right to the adjacent property of the spring, has illegally dug up a huge well by using mining machinery within a radius of 15 mtrs from the natural spring.

“Due to illegal sinking of the well within the vicinity of the drinking water source, there is a likelihood of adversely affecting the water flow inter alia affecting the supply of requisite quantity of water for drinking and other purpose,” states the complaint.

“Due to the illegal activity, there is also every possibility that it may lead to changing the course of underground water table,” stated the residents in the complaint.

Therefore, in the interest of the community and general public, the villagers have requested the department to take immediate penal, prohibitory and corrective action against the culprit.

National Safety Week concludes

HERALD CORRESPONDENT CURCHOREM, MARCH 22

A 65-year-old hotel owner died in a hit and run case at Curchorem early Tuesday morning.

According to Curchorem Police, the mishap occurred at about 6 am when Suresh Telang, proprietor of Janata Gruha Hotel, Curchorem market, was on his daily morning walk.

When Suresh reached near the speed breaker near the Ambedkar Circle, he was hit by an unknown vehicle. Suresh died on the spot.

Police informed that the post mortem stated that the death was due to severe injuries to the ribs. The police have obtained some clues about the vehicle and are on the trail of the vehicle. PI Bhanudas Dessai is investigating the case.

Sardinha urged to contest from Curtorim HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 22

The Curtorim Mahila Block Congress Committee has requested South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha to contest from Curtorim Constituency for the development of the constituency.

A delegation of Mahila Congress headed by president Gazala Shaikh called on the MP and urged him to contest from Curtorim saying the constituency is being neglected by the local MLA. Though Gazala in a statement quote the MP as saying that it depends on the people of Curtorim constituency and others, Sardinha, when contacted, reminded that he is right now the Member of Parliament and that there are no elections round the corner now.

The statement issued by Gazala said the MP met different groups of Curtorim Mahila Block and discussed various issues such as development, women welfare, MP schemes, Development of road, gutters and gardens, parks and open spaces for the locals.

The women strongly brought up the issue of admission in the Bhatikar Model high school. They pointed out that being locals, their children have been deprived of admissions and that they have to go to Town for the schooling.

Sardinha assured the women that he would necessary action as they called for a stop to the injustice in the interest of local children.

Finance Secretary S Kumaraswamy addresses the audience during the valedictory function of the ‘40th National Safety Week Celebration’ held at Pilerne Industrial Estate.

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

A valedictory function was organised recently in Pilerne Industrial Estate to conclude the celebration of 40th National Safety Day & Week 2011 by Pilerne Industrial Estate Industries Association in association with Inspectorate of Factories & Boilers, and Green Triangle Society.

Finance Secretary S Kumaraswamy highlighted the importance of safety and stressed the need to take up the advanced measures to ensure safety of all working class people in industrial sector.

Factories & Boilers Secretary V K Jha emphasized that workers also have a key role to play in industrial safety and appealed all to follow safety rules and regulations.

Inspector of Factories Vivek Marathe briefed about the various programmes held by the Inspectorate during the week long celebrations.

Chief Inspector of Factories & Boilers S M Paranjape, GSSIA President Shekhar Sardesai and Green Triangle Society Chairman Manguirish Pai Raikar also spoke.

Prizes were distributed to the winners for various events conducted during the Safety Week Celebrations 2011.

Hundreds witness ‘Godemodni’ at Bicholim

Toddy Tappers president available HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

President of All Goa Toddy-Tappers’ Association Gaspar Afonso will be available for toddy-tappers on Tuesdays and Saturdays in Margao office from 10.30 am to 1 pm, instead of Wednesdays and Saturdays, says a press note.

Godemodni at Bicholim.

HERALD CORRESPONENT BICHOLIM, MARCH 22

Hundreds of people from in and around Bicholim converged at Bordem-Bicholim to witness the famous folk dance ‘Godemodni’ on Tuesday.

According to legends, the king rewarded people according to their abilities and based on this, their position and high status in society was marked.

The king always travelled by elephants or palanquin and his soldiers by horse and it may be that through this system, ‘Godemodni’ might have come into existence.

In olden times, brave soldiers used to get rewards in

Photo by Samir Umarye

the form of special clothes, sword or horse cab. These soldiers would then celebrate the occasion clad in these royal clothes by taking a round in the village on horse back. The women would pray for their long life and success in future.

‘Godemodni’ as a folk dance was performed at Bordem-Bicholim. Four persons fastened inside hobby-horse below their waists, brandishing swords executed this war-like dance to the beats of Dholak and Tasha.

The dance, famous all over the State as a cultural dance, started from Bordem and ended at Shantadurga High School Bicholim.

‘Stop dumping un-segregated waste at Assagao Plateau’ HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, MARCH 22

The Goa state Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has directed Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) to stop dumping of un-segregated garbage at Assagao Plateau by deploying adequate security at the site.

Based on the observations and finding contained in the inspection report conducted by GSPCB at Mapusa on February 22, 2011, on a complaint filed

by Shiv Sena, the GSPCB has directed MMC chief officer to take measures within 30 days from receipt of letter dated March 17, 2011.

The GSPCB has directed the MMC to stop dumping of unsegregated garbage at Assagao Plateau by deploying adequate security at the site and/or request the police authorities to ensure that illegal dumping of segregated waste is not carried out at the site.

“Clear away and dispose off the un-segregated waste at the Assagao Plateau in environmen-

Canacona youth rush to join IYC HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, MARCH 22

The Congress party’s membership drive seems to be making waves in the taluka.

“Over 600 youth have already filled their registration forms to join the Indian Youth Congress underway in all 44 polling booths of Canacona constituency,” informed Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee Vice President and South Goa President Janardhan Bhandari.

Bhandari, who is in-charge of South Goa membership registration drive, is personally monitoring the registration movement of the youth Congress membership drive in Canacona taluka and has opened a centralized office at KTC Complex Chaudi to facilitate easiness to interested youths.

The membership drive of youth Congress, which was launched all over the State on March 15, will continue up to April 5.

Echoing the slogan of Rahul Gandhi, the Indian face of youth politics, Bhandari described the movement as historic and called the youth to join the revolution as India needs the youth to change nation’s politics.

To join youth Congress, one needs to be born between March 15 1976 and April 5, 1993.

“More and more enquiring youth from Canacona are already issued with forms, while it is a good sign that even large number of young girls also shows keen interest to join youth Congress,” said Bhandari.

tally sound manner, take steps to ensure that all the composting units installed at Mapusa town are effectively operated, set up additional composting units in Mapusa town, install adequate number of garbage bins at specific locations in Mapusa town, particularly at KTC bus stand and market area,” states the letter.

The GSPCB in its letter further directed MMC to ensure that waste from slaughter houses located at Mapusa market and waste water from the market area is stopped from flowing into the nullah, which is located in front of the deputy collector’s office.

“De-silt the nullah, which is choked with solid waste and waste water from the market area, clean the rainwater drain located in Mapusa fish market, which is filled with stagnant water and install adequate number of septic tanks in Mapusa market,” stated the letter.

GSPCB also directed the MMC chief officer to submit a detailed and comprehensive action plan and time schedule on the basis of which they propose to comply with the directions within seven days from the date of receipt of directions.

“Failure to comply with the directions will compel the GSPCB to take stringent legal action against MMC in accordance with the provisions of Environment (Protection) Act 1986 without any further notice,” warns the letter.

OHERALDO

Pg 6

www.oheraldo.in

O HERALD O Vol No CXI No: 081 Goa, Wednesday, 23 March, 2011

A

Close down these mines!

s many as 19 mines are located within half a kilometre of the Selaulim reservoir, which supplies water to more than half of Goa. Seventeen of these mines are, in fact, located within 200 metres of the reservoir. Nine out of these 19 mines do not even have the requisite environmental clearances that are mandatory for operation of mines.

These are not figures handed out by the anti-mining NGOs. They are extracts from a reply by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat given to a question from Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Sanguem MLA Vasudev Meng Gaonkar in the Goa Legislative Assembly yesterday.

How are open cast mines operating in the catchment area of the state’s largest dam? With a storage capacity of 234 million cubic metres, the Selaulim dam is Goa’s largest source of both irrigation and potable water supply. It directly supplies water to nearly the entire population of south Goa. In the lean season, its water is pumped into the Khandepar River, to supplement the Opa Water Works, which supplies Ponda and Tiswadi talukas. Effectively, Selaulim supplies the drinking water needs of nearly 70 per cent of Goa’s population.

When it is such a vital lifeline, how is it that the government allows mines to operate so close to the reservoir? The Chief Minister himself admits that nine of the mines do not have the requisite clearances. Why have they not been shut down?

The government has also ignored the Legislative Assembly’s Ad-hoc Committee on Forests, which recommended that water quality in the Selaulim dam be monitored. The CM, who is also the Minister for Mines, admitted that no study has been conducted to assess the impact of the mining on the quality of water or on underground aquifers.

Just the previous day, Mr Kamat had rubbished allegations that he was shielding mining activity. Never have mine owners been taxed as much as during his tenure, he emphasised, saying that the current budget taxed mine owners even more.

While this is true, Mr Kamat needs to explain why illegal mines continue to flourish so freely, and why the state’s police invariably favour mine owners and crack down on protestors against illegal mining. He especially needs to tell us why 19 mines, of which nine mines do not have the requisite clearances, continue to operate in the Selaulim catchment, which supplies drinking water to 70 per cent of Goans.

If these mines are shut down – and they need to be shut down immediately – no one would have the effrontery to accuse Mr Kamat of shielding mining activity in the state.

O

Minister or agitator?

ne of the thousands who gathered at Panjim’s Azad Maidan on Monday to demand that the government give grants to English medium primary schools was Education Minister Atanasio alias Babush Monserrate. Just last week, Mr Monserrate had given an assurance that the government would take a decision on this controversial issue before the ongoing session of the Legislative Assembly concludes on 8 April.

Now he has openly identified himself with those agitating for this issue. And they criticised Mr Monserrate’s own government in the strongest possible terms at the rally in his very presence. So what moral standing does the Minister have left to take a decision on the issue?

Unemployment allowance Plastino D’Costa, by email On 1 June 2010, in my article on the Goan Generation GAP, I mentioned that the government gives an allowance to the old-butnot-needy, but none to the genuinely educated unemployed. I said Goa’s politicians don’t deserve to be elected on the single count of not creating enough jobs for the youth.

Apparently, the government paid attention and announced an unemployment allowance for the Generation Next. It is important your readers know that ‘Herald’ does influence government decision making processes.

Contempt of court!

Adv Govind Usno Bhobe, Panjim In a landmark judgment reported in ‘AIR 2001 Bombay 60’, the Bombay High Court

100 Years Ago

Rape of Sensibilities

A new toxin has emerged in elections: the power of rhetoric of the Goan ‘intelligentsia’, says CAeTAno de ABreU

T

he time for elections is in some way abnormally etched into our psyche. And we the peasant class, or to say it more emphatically, the backward class (sic), with paranoiac greed embossed in our countenance, are venturing ahead to avail of goodies and/or cash benefits bestowed upon us in good measure by the aspirants, who are hell-bent on a win-win situation.

But not always does this win-win strategy pay rich dividends, as hitherto encountered. While accepting the largesse strewn their way, the individual’s vote is always confidential. This is irrespective of the chagrin it creates to the donors after the vote count, which signifies that they should not take acceptance of gifts for granted.

Our contemporary society is divided into two classes, the haves and have-nots. The haves feel that their money power can prevail over the havenots. This is laughable, for no one is dumb enough to be the object of ridicule. However, to avail of goodies, they are willing to travel that extra mile.

Goodies are one thing that are to be taken for granted come election time, even though it is a damnable thing. However, another toxin has slowly emerged amidst the electorate, and that is the power of rhetoric spewed by the Goan intelligentsia, with people of somewhat average quotient (to show that they comprehend the affliction engulfing our ‘aam admi’) are willing to pay heed to.

This bunch of intelligentsia was formulated by Manohar Parrikar after he lost his coveted chair, and desired once more to be Chief Minister of Goa. He obnoxiously assembled the support of some greedy individuals who were playing till then to the galleries, bombastically considering themselves to be intellectuals and the cream of Goan society, to accrue their worthless opinion so as he could take the electorate for a jolly good ride, which in return might prop him once again to the keys of governance.

This in my opinion is just a pipe dream, considering his contemporary downward chart amongst the public in general. It is something that he should weep about, for he alienated the electorate with his arrogance and his overtly Hindutva agenda, though some Goan Catholics still believe in his ill-defined proclamations.

Intellectuality can be defined as the use of intelligence (thought and reason), which can be summoned into critical and analytical ways in ei-

23 March 1911 Agri College launched

Launched on the grounds of the Palace of Quetuz, a school teaching modern methods of fruit growing, agriculture and gardening.

Kingly debts

The Council formed to study the debts of the ex-Royal Family of Portugal who availed of the Public Coffers is reported to have concluded their reports.

Lisbon Hospital expands

The Institute of Ophthalmology and the Centre for Hygiene has been incorporated in the Faculty of Medicine at Lisbon.

Magazine anniversary

This is the third year of publication of our esteemed colleague journal ‘O Future’, which is to be published from now on with a changed but simplified format.

View From my PAnVddo ther a professional or a personal capacity. Every human being is born intelligent, though some are better than others. It is the impulse in the human brain that carries thoughts from one end of the brain to the other; how fast defines intelligence.

History cannot be considered without the knowledge of men and women who created, discussed, wrote about or in other ways were concerned with ideas, not as abstract propositions but to the context. Rhetoric is used to advance an agenda or reinforce one’s deeply held beliefs in the face of dishonesty. This is not the actual case in Goa, as our literati blab for nothing.

If the person is aware of the evidence and yet agrees with the conclusion, it portends a contrary view – called intellectual dishonesty – which can be summed up in those so-called professionals who are the toadies of Parrikar. It can be further underlined that these adherents are nothing but dishonest individuals, with police cases pending

Tongue in Cheek

A

held that any amendment sought by a passport holder for making corrections regarding date of birth, the Passport Authority is competent to do this. Such matters need not be referred to a Judicial Magistrate; they are overburdened and are not conferred with such jurisdiction under law.

The judgment also gave standing directions to the Passport Authority to hold an enquiry and effect necessary changes in respect of change of date of birth or place of birth.

However, whenever an application is made to change wrongly recorded date of birth or place of birth, the office of the Passport Authority, Panjim, directs the aggrieved applicant to get a ‘court order’.

This shows scant regard for the High Court’s order.

I wrote several Registered AD letters to the Passport Officer, Panjim, to bring to his notice this High Court order, enclosing copies of the order. Notwithstanding, the Passport Authority has not mended its way.

Is this not contempt of court? Bureaucrats should not ignore the cardinal principle that service to mankind is their motto.

J M Pinto, Siridao PWD minister Churchill Alemao recently commented on a news channel about the Panchwadi issue: “To padri tingasor kitem kortalo igorz sanddun?” Such comments by a minister are uncalled for. The Parish Priest was discharging his rightful duty as a citizen as well as a true shepherd of his flock. They are the real Church, not the four stone walls.

He was rightfully fighting for the people of Panchwadi, to defend them from the evil perpetrated by the state government.

Goa has been destroyed by mining. What the people of Panchwadi and other mining areas are trying to protect is not only for themselves, but for the entire state of Goa. I wish other priests who claim to be following in the footsteps of Jesus would do what the Parish Priest of Panchwadi did.

Stephen Ray apologetics Blaise Fernandes, Merces Some months back, Stephen Ray of the US gave talks in Goa on the Catholic faith. I

at various stations for graft and scams. But yet, they poise a brave front to counter all allegations against them, where Parrikar’s patronage comes in handy.

To aggravate matters, well-known medical confreres are playing sycophant, forgetting that many people lost their precious lives at their hands owing to mal-diagnosis and carelessness. Yet they firmly believe that the people are with them; that when a person is attended in trauma at their nursing homes or dispensaries, they can cajole the unwilling patient to their whims, least forgetting the amount spent at their nursing homes – conveniently pocketed by these obnoxious medicos – quite apart from the cost of medicines, which again fills their coffers. These same medicos, when they find they can’t do anything for the patient, refer the patient to the Hospital of the Medical College to pass away, and invoke the ire of the next of kin on the helpless Medical College.

For the uninitiated, I must point out that these medicos get a commission (cut) from pharmaceutical companies when they prescribe their patented remedies. My contention is: where is the honesty in prescribing such expensive placebos without testing, if it agrees with the patient.

Should we usher a person to the gallows just because our mind says that he is guilty of not adhering to the standard conventions – to say: ‘Yes Master’?

All those medicos blustering bravado and spewing bile on Babush Monserrate, in my opinion, are hypocrites. I wonder how they ever succeeded in overcoming their shortcomings when they should have been left to mend boots. The Hippocratic Oath is professed to the welfare of the people and never otherwise. But these medicos practice the ‘Hypocritic Oath’ for adverse effect, which makes me wonder; should I venture to their clinics again?

To add to our woes there are scribes, with a ‘Mallu’ at the forefront, who are bombarding us with superfluous canards, never accepting the ground reality, which says it is in the hands of the electorate to choose a candidate out of their own compulsion and will. They try to make us feel that we are incompetent and not able to decide on our own. This makes me question their integrity: “Who the hell are you to tell us what to do?”

Per se, the Goan electorate is highly intelligent and motivated. It does need ‘outside support’ to differentiate right from wrong. Goan voters can foresee the change in tide, and will travel at their own convenience and time.

These are petty observations coming from the eyes of a simpleton, which have seen a lot but unfortunately were helpless to undertake charitable work. I can just remind the NGOs who have spent a fortune on meaningless advertisements to garner nothing: “Why can’t you contest any election out of your own free will and see the results?” It is very easy to preach, but difficult to practice.

The same method is raping our sensibilities in the most heinous way. Let the people opt for a candidate of their choice. In lieu of blabbering unnecessarily, the NGOs can undertake and partake in social work that will help Goans at large, and utilise the amounts spent on advertisements on some charitable and utilitarian donations. Can they do that?

Testing Times

sk any student which are the two months of the year that they dread the most. The answer will most probably be the months of March and April. With exams round the corner, it is a highly stressful time not just for the students; much more than that, it is the parents who are under stress.

Exam times are indeed testing times. With the increase in the temperature in the summer season, the heat is also on, and not merely because of the exams. Examinations happen to be a necessary evil. In the competitive world of today, examinations have just become much more difficult to get through.

In comparison with the student community of today, it must be said that we adults have had a comparatively easier time answering our exams in our time. We probably had fewer books to refer to, compared to the students of today. There was also relatively less competition to get into the various professional colleges.

The growing number of students answering the examinations has only meant that the competitive bar has been raised several notches higher. This can mean that many average students nowadays find it much more difficult to clear the final hurdle.

Footsteps of Jesus PRIMEIRO DIARIO NAS COLONIAS PORTUGEZAS

OPINION

Today’s students can no longer make do with just their text books. They also have to surf the Internet to increase their knowledge on a particular subject. Then, there are the various and multifarious entrance tests the student community has to tackle to get into the professional colleges of their aspirations.

But then, most of the added pressure on the students comes from none other than their own parents. Parents nowadays expect their children to crack each and every exam they answer. This may not always be possible. Each child is different and gifted differently from the other. The biggest favour parents can do for their child is to try to find their hidden talent and then to nurture it.

But unfortunately, most parents want their wards to become either a doctor or an engineer, and if that is not possible, to become a dentist or a computer engineer. Incidentally, in today’s world, there are several other professions which can easily be far more rewarding.

Unfortunately, the pressure that parents put on their wards these days can prove to be utterly disastrous. There have been in-

Support govt servants’ strike Dr Shiv Prabhu, by email Earlier, I was critical of the way some BJP members and freedom fighters acted on the arrival of the Portuguese ship ‘Sagres’ in Goa. Now, I am angry at the way the Congress-NCP-MGP government is destroying Goa. If it wasn’t for our vociferous and talented Leader of the Opposition, the people of Goa would never know the ill-doings of their government. I call upon Goans to vote for a change in the coming elections.

Our land is being destroyed by different mafias – the real estate mafia has raped our coastal land. The mining mafia is destroying our forests. Both mafia include politicians, including the CM, his close aides, ministerial colleagues and many more.

If the CM or his ministers have guts to deny my charge openly, I shall name them one by one, and their modus operandi.

I am in full support of the striking Kadamba bus employees and government servants. If Rs50,000 plus perks, phone, water, electricity, petrol and all other bills are borne by the common man for 39 corrupt politicians (I keep only the Leader of the Opposition out) and they still they want more, a government servant who earns just Rs15,000 plus nothing has the right to cry for more.

Seafarer’s annual day Allwyn George, Carmona Goa is well known for its seafarer community. They spend four to nine months against all odds at sea and eagerly look forward to return home at the end of their contract. Seafarers contribute a lot by way of valuable foreign exchange. But they have to endure a life of isolation from the outside world and their families.

We need to appreciate the contribution of these seafarers and designate an Annual

stances of students committing suicide because they have not fared well in their school examinations. It is a blooming life nipped in the bud. Children need to be told that if they have not done well in a particular exam, it is not the end of the world.

It is a wide, wide world outside full of possibilities and endless opportunities. Exams, however, cannot be avoided. And what cannot be avoided must perforce be endured.

Therefore, it is the duty of the parents to mentally prepare their wards to answer these exams without putting much pressure on the student. It is because parents fail in their duties that the need of counselling the students assumes significance.

Fortunately, the Goa Government has seen the need for counselling the students, given the increase in the number of young people taking their own lives. This step should have been taken long back. But still, it is always ‘better late than never’.

Students nowadays should be advised to do their best at the exams, and leave the rest in the hands of the Almighty God. Here’s wishing all of you who will be answering their exams all the very best.

Letters to the Editor

Letter of the Day

was glad he raised an important issue – the need to share the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ with as many as we can.

But in general, his exposition of the Catholic way of practice gave the impression that all is hunky-dory. This is not completely so. Many points could be raised, but it is best that one truly interested in the truth reads the Old and New Testaments, praying for the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit.

It is better to recognise possible mistakes, correct them and move forward, rather than allowing ourselves to feel we are in a comfort zone.

By Adelmo Fernandes

Seafarers Day to remember all the retired and serving men, and also those who are sadly no more.

Medium message Roger Fernandes, Margao English is a language spoken worldwide.

It should be taught in school at an early age as the medium of instruction, but Konkani must also get due respect.

What is our medium of conversation?

Most kids say Mummy or Daddy, not Mai or Pai. For them, Mai is grandmother and Pai is grandfather.

Whichever office or bank you enter, English is spoken. If you start speaking Konkani, they think you are illiterate. We need English for a better future, but Konkani for our identity.

Sack Babu Asgaonkar Marcos Alemao, by email In order to save the image of the Congress, the Chief Minister should sack Sports Minister Babu Asgaonkar from the cabinet for his arrogance. He always lacks discipline and is arrogant when answering questions

in the Assembly. This is not the first time.

Hosting World Cup

Paths of Wisdom

Ashok R Naik, Siolim Without any bias to our co-hosting nations or their financial position, I sincerely wish that India has hosted this World Cup by itself. India is the financial powerhouse of cricket. Infrastructure and finance are no hindrance. If the islands of the West Indies could host a World Cup independently, why not India?

China proclaimed its status on the world stage by staging the Olympics. Would it really be detrimental for India to do the same, at least in a sport where it has supremacy?

Medium of instruction A C Menezes, Chinchinim There appears to be nothing wrong if, at the initial stage, the medium of instruction is one’s mother tongue. But shifting children to the English medium later creates several problems. They miss the study of elementary grammar and diction, and later it becomes difficult for them to be proficient in English, the language of the modern world.

Till 1961, the Portuguese insisted that children who wished to join an English medium school learn and pass Primeiro Grau, so they were burdened in the initial four or five years with the study of the Portuguese language.

In then British East Africa, where Goans migrated in search of jobs, they were educated right from Std I in English. Believe me, Goans from these areas were more successful than Goans from Goa with Portuguese-cum-English education.

Assembly bull fights Nelson Lopes Chinchinim It was amusing, entertaining but shameful to witness the virtual brawl in the Goa Legislative Assembly. I was disappointed that the one day I chose to be in the visitors’ gallery, I saw such behaviour.

The Leader of the Opposition could have been more dignified. The redeeming feature was that at the end of the day, both apologised, but not before the damage was done.

Your True Self

By Vernon Howard No matter how severe the noise, you can find your True Self in the midst of it.

There is an old movie with a good scene in it. Back in the Nazi days, a man stood up in a restaurant and started singing his party’s song. The singing started softly, but grew in intensity as people joined in. But there was one man who was a holdout. He sat there with his arms crossed, with a firm look on his face. Likewise, be resolute in your determination to abide in the wisdom and silence of your intuitive self. Be a holdout.

Back in the middle ages, there was a man known as ‘The Finder’. The owners of large castles hired him to search their property for secret rooms. In these concealed rooms, gold and valuables lost for centuries were sometimes discovered.

Your True Self is The Finder, a bright light that illuminates treasures that exist within.

Surrounding these treasures are pockets of darkness. So have no concern if your confusion seems to temporarily increase as you study these ideas. A false idea must be stirred up in order to be dissolved.

Your True Self is like a big island in the middle of the ocean. High winds, storms and hurricanes often surround it. The island appears to be isolated, but beneath the surface, it is connected to the entire globe. It is rock solid and nothing can move it. You are on that island, secure in your home. Your True Self is forever untouched by all the noise of this world and all mistakes made prior to the Light’s activation.

(Source: Vernon Howard parables)

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

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

OHERALDO

pg7:Layout 1 3/22/2011 9:35 PM Page 1

Pg 7

INDIA

GOA, WEDNESDAY •23 MARCH, 2011

oPinionated Govt agrees to discussion on Babush won; but he also lost

BY SANDESH PRABHUDESAI

“I am not happy with the CCP results. We made some mistakes that we could have avoided.” Education Minister Babush Monserrate said this a little before he drove to his palacious house at Taleigao publicly sipping champagne in a victory rally on a dry day.

A very good ‘education’ for the student community…?

Yes, Babush lost, even though he narrowly won the prestigious Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) poll. But the BJP not only lost the poll, but also a golden opportunity to enable politically conscious citizens to create history in Goa. Babush’s biggest mistake is that he is Babush Monserrate.

His poor image was the cause of his scraping through the corporation poll. He is now desperate to prove that his image is not as black as everybody says it is.

The historic 75 per cent voting turnout was a clear indication that Babush was in trouble. Even the ‘politically uneducated’ upper middle class lined up at the polling booths to defeat the one they see as a monster. They proved that they are equally adept to teach a political lesson when the time comes.

Babush had claimed 27 seats out of 30. He had ruled the CCP for a full term with 20 seats in 2006, when he concentrated in Taleigao and not so much in Panjim. But this CCP poll was different. He entered with the announcement that he would contest the next Assembly poll from Panjim against BJP leader Manohar Parrikar, the former chief minister who made Babush a minister for the first time.

In spite of using different tactics to woo migrant labour, the lower middle class, the upper middle class and even the filthy rich, Ponnjekars reacted negatively to Babush. He won only 16 seats. Morally, he lost.

He lost two seats in his own bastion of Taleigao to the BJP, with a sizeable margin – 195 in Ward 5 and 76 in Ward 7. He lost two more in Panjim, with equally big margins of 152 in Ward 13 and 116 in Ward 22. Four losses, in wards with 1,000 to 1,500 voters.

Rudresh Chodankar, now deputy mayor, could win by only 16 votes in the 1,000-strong Ward 23 in Mala-Fontainhas.

One BJP candidate, Deodita D’Cruz (Ward 19), lost by only four votes.

Though it ultimately lost the numbers game, the BJP gained in terms of seats. Its tally went up from eight to 12 seats. But this is not the BJP’s vote bank. People voted for BJP-sponsored Panjim First candidates to reject the Babush panel.

In reality, the BJP also lost the gamble, fielding their mayoral candidate Ashok Naik against three-term corporator Yatin Parekh, who is now Panjim’s mayor. Their political stubbornness to go alone cost them a mayoral candidate. If they continue to be stubborn, tomorrow it could cost them their chief ministerial candidate – Manohar Parrikar. The Assembly elections won’t be Babush vs Parrikar. It would be Congress vs BJP; maybe even secularism vs communalism.

The BJP did not win 12 seats on its own. In fact, their Panjim First panel would have lost miserably if Panjim citizens had not come out in large numbers to vote against Babush. Three citizens’ groups – BJP sympathisers called Friends of Good Governance (FOGG), Panjim Initiative for Change (PINC) led

by Dr Oscar Rebello and Aravind Bhatikar as well as a citizen’s group led by Edgar Rebeiro led the fight against the Babush panel. The citizens reacted positively, even though the BJP did not.

BJP candidates lost three seats merely because the votes split. The seat in Mala where they lost by only four votes had two other candidates, who polled 24 votes. Journalist-turnedcandidate Ashley Rosario polled 121 votes, allowing Babush candidate Kabir Makhija to defeat the BJP’s Manoj Patil. Aires Rodrigues (341) and the BJP’s own rebel Shamsundar Naik (122) made Babush candidate Vivina Nasnodkar victorious in Ribandar with only 35 per cent votes.

Whether Babush supporters like it or not, there was a strong anti-Babush wave in the CCP poll. It was not merely a city poll but a Battle for the Capital – Parrikar versus Babush.

But the BJP preferred to sit on its political ego, rather than forging a common front of all like-minded citizens to achieve a common goal.

In the 1984 Assembly election in Margao, people of the commercial capital wanted to defeat Babu Naik. They fielded Adv Uday Bhembre as a common candidate, keeping aside political egos and ideologies. Voters came out in large numbers to create history. Sadly, it couldn’t be repeated in Panjim.

Babush is now desperate to clean his image. He has promised a corruption-free corporation. It’s an indirect admission that his previous council was not clean. In fact, he denied tickets to two corporators – Nagesh Karishetty and Uday Madkaikar – since their corruption was exposed. He says he will now co-opt an upright activist like Patricia Pinto to solve the city’s garbage problem. But he will have to take many more steps to prove that he is the best MLA for Panjim.

The Panjim poll was a lesson to all sensible Goans. Who elects corrupt MLAs? Those who vote for them or those who do not go to vote? If Panjim’s voters had backed one common candidate in each ward, they could have defeated the Babush panel. But that does not mean that the effort was an utter failure.

US President Barack Obama, while contesting the US Presidential election, gave a simple but powerful slogan – Yes, We Can. The Panjim civic poll has proved it right – Yes, We Can. If those who usually don’t vote come to the booth, then yes, we can. We can make a big difference, provided the political strategy is planned well. No egos. No blame games.

No sitting stubbornly on minor political or ideological differences.

We don’t need revolts like Egypt, Tunisia or Libya. Our democracy is powerful enough to throw out corrupt and antipeople leaders. It was proved in the 1977 post-Emergency poll, when Indira Gandhi’s Congress lost. It was proved when the India Shining slogan of the BJP crashed to defeat in 2004.

It can be proved once again in the coming Assembly election; provided citizens come together decisively.

Maybe like-minded citizens in and outside of parties need to come together for this common cause. The normal 60 per cent polling shows that 30 to 40 per cent of the electorate doesn’t vote. The winner seldom gets over 50 per cent of the votes. But if the Panjim municipal model is implemented everywhere in Goa, then – Yes, We Can!

PM’s statement on Wikileaks PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

Bowing to BJP demand, government has agreed for a discussion tomorrow on the statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on WikiLeaks expose in which he has rejected allegations of bribery of lawmakers against the UPA-I in the 2008 trust vote.

Rajya Sabha sources said Chairman Hamid Ansari has accepted the BJP notice for a discussion which will start at 1400 hours.

They said it would be taken up in the Lok Sabha later in the day.

However, they said a decision on the notice for a privilege motion against the Prime Minister for 'misleading' Parliament will take sometime.

Singh had made a statement in both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha last week strongly rejecting the allegations of bribery against UPA government or Congress.

Nobody from Congress or the

n Singh had made a statement in both Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha last week strongly rejecting the allegations of bribery against UPA government or Congress.

Nobody from Congress or the government engaged in any 'unlawful act' and the charges were 'unverified and speculative', Singh had said adding the charges have been "debated, discussed and rejected by the people of India". government engaged in any 'unlawful act' and the charges were 'unverified and speculative', Singh had said adding the

Women fill containers with potable water from a government water supply tanker at their residential colony in Hyderabad on Tuesday, on World Water Day.

M’rashtra govt suspends senior IPS officer PTI MUMBAI, MARCH 22

The Maharashtra government today announced suspension of a senior IPS officer, who allegedly secretly filmed the interrogation of Pune stud farm owner Hasan Ali Khan, facing massive money laundering charges, and leaked its doctored CDs, apparently to malign the government.

State Home Minister R R Patil told the state Assembly that Ashok Deshbrathar, DCP (Government Railway Police), has been placed under suspension and a departmental inquiry ordered against him, ending the suspense over the government action against the IPS officer.

Speculations were rife since yesterday that the officer had been placed under suspension.

Patil said action had been taken after a CID inquiry into the CD episode recommended that the officer be sacked from the force under article 311 of the Constitution and criminal case be filed against him under section 500 (defamation) and 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) IPC and section three of Incitement to disaffection act 1922.

In the CD, he said, Khan was shown boasting of his links with top Congress and NCP leaders and how the decision to appoint Hassan Gafoor as Mumbai police commissioner was taken at a meeting in a suburban five star

n Ashok Deshbrathar, DCP (Government Railway Police), has been placed under suspension and departmental inquiry ordered against him, ending the suspense over the government action against the IPS officer.

-- R R Patil hotel.

“It has been proved in the (CID) investigation that the police officer had doctored the CD with an intention to malign the government. He did not pass on the information about his secret interrogation to his superiors which proves his ulterior motive,” Patil said.

Patil said though the CID recommended Deshbrathar’s dismissal, the government had decided only to suspend him and order a department enquiry as part of natural justice. “We want to enable him to put forward his statement in the matter.”

The minister said the voice in the CD was that of Deshbrathar but he was not seen in the footage shot with a pen camera.

Aamir wants acting tips from Hrithik PTI MUMBAI, MARCH 22

With actor Aamir Khan set to take over the mantle of a villain in ‘Dhoom 3’, he is reportedly planning to get in touch with his ‘Dhoom’ predecessor, Hrithik Roshan for acting tips.

Hrithik had played the villain in ‘Dhoom 2’.Khan, reportedly, wants to discuss a “few points” with the younger hero regarding his role in ‘Dhoom 3’.

“Hrithik and Aamir had bonded earlier, but not in this manner.

Aamir had never openly come out

charges have been "debated, discussed and rejected by the people of India".

The Prime Minister had said

that the allegations of bribery were investigated by a committee of the 14th Lok Sabha which concluded that there was insufficient evidence to draw any conclusion.

BJP has moved a privilege motion against the Prime Minister for "misleading" Parliament.

It said the Prime Minister's statement was contradictory to the findings of a Parliamentary committee which went into the issue.Both the Houses witnessed a clash today over BJP demand for immediate discussion on the corruption charges following disclosure of US Embassy cables by the WikiLeaks. The government said while it was ready for such a debate, the Finance Bill should be given priority.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley sought to know the fate of his two notices -- one on privilege motion against the Prime Minister and the other seeking a discussion under Rule 176, which does not entail voting.

gushing about Hrithik’s acting.

He wants to have a sitting with Hrithik before he starts shooting for Dhoom 3,” says a source.

Khan recently admitted during a TV interview that he’s keen on taking acting lessons from the younger actor.

“Hrithik is one of the best looking actors we have. He is also a great actor. I want to take acting lessons from him,” the actor had said on television.

Sources say that Khan has given a lot of thought to the matter that he is replacing Hrithik as the villain

in the franchise, and wants to live up to it.

“Aamir would like to have a sitting with Hrithik regarding the matter and generally talk about the acting and body language required for the film.

Since Aamir is a very private person, he will not share the exact details of the conversation that he shared with Hrithik, but we know that he doesn’t mind taking a few tips from Roshan Junior, and doesn’t even dither to admit it openly,” adds the source.

BHOPAl GAS TRAGEDY

CBI moves court for Anderson’s extradition PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

The CBI today moved a Delhi court for extradition of former Union Carbide Corporation Chairman Warren M Anderson saying that it would be a travesty of justice if he is not put to trial for his alleged role in the 1984 Bhopal gas leakage tragedy.

"He is criminally liable to stand trial in India. It would be a travesty and miscarriage of justice if he is not brought before the court of law in India to face trial," said CBI in its 33-page application to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav for obtaining a Letter Rogatory from the court to the US authorities for Anderson's extradition.

"Anderson is liable to be prosecuted on extradition to India for offence under section 304 IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and/or for the offences punishable with lesser punishment on the facts aforesaid," said the CBI. "The offence is quite similar to the offence of man slaughter recognised as murder of second degree under the US law," said the CBI. It added that in the Bhopal gas leakage tragedy "on the night of December 2-3, 1984, over 15,000 persons had died and over five lakh persons were injured or permanently disabled.

In addition, several thousand animals were also killed."

The CBI sought Anderson's extradition contending that as the chief of multinational firm, he was aware of the Bhopal plant's structural defect, but ignored it in order to cut cost on its maintenance.

"Anderson had full knowledge about defective design and structure of the Plant at Bhopal and danger of the leakage of the gas. Methyl Iso Cynate (MIC)based plant at Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL), Bhopal was designed, commissioned and made operational by Union Carbide Corporation (UCC), USA through its own employees.

n "He is criminally liable to stand trial in India. It would be a travesty and miscarriage of justice if he is not brought before the court of law in India to face trial," said CBI in its 33-page application to Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav for obtaining a Letter Rogatory from the court to the US authorities for Anderson's extradition.

"UCIL, Bhopal relied on technology, maintenance, safety know-how and supervision provided by the principal company i.e. UCC, USA," the CBI said.

"Anderson in the capacity of being the UCC chairman, was aware of better safety technology and standards available in the UCC Plant in West Virginia, USA and yet he did not ensure safety measures of same standard at UCIL, Bhopal," the CBI added.

The CMM decided to hear the CBI plea for Anderson's extradition tomorrow.

Anderson, 90, never faced trial for his role in triggering the world's worst Industrial disaster over 26 years ago and was declared a proclaimed offender by the court of Bhopal chief judicial magistrate in 1992 after he jumped bail, which he had secured on December 7, 1984 following his arrest for his role in the tragedy.

The CBI's plea to the Delhi court for issuing Letter Rogatory for Anderson's extradition from the US has come in the wake of Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati's submission to the apex court last month that if needed, the government may initiate fresh steps to seek his extradition.

NEWS

OHERALDO

Pg 8

GOA, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2011

Yemen prez offers to quit by year-end PTI DUBAI, MARCH 22

Hit by desertions by top generals and tribal chiefs' Yemen's beleaguered President Ali Abdullah Saleh today offered to step down by year-end as part of a "constitutional transfer" of power, but refused to hand over power to military.

As his 32-year-old regime continued to be shaken by more military and political defections, Saleh warned that a coup in the country could trigger a civil war, as international pressure also grew on him to bow out.

"I don't wish and will not accept the transfer of power to the military," Saleh, 65, said in a nationally televised broadcast, al-Jazeera reported.

His address came, a day after two soldiers died in clashes between Yemen's regular army and the elite Republican Gurad,

loyal to the embattled President in th e so uth -ea ster n c it y Mukala.

"Any division in the armed forces would have a negative impact on the country," the President said in an apparent olive branch to his top commanders, who have deserted him to join the opposition.

The President described as "mutiny" the defections of military commanders, including his longtime confidante Major General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar.

He accused the generals of attempting a "coup" against constitutional and told them, that the "era of coups is gone."

The president who has enjoyed an uninterrupted stint in power since 1978 appeared to be shaky and could be looking for ways to go in exile, al-Jazeera said, quoting top Yemeni officers.

Buffett eyes investment in India; rues FDI curbs PTI BANGALORE, MARCH 22

Legendary investor Warren Buffett today said he was looking at investments in large countries like India, but rued the existing foreign investment caps in sectors like insurance.

Speaking to reporters on his maiden visit to India, Buffett said he did not consider India as an emerging market any more and even the US would benefit from rise of countries like India and China.

He said that he would be meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, but did not reveal the agenda for the meeting.

Buffett's investments have mostly been in the US, but countries like China, Japan, Israel and South Korea have also attracted him in the past.

About India, where his presence is comparatively minuscule and includes recent tie-up with Bajaj Allianz for distribution of motor insurance products, Buffett said that he was looking at investments in large countries like India.

Noting that he did not consider India as an emerging market anymore, Buffett said that he was happy with one big investment idea in a year and it did not matter whether such an idea came from India, the US or

somewhere else.

Without speaking further on his plans for India, Buffett said that an foreign investment cap of 26 per cent in insurance sector here was a deterrent.

India currently allows only 26 per cent foreign investment in insurance business, but a proposal is underway to hike it to 49 per cent.

Besides Prime Minister, Buffett would also meet insurance sector regulator IRDA Chairman J Harinarayan later this week.

Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate chaired by Buffett, recently forayed into the Indian non-life insurance sector as a corporate agent of Bajaj Allianz General.

Buffett is in India as part of his philanthropic initiatives, but is also expected to look at possible investment opportunities in the country.

As part of its India entry, the American conglomerate has incorporated Berkshire India to sell and distribute general insurance products in India.

Berkshire Hathaway is a sprawling conglomerate that has interests in various businesses, including property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, finance, manufacturing, and retailing.

Jain gets lavish praise PTI BANGALORE, MARCH 22

Legendary investor Warren Buffett today heaped lavish praise on Ajit Jain, long rumoured to be his successor, but stopped short of any clear hints on whether he would pass on the reins to the Indian-origin executive.

"I owe it to the people of India for sending Ajit Jain (to me) ... he is much smarter than what I am," 80-year old Buffett said

during his maiden visit to India.

He was replying to queries whether Jain would succeed him as chief of Berkshire Hathaway, a US-based investment conglomerate with interests in a host of American and global blue-chip companies.

Jain currently heads reinsurance business of Berkshire Hathaway and his name has consistently figured among probable candidates to succeed Buffett after his retirement.

Pak wants ‘just settlement’ of Kashmir: Zardari PTI ISLAMABAD, MARCH 22

Pakistan wants a "just settlement" of the Kashmir issue with India in accordance with UN resolutions and the "aspirations" of the Kashmiri people, President Asif Ali Zardari said today.

"Full spectrum dialogue process has been resumed with India. We seek a just settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue in accordance with the UN res-

olutions while respecting the aspirations of the people of Kashmir," Zardari said in his address to a joint sitting of the two houses of parliament.

Zardari, who created history by becoming the first civilian President to address joint sittings of parliament for the fourth consecutive year, dwelt on several foreign policy issues but made only a brief mention of Pakistan's relations with India.

REMEMBRANCE MASS In memory of

ROSALINA REVEREDO (Colleandongor-Raia,Goa)

There will be an Eucharistic celebration for the soul of our beloved Mai Rosalina,on Thursday 24th March 2011 at 8.15 A.M. at OUR LADY OF SNOW`S CHURCH, Raia, Offered by her sorrowful Children and Grand children,followed by prayers and blessing of the grave.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We the bereaved family would like to thank our Relative,Neighbors,Friends, Priests,Nurses,Doctors, and all who rendered their help during her illness,those who attended the funeral, offered prayers,floral tributes,condolence messages,called on us personally and shared in our grief. We regret our inability to express our sincere thanks to each one individually.

Relatives and friends kindly accept this as the only intimation

A medical team carries a body recovered amongst the debris and rubble in Minamisanriku in Miyagi prefecture on Tuesday, 11 days after the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Fresh quakes rattle Japan

PTI TOKYO/FUKUSHIMA, MARCH 22

Japanese workers scrambled hard today to restore power at the troubled Fukushima nuclear plant as smoke rose from two of its reactors in the tsunamihit northeast, which was jolted by a series of new powerful quakes, including two measuring 6.6 on the Richter Scale.

Authorities sought the help of the US military in tackling the "extremely tough" situation at the plant, close to which highly concentrated radioactivity was detected in iodine and cesium in seawater, sparking fears about food safety.

The nuclear plant's operator, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), said the seawater pollution in the region had expanded, but the country's nuclear safety agency said there were no immediate health threats.

The amount of radioactive iodine reached 80.3-fold of the standard level at the point 8 km south of the plant and 16.4-fold at the point 16 km south, Kyodo

news agency reported.

The Fukushima prefectural government denied the possibility that seafood from the area was distributed to markets saying fishing had not been conducted near the nuclear plant, where emergency workers battled to avert a widespread disaster by trying to reconnect power lines and cool overheating reactors.

The critical restoration work at the plant was stalled yesterday after smoke rose from No.2 and No.3 reactors, fuelling fears of fresh radiation leaks from the area rocked by the March 11 quake of magnitude 9 and devastating tsunami that left over 22,000 people dead or unaccounted for in Japan's northeast.

Although white smoke, possibly steam, was still found to be billowing from the No.2 and No.3 reactors, TEPCO said it was not obstructing electricity restoration work.

Firefighters and the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel were also ready to restart their

mission to spray tonnes of coolant water onto spent nuclear fuel pools at the No.3 and No.4 reactors, according to TEPCO. The US Geological Survey, meanwhile, said that two 6.6magnitude quakes and one measuring 6.4 on the Richter Scale were reported within two and a half hours off Japan's northeastern Honshu coast, starting from 1248 IST. However, there were no reports of casualties or damage.

Japan's National Police Agency said the number of those killed or were unaccounted for following the devastating March 11 earthquake and tsunami topped 22,000.

It said the death toll reached 9,080 in 12 prefectures, while 13,561 people remained missing in six prefectures.

On the nuclear crisis, Defence Minister Toshimi Kitazawa said the smoke rising from the No.2 reactor at the Fukushima plant were vapours caused by waterdischarging operations. He said the blackish smoke was detected yesterday at No.3 reactor

as some rubble had caught fire after a rise in temperature.

Japanese defence authorities have also sought support of the US military to jointly tackle the ongoing nuclear crisis and coordination is underway, Kitazawa said.

SDF helicopters will begin measuring "drastically changing" temperatures at the plant daily except for rainy days to "relieve people's concerns," instead of the earlier planned twice a week, he said.

An external power source was connected to the No.4 reactor this morning, making it the fifth of the plant's six reactors to have regained the power supply needed for the restoration of a ventilation system to filter radioactive substances from the air and some measuring tools at the control room, Kyodo said.

Following the powerful quake and tsunami, the cooling functions failed at the No.1, No.2 and No.3 reactors and their cores are believed to have partially melted.

FROM PAGE 1 city. A complaint-cum-suggestion box will be installed outside my Cops unwilling to take... chamber, which will help in improving the CCP’s governance,” he

of the Bill.

“If we get no Bill then there is no stick,” he said. Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza, speaking during the cut motion on the demands for grants, sought a reply from the chief minister on whether the Lok Ayukta Bill had been withdrawn or not. He cited a news report in ‘Herald’ quoting reliable documents that the government had taken a decision to withdraw the controversial Bill.

“We want to know what the status of the Bill is. The government should do something… there is no accountability. The CM should reply about the decision on the Bill,” he said on the floor of the House.

The Bill sought to provide the establishment of the institution of Lokayukta to probe allegations against public functionaries in the State and to make provision for the appointments of the Lokayukta and Upa Lokayukta.

The Lokayukta is an anti-corruption watchdog at the state level authorised to investigate public servants accused of maladministration and graft. The Chief Minister had said the Central Government suggested withdrawing the Bill, as it suffers from a legal infirmity.

The Cabinet note circulated to all ministers also states that the reason for withdrawal is the advice of the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi. Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar named an official – one Raikar – who has been granting occupancy certificates without inspection. He reiterated that the Government should immediately decide on the Bill.

No moral right to strike

“They pointed out that they should get the Secretariat Scale.

We are now checking why the Secretariat Scale was higher. That needs time”, he said. “We have instituted a committee to look into the matter. Once it submits a report, we will take a decision”, he said.

Declaring that the employees had no moral right to go on strike for such a demand, Kamat said: “We have not deprived them of anything they are entitled to. They cannot strike work and take people for a ride!”

Requesting the employees to end their strike, Kamat also talked tough, saying action would be taken if they did not call off the strike.

CCP chief trains guns

coming with any project in the city. Construction plans will be properly scrutinized by us before giving licenses”, Parekh said.

Elected from ward number 14, defeating Panaji First’s Mayor Candidate Ashok Naik, Parekh was today officially elected as the city Mayor for a tenure of one year. The newly elected Mayor said the Corporation would seek technical guidance to solve the vexed parking problem in the city.

“Everyone talks about parking problems but there are no suggestions. The Corporation will take technical guidance and come out with some serious steps to control traffic”, he said adding that multi-storeyed parking facilities would be taken up in those areas that have been unutilised for years. “The area housing the National Theatre and the Government godown, which are lying idle, can be converted into parking zones,” he said.

Apart from this, Parekh said that completion of the city market complex and de-siltation of the St Inez nullah would be taken up on a priority basis. “We have wasted lot of time. Crores of rupees are pending with the central urban ministry under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission. Efforts will be made to fetch maximum revenue under the scheme”, he said.

The Mayor also stressed on the development of all crematoriums in the city, irrespective of religion. “I will take into consideration the opinions of all concerned citizens for the development of the

said, assuring that all complaints and suggestions would be personally looked into. “For the next one year, I assure to give a corruption-free, people-friendly and development-oriented CCP”, he declared.

Malbhat property gutted

requisitioned to assist the beleaguered Margao Fire Brigade, as huge flames posed a danger to the entire building.

Alert citizens requisitioned a hydraulic lift from the Power Department, which helped the firemen in the fire fighting operation.

Owner Prabhudessai said there were no casualties, but said a staff member was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure. “The entire office-cum-store was gutted in the fire. The adjoining godown on the same floor, however, was safe,” he said.

Local resident Rupesh Mahatme said the locals heard some minor blasts in the building, prompting them to evacuate residents to a safer place. Though he lamented that the disaster management system failed to help fire-fighting operations, Mahatme said agencies like the Electricity Dept, Police and PWD helped in the operations.

Assistant Fire Divisional Officer Prakash Parab said the fire-fighting operations were made difficult as the store room contained inflammable items. Fortunately, he said, firemen manage to remove one of the LPG cylinders from the premises before any untoward incident could happen.

“There was no delay on the part of the fire services. We received the call at 1pm and reached the spot within 10 minutes,” he said, admitting that the non-availability of water hampered fire fighting operations.

“Initially we responded quickly to the call, but later the fire tenders were caught in traffic jams while returning after refueling,” he explained. Parab said six fire tenders took part in the operation, using 12 tanks and two PWD tankers. Around 82,000 litres of water was used in the operation, he added.

Questions were raised whether storage of goods, especially inflammable items, is permitted in a premises meant for office purpose.

18 injured in bus mishap

Rangavi Estate helped many passengers; most were shifted in private vehicles to hospital. One passenger was shifted in a 108 ambulance.

Of the 18 injured persons, four were lifeguards proceeding for morning duty at Bogmalo beach. They sustained injuries on their shoulders.

“Most injuries are minor, while a few patients were advised to take an X-Ray. Two patients who complained of chest pain were referred to the GMC as a precautionary measure,” said Prakash Pednekar.

Vasco Traffic PI Dharmesh Angle, who was present at the accident site, said he had immediately pressed a team and a recovery van for rescue operations. The Vasco fire brigade also arrived at the spot to clear the ill-fated bus from the road.

“The bus was filled to capacity with 40 passengers, while driver D’Costa was in an inebriated condition and was driving rashly,” said Ravi Chavan, an injured passenger.

The driver jumped out of the bus and fled,” said Chavan.

Local Panch Lawrence Fernandes also blamed the bus driver. He said people had earlier complained that he had the habit of driving under the influence of alcohol. Vasco PI Rajan Nigale admitted that the bus driver was under the influence of alcohol. “Bus driver D’Costa has been arrested for drunken driving and endangering human lives,” said PI Nigale.

Incidentally, about eight days ago, the former Chicolna-Bogmalo sarpanch and Panch Laxman Kaulekar had met with an accident at the same spot. Tuesday’s incident is the third major accident in the area in the last few months.

OHERALDO

00pg9_Layout 1 3/22/2011 10:28 PM Page 1

BIZ

Pg 9

GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

Centre moves ahead with GST, introduces Bill in Lok Sabha PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

The government today introduced a Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha with a view to create a common market for goods and services and replace the existing indirect taxation regime with a uniform Goods and Services Tax (GST) system.

The Bill that was tabled in the Lower House despite opposition, mainly from BJP-ruled states, seeks to amend the Constitution to confer simultaneous powers to the Centre and states to levy taxes on goods and services.

Now, the Bill is likely to be referred to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for scrutiny.

The proposed GST will subsume most indirect taxes like excise duty and service tax at the central level and VAT on the state front, besides local levies.

"The GST would replace a number of indirect taxes presently being levied by the central government and the state governments and is intended to remove cascading of taxes and provide a common national market for goods and services," said the Statement of Objects and Reasons of the Bill.

However, crude petroleum, diesel,

petrol, aviation turbine fuel, natural gas and alcohol for human consumption have been kept out of the GST ambit.

According to Ernst and Young Tax Partner Harishanker Subramaniam, "Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee's decision to table the Bill is a positive development in the direction of tax reform. He was committed to bring it in the current session and he did that."

The Bill provides for creation of a GST Council to be headed by the Union Finance Minister. The Council will be empowered to recommend tax rates and exemption and threshold limits for good and services.

The Council, which is to be constituted by the President, is proposed to be chaired by the Union Finance Minister, with the Minister of State for Finance, in-charge of revenue, as member.

Besides, the minister in charge of finance or taxation, or any other minister nominated by each state government, will be members.

"Every decision of the GST Council taken at a meeting shall be with the consensus of all the members present at the meeting," the Bill said.

It also proposed a GST Dispute Settlement Authority, created by Parliament, to

deal with grievances of the Centre and the state with regard to GST. "The GST Dispute Settlement Authority shall consist of a chairperson and two other members," the Bill said.

The chairperson of the authority is proposed to be a person who has been a judge of the Supreme Court or a Chief Justice of the High Court, while the members shall be persons of "proven capacity and expertise in the field of law, economics or public affairs."

GST, which is considered to be a major tax reform, has been pending for the past few years due to differences between the Centre and some states over the structure of the new tax regime.

The Bill is the fourth draft prepared by the Centre after the first three drafts were rejected by the states, citing autonomy issues. However, a few states, mainly those ruled by the BJP, continue to oppose the existing GST structure.

After missing the original April, 2010, deadline for GST rollout, the government proposed to introduce it in April, 2011.

But it is all set to miss this deadline too.

According to Revenue Secretary Sunil Mitra, it may be difficult to implement GST from April 1, 2012, too.

CMIE projects inflation at 7% in ’12 PTI MUMBAI, MARCH 22

Moderation in food inflation and textile items would help ease wholesale price indexbased inflation to seven per cent in FY 12, a leading economic think-tank said.

"We project that WPI-based inflation will ease to seven per cent in 2011-12, as compared to an estimated nine per cent in 2010-11," the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) said in its latest review of the country's economy here.

A moderation in inflation in food articles and textile items will be largely responsible for lower inflation in FY 12, it said.

High base values will keep inflation in food articles under control and inflation in this group is projected to average 6.7 per cent in FY 12.

"This will be less than half of the 16.6 per cent estimated for 2010-11 and 15.3 per cent recorded in 2009-10," CMIE said.

In FY 11, inflation in food

Sibal, Shourie spar over VSNL disinvestment

PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal has triggered a fresh controversy ordering a probe into the disinvestment of erstwhile VSNL during NDA regime in favour of Tatas but the then telecom minister Arun Shourie hit back accusing Sibal of twisting facts.

"It has come to my notice that the disinvestment of Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) in 2002 does not seem to be fair and transparent.

"Prima facie the way issue of demerger of 773.13 acres of surplus land of VSNL was handled in 2002 and thereafter, not only the interests of investors but also the interests of the government seems to have been adversely affected," Sibal is understood to have said in a note to Telecom Secretary R Chandrashekhar.

The official was asked to constitute a high level committee under Additional Secretary S R Rao to examine the issue in detail and to submit its report by this month end.

Sibal is understood to have expressed concern over the inordinate delay in the hiving off/demerger of the government's surplus land being "enjoyed" by Tatas without paying a single rupee.

Accusing Sibal of providing perverted facts, Shourie said the government was already sinking under a cascade of corruption allegations and the minister was only adding to its problems.

He dismissed allegations of any wrongdoing and said he was prepared for any probe into the disinvestment of VSNL. He said if there was any delay in the demerger of the land and if a probe has to be ordered it should be against P

Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee, the past and present Finance Ministers in the UPA government in last seven years.

Shourie defended the disinvestment saying stringent conditions were laid down that prohibited the sale of surplus land by winning bidders.

"There are such stringent clauses that the person who wins the bid on VSNL, we have provided, shall not have any right on the land at all," Shourie said. He added that transfer or sale of the land cannot be done without a special resolution.

"Shareholders agreements and and those clauses are right here. It prohibits the winning bidder, in this case the Tatas, to do anything with the land," he said.

Tata Group company Panatone Finvest Ltd had acquired a controlling stake in Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd (VSNL) on February 13, 2002, for Rs 1,439 crore as part of the disinvestment programme of the then NDA government.

However, at the time of disinvestment, surplus land of 773.13 acres was separated from the disinvestment bids and was to be disposed of as per the Share Holding Agreement (SHA) and Share Purchase Agreement (SPA).

Questioning the role of the UPA government, Shourie said, "The Tatas said they have been writing to the government and the government has not been able to make up its mind, that is for this government to answer. What has it been doing for six years?"

The UPA government has invited bids to hire consultants to ascertain the value of the 773.13 acres of VSNL surplus land and also initiate the process to sell it.

items has been high largely because of higher demand.

Various employment schemes have been launched like NREGS, which provides assured employment for 100 days to rural unskilled labourers. Implementation of the sixth pay commission recommendations provided a hefty rise in the wages and salaries of Government employees.

Wages in the private sector have been rising too and the income of farmers is estimated to have risen by 5.1 per cent in real terms in 2010-11, CMIE said.

In 2011-12, real income of farmers is projected to rise.

Regular wages and salaries of Government employees are budgeted to increase by seven per cent. This increase will come over a robust 55 per cent increase in 2008-09, 30 per cent in 2009-10 and 18.7 per cent in 2010-11.

"Thus, the demand pressure will be largely responsible for keeping inflation at seven per cent in 2011-12," CMIE said.

Autonomous CAA to regulate aviation safety AGENCIES NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

The government is bringing in a legislation to set up a Civil Aviation Authority, CAA, to regulate all aviation safety issues in the country.

The Director General of Civil Aviation Mr. E K Bharat Bhushan on Tuesday told reporters in New Delhi that the necessary formalities in this regard are in the final stage.

The proposed CAA would have administrative and financial autonomy. It is also likely to keep a tab on the entire range of activities, from proper provision of air traffic services and licensing to financial fitness of airlines.

Asked about the newly-created Tariff Analysis Unit set up in the DGCA to monitor abrupt hikes in air fares, the DGCA Chief said, the air fare patterns are being monitored every day on an hour-to-hour basis.

Govt makes big move on banking reforms PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

In a big step towards banking reforms, the government today introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha seeking to give voting rights to investors commensurate with their shareholding in the private sector banks.

Voting rights of investors in nationalised banks have been increased to 10 per cent from one per cent at present in the Bill, a step which is expected to make investments in nationalised banks more attractive.

The Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill 2011 introduced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee meets the long-pending demands of investors, both domestic and global.

The draft legislation, which brings amendments in three related laws relating to the banking sector, also gives powers to the Reserve Bank of India to supersede the

Board of Directors of a banking company for a period of up to one year and appoint an administrator.

The nationalised banks would be allowed to decrease or increase their authorised capital beyond a ceiling of Rs 3,000 crore, but with the approval of the central government and the Reserve Bank.

On norms for mergers in the banking industry, no approval will be necessary from the Competition Commission of India, the anti-monopoly watchdog. Only RBI clearance is needed and the necessary amendments have been incorporated in the bill.

The amendment in the banking laws would help the sector be in sync with the "international best practices", the statement of Objects and Reasons to the bill said.

Commenting on the Bill, State Bank of India Chairman O P Bhatt said "Going forward, as we need capital in the banking

sector, this will make it easy for those who are standing on the sidelines to put more capital into the banks as and when there are IPOs and FPOs." He further added: "It will strengthen the Indian banking system and at a time when economy is growing great guns". The nationalised banks would be allowed two additional instruments of 'bonus shares' and 'rights issues' for accessing the capital market.

For the private sector banks the investors will have the voting power commensurate with their shareholding. At present, the voting rights are restricted to 10 per cent irrespective of the holdings.

The RBI is also being given powers to seek information and returns from the associate enterprises of the banking companies. It would be authorised to carry out inspection of such enterprises, if necessary.

Rupee up, robust dollar inflows likely AGENCIES NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

The rupee was marginally stronger on Tuesday, supported by positive local shares, a strong euro and higher regional peers.

Dealers are also turning more optimistic about the rupee's outlook in the near term on expectations of robust dollar inflows through external commercial borrowings (ECB), remittance and investments by foreign institutional investors.

Foreign funds had sold Indian shares worth a net USD 825.95

million in February, while they bought a net USD 319.95 million this month until March 20.

So far in 2011 they have sold USD 1.89 billion of equity.

"The outlook for the rupee in the short term is strong, given that dollar inflows are expected to be strong with companies getting funds via ECBs , and remittance in this quarter is higher than usual due to the Middle-East crisis," said Rohan Naik, head of foreign exchange trading at Standard Chartered Bank in Mumbai.

APPOINTMENTS

Sesa Goa buys Bellary assets @Rs 220 cr AGENCIES NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

Vedanta Group firm Sesa Goa today said it has acquired the assets of the upcoming steel plant of Bellary Steel and Alloys, put on the block by a consortium of lenders led by IFCI for Rs 220 crore.

"We have been looking at setting up value addition facilities, as desired by the state government (Karnataka) and this acquisition provides us with an excellent opportunity to leap frog in that direction," Sesa Goa Managing Director P K Mukherjee said in a statement.

The assets of the acquired

company have been transferred on "as is where is" basis to Sesa Goa effective today, the statement said, adding Sesa Goa is conducting a detailed assessment to determine the best way forward for commissioning the steel plant at the earliest.

BASL, a Karnataka-based company, had embarked on to set up an integrated 0.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) capacity steel plant with provision of taking it to 2 MTPA, at Bellary on 700 acres of freehold land.

However, BASL could not complete the project and ran into debt, following which the lenders consortium led by IFCI put it on the block for sale.

The sell off process was full of drama and a legal battle was also fought by Sesa Goa against the process adopted by IFCI in December, in which JSW Steel was declared winner for its bid of Rs 210 crore for acquiring the asset of BASL. However, Sesa Goa contended, in its plea before the Delhi High Court in January this year, that IFCI initially announced the Vedanta Group firm as only qualified bidder and declared it winner verbally for its bid of Rs 206 crore.

Following this, the Delhi High Court allowed the Anil Agarwal-owned mining firm to rebid in an inter se bidding

process, where the Goa-based company put a successful bid of Rs 220 crore.

Inter se bidding process means the shortlisted companies will have to rebid with their fresh offer.

The acquisition will also pave the way for Sesa Goa to expand its business into the steel sector and would be a strategic fit for the company as the BASL's steel plant is located in the iron ore rich belt of Karnataka.

Shares of Sesa Goa scrips were trading at Rs 262.10 on the BSE in the late afternoon trade, up 1.24 per cent from its previous close.

A reputed British Company seeks urgently

Travel Sales Executive The position will be based in the 'secure Military Zone', Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan dealing with Corporate and 'Walk-in Clients'.

Requirements :

Excellent Commication skills Proficiency in English Pleasant personality Selling experience (Agency or Call Center) Knowledge of Airline GDS systems Computer literate (Windows, Excel, Outlook) Travel knowledge (Airlines,Hotels, Destinations, etc)

Package :

Excellent salary for the right person and will include Training, Accommodation, Meals and Travel Allowance.

Please forward your CV and a covering email by 31st March, 2011 {Thursday} to walshaiden@yahoo.co.uk

APPOINTMENTS

00pg10_Pg12 3/22/2011 10:35 PM Page 1

OHERALDO

Pg10 GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

Tata to build floating solar plant AGENCIES MUMBAI, MARCH 22

Tata Power on Tuesday said it will be building the country's first low-cost, high-efficiency floating solar plant in partnership with an Australian company. Sunengy, the Australian company, and Tata Power will

begin constructing a pilot plant that uses the Liquid Solar Array technology from August this year.

LSA uses traditional concentrated photovoltaic technology but rather than mounting the cells on a frame, it is made to float on water, making it lowcost, cyclone-proof and less te-

dious as it does not involve any land acquisition, it added.

"It effectively turns a dam into a very large battery, offering free solar storage and opportunity for improved water resource management," the inventor of the technology and Sunengy's Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer, Phil Connor, said.

BIZ

Crooks offer refund on online tax returns PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

Cyber crooks are on the prowl this financial year closing and are using phishing attacks and hoax-alerts to gain access to account details of individuals who have filed their Income Tax returns online, warn experts.

"It is the season of income tax returns. Many people file them online. Cyber criminals use this time to launch phishing attacks through emails as many people are not aware of these things," says Vinoo Thomas, Technical Product Manager, McAfee Labs.

"An email is sent to a number of people, saying IT refund is available. Once it is

clicked, the user is directed to a website that looks like that of IT dept. And there, they ask you to disclose your personal financial details in a form. That information will end up with a scammer who can empty your credit card or bank account in no time ," he adds.

For the financial year 201011, the Income Tax department has processed over 38 lakh efiled returns.

According to cyberlaw expert, Pavan Duggal, unawareness among public and technical sophistication of the cybercrooks has led to increase in phishing attacks in recent years in India.

"People do not know that

their financial details can be targeted and misused through Internet. Also, they seem unaware of the policies of financial institutions and government departments to contact their customers," says Duggal.

What further complicates the matter, according to him is the technical sophistication of such crooks.

"If users are becoming aware of such frauds, these criminals are developing techniques to counter this awareness. The phishing emails and web sites are made to appear exactly same as that of the original one which confuses the users," says Duggal.

The recent examples of

Mylan gives Ranbaxy investors heartburn AGENCIES MUMBAI, MARCH 22

Ranbaxy Laboratory Inc’s shares gyrate wildly every time the market senses a development on the Indian firm’s chances to get a six-month head start on marketing the world’s most popular drug, and this week was no exception.

The firm’s shares tanked Monday when the market reacted to a legal attempt by rival Mylan Inc. to pip Ranbaxy at the post and bring a generic version of Pfizer Inc.’s cholesterol medication Lipitor to mar-

ket in June. That would dash the Indian pharmaceutical company’s hopes of benefiting from being the first to file an application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for permission to produce a generic version, back in 2002.

Ranbaxy stock ended Monday 7.0% lower at 435.95 rupees, while the benchmark Sensex fell 0.2%. On Tuesday, the stock was trading 0.2% higher at Rs 436.90 on the BSE. Lipitor sells more than any other drug in the world, and last year racked up global sales of $10.7 billion. In the U.S., the first firm to get approval for an application to produce a generic version of a drug also gets 180 days in which to market it exclusively.

Sales of Ranbaxy’s generic

version were to begin after Nov. 30, as agreed upon in a 2008 settlement with Pfizer.

In any case, Ranbaxy would have been competing with Watson Laboratories Inc., which has licensed the right to sell an authorized generic version of the drug from Pfizer from November.

But if Mylan is successful, it could prevent Ranbaxy from benefiting from six months of exclusive sales. In a lawsuit filed in federal court in Washington on Friday, Mylan contends that the U.S. drug regulator hasn’t been properly applying its own policies with regard to drug applications when it comes to Ranbaxy, and therefore the latter’s Lipitor application approval should be retracted.

phishing attacks include RBI phishing scam, ICC World Cup 2011 scam and Valentine Day scams.

"Collecting e-mail addresses from spam mail vendors is not a big deal. People still mention their e-mail address openly on forums and social media networks that makes life easier for online fraudsters. People still don't use spam filters," says Thomas.

According to an IT official, "A number of taxpayers receive such e-mails with subjects like 'tax refund' and 'seeking refunds' during this time of the financial year. The IT department does not send e-mails regarding refunds and does not seek any per-

sonal financial information online."

"We also advise tax-payers to keep their user ID and password secure and keep changing them periodically when checking tax credit statements online," he added.

Apart from taking precautionary steps like not divulging banking details online and not clicking on such e-mails, Duggal says there is need for stringent law to deal with such criminals.

"This is a bailable offence which comes under IT Act, 2000. We need to get strict on this. Our conviction rate in cyber crimes is very very low, just three in last 15 years," he says.

Maruti mulls options to counter yen impact

PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

The country’s largest car maker Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday said it will consider taking different measures after April to protect its margins due to fluctuation of Japanese Yen, post the devastating earthquake and tsunami.

“For this month, we are completely protected. In fact, we are covered till April. Beyond that if Yen continues to appreciate, then we will have to take a call to counter it,” Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chief Financial Officer Mr Ajay Seth told PTI. He said the company’s mar-

gins are affected whenever the yen appreciates, while it is beneficial if it depreciates.

After the natural disaster that struck the island nation on March 11, the Japanese currency is quoted at about 81 yen against a US dollar compared to that of about 83 yen earlier, Mr Seth added.

He said there is strong volatility going on at present, with yen appreciating as much as to 76 yen against a dollar recently.

While Mr Seth did not elaborate on how MSI would counter the Yen fluctuation, market analysts pointed out that currency hedging is a strong possibility.

T M ( t l m g g m g w m s s m a r

Sensex breaks losing streak The BSE Sensex broke three-session losing streak and bounced back over 149 points to close at 17,988.30, on buying at lower levels amid firm global cues, despite high crude oil prices.

The market started on a firm note on the back of smart rally in Asian stocks, following gains on the Wall Street yesterday, as airstrikes on Libya were offset by easing concerns over the Japanese's nuclear crisis. Besides, USD 39-billion T-Mobile merger deal announced by AT&T propped the US stock market.

The NSE 50-share Nifty also bounced back 49.10 points or 0.92 per cent to 5,413.85.

Brokers said introduction of the Constitution Amendment Bill in the Lok Sabha to facilitate the implementation of Goods and Service Tax (GST) also help boost the sentiment.

Aban Offshor, 561, 572.5, 561, 564.05 Abb Ltd., 748.95, 749, 742.25, 745.95 Abg Shipyard, 357.85, 365.25, 356.15, 357.65 Acc Limited, 1024, 1029.9, 1015.15, 1023.65 Adani Enterp, 595.05, 604.35, 595.05, 600 Aditya Birla, 769.4, 771.95, 762, 764.75 Allahabad Ba, 210, 212.95, 208.25, 210.75 Alstom Proje, 533.35, 534.9, 518.6, 529.15 Ambuja Cemen, 129.4, 132.4, 128.1, 131.25 Andhra Bank, 141, 144.7, 141, 142.85 Ashok Leylan, 52, 52.75, 51.45, 52.5 Asian Paints, 2534.25, 2553.7, 2506, 2509.8 Axis Bank Li, 1288, 1305, 1278, 1295.9 Bajaj Hindus, 70.1, 71.25, 69.2, 70.45 Bank Of Baro, 882.2, 903, 882.2, 894.9 Bank Of Indi, 444, 451.7, 443.95, 450.55 Beml Limited, 669.7, 669.7, 655, 661.45 Bharat Elect, 1680.9, 1680.9, 1642.6, 1662.35 Bharat Forge, 320.1, 330.5, 319.65, 328.85 Bharat Petro, 563.5, 568, 557.9, 565.7 Bharti Airte, 318.2, 327.3, 318.2, 326.6

Bhel, 1930, 1957, 1922, 1947.05 Bhushan Stee, 437.95, 443.7, 433.85, 435.8 Biocon Limit, 328.3, 336.7, 328.05, 330.95 Bombay Dyein, 355.7, 362, 352.2, 354.7 Bosch Limite, 5951, 5985, 5951, 5974 Brigade Ente, 93, 93, 88.05, 89 Cairn India, 349.5, 355, 347.7, 354.05 Canara Bank, 607, 610, 601.7, 609.25 Central Bank, 138, 138.5, 134.4, 134.75 Century Text, 313.5, 318, 313.05, 316.9 Cesc Ltd, 297.1, 301.5, 297.05, 299.25 Chambal Fert, 68.35, 69.5, 67.65, 68.95 Chennai Petr, 199.05, 202.85, 198.05, 201.5 Cipla Ltd, 288.3, 293.8, 288.2, 291.6 Colgate Palm, 824.7, 824.7, 807, 808.45 Container Co, 1157.55, 1171.45, 1157.1, 1161.85 Crompton Gre, 266.4, 268.8, 263.15, 266.3 Cummins Indi, 638.05, 649.2, 638, 644.1 Dabur India, 96.1, 96.85, 95.7, 95.95 Deccan Chron, 66.3, 68.85, 65.7, 67.65 Dish Tv Indi, 61.85, 62.3, 61.4, 62 Divi’s Labor, 618.6, 637.7, 618.6, 628.75 Dlf Limited, 222.9, 229.85, 222.6, 228.05 Dr. reddy’s, 1516, 1539, 1512.15, 1533.5

Edelweiss Ca, 36.5, 39.15, 35.8, 37.95 Educomp Solu, 408.25, 416.9, 406.55, 415.5 Eih Limited, 81.7, 82.2, 80.1, 80.75 Engineers In, 301, 307, 301, 304.05 Essar Oil Lt, 118.2, 120.4, 118.2, 118.9 Essar Shippi, 89.7, 90.5, 86.25, 87.4 Exide Indust, 133.4, 134.45, 132, 133.7 Federal Bank, 371.45, 373.8, 370.05, 371.75 Financial Te, 759.75, 770, 754, 767.7 Gail (india), 452, 455.5, 449.2, 453.6 Gammon India, 102.5, 110.5, 102.5, 108.45 Glaxosmithkl, 2031.15, 2044, 2031.15, 2039.75 Glenmark Pha, 271.35, 276.5, 271.1, 272.4 Gmr Infrastr, 36.3, 37.35, 36.3, 37.1 Godrej Indus, 165, 169.7, 164.5, 166.45 Grasim Indus, 2430, 2462, 2405, 2451.95 Great Offsho, 237.7, 246.5, 235.9, 243.15 Gtl Infra.Lt, 36.6, 37, 36.4, 36.8 Gujarat Mine, 133.5, 138.9, 133.3, 135.5 Gujarat N R, 51.9, 52.65, 51.1, 52.05 Gujarat Stat, 101, 101, 99.35, 100

Gvk Pow. & I, 24.6, 24.8, 24.25, 24.3 Hcl Technolo, 452.3, 454.3, 450, 452.05 Hdfc Bank Lt, 2159.1, 2173, 2142.05, 2151.6 Hdfc Ltd, 630.95, 639.95, 624, 637.8 Hero Honda M, 1445, 1452.8, 1413.8, 1441.4 Hindalco in, 191.8, 193.45, 189.35, 191.85 Hindustan Co, 35.35, 35.9, 35.2, 35.4 Hindustan Ma, 59, 62.4, 58.85, 59.6 Hindustan Pe, 340.65, 340.65, 333.6, 338.65 Hindustan Un, 268, 270.4, 264.45, 267.7 Hindustan Zi, 127.1, 128.95, 126.55, 128.1 Housing Dev, 152, 155.2, 151.1, 153.35 Icici Bank L, 1007.95, 1013.4, 997.3, 1004.15 Idea Cellula, 61.8, 62.8, 61.2, 62.05 Ifci Ltd, 52.2, 52.2, 51.35, 51.65 India Cement, 91.4, 94.15, 90.5, 92 India Infoli, 68, 70.3, 67.6, 69.5 Indiabulls F, 144, 147.3, 142.7, 145.6 Indiabulls R, 106, 108.8, 105.1, 108.35 Indian Bank, 213.75, 219.45, 212.05, 218.7 Indian Hotel, 78.25, 78.55, 77.45, 78.4

Indian Oil C, 301, 302, 298.5, 298.95 Indian Overs, 143.8, 144.5, 142.5, 143.1 Indus Dev Ba, 133.1, 134.45, 132.8, 133.3 Indusind Ban, 245.4, 246.5, 243.25, 244.5 Infosys Tech, 2935.15, 2956.75, 2924, 2943.05 Infra. dev., 144.5, 145.4, 143.5, 144.9 Ispat Indust, 21.9, 22, 21.65, 21.7 Itc Ltd, 168.6, 170.9, 167.5, 170.05 Ivrcl Infras, 72.1, 73.7, 72.1, 73.05 Jai Corp Lim, 156.85, 158.85, 155.35, 156.35 Jaiprakash A, 83.7, 85.3, 83.25, 84.8 Jet Airways, 442, 452.9, 434.65, 446.3 Jindal Saw L, 164.2, 188.7, 164.2, 183 Jindal Steel, 667, 669.5, 658.8, 661.3 Jsw Steel Li, 880, 893.5, 874, 877.8 Kotak Mahind, 420, 424, 419.1, 421.1 Lakshmi Mach, 2129, 2156, 2125.5, 2140.2 Lanco Infrat, 36.8, 39.15, 36.8, 38.65 Larsen & Tou, 1519, 1529.9, 1513, 1520.95 Lic Housing, 192.2, 198.5, 191.35, 196.8 Lupin Limite, 401.25, 411.9, 401.25, 407.2 Mahanagar Te, 43.9, 44.85, 43.3, 44.1 Mahindra & M, 644, 656.95, 640, 654.1

Maruti Suzuk, 1136.05, 1179, 1133.05, 1171.95 Max India Lt, 143, 144.8, 141.55, 142.2 Moser­baer (, 40.25, 40.8, 39.95, 40.65 Mrpl, 59, 60.25, 58.8, 59.95 Nagarjuna Fe, 25.9, 26.25, 25.8, 26.05 National Alu, 105.25, 106.6, 103.55, 104.05 Neyveli Lign, 99.1, 105.45, 96.75, 103.6 Ntpc Ltd, 174.85, 175.5, 173.65, 174.35 Oil And Natu, 271.1, 273.35, 267.25, 271.5 Omaxe Limite, 132, 134, 131.1, 131.55 Oriental Ban, 366, 368.7, 361.7, 364.35 Pantaloon Re, 240.1, 248.9, 240.1, 245.85 Parsvnath De, 37.45, 38.95, 36.6, 37.85 Petronet Lng, 120, 120.75, 117.8, 118.35 Power Fin Co, 222, 224.25, 217.55, 220.85 Power Grid C, 97.9, 97.9, 96.8, 97.35 Praj Industr, 70.45, 71.35, 69.65, 70.15 Punj Lloyd L, 61.5, 61.95, 61, 61.15 Punjab Natio, 1090, 1098, 1085, 1092.55 Rajesh Expor, 116.15, 116.85, 114, 114.65 Ranbaxy Labs, 435.05, 444.5, 432.1, 437 Rashtriya Ch, 76.35, 77.35, 75.55, 76.05 Reliance Cap, 577.25, 580.9, 572, 573.3

Reliance Com, 103.45, 104.7, 103, 103.7 Reliance Ene, 1105, 1105, 1052.1, 1070 Reliance Ind, 626.45, 634, 620.5, 623 Reliance Ind, 993.05, 1004.9, 992.15, 999.65 Reliance Pow, 120.9, 120.95, 118.4, 119.2 Rolta India, 136.7, 136.7, 133.9, 135.1 Satyam Compu, 66.7, 67.85, 64.8, 67.25 Sesa Goa Ltd, 261.4, 264.25, 258.2, 263.15 Shipping Cor, 106.2, 107.2, 105, 106.05 Siemens Ltd, 872, 880, 867.55, 877.9 Sintex Indus, 139.95, 142.25, 139, 139.4 Sobha Develo, 258, 262.5, 257.2, 259 State Bank O, 2595.4, 2632.1, 2595, 2620.55 Steel Author, 160.9, 164.45, 160.9, 162 Sterlite Ind, 160.4, 163, 159.5, 161.95 Sun Pharmace, 443.5, 456.9, 439.2, 450.6 Sun Tv Netwo, 439.95, 444.9, 431, 435.15 Suzlon Energ, 46.1, 46.4, 45.3, 45.5 Tata Communi, 210, 221.85, 203.15, 220.45 Tata Consult, 1075.1, 1080, 1063, 1069.5 Tata Motors, 1130.1, 1143.7, 1130.1, 1136.1

Tata Power C, 1241, 1249.7, 1226.2, 1242 Tata Steel L, 605, 610.5, 603.15, 604.8 Tata Teleser, 14.75, 14.9, 14.75, 14.8 Tech Mahindr, 709.95, 716.35, 699.1, 710.65 The Ge Shpg., 253, 255.75, 252, 253.1 The Phoenix, 173, 183, 172.75, 180.8 Thermax Ltd, 567.05, 573.55, 565, 572.5 Titan Indust, 3437.05, 3485.05, 3434.2, 3457.2 Torrent Powe, 245.2, 245.2, 240.1, 242.75 Triveni Engg, 98.1, 98.7, 96.15, 97 Tv18 India L, 73.55, 74, 72.65, 73.5 Uco Bank, 101, 102.7, 100, 102.1 Ultratech Ce, 1007.55, 1034, 1007.55, 1022.05 Union Bank O, 334.4, 335.7, 326.5, 329.1 Unitech Ltd, 36.25, 36.8, 36.1, 36.45 United Phosp, 138.5, 141.15, 137.1, 140.35 Videocon Ind, 187.95, 188.5, 185, 186.8 Vijaya Bank, 72.3, 72.75, 71.55, 72.25 Voltas Ltd, 157, 158.85, 156, 156.85 Wipro Ltd, 436.6, 439, 433, 434.4 Yes Bank Lim, 275, 281.7, 274.6, 279.9 Zee Entertai, 119.9, 121.9, 119.1, 121.35

OHERALDO

Pg 13 GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

Allies hit Gaddafi compound again No-fly zone to be widened

PTI TRIPOLI/WASHINGTON, MARCH 22

Loud explosions and anti-aircraft fire rang across the Libyan capital for the third night in running as coalition bombers and missiles struck targets, including Muammar Gaddafi’s Tripoli compound and a big naval base on the outskirts of the city.

The allied firepower also targeted Gaddafi’s stronghold of Zuwarah, Sirte, Sebha as well as the embattled city of Ajdabiya as indications emerged that the no-fly zone over Libya is going to be widened to cover almost 1,000 kms. The awesome blitzkrieg, a top US general said, had virtually frozen Gaddafi’s advance in the key rebel city of Benghazi, handing back some momentum to the rebels, who were on the verge of being overrun just last week.

“Sky above the Libyan capital lit up with anti-aircraft fire after explosions were heard again on Monday night,” BBC correspondent reported from the city.

The Libyan television reported that a missile hit a spot near Col Gaddafi’s sprawling Bab al-Aziza compound at

around 1900 GMT, without elaborating.

Similar explosions rocked the capital on Sunday night with coalition officials saying that an administrative command and control centre in Gaddafi’s fortified complex had been destroyed by a cruise missile.

The state television also said that a Libyan naval base, 10 kms east of the capital, was also hit last night.Al Jazeera said the Bussetta base was completely destroyed by missile and air attacks.

Libyan Government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said that southern town of Sebha, bastion of Gaddafi’s Guedefa tribe, had also been attacked and these strikes had caused numerous civilian casualties.

Though battered by constant air and missile strikes, the Libyan Government forces continued to engage in scattered fighting, defying the UN resolution which demand an immediate ceasefire

by Gaddafi’s troops and an end to attack on civilians.

Al Jazeera reported heavy fighting was going on for control of the town of Misruta, Libya’s

Yemeni envoys back anti-regime protests PTI DUBAI, MARCH 22

Ramping up pressure on embattled Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, the country’s envoys to several countries, including Pakistan and Spain, have declared their “total support” to protests against his 32-year rule, close on the heels of top Generals and tribal chiefs joining the mass uprising.

“After our long waiting for our homeland’s voice and interest to win, we declare our total support to the (Yemeni) youth (protesting against the regime) and their demands” for ouster of 65-yearold Saleh, said a statement jointly signed by Yemen’s Ambassadors to Pakistan, Qatar, Oman and Spain as well as its Consul in Dubai.

They decided to support the protesters “after developments have reached this turn, which threatens Yemen, its unity and its people’s security,” Gulf News daily reported today quoting the statement.

“We urge the rulers of the country and the wise people in the army, public institutions, thinkers and scholars to make the interest of the country and its people prevail over their personal and family interests,” the statement said, backing the “demands for freedom and dignity” in Yemen.

third largest town located 214

kms east of Tripoli.

Pg 14

SPORTS

GOA, Wednesday, 23 March 2011

Rony wins 2nd spot in karate

Sporting rally to hold Dempo HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, MARCH 22

Substitute Avelino Fernandes netted the equaliser as Sporting Clube de Goa drew 1-1 with leaders Dempo Sports Club in GFA’s Kingfisher Pro-League, at Duler Stadium, here on Tuesday. Dempo led through a Cresson Antao header at the interval.

This result keeps the title race wide open as Dempo are currently occupying top spot with 26 points from 13 matches with a goal difference of +17. Salgaocar have 25 points from 13 matches with a goal difference of +13. Churchill Brothers have collected 22 points from 12

matches and have a goal difference of +11. Sporting are currently fourth with 20 points from 12 matches and a goal difference of +11.

Dempo played virtually their second string, but the players functioned effectively without many of the first teammates.

There were moments in the first half when Dempo created a web of endless ball retention orchestrated by Mickey Fernandes in the midfield.

Sporting relied on midfield maestro Adil Khan who kept the team ticking. Adil showed intelligence and confidence as he won the ball cleanly and distributed it with lethal accuracy for

Salgaocar can win League: Francis HERALD CORRESPONDENT POINGUINIM, MARCH 22

Rony Fernandes of Polem, brought laurels to the State when he bagged the second spot in National Level open karate championship organised

by Yin-Yang International Martial Arts Karate-Do, India affiliated to World Karate Federation in the 51-55kgs category at Karwar, Karnataka recently.

Fifteen-year-old Rony is a Std 9th student of Damodar Vidyalaya School, Loliem, Canacona.

His father Xavier Fernandes and mother Reema are farmers by profession while his father is also an active social worker.

Speaking to Herald, Xavier said that apart from studies he has encouraged his children to take part in extra-curricular activities and is proud of them.

However, Xavier lamented that youth from rural areas are discriminated by the Sports Authority of Goa but he lauded the efforts of Director of Sports and Youth Affairs, Dr Susana de Sousa for inspiring rural youth.

Rony wants to compete on the international platform too but due to the unavailability of financial help, is unable to do so and therefore would like to seek help from the government to make his dreams come true.

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

Workaholic midfielder Francis Fernandes feels that staying on top during the I-League break was very essential for his team Salgaocar.

The green brigade which had amassed 40 points is one point ahead of second placed Churchill Bros and Francis opined that it’s for his teammates to sustain that winning momentum. “We’ve done all the hardwork, everyone was involved in the efforts, we knew it did surprise a lot of people and it was vital that we remain above others going into the break. We wanted it that way, it happened and now we’ve to carry on the winning momentum, and I strongly believe that all will agree with it,” expressed Francis quiet buoyant on the prospects of his team in title contention.

Salgaocar meet Pune FC away in a tricky encounter when the league resumes in the first week of April and also have to face local title aspirants Chruchill Bros and Dempo in the crucial run-up to the League.

The matches against the Goan opponents could be very decisive for the former NFL champions and any slip up could allow the arch rivals to take over. “Not only those two matches, every match after the League restarts is significant for us and we’ve to win and make sure not to drop too many points. We’ve done extremely

well specially against the bigger clubs, that’s why we’re on top.

Our fans are also back in numbers and we’re expecting them to support us here so it won’t be easy for the other teams, but everyone here is convinced that we can go on and clinch the title,” explained Francis.

The Goan giants are well served by a few youngsters like Gilbert Oliveira, Anthony Barbosa and Rino Anto but the usefulness of Francis who can operate in the defence as well as on the wings is cleverly utilized by Karim Bencharifa that the 25-year-old is now a regular on the team sheet. “It’s a great fulfilment to be part of this glorious club, it doesn’t matter where the coach wants me to play, I’ll have to give my best and when I make a significant contribution it’s very pleasing and when the team wins it’s even more pleasing. We’re well placed at the moment and we’ve to work hard to accomplish our aim,” asserted Francis the scorer of four goals in the League.

Sporting.

Sporting had a good chance in the opening five minutes but, Anthony D’Sousa shot just wide off the post. Moments later, the Dempo goalkeeper saved a shot from Thoudam Singh.

At the other end, Godwin saw his free kick sail wide off Sporting’s goal.

In the 33rd minute, Sporting gave away a needles corner.

From the resulting corner, Nicolau Borges swung the ball in from the left side and central defender Cresson Antao rose unopposed to head home from close range and give Dempo the lead.

Just before the break,

Nagoa Sporting advance HERALD CORRESPONDENT CALANGUTE, MARCH 22

Nagoa Sporting Club defeated St Augustias Sports Club, Pomburpa 2-0 to move into the quarter-finals of Novino Gold Cup inter-village football tournament organised by Candolim Sports Club at Dr Gustavo Monteiro Stadium, Candolim on Tuesday.

Both teams began on a promising note. Pomburpa had the first opportunity to forge ahead but Nagoa keeper came to his side's rescue saving Sunil’s free kick in the 10th minute.

Nagoa equalised in the 20th minute through Stanley Coutinho off a Nitesh Narvekar move.

Goaded by success, Pradeep Chopdekar doubled the lead for Nagoa in the closing minutes.

Down by two goals, Pomburpa tried to bounce back but their forwards failed.

Goa pip Rajasthan

MAPUSA (HSR) --Goa U-14 won their fourth straight match as they defeated Rajasthan 2-1 in the AIFF’s football festival in Chennai on Tuesday. The match was level 1-1 at half time.

Fernando Araujo and Veegan Ferrao struck for Goa. Veegan gave away a penalty which resulted in Rajasthan scoring.

Goa’s next match is on Thursday.

Dempo’s Myron Fernandes laid the ball off nicely for Godwin, but his effort from a distance was wide off the target.

At half time, Dempo brought on Joe Rodrigues and Debrata Roy in place of Myron and Nicolau Borges respectively. Sporting substituted striker Thoudam with Agnelo D’Sousa.

Within the first four minutes of the restart, Dempo captain Valerino Rebello and Joe were b o o ke d f o r f o u l s a s t h e y looked to prevent a Sporting uprising.

On the half hour mark, Bishewor Singh chipped the ball in for Adil to head goal bound, but the Dempo custodian pulled off

a good save.

Eleven minutes from the end, Sporting’s Jovel Martins crossed from the left wing which Sporting had two attempts blocked, before Avelino took a shot while lying on the ground which managed to float over the Dempo custodian Laxmikant Kattimani to give Sporting the vital equaliser.

Deep into injur y time, Dempo’s John Dias gave away a free kick for a handball, in a dangerous position on the edge of the box. Bishewor struck for Sporting but the ball went over the Dempo bar, in what proved to be the last piece of action of the 90 minutes.

MES HSS top HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

MES Higher Secondary School, Zuarinagar emerged champs defeating Purashottam Walawlkar Higher Secondary by 7 runs in a closely fought battle in the cricket tournament organised

by DSYA. MES won the toss and elected to bat and set a target of 116 all out in 20 overs.

Shyam Hattikar (21), Abdul Salam (17). Siddhesh took three wickets while Vipul took two wickets.

In reply, Walawlkar touched 109 for 6 in 20 overs.

Prathamesh Gawas (24), Achit (30) and Rupesh (16).

Malik and Abdul took two w i c ke t s e a c h w h i l e B a s u and Rafique took a wicket each.

FMSCI awards Ashley with honorary membership

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 22

Ashley Gomes, president, Goa Motor Sports Association, earned a big, much deserving recognition from FMSCI (Federation of Motor Sports Club of India) headed by Vijay Mallya, MP, being inducted as Honorary Member of the Motocross Committee.

It is the first time that a Goan has been bestowed the honour by FMSCI and Ashley, there is no doubt, fully deserves it as he tirelessly pursued towards motor sports excellence all these years.

In the words of FMSC, “In our quest for excellence, we have always appreciated and encouraged efforts by individuals/clubs for the promotion of motor sports in India.”

FMSCI acknowledged GMSA’s splendid performance in successfully conducting the 2010 MX championships at Gomes Race Track at Annavaddo, Candolim. The FMSCI had rewarded Ashley’s efforts at the AGM in Chennai on December 28, 2010 by bestowing with the honour

to organise the National FMSCI MX Championship in 2011.

“Due to your individual potential and consistency shown over the years in leading the GMSA to greater heights of excellence in the field of motocross, we are pleased to state that you have been invited as a Honorary Member to serve on the FMSCI Motocross Committee for 2011,” FMSCI’s Chief Executive stated Rajan Syal.

Ashley has been the architect of 2-wheeler motor sports in Goa, having taken it to great heights, organising on a highly successful note the supercross, earlier, and now motocross events which have been attracting thousands of spectators, with the youth in particular being its main attraction. Those who witnessed the MRF supercross some years ago in Panjim for the first time, still recall with nostalgia the thrilling moments of the daredevilry displayed by India’s ace riders, which kept the vast legion of spectators simply dazed.

Ashley’s passion for the sport has been unique and unparalleled, so much so that he converted his rich piece of land into a class motocross track, the only one in India to be owned by a private individual, exclusively for the sport.

Meanwhile, National MX champion Allan Sequeira congratulated Ashley on being honoured

by FMSCI. “Ashley has been the father figure of motocross and even supercross in Goa. It is a great, deserving honour for the sport and we are all proud. I have personally benefited from his guidance, support and encouragement throughout my career, having been the first MX champion at Annavado last year,” remarked Allan.

Mohammed Qadar, another rider also complimented Ashley.

Santosh wins silver; Priyanka gets bronze

GOA DIARY Cricket tourney at Canacona

GFA Second Division: Penha de Franca v. Sesa FA (Juniors), Duler Stadium, Mapusa, 4 p.m.

SWC Cup soccer: Don Bosco Oratory, Fatorda v. Betalbatim SC, Zaino ground, Velim, 4.45 p.m.

PANJIM (HSD) – Young Challengers Sports Club, Mangan, Panyefond, Canacona will organise their cricket tournament at Talpan ground, near Konkan railway bridge, Canacona from April 6 onwards. The winners will walk away with Rs 50,040 and a trophy while the runners-up will have to be content with Rs 30,040 and a trophy. The semi-finalists will get Rs 5,000 each.

Other individual prizes will also be awarded. The last date to register is March 31. Details may be obtained on 9923332896, 9657793848 or 9823725787.

10th State senior tennis ball

PANJIM (HSD) – The Goa tennis ball cricket association in collaboration with SAG will organise their 10th State SAG leaguecum-knock-out cash prize money tennis ball cricket championship for men and women from March 29 to 31at SAG tennis ball cricket ground, Campal, here at 9.30 a.m. Those interested may submit their list of players alongwith two photographs of each player on the GTBCA format before March 26 to Haresh Parsekar, Nilesh Naik or the association office, Panjim.

C-Cert participants selected

PANJIM (HSD) -- The following candidates have been approved for the AFC ‘C’ Certificate Course to be held in Goa from June 6 to 22. Allan Everisto Gonsalves, Raimund L Pereira, Francis Xavier Lobo, Severino Fernandes, Anthony J B Gomes Noronha, Bhibi Fernandes, Savio Roy Angel D’Sousa, Franky Fernandes, Shaik Niazi Aboo, Shankar S Falari, Francisco Savio Vaz, Mohan P Parab, Nazario P Coutinho, Surendra Naik Vinaeca, Marcelino Alexio Pereira, M D Rafik Bepari, Joaquim Nelson Crasto, Nelson Landez, Deric Roque Gomes, Gunja Joaquim Conceicao, Arvin Lacman Chavan, Joseph Sidy, Santosh Pundalik Patel, Marcus J Carvalho and S K Murshed.The candidates may confirm participation in writing to the GFA.

State cricket selection trials

PANJIM (HSD) – The Goa Tennis Ball Cricket Association will conduct their 1st State selection trials on April 5 at SAG tennis ball cricket ground, Campal, Panjim at 9.30 a.m. to select probables in boys and girls for 19th Junior National tennis ball cricket championship to be held in UP. Those interested may contact Nilesh V Naik, SAG coach or Hemant Khot (SAG coach) at the venue with full tennis ball cricket outfits (black track pant, white t-shirt, cricket shoes and playing bats) and original birth certificate.

Participants may also bring their full kit.

Veterans soccer at Ponda

MARCEL (HC) -- Ponda Football Veterans will organise their 1st All-India invitational veterans football tournament from April 1 to 10 at Kurti sports complex ground, Ponda. Four outstation veteran teams will participate. The winners will take home Rs 51,000 while the runners-up will have to be content with Rs 31,000. Mumbai Gunners, Kerala Veterans, Kolhapur Veterans and Bengal Strikers will take part. Besides State veterans and the host team will also participate, stated Manoj Keni, president, Ponda Football Veterans. “It will be like a gettogether of our players, National as well as international. We will also get an opportunity to meet and interact with such players,” said Agnelo Fonseca, convenor, Ponda Football Veterans.

Soccer fest at Paroda

PANJIM (HSD) -- Immaculate Conception Sports Club, Avedem, Paroda will organise their 13th edition of Immaculate festival soccer tournament at Avedem panchayat ground in the first week of April. The winners will pocket Rs 30,000 while the runners-up will take home Rs 20,000. Details may be obtained from organising chairman, Dillip Naik on 9850066624 or Peter Fernandes on 9767412845.

Chittambaram Naik (DSYA), Clyde Lobo (secretary GABA), Santosh Harijan and Nilesh Khanolkar (SAG) and Priyanka Khandeparkar.

HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

Santosh Harijan lost to Sunil Kumar of Haryana in the finals 0-4 at 34th National Games in

Jharkhand.

Earlier in the semi-finals Santosh beat Prakash of Arunachal Pradesh 3-0 and defeated Dependra Thappa of

Orissa 10-0 in the quarter-finals.

Priyanka went down in the semi-finals to Sushma Kumari of Jharkhand 1-9 and earlier she

got the better of Mamta Kumari of Orissa 11-3. Chittambaram Naik was the women coach while Nilesh Khanolkar was the men coach.

Nuvem too good for Curtorim Gymkhana HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MARCH 22

Nuvem Sports Club drubbed Curtorim Gymkhana 4-0 to sail into the quarter-finals of 1st AllGoa SWC Cup inter-village football tournament organised by Social Welfare Club of Zaino at Zaino ground, on Tuesday.

Nuvem led 2-0 at half time.

Nuvem made it clear right from the start that they were not going to let Curtorim dictate

terms and created many forays into the rival territory. Their efforts bore fruits early when Jose Colaco bulged the net. The early goal spurred Nuvem to pile pressure and they repeatedly raided the rival citadel.

On the other hand, Curtorim struggled throughout as they failed to combine as a unit and rarely troubled the rival citadel.

Nuvem doubled the lead midway when Edward Noronha pun-

ished the rival keeper with an adroit placement.

Changing ends, did not bring any respite to Curtorim as they attacked the rival citadel with both the flanks. Curtorim were unable to cope up with the pace of the rival strikers.

Nuvem increased their tally soon after resumption when hardworking midfielder Rollin Borges, who was in the thick of action single handedly demol-

ished the rival citadel with a snap shot. Rollin made it 3-0 when he unleashed a stiff shot that beat the rival keeper hands down.

Down 3-0, Curtorim tried to come back but Nuvem’s defenders were too strong to contain them with neat tackles. Rollin rounded off the tally late in the second half when he slotted past the rival keeper with a scorcher.

Girish, Delailah champs HERALD CORRESPONDENT CURCHOREM, MARCH 22

Girish Chodankar and Delailah Gomes emerged champs in the boys and girls categories respectively at the finals of badminton tournament organised by Guardian Angel Higher Secondary School at Guardian Angel badminton court, Curchorem on Tuesday.

Girish Chodankar defeated Shaikhsarad Ismail 26-24, 1921, 21-13 while Delailah Gomes defeated Rezita Antao 21-15, 21-14.

Fr Frank Mendes, principal, praised the organising committee for conducting the tournament to develop physical fitness and good health.

Sagar Gosavi, PE teacher was the match referee and Anthony D’Sousa, PE teacher compered.

St Ann’s High School, Tivim winners of poomsae in 3rd open inter-State taekwondo competition. Kshitij Chari, Ravesh Matondkar, Saloni Kalangutkar, Lynford D’Sousa, Vishnu Arakal, Faizal Bepari, Kishor Kumar Kunup and Saish Kavlekar alongwith Mervin Pereira (PE teacher), Sr Joycee (headmistress) and Paulo Fernandes (4th Dan, WTF chief instructor, State Taekwondo Association).

www.oheraldo.in

Pg15

GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

Tendulkar, Ponting set for battle royale

PTI AHMEDABAD, MARCH 22

The quarter final clash between Australia and India, here on Thursday, is not only about who stays in the hunt

for the title but also about two of the game's modern day greats Sachin Tendulkar and Ricky Ponting squaring off in a World Cup game for what appears to be one last time.

The two ageing warriors would like to stamp their superiority and propel their side to the last four stage on March 24 at Motera's Sardar Patel Stadium.

Neither of the two is expected to be around in 2015 when the next edition is scheduled to be held Down Under.

In the previous meeting between the two sides in a World Cup, that took place in the summit clash of the 2003 edition in Johannesburg, Ponting came out trumps with his unbeaten century which took the game away from

India even before the Men In Blue came out to bat.

Ponting's blistering 140 not out, in only 121 balls with a staggering eight sixes and 4 fours, had propelled Australia to an imposing 359 for two.

Chasing the huge Australian total, Tendulkar could score only 4 and despite Virender Sehwag's run-a-ball 82, India fell well short of the target and Australia walked away with cricket's most coveted prize for the second time running.

On Thursday, in front of a vociferous 50,000-strong crowd, the Indian master has the chance to make ample amends for what happened eight years ago and also step into the record books as the first batsman to have scored 100 centuries combined in

n The two ageing warriors would like to stamp their superiority and propel their side to the last four stage on March 24 at Motera’s Sardar Patel Stadium. Neither of the two is expected to be around in 2015 when the next edition is scheduled to be held Down Under. both forms of cricket, Tests and ODIs. Tendulkar has had a very good tournament individually, with superbly crafted tons against England and South Africa at the league stage, though both efforts could not power India to victories, with the first match tied and the second ending in a narrow defeat.

Ponting, on the other hand, has had a horrendous run with the bat. In six matches, he has

mustered a miserly 102 runs with 36 being his best effort at a poor average of 20.40, less than half his 358-match career average.

Ponting's ODI average in India against the hosts is also an impressive 44.86 from 24 games, but the second and last of his two hundreds in this country was notched eight years ago in Bangalore.

The Tasmanian has looked a pale shadow of his domineer-

ing style and is under tremendous pressure to keep his captaincy though teammate Michael Hussey felt otherwise.

Hussey brushed aside reports in Australia that Ponting's captaincy was at stake, at a media conference here on Tuesday and said the entire team was backing the struggling skipper.

"No worries at all. He has been fantastic, best man for the job and has been for a long time. He's certainly got the full support of all team members," Hussey said.

Ponting has also been lambasted in the media for losing his temper on the field of play and off it too, as well as for not walking after clearly edging behind the stumps while Tendulkar did the exact oppo-

AIG clinch Muscat Trophy HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

AIG won the 3rd Mini-Federation Cup football tournament organized by St. Francis Xavier SC, Muscat at Al Sarooj ground, Muscat.

AIG defeated strong contenders Niz Goemkar 2-0 in the finals. They led 1-0 during the lemon break courtesy a brilliant header by burly playmaker Richy Fernandes from a well taken corner taken by outstanding captain Raul Xavier.

Moin doubled the lead after receiving a measured through ball from Raul Xavier and completing a swift counter-attacking move.

In the run-up to the finals, Team AIG were indeed quite lucky to qualify for the semi- finals and had to totally depend on the other results in the group. In the group matches they were held to a goalless draw by strong contenders Saligao SC, defeated hosts St. Francis Xavier SC 4-1 after trailing 0-1 during half time through a goal scored by Duncan.

In the second half, after receiving some inspiring words from coach Pio D’Souza, AIG turned things around and scored through James, Roger D’Souza, Moin and Abbas. AIG lost the last group match to Niz Goemkar 1-0 but topped the group.

In the semi- finals, AIG stepped up their game and easily accounted for GCO winners CBD Boys 2-0 in a lopsided encounter. Roger D’ Souza gave AIG an early lead through a well taken goal initiated by a wonderful assist from James Fernandes.

James himself doubled the lead of a simple tap-in after Abbas’ goal bound shot hit the goalpost and rebounded into play. AIG goalkeeper Samuel did not have to do much and was virtually a spectator throughout the match.

In the semi-finals and finals, Raul, James and Richy dominated the midfield and were well supported by their rock solid defense comprising Jerry, Menino, Michael and Sohail.

site a day later and was hailed for his sportsmanship.

"He's been criticized over minor things. They have been blown out of proportion.

He's been playing well and just like a champion rises to the occasion at the right time, on Thursday we will see the best of Ricky Ponting," Hussey said in his skipper's defence.

In five duels against Australia in World Cups, Tendulkar's best effort thus far has been a splendid innings of 90 in a league game at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium in 1996, and his average against them is a modest 28.20 spread over four World Cups.

Thursday's match provides both these stalwarts, among

the all-time great batsmen in the game, a last chance to impose their stature in head-tohead battles in the premier ODI tournament.

Blatter confirms bid will be final FIFA mandate AFP PARIS, MARCH 22

AIG, winners of 3rd Mini-Federation Cup football tournament organised by St. Francis Xavier SC, Muscat at Al Sarooj ground, Muscat.

Churchill lift Loutolim Trophy

Sepp Blatter confirmed here Tuesday that should he be reelected to a fourth term at the head of football's world governing body FIFA, it would be his final spell in charge.

Blatter, 75, announced his intentions at a UEFA Congress Tuesday. The Swiss has been in the job for 13-years and confirmed the June 1 vote in Zurich would be his final bid.

It had once been thought that Blatter would go unchallenged before stepping aside for current UEFA boss Michel Platini in four years. But he will be challenged for the job by Asian football chief Mohamad bin Hammam, who has adopted an anti-corruption stance.

"I'm looking at four more years, and they shall be my last four," said Blatter. Blatter has been on the campaign trail recently and evoked the programme he would hope to establish.

"Football should be a school for life and play a role in education and should be supported by governments for its health and education aspect," said Blatter.

"But football is bedevilled by all kinds of rotten influences, it's a game and in a game we often try to cheat a little," he said.

Blatter went on to explain he would help clubs maintain their identity and strengthen the national teams and would fight against illegal gambling and a trend toward disrespect to referees.

He also evoked a new zero tolerance policy toward members of the FIFA executive, which is likely an alllusion toward the scandal that hit two members of the governing body during the vote for who had the right to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

Blatter's policies were heavily scrutinised after the surprise vote to hand Qatar the 2022 World Cup, with lack of transparency being the chief gripe of detractors.

Bin Hammam, a wealthy Qatari and president of the Asian Football Confederation, has pledged to expand FIFA's decision-making process and introduce a "more fair distribution of revenue and increased transparency", if he won the presidency.

Bin Hammam reached out to member associations by proposing to double their annual grants to $500,000 and is a firm supporter of goalline technology.

Platini re-elected UEFA chief AFP PARIS, MARCH 22

Churchill Bros, winners of Loutolim Socio Cultural Club’s 2nd all-Goa volleyball tournament.

HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 22

C h u rc h i l l B ro s l i f t e d t h e Loutolim Socio Cultural Club’s 2nd all-Goa volleyball tournament defeating Goa Police in the finals 3-2 (24-25, 20-25, 25-

23, 25-17, 15-12) at Loutulim.

Mickky Pacheco, MLA was the chief guest and Fr George P Fernandes, parish priest, guest of honour. Yeshwant (Power), Raymond Santinamo, Bharat, Vijay, Aaron, Manohar excelled for Churchill Bros.

A K, Atikesh, Munna, Babu and Roopesh played well for Police Atikesh of Goa Police was adjudged best smasher of the finals. Aaron of Churchill Bros was given the upcoming player of the tournament trophy. Jeet of

Goa Police was adjudged best lifter of the finals.

Churchill Bros pocketed Rs 10,000 and the trophy while the runners-up pocketed Rs 8,000 and the trophy. The team was coach Avelino Pereira.

Frenchman Michel Platini was re-elected unopposed as president of European football's governing body UEFA on Tuesday.

The 55-year-old former European Player of the Year will serve a second mandate of four years, having first been elected in 2007 when he took over from the veteran Swedish administrator Lennart Johansson.

Since then his reforms have included the democratisation of the flagship Champions League tournament and new 'financial fair play' rules obliging

Karun Lotus’s reserve driver PTI LONDON, MARCH 22

Indian driver Karun Chandhok has been appointed as a reserve driver by Team Lotus for the 2011 Formula One season and will begin his duties on Friday driving in the first practice session of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

The 27-year-old Indian, who raced the first half of last season with Hispania, will return to

Mormugao’s Deepvihar HS students who excelled at the recently held Primary and Middle school State level sports meet. Standing (left to right) - U-13 girls football State runners-up, Nikita P, Saloni T, Vibha H, Pranjali G, Melita S, Jyoti G, Caridi P, Latisha K, Carmelina D, Nimisha S, Sharvari N. Sitting (left to right) - Antonio de Souza (PE teacher), Snehal Sanzgiri (Assistant HM), Maria Rodrigues (HM), Vilesh Naik (PE teacher). Squatting (left to right) 4x100 meters relay team which set a new State record with a timing of 54.62 sec. Ryan D, Veryl F, Flarios F, Salil K.

European clubs to break even.

the formula one seat joining Race Drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli, Third Driver Luiz Razia and Test Drivers Davide Valsecchi and Ricardo Teixeira.

"I've been talking to the team for quite a while about a role with them and I'm delighted we're now able to confirm that I will be driving for Team Lotus in 2011," Chandhok said in a statement.

pg 16:Layout 1 3/22/2011 10:55 PM Page 1

www.oheraldo.in

Pg16

GOA, WEDNESDAY, 23 MARCH, 2011

Contact us on: sports@herald-goa.com

Our focus on QF, not semis: Afridi TODAY’S QUARTER-FINAL

Pakistan v.

West Indies 2.00 p.m.

PTI DHAKA, MARCH 22

Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi is not looking too far ahead about a possible clash with India in the semi-finals of the World Cup, saying the team's immediate focus was on beating the West Indies in the quarter-final here tomorrow.

After finishing on top of Group A and ending Australia's unbeaten run in World Cup matches, the champions of the 1992 edition will battle it out against West Indies at the Shere-Bangla stadium and a win over Darren Sammy's men could set-up a high-voltage semi-final showdown against arch-rivals India if the 'Men In Blue' beat Australia in other quarter-final in Ahmedabad, on Thursday.

"I am not even thinking of the next match, whether it is India or Australia. Our entire focus is on winning the quarter-final against the West Indies," Afridi told reporters here at the prematch media conference.

Afridi was aware of the fact that a defeat means catching a return flight back home and said Pakistan have resolved to carry on the momentum and avoid any sort of complacency.

"We will not take the West Indies lightly. Any team is capable of winning on their day, there are no second chances in a knock-out match. I think they are a very good side," he said.

Pakistan had a tumultuous build up to the World Cup with

We’ll silence Indian crowd: Nielsen AFP AHMEDABAD, MARCH 22

Australia coach Tim Nielsen believes silencing the 48,000strong crowd in Thursday's World Cup clash against India could open the semi-final door for the defending champions.

India will start favourites for the quarter-final showdown, but Nielsen believes the pressure of playing at home, in front of demanding fans and media, could push Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men to breaking point.

"Playing at home is a huge factor for them. There's some pressure there and if we can start the game well and maybe quieten the crowd that will play on the mind of the Indian team," Nielsen told reporters.

"The media and the public scrutiny will also be so great that you'd expect India to have most of the pressure on them.

"They will be answering all the questions; there'll be questions about the surface we play on, there'll be questions about their line-up.

"It would be nice to think we can sneak under the radar a bit and just go about our preparation over the next few days and be as ready to go as we can be."

Australia saw their 34-match

unbeaten streak at the World Cup ended by a resurgent Pakistan in Colombo on Saturday, a result which meant they finished third in their qualifying group behind Shahid Afridi's side and Sri Lanka.

Nielsen believes Thursday's game would have made an ideal finale to the tournament.

"The adrenaline will certainly be flowing and playing in front of their home crowd in Ahmedabad will be exciting and a challenge for us," he said.

"We've got no fear now; we know we're in the knockout stage. It's exciting - a mini-grand final in itself.

"If you came here and thought, 'What would be the best result? It would be great to make the final against India'.

"Well, we've got our final against India in the next few days.

I'm sure if we're on our game, they won't necessarily be looking forward to playing against us.

That's something in our favour."

Australia will go into the match having won nine of the last 15 one-dayers played between the two teams in India.

They also have an impressive record against India in World Cup matches, having beaten them in seven of nine meetings.

the team battling spot-fixing allegations but Shahid Afridi and his men have not allowed themselves to be distracted by the scandal as they topped groupA with five wins in six outings.

Afridi's boys went into the tournament with a depleted side in the absence of former captain Salman Butt and pace spear-

heads Mohammad Aamer and Mohammad Asif due to the spotfixing controversy but the team overcame all hurdles under his inspirational leadership.

Afridi may have failed with the bat so far with just 65 runs in six games, but the skipper, has been very effective with his leg-breaks and currently is the

leading bowler in the tournament with 17 wickets.

Swing bowler Umar Gul also has been among wickets taking 13 scalps.

"Our success so far has been entirely due to the bowlers, who have done a very good job. I myself have not batted well and will focus on that aspect tomor-

Gayle, Roach set to bolster Windies

Chris Gayle PTI DHAKA, MARCH 22

West Indies are set to be bolstered by the return of dashing opener Chris Gayle and pace spearhead Kemar Roach for their World Cup quarter-final clash against Pakistan here tomorrow.

The duo was rested for the team's last league match against

India in Chennai, where they lost by 80 runs.

Gayle was rested due to abdominal strain while Roach was down with viral fever and stomach infection.

Skipper Darren Sammy said both Gayle and Roach spent considerable amount of time at nets at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium today and expected them to recover fully before the quarter-final.

"I liked the way Chris was hitting balls in the nets," said Sammy.

"He is very committed to the West Indies cause. Come tomorrow, and I have no doubt both he and Kemar will play."

Sammy did not reveal if pacer Ravi Rampaul, who took five wickets against India in his first appearance in this tournament, will be retained if Roach returns to the side.

"We will assess the conditions

Kemar Roach

and discuss it amongst ourselves before finalising the team," he said. "We will put out the best possible team which can deal with the conditions."

West Indies would look to bury the disappointments of losing two matches from dominant positions, against Shahid Afridi and his men.

row. I know how important my batting is for the team and I will try to get some runs on the board," said Afridi. On the batting front, former captain Younis Khan has been the vital cog while Test skipper Misbah-ulHaq and Umar Akmal also chipped in nicely, scoring 192 and 211 runs at an average of 48 and 52.75 respectively.

Youngster Asad Shafiq also has shone in the two games he played in the World Cup averaging 124.

This is the same venue where the West Indies bundled out Bangladesh for their lowest oneday total of 58 in the league match and romped home by nine wickets but Afridi was unperturbed by the fact.

"That was Bangladesh, this is Pakistan. It's not that we are playing for the first time in these conditions. We feel at home anywhere in the sub-continent," the skipper said.

Afridi pointed out that he had never seen Pakistan train and focus on every game so seriously before.

"I have played for 14 years and never seen the team train so seriously and focus on their game. The entire team is together in the dream to do well in the World Cup.” "Our aim at the start was to make the semi-finals and I am confident we can achieve that.

The expectations back home are high and we are determined not to let our supporters down," he said.

India-Aussie tie sold out AFP AHMEDABAD, MARCH 22

Tickets for the World Cup quarter-final tie between India and Australia were sold out within an hour of going on sale, local media reported Tuesday.

The Sardar Patel Stadium will host the day-night clash on Thursday after India beat West Indies to book a last-eight game against the defending champions.

"All the tickets have been sold out," Gujarat Cricket Association secretar y Rajesh Patel was quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency.

Almost 23,000 tickets were sold online and another 20,000 were sold over the counter.

A report in the Times of India said hundreds of fans had to return disappointed as the tickets put on sale were sold out in less than an hour.

Police had to resort to "mild lathi-charge (baton-charge)" to control angry crowds which "started breaking metal railings" once they found tickets were no longer available at the counters.

"Since the tickets were sold in a very short time, others who were unable to get the tickets were angry and started vandalising the barricades," a police officer was quoted as saying.

"We had to disperse the crows with a mild lathi-charge. No major force was used and no one was injured."

Fans in Bangalore and Nagpur clashed with police after similar ticket fiascos which have marred the tournament in India, one of the co-hosts along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Reality check for Smith AFP NEW DELHI, MARCH 22

It is not easy for a 21-year-old to be compared to two legends of the game but Australia's Steve Smith seems destined to carry the burden.

The baby-faced leg-spinning all-rounder was hailed as the next Shane Warne when he made his Test debut last year and even before he could come to terms with the early comparison, he was then labelled as the future Steve Waugh.

"I think he's definitely got captaincy potential," says Dave Gilbert, a former Australian Test bowler and chief of Cricket New South Wales.

"He won't be the next Warne, but in time he will be a very good leg-spin bowler.

When he came into the NSW first XI, he reminded me of Steve Waugh.

"I played with Steve Waugh in his debut first-class game against Queensland in 1984. He had this belief in his ability and Steve Smith is the same.

"They are both quiet, they don't make waves and rock the boat, they do the job and their self-belief is what takes them a long way."

Once Smith was named in Australia's World Cup squad, the clamour around him increased, only to be silenced as the tournament progressed.

Indian cricketers play football during a practice session at Sardar Patel cricket stadium, Motera in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, ahead of the quarter-final match against Australia.

Yuvraj, Sree skip optional training; Sehwag fit Ponting faces PTI AHMEDABAD, MARCH 22

All-rounder Yuvraj Singh and temperamental pacer S Sreesanth chose to give it a miss but all other members of India's World Cup squad slogged it out at the Sardar Patel Stadium during an optional training session here today.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and senior batsmen such as Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag were among the players, who trained during the optional session ahead of their

high-octane quarterfinal clash against the Australia on Thursday here.

Opener Virender Sehwag, who was nursing a knee injury, went through the paces under the watchful eyes of coach Gary Kirsten and looked comfortable.

Sehwag had to sit out of Sunday's concluding group B game against West Indies in Chennai due to the knee injury.

Sehwag's knee has been bothering him since the start of the World Cup. Team India manager Ranjib Biswal

said that all the players are fit for the Australia match.

"All players are fit and in good condition. All are looking forward to the key clash against Australia," Biswal told reporters here.

Sehwag had earlier skipped few sessions during the league stage of the tournament after flying to Delhi for an appointment with physiotherapist for a ribcage injury that he had picked up during an earlier training session.

Middle-order batsmen Suresh Raina

or Yusuf Pathan will most likely make way for Sehwag against Australia. In Sehwag's absence, Gautam Gambhir had opened the innings with Tendulkar in their last match against the Caribbean’s side.

The session started with a discussion between coach Kirsten and the players followed by a throwing exercise to improve concentration and accuracy. The training also included the regular net session.

Australia will have a net session later

in the afternoon at the same venue.

India will go into the match on the back of an 80-run victory over the West Indies, while defending champions Australia saw the end of their 34-game unbeaten run in the World Cup, courtesy a four-wicket defeat by Pakistan in their concluding group A league fixture.

India had defeated the mighty Australians by 38 runs in a World Cup warm-up match in Bangalore on February 13.

India-Aussie rivalry set for new bruising chapter n Matches between India and Australia have sparked brilliance and controversy down the years and Thursday's World Cup quarter-final could well feature more of the same.

AFP AHMEDABAD, MARCH 22

Matches between India and Australia have sparked brilliance and controversy down the years and Thursday's World Cup quarter-final could well feature more of the same.

Administrators, who will hope the match passes off

without incident, can console themselves with the thought there is an unlikely to be a repeat of the events during the third Test at Melbourne in 1981.

Sunil Gavaskar, then India's captain, was so incensed at being given out lbw to Australia fast bowling great Dennis Lillee he took fellow

opener Chetan Chauhan off the field with him.

Only a timely intervention on the boundary edge by Indian team officials, which saw Chauhan persuaded to resume his innings, prevented the first forfeit in Test history.

It was just as well for India because Australia, set a relatively modest 143 for victory, were later bowled out for just 83 with Kapil Dev taking five for 28 in a 59-run victory.

But the scale of that victory was as nothing compared to India's astonishing

fightback in Kolkata in 2001 that led to one of the most remarkable Test wins ever seen.

India, forced to follow-on, won the second Test by 171 runs after a sublime innings of 281 from VVS Laxman, well-supported by Rahul Dravid's 180, turned the match on its head before offspinner Harbhajan Singh took six wickets for 73 runs to complete a stunning rally.

Harbhajan has often been a thorn in Australia's side.

He was a central figure in one of the most controver-

sial incidents of recent times when he was accused of calling mixed-race allrounder Andrew Symonds a "monkey" during the second Test of the 2007/08 series in Sydney.

The Australia side, never slow in 'sledging' an opposition player themselves, reacted furiously to what they perceived to be a racist insult.

Harbhajan was banned and India threatened to call off the tour.

But Harbhajan's ban was overturned on appeal and

India won the third Test in Perth to end Australia's 16match winning streak.

Australia have though enjoyed an advantage over India at the World Cup, winning seven and losing just two of their nine meetings at the tournament.

Their last World Cup encounter was the 2003 final where Ricky Ponting made a dominating 140 not out to set-up a 125-run win in Johannesburg during a match where Sachin Tendulkar, still India's batting champion, fell for just four.

step down

AFP SYDNEY, MARCH 22

Ricky Ponting could be in the final week of his nine-year reign as captain after a troubled buildup to the World Cup, a report said Tuesday, citing a Cricket Australia official.

The Sydney Morning Herald said there was stiff opposition at boardroom level to the 36year-old retaining the job for next month's tour of Bangladesh, although his position as a player was not in jeopardy.

"We need to be looking at the future. It's time for us to make a change," the newspaper quoted the official as saying.

Ahead of the World Cup, Ponting earned the dubious distinction of becoming the only

Australian skipper to fail to win the Ashes three times, putting him under enormous pressure.

He has also done himself no favours in India, taking a reprimand from the International Cricket Council after smashing a dressing-room TV in a fit of fury after being run out during Australia's World Cup win over Zimbabwe.

He was also criticised for angrily throwing the ball to the ground after colliding with teammate Steven Smith during their victory over Canada.

Then his sportsmanship was questioned when he failed to walk in Saturday's defeat to Pakistan.

"We're waiting for the next thing to blow up," the official said.