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Sports: Draw inspiration from Pak game – Vettori Pg 15 Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well — Chesterfield

Terror threat to WC venue foiled, 1 held PTI ISLAMABAD, MARCH 24

A suspected terrorist who planned to target a cricket World Cup venue in Sri Lanka has been arrested on the basis of information provided by Pakistan to Interpol, officials said today.

“There was a serious attempt of an act of terrorism during this (World Cup),” Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik said at a joint news conference with Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble.

Malik said Noble supervised the action that led to the arrest.

Business: Food inflation returns to double digits Pg 9

(air Surcharge rs 2.00) pages 16+4

Goa’s Heartbeat: Kate looking for Pg 4 different kind of love

CM unveils more sops in round 2 HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat today revised the State Budget 2011-12 by proposing subsidy for milk producers, increasing library cess on liquor and restructuring the Luxury Tax imposed on various hotels.

Kamat told the State Legislative Assembly on Thursday that he had been receiving several memorandums from a cross section of people after he presented his Budget.

“I received many representations from milk farmers asking for benefits including incentives on support price for milk”, the chief minister said.

Having considered the demands, and the need to encourage milk production in the State, I wish to provide a subsidy of Rs 2.50 per litre of production, upto 100 litres of production per day, he said.

Kamat further proposed a system where incentives would be directly given to farmers through Electronic Clearing System where the amount would be directly credited in their bank accounts.

“With this incentive, I expect the milk producers union to reduce milk prices”, he said.

Kamat also proposed a uniform subsidy of 75 per cent to milk farmers to purchase equipment. The subsidy is enhanced from 30 per cent to 50 per cent.

The chief minister in his budget had proposed rationalization of luxury tax rates on hotel room rents and had increased the slabs based on room

BUDGET REVISED

MILK: Subsidy of Rs 2.50 per litre of production, upto 100 litres of production per day. 75 per cent subsidy to purchase equipment.

LUXURY TAX: Rooms not exceeding Rs 300 per day are exempted from luxury tax. Those between Rs 300 to Rs 2,000 would have to pay 5 per cent tax, between Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, 8 per cent tax and for room rent exceeding Rs 5,000 per day and more, 10 per tax will be charged.

CESS ON LIQUOR: Library cess on liquor enhanced by 25 paise, — from existing 75 paise to Re one per bulk litre.

NURSING & WASHING ALLOWANCE: Nursing allowance to be hiked from existing Rs 1600 to Rs 3200 per month and washing allowance from existing Rs 150 to Rs 300 per month. rentals.

“However, with the Union Budget imposing a levy of service tax on hotel rooms charging Rs 1000 for each room, per day, the hotel industry will be further affected”, he claimed.

“Since Goa is an international tourism hub and in order to support the local hotel industry, I would like to reconsider the rates and slabs proposed in my Budget presentation”, he said.

In the reviewed proposal, rooms not exceeding Rs 300 per day are exempted from luxury tax. Those between Rs 300 to Rs 2,000 would have to pay 5 per cent tax, between Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000, 8 per cent tax and for room rent exceeding Rs 5,000 per day and more, 10 per tax will be charged.

Kamat also enhanced the library cess on liquor by 25 paise, that is, from existing 75 paise to Re one per bulk litre.

The chief minister claimed that the step was initiated to further strengthen the library movement in the State and to provide finance for its enhanced infrastructural development.

Kamat also announced a hike in nursing and washing allowance for trained nurses. He proposed the nursing allowance to be hiked from existing Rs 1600 to Rs 3200 per month and washing allowance from existing Rs 150 to Rs 300 per month which will be effective from April 1, 2011.

He said that nearly 1755 nursing staff in Government hospitals and 43 nurses in EST hospitals would benefit.

Yuvraj Sngh and teammate Suresh Raina celebrate after beating Australia during the quarter-final match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. India face Pakistan in the semi-finals on March 30 at Mohali.

Most distilleries flout rules: Kamat HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

In a shocking submission, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat today admitted there were irregularities in almost all the distilleries in the State but said there was very little the Government could do about it.

Kamat conceded on the floor of the House that all distilleries in the State will have to be shut down, if the Government strictly checks whether they abide by all the laws.

“If distilleries have to follow all the laws, then we will have to shut down all the distilleries in the State”, Kamat said re-

sponding to a volley of suggestions and allegations levelled by Opposition benches.

The chief minister said that every person who operated a distillery was involved in some kind of irregularity.

Kamat said that after the inquiry report (by then finance secretary Rajiv Yaduvanshi), several measures had been put in place.

“After the report, several suggestions came in including multi-colour permits”, he said adding that even multi-colour holograms were introduced to prevent duplication of the liquor.

Intervening at this point,

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar said multi-colour holograms could not prevent duplication in the long term.

“Permits should be with preprinted numbers and with good quality paper”, he suggested.

Kamat assured the Assembly that in future, permissions for late night liquor outlets in residential areas would not be granted.

“Except in tourism areas, late night bars in other areas will not be allowed to operate”, he said.

The chief minister said that special squads have been (Continued on page 8)

KA’s extension project stopped Mining trucks to be HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

TIDES TODAY High Tide: 0154; 1543 Low Tide: 0840; 2119

Bowing to intense pressure from Green activists, the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Thursday stopped cutting of trees and the extension work of Kala Academy.

CCP Mayor Yatin Parekh placed a “temporary stop work order” after Campal residents including few of the newly elected Corporators and activists raised strong objection over the Kala Academy’s expansion plan which would result in cutting age-old trees.

The extension project under-

A bulldozer at work at the Kala Academy.

taken by the Goa State Industrial Developmental Corporation (GSIDC) and Kala Academy, have

Photo By Rozario Estibeiro

been issued notices to discontinue the work until further orders. The project proposes to

chop more than 30 trees within the KA’s premise.

“We will be holding a council meeting shortly wherein we will debate Kala Academy’s expansion project and issues related to it. Until then, we have issued instructions to GSIDC and Kala Academy to stop the work”, Parekh told Herald.

However, four to five trees within the premise have been felled before the order could be issued. Earlier, Patricia Pinto, a co-opted councillor to handle the waste management of the capital city, local councilor Kabir (Continued on page 8)

JPC-PAC conflict of interest comes to fore PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

JPC today began looking into the 2G scam with its Chairman P C Chacko saying he would take up with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar the issue of possible encroachment of its turf by the Public Accounts Committee whose chief Murli Manohar Joshi remained unfazed.

Chacko also indicated that upto eight of the 30-member JPC could be having conflict of inter-

est on account of having been union ministers between 1998 and 2008, a period under scrutiny for framing and implementation of the telecom policy.

The JPC, which held its first meeting today, discussed questions like whether the PAC, a Committee of Parliament, was holding a parallel inquiry and if there was any conflict of interest because of inclusion of some members besides the schedule of meetings.

“There is no clash of interest, but parliamentary propriety is that the PAC should not (look into telecom policy issues)”, said Chacko, while noting that JPC has been constituted to look into the issue of policy in telecom sector as per the terms of reference.

Insisting that PAC should not be concerned with questions of policy but can only look into “extravagance in implementation of the policy”, he said JPC members, who are also part of

From laptops to mineral water, Jaya promises all PTI TIRUCHIRAPPALLI (TN), MARCH 24

Taking the war of freebies to a new high, the AIADMK manifesto for the April 13 Assembly polls today promised 20 kg of free rice for ration-card holders, laptops for students from Class XI, free fans, mixers and grinders to all and mineral water to BPL families.

Seeking to match her bete noir DMK President M Karunanidhi, AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa showered freebies in the manifesto, which she released here after filing her nomination from the temple town of Srirangam, moving away from the rural Andipatti constituency.

In a bid to woo women voters, Jayalalithaa promised four gms of gold for ‘Thali’ (mangal-

In a bid to woo women voters, Jayalalithaa promised four gms of gold for ‘Thali’ (mangalsutra) free of cost to poor, besides cable TV connections at subsidised rates. sutra) free of cost to poor, besides cable TV connections at subsidised rates.

The freebies promised by AIADMK marks a U-turn from Jayalalithaa’s opposition to such populist schemes announced by the DMK in 2006 elections, which was perceived to have tilted the balance in its favour.

Apparently targeting the Maran brothers who hold a near

monopoly over the cable TV distribution across the state, she also promised nationalisation of multi-system operators.

Sumangali Cable Vision, owned by the Sun Network of media baron Kalanidhi Maran and his brother and Union Minister Dayananidhi Maran, grand nephews of Karunanidhi, presently commands a virtual stranglehold over the cable TV business.

AIADMK, if voted to power, would provide free bus passes to all citizens aged over 58, a sugarcane procurement price of Rs 2,500 a tonne, a restructured health insurance scheme for all and a special scheme for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, now lodged in camps across the state, she said.

the PAC, shared similar views.

“I would meet the Speaker to discuss the matter (of parallel probes),” the Congress leader said.

Asked whether he would also meet Joshi, he said he would request the Speaker to call him to discuss the issue.

Members of the committee were “unanimous” that parallel probe by two committees of Parliament inquiring into the same issue was “avoidable” and “not (Continued on page 8)

bound by MMDR Act HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The registration of mining trucks with the Mines and Geology Department would be made compulsory as per the central Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation (MMDR) Act, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the State Assembly on Thursday.

Kamat pointed out that the Central Government has amended the MMDR Act, which gives powers to the Indian Bureau of Mines and also the Mines and Geology Department to regulate the truck traffic.

“Under this Act, people using trucks to carry minerals will have to register them with the Mines Department”, Kamat said adding that Goa will implement this Act. The chief minister said that the State Government has already issued an order in this regard which will regulate mining trucks in the State.

Kamat was replying to cut motions on demands for grants on Mines, Commercial Taxes, Art and Culture, Excise and Finance.

The Opposition Benches, earlier,

Under this Act, people using trucks to carry minerals will have to register them with the Mines Department.

— Digambar Kamat had castigated the State Government for failure to control the illegal mining activity and unregulated truck transport in the State.

Kamat said that the Department will not register the trucks, if the road (on which they will ply) is not able to sustain the load.

“The thrust is to reduce the environment damage in Goa”, he said.

He also announced that special measures would be in place to control the entry of mining trucks from neighbouring States.

Reiterating that there would be ban on new mining leases till a policy is framed, Kamat said that the Goa State Pollution Control Board has also been asked to deny consent to operate new mines in the State.

The chief minister said that he (Continued on page 8)

GOA

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GOA, FRIDAY, 25 MARCH, 2011

opinionated Dhavalikar attacked for poor MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION - II performance of OBC Corp Konkani should be the primary school medium

P

BY FR MOUSINHO DE ATAIDE

rimary education ought to be in the mother tongue. This is a proven principle of pedagogical science; about it there is no dispute. Konkani is the mother tongue of Goa. This is also admitted by all. It is based on this that Konkani was made the official language of Goa and included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, and Goa was raised to the level of a state.

Therefore, primary education in Goa has to be in Konkani. It is as simple as 1 + 1 = 2.

However, ignorance, prejudices and other extraneous factors have clouded the judgement of many Goans who, while admitting the validity of the above two premises, deny the resulting conclusion. This is seen in the mushrooming private English primary schools, their growing numbers of students, and the depleting number for Konkani.

The attitude of the government does not help either. If Konkani is the official language, then the administration has to be in Konkani. But our governments have been largely indifferent. If the administration is to be conducted in Konkani, there should be personnel conversant with the language, spoken and written.

This means those in service must be trained, and those to come in future should be equipped with the knowledge of Konkani acquired as a medium of instruction, at least at the primary level. The government should go all out to have primary schools only in Konkani, and promote Konkani in private primary schools.

But if one goes by the statistics for 2007-08, against 893 government Marathi medium primary schools with 32,939 students, there were only 68 government Konkani medium primary schools with 1,960 students!

Among private primary schools, Konkani as a medium of instruction fares better than Marathi and even English. While there are 54 schools in Marathi (with 7,534 students) and 119 in English (with 20,888 students), there are 137 in Konkani (with 27,750 students). But this is not a matter of rejoicing. The trend in terms of students is in favour of English, and against both Konkani and Marathi.

Of the Konkani medium primary schools, 126 are of the Archdiocesan Board of Education. This is due to the wise and bold decision taken by then Archbishop Raul Gonsalves in 1990 after wide consultation, open debates and deep studies by experts who took all issues, including practical ones, into consideration.

He stood by this decision with rock-like determination despite protests and attempts to sabotage it even from within.

It is true that the then Archbishop’s decision was occasioned by the policy framed by the then government to give grants to primary schools in regional language medium. This came after the High Court ordered that private primary teachers should be paid on par with teachers in government primary schools. But Archbishop Raul said that his decision would stand, even if the government at any time chose to extend grants to private primary schools in English. I salute him for this.

Unfortunately, there does not seem to be that much commitment now. If the Archdiocesan Board of Education opens English sections in its primary schools and/or the government gives grants to private English primary schools, it will sound a death knell for Konkani as a medium of primary education. May God avert it!

The Konkani Bhasha Mandal (KBM) runs a Konkani pre-primary and primary school in Margao since 1979. It is an excellent school. Its statistics, however, are falling. From 157 students in 2005-06, 141 (06-07), 131 (07-08), 110 (08-09), the number in 2009-10 has dipped to 85, of whom 62 are ethnic Goans and 23 non-Goans; 62 are Hindus, 14 Catholics and 9 Muslims. The need of the hour is to arrest this downhill graph. The KBM’s high-profile programmes have no meaning if it cannot keep alive its one primary school.

One excuse for parents not to send their children to Konkani primary schools, where education is free and lots of facilities are offered, and instead send them to English primary schools where they have to pay heavily, is the alleged difficulty to switch over to English at the secondary level. This is only an excuse.

Goa has had a long history of switchovers.

During the Portuguese era, Christians did primary education in Portuguese and switched over to English in Std V. Hindus did primary studies in Marathi, switched over to Portuguese and then to English. Neither Christians nor Hindus suffered in the switch-over: both acquired proficiency in English after the switchover.

Parents’ apprehensions in this regard are without any basis.

Rather, they seem hangovers from colonial times – when Christians considered Konkani as a language of servants, and Hindus deemed it a dialect of Marathi – so for both it was not fit to be a medium of education.

But from Liberation till today, Konkani’s fortunes have changed for the better. Now, no one in his senses calls it a dialect of Marathi. In the Church, Konkani is the language of services, and is bound to stay. It has entered talukas that were earlier considered citadels of Marathi. Literature of high value in Konkani, meriting translation into foreign languages, and tools of study like text books, grammars, dictionaries, vocabularies, have been brought out. Konkani as an optional third language in high schools and higher secondaries surpasses all other languages. The same case is at graduate and post-graduate levels.

We have PhDs in Konkani.

So I find no reason why Konkani cannot be an efficient medium of primary education and why parents, if they have a spark of love for Indian culture, for the Konkani language, for Goa’s identity, and for the welfare of their own children, should not send their wards to Konkani primary schools. I would invite parents to reflect for a moment and search for any real harm that could be caused to their children if they send them to Konkani primary schools.

On the contrary, if they are sincere, they will realise the irreparable harm they are causing to Goa, to Konkani and to their own children by educating them at the primary level in English. Instead, they should educate them in Konkani. But for this to happen, the example should come from the elites in both communities, who should make a conscious effort to converse in Konkani and to educate their wards in Konkani primary schools.

As a tailpiece, I would like to refer to the results of Goan students in the ‘National Talent Search – 2009’ conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). These exams aim to spot and nurture (through scholarships up to the PhD level) the best talent. The exams are for Std VIII students and the syllabus is the same as for the class.

The test, however, is not mainly of memory but of thinking power, performing ability and grasping capacity. The exams are in English.

The statistics are revealing. Among the 25 students successful at the state level (Goa’s quota is 25 students) only two spoke English at home, 22 spoke Konkani and one was ethnically a non-Goan. The next step is the written exam at the national level. Only seven passed this exam. Of these seven, not even one spoke English at home; six were Goans and spoke Konkani at home and one was non-Goan. The final step is the national oral exam: five Goans and one non-Goan made it through. None of them were English-speaking. Of the five Goans, two had done primary school in Konkani, two in Marathi and two in English!

The statistics bust the myth that for academic excellence, speaking English at home and doing primary school in English are required. The community which makes it a point to speak English at home and insists on sending its children to English primary schools was nowhere in sight in these exams, where the actual intellectual prowess of students is tested.

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

Social Welfare Minister Sudin Dhavalikar today faced attack from unexpected quarters over pitiable performance of OBC/SC Corporation.

Aldona legislator Dayanand Narvekar came down heavily on the social welfare minister and accused him of working against the interest of Bahujan samaj.

"You have done nothing but given lip-service," charged Narvekar while pointing out in detail that OBC/ST Corporation has done absolutely nothing for welfare of OBC. The corporation is financed

by Central Government and the State government gives Rs 25 lakhs as grant for payment of salaries.

Narvekar said the State government's contribution has been nil indicating that its contribution towards welfare of OBC is also nil.

Aldona MLA said just a handful of people were give loan under the scheme and this is injustice to OBCs in Goa. Participating in the discussion, Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar, said the cost of operation of the Corporation is Rs 25 lakh while just thirty-

six applications were sanctioned.

Under educational scheme of the Corporation just two applications were sanctioned in 2009-10 and just two disabled persons were given benefit under its scheme for physically disabled person, Nar vekar pointed out.

He further said loan component given under the scheme "Samrudhi Yojna" is meagre accusing the minister of discriminating against Bahujan Samaj.

The social welfare minister admitted that the Corporation was not functioning the way it should function and his attempts to put the Corporation into order have not succeeded.

“Two times I called for a meeting with Corporation chairman but on both times, he declined saying it was not possible for him to attend meeting,” said Dhavlikar The Corporation is headed by Vishnu Surya Wagh and the Board is appointed by chief minister.

At which point, Opposition leader suggested that the government should sack the chairman and non-performing board.

At which point Speaker Pratapsing Rane suggested the government to appoint an administrator if the Board is not functioning.

The Board was appointed in 2006 and since then its term has been extended twice.

Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar while speaking on this issue said the corporations have been turned into money making rackets for some.

Aldona MLA who kept criti-

cizing Dhavalikar, further said there is no subsidy on loan given under scheme of the Corporation even as loans given to businesses' by the industries department avail of 25 per cent subsidy.

“There is one set of rules for rich and another for poor,” charged Narvekar.

Parrikar suggested that Chief Minister's Rojgar Yojna should be extended to Social Welfare department.

Opposition MLAs, Damu Naik, Laxmikant Parsekar, Mahadev Naik joined the debate and demanded to know why unanimous resolution taken in 2008, to give 27 per cent reservation to OBC has not been implemented till day.

While Naik persisted with his question shouting at the top of his voice, Speaker ruled that he will not allow the question because it is not related to the question called for discussion.

Dhavalikar also stated the question raised by Fatorda MLA was different.

The Speaker called next question after issuing stern warning to Opposition MLAs who were harping on reservation point.

State-of-the-art bus stand on cards for Margao HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The commercial capital Margao is set to have state-of-the-art bus terminus.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Thursday told Goa Assembly that the bus terminus planned for Margao is a unique project which will support Kadamba Transport Corporation.

The chief minister disclosed this during "Question Hour" while replying to a question tabled by Fatorda MLA Damu Naik about the status of construction of new bus stand which was declared some years ago.

The chief minister also clarified that it would not be a Public Private Partnership (PPP) project.

"We have no intension to give it under PPP as the land earmarked for bus terminus is a prime property in the city,” he said. The government has shortlisted five bidders for planning of the bus stand.

Transport Minister Sudin Dhavlikar stated on the floor of the House that the government has no intention to execute the project under PPP. The government has made budgetary provision of Rs 15 crore for construction of the bus terminus, he added.

Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) will construct the bus stand and it has called for architectural competition of design.

The government had acquired an area admeasuring 70182 sq mts and proposal for an additional area 6376 sq mts has been forwarded to the Collector of South District for acquisition and section 4 of the notification was issued on August 31, 2010.

Reroute IFFI funds to promote regional movies: Narvekar HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

Congress legislator Dayanand Narvekar has demanded that Goa should stop hosting International Film Festival of India (IFFI) and instead reroute the money to promote regional movies.

Speaking on the congratulatory motion moved by Chandrakant Kavlekar, on Thursday Narvekar said that Government should stop pumping Rs 9.5 crores for the film festivals and instead render support to local film industry.

The congratulatory motion was passed in admiration of work by Dr Pramod Salgaonkar and Jyoti Concolienkar, for producing Marathi movie ‘Mare Paryant Phashi.’

“Goa has tremendous potential for films and film celebrities.

Goa born Omi Vaidhya’s acting in 3 Idiots was much appreciated and so also N Chandra and Sudesh Bhonsle trace their roots to Goa. They have brought fame to Goa. We need to invite them and produce good movies,” Narvekar, the former finance minister said.

He set example of film festivals organized in Delhi and Kolkatta which are not supported by the government.

“We can work on the same lines and support local artisans, drama, movies and tiatr. This will boost local actors,” he added.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat desisted from reacting on the statement by his own party colleague but stated that

KTC spends double its monthly income HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The Kadamba Transport Corporation Ltd (KTCL) monthly expenditure is almost double of its income, which has pulled this Corporation into heavy losses.

As per the reply tabled by the transport Minister Ramkrishna Dhavalikar on the floor of the House, the monthly gap of expenditure is more than its income by Rs 2.60 crores.

The statistics reveals that the corporation spends Rs 7.41 crore per month as against the income, which is at Rs 4.81 crores.

The major income heads for the corporation includes operational earnings (Rs 4.50 crore), shop rent receipts (Rs 15 lakhs) and stand fees, parking fees, advertisement and hoarding rent (Rs 15 lakhs).

Similarly, the salaries of its employees have been a major expenditure head of the corporation, which amounts to Rs 3.70 crore per month.

The huge salary expenditure can be attributed to the imple-

PWD contract labourers will get PF benefits, says Churchill HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The PWD Minister Churchill Alemao has said that facilities such as Provident Fund and ESI will be made applicable to contract labourers engaged by PWD at its various units.

The PWD Minister gave the assurance after Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar brought it to his notice that it is illegal not to extend PF and ESI benefit to contract labourers who have been working for PWD for years together.

Alemao told the House that they are studying the matter.

“It is their right,” said Opposition Leader when PWD Minister showed reluctance to take immediate steps while replying to a question tabled by S a n g u e m M L A , Va s u d e v Gaonkar.

The workers engaged by a contractor Shambhaji Rane at Padoshe water treatment had gone on strike between February 12 and March 1 demanding that PF and ESI facility be made applicable to them.

Parrikar told the PWD Minister that 995 workers are working for PWD on contract basis. “ The contractors have changed over the years but not the workers,” he said while demanding that the facilities should be extended to contract workers too.

mentation of Sixth Pay commission.

Apart from this, the Corporation has been spending around Rs 65 lakh as operational expenses in form of diesel, tyres, spare parts etc and as interest.

The statistics also pointed out that the financial liability of the Corporation has also gone up to Rs 114 crore.

The data reveals that loans worth Rs 12.63 crore are pending with Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation through Syndicate Bank (GSIDC) and Rs 40 crore with Goa State Co-Operative Bank.

The failure to pay arrears of VI Pay Commission amounting to Rs 26.29 crore along with gratuity payments (Rs 19.32 crore) and accrued leave payment (Rs 11.47 crore) has further increased its liability.

Dhavalikar has assured State Legislative Assembly to clear off pending loans on immediately while 35 percent arrears of to the employees would be distributed during next year and bal-

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on Thursday assured the House that agitating KTC badli drivers engaged by Kadamba Transport Corportion (KTC) will be regularised.

“They would be given relaxation in age while regularising them into service,” Kamat assured when the issue about KTC drivers on hunger strike was raised in the House during Zero Hour.

The issue was raised by Pernem ML A Dayanand Sopte along with Mandrem MLA Laxmikant Parsekar and Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar. They highlighted the injustice done to KTC drivers awaiting regularisation in service.

Sopte said, KTC has been recruiting LDCs and other clerical staff when actually it does not need any more such staff.

But it is not willing to regularize drivers ance in five years.

The KTCL is also planning to adopt several measures to bring the Corporation to healthy financial position.

The Corporation aims to bring in more routes under KTCL

working for KTC for eight to ten years.

The Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar however told the House that the government had turned down its proposal to regularise them into service. The government is major stake holder in KTC. Aldona MLA pointed out an agreement between KTC and the government executed before Labour department agreeing to take into service contract drivers who have completed five years in service.

The Opposition shouted slogans denouncing the government for not doing justice to agitating drivers even as Chief Minister assured to take contract drivers into regular service.

The Opposition members continued to disrupt the proceeding of the House not satisfied with the Chief Minister's reply.

Speaker Pratapsing Rane adjourned seating of the House till 2.30 pm when Opposition MLA refused to give in.

to improve its profitability by “Increasing the Corporation fleet and share of operation within the State of Goa up to 25 per cent by purchasing new buses and introducing more potential routes,” the reply reads.

-- Narvekar State government’s film finance scheme was receiving good response from the regional film makers.

“State government will continue supporting this scheme which helps the upcoming young artists and produce more films. There is demand to increase budgetary provision for this scheme,” he said.

Other elected representatives also congratulated Mare Paryant Phashi’s team for their excellent contribution towards highlighting a sensitive issue.

161 foreigners died in Goa since 2008 HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

CM: Will regularise temporary drivers HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

Goa has tremendous potential for films and film celebrities.

Goa born Omi Vaidhya’s acting in 3 Idiots was much appreciated and so also N Chandra and Sudesh Bhonsle trace their roots to Goa. They have brought fame to Goa. We need to invite them and produce good movies.

It is also planning to keep control on functioning of the Corporation in terms of improvement of revenue, diesel conservation, optimum utilization of man power, timely maintenance and upkeep of buses.

About 161 foreigners have died in Goa during last three years.

In 2008, 43 deaths of foreigners were reported, 65 cases were reported in 2009 and 54 cases in 2010.

The information was disclosed in the House on Thursday during "Question Hour" to a question tabled by Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar.

Opposition leader urged the Home Minister Ravi Naik to conduct investigation saying in most cases concerning deaths of foreigners reported in Goa are drug related deaths.

"They are dying either due to drug overdose or complications due to intake of drugs,” said Parrikar.

However, home minister said only in one case it was proved that death was linked to drugs.

The Opposition leader however pointed out that police have sent viscera for chemical analysis in many cases that itself indicate that police have reason to believe otherwise.

Of the total cases of deaths of foreigners in Goa, maximum were reported from Calangute with 24 in 2009 and 15 in 2010.

Govt slammed for failing to create IT 12,000 jobs HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The Opposition Benches today slammed the government for failing to keep up the promise of creating 12,000 jobs through the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat project at Dona Paula.

Speaking during the Cut Motion on the demands for grants, Mapusa MLA Francis

D’Souza said that thousands of engineering students pass out from Goa colleges, annually with no scope for suitable IT jobs in the State.

“The four-year-old IT habitat had promised employment potential of 12,000 people by 2008. The foundation stone was laid and the work had also begun but where is it heading?

We are producing engineers annually… IT graduates are passing out in huge numbers but there is no job for them in Goa,” he lamented.

He said that students passing out from IT professional institutes are forced to move out of Goa in search of jobs. The BJP legislator said that government should generate employ-

ment and reduce unemployment in Goa. Admitting that creating numerous government jobs is quite a difficult task, he stressed the need to promote industries – ‘the best sector to general jobs for Goan youths.’

Since the Goan youth have an advantage of good English

speaking skills which makes them eligible for ITES/BPO companies, Goa government had identified three locations for development as IT Parks to attract ITES/BPO companies to start their business in Goa, one of which included Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat, an integrated project developed in an area of around 95 acres.

Govt cornered over illegal mining HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The ruling and opposition benches today attacked the government on illegal mines in Goa with Congress legislator Dayanand Narvekar demanding action against Sesa Industries Ltd for flouting rules.

Supporting the cut motion on demands for grants in the on-going State legislative assembly, Narvekar questioned on how the Government could give its land to a private firm.

He recalled that Sesa Industries Ltd in 199697 had applied to the government for 60-lakh sq mtrs of land in Amona village to set up pig iron plant there, which was granted.

The Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) plot granted to the company was unused and it was eventually returned to the government.

“Subsequently, another subsidiary of Sesa Goa applied for the same land and it was granted. This is a gross violation of the GIDC rules. I need an answer from the chief minister as to what action has he taken against the company,” he said. He further asked as to how red industries can be turned into green industries.

Questioning the credibility of the government, the former law minister alleged that government is involved in corruption.

“There is conspiracy and corruption at the government level and this needs to be probed,” he demanded. Narvekar also expressed resentment over plans to expand the units located at Amona and Navelim villages of Bicholim.

He further expressed grave concern over air pollution and destruction of natural habitat allegedly caused by the pig iron plant located across the Mandovi River in Amona.

Parsekar bats for natural habitats HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

BJP legislator Laxmikant Parsekar took the government head-on over the phenomenal increase in mining trucks, saying “natural habitats” are being destroyed.

Nagged by government’s insensitivity towards the issue, Parsekar demanded that government should reject applications for new mining leases and not renew the existing ones.

“Mining trucks have increased on village roads over the last 10 years. With the increasing mining activity, the trucks are also increas-

ing. There is an urgent need for tougher regulation, but nothing is being done,” Parsekar said speaking on the Cut Motion on demand for grants, on Thursday.

Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar said that incessant mining activity has grossly disturbed the eco system and daily lives of several thousand Goans. He pointed out that 19 operational mining leases in Selaulim alone have vastly destroyed the catchment area.

“Despite the very fact that there is annual flood in Bicholim, government has been granting mining leases in the taluka,” he rued.

D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas to go rural HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas, the state government sponsored lectures series, will now move out from Panjim.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the state legislative assembly that the festival will be taken to various villages.

The Art and Culture department organizes this festival, with series of lectures being held at Kala Academy.

“Only the elite class should not get the chance to attend these lectures.

The lecture series will be rotated,” Kamat said adding that even rural peo-

ple will get a chance to hear the experts.

The chief minister said that the lecture series are unique in itself and nowhere in the country; no government has been able to bring such experts on one platform in a series.

“It’s very difficult to get them. But

we have managed to have such a unique lecture series,” Kamat said.

Earlier, Aldona ML A Dayanand Narvekar, speaking on the demands for grants, had said that although Kosambi memorial lecture series was famous, it was restricted only to the people from the capital city.

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Pg3 GOA, FRIDAY, 25 MARCH, 2011

Parrikar demands ceiling on ore extraction HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

Taking the State government head-on on illegal mining issue, Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar on Thursday demanded that there should be ceiling on the quantity of ore extracted in the state.

“There should be capacity capping on extraction of ore considering the potential of the area,” Parrikar said speaking on the Cut motions on the floor of

the House.

He said that state should come out with the policy declaring the maximum quantum of ore that could be transported.

The policy can be reviewed after mining corridors are ready, Parrikar said.

The BJP leader said that he is ready to forget politics to settle issue of mining.

“This is one issue where I will not do politics.

Let’s stop the rape of Goa.

Let’s work out a joint action plan,” he said.

Parrikar said that the mining trucks needs to be regulated as they have maximum number of drivers from the states like Jharkhand.

The BJP leader said that there are 11 mines operational in Sanguem and more 68 mines are in pipeline.

Similarly, there are 11 mines in Quepem and more 25 mines are being cleared.

“You cannot replace nature with money,” he said adding that he completely disagrees with the concept of getting more money through mining.

Parrikar also said that the industries are suffering in last five years in absence of a state policy.

“IDC has not adopted any policy for allotment of plots,” he said adding that IDC should make a policy reserving 80 to 90 per cent of the plots for locals.

...Picks holes in excise scam report HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar today pointed out severe loopholes in the report on alleged excise scam submitted by then Finance Secretary Rajiv Yaduvanshi.

Parrikar said that there are anomalies in the data provided in the report and replies furnished on the floor of the House.

Citing an instance, Parrikar said that the Commissioner of Excise has told Yaduvanshi that there were no complaints about duplicate passes.

“But the reply tabled by Home Minister Ravi Naik states that Excise department has registered case with the police expressing apprehensions that there are fake passes,” he said.

The BJP leader also pointed

out anomalies in the information provided by Yaduvanshi report and the replies in the assembly as far as import and export of liquor by few distilleries.

“The Commissioner of Excise was lying to then finance secretary,” he alleged.

The Leader of Opposition expressed satisfaction that the report “at least admits that there were procedural lapses commit-

ted by the excise department.”

“The report also admits that there is manipulation in the import and export of alcohol,” he said. Parrikar said that his attempt to expose Excise scam has started yielding results on the ground. “There are at least nine distilleries from whom the excise revenue has gone up suddenly,” the leader of opposition said.

Mapusa civic body approves budget HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, MARCH 24

Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) has approved the annual budget of the civic body for 2011-12.

The receipts have been projected as Rs 17.94 crore, while the expenditure has been shown as Rs 17.50 crore. The opening balance of MMC is Rs 6.74 crore.

Briefing press persons at Mapusa on Thursday, MMC Chairperson Sudhir Kandolkar said there has been rise in budget estimates for 2011-12 as compared to last financial year, mainly due to the provision of Rs 9.12 crore towards the construction of a new fish market (Rs 7.72 crore).

Construction of shed of vegetable market (Rs 1.40 crore) has also been made in

the budget estimates.

Kandolkar said MMC has decided to demand development grant of Rs 75 lakh for 15 wards every year from the government and MLA is expected to give Rs 25 lakh.

He said MMC has received a proposal from Sulab International for the construction of 12 Sulab toilets, of which three toilets will be air-conditioned in prime locations.

PWD has done hot mixing of internal roads in the municipal market spending Rs 2.40 crore. Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza has assisted MMC in getting major development work done at Mapusa.

“MMC has decided to pay compensation of Rs 10,000 each to the shop owners whose shops were gutted in the recent

fire and Rs 5,000 to the fruit vendors,” said Kandolkar.

Kandolkar further said MMC plans to entrust the work of de-silting of major nullahs at Mapusa to Water Resource Department.

“MMC has decided to acquire Communidade land admeasuring 5,000 sq mtrs at Morod for parking area and the land acquisition process has already started,” Kandolkar.

Kandolkar said MMC has also decided to celebrate golden jubilee year this year by organising various programmes. “In one of the programmes, freedom fighters from Mapusa will be felicitated for the sacrifices made by them. The dates of the programmes will be finalized soon,” added Kandolkar.

Tillari project affected farmers reject meagre compensation HERALD CORRESPONDENT MAYEM, MARCH 24

Farmers in Ibrampur-Pernem have refused to accept compensation by Goa Tillari Development Corporation for losses they suffered due to water seepage caused by the main canal of Tillari Irrigation Project for the last three years.

It may be recalled that farmers in Ibrampur and surrounding areas are suffering losses to their crops due to leakage in Tillari Irrigation Canal. The farmers were reaping crops like paddy, chillies, vegetables and sugarcane.

But the leakage caused by the canal was responsible for destroying their crops, thereby decreasing the yield.

The farmers on April 5, 2010, had submitted a memorandum to the Assistant Engineer, Circle Office, Sub-Division II of Goa Tillari Irrigation Development Corporation regarding the losses suffered by them.

Accordingly, officials of Zonal Agriculture Office Pernem and Prakash Raut (Assistant Agricultural Officer) inspected the area and forwarded the inspection report to the office of the Superintendent.

In his report, the GTIDC engineer stated that 18 farmers suffered actual loss of Rs 84,000, but GTIDC paid them a meagre compensation.

The government had sanctioned the amount of compensation, which the farmers refused to accept.

The engineer has sent the revised proposal to the government with actual loss incurred by the farmers.

Farmers, while stating that leakage to the main canal is due to change in the proposed

canal’s direction, have requested to construct protection walls from Benkat Darvhal and lay a new pipeline from Deuldhat to Ibrampur Health Centre to solve their problem permanently.

Meanwhile, the labourers of Sanjivani Sakhar Karkhana, Dharbandoda, are reluctant to continue with the work of cutting sugarcanes, as the fields are full with the leaked water.

He also criticized that although Information Technology policy was declared in 2005, not a single scheme has been notified till date.

Parrikar said that Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) was formed with the aim to execute the works expeditiously.

“But considering the backlog of the work, the GSIDC has been reduced to next PWD,” he alleged.

Green activist complains against Chinchinim VP HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

A green activist has complained against Chinchinim Panchayat for failing to act on an order to initiate action against a local involved in illegal land conversion.

In October 2010, the Additional Director of Panchayats had directed the Chinchinim sarpanch to take action against Jose Lopes for illegal landfill and converting agricultural land into a commercial dance floor.

The order was passed following a complaint by Green Goa Foundation Chairman Raison Almeida in 2009.

Earlier, the village Panchayat issued two subsequent notices to Lopes, which were challenged before the Additional Director of Panchayats.

By order dated October 5, 2010, the appeal was allowed, show cause notice was set aside and the Chinchinim Sarpanch was directed to act as per the circular issued by the Director of Panchayats dated July 2000.

However, no action was taken despite specific directions by the Panchayat officer.

Almeida said that he was compelled to file a complaint against the panchayat sarpanch and demanded his removal from the office for failing to perform his duties.

Unique pest destroying crops in Bicholim farms MAYEM: Over 100 farmers from Nanora, Bhatwadi, Wadawal, Sal and surrounding areas in Bicholim taluka have suffered heavy losses, as their

vegetables and chillies are badly affected by a unique pest.

Vegetables crops have started drying up from its root due to the pest attack.

Fo l l o w i n g c o m p l a i n t s , Pradeep Malik and Bhave from Zonal Agricultural Office Bicholim visited the site and assured to provide instant relief.

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UPCOMING EVENTS Aldona CCF meet

PANJIM (HND): The Aldona Civic and Consumer Forum will hold its monthly meeting on March 26 at the St Thomas Girls High School at 4.30 pm. Among the regular civic amenities issues, World Health Day, and relative points of Health Act will also be discussed.

Earth Hour at Saligao

PANJIM (HND): Celebrate Earth Hour 2011 by switching off lights at home and heading towards Saligao, Bardez, on March 26 to Lourdes Convent open air courts, from 8.30 pm 9.30 pm.

Under a starry sky sing along with others songs that celebrate nature, conservation, peace and hope for the planet. One can bring any non- electric, non battery powered musical instrument to play solo or jam with others. Bring if you can song books, song sheets, or posters that reflect your love for Goa and the planet. Dancing under the stars will be considered appropriate.

Don’t forget to turn off the lights at 8.30 pm.

Posology workshop

PANJIM (HND): Holistic Healthcare Goa will organise a half day workshop on ‘Posology & Case Analysis in Homoeopathy’ on March 27 at Hotel Woodlands, Margao from 9 am to 1 pm.

Doctors and interns wishing to attend may call Dr Dominic Dias on 9822179980.

Osteoporosis camp

PANJIM (HND): The Loyola Ex-Students Association (LESA), Margao in association with Pharmed will organise the quarterly osteoporosis detection and management camp at Loyola school premises on March 27 from 9.30 am onwards. Registrations will be done strictly between 9 am and 11 am only.

Tests will be performed free of cost. Those who have undergone the tests earlier are requested to bring along their old reports. An orthopaedic surgeon will be available for consultations.

‘Way of the Cross’

PANJIM (HNB): The annual traditional ‘Way of the Cross’ will take place in Dramapur on Sunday evening.

According to sources, the procession will start from St Joseph Church, Dramapur, at 3 pm on way to the Holy Cross situated on the village hillock. Fourteen stations will be observed and special prayers will be held at these locations while scaling the way to the 300 years old Holy Cross Shrine.

All the devotees including those belonging to other faith, who take part in the procession, will be led by village parish priest Fr Jose Dias. A Mass will be held at the shrine of ancestral holy cross, informed sources.

Story by Heta Pandit

PANJIM (HND): To commemorate World Theatre Day, ‘ABHIVYAKTEE’ in collaboration with ‘Sunaparanta’ (Goa Centre for the Arts) will present a story by Heta Pandit entitled ‘...Son?’ in English on March 27 at 7 pm in the courtyard of the arts centre at Altinho.

The presentation has been designed and directed by senior theatre activist Vasant Josalkar and will be performed by Anagha Deshpande. The solo enactment ‘...Son?’ is of 25 minutes duration and is open for all.

GOA

Colva has ‘Medium of instruction demand no sarpanch! creating communal divide’ HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The demand for English as medium of instruction at primary level doesn’t seem to have support of all clergies.

In a letter to the archbishop of Goa two noted priests Fr Jaime Couto and Fr Mousinho de Ataide have said that the demand for English medium of instruction is creating rift between the Hindus and the Catholic communities.

Pointing to the huge rally at the Azad Maidan, the priests have said that that looking at the dais of the meeting as well as the attendance it was clear from where the people came and to which religious community they belonged.

The priests also pointed out that all the MLAs and the ministers who were present fro the meeting belonged to the same community. Indirectly taking a potshot at Tomazinho Cardozo, without naming him, the priests said that the key note address was delivered by the person, who since long has been speaking in terms of “we” and “they” be it in his scripts, cultures etc.

The priests said that the demand has created an abyss of division between the two communities and hence not just the RSS

n In a letter to the archbishop of Goa two noted priests Fr Jaime Couto and Fr Mousinho de Ataide have said that the demand for English medium of instruction is creating rift between the Hindus and the Catholic communities. can be blamed for the division.

The call cum rally, they said, is deepening this divide.

They stated that the concern also is that by such actions, with the Blessings of the Highest Ecclesiastical Authority of the land, a distinct and clear impression is created that the Catholic community is day by day being decultured and denationalized, feeling itself out of place in their own land and placing its future in the West.

The depletion of our numbers, through emigration, the acquisition of foreign citizenships and the consequent abandonment of own nationality, in which even those who

retain it, have no pride, demonstrates this impression, they said adding the present movement by Catholics for English is an eloquent symptom of this malaise.

The above movement, the priests added is masquerading as a democratic one, has all the ingredients of a fascist movement trying to impose the will of the minority on the majority, through pressure tactics.

It cannot even presume to represent the totality of the minority community, as it wishes to.

Besides, they said, the issue of medium of instruction is too technical to be decided by show of hands of a mob, who have been herded by transport freely provided for something about which they have not been elucidated, especially regarding its long term and all round effects.

Appointment and deep study by an expert committee is the need of the hour, not rallies, emotional speeches, manipulation of opinion, the priests said adding dispassionate and rational discussion is the need of the hour.

The priests have urged the archbishop to restore peace and sanity to the environment which has been disturbed, and avoid falling prey to approving the resolutions of ABE, DSE, rallies and movements.

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 24

Strange it may seem, but true.

The tourist village of Colva has neither regular sarpanch nor acting sarpanch to attend to the villagers.

That’s not all. Even the panchayat secretary is not available to the villagers at all times since he is holding charge of two panchayat bodies.

It’s nearly a week since Acting village sarpanch Anthony alias Mama Fernandes has been conspicuous by his absence in the panchayat body. The last time the acting sarpanch made his presence felt in the panchayat body was on Friday. Since then, Anthony has not reported for office and is believed to have gone out of station.

Inquires have revealed that the acting sarpanch will return back only on Friday and is expected to assume office on Monday. He has been the acting sarpanch ever since then Sarpanch Angela Borges was ousted in a no trust motion.

But, what has come as big surprise is the fact that the Director of Panchayats had been dragging its feet to hold elections to the vacant post of Sarpanch. It is not out of place to mention here that the panchayat director has filled the vacant post of Loutolim Sarpanch a week ago.

What’s further interesting to note is that the panchayat director has showed no urgency in filling up the vacant post of Colva sarpanch despite the fact that the acting sarpanch has no right to vote in the panchayat body. For nearly a year now, the acting sarpanch had been functioning sans the voting right which has been suspended by the High Court following a disqualification pending against him in the court filed by former Sarpanch Snowkon Gonsalves.

Incidentally, it is not known why the panchayat authorities did not move the concerned authorities for the appointment of an administration in the absence of the sarpanch and deputy sarpanch.

SP says awaiting report into plaint against constables HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 24

Superintendent of Police, South Allan De Sa has said he is awaiting report of the inquiry officer to initiate action, if any, in connection with the complaint lodged against Colva police for allegedly lifting cash by two policemen.

The SP said PI Tushar Vernekar of Colva police are conducting investigations into the episode, adding that he would act in the matter only after the report is forwarded to his office by DySP Umesh Gaonkar.

The victim Sean Demont accompanied by his lawyer, Adv Bairon Rodrigues called on both the SP, South and DySP Gaonkar demanding action against the two police constables, who allegedly decamped with the cash.

Adv Bairon told Herald that they proceeded to the Colva Police Station and identified the two policemen who were seen near the car when Demont was being taken by the police for medical examination.

Demanding justice for Demont, Adv Bairon said his client will be force to take necessary legal measures to compel the police constable to return back the money.

“I don’t want to comment anything on the episode for the moment since PI Vernekar is conducting an inquiry”, SP De Sa said.

KRC launches telemedicine services Traffic arrangements HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 24

As part of its social responsibility, the Konkan Railway Corporation has launched telemedicine services for the use of local populace at Gokarna railway station.

The service was inaugurated at the hands of KRC, Director, Rajesh Tripathi in the presence of RRM, Karwar D S Lingaraju and other officials and representatives of local Mandal Panchayat.

KRC Sr Public Relations Manager, Baban Ghatge said the KRC had the dream of providing telemedicine at select railway stations located at remote area.

“This dream has finally true with the inauguration of the facility at Gokarna Railway Station”, he added.

Saying that Konkan Railway

Corporation Limited is the lifeline of Konkan region in particular and that of Nation at large, Ghatge said “Our Motto is Sadar Seva, we render services to our customers with a smiling human face with untiring efforts for making KRCL a responsive and vibrant organization for achieving greater heights of success for a better tomorrow”.

“This is first in series of telemedicine service extended to the local public. People sitting at their home town can get specialist advice from super speciality hospitals situated at other places and can get quality health services. We hope that the local people will come forward and avail this facility to find better solutions for their medical problems and make this effort of KRCL fruitful”, he added.

for Panjim Shigmo HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

In view of Shigmotsav float parade in Panjim on March 26, the following traffic Diversion/Parking will be effected.

No vehicle will be allowed to park from 12 noon on the route of floats along Kala Academy Campal, Caculo Island, 18th June Road, Cunha Reveira Road (Municipal Garden), MG Road and Azad Maidan.

Traffic entering into Panjim city will follow the normal route.

Traffic coming from behind Old Secretariat on reaching near Match Corner will not be allowed to proceed to MG Road and will be diverted towards Abade de Faria statue to proceed via DBB Marg.

Traffic coming from Altinho and desiring to proceed to KTC, Ponda or Margao, will be di-

verted via Corte -de-Oiteiro.

Traffic from Taleigao, Fire Services, desiring to proceed to Panjim Market/KTC Bus stand will be diverted at St Inez junction via Kala Academy to proceed through D B Marg.

No vehicle from Singbal Book House side will be allowed to proceed towards Kundaikar Nagar Building. These vehicles will be diverted via A B Road to proceed to their respective destinations. All the by-lanes connecting 18th June Road will be closed.

Spectators will be allowed parking at Football Ground, Campal, and around Municipal Garden, Panjim.

The motorists have been asked not to park any vehicles on the float route from 12 noon and co-operate with Traffic Police.

Dinar Barros, Promoter of the Rain Water Harvesting Project receiving the Groundwater Augmentation Award (Bhoomijal Samvardhan Puraskar) from Salman Khurshid, Union Minister of Water Resources & Minority Affairs. Loyola High School, Margao is the first School in the country to receive this award.

Politicians urged to implement Make Goa TB free, Jindal Feb 19, 1968 as cut-off date calls upon people HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 24

The Goa ST, SC & OBC Federation has urged Goa’s political lot, including the elected MLAs, MPs to implement the cut-off date of February 19, 1968 to protect Goa’s identity.

Federation President, Antonio D Gauncar requested the 40 MLAs, the three MPs to come together and insist on the implementation of the cut off date in the true sense and fight to get special status for the state and to protect Goa’s natural beauty, iron ores etc.

“If the government really has love for Goa and the tribal people, then it should immediately start implementation of the cut-off date and implement the reservation policy as per Article 332 of the Indian Constitution”, Gauncar demanded.

Saying that the Schedueld Tribes had suffered for decades, Gauncar called upon the people of Goa to unite and fight to give justice to the STs by implementing the charter of demands in all government departments.

Rally of 0BCs, SCs, STs on April 3 Pomp, fervour mark umbrella festival HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

Akhil Bhartiya Mahatma Phule Samata Parishad will organise a rally of people from Other Backward Classes (OBCs), Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) communities on April, 3 near Shree Bodgeshwar Temple, Mapusa, at 4 pm.

The purpose of the rally is to bring these communities together to address their various issues and work for upliftment of these communities.

The founder president and PWD Minister of Maharashtra, Chhagan Bhujbal will address the rally.

Goa State President of the Parishad, Subhash Shirodkar, Home Minster Ravi Naik, Rev-

enue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza, Tourism Minister Nilkant Halarnkar, Panchayat Minister Manohar Azgaonkar, Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar, former minister Pandurang Madkaikar and North Goa Member of Parliament Shripad Naik will participate.

Dayanand Mandrekar, Dilip Parulekar, Dayanand Sopte, Shyam Satardekar, Milind Naik, Ramesh Tawadkar, Vassudev Gaonkar, Damodar Naik, Mahadev Naik, Anant Shet (all MLAs) and leaders of OBC, SC, and ST communities will also attend the rally.

The organisers have called upon the people of 0BC, SC and ST communities to attend the rally.

BJP leaders welcome anti-graft rally HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 24

BJP’s anti-corruption rally was welcomed by party leaders in the Commercial Capital on Thursday evening.

Before arriving in the city here this evening, the rally wend its away to Quepem and Fatorda and later headed to Navelim constituency to spread awareness amongst the people on the Congress misdeeds at the centre and in Goa. Party leaders Adv Narendra Sawaikar, BJP Yuva president Pramod Sawant, Siddesh Naik and Sharmad Raiturcar came down heavily on the Congress government in the State for its various sins of omission and commission.

CCP asks BST to withdraw banners, flags HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The popular Sotreo (umbrella) festival procession coming out of the Shree Shantadurga Kunkallikarn Temple at Fatorpa.

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MARCH 24

The traditional Sotreo (umbrella) festival was celebrated with traditional pomp and religious fervour at Cuncolim on Thursday.

Thousands of people from all walks of life, irrespective of caste and religion, participated in the celebrations as the palanquin carrying the idol of Shree Shan-

tadurga Kunkalkarin came to Cuncolim from Fatorpa in a huge procession amidst the beating of drums and the colorful umbrellas.

The procession, which commenced at the Shree Shantadurga Kunkallikarin Temple at Fatorpa, around noon later headed to Cuncolim and wend its way to Buinsa, Tolleabhat be-

fore returning back to the temple this evening.

Tolleabhat witnessed a sea of humanity as thousands of devotees poured in to pay seek blessings of the deity.

The police made elaborate security arrangements at Fatorpa and Cuncolim, all along the procession route as a matter of abundant caution.

The arrival of Yogarishi Swami Ramdev to Goa has brought with it controversy for his trustee has flouted the local law.

Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) has asked the Ramdev-backed trust ‘Bharat Swabhiman Trust’ (BST) that huge banners and flags planted along the city be withdrawn for having violated the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act. “The banners and flags have been illegally fixed all along the city and Campal where the rally is scheduled to be held on Friday. We have therefore asked the trustee to withdraw the publicity materials on priority,” the newly-elected CCP Mayor Yatin Parekh told Herald.

CCP Commissioner Elvis Gomes has been given the charge to ensure that the publicity materials are withdrawn before Swami Ramdev addresses the public meeting here on Friday at 3pm.

As on Thursday late evening, the trustee failed to seek permission from the municipality to fix these banner stands and flags.

BST has organised a huge public rally at Campal ground to take up the anti-mining campaign in Goa by bringing activists under one banner.

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

Stating that tuberculosis is a curable disease if detected and treated in time, Goa Medical College Dean, Dr V N Jindal has sought people’s cooperation in making the State TB free.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the ‘World TB Day’ function organised by the Directorate of Health Services in Panjim on Thursday.

The theme of the programme was ‘On The Move Against Tuberculosis’ and with a slogan transforming the fight towards elimination.

Chief Medical Officer of Goa State TB Control Society, Dr Pratima Thali, presented the report of the state-wide achievements of Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme.

Directorate of Health Services conducted different activities at its various health centres in the state.

Dr Jindal released the souvenir titled ‘On the Move Against Tuberculosis’.

He also felicitated Shanbag, a hotelier who acted as a DOT provider, Dr Nagarsekar, for running DOT centre and Dr Dhu-

lapkar for his contribution to TB control Programme. DHS organised essay competition for the staff of Community Health Centres. Manali Chari, Sumedha Dandekar, Pavitra Mhamal were selected for their three best entries and were given the prizes

by Head of the Department TB and Chest TB Hospital, Dr Misquita.

In essay competition organised for Anganwadi workers, Suhasini Naik, Angelica Fernandes, Carmelina Pereira won the prizes.

The first prize of Role Play competition was won by the students of ANMs (First Year) students of SY BSc Nursing and second was shared between 3rd and 4th year nursing students.

Winners of Poster Drawing Competition are Denzyl Rodrigues, Amey Naik, and Melver Godinho.

CHC Canacona from South Goa, and CHC Pernem from North Goa were selected for best PHC-IEC activities.

Director DHS, Dr Rajnanda Dessai welcomed the gathering, Health Officer Dr Vandana Dhume compered the function and Dr C G Borges proposed the vote of thanks.

POWER SHUTDOWN MARCH 25

PANJIM: From 9 am to 4 pm. Areas affected are Café Real, Neurekar Chambers, Goa Chamber of Commerce, Jose Falcon Road and nearby surrounding areas.

PILERNE: From 9 am to 3 pm. Areas affected are Pilerne Industrial Estate, Saipem, Maina, Pilerne, Volwado, Nerul, Betim, Verem, Naikawado and surrounding areas.

PILAR: From 9 am to 4 pm. Areas affected are Café Real, Neurekar Chambers, Goa Chamber of Commerce, Consumer along Jose Falcon Road and nearby surrounding areas.

MARCH 26

PARODA: From 8 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Gudi Paroda, Don Khuris, Padribhat and Nessai.

PANJIM: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Girija Heights, Keni Bungalow, Santosh Building, Karmali building, Nirmala Institute, Rosilda Apartments, Menezes building and surrounding areas of Altinho.

FARMAGUDI: From 9 am to 11 am. Areas affected are Military Camp, Shapur, Ambegal, Patantalli GVM, PES, GEC, ITI, Cone.

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Valpoi to get new market complex Evacuate old building: HC to shopkeepers

The old market building of the Valpoi Municipal Council.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT VaLPOI, MarCH 24

Valpoi Municipal Council (VMC), which was planning to demolish the old council market building

India-Oz match shortens House session HERALD REPORTER PaNJIM, MarCH 24

The crucial World Cup Cricket quarter final match between India and australia shortened the duration of state legislative assembly session on Thursday.

The ruling and opposition benches were unanimous to curtail the proceedings of the assembly owing to the match. after little reluctance, Speaker Pratapsingh rane adjourned the assembly till Friday morning postponing the half an hour discussion on water tanks which was tabled by BJP legislator Damodar Naik.

Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho requested that the session be curtailed due to the important match. Godinho’s request was supported by Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar. aldona ML a Dayanand Nar vekar, who is also Goa Cricket association President, was quick enough to offer his support too.

Roque, Bushan win Konkani duet contest HERALD NEWS DESK PaNJIM, MarCH 24

roque Dias and Bushan rodrigues won the first place for their duet ‘Mhozo guneanv zalo’ in a recent competition of Konkani songs-Kantaram organised by Tiatr academy of Goa (TaG). among the duo singers, antonio Correia and agnelo Fernandes grabbed the first place for the duo ‘Kazar’. The prize for best trio was bagged by Marquis Pereira, Filomena afonso and Steffi Pereira for their trio entitled ‘Dotor, Nurse, Patient’.

In the category of quartets, Marquis Pereira, Connie Pereira, Jack D’Souza and anthony D’Souza lifted the first prize for the quartet ‘Dhirio’ while the first prize for Choral song singing was won by Nazario Pinto and Francisco Pinto for their song ‘Bharat Mai’. about 55 singers participated in the competition which included 8 duets, 5 duos, 3 trios, 3 quartets and 5 choral songs.

Cash prizes and certificates were distributed soon after the function by the President of Goa Cultural Social Centre Francisco Noronha, and by judges Socorro de Santa Cruz, anthony San and Mukesh Ghatwal.

Medical camp organised HERALD CORRESPONDENT

BICHOLIM, MarCH 24 Saraswat Vidyalaya High School, Khorlim-Mapusa, recently conducted a seven-day medical camp for primary students. about 615 students benefited. The general medical check-up camp was organised

by Vrundavan Hospital in association with rotary Club Mapusa. The camp was held in view of the centenary year celebration of the school.

and construct a new market complex, has got a green signal from the High Court on Thursday.

It may be recalled that VMC

Photo by Ashraf Khan

had taken a decision to demolish the old market building and construct a market complex there some two years ago.

However, VMC could not ex-

ecute its plan as the matter was in the court, after one shopkeeper moved the court against VMC’s decision.

However, High Court on Thursday passed an order stating that shopkeepers occupying the old market building should evacuate the place by March 31.

When contacted, VMC Chairperson Umesh Gulelkar said the court has passed the order for evacuation of the old market building.

“Court has ordered the shopkeepers to evacuate the building

by March 31. The matter has been settled in the court after the shopkeeper who filed the case against VMC compro mised,” informed Gulelkar.

Gulelkar further said VMC would soon fix the date to demolish the building. “The old building is in dilapidated condition and is unsafe for shopkeepers and public,” he added.

“The building will be demolished after taking a decision in the council meeting and our future plan will be to construct a posh market complex here,” said Gulelkar.

When asked about the rehabilitation plan, the chairperson said the matter will be discussed and finalized in the joint meeting with VMC and the shopkeepers.

‘Shisha-Ranni’ performed at Shristhal

The three Bakts lying at the ‘Shisha-Ranni’ where fire is lit to boil rice in an unique tradition of Shri Mallikarjun Temple, Shristhal, Zatra.

Photo by Kathy Pereira HERALD CORRESPONDENT CaNaCONa, MarCH 24

as part of Zatra celebration of Shri Mallikarjun Temple, the main temple of Canacona Hindus, the ritual of ‘Shisha-ranni’ was performed at Shristhal on Thursday evening.

Believed in a high-esteemed divine faith, rice is cooked by keeping utensil over three human heads with fire underneath and later thrown on the devotees present in large numbers to thwart away all ills on the believers.

The unique tradition invites hordes of devotees after every two years and this year over

8,000 people were present to witness the ceremony that took place in the raj angan of Shri Mallikarjun Temple, Shristhal.

Devotees present in large numbers makes it a point to watch the ritual with apt attention, the unique of its kind.

Earlier, devotees in a divine reverence were treated to yet another unmatched traditional p r a c t i c e a s a ro u n d e i g h t ‘Tarang’s’ (earlier carried by the ‘bakts’) standing all by itself without any support throughout the ritual.

In a hair-raising ritual of Shri Mallikarjun Temple Zatra, three ‘bakts’ from the as many ritual

performing Bakts lies down making a ‘randan’ (Chul) with their heads covered by ‘Pagdi’ (cloth covering the head). a cooking utensil (filled with water and earlier blessed but reportedly blood-stained raw rice) is then placed over their heads and fire is lit underneath to get boiled rice.

Three other divine spirit absorbed ‘bakts’ shivering endlessly in turn takes out long swords for a short while and moves it around their body defensively and then in one go throws the ‘Shisha-ranni’ cooked rice aimlessly amid assembled devotees.

The devotees who were closely watching the entire proceedings from close range runs helter-skelter to avoid rice falling on them with the reported belief that it may bring some bad omen befalling on them if cooked blood-rice falls on them.

Shri Mallikarjun Devasthan Committee President Chandranath alias Shekar Dessai was present along with most of the other committee members.

Last time, this ritual was held on March 17 two years ago and Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and GPCC President Subhash Shirodkar were present at the rituals.

Later in the evening, thousands of people lined up in long queues for ‘Kaul’ and ‘Prasad’, which according to sources continues even past midnight.

Agnelo tries to expunge Parrikar’s remark HERALD REPORTER PaNJIM, MarCH 24

Calangute MLa agnelo Fernandes, who presided over the proceedings of the House in absence of Speaker Pratapsingh rane on the chair, tried to expunge the sentence of Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar on Thursday.

The sentence uttered by Parrikar ‘if you cannot avoid enjoy it’ was sought to be expunged

by Fernandes.

The Leader of Opposition, however, raised point of order and

said that the sentenced cannot be expunged because there was nothing unparliamentary in it. rane during the session had pointed out that his statement on mining that `Goa is being raped’ was wrongly translated

by Marathi media publishing `rape’ as `balatkar.’ The speaker had pointed out that the actual meaning of rape in this context as `violence on nature.’

While the discussion was going on Parrikar was quick to add `if you cannot avoid, enjoy it.’

Hkkjrh; lkaLÑfrd lEca/ ifj"kn~ INDIAN COUNCIL FOR CULTURAL RELATIONS Azad Bhavan, I.P. Estate, New Delhi-110002 Applications are invited from eligible candidates for inclusion in ICCR’s recommendatory panel of

BHARATNATYAM DANCE, CARNATIC VOCAL MUSIC AND SITAR TEACHER-CUM-PERFORMERS for teaching assignments at ICCR’s Cultural Centres Abroad.

The format of application, Essential Qualification/Experience and terms & conditions of the appointment can be downloaded from our website www.iccrindia.net.

Applications as per prescribed format may be sent to : The Dy. Director General (I), Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Azad Bhavan, I.P. Estate, New Delhi-110002.

Application should reach ICCR latest by 28.04.2011.

Fernandes, who took over the proceedings in the evening session, sought to expunge the sentence. But Parrikar put

his foot down and said that he never uttered word rape in his sentence, so it was not unparliamentary.

OHERALDO

Pg 6

www.oheraldo.in

O HERALD O Vol No CXI No: 083 Goa, Friday, 25 March, 2011

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Portugal slips into crisis

fter Greece and Ireland, Goa’s former colonial master Portugal may soon become the third Euro-zone country to slip into an economic crisis, requiring to be rescued by a bailout from the European Union (EU). Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates resigned on Wednesday, after the country’s parliament rejected his government’s latest proposals for strict austerity measures aimed at avoiding a bailout.

The latest series of proposed austerity measures included raising taxes and introducing the deepest spending cuts in three decades. Obviously, it was highly unpopular with the public and, therefore, the politicians. But given the country’s rapidly deteriorating financial situation, the Prime Minister and Finance Minister stuck to their guns and said the measures were necessary to decrease debt and avoid a European rescue package.

Earlier this month, Portugal cut pensions for retired workers by more than €1,500 (Rs90,000) a month and, in addition, reduced tax benefits. Earlier, the government had reduced the salaries of government employees by an average of 5 per cent and asked public sector companies to cut their expenses by 15 per cent. Notwithstanding such savage spending cuts, the government estimated that the country’s total debt would reach 87.9 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) this year, and worsen to 88.1 per cent in 2012. Last year, it was 82.4 per cent.

Normally, when countries slip into such drastic debt traps, the way out is a massive devaluation of their currencies, as was done with the South-East Asian economies during their unprecedented meltdown in 1997. However, countries in the Euro-zone are in a piquant position. Devaluation is not an option for these countries, as their currency is the Euro, which is common across all countries in the zone.

Often, the only possible solution in these circumstances is for the other countries in the zone to come up with a bailout package and impose a savage austerity package that can help the country and its people limp back painfully towards solvency over a period of years. Ireland, too, struggled to avoid taking a bailout before Parliament refused to sanction any more austerity and the government fell. In elections held after the country had to accept an EU bail-out, the people decimated Fianna Fáil, the party that earlier held power, which came in a poor third behind Fine Gael and the Labour party.

After Mr Socrates resigned, Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva has called for snap elections, to be held in just over two months. Will Portugal’s Socialist Party suffer the same fate? Judging from the unpopularity of the proposed austerity measures, it cannot be ruled out. Mr Socrates swept Portugal’s 2005 election, in which the Socialist Party bagged an unprecedented absolute majority. In the 2009 polls following the worldwide recession, his Socialist Party retained power, but only as the largest single bloc in parliament. His popularity has plunged as opposition to lower wages coupled with higher taxes has mounted, and the country faces the prospect of a rapid return to recession. Large protests have been held against the government’s austerity measures.

The resignation also comes precisely on the eve of a twoday summit of European Union leaders to negotiate a Eurozone debt crisis plan. It is more than likely now that the refusal of the Portuguese parliament to agree on austerity measures will lead to a financial bailout from the EU and International Monetary Fund (IMF), with all the ignominy, financial hardship and mounting unemployment that it involves.

With Britain also adopting unprecedented cost-cutting measures and Spain widely predicted to be the next country that is likely to need an EU bail-out, things are looking grim for most of Europe. This is something to note for all those aspiring to Portuguese nationality.

No illegal mining C Parab, Manager for Dr Prafulla R Hede, Mine Owner & Exporter The report ‘NCP leader’s mine figures in illegal list’ (Herald, 18 March) states that Dr Prafulla R Hede is carrying on illegal mining.

You must have picked up this in the answer to Starred Question 15A by Vassudev Gaonkar regarding cases booked by the Forest Department from 2007 to 2010.

The actual offence is as per a notice dated 28 February 2010 about three Acacia trees which were partly uprooted (not cut) in private land (not forest land) that belongs to Dr Hede. But Dr Hede has planted thou-

100 Years Ago

Education is the Mother of Virtues

The best free education in english medium must be available to every poor student, says JAMeS ferNANDeS

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senior official of a reputed Higher Secondary School in Panjim was vociferous in his condemnation, that due to the lack of Marathi institutions of learning, he was unable to take up a career in Marathi teaching. This gentleman followed it up by showering garbage on the English language, and holding it accountable for preventing him from achieving his life’s objectives.

This supposedly educated individual, whose existence and that of his family depended on the salary he received from the English-medium institution he taught in, did not hesitate to heap the most invidious condemnation on the very language that was the source of his survival.

A senior employee of a government hospital, who had a reputation for being a concerned and a supportive attendant to the innumerable poor and elderly patients, also involved herself in prayer meetings. One who would always begin her prayers with the heavenly words ‘Mogall Jezu’ or ‘Loving Jesus’, however, she would not hesitate to praise and support a man of diabolical character, for accepting her demands.

When a villager asked his neighbour’s children, who were aged six and eight years, whether they would like to pluck ‘Cazus’ (cashews), these children – whose grandparents and father had not progressed beyond Std I and Std VIII in school respectively, and had come to their parents’ village from Margao – replied by asking, “Uncle, what is ‘Cazu’?”

Several ladies, particularly from the Christian community, entertain an illusion, a false belief, that speaking English gives them a stature, a position, or a certain respectability in society. And, therefore, they speak English, or what they think is English, and they are of the opinion that the Konkani language is only for the servants and untouchables. They are ashamed of their mother tongue…

The above narration makes me wonder whether any of these individuals I have outlined had received a proper education. This in turn begs the fundamental question: what is this thing we call an ‘education’? Is it learning in Marathi, in Konkani, in English, or in any of the other official Indian languages? What can we consider as a base to judge if an individual is educated?

The answers are visible in the attitudes of the

Workers’ co-ops

It is reported that the Statutes of Workers’ Cooperatives were sent for superior approval to Lisbon.

Pension for Pato

The Republican government sanctioned a pension for the great Portuguese poet Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato.

Slave trader held

Manuel da Silva, a businessman from Lobito in Angola, was arrested by the Maritime Police aboard the cruise vessel ‘Africa’ and charged with encouraging slavery.

Overseas MPs reduced

It is reported that the number of Overseas Deputies to represent the ‘ultramar’ provinces in the Portuguese Parliament were reduced as against what was previously fixed.

grandparents and elders of our society. The virtues that gave them an air of learning include humility, honoring one’s parents and elders, obedience, gratitude, kindness, sincerity, dignity of labour.

These are the virtues that are the real hallmarks of education. They make education the Mother of Virtues. That is why a child’s education should begin by being taught the virtues – these are the ‘trifles’ that make for perfection; the qualities that complete the education of a person.

The nationals who speak English because it is their mother tongue reveal their identity, their roots and place of origin. Likewise, people across the world who speak in their mother tongues do not belittle or undermine themselves, but rather, stamp their undiluted love for their motherland and mother tongue.

Let us make no mistake. If learning English helps one to open wide the window of opportunity across a large section of the globe, speaking one’s mother tongue provides one with roots, an identity and credibility.

Every economically healthy or successful person

Y

sands of Acacia trees. Of these, three trees were uprooted in the monsoon and/or by mining equipment. This is not more than a minor traffic offence.

The tree cost around Rs1,000 each, and Dr Hede paid Rs10,000 to compound the offence. Why has the Forest Department not compounded it for one year; because of the slow movement of files?

Trees are cut by the PWD without Forest Dept sanction while building compound walls in the residences of the Chief Secretary and DGP. Why is such a minor violation magnified as ‘illegal mining’?

M/s Hede want to clarify that they do only legal mining, furnish monthly reports on extraction and sale of ore to state and central government agencies, pay royalties and all state and central taxes.

In ‘Babush’s project: To be a suitable boy for Panjim’ (Herald, 20 March), Sujay Gupta takes a road that confuses readers about the political scene in Goa. Electoral success cannot condone criminal acts.

Like Patricia Pinto, Sujay Gupta probably has a short memory. At the 2007 GBA rally, where Patricia was a senior leader, speaker after speaker talked about eliminating the 40 MLAs for daring to sell Goa by passing RP2011. But now Patricia Pinto has joined the very man her organisation wanted to eliminate. Similarly, instead of being the Keeper of the Fourth Estate, Sujay Gupta wants to condone Babush’s criminality and give him an opportunity to be a suitable boy for Panjim.

Kudos Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco By coming out with a glossy front and back page, ‘Herald’ has added one more feather in its cap. It has made for more pleasant reading. It must be said that your newspaper has of late come out with several innovative steps to make it reader-friendly, without increasing the price. Keep it up.

BBSM’s blah-blah Karen Fernandes, Verna The report ‘New outfit opposes English as

educates their children in an English medium school. Therefore, discrimination among children based on the financial strength of their parents should be eliminated. Every child – whether of rich or poor parents – should be admitted to an English medium school. These schools must be the best schools, with the best environment, with highly competent teachers, and must be aided by the government.

The headmaster or headmistress, assisted by two parents from the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and two senior teachers, should be authorised to interview and appoint new teachers. Once this is done, thereafter, the headmaster or headmistress should be held accountable for the performance of the students in internal as well as external examinations, as well as for the environment of the school.

However, while laying emphasis on the learning of English, care should be taken that the mother tongue Konkani is protected, fortified and insulated. Accordingly, with the objective of achieving the dual goals of learning the language of the

world and keeping the mother tongue Konkani alive, vibrant and kicking, the educationist would be required to adhere to a regime where a teacher, while teaching the English alphabets, informally teaches the student the corresponding alphabets in Konkani. Similarly, a teacher teaching a particular lesson should move to the next sentence or paragraph only after all the students understand it in Konkani as well. Konkani as a subject should commence from Std V. To further strengthen the decorative nature of Konkani, every English medium school should compulsorily conduct debates, where the contestants arguing for or against the motion, debate both in English as well as in Konkani. Singing and public speaking competitions in Konkani should be mandated in all schools, intra-taluka level school competitions and, thereafter, intertaluka level – district-level and then state-level school events.

While fortifying Konkani, an atmosphere should be created whereby Konkani and English feed, support and depend on each other. While one language is taking centre stage, the other has to accompany it like a shadow. While one language is doing all the ‘work’, the other should act as an ‘apron’, preventing its partner from being sullied and/or contaminated.

While the English language would help one to understand the intricacies, the puzzles, the atoms, the micro or macro definitions of the Universe, the mother tongue Konkani would hold one rooted to one’s origins, reminding the students where they come from. Consequently, as a student proceeds to attain professionalism, (s)he would take greater and greater pride in communicating in the mother tongue whenever an opportunity presents itself.

If God wills it and permits a miracle to take place, every child of truly poor parents – children of poor and backward communities, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, would be taught by highly experienced and dedicated teachers, as well as provided with food and accommodation in an environment that would be the envy of the world. In doing so, a foundation would be laid for the eventual elimination of poverty and illiteracy in Goa.

Goan with the Wind

eh toh Goa ke log such-mooch ajeeb log hai. Jawaharlal Nehru may have been the first to say this after the Congress failed to win a single seat in the first assembly election in 1963, but it has been repeated by many a person after their first trip and stay in Goa. In the half century since our so-called ‘liberation’, the ‘ajeebness’ of the asli Goan has been greatly diluted by a long process of acculturation.

Goans are slowly becoming a minority and the language, Konkani, is slowly making its exit from public and private discourse. Movies, television, mobile phones and the internet are slowly hammering down the last nails into the Goan coffin. We can only hope that our pedagogues and educationists can stem the rot.

Sometimes, though, I feel we are our own worst enemies. Long before Onida came out with its ad featuring the Devil, which talked about ‘Neighbour’s Envy’, Owner’s Pride’, we were willing victims.

Along the coastal belt, people rented their houses to foreigners while they themselves stayed/lived in their boat sheds, cow sheds, wood sheds, stables and store rooms. This happened season after season, even when they knew that their foreigner tenants were drug dealers, peddlers and pushers; even when they knew that the foreigners they harboured were fugitives – on the run from their own law enforcement agencies.

James Fernandes, Goynche Niz Mogi

25 March 1911

LoverS of GoA

Breakfast of Champions

Keeper of the 4th Estate PRIMEIRO DIARIO NAS COLONIAS PORTUGEZAS

OPINION

The greed for money soon caught-on. First, illegal extensions to their houses after bribing the local government officials. Then came the restaurants, discos and nightclubs with gambling. Soon enough came the pimps, prostitutes and paedophiles. Over the last 10 to 15 years, the locals have been marginalised by the ‘outof-state’ big boys. This lot come with their orders signed, sealed and delivered from the centre. They care a hoot for your PI, Panch, Sarpanch, MLA or Minister.

In every major residential colony in Dona Paula, we have the respectable, bold, beautiful, famous/notorious, influential, colourful, well-known denizens who think nothing of encroaching on land belonging to the government, communidade or housing society.

With impunity, they violate CRZ, construction and building laws.

No wonder, the Libyan School of Economics (LSE) has sent Lord Meghnad Desai into retirement at Loutolim. After he manipulated a dubious PhD for Muammar Gaddafi’s son from the world famous and prestigious London School of Economics, Lord Desai will feel completely at home if he joins the Goa University.

But what brought on this extreme exercise in introspection? A bus journey from Goa Medical College (GMC) Bambolim to Panjim Bus Stand via Goa University (GU), and vice versa.

On both trips, the bus left 10 minutes late. It spent 20 minutes waiting at unauthorised bus stops, even when the bus was com-

Kakodkar’s new caper

Atul Raikar, Margao

Reckless decisions by individuals like Shashikala Kakodkar have led to children dropping out of government-aided schools, and to a huge demand for private schools charging massive sums as fees, only because they offer English as the medium of instruction.

If mindless and visionless people like these are so confident of their logic, why not apply it from Nursery to Degree level? That way, Goans will get jobs only in Goa, will remain only in Goa, and she will have been successful in ruining the job prospects of the future generation. By then, she will be dead and gone, leaving people like us to face the music.

Now she has got like-minded people to form an organisation opposing grants for English medium schools. Such people are a disgrace to Goa. They should not be given any say in the matter, as it does not affect them in any way. It is an issue that affects parents of primary school-going children – the future of Goa and India – not Kakodkar and Co.

Revise pensions Anthony Fernandes, Mapusa The government has increased the salaries of its present employees by 40 per cent,

pletely packed. Time was sought to be made up by overspeeding between stops – even when hopelessly overloaded. Passengers were shortchanged with the excuse – ‘no change’. Goa has become lawless at every level of society.

I looked around the bus and here is what I saw written on the walls at various points: (1) 11 standing – I counted 19.

(2) 24 seating – I counted 27.

(3) No smoking – only one person smoked a beedi.

(4) No spitting – but this did not stop people from spitting freely out of the window.

(5) Senior citizens only – both seats were occupied by strapping young teenagers, while six senior citizens were standing.

(6) Ladies only – occupied by gents, while four ladies stood.

(7) Handicap only – no mention if physically or mentally.

(8) Complan Box – after being jostled, elbowed, having my toes stepped on, my new shirt stained by hair oil; the very least they could do was to produce a glass of hot chocolate-flavoured ‘Complan’.

Now that I know it’s actually a ‘Complaint Box’, here goes my complaint about Goan pusillanimity and their willingness to sacrifice Goa at the altar of personal gain. Where is the much touted Goan identity, culture and heritage?

Letters to the Editor

Letter of the Day

medium of instruction’ (Herald, 23 March) announced the formation of the ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch’ opposing English as a medium of instruction. Most members of this committee are outdated. Others lack a vision of a better Goa. It’s common sense: How can these people’s opinions have any credibility when they are parents of grown-up adults? It is Shashikala Kakodkar who is responsible for the mess we find ourselves in today.

Instead of opting for a change, she is trying to justify her decision.

It is we, parents of school-going children, who are affected and whose point of view matters, not some selfish, visionless, outdated individuals who, for some reason, cannot bear to see fellow Goans climb the ladder of success. If BBSM is so confident of its opposition to our suggestion, why are they holding a meeting in a hall; why not ‘Azad Maidan’ once again?

We are in no way trying to do away with our mother tongue. But we want our children to move up the ladder, while also learning Konkani as a compulsory subject.

By Anthony Simoes

be 45 and 60 metres. Why? In the interest of Goa, Churchill should keep the right of way to 35 metres throughout. Goa cannot lose precious land for silly reasons.

Parents’ choice Magret Fernandes, Calangute

but there is no simultaneous revision in pensions of retired employees. Prices of food, medicines and hospitalisation have shot up. The government should revise pensions to mitigate the suffering of old pensioners, who are finding it difficult to even purchase costly medicines.

I think Samir Kelekar (‘It has to be in Konkani’, Herald, 22 March) is not aware of the importance of English in everybody’s life in today’s fast moving world. Switching mediums of instruction may not a problem for very intelligent students, but one must not forget that there are children with different levels of IQ. Samir must have been a genius at school, or he is plainly insensitive towards children.

Talking about jobs is the reality of life. Why are we educating our kids if not for the future?

English is not a foreign language, but a universal language. We all love our mother tongue. But there is a vast difference between the mother tongue spoken at home and the mother tongue written at school.

Let the parents have a choice. Samir is free to educate his children in the language he feels is best for his child, but he shouldn’t impose it on all children.

Fool’s paradise

Politicians’ purpose?

L D’Cruz, by email

Cyril Dias, Taleigao

The time has come to sort out the injustices in Goa. An ecological and social disaster is taking place. Mining is destroying our fauna and flora, polluting our water table and destroying farmland. Who is going to pay for the regeneration of the moon-like mining craters that blight our land; the next generation? There’s garbage in our towns, villages and beaches. The Indian propaganda machine is painting a fool’s paradise of Goa.

The rally for English as the medium of instruction at Azad Maidan saw some of our elected representatives seated prominently in the first row. By attending such meetings, they want to give the impression that they are with the people, but there is a wide mismatch between their words and deeds.

The public must remember that elections are due shortly, so all politicians will take every opportunity to be seen taking up issues of the people, whether it is mining, mega projects or education. But once they are elected they have their own agendas and the people’s interest is last thing on their mind.

If one investigates how many elected representatives have sent their wards to Konkani medium primary schools, you will get the answer to whether the mother tongue should be the medium of instruction.

Highway robbery D Justin, Panjim This is my last request to Churchill Alemao and the PWD to stop fooling Goans. A few months back, he was boasting that he did the bypass at Dandeavaddo in Chinchinim and saved houses. Now he says that the right of way will be restricted to 35 metres at Corlim and Porvorim, and the rest will

Paths of Wisdom Truthfulness vs Lying

By Samir Khan Abdullah ibn Masud (May Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Holy Messenger Prophet Muhammad (Peace and the blessings of Allah be with him) said: “A true action leads to the path of virtue and good deeds, and virtue paves the way of a person to Paradise, and the said person continues to speak the truth till, in the sight of Almighty Allah, he is named Siddique or Truthful. Lying leads to vice, and vice leads to indecent acts, and the person goes on lying till in the sight of Almighty Allah he is named a liar.”

(Bukhari and Muslim) The entire edifice of Islam, which literally means peace, is based on truthfulness and virtue. Nothing vicious fits into the scheme of things called Islamic. The above Saying of Prophet Muhammad draws a line of distinction between truthfulness and lying, and guides us to the path of Paradise via virtues and good deeds.

Truthfulness generally means speaking the truth. But in Islam it has a wider connotation; it includes sincerity of action and sincerity of intention. The basis of correctness of every word and action of a person is that his heart and tongue are in harmony with each other. Then alone can a person speak and stick to the truth. One’s claim of following the path of Islam can be satisfied by nothing but the truth.

Imam al Ghazali, a great Islamic thinker, enumerated the truth as: ‘Truth in Speech, Truth in Intention, Truth in Determination or Resolve, Truth in Matters of Faith and Religion, and Truth in Action.’

If one takes care to practice the Truth in all circumstances, it will be seen that truth is the basis of many virtues. A person who is not truthful will have all sorts of vices. One who is truthful will gain virtues easily. And a person who is well versed in practicing virtues can be called a perfectly good person.

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.

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INDIA

GOA, FRDAY 25 MARCH, 2011

BJP saves day for govt on Ex- army official put on trial for leaking secrets bill to check pension funds PTI

NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

For a change, BJP today came to the rescue of the government saving it from embarrassment as the Left parties pressed for a division on a bill to regulate pension funds at the introduction stage itself.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal was among a few senior ministers present and the attendance on the Treasury benches was thin ringing alarm bells for the government.

The treasury benches appeared to be caught unawares as Speaker Meira Kumar ordered division on introduction of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill, 2011 at the insistence of CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia.

As many as 115 members, including over 30 from the BJP, voted in favour of introduction of the Bill. 43 members opposed it while one member abstained from voting. 159 members were present in the 543-member

As many as 115 members, including over 30 from the BJP, voted in favour of introduction of the Bill. 43 members opposed it while one member abstained from voting.

House when the voting took place.

“We are opposing introduction of the bill. I am asking for division instead of a voice vote,” Acharia said.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, leader of the house Pranab Mukherjee, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, several ministers and members were not present in the house.

Bansal cited rules which state that the member has to make a brief statement giving reasons for opposing a bill. The person moving the bill is also allowed to make a statement.

M a n i s h Te w a r i ( C o n g ) pointed out that the rules state that a notice to oppose the in-

troduction of a bill, addressed to the Secretary General, has to be given by the member by 10:00 hours on the day on which the motion for leave to introduce the bill is included in the list of business.

The speaker gave a ruling in favour of division.

Acharia was seen urging senior BJP leader L K Advani to support him. We were opposing this legislation during UPA-I. They (government) are bringing it now,” he was heard telling Advani.

During UPA-I, the left parties with over 60 members, were key outside supporters of the government.

Later, a junior minister said the prime minister and Mukherjee, who were scheduled to be present in the Rajya Sabha, could not make it to the Lok Sabha as the lobbies were cleared. After the lobbies are cleared, no member is allowed to enter the house.

A retired lieutenant general has been put on trial by a Delhi court for allegedly divulging sensitive secret information about the country's arms and ammunition system to an international arms dealing firm, impinging upon the nation's security.

Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja put Lieutenant General (retd) Nirmal Puri on trial along with M/s Concord International Pvt Ltd's official Vinod Khanna, whom the top army officer had allegedly supplied sensitive information in 1984-87.

The court put the duo on trial after framing charges under various provisions of the Official Secret Act and the India Penal Code against them.

"During the period 1984-87, both of you entered into criminal conspiracy in order to obtain, collect, communicate secret/ classified/ official information/ documents pertaining to the defence of the country with the purpose that same may be prejudicial to the safety or interest of the state,” the court

Niira Radia moves HC for stay on movie PTI

The alleged exhibition of Radia as “mother of all scandals” would not only “mutilate her soul, denigrate the person but reduce the plaintiff to a situation of emotional abandonment”, the petition said.

NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

Corporate lobbyist Niira Radia today approached the Delhi High Court which issued a notice to the producer of the film "Monica-The politics of murder" on her plea against the release of the movie on the ground that it depicts her private life in a “scandalous” manner.

Kush Bhargava, a Lucknowbased Congress leader, is the producer of the movie starring award winning actor Ashutosh Rana. It is scheduled to be released tomorrow.

“Issue notice to the respondent (Kush Bhargava) asking him to file a copy of the script of the film or a CD by the next date of hearing,” Justice V K Jain said.

Radia, Director of Vaishnavi Corporate Communications Private Ltd who has been in news after the leakage of her tapped conversations with corporate heads, journalists andpolitical leaders, has filed the petition

seeking “permanent injunction” against the release of the film.

“The plaintiff (Radia) has not assigned anyone the right to make a film based on her life or any film showing the the life of the petitioner, however, minuscule and the production of the film in such a brazen manner and public viewing of such film will tarnish or damage her image and reputation beyond repair which cannot be compensated,” Anip Sachthey, lawyer for the lobbyist, said.

The lawyer also cited a news

report which said “The Congress leader Bhargava will release a film on the infamous telecom scam on March 25. Divya Dutta, the protagonist, will have shades of both Shivani Bhatnagar (the Indian Express journalist killed in 1999) and Niira Radia.”

The other actors of the film included Yashpal Sharma and Kittu Gidwani.

Before issuing the notice, Justice Jain, during the hearing, said "After all, it is the Censor Board which has given it a certificate after viewing it.”

After being argued that Radia was not a public figure and her right to privacy, guaranteed under the Constitution, be respected as it superseded the right to freedom of speech and expression.

“If you speak to public figures and discuss matters, which relate to the affairs of the State, then you cannot claim that such things, if communicated, violate your right to privacy,” Justice Jain said.

Earlier, the courts have watched a movie based on slain bandit-turned-politician Phoolan Devi to ensure the rights of such persons are not infringed, Radia's counsel reasoned.

“In any case, neither the script nor the VCD of the film is before the court and without looking on them, how can an opinion be formed,” the court said, adding that the notice be served on the producer who is directed to bring either

said.

Puri is alleged to have prepared two hand-written notes containing classified information regarding equipment like light tanks, radio sets for AFV, training

simulators and others.

The notes were recovered during search conducted in the premises of M/s Concord International Pvt Ltd from its Golf Links office here on February 2,

1987.

“During the aforesaid period, you being Lieutenant General in the Indian Army and having access, owing to your position as a person who had held office

under the Indian Army, wilfully communicated such note/ information to Khanna, a person who is other than to whom you were authorised to communicate it," the ASJ said

NEWS

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GOA, FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2011

No idea about Shunglu report, says Dikshit PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today parried questions on reports claiming that she has been blamed for irregularities in Commonwealth Games works by a probe committee.

"I have got it through media and I don't have any idea about the report," Dikshit told reporters.

Top officials indicated that the city government has not got any communication from the

Prime Minister's Office on the V K Shunglu Committee report.

"We don't have any idea about it," a senior official said.

Media reports claimed that the Shunglu Committee looking into alleged irregularities in Games works has indicted Delhi Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna and Dikshit, among others, for delays and losses in projects.

Save house sparrow, students PTI ROURKELA, MARCH4

It was a rare occasion for students of the sub-divisional town Bonai, a remote forest based town of the Sundargarh district, as they celebrated “Save House Sparrow day”.

With banners and placards depicting “Save house sparrow”, “Helpful to mankind” - “The petty birds need our help to survive”, the students of the town marched in a procession yesterday shouting slogans. Organised by the Forest Department the function was held in the Raja Dharanidhar High School.

Deadlock in AP Assembly continues for the seventh day PTI HYDERABAD, MARCH 24

Stalemate over the opposition’s demand of constitution of a joint legislature committee to probe the land allotments in the state since 2004 continued in the Andhra Pradesh assembly for the seventh day today.

Both the government and the opposition stuck to their respective stands, leading to adjournment for the day.

Major Industries Minister J Geeta Reddy accused the opposition of “vitiating the investment climate” in the state.

“They are scaring away the investors from the State. AP has been attracting good investments but the opposition parties are vitiating the climate for entrepreneurs. Thousands of jobs are being lost because of this,” she said.

There was also a verbal duel between Revenue Minister Raghuveera Reddy and TDP MLA Payyavula Keshav. The TDP members, holding placards, encircled the speaker’s podium blocking his view of the house.

Amid the slogan-shouting by TDP MLAs, officiating Speaker Nadendla Manohar adjourned the house for the day after his repeated pleas for order fell on deaf ears.

“Only four more days are left in the Budget session. Let the house transact business smoothly...and take part in the discussion as suggested by the government,” Manohar urged the TDP members, but to no avail.

Earlier in the day, the house was adjourned for 30 minutes as the opposition remained firm on its demand. The government turned it down saying it would consider any demand only after a discussion in the House on the issue.

TDP legislators stormed the Speaker ’s podium, forcing Speaker Nadendla Manohar to adjourn the proceedings for half an hour.

Earlier, Manohar sought views of the house on breaking the stalemate that has seen the proceedings getting adjourned without transaction of any real business for the last few days.

Leader of opposition, N Chandrababu Naidu, pointed out that the UPA government in the Centre had to give in to the opposition’s demand for constitution of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the 2G spectrum scandal.

“The entire winter session of Parliament was lost over the demand and ultimately the UPA government agreed to form a JPC without a debate. The state government too should constitute a JLC without a discussion on the (lands) issue,” he said.

Chandrababu said the TDP was ready for a probe into the land allotments during TDP rule as well.

He said the Congress government conducted as many as 22 inquiries into the land allotments made during his tenure as the chief minister, but could not find anything wrong.

Gogoi owns property worth Rs 3.65 cr PTI GUWAHATI, MARCH 24

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi who is contesting from Titabar assembly constituency for the third time, is a crorepati owning immovable property worth Rs 3.65 crore and movable assets totalling over Rs 35 lakh.

According to his affidavit of March 15 filed with his nomination papers, Gogoi owns a 1817 sq ft flat at Vasant Kunj in New Delhi worth Rs 1.9 crore and a residential building measuring 2610 sq ft (approx) on a plot of land at Ajanta Path of Beltola area of Guwahati whose current market value is Rs 1.05 crore.

74-year-old Tarun Gogoi, who had not inherited any property, had purchased 14,400 sq feet piece of non-agricultural land

at Beltola whose approximate market value is Rs 70 lakh, according to his affidavit.

The chief minister with a total income of Rs 5,92,580, as shown in his income tax return for 2009-10, has movable assets of Rs 35.25 lakh including among others, Rs 14.77 lakh in the State Bank of India Guwahati branch, Rs 3.91 lakh in the Indian Overseas Bank Daryaganj branch in New Delhi, Rs 11,920 in SBI Parliament Street branch in New Delhi.

He also has National Savings Certificates (NSC) of Rs 4.50 lakh, a demand draft of Rs three lakh in hand and Rs 29,248 cash in hand.

With no jewelry mentioned in his name, Gogoi’s affidavit states he owns a Honda City ZX car purchased in 2006 for Rs 8,65,992.

FROM PAGE 1 Most distilleries flout rules

formed by the Department to check entry and exit of liquor without authorised documents.

He pointed out that the revenue from the Excise Department had increased by 35 per cent compared to the last financial year.

KA’s project stopped

Makhija and others raised the matter with the CCP after which a stop work order was issued.

“Campal is already saturated with developmental activities, infrastructure and traffic. We don’t want more congestion in the city. The Kala Academy premise itself is over exploited with number of exhibitions, functions and so on and with additional developmental activity, it is going to make the matter worse”, Makhija said.

The new CCP bench will hold its first council meeting, probably in a week’s time. In February, youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party had opposed the project.

Mining trucks

is ready to have consensus with the Opposition and all the stakeholders on the issue of mining.

He said that the complaints from the mining belt emanate from the genuine suffering of the people.

Kamat said that the State has earned royalty worth Rs 875 crore from exports of ore and the figure is likely to touch Rs 900 crore for this fiscal.

JPC-PAC conflict

good” as “the final reports (of the two committees) could be same and could also differ”, Chacko told a press conference after the meeting.

Joshi, on the other hand, was unrelenting as he told a separate press conference that PAC’s powers went beyond the CAG report and overlapping could not be ruled out.

“There cannot just be overlapping but several overlaps (on the 2-G spectrum scam). There can be overlapping with JPC. There can be overlapping with the Supreme Court. There can be overlapping with the CBI probe,” he said when asked about overlapping between the works of PAC and JPC. Maintaining that the PAC has a “constitutional mandate”, the BJP leader read out the Terms of Reference of his committee and said it has to satisfy that the “moneys shown in the accounts as having been disbursed were legally available for, and applicable to, the service or purpose to which they been applied or charged.”

He said the PAC will also check if the “expenditure conforms to the authority which governs it” although he avoided a direct reply to queries on whether he felt JPC has more and wide-ranging powers.

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GOA, FRIDAY, 25 MARCH, 2011

Food inflation returns to D double digits PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

Food inflation was back in double digits at 10.05 per cent for the week ended March 12 after a fortnight long gap on costlier vegetables, fruits and proteinbased items.

Food inflation, which has been showing a declining trend for the last three weeks, stood at 9.42 per cent in the week ended March 5. In the corresponding week of the previous year, food inflation was more than double, at 20.62 per cent, official data released showed.

During the week under review, prices of vegetables went up by 11.20 per cent year-onyear. Fruits became costlier by 23.60 per cent and eggs, meat and fish by 13.21 per cent.

Experts said demand-supply mismatches were responsible for the sudden spurt in prices of food items.

“Being perishable, prices of fruits and vegetables tend to display considerable volatility, reflecting prevailing demandsupply dynamics. Broadly, food prices are expected to ease subsequent to the rabi har-

vest,” ICRA Economist Aditi Nayar said.

HDFC Bank chief economist Abheek Barua said, “It is alarming that food inflation has risen to double digits. We are again seeing a reversal on the part of food inflation, which is a cause of concern. The surge in prices could be because of supply side disruptions,” Barua said.

The rate of price rise in food items, which accounts for over 14 per cent of overall inflation, may prompt the Reserve Bank to hike key policy rates. Headline inflation has been above 8 per cent since March, 2010, and in February, 2011, it was 8.31 per cent.

“The Reserve Bank is expected to hike short term monetary policy rates (repo and reverse repo) again by 25 basis points in its next review in May to balance the trade-off between growth and inflation,” Barua said.

The RBI has already hiked its key policy rates eight times since March, 2010. The last hike was taken at its mid-quarterly review on March 17 this year.

Baba Ramdev to address GCCI HERALD BUSINESS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

Baba Ramdev, who is in Goa on his Bharat Swabhiman Yatra and will be addressing a public meeting in Goa on March 25, will also address an interactive meeting of trade and industry representatives organised jointly by the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) and the Goa

People’s Forum (GPF) at 12 noon at Surendrababu Timblo Hall, Narayan Rajaram Bandekar Bhavan, Panjim, on March 25.

The meeting is open to all, but entry is only against prior reservation and there are only 75 seats available on ‘first come first served’ basis. To reserve a seat contact R S Kamat on 2424252.

Afsha: Beauty with Brain

By BHARATI PAwASKAR states as well! Circa 2007, Afsha tied the knot with her partner ream big and keep dreaming until you make that dream for life, Aaqil and both flew to America. It was a two-year honeycome true. This is exactly what Afsha Aaqil Prasla did. Pur- moon with her dream partner. suing her career from home and walking against all odds Her love for learning new kept herself busy here. Afsha joined she finally made it to have her own Afsha – The Hair, Beauty & the Colonial Heights Beauty Academy in Richmond, Virginia. She Make-up Studio at Miramar. Her maiden venture Afsha’s Spa and completed her degree in Hair & Beauty. Here she underwent vaSaloon was in a part of her three bedroom apartment on the 2nd riety of western style practical experiences. This she now has floor of in the same building – Bobby Apartments. Now Afsha will blended with her unique eastern style to yield a provocative and have a bigger space on the ground floor while retaining the pres- glamorous motif. Two years later Afsha returned to the glamorous ent one at home upstairs, too. capital Mumbai to learn bridal hairstyles, portfolio and fashion Afsha has earned a name in the beauty world. make-up. Today her pursuit for advance education She has a Midas touch. She can transform someand practicality training in her field has given her one with ordinary looks to a beautiful woman. a name and fame. Believe me, she is one of the top Self-made woman that she is Afsha knows by exbeauticians of Goa. A perfectionist she takes pride perience that every woman is beautiful – she only in precision and accuracy, accepts every challenge has to know it. “Many consider themselves as ugly embracing success at the end. and keep hating self. But falling in love with oneBut she isn’t just all about the work. A fun loving self is a step towards finding inner beauty within person Afsha blends her workload to match with oneself and once a person is able to do that, he that of her homework. Not compromising on eiwill eternally love and respect ther – her work and her family his being. So fall in love with life she manages both with par yourself,” says Afsha. “Pamper excellence. Afsha continues her yourself. Give that extra someprofessional education by atthing to yourself. Look and feel tending workshops. She congood! Yes, that’s the way to live. stantly upgrades herself by Things would turn out just the learning the latest techniques at way you want them to...” says the Schwarzkopf Academy in the this beauty with the brains. fast track city of Mumbai. A Afsha did have some ups and feather in the cap, she recently downs in life, as most of us do. provided her assistance in the Life isn’t a bed of roses, all the art of make up at the time. It places hurdles and obSchwarzkopf Essential Looks – stacles on our way sometimes, Spring Summer Collection 2010. but if we make a right decision Armed with all that education at the right time, life gifts us and experience, Afsha has a big with many surprises. A homesurprise for us all. “Wait a maker in her late teens. But she month and look what I have got managed somehow to do her for all of you out there,” she first beautician course in 1989 at smiles. Yes, Afsha is all set to Shahnaz Herbals. Then there kick start her new salon soon. was a pause of long eleven years Coming May 2011 will witness before Afsha could gather innate this grand day. Same old place? courage to visualise her ultimate Err, yes and no! This time Afsha goal. will land on the ground floor of Parents as always are motivaBobby Apartments with a total tional forces behind each of us. new set up. Same premises, but Afsha was no exception. Her a little more convenient to her papa coaxed her to join Tulip Inclientele with a little change in ternational, affiliated to the the name! “I have dropped that Gold Coast Academy in Ausextra S from Afsha’s. Now it is tralia. Post training, Afsha Smiling her way to success Afsha Aaqil Prasla at her Spa in Miramar. only me – Afsha. started a small salon at home in So Afsha – The Hair, Beauty & Miramar. She also accepted freelance assignments. This was the Make-up Studio is opening soon, retaining the earlier salon Afsha’s, first time Afsha encountered with success. Her troubles soon too. This new Afsha will, again, welcome those who seek for a started saying goodbye to her. She realised her potential and inner change in their personality. Those who can still climb up can enjoy strength and found wings to fly. the spa upstairs at leisure. Those who are in a hurry and need a Wanting to upgrade further, she trained herself at Hakim’s quick makeover can drop in downstairs. Both places will cater to Aalim in Mumbai. It enhanced her confidence grooming her per- those women who believe in looking and feeling beautiful. sonality. Afsha returned with a tag, as an expert in hair re-bonding, A dream has come true for Afsha, the cheerful welcoming lady attached with her name. Her full-fledged salon kick started. People who loves to add uniqueness to every single touch-up transformstarted flocking in; not just from Goa but from the neighbouring ing the whole of her beauty art into a masterpiece each time.

Five-day GoaFest 2011 begins on April 5 HERALD BUSINESS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

The Advertising Club, Bombay and AAAI-promoted GoaFest 2011, the Indian Advertising Industry’s highly coveted annual award ceremony and gala celebration is to be held over five days from April 5 to 9 at the Zuri Whitesands, Goa Resort and Casino, Varca.

GoaFest attracts more than 3,000 people from over India, and the entire resort is geared to meet the world class line up of speakers and guests from the marketing and advertising fields. GoaFest brings together the movers and shakers of advertising, who explore various facets of the field in a fastchanging world. The festival is an eclectic mix of celebration and creativity, knowledge, fun and entertainment.

The GoaFest committee includes FCBUlka’s Nagesh Alai, also AAAI President; Leo Burnett’s Arvind Sharma; RK Swamy Group’s Srinivasan Swamy; Euro RSCG’s Suman Srivastava; Lodestar UM’s Shashi Sinha and McCann World-

Arunachal Tourism Marketing Board in offing PTI ITANAGAR, MARCH 24

A Tourism Marketing Board for Arunachal Pradesh is in the offing for which the department has sought Rs 1 crore from the government, state Toursim Minister Jarbom Gamlin informed the assembly on Thursday.

Responding to a question from Congress MLA P D Sona during question hour on steps taken to market the high potential sector to woo tourists from outside, Gamlin said allout efforts were being made to achieve the goal.

He said a state level meeting involving all stakeholders including tour operators was conducted recently and 26 tour operators have been identified for professional training outside.

Responding to another question that many important projects for resorts, cafeterias and wayside amenities were incomplete in the state, the minister said the consultative committee had discussed the matter and was taking steps to get central assistance for completing and strengthening infrastructure along all 11 tourist circuits.

group’s Prasoon Joshi.

Leading GoaFest this year is Lintas Media Group Chairperson and Vice-President of the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) Lynn deSouza. She said that GoaFest will be different this time, with an emphasis on responsible behaviour.

The International Advertising Association (IAA) will launch its Olive Crown Awards at the event, to highlight communications that feature sustainability. AAAI has also tied up with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).

Young people will be given unique surfaces to paint a message on a brief they will get from ASCI. The point is to be creative, provocative and innovative; not lose out on irreverence and at the same time not to be irresponsible.

The committee has also announced the names of Jury Chairpersons for Creative Abbys. Media Abbys will be held on April 8, while Creative Abby awards will be held on April 9.

Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman and Creative Director, South Asia, Ogilvy India, will head the jury for the Integrated category. Prasoon Joshi, Executive Chairman and Regional Executive Creative Director APAC, McCann Erickson, will head the Film Jury.

The OOH category will be chaired by K V Sridhar, NCD, Leo Burnett India, while Ravi Deshpande, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, Contract Advertising, will chair the Print category.

As for the Radio, Digital and Design categories, Josy Paul, Chairman & NCD, BBDO India; Senthil Kumar, ECD, JWT India; and Sujata Keshavan, Managing Director and Executive Creative Director, Ray + Keshavan India, have been appointed as respective jury chairpersons.

The theme of GoaFest 2011 is ‘Ideas are all around. Can you spot one?’ It is about inspiration. The theme of the seminars is ‘Marketing 3.0’. Every speaker will touch on the changes in marketing behaviour, and in communications.

Goa Carbon Board meet preponed

PANJIM (HBN): Goa Carbon Ltd has informed the Stock Exchange, Mumbai (BSE) that the meeting of its Board of Directors scheduled on April 9 has been advanced to April 6.

The meeting will consider and approve audited financial results of the company for the year ending March 31, 2011, and to recommend dividend for the said period. It will also fix the date, time and place for the Annual General Meeting of the company and closure of Share Transfer Books and Register of Members.

Ban on pulses export extended

NEW DELHI: Ban on export of pulses has been extended by one more year till March 2012, even as the country is likely to import 3.40 million tonnes of the vital foodgrain item to match the enhanced demand.

“The period of validity of prohibition on exports of pulses is extended up to March 31, 2012,” a directorate general of foreign trade (DGFT) notification said. The ban was to expire on March 31.

Toshniwal, Bhargava elected CII Western Region chief, dy HERALD BUSINESS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

Praveen Toshniwal and Pradeep Bhargava were Thursday elected as the chairman and deputy chairman of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Western Region for 2011-12.

Toshniwal is the chairman of Nivo Controls Pvt Ltd and also managing director of Toshbro Controls Pvt Ltd. These companies are engaged in developing, manufacturing, marketing and exporting Process Control Instruments.

Toshniwal is a B-Tech (Elec) graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi.

He was the deputy chairman of CII Western Region Council for the year 2010-11. He has been the chairman of CII Madhya Pradesh State Council, CII Malwa Zonal Council, and CII Western Region MSME SubCommittee and Member, CII National MSME Council. He has been very active with CII and has facilitated numerous initiatives in development of MSMEs. Bhargava is managing director of Cummins Generator

Praveen Toshniwal

Pradeep Bhargava

Technologies India Ltd. Under his leadership, the company has been demonstrating a strong growth performance, establishing itself as a market leader in the Alternator business in India, and a major player globally.

Bhargava’s association with Cummins started way back in 2000, with Cummins India Limited, where he was responsible for steering growth and transforming a leading Engine business into a wholesome Energy Solutions Enterprise. A notable achievement of his tenure was Cummins’ foray in the Low Horse Power business in the

domestic market.

Bhargava was the chairman of CII Pune Zonal Council during 2004-05 and CII Maharashtra State Council during 2008-09. During his tenure with CII Pune and Maharashtra, he conceived, steered and helped implementing the now famous “Pune Model” by virtue of which city of Pune has been able to mitigate Load Shedding for the last 3 years. He has also been chairing the CII’s Western Region Task Force on Skill Development, and has facilitated initiatives on strengthening collaboration between educational institutions and industry.

Taj Khazana’s Spring Sale 2011 HERALD BUSINESS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

Taj’s in-house lifestyle store Taj Khazana, announces it’s much awaited 10-day long Spring Sale from March 21 to 30.

A super discount of upto 50% will be offered to the guests and customers on a treasure of meticulously handwoven saris, embroidered shawls, classic and contemporary accessories, exquisite ladies wear and designer men’s apparels.

Taj Khazana, an in-house lifestyle store present at select

Taj properties across key cities in India is synonymous with Indian tradition, showcasing the choicest collection of silks, hand woven fabrics, paintings and artefacts. The exclusive range of saris, earthen ware, silver ware and precious jewellery reflects the richness and diversity of the Indian heritage and culture.

Best price and quality on exquisite items are available at Taj Khazana, at Vivanta by TajFort Aguada, Vivanta by Taj – Holiday Village, and Taj Exotica, Goa.

APPOINTMENTS

Goa Grand Hyatt to open this year HERALD BUSINESS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced in a news release that the Grand Hyatt Goa at Bambolim and the Hyatt Regency Chennai will open later this year. It also said that it had signed agreements for nine new hotels in cities across India, bringing to 38 the total number of Hyatt hotels under development in the country.

The nine are: a Grand Hyatt in Noida; Hyatt Regency hotels in Jaipur, Surat, Ghazibad, Chandigarh, Lucknow and Guwahati; and Hyatt Place hotels in Bangalore-Devanhalli and Mumbai-Seepz.

The development of its new hotels in India is expected to create more than 10,000 new jobs, Hyatt said. There are currently about 3,500 employees at Hyatt hotels in the country.

APPOINTMENTS

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Rubber Board invites suggestions PTI

KOTTAYAM, MARCH 24 The Rubber Board has invited suggestions from all stakeholders for formulating its schemes during 12th plan which will be implemented from 2012-13.

The Board has scheduled a series of consultation meetings with various segments of rubber industry stake holders. The first meeting would be held here shortly, the Board chairperson Sheela Thomas said, in a statement Thursday.

Sensex up 145 points Shrugging off rise in food inflation, the BSE Sensex made gains for the third day in a row and closed over 18,350, up 145 points, following firm global cues amid renewed capital inflows.

The Bombay Stock Exchange 30-share index, Sensex, opened up in tandem with positive Asian markets and remained in the green through the day, ending at 18,350.74 -- a gain of 144.58 points or 0.79 per cent.

The NSE 50-issue Nifty also improved further by 42.15 points or 0.77 per cent to end above 5,500-mark at 5,522.40.

Realty, auto and capital goods witnessed good buying, as well as short-coverings by operators ahead of the expiry of the monthly derivatives contract on March 31.

Aban Offshor, 572, 602, 572, 600.2 Abb Ltd., 769, 785.45, 758, 777.05 Abg Shipyard, 361.9, 365, 357.2, 362.25 Acc Limited, 1040.6, 1042.8, 1030, 1033.4 Adani Enterp, 595.35, 602.75, 595.35, 599.8 Aditya Birla, 773.35, 787.45, 773.35, 782.7 Allahabad Ba, 212, 216.5, 212, 213.4 Alstom Proje, 538, 549.7, 533.1, 546.1 Ambuja Cemen, 132.65, 137.9, 132.65, 136.25 Andhra Bank, 142, 143.4, 141, 141.45 Ashok Leylan, 53.55, 56.4, 53.55, 56.25 Asian Paints, 2540, 2558.15, 2500, 2502.85 Axis Bank Li, 1318.2, 1334.4, 1307.55, 1319.45 Bajaj Hindus, 72, 72.9, 71.15, 71.95 Bank Of Baro, 891, 912, 890.75, 903.3 Bank Of Indi, 450.1, 455, 450.1, 452.3 Beml Limited, 680, 704.95, 675, 685.9 Bharat Elect, 1679.95, 1727.9, 1669, 1695.7 Bharat Forge, 336.7, 346.05, 328.55, 343.9 Bharat Petro, 572.3, 581.5, 567.2, 577.25 Bharti Airte, 331.8, 334.4, 326.6, 333.25 Bhel, 2001.7, 2052, 2001.7, 2048.3 Bhushan Stee, 440, 444.4, 435.2, 438.6 Biocon Limit, 332.45, 336.4, 330, 334.85 Bombay Dyein, 361.95, 377.8, 361.05, 368.65 Bosch Limite, 5970.25, 6155, 5970.25, 6148

Brigade Ente, 89.6, 92.9, 88.35, 91.4 Cairn India, 354.9, 354.9, 349.5, 350.8 Canara Bank, 608, 610.5, 606.6, 609.85 Central Bank, 133, 135.35, 132.1, 133.45 Century Text, 325.25, 334.15, 325.25, 331.4 Cesc Ltd, 309, 311.7, 305.5, 308.15 Chambal Fert, 69.75, 72.55, 69.75, 72.3 Chennai Petr, 203.55, 205.85, 202, 203.9 Cipla Ltd, 304.85, 306.5, 302.4, 305.95 Colgate Palm, 824.7, 830, 808, 817.65 Container Co, 1168.5, 1215.95, 1156, 1202.35 Crompton Gre, 266.95, 271.25, 264.25, 265.2 Cummins Indi, 653.05, 660, 646.05, 648.15 Dabur India, 97, 97.4, 95.35, 95.55 Deccan Chron, 79.3, 83.5, 77.15, 80.55 Dish Tv Indi, 64, 66.7, 63.65, 66 Divi’s Labor, 638, 638, 625.1, 629.7 Dlf Limited, 236.65, 238.6, 231.55, 234.2 Dr. reddy’s, 1561, 1569, 1539.3, 1542.1 Edelweiss Ca, 38.6, 39.1, 37.45, 38.35 Educomp Solu, 419, 424.5, 415.5, 422 Eih Limited, 81.9, 84, 81.6, 82.5 Engineers In, 307.2, 308.9, 294.2, 295.15 Essar Oil Lt, 121.5, 122.7, 119.7, 120.8 Essar Shippi, 87.95, 87.95, 86.85, 87.15 Exide Indust, 134.8, 135, 132.8, 134.55

BIZ

BJP hits back at UPA on VSNL disinvestment AGENCIES NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

The BJP Thursday tried to turn the tables on the UPA saying it will have to conduct an inquiry into its own conduct on the issue of delay in hiving off the VSNL and return of 773 acres land to the Government.

“One of the ministers is trying to put the NDA in the dock on the VSNL (Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited) demerger issue but the inquiry will be in the Government’s own deeds as it will have to explain what was being done by P Chidambaram and Pranab Mukherjee (past and present

Federal Bank, 386, 386.85, 378.5, 380.35 Financial Te, 761, 777.4, 760, 769.75 Gail (india), 467.55, 470, 455.8, 459.15 Gammon India, 111.55, 112.7, 110.1, 111.35 Glaxosmithkl, 2020, 2105, 2020, 2096.2 Glenmark Pha, 281, 284.95, 275.5, 279.75 Gmr Infrastr, 37.65, 37.7, 36.75, 37.15 Godrej Indus, 172.9, 177.25, 172.55, 176.25 Grasim Indus, 2470, 2476.8, 2412.5, 2434.75 Great Offsho, 244, 249.95, 243, 244.8 Gtl Infra.Lt, 36.95, 37.1, 36.35, 36.9 Gujarat Mine, 137.05, 139, 135.05, 137.6 Gujarat N R, 52.5, 52.9, 51.7, 52 Gujarat Stat, 102, 102.7, 100, 100.4 Gvk Pow. & I, 24.6, 25.2, 24.2, 25.05 Hcl Technolo, 455.75, 461.9, 455.6, 460.4 Hdfc Bank Lt, 2179, 2198.9, 2168.5, 2192.8 Hdfc Ltd, 644.95, 646.8, 637.1, 644.1 Hero Honda M, 1450.35, 1482, 1450.35, 1475.6 Hindalco in, 197.9, 205.35, 197.3, 204.8 Hindustan Co, 36.45, 36.75, 36.05, 36.45 Hindustan Ma, 60.1, 60.75, 60, 60.15 Hindustan Pe, 335.05, 336.9, 330.9, 334.5 Hindustan Un, 269.9, 270.7, 268, 269.1 Hindustan Zi, 131, 134.5, 129.95, 133.15 Housing Dev, 159, 162.45, 157.75, 161.9

Finance Ministers) in the last six years,” Prakash Javadekar said in Rajya Sabha.

He was participating in the debate on the Finance Bill, 2011.

Raising concerns over the disinvestment of VSNL in 2002, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal had recently said, “It has come to my notice that the disinvestment of VSNL in 2002 does not seem to be fair and transparent” and ordered an inquiry into the deal.

The VSNL disinvestment was done in 2002 during the NDA regime.

In response to the minis-

Icici Bank L, 1046.45, 1064.95, 1046.45, 1053.1 Idea Cellula, 62, 62.55, 59.55, 62 Ifci Ltd, 53, 53.5, 52.55, 53.25 India Cement, 92.1, 94.35, 92.1, 93.3 India Infoli, 70.95, 71.5, 68.9, 70.65 Indiabulls F, 149.05, 154.7, 149.05, 152.75 Indiabulls R, 116, 119.7, 115.05, 118.7 Indian Bank, 218.3, 220.4, 216.6, 217.75 Indian Hotel, 79.7, 81.55, 79.05, 81.25 Indian Oil C, 299.05, 305.8, 299.05, 305.05 Indian Overs, 143.6, 145.6, 142.35, 144.75 Indus Dev Ba, 135.25, 138.2, 134.8, 137.8 Indusind Ban, 255.8, 259.95, 254.6, 257.7 Infosys Tech, 2992.95, 3012.2, 2978.75, 3002.8 Infra. dev., 149.95, 154.65, 148.25, 154.2 Ispat Indust, 22.5, 23, 22.2, 22.45 Itc Ltd, 173, 173.6, 171.9, 173 Ivrcl Infras, 74.7, 76.8, 74.3, 76.1 Jai Corp Lim, 158, 163.25, 156.55, 160.6 Jaiprakash A, 88, 89.8, 87.25, 89.4 Jet Airways, 441.7, 447.7, 429.05, 435.15 Jindal Saw L, 186.8, 192.3, 186.1, 191.15 Jindal Steel, 656.1, 663.5, 656, 660.3 Jsw Steel Li, 906.9, 915, 895.9, 898.85 Kotak Mahind, 434, 449.35, 434, 446.2 Lakshmi Mach, 2150, 2325, 2146, 2224.85

ter’s allegations, former Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie, under whom VSNL was sold to Tatas, had also said that if there was any delay in the demerger of the land, a probe should be ordered against the past and present Finance Ministers in the UPA government.

The issue was also raised earlier by V Hanumantha Rao (Cong), who cited media reports to pinpoint alleged irregularities in disinvestment of VSNL to the Tatas during Shourie’s tenure as Disinvestment Minister in the then NDA government.

Lanco Infrat, 38.5, 38.5, 37.75, 38 Larsen & Tou, 1542, 1556.5, 1540, 1549.75 Lic Housing, 197.1, 200.35, 197.1, 197.8 Lupin Limite, 417.95, 423.7, 402.9, 405.75 Mahanagar Te, 44.85, 46.8, 44.85, 45.95 Mahindra & M, 650, 668.45, 648.5, 665.5 Maruti Suzuk, 1170, 1184, 1157.8, 1167.15 Max India Lt, 142.65, 144.45, 142.45, 143.8 Moser­baer (, 40.75, 42.45, 40.75, 41.8 Mrpl, 62, 62.6, 61.3, 61.7 Nagarjuna Fe, 26.5, 27.35, 26.5, 27.25 National Alu, 104, 104.45, 100.8, 101.3 Neyveli Lign, 102.6, 103.95, 102, 102.75 Ntpc Ltd, 176, 176.6, 174.9, 175.9 Oil And Natu, 273.75, 274.15, 272, 272.95 Omaxe Limite, 130.55, 136.2, 128.85, 134.95 Oriental Ban, 363.5, 369, 363.5, 365.45 Pantaloon Re, 262.4, 274.9, 255.1, 273.85 Parsvnath De, 38.1, 40.35, 38, 40.1 Petronet Lng, 122.5, 123.15, 120.55, 121.75 Power Fin Co, 228.5, 234.4, 228.4, 233.6 Power Grid C, 98, 98.2, 97.15, 97.95 Praj Industr, 71, 71.6, 70.55, 71.15 Punj Lloyd L, 62.3, 63.6, 62.3, 63.15 Punjab Natio, 1116, 1134, 1106.8, 1123.2 Rajesh Expor, 111.6, 112.15, 103.95, 109.55

Ranbaxy Labs, 445.05, 446.45, 440.6, 443.85 Rashtriya Ch, 76.9, 79.8, 76.7, 79.35 Reliance Cap, 575.05, 576.5, 566.1, 571.7 Reliance Com, 105.7, 106.05, 103.8, 104.75 Reliance Ene, 1062, 1065.01, 1062, 1065.01 Reliance Ind, 627, 639.95, 626, 627.85 Reliance Ind, 1015.9, 1021.95, 1003.85, 1010.3 Reliance Pow, 123, 124.25, 121.8, 122.7 Rolta India, 136, 137.9, 135.35, 136.65 Satyam Compu, 67.2, 67.75, 66.35, 66.85 Sesa Goa Ltd, 276.8, 279.7, 271.8, 273.75 Shipping Cor, 107, 107.95, 106.35, 106.8 Siemens Ltd, 876, 880, 873, 876.65 Sintex Indus, 143.25, 144.8, 140, 141.2 Sobha Develo, 265.25, 277, 265, 275.25 State Bank O, 2648, 2665.7, 2632.1, 2650.75 Steel Author, 163.75, 165.9, 163.6, 164.85 Sterlite Ind, 166.2, 168.75, 165.75, 168.15 Sun Pharmace, 455.5, 461, 453.05, 455.1 Sun Tv Netwo, 446.05, 451, 437, 439.55 Suzlon Energ, 45.85, 46, 45.1, 45.55 Tata Communi, 246, 249.85, 235.75, 239.55 Tata Consult, 1071, 1095.55, 1070, 1093.4

Tata Motors, 1146.1, 1161.9, 1145.2, 1157.3 Tata Power C, 1251, 1275.3, 1250, 1272.6 Tata Steel L, 615, 616.4, 605.65, 609.75 Tata Teleser, 15.1, 15.5, 15.1, 15.2 Tech Mahindr, 715.05, 739, 713, 735.7 The Ge Shpg., 258, 261.45, 251.75, 255.15 The Phoenix, 180, 182.8, 175.25, 180.65 Thermax Ltd, 585, 589.8, 581, 584.8 Titan Indust, 3477.95, 3508.8, 3471.15, 3494.35 Torrent Powe, 245.8, 249.5, 240, 247.4 Triveni Engg, 98.45, 98.5, 97.1, 97.35 Tv18 India L, 71.7, 73.8, 71.7, 73.3 Uco Bank, 102.95, 104.4, 102.75, 103.25 Ultratech Ce, 1016.1, 1039.5, 1016.1, 1032.85 Union Bank O, 329, 334.95, 324.8, 334.3 Unitech Ltd, 37.3, 40.75, 37.25, 40.55 United Phosp, 143.6, 143.85, 139.3, 141.15 Videocon Ind, 184.7, 193.25, 183.75, 191.6 Vijaya Bank, 73.75, 74.3, 73.4, 73.95 Voltas Ltd, 162, 167.15, 162, 165.8 Wipro Ltd, 437.6, 445.65, 437.6, 439.65 Yes Bank Lim, 286.95, 296.6, 286.95, 294.8 Zee Entertai, 120, 120.4, 118.2, 119.45

OHERALDO

Pg 13 GOA, FRIDAY, 25 MARCH, 2011

US defence chief arrives in Israel after bombing 20,000 gather for burials in Syria protest city: Activists AFP

TEL AVIV, MARCH 24,

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Israel on Thursday to push for peace overtures with the Palestinians a day after a bombing in Jerusalem left one dead and more than 30 wounded.

Gates was to hold talks in Tel Aviv with his Israeli counterpart, Ehud Barak, at a moment of political upheaval across the region and escalating tensions along Israel's border with Gaza.

During stop in Cairo on Wednesday, Gates condemned as "horrific" Wednesday's attack on a crowded bus stop in Jerusalem, the first such bomb attack in the Holy City in more than six years -- which came several hours after two Grad rockets fired by Gaza militants hit the southern city of Beersheva.

The Pentagon chief was expected to reassure Israeli leaders of Washington's security commitments to its ally even as he encourages the country to respond to popular turmoil in the Arab world with peace initiatives towards the Palestinians, a sen-

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates meets Israeli officials to discuss tensions along the country’s border with Gaza.

ior US defence official said.

"It's probably in the Israeli interest to get out ahead of that populist wave, by leaning forward on the Palestinian track,

to try to take that issue away from the discourse in the region in the coming months and years," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of

anonymity.

"The Israelis are very anxious about changes in the region," he said, noting that some were responding to the regional tur-

moil by adopting a "defensive crouch."

"I think our administration sees things a little differently," he said, speaking ahead of Wednesday's bomb attack.

For the moment, Israel's conflict with the Palestinians had not become a focus for the uprisings across the Middle East, he said.

"But at some point, this rising tide of populism in the region will have impatience for Israel," he said.

Gates, who was to meet with President Shimon Peres later in the day ahead of talks in Tel Aviv on Friday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was also expected to discuss US policy on Iran's disputed nuclear programme.

He was also scheduled to meet Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank at some point on Friday, officials said.

The Israelis have voiced concern that dramatic events in Libya, Yemen and elsewhere may serve as a distraction for international efforts to persuade Iran to halt its uranium enrichment work.

"I think the secretary will very clearly articulate to them that there's certainly no strategic drift as relates to Iran in the Obama administration," the official said.

Bahrain fends off charge of pressing on with crackdown AFP DUBAI, MARCH 24

Amnesty International on Thursday accused Bahrain of pressing on with a crackdown against Shiite activists and doctors, as Manama tried to fend off charges of foreign meddling in its affairs.

“A crackdown on Shiite opposition activists and doctors continues in Bahrain, with six more people detained in the past few days,” said the London-based rights watchdog.

“Amnesty International believes that they have been detained solely for their criticism of and involvement in the protests and that therefore they are prisoners of conscience,” Amnesty said in a statement.

But the Sunni-ruled kingdom responded by slamming what it said was foreign interference and charged that outside forces

had hijacked the pro-reform demands of demonstrators.

“Bahrain condemns external interference in its domestic matters,” said a government spokeswoman, Maysoon Sakba.

“Recent calls for reform by sections of the Bahraini people were hijacked by an extreme agenda, resulting in an escalation of more violent methods, leading to a fundamental breakdown in law and order,” she said in a statement.

Sakba said a March 16 raid on Salmaniya Medical Complex following violent clashes in Manama was aimed at restoring order after the medical staff had turned the hospital into a base for regrouping demonstrators.

“Salmaniya was effectively being used as a coordination centre by protesters and had been overrun by political and sectarian activity," the spokes-

woman said.

“This included the spreading of malicious propaganda by several senior members of the medical staff and the blocking of medical care, severely interrupting service and endangering lives,” said Sakba.

Salmaniya is Bahrain's largest public sector hospital and has been the focus of conflicting reports of abuse.

Bahraini authorities contend its Shiite staff had turned the complex into a protest centre, while the international community has denounced the storming of the health facility by security forces.

Over the past week, a tense calm has returned to Manama, where clashes between security forces and protesters since February 14 have killed at least 15 people, most of them demonstrators.

Immigrants paid to get high IELTS scores in Australia PTI MELBOURNE, MARCH 24

Over 25 immigrants, including Indians, are being probed in Australia for allegedly paying bribes to obtain dodgy marks in English-language exams in a bid to get visa or permanent residency, media reports have said.

The State's Corruption and Crime Commission (CCC) is investigating allegations that a staff member at Curtin University was bribed to falsify results of English-language competency tests.

According to rules, applicants for permanent residency and work or students' visas must pass the International English Testing System (IELTS) which is relied upon by the Department of Immigration.

During a hearing, it was revealed that, in 2009, Abdul Kader, who

migrated from India and is now an Australian citizen, was living in a shared house with an employee at the Curtin English Language Centre, Keith Low. Kader had been approached by his former petrol station workmate Pritesh Shah concerned about a friend, Vishnal Pandya, who was applying for permanent residency but was repeatedly failing the English language requirements.

Kader told the CCC hearing today that Shah asked him whether he knew anyone who could help his friend. He told him that he knew Low. Later, Low said he could help Pandya and a cash payment was arranged.

Kader said as “the middle man” in the operation he didn't really want to know how the falsification of test results was done.

“I did ask how he was doing it

Germany’s no to Libya stuns Western partners AFP BERLIN, MARCH 24,

Germany's watershed decision to withhold support for military action in Libya has sparked fears of a new go-it-alone stance in Berlin that could cost it precious credibility and influence.

“We are not neutral,” Merkel insisted again Wednesday in a speech, defending Berlin's abstention from a UN Security Council vote to create a no-fly zone in Libya to stop pro-government forces from slaughtering civilians.

“We of course like the rest of the world want to see the end to the war Moamer Kadhafi is waging against his own people.”

Germany's decision, which put it in the company of Russia, China, Brazil and India, stunned Western partners who aimed to muster a united front against the Libyan leader's ruthless campaign against insurgents.

And on Tuesday, Berlin announced its warships would not participate in a NATO operation in the Mediterranean to enforce a UN-mandated arms embargo on Libya -- a decision that drew a baffled response across the political spectrum.

“To place your forces under allied command but withdraw them when those forces may

have to engage is a bald contradiction,” political scientist Christian Tuschoff at Berlin's Free University said.

“Germany is no longer a credible partner in the Atlantic alliance. It has turned its back for the first time on the course it has pursued since World War II -- this is a historic break with the past.”

Merkel draws a line at the renewed use of military force in an already volatile region but has insisted she shares the goals of the no-fly zone and the embargo -- ending the bloodshed.

However Tuschoff said the removal of the Mediterranean warships flew in the face of such declarations and blasted his country's stance in the Libyan crisis as a "disaster".

Former Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, a popular elder statesman, was equally withering in his criticism.

“Germany's foreign policy is a farce,” the sharp-tongued member of the opposition Greens wrote this week in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung broadsheet.

He argued that the move had nothing in common with Germany's categorical refusal to take part in the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 while he was minister.

and he said he was changing the scores in the system and mentioned something about using different persons' log in ID to log into the computer,” he said.

After the first bribe was paid, Shah began arranging for the IELTS exam results of more of his friends to be falsified with Kader becoming an intermediary.

Kader, currently working as an accountant, collected the names, passport numbers, date of births and cash payments from those wanting their IELTS to be changed and gave them to low.

Applicants would normally pay USD 1500 with Kader receiving a commission, usually what ever amount was paid in excess.

AFP DAMASCUS, MARCH 24

Some 20,000 people gathered today in the Syrian city of Daraa for the burial of victims killed by police gunfire the day before, chanting support for a rising anti-regime movement there, rights activists said.

One activist in Daraa, contacted by telephone, said the mourners made their way from the Omari mosque, where protesters have been holed up for a week, to the burial grounds under pouring rain, chanting: “With our souls, with our blood, we are loyal to our martyrs.”

Rights activists have said at least 100 people were killed by gunfire yesterday alone in the city, a tribal area at Syria's border with Jordan that has been the focal point of protests demanding the end of the country's ruling regime.

“There are definitely more than 100 dead and the city will need a week to bury its martyrs,” said human rights activist Ayman al-Asswad in Daraa, reached by telephone from Nicosia.

Asswad said security forces had used live rounds when firing against demonstrators yesterday in Daraa, 120 kilometres south

of Damascus.

The victims reportedly include a doctor who had taken cover in an ambulance and an 11-year-old girl.

The report could not be independently confirmed, but AFP reporters witnessed sporadic shooting in Daraa yesterday.

Buthaina Shaaban, media advisor to President Bashar alAssad, today put the death toll in Daraa at 10.

Syria, which is still under a 1963 emergency law banning demonstrations, is the latest state in the Middle East to witness an uprising against a longrunning autocratic regime.

Budding protests against the regime of President Bashar alAssad, whose Baath party has ruled Syria for 40 years, have

surfaced but been contained in the capital Damascus, with Daraa emerging as the hub of the movement.

The protesters, who have not yet clearly been identified, for one week have been holed up in the Omari mosque in Daraa, a city home to an estimated 250,000 people.

Authorities in Daraa accuse the protesters of being Salafists, an austere branch of Sunni Islam.

State television yesterday aired footage of what it said was a stockpile of weapons inside the mosque.

Daraa remained tense today with shops and schools closed as anti-terrorism security forces patrolled streets.

Pak Sikhs to stage protest PTI LAHORE, MARCH 24

Members of Pakistan's minority Sikh community will stage a protest here tomorrow if the government does not immediately stop the construction of a plaza on the land belonging to a historic gurudwara, a Sikh leader said today.

“Hundreds of Sikhs from across Pakistan will gather on the Mall Road to protest if authorities do not immediately stop the construction of the plaza. This gurudwara (Deewan Khana) is 400 years old and no Sikh can tolerate its desecration," Sardar Bishon Singh, a former president of the Pakistan Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, told PTI. The Sikhs will also join a sitin outside the Punjab assembly to protest the Evacuee Trust Property Board's (ETPB) failure to prevent the construction of the plaza, Singh said.

The ETPB is responsible for the maintenance and administration of shrines of minority communities.

Singh alleged that officials of the ETPB and Pakistan Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee were involved in attempts to demolish Gurudwara Deewan Khana He said he had obtained an order from a sessions court staying the demolition of the gurudwara and construction of the plaza on March 21 but encroachers had violated this order.

He said that Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had, during a meeting with an Indian Sikh delegation in November last year, told the ETPB to stop the

"LIVE LIFE WITH HONOUR AND DIGNITY"

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ELIGIBLE CANDIDATES ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE RECRUITMENT DRIVE SCHEDULED AT GOA ON 31 MARCH 2011 FOR SAILOR ENTRY, SENIOR SECONDARY RECRUITS (SSR) - 2/2011 BATCH for Final Medical examination will have to undergo a Final ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS Enrolment Medical examination at Chilka prior to enrolment.

Unmarried Male Indian Citizen from Goa meeting following Candidates found “unfit ” during this medical examination eligibility criteria are invited to participate in the Recruitment will not be enrolled for training. No “appeal” is permitted Drive. for further review after the final enrolment Medical Educational Qualifications . Candidates should have Examination at Chilka. qualified 10+2 /equivalent exam with Maths and Physics as SELECTION PROCEDURE compulsory subjects; optional subjects Chemistry/Biology/ The selection procedure is available on internet website Computers. nausena-bharti.nic.in.

Age. Candidates should have been born between 01 Aug List of Documents : The following documents are to be 1990 to 31 Jul 1994 (Both dates inclusive). brought at the time of Recruitment Drive, punched together:SELECTION CRITERIA ¾ Original and one attested copy of Matriculation Selection of recruits is based on the order of merit certificate. depending on their performance in Written Test, Physical Fitness Test (PFT) and fitness in the Medical ¾ Original and one attested copy of 10+2 / equivalent Examinations. examination mark sheet and certificate . ¾ Original and one attested copy of NCC certificates, if Written Test : any. ¾ The question paper will be objective type and will ¾ One self-addressed envelop of size 22 x 10 cms with comprise of four sections i.e. English, Science, Rs 10/- stamp affixed.

Mathematics and General Knowledge. ¾ Original and one attested photocopy of Domicile ¾ Syllabus can be obtained from website nausenaCertificate. bharti.nic.in. ¾ Seven recent colour pass port size photographs.

Physical Fitness Test (PFT) : Note . Attesting Officer’s name with office address and ¾ PFT will consist of 1.6 Km run to be completed in 7 seal should be clear and legible. minutes, 25 squat ups (Uthak Baithak) and 10 PushVENUE ups. Candidates undergoing PFT will do so at their own risk. Candidates are to bring their sports shoes and Eligible candidates are to report at the following place shorts for PFT. with all documents mentioned above.

M edical Standards and procedure for M edical REPORT AT 0630 HRS ON 31 MARCH 2011 Examination: Indian Naval Ship Gomantak ¾ As prescribed in current regulations applicable to sailors Vasco-da-Gama on entry.

Goa - 403 802 Final Enrolment Medical Examination: All select list candidates who are issued with a call letter Details available on Navy site www. nausena-bharti.nic.in davp 10701/11/0091/1011

Pg 14 GOA, Friday, 25 March 2011

Pune look for Salgaocar tie HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MARCH 24

Pune FC may be trailing League leaders Salgaocar Sports Club by a massive 18 points but that does not deter coach Derrick Pereira in maintaining his team’s finishing in the top five of I-League.

Debutants in the country’s premiere football competition last year, the new entrants finished third but the Pune based outfit is presently lying in the 8th position, but coach Derrick believes that his side can still finish amongst the best. “There’s still a lot to play for, in the League which is nicely set and nobody can predict the outcome as yet. For us we settled somewhat late, there’s no local league for us and we did not get enough competitive matches.

We have to go straight into the League after some practice and friendly matches, so the team took time to get into the grove.”

“Now I feel that before the commencement of the break, the boys got their rhythm and we got some creditable results.

We have to go on with it and get ourselves closer to the top teams. There are some matches from which we can get the maximum and we will be right back on our objective of being amongst the top five in the League,” explained Derrick.

The former Mahindra United coach is not providing excuses for their mid-table position. “It should not be a pretext, people and fans were expecting a high showing from us, we were a little bit under pressure and there are a few youngsters who tend to relax. We conceded silly goals in some crunch matches and there were some decisions which went against us but we have corrected our faults.

There’s a lot of encouragement at the end of the first phase and the team is shaping well,” claimed Derrick. Salgaocar are drawn to meet Derrick Pereira’s unpredictable side when the League resumes on April 3.

SPORTS

SM Taleigao pip CRCC HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MARCH 24

Clube Sao Miguel de Taleigao scored a narrow 1-0 win over CRC, Chinchinim to march into the quarter-finals of All-Goa SWC Cup inter-village football tournament organised by Social Welfare Club of Zaino at Zaino ground, Velim on Thursday. Sao Minguel were leading at the

break.

The all-important goal came through Gautam Kankonkar.

The match was evenly contested with both teams showing urgency in their approach and they repeatedly raided each other’s citadel.

Sao Miguel took time to settle down and once they found the rhythm, called the shots against

the rival citadel. The incessant attacks bore fruit when striker Gautam Kankonkar picked up the ball from his own half and punished the rival keeper with a snap shot.

Stung by the setback, CRC forwards moved towards the Taleigao box seeking the equaliser but their attempts at the rival goal were thwarted by

the Taleigao defenders.

Crossing over, CRC pressed for the equaliser and their forwards made forays into the rival territory but Taleigao’s defenders were quick to frustrate the rival attacks with neat tackles.

On the other hand, Sao Miguel had scoring chances but their forwards bungled away easy scoring chances.

Goa U-14 beaten HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, MARCH 24

The Goa U-14 team suffered their first defeat of the tournament, going down 1-4 to Mizoram in AIFF's football festival in Chennai, on Thursday.

Goa led through a Veegan Ferrao goal at the lemon break.

After the change of ends, Mizoram pumped in four goals.

As per the festival rules, the teams need to field a different group of players in the second half, but this was not observed by their opponents.

Vasco geared for 2nd Div I-League HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, MARCH 24

GFA Second Division: Peddem Bomm SC v. St Savio SC, Calangute, Duler Stadium, Mapusa, 4 p.m.

Novino Gold Cup soccer quarter-finals: Nagoa SC v.

PVC, Parra, Dr Gustavo Monteiro Stadium, Candolim, 4.30 p.m.

“My boys are fully geared up and ready to give it their best,” stated Vasco Sports Club coach Gavin Araujo as he named his final 21-player squad that will leave for the I-League Second Division preliminary stage in Madurai on Monday.

“Our first aim is to get through to the final phase and then take it from there,” Gavin

further remarked. Their opening match is against Chandni Football Club, Kerala on March 31.

Vasco have been in intense training for the past three weeks after coming back from a month long tour which included a trip to Bhopal and Assam where in Bhopal they were crowned champions. They have not played any practice matches on returning due to the sudden rescheduling of matches.

Richa in National team HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, MARCH 24

Richa Bandekar alongwith Fr Mathew Fernandes and Pio Vales.

Savio appointed AIFF’s Match Commissioner

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

Former secretary and present member of GFA Executive Committee, Savio Messias has been at last appointed by AIFF as Match Commissioner for ILeague matches after a gap of eight years.

Savio has been asked by AIFF to report to Kholapur for taking charge of Mumbai FC v. Mohun Bagan match on April 3 and Air India v. East Bengal match on April 4.

It is a coincidence that Savio got the appointments only after the exit of former AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco after a gap of eight years. The relations between Savio and Alberto were never cordial and even today

most feel they continue to be the same as in the past, going by the canvassing at the last GFA elections.

Savio has qualified to be appointed Match Commissioner

by FIFA having attended several courses including one which was conducted in Goa by a FIFA approved instructor.

In the past, AIFF had appointed various secretaries of State level association including those from Daman, Gujarat, Chandigarh, but Savio was kept out, giving the impression that he was deliberately blacklisted.

Sources disclosed that even this time, there was a move from a certain individual to deny Savio the appointment but the new dispensation ruled otherwise.

When contacted, Savio said that justice had ultimately prevailed and that he knew how he was treated then by a certain individual and how he is being treated now by AIFF. “I have rendered voluntary service all these years and never received any payment for undertaking football related work all these years,” remarked Savio. “Football has been a passion for me, and so shall it be in the future,” pointed out Savio.

Richa Bandekar of St Anne’s Institute, Agonda has been selected for the National ball badminton team.

Richa, a SSC student of Agonda was a member of Goa State Ball Badminton team that took part in 31st West Zone ball badminton championship in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in the first week of March.

The State team secured the second position in the overall team championship.

Incidentally, Richa is one o f t h e f o u r p l a y e r s f ro m Goa selected to play for the National Ball Badminton team.

S t A n n e ’ s p r i n c i p a l , Fr Mathew Fernandes and headmaster, Pio Vales congratulated Richa for her selection in the National team and termed it as a proud moment for the school.

Richa is being trained by PE teacher, Agnelo Pereira.

Gavin let Herald in on the secret to his success in keeping his squad as happy as a close knit family. “Recently we have been traveling to Bogmalo beach for special water breaks, where the players relax and unwind for half an hour after practice, they absolutely love it,” summed up Gavin.

Vasco squad for Second Divi-

sion: Prajot Naik (captain), Joy Ferrao (vice-captain), Milagrio Medeira, Julius Akpele, Remus Gomes, Thomas D’Sousa, Jose Colaco, Jerose Oliveira, Sachin Gawas, Joel Sequeira, Koko Sakibu, Donald Rocha, Christopher Borges, Savio Fernandes, Aniket Jadav, Sudheesh Muttath, Subhankar Dey, Mario Crasto, Xavier Estrocio, Bazileo Rego and Queterio Pango.

GOA DIARY

Chess tourney at Chicalim

PANJIM (HSD) – Vasco-da-Gama Chess Club in association with Goa Chess Association and SAG will organise their State sub-junior (U-15) chess championship-cum-selection trials for boys and girls at Regina Mundi School, near SMRC Hospital, Airport road, Chicalim from April 7 to 10 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The top six winners from each category will be awarded prizes in State U-7, U-9 and U-11 and best local U-7, U-9 and U-11 in both categories. Those born on or after 1/1/1996 are eligible.

The top four players from each category of boys and girls will be selected for sub-junior (U-15) Nationals to be held in Chennai from May 1 to 12. Details may be obtained from M R Naik on 9823979033, Anita Thorat on 9860597899, Sanjay Kavlekar on 9823258711, Swapnil Hoble on 9881776689, Vasant Naik on 9822483954, Amog Namshikar on 9422455896 or Prasanna Swamy on 9890218971 on or before April 6.

Inter-ward soccer at Shiroda

PANJIM (HSD) -- Youth Sports Club of Mankem, Shiroda will organise their 3rd inter-ward football tournament from March 27 onwards at Lake View ground, Mankem. The winners will take home Rs10,000 while the runners-up will have to be content with Rs7,000. Details may be obtained from Micheal Rodrigues on 9823573114 before March 26.

Goa Carrom Association meet

PANJIM (HSD) – The general body meeting of the Goa Carrom Association will be held on March 27 at Hotel Shourya, Patto, Ribandar at 10.30 a.m. Details may be obtained from P M Chari, secretary on 9823850155.

Cricket tourney at St Cruz

PANJIM (HSD) – Warrior Boys of Aradh Bandh, St Cruz will organize their All-Goa cricket tournament on March 27. Details may be obtained on 9673743970 or 9822688560.

GFA yet to appoint secretary l

Move to rope in Alberto Colaco?

Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim and Margao Sports Club are having sleepless nights as they are yet to know who the winner of the First Division League is, despite the championship having concluded recently.

The big hitch is that the GFA is yet to give its verdict on the protest lodged by Corps of Signals against the Cavelossim team on March 2. It was Signals’ contention that Cavelossim had fielded an ineligible player who had been served two yellow cards and ought to have been automatically suspended for the third match.

Should the protest be upheld, then Cavelssim will de docked three points and Margao will

then be the eventual winners.

Both teams in contention are eager to know who will make it to the Goa Professional League and as such want to start making preparations for the same at the earliest.

Never in the past, had GFA taken such a time to decide on routine protests. Many pointed out that such delays could be attributed to the absence of a full time, paid secretary.

The interviews have already been held, but no candidate seems to have been selected as yet. At one time, the name of Kennedy D’Silva was even doing the rounds.

Viewed against this background, the impression that Alberto Colaco, a former AIFF and GFA secretary, who has shifted his base to Goa, could be invited

to take up the responsibility is gaining ground. No doubt, he is free, although he is the SAFF secretary and still has to look after the work of laying synthetic turfs in India, and has the necessary experience.

The feeling has been strengthened as a senior minister who is in AIFF Committee has been backing such a move, sending feelers that it should not be scuttled for the sake of efficient administration.

The post was advertised, interviews held, but Alberto never even applied for the same.

There were expectations that the secretary would be appointed this month as Anup Abraham has already been appointed as technical director for youth development.

Department, Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Sports Authority of Goa, Education Minister, Sports Minister, government secretaries looking after education and sports be called to put a full stop to the controversy which is being raised by certain quarters.

“The members felt that a final circular should be issued by the Government so that there is no further room for interpretations and also not to make it a prestige issue,” clarified Bhakta.

The members were unanimous that the associations conduct championships at State

level, without having Taluka or zonal events and that even at the school or higher secondary level not all events were being conducted at Taluka level. “The rule on allotment or marks is clear. “Once the child participates in a recognised event, irrespective of the status of the association on the question of temporary or permanent affiliation/recognition, and the respective federation allows the State teams to participate, merit marks must be allotted to the participants,” remarked most of the members.

“What is important is to

verify that the State level association organizing the event is recognized by the SAG and it is the duty of the participants and the parents to carry out the check, as there are at least two sports wherein there are two associations in each of the sport claiming they are recognised by SAG, when actually only one of them is recognised,” a member pointed out.

“Parents would do well to find out from SAG which body building and karate association is recognized by SAG,” remarked a member.

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

GOA backs CM on 15 merit marks

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 24

The Goa Olympic Association (GOA) appreciated the stand

taken by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on the floor of the House wherein students participating in State level recognized championships will be entitled for 15 merit marks under the Sports Policy.

Gurudatt Bhakta, GOA secretary stated that the meeting on Thursday attended by 33 representatives of State level recognized associations had fully backed the Chief Minister on the question of allotment of 15 merit marks at State level for recognized events.

In order to set at rest any doubts, the GOA felt that a joint meeting of the officials Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Education

St Ann’s Blooming Buds High School, Sirsaim, winners of breaking in 3rd open inter-State taekwondo competition. Shubham, Svein, Rohan, Siddharth, Pranay alongwith Sr Jacinta D’Sousa (headmistress) and Paulo Killman (4th Dan WTF, chief instructor, GTA).

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GOA, FRIDAY, 25 MARCH, 2011

Draw inspiration from Pak game: Vettori SA to stick to spin: Smith

to believe more in himself," he added.

Smith admitted that even the spinners are exSouth Africa have switched from a pace-centric cited to be playing on these tracks as they can line-up to a spin-dominated attack this World utilise their talent here.

Cup and skipper Graeme Smith today said he ex"Spinners love being here, especially South pects the strategy to continue paying dividends African spinners. They don't get as much help when they take on a ‘street-smart’ New Zealand back home, so to be able to execute their skills in the quarterfinals here tomorrow. in these conditions is very exciting for them."

The Proteas' purposeful shift from pace to spin Smith, however, feels everyone in the squad has worked wonders for them as despite having has contributed to the team's success so far in fast bowlers in Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in the tournament, as South Africa topped Group B their ranks, Smith has chosen to with five wins from six games.

TODAY’S MATCH give the new ball to off-spinner But admitted that with everyQUARTER-FINAL Johan Botha or left-arm spinner one performing well, it is difficult Robin Peterson often during the to leave out players from the league stage.

New Zealand eleven.

And the move seemed to have "Selection has always been v. South paid rich dividends, as Peterson tough and it's getting tougher as Africa has taken 14 wickets so far, while guys perform well. It's an ideal the third slow bowler in the challenge to have players perteam, leg-spinner Imran Tahir has chipped in forming well and that you have a good squad of with 12. players to pick from.

"The thing about our three spinners is they're "We are not relying on four, five guys to win us very different from each other. They've all per- the World Cup," said Smith. formed different roles at different times, but Three-time semifinalists South Africa have alworked well together," said Smith. ways faltered when the World Cup approached "The versatility of the guys has been great. its business-end and that has earned them the Imran's definitely been the more attacking option tag of cricket's perennial chokers. for us. To have him in the line-up adds a bit more In last five editions of the World Cup, the Proto me as a captain. teas crashed out three times in the semi-finals, "Robbie (Peterson) has been around for a long once in the quarterfinal and another time in the time but it is only now that people have started first round. to show a lot of confidence in him as a cricketer.

And Smith said he was not ready to take any Through that faith and confidence, he's starting chance against the ‘street-smart’ Kiwis.

PTI MIRPUR, MARCH 24

EYEING THE CUP:•New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori and South Africa captain Graeme Smith keep an eye on the World Cup during a press conference prior to a their team training session at The Sher-e Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday.

PTI MIRPUR, MARCH 24

New Zealand are all set to take on a rampaging South Africa in the third quarter-final of the World Cup here tomorrow and skipper Daniel Vettori hopes his side would draw inspiration from their win over Pakistan in the league stage.

New Zealand scored a moraleboosting 110-run win over Pakistan in Pallekele on March 8 following a late blitzkrieg by Ross Taylor.

Taylor's unbeaten 131 helped New Zealand post a total of 302

Anand jumps to sole third AGENCIES MONACO, MARCH 24

World Champion Viswanathan Anand came back to sole third spot after defeating Vugar Gashimov of Azerbaijan 1.5-0.5 in the 10th and penultimate round of 20th and last edition of Amber blindfold and rapid chess tournament.

Anand was held to a draw quite easily by Gashimov in the blindfold game but the Indian ace came up with a sterling performance in the rapid game as black to win the mini-match.

With just one round or two games to go in the 227000 Euros prize money tournament, Armenian Levon Aronian maintained his one point lead over Magnus Carlsen of Norway by disposing the challenge of former world champion Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria by 1.5-0.5 margin.

Carlsen, who scored a similar victory over Russian Alexander Grischuk was a bit unlucky not to be in joint lead as Aronian turned the tables on Topalov from a clearly worse position in the blindfold game.

against the Men in Green, with 100 of those runs coming off a destructive last five overs.

The 32-year-old allrounder Vettori, returning to the side after nursing a knee injury, wanted his ‘top-five’ batsmen to continue in the same fashion.

"Batting will be the key to our success. We played our best game against Pakistan when our batting fired, a guy got through a hundred and there were a couple of crucial partnerships.

"We are at our worst when those things don't happen. Our top five are extremely talented,

and if they perform then we have a chance in this game," Vettori told reporters here.

"We have got a very good fielding unit and a solid bowling attack and if we can compliment that with a good performance with the bat we are in with a good chance.

"Guys like Ross Taylor and Scott Styris can improve the scoring in the last 10 overs if we have wickets in hand, and then we know we can be dangerous," he added.

Keen to make it to their sixth World Cup semi-finals, the Black

Caps' bowling attack has been boosted by the return of injured Vettori and paceman Kyle Mills.

Vettori strained ligaments in his right knee against Pakistan and missed his side's final two group games, while Mills had a calf strain.

Brendon McCullum has also recovered from a knee injury and Vettori said the hard-hitting batsman is fit to take his place behind the stumps.

"He is okay and I am progressing pretty well with the bat and ball, so there is no real problem for us," he said.

Out of their five World Cup meetings against South Africa so far, New Zealand have won three but Vettori said past results will not matter much.

"South Africa have been one of the best teams in world cricket for a long time and they have played really well in this tournament.

"It is going to be a huge challenge to beat them. It's all about what we do tomorrow. If we play well, we give ourselves a chance. If we don't against a team like South Africa, its going to be tough," he said.

Somdev, Sania make winning start

Rashid to replace Yardy

AGENCIES MIAMI, MARCH 24

Somdev Devvarman hits a return against Potito Starace of Italy at Crandon Park Tennis Center at Florida on Thursday.

Somdev Devvarman and Sania Mirza scored identical and convincing straight sets victories over their respective higherranked opponents in the first round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Wednesday.

Ranked 73 in ATP charts, Somdev downed world number 47 Potito Starace of Italy 6-2, 64 in his opening round of the ATP Masters event.

Qualifier Sania, ranked 99, defeated Spanish world number 62 Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-2, 6-4 in WTA premier event.

Sania has a tough second round ahead as she is up against 24th seed Russian Maria Kirilenko.

Somdev will clash with Canadian world number 34 Milos Raonic, seeded 31, in his second round and if he manages to get past him, he could have a match against world number six David Ferrer in the third round.

St Clara’s High School, Assonora, 3rd place winners of State Level U-17 boys handball organised by DSYA alongwith Sr Margaret D’Sousa (headmistress), Roland Pereira (supervisor) and Raj Gawas (coach-cum-PE teacher).

The Senior State judo team that will participate in National judo camp in Mumbai. Shiv Karan Kevat, Sudesh Kunkolkar, Sabajit Naik, Vinayak Desai, Aditya Kankonkar, Alroy Rodrigues, Priyanka Mulgaonkar, Archana Sharma and Vaibhavi Kalangutkar alongwith V M Prabhudessai (SAG executive director), Navin Acharya (SAG complex secretary), Siddeshwar Naik (general secretary, Goa Judo Association), R V Shintre and Rahul Desai (coaches).

AGENCIES COLOMBO, MARCH 24

Spinner Adil Rashid to replace all-rounder Michael Yardy at the World Cup after Yardy returned to England suffering from depression.

The England & Wales Cr Rashid, who is currently in the West Indies England's second string team, is due to arrive in Colombo on Saturday.

England face Sri Lanka in the quarterfinal of the World Cup on Saturday.

Gayle hits back at coach for criticising Windies PTI MIRPUR, MARCH 24

West Indies opener Chris Gayle today hit back at coach Ottis Gibson for criticising the team after their 10-wicket defeat to Pakistan in a hugely-lopsided World Cup quarterfinal clash, saying it is ‘easy’ to blame the senior players.

Pakistan bundled out the Caribbeans for a paltry 112 in just 43.3 overs and then overhauled the target with 29.1 overs to spare at the Sher-eBangla stadium last night to enter the semi-finals of the World Cup. Gibson severely criticised the senior players including Gayle for failing to perform at the postmatch press conference yesterday.

"It is easy to blame the senior players but difficult to accept the truth!!! Curse me blame

me!!!!" the 31-year-old Gayle posted on his Twitter account, apologising to the fans of his nation after the Calypso Charmers crashed out of the World Cup in disgrace.

Making no bones about the inconsistency of his team that saw them surrender meekly in Mirpur yesterday, Gibson hinted that some of the senior players may face the axe.

"We are very very disappointed with our performance.

It's a fact that our senior players have not performed. When the going got tough, we did not stand up to it," Gibson told the reporters.

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Contact us on: sports@herald-goa.com

Indo-Pak showdown on wednesday l Sachin misses 100th ton, reaches record 18,000

PTI AHMEDABAD, MARCH 24

Yuvraj Singh celebrates after playing the victory shot.

Australia: Shane Watson b R Ashwin 25, Brad Haddin c Raina b Y Singh 53, Ricky Ponting c Khan b R Ashwin 104, Michael Clarke c Khan b Y Singh 8, Mike Hussey b Z Khan 3, Cameron White c and b Khan 12, David Hussey not out 38, Mitchell Johnson not out 6. Extras: 11. Total: 260 for 6.

Fall of wickets: 1-40, 2-110, 3-140, 4-150, 5-190, 6-245.

Bowling: R Ashwin 10-0-52-2, Z Khan 10-0-53-2, H Singh 10-0-50-0, M Patel 7-0-44-0, Y Singh 10-0-44-2, S Tendulkar 2-0-9-0, V Kohli 1-0-6-0.

India: V. Sehwag c M Hussey b Watson 15, S. Tendulkar c Haddin b Tait 53, G. Gambhir run out (White/D Hussey) 50, V. Kohli c Clarke b D Hussey 24, Yuvraj Singh not out 57, MS Dhoni c Clarke b Lee 7, S. Raina not out 34. Extras: 21. Total: 261 for 5. Fall of wickets: 1-44, 2-94, 3-143, 4168, 5-187. Bowling: Lee 8.4-1-45-1; Tait 7-0-52-1; Johnson 8-0-41-0; Watson 7-0-37-1; Krejza 9-0-45-0; Clarke 3-0-19-0; D Hussey 5-0-19-1.

Man-of-the-Match: Yuvraj Singh.

Title aspirants India knocked defending champions Australia out of the cricket World Cup with a thrilling fivewicket victor y to set up a mouth-watering semi-final clash against arch rivals Pakistan here today.

After restricting Australia to 260 for 6, largely built around Ricky Ponting's 104, the Indians held their nerves to overhaul the target with 14 balls to spare with Yuvraj Singh (57 not out), Sachin Tendulkar (53) and being the star batting performers.

In a cracker of a contest, fortune fluctuated from one team to the other before Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina (34 not out) tilted the balance in India's favour with an unbeaten 74 run partnership to send a capacity crowd at the Sardar Patel sta-

PM hopes India wins Cup PTI NEW DELHI, MARCH 24

As India battled Australia in the World Cup quarter final, Prime Minister Manmohan today hoped that India would win the one day cricket championship.

"I hope we win the World Cup," Singh said when asked about India's chances in the ongoing cricket tournament.

Singh was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function to give away the Padma awards.

Stylish left-hand batsman V V S Laxman received the Padma Shri at the hands of President Pratibha Patil at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.

dium into a frenzy.

Barring a few lapses here and there, it was a clinical display by the Indians as they ended Australia's reign as world champions and have given a huge boost to their campaign to regain the coveted trophy after a gap of 28 years.

Yuvraj Singh slammed Brett Lee to the boundary to bring about the dramatic victory as the Indian players and officials hugged each to celebrate the triumph amidst deafening cheers from nearly 43,000 spectators.

India will now travel to Mohali for the much anticipated semifinal match against bitter foes Pakistan.

Opting to bat first, Ponting notched up his 30th ODI century and his 5th in the World Cup to

not only silence his detractors but also guide Australia to a decent total on a rather slow and turning track at the Sardar Patel stadium.

The Indian innings began with a flourish as both Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag

went on the offensive and unleashed a flurry of boundaries in the first five overs.

Speedster Shaun Tait came in for some harsh punishment as he repeatedly strayed in line and l e n g t h a n d w a s p ro m p t l y despatched to the boundary. He also bowled a few wides and no balls to compound the problems for Australia.

Sehwag, who was not in his destructive best, survived a caught behind appeal in the very first over off Brett Lee. The Australians asked for a review and the television replays suggested that there was no edge.

The duo put on 44 brisk runs for the opening wicket before Shane Watson provided the breakthrough by evicting Sehwag (15) who paid the price

for playing a poor shot to a bouncing delivery.

Sachin Tendulkar crossed another milestone on Thursday, going past the 18,000-run mark in one-day internationals.

Playing his 451st ODI, Tendulkar reached the milestone with a single off Australia fast bowler Brett Lee in the 14th over.

He was 45 short of 18,000 runs before the quarter-finals.

The 37-year-old Indian maestro

is the highest run-getter in both Tests and ODIs. He has, till date, scored 14,692 runs from 177 Tests at an average of 56.94 with 51 hundreds and 59 half centuries.

His aggregate score in all forms of cricket before this match stands at a staggering 32,657.

Tendulkar, who is playing in his sixth World Cup, is also the highest run scorer in the showpiece event.

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GOA’S HEARTBEAT India’s First Spirited Lady

Photos by Rozario Estibeiro

BY CHRISTINA VIEGAS HERALD FEATURES y philosophy is straightforward; I believe that only I have the power to shape my destiny. I am the driver, I am the block. If things go wrong, I have nobody to blame except myself. For me, true success is to rise above and in spite of circumstances instead of using them as an excuse.”

Such words mirror the character of this vivacious, go-getter lady, Shatbhi Basu, India’s first lady bartender and an extremely successful one at that.

Well, a lady behind the bar? Yes, here is one more who has shattered the myth that women cannot perfect jobs that men have always been doing.

Being a lady, what did it mean to foray into a world considered sleazy, dark and loud even for men? The world of bars? Shatbhi enlightens, “Why women? Not even many male bartenders were around at that time in 1980.”

The IHM Mumbai graduate studied beverages as part of the three-year course. She says, “The more I learnt about bartending, the more I got hooked on to it. Especially considering I had worked in the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant earlier, and somehow I could never do anything right there. Besides, I also enjoyed the fact that I could make my customer happy right in front of me; something you can never do in a kitchen in the background.”

According to Shatbhi, a lot of cocktail makers think they are the best and what they concoct is the ultimate, but she says, “You might think you made a lovely drink, but you are never perfect until the person you make a drink for is happy with that concoction and says you are good.”

What is the lady’s take on teetotalers becoming great bartenders and mixologists? Shatbhi says, “Why not? I’ve know quite a few teetotalers who are great cocktail makers. Basically, you need to have knowledge of all the non-alcohol ingredients and how they work well together. Then on, you educate yourself on the various alcohols and just go for it.” She goes on to expound further, “In fact, good bartenders are people who constantly learn. She says, “You learn everyday. There is no end because people, tastes, trends, everything constantly changes.”

And for someone who has been around for more than three decades, how has bartending evolved over the years? Shatbhi enlightens, “In the first five years, people who came in for bartending did so because of sheer passion. But after that, people went in more for the glamour of the profession which is unfortunate. This profession requires passion

“M

Cocktails, mocktails, wines, whiskeys, drinking etiquette and even ‘Feni’, she has been taking alcohol beyond typecasts and truisms. Shatbhi Basu, India’s first lady bartender was down in Goa for the American whiskeys tasting session by Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.

Herald caught up with this feisty lady in high spirits… and creativity.” She continues, “It’s unfortunate that people think flairing is tossing bottles up in the air. Flairing is a style. It is every little mannerism in the way you interact with your customer – the way you greet, the way you talk, the way you suggest, the way you churn up the drink, the way you present it, everything.”

How lucrative a profession is this for youngsters? Shatbi dramatically nods her head from side to side saying, “In India, you don’t earn well if you work behind the bar in hotels or stand-alone restaurants. But if you join the cruise line or move out of the country, then you make money.”

How well versed is Shatbhi with the Goan spirit, ‘Feni’? Is ‘Feni’ a versatile drink for some stunning cocktails? The lady suggests, “I personally feel ‘Feni’ is really strong. So, for a first timer, I would use ‘Feni’ as a liqueur or flavouring agent with a neutral based spirit for best effect.”

Though she adds, “Yet, I know a lot of people who want to just gulp down the potency of the drink. It is all about individual tastes.”

Now if you think Shatbhi has only been conducting workshops in bartending and mixing cocktails, you are wrong. She has designed and set up pubs in famous hotels such as Taj Malabar, Cochin, Fashion TV Bar, Bangalore, The Fariyas Hotel, Mumbai and many more right up to Cidade de Goa in our very own Goa. She has even contributed columns in food and beverages and has also penned a comprehensive guide on alcoholic beverages and cocktails pertaining to India, titled ‘Can’t Go Wrong Book of Cocktails’.

But what really stands out is the fact that Shatbhi was instrumental in launching an institution of professional bartending, STIR Academy of Bartending in Mumbai in 1999. It is the first ever platform of bartenders in India.

On a parting note, Shatbhi says “New challenges keep me alive,” and she is hopeful of getting global recognition. And seeing the course she has crafted for herself, why not? All we can say is, Cheers to her never-say-die spirit!

hey say you can crush a man with journalism. But if the growing number of attacks on journalists in Orissa is any indication, then the fourth estate of democracy is itself in serious danger in the state. Cases of reporters and photojournalists being beaten up abound in newspapers. “In the last five years, the attacks have become more frequent, more widespread and more vicious,” Prasant Patnaik, a senior member of Media Unity for Freedom of Press (MUFP) – a forum fighting for the cause of journalists, said. “Around half a dozen journalists in Orissa are charged with ‘sedition’ and ‘waging war against the state’ and much worse,” he added.

At least five photojournalists were injured while one of them fractured his leg when hundreds of people attacked them. The incident occurred when the scribes were taking photos of protesters blocking a prominent road here and causing a traffic jam.

On February 28, a reporter and a cameraman of a local channel were allegedly chased and beaten up by activists of the state’s ruling party while they were covering a black flag demonstration. The assailants thrashed the journalists and tried to snatch the shot footage.

The culprits named in the police complaint were perfunctorily arrested and immediately

Vaitt ieta tem sodanch boreak -Anonymous

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If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude - Maya Angelou

Sharks visit Underwater Spas for Dead Skin Removal

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harks are visiting underwater ‘spas’ where they undergo cleansing to get rid of unwanted parasites. Researchers have observed Thresher sharks swimming into areas populated by cleaner fish, which eat the unpleasant things attached to their bodies. As the fearsome predator calmly swims around, the cleaner fish also remove dead skin and nasty creatures which have become attached to them.

This mirrors the latest pedicure treatment for us in which tiny garra rufa fish nibble away at hard skin on the soles of our feet.

Experts have seen the shark deliberately linger in these areas and make return trips to ensure they are spick and span.

The research is the first time such behaviour has been observed in sharks and shows a different side to the creature from what many would expect. It has been likened to the creatures visiting a spa to get clean, or a car wash of sorts deep under the water’s surface.

The study was carried out in the Philippines where a team from Bangor University School of Ocean Sciences in Wales monitored undersea mountains – known as seamounts – for shark activity.

Lead researcher Simon Oliver from Bangor said that there was no doubt the sharks were going there for a good scrub. The fish that nibble skin and parasites off sharks are called a cleaner wrasse.

They are known to the larger fish by the markings on their side and the way they move.

Once a larger fish enters their ‘cleaning station’ they assume a position or known way of moving whilst the wrasse tend to their bodies. The relationship is mutually beneficial for the two as the shark is cleaned up whilst the wrasse gains an important source of food and temporary protection from other predators.

(Courtesy: IANS)

Myriad Expressions on a Single Countenance The Abhivyaktee Group is back with a tribute to theatre on the occasion of World Theatre Day, with a presentation purely for the sake of art. The experimental play, featuring Anagha Deshpande, will be presented at Sunaparanta – The Centre for the Arts on March 27, 2011. Herald catches up with Anagha

Is Orissa turning Unsafe for Journalists?

T

Education

let off on bail, making a mockery of the case.

Gopal Chandra Nanda, a former director general of state police, attributes the attacks to a more robust media. “The number of media organisations has increased in our state and so have media activities. Now the media is giving attention to issues like corruption and antisocial activities. Obviously those who get affected by this will react,” he said.

MUFP published a white paper earlier this month, detailing over 30 incidents of attacks on scribes in the state during the past five years. It also recorded cases cooked up against journalists by or through police. “It is a systematic attempt to identify and punish all journalists or groups of media men who may have an opinion that may not be to the liking of the ruling politicians, bureaucrats and industries,” the paper said.

Social activist Ranjan Panda says the main reason behind the spurt in such attacks is the rapid industrialisation the state authorities have initiated. “Any pillar of democracy which is critical of the move is fast becoming a victim because the vested official-politician-corporate groups do not want independent voices,” he said.

(Courtesy: IANS)

BY JANICE RODRIGUES HERALD FEATURES here are some women who go through immense pain in life but very rarely do others truly understand this pain; and it’s only when they come face-to-face with it, either in reality or through some form of media, that they are able to fathom the degree of it. This is what happened to Anagha Deshpande when she read the short story ‘…Son?’ by author Heta Pandit and was overwhelmed by the pain some women have to go through. “Heta had gifted her book ‘Dust and Other Stories’ to my husband. I was overwhelmed by all the stories but ‘Son?’ struck me as very appealing,” says an excited Anagha. It took Anagha

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almost 7 years to finally find the courage to do something so different and challenging.

Abhivyaktee, the theatre group of which Anagha is a part of, has every year on World Theatre Day tried to do something for the sake of dramatic arts. “Last year, we had enacted a Sanskrit play and this year we have decided to do something different in keeping with the theme of this year’s World Theatre Day: A Case for Theatre in Service of Humanity,” explains Saish Deshpande, of the Abhivyaktee group.

Paying tribute to theatre, this duo decided on something experimental – of putting a story with a narrative form into a dramatic form. The, which is an experiment, has only one character, that essayed by Anagha depicting the pain and suffering of a woman. The narrative story of a mother talking to her unborn child has been turned into a dramatic presentation with the expertise of senior theatre activist, Vasant Josalkar.

“I’m still not sure of the response, it’s a very big challenge to enact a whole play by yourself, there is nobody else who could give you cues or no other dialogue you can react to, just me talking and contemplating,” says Anagha who has to enact the 25 minute long play alone.

“What struck me the most about this story is the realisation of the fact that there is a limit to pain and suffering and beyond that limit, you don’t feel anything,” says Anagha, whose character reaches the point of numbness to the entire world. “She can’t cry,” Anagha continues, “she has been through so much pain that she can’t emote, which was a very difficult thing to do as an actor.” Remaining stoic throughout the performance is what Anagha hopes she can achieve. “Every time some emotion creeps up into my performance, my director, Vasant Josalkar, tells me to wash out the reality and the realistic tone of the character,” says Anagha.

Being realistic is easier than having to portray an absurd character, and having to do this is something any theatre artist will find challenging.

Having been a part of the Abhivyaktee group, Anagha has performed plays in Marathi, Sanskrit and Hindi but Anagha had to brush up her English speaking skills for the play. “I am not very comfortable with English but took up this play as a challenge, and have been taking regular English pronunciation classes with Vinita Chiko from Rosary High School, Miramar, where I teach dramatic arts,” says Anagha.

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Friday, 25 Mar 2011

WHAT’S UP IN GOA??

Shigmotsav will be held on March 25 at Vasco.

An art exhibition, organised by the Goa College of Architecture will be held on March 25 at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Call 2420452.

A Deliverance and Healing Retreat, conducted by Brother Micheal, Awake Ministries, will be held on March 26 from 10am to 4pm at Caritas Hall, St Inez. Call 9922220334 or 9922539838. A healing service will be held on March 27 at A Lua Hotel, Merces from 9am to 11am. Call 9922220334 or 9922539838 A 5-day workshop in shell craft jewellery, organised Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts will be held from April 4 to 8 from 3pm to 6 pm at Sunaparanta, Altinho-Panjim. Registration closes on March 28.

Call 2421311.

Water quality in the towns and cities of Goa, will be the topic of discussion at the Friday Balcao to be held on March 25 at the Goa Desc Resource Centre, No 11 Liberty Apartments Feira Alta, Mapusa.

‘Preventive aspects of Diseases related old-age’ is the topic of the talk by Dr Devaki Thatte Dalvi. It is organised by the International Centre Goa (ICG) and Manipal Hospital Goa and will be held on March 25 at 5:30pm at International Centre Goa. Workshop on the Benefits of Special Category Status organised by Asha Family Responsibilities and Rights Association will be held on March 26 from 4pm to 6pm at Asha Centre Hall, Sweet Home Building, Mapusa, Goa. Email: trustasha@yahoo.co.in Call 2256445 or 9822166876 ‘...Son?’ a story by Heta Pandit will be presented to commemorate World Theatre Day, on March 27 at 7 pm at Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the Arts, Altinho, Panjim.

Call 2421311.

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H O R O S C O P E Media and Human Development will be the topic of discussion at the seminar, organised by the International Centre Goa on March 26 and 27 from 9:30am to 5pm at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. Call 9765404391 or 2452805-10.

Right to Information workshop organised by Asha Family Responsibilities & Rights Association will be held on March 27 from 9:15am to 11am, at St. Andrews Church Hall, Vasco, Goa. Call 2256445, 9822166876 or email: trustasha@yahoo.co.in A day at Bat Island, organised by Wildtrek Adventures will be held on March 27. Call 9822123458, 9822155805 or 8796418565.

A One Day State Level Research Scholars Meet organised by the research and consultancy cell of Dnyanprassarak Mandal’s College, Assagao will be held on March 31 in the college campus. E-mail mrpatil@yahoo.com.

Call 9420979228.

‘Capture the Sights, Colors and Revelry of Carnival 2011 Photography Contest’, organised by Goan Shutterbugs is open for registration till March 31. Visit www.goanshutterbugs.com to download entry forms. Call 9822151419.

‘Indradhanush’, a 3-day cultural festival, organised by the Ganga-Zuari Academy will be held from April 22 to 24. There will be competitions in the areas of dance, singing, essay and drawing. Registration closes on March 31. Call 9822486204 or 9404434878.

Manthan 2011, organised by the Padre Conceicao College of Engineering, Verna will be held from March 31 to April 1 at the college campus, Verna. Call 2791266/67.

The annual summer camp for children, organised by Wildtrek Adventures will be held on April 7, 8 and 9 at the periphery of Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. Call 9822123458, 9822155805 or 2710650.

You can handle any social situations easily today -- you are 21 Mar - 19 Apr a real charmer!

Art, music, drama and other cultural affairs hold your interest today, and you may want to branch out and explore some new territory. At least one of your people can serve as your guide if you ask politely.

Taurus Large group situations are to be avoided today -- conflict is in the 20 Apr - 20 May a i r. Yo u r b i g ideas are making life much more interesting today, though you almost certainly have to delve deep in order to figure much of anything out. It's a good day to shake things up starting at the roots.

Do you have a Gemini h i d d e n agenda? If so, you should stop hiding it. Others 21 May - 20 Jun can help you.

Someone wants to hear what you've got to say -- but they want to get their two cents in as well. Make sure that you're listening at least as much as you are talking, and everyone should leave happy.

Avoid self-critic i s m t o d a y.

Spend time nurturing and appreciating yourself.

22 Jun - 23 Jul Ta k e c a r e o f yourself -- you are still maturing in many ways, and if you give yourself what you need (not just what you want), then you should be able to make life better in the long run.

Mis-communication is a potential problem today -- try to be clear and con24 Jul - 23 Aug cise. Your generous spirit can't be held back today, and even if you don't have much to give, you can still make a tremendous difference.

Your example is a big help to at least one person who needs to give more themselves.

You want to rush ahead in a project, but you can't -- this 23 Aug - 22 Sep m u s t b e a group decision.

You need to be firm with yourself today -- otherwise, things might get out of hand too quickly. It's a good time for you to make sure that you're taking care of the most important business first.

Being grateful for the beauty in your surroundings will 23 Sept - 22 Oct i n v i t e m o r e beauty into your life. Your social energy is abundant right now, and is helping you to communicate your feelings with great precision. The right person is definitely ready to hear what you've got to say, too!

Scorpio Be mindful of the impression your words are making today. Be 23 Oct - 22 Nov tactful. Someone new is extremely convincing today, and you should see if you can learn a few tricks from them. At the same time, try not to get too caught up in what they are trying to tell you.

Sagittarius Your self-confi-

Capricorn If a fretting friend is driving you nuts, distract him or 22 Dec - 20 Jan her with a fun outing. Your deeply held beliefs are out in the open today, and you need to rely on them in order to get where you need to go.

Things are getting more intense, and you need to show you're up to the challenge!

Aquarius Don't be nervous about unsolicited invitations you 21 Jan - 19 Feb receive today.

Accept them.

Your social network is a work in progress, and today you make at least one new connection that can be quite valuable if you choose to cultivate it.

Keep your eyes and mind wide open.

Slow down when you're speaking today -- think before 20 Feb - 20 Mar you open your mouth. It's way too easy for you to spill secrets today -- so you should either make sure everything you know is declassified or just stay as quiet as possible. If something slips, try to make it harmless.

Aries

Libra

dence will grow if you put yourself in more-chal23 Nov - 20 Dec lenging situations. You need to get back in touch with an old friend --- one who has unique skills or knowledge that can really help you out right now. If no names float to the top, keep trying until you hit the right one.

WORD OF THE DAY

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Pisces

DID YOU KNOW? What does WYSIWYG mean?

atmospheric Pronunciation at-muhs-fer-ik Function adjective Meaning 1: pertaining to, existing in, or consisting of the atmosphere 2: caused by, produced by, or operated on by the atmosphere Example Sentence The people of the town of Helsworth could feel the atmospheric changes, they knew that a major storm was heading their way.

LAFFS

WYSIWYG (pronounced /wiz-ee-wig/) is an acronym for what you see is what you get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed during editing appears very similar to the final output, which might be a printed document, webpage or slide presentation. The phrase was originally a catch phrase popularised by Flip Wilson’s drag persona ‘Geraldine’, from Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In in the late 1960s and then on The Flip Wilson Show until 1974, who would often say “What you see is what you get” to excuse her quirky behaviour. In computing, WYSIWYG implies a user interface that allows the user to view something very similar to the end result while the document is being created. In general, WYSIWYG implies the ability to directly manipulate the layout of a document without having to type or remember names of layout commands. The actual meaning depends on the user’s perspective.

WIZARD OF ID

Funny Quote

“It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them.”

– Pierre Beaumarchais DAILY GROOK BOWLED COLD

by Francis Rodrigues the real cricketer his side does hold, they show no fear as they are bold!

GARFIELD

MIND BENDERS

SUN MOON TIDES

Tongue Twister Friday 35° C | 23° C Dawn 06:15

High 01:51

Clear

Sunrise 06:36

Moon rise Low 08:38

Sheryl shook in some salt and sugar into the simmering sauce

—

Sunset Dark 18:47 19:08 Moon set

TIDES High Low 15:48 21:11

High —

21:00 Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi

The Accidental Husband The Longest Yard Felon F/X The Day the Earth Stood Still 21:00 The World Is Not Enough 23:40 Die Another Day

09:30 11:45 13:30 15:15 18:30 21:00 22:45

Footloose Anaconda 3: Offspring Anacondas Trail of Blood The Lovely Bones Jackie Chan's Who Am I? Universal Soldier Orphan

11:30 15:00 19:00 22:30

Last ‘Riddle Me This’ Answer: Neither. snow melting in the sun

21:00 Celine: Through the Eyes of the World 23:30 A Perfect Getaway

One Man Army Ghar Ghar Ki Kahani Sandwich Down and Out in Beverly Hills 08:30 12:30 16:00 20:00

11:50 14:00 16:20 18:35

Aadmi Khilona Hai Singh is Kinng Shatranj Amar Akbar Anthony

Legion We Own The Night Urban Legends Death of a President

08:00 12:00 16:00 20:00

09:45 Bardaasht 17:30 Hum Hai Bemisaal

Kunwara Baap Maharaja Elaan Zee Cine Awards 2011

15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00

FIR Gili Gili Gappa Mrs. Tendulkar Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Mrs. Tendulkar Gili Gili Gappa Papad Pol Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo Mrs. Tendulkar Lapataganj

12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 18:00 19:30

Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Rang Badalti Odhni Geet Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Rang Badalti Odhni Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet

IDIOT BOX 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 Tak? 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

Tere Liye Saath Nibhana Saathiya Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya Maayke Se Bandhi Dor Gulaal Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Tere Mere Sapne Hamari Devrani Sapno Se Bhare Naina Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Chaand Chupa Badal Mein Maayke Se Bandhi Dor Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya Sasural Genda Phool Saath Nibhana Saathiya Behenein Sabki Laadli Bebo Saath Nibhana Saathiya Sasural Genda Phool Chaand Chupa Badal Mein Maayke Se Bandhi Dor Gulaal Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Tere Liye Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya

10:30 12:00 18:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00

C.I.D C.I.D C.I.D Krishnaben Khakhrawala Chhajje Chhajje Ka Pyaar Jubilee Comedy Circus C.I.D

10:00 Dance India Dance Doubles Lime Light 10:30 Kahani Ab Tak 11:00 Dil Se Diya Vachan 11:30 Pavitra Rishta 12:00 Apno ke liye Geeta ka 12:30 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 13:00 Choti Bahu 13:30 Pavitra Rishta 14:00 Sanskaar Laxmi 15:30 Bhagonwali 16:00 Apno ke liye Geeta ka

SUDOKU 816

Lives without a body, hears without ears, speaks without a mouth, to which the air alone gives birth.

11:08

D Tide timings are for Mormugao Harbour. For Panjim/Calangute add 20 mins. For Colva add 30 mins

10:05 12:00 14:20 16:35 18:50

Riddle Me This

16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 23:00

Choti Bahu Jhansi Ki Rani Pavitra Rishta Bhagonwali Apno ke liye Geeta ka Dil Se Diya Vachan Choti Bahu Jhansi Ki Rani Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli Pavitra Rishta Dance India Dance Doubles Pavitra Rishta

11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00

Mrs. Tendulkar Lapataganj Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Mrs. Tendulkar Papad Pol Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo Lapataganj

20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Rang Badalti Odhni Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani

12:25 13:20 14:15 15:10 16:05 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00

Masters of Illusion House Got to Dance Fear Factor The Amazing Race Top 20 Countdown Got to Dance Fear Factor E Buzz Men 2.0 Caught on Camera Ghost Hunters

12:00 Dexter

13:00 13:30 14:00 15:00 16:00 16:30 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00

The Bold and The Beautiful Friends Las Vegas The Walking Dead Community The Simpsons Dexter Las Vegas Koffee With Karan How I Met Your Mother Modern Family Las Vegas Dexter

11:00 12:00 16:00 17:00

Mr. Bean: The Animated Chhota Bheem Marathon Mr. Bean: The Animated Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Just for Laugh Gags Takeshi's Castle Mr. Bean The Pink Panther Show FAQ

20:30 21:00 22:00 22:30 23:00

10:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 11:00 Superstars Legends 11:30 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 12:30 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

15:30 16:00 18:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00

Premier League World 2011 Winter X Games 15 Bpl Express World of Football Football Asia The Immortals Sportscenter Asia Indonesian PGA Championship H/ls 22:00 World of Football 22:30 Football Asia 10:00 12:00 12:30 13:30 14:30 15:30 16:30 17:00

WWE: Raw Full Throttle Moto GP H/ls UAE National Race Day Series 2010/2011 ATP 1000 Masters 2011 H/ls PGA Tour of Australia 2011 FIFA: Futbol Mundial WWE: Smackdown

19:00 UEFA Europa League H/ls 20:00 European Tour 2011 23:00 WWE: Smackdown

10:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Express H/ls 10:30 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 12:30 Cricket Extra - ICC Cwc 14:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 21:45 Cricket Extra 22:45 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Express H/ls

12:00 13:00 14:00 15:00 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 21:00 22:00 22:30

Nat Geo Amazing!

Megastructures Mission Army Jailed Abroad Fight Science Nat Geo Amazing!

Dangerous Encounters I Didn't Know That Nat Geo Wild Monster Moves Is it Real?

Seconds from Disaster

07:00Via Dolarosa 08:00 English News 09:00 Amche Bakibab 09:30Fairyland 10:00 English News 11:00 All Goa Youth Fusion 11:30 Clown Fiesta 12:00 Concert of Classical Music 12:30Trendsetter 13:00 English News 14:00St Thomas Preprimary Annual Day 15:00Science Festival 15:30Prevent Child Abuse 16:00 English News 17:00 Namah 17:30Kids Club 18:00 English News 19:00 Via Dolarosa 20:00 English News 21:00 Way of the Cross 21:30HCN Smash Hits 22:00 English News 23:00 Amche Bakibab 23:30Concert of Classical Music Note: Subject to change

Instructions for Sudoku 9 x 9 letter: To solve a Sudoku puzzle, every number from 1 to 9 must appear in each of the nine vertical columns, in each of the nine horizontal rows and in each of the nine boxes

SUDOKU SOL 815

HERALD CROSSWORD - 816 Across 1- Clinton's birthplace; 5- Chipper; 9- Try to pick up; 14- Desertlike; 15- Morales of "NYPD Blue"; 16Chopin composition; 17- Offering opposition; 19- Like ears; 20- Chinese fruit; 21- Author Calvino; 23Version; 25- Actor Wallach; 26Figs.; 29- ___ de mer; 30- Exhibiting fluorescence; 33- Stalks; 34California peak; 35- Coarse fiber; 38- Front part of an apron; 40Collar type; 41- Exaggerate; 44Singer John; 47- Feeding on plants; 49- Man-mouse connector; 52- Where some vets served; 53Dine; 54- Irrigated; 56- Allow to enter; 58- Cylindrical; 59- Puccini heroine; 62- Vegetable; 64Nicholas Gage book; 65- Travel from place to place; 66- Category; 67- Arabian republic; 68- This, in Tijuana; 69- Feminizing suffix; Down 1- Section of New York City; 2- Tater Tots maker; 3- Seed-bearing organ of a flower; 4- Decree; 5Leafstalk; 6- Conductor ___-Pekka Salonen; 7Hindu princess; 8- Stifled laugh; 9- Infernal; 10Langston Hughes poem; 11- Clumsy boat; 12Form of poem, often used to praise something; 13- Actor Beatty; 18- Transfer; 22- Some are pale; 24- Deprived of sensation; 26- Hotbed; 27- Aware of; 28- Ollie's partner; 31- Bendable twig, usually of a willow tree; 32- Capital of Calvados, in NW France; 33- Balkan native; 35- Fourth Gospel; 36Eye layer; 37- Division of a school year; 39- Sudden misfortune; 42- Scorn; 43- Egg; 45- Large New Zealand reptile; 46- Blender brand; 48- Narcotic; 49- Portland's place; 50- Go back; 51- ___ Fideles; 55- Clear the board; 56- Skin disorder;

57- General ___ chicken; 59- Mystery writer Josephine; 60- Cheer for Manolete; 61- Religious sch.; 63- Place;

SOLUTION - 815

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e n in p p a h ’ n ot ‘

GOA’S h Indradhanush A Mix of Culture and Competition I

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Friday, 25 Mar 2011

Parenting

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HERALD FEATURES ndia is a country with a variety of cultural traditions, very distinct from each other. The Ganga–Zuari Academy, a cultural academy, in its attempt to blend these cultural traditions is organising ‘Indradhanush’, a three-day cultural festival. The festival will be held from April 22 to 24 and will highlight the culture of Bengal and Goa. The venue for the festival will be at the Mandovi Riviera water front in Panjim. Interestingly, the festival will also commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.

Various ministries of the Governments of India and Goa are supporting this festival of authentic food, cuisine, handicrafts, books and cultural extravaganza. Several programmes on Tagore, including a lecture-cum-panel discussion with Goan authors and educationist will be held. The following state-level competitions have been arranged during the festival - dance based on semi-classical songs, singing, essay and drawing.

There will also be state level competitions for solo and group dance, singing, essay writing and drawing. Registration closes on March 31.

‘Inside/Out’ Now Out on Stands

Loudres Convent to observe Earth Hour 2011

HERALD FEATURES ive years ago a small group of people met to sort out their writing and editing issues.

This same group now has a full fledged book out to the Goan market. Yes! We are talking about Goa Writers and the book of course is ‘Inside Out’. Released this Wednesday, by noted writer Amitav Ghosh, the release function saw a cocktail of litterateurs and guests.

The book gives the reader various different perspectives to life in Goa and it comes as a relief to all the negative press about Goa in the media. The entire book is voluntary work and the profits will go to the promotion of literature in the state. For the sales, the group is not restricting itself to the bookstands but also restaurants, supermarkets and even a pharmacy.

F

Fashion designer Wendell Rodricks poses besides Goan writer Dr Fatima Silva Gracias Israeli journalist Aimee Ginsburg

Photos by Frederick Noronha

HERALD FEATURES t is today. Yes, today is the day, when the world will switch off for an hour. Will you be a part of it? If you love Mother Earth and want to contribute in a little way, then join us at Lourdes Convent High School in Saligao. We are observing Earth Hour 2011 in the school premises from 8:30 to 9:30 pm under the starry sky. Do not forget to switch off all your lights at home before joining us. Also bring along a candle that will last an entire hour. If you own a non-electric, nonbattery powered musical instrument - violins, guitars, mandolins, accordions, harmoniums, mouth organs, wind instruments, ‘tablas’, bongos – you are most welcome to bring it along.

I

Noted Goan writer Damodar 'Bhayee' Mauzo with his translator, Xavier Cota

Amitav Ghosh

Photos by Rozario Estibeiro

Sipping Spirits the American Way The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States shipped some exquisite whiskey, for the whiskey-tasting session recently held at the Goa Marriott Resort, Campal-Panjim.

a Milyakoua

Aditya Bal and Elen

Danielle Eddy

Waiting to be relished

David Ferrao and Manu Gupta

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Friday, 25 Mar 2011

High time to digitise Indian film industry: Kamal Haasan

H

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ctress Kate Hudson says that her attitude towards relationships has changed after becoming a mother and she is now looking for a different kind of love. “I was looking for a different kind of love because all of a sudden my child became my priority. Then you have to balance out the relationship,” said Hudson.

The 31-year-old actress, who has a seven-year-old, Ryder, with her ex-husband Chris Robinson and is now expecting another child with Muse rocker Matt Bellamy, believes relationships get more difficult to balance after a child is born.

The actress says her relationship with Matt works well because it is based on qualities she never considered important before. “Respect, honesty, a full partnership, compromise… all the great stuff. I think that’s what makes love last.”

Kareena’s Pain in the Neck!

areena Kapoor suffered a sprain in the neck yesterday while shooting for beau Saif Ali Khan’s Agent Vinod in Delhi; the film is being directed by Sriram Raghavan. A unit source informs: “Bebo plays a role that has grey shades and will be doing her own stunts for the first time. She’s extremely excited and has toned her body for it. That day, she had to eject from a helicopter using a harness and fire guns while at it. She fell from the harness at some distance from the ground, spraining her neck. She was in a lot of pain and couldn’t get up.”

Luckily, there are two medical teams on the sets 24X7 and one was immediately rushed to assist Bebo.

“When she resumed shooting, Kareena had bruises but gamely continued shooting after taking painkillers and injections. A concerned Saif kept calling her every hour to check if she was fine.”

After she completes this shoot, it’s back to Mumbai today to start work on Reema Kagti’s yet untitled Aamir starrer.

Physical Activity counters Salt’s Effect on Blood Pressure

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here’s some good news for people who like their snacks well salted. Physical activity ensures that your blood pressure remains under control even if you like a bit of extra salt in your diet, says a new s t u d y. “ Pa t i e n t s should be advised to increase their physical activity and eat less sodium,” said Casey M Rebholz, who led the study as doctoral scholar at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans.

“Restricting sodium is particularly important in lowering blood pressure among more sedentary people,” added Rebholz.

Investigators compared study participants’ blood pressure on two one-week diets, one low in sodium (3,000 mg /day) and the other high in sodium (18,000 mg/day). The American Heart Association recommends consuming less than 1,500 mg/day of sodium. If a person’s average systolic blood pressure (the top number in the reading, measured when the heart is contracting) increased five per cent or more from the lowsodium to the high-sodium regimen, the researchers labelled them as high salt-sensitive.

The participants were 1,906 Han Chinese adults (average age 38) in the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Salt Sensitivity (GenSalt), a large project to identify genetic and environmental factors contributing to salt sensitivity. GenSalt project is located in rural China because the homogeneous population makes it more likely that genes influential to blood pressure control will be identified.

Editor –in-chief: R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat. Chief Editor-Features: Christina Viegas.

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Kate Hudson looking for Different Kind of Love

ighly impressed by James Murdoch’s insight on the Indian media scenario, southern superstar Kamal Haasan says that the $2 billion Indian film industry should understand its potential market and gear up to upgrade it technically to be at par with the world media.

“Every year we expect changes, it’s happening but slowly, according to people like me. It should be happening a bit more faster. We are not exploiting the market so it’s high time we truly digitise our film industry,” Haasan, chairman FICCI media and entertainment business conclave, stated after the inauguration of the 12th FICCI Frames.

“The industry should understand that there is a potential market that they are neglecting so industries have to act together if they want to perform at all,” added the 56-year-old who completed 50 years in cinema in 2009. He acts as well as directs and produces films.

FICCI Frames is an annual global convention of business of entertainment, but Haasan hopes to start seasonal sessions as well.

“I think there should be FICCI Frames Autumn and FICCI Frames Spring (sessions). I think the strength comes from regional cinema also. Diversity is the strength of India and we should use it,” said Haasan, known for his versatility on screen.

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Parenting

Uma Thurman calls Robert Pattinson a Serious Actor

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ctress Uma Thurman, who is currently working with Robert Pattinson on their upcoming movie Bel Ami feels her co-star is a ‘serious actor’. Speaking to reporters, the actress said: “Robert Pattinson is, I think, going to be a really serious actor. I think he’s incredibly concrete in his presence on the set and obviously is very handsome. He is a very nice person and he’s sensitive. He’s present... He’s a really good actor.

“Yes, he’s extremely dashing, like an old-world movie star. But he’s got a lot of weight to him. I don’t think he was knocked down by all the women they threw at him during the filming of Bel Ami, which I think is probably lucky for him,” the actress was quoted as saying.

Bel Ami is being directed by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod and is based on the 1885 French novel of the same name by Guy de Maupassant. The film is slated for a May 12, 2011 release.

Here’s what makes Wealthy People Unhappy

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survey on the miseries that wealthy people go through has found that most are worried about appearing ungrateful, rearing bratty children and failing to meet expectations.

The survey, titled ‘Joys and Dilemma of Wealth’ by Boston College, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Calibre Wealth Management found wealthy people are unhappy.

The report gives a glimpse of the wealth and fulfilment level of 160 households, of which 120 had amassed fortunes of at least 25 million dollars. “Being very poor is very miserable. But it turns out money doesn’t buy as much happiness as people think it would buy,” stated Dan Ariely, a professor at Duke University.

Experts say it is not the Screaming Eagle, one of the world’s most expensive wines, or the Greubel Forsey Invention Piece 2 that bring the most joy, but knowing how to do good with your money.

“One reason money might not provide as much happiness is because people might not spend it right,” Elizabeth Dunn, who conducts research on happiness, said, adding, “We find that people get more happiness by spending money on others.”

The truly wealthy know that appetites for material indulgence are rarely sated.

“No yacht is so super, nor any wine so expensive, that it can soothe the soul or guarantee one’s children won’t grow up to be creeps,” read a statement.

Courtesy: Agencies

New App to delete Drunken Messages on Networking Sites

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he iPhone has developed a new application using which one could delete messages on Facebook and Twitter that were put out when one was in a drunken state. The new iPhone application called ‘Last Night Never Happened’ can be bought for 1.19 pounds; it deletes all “embarrassing” social network activity, including status updates, tweets, photos and comments, over a set period.

Using the application is very easy. A user simply has to enter the time he or she started drinking, and all posts from their Facebook and Twitter accounts would be deleted since that time.

Programmer Daniel Cowen, who developed the application, said: “We all get carried away sometimes and end up posting embarrassing tweets and photos of ourselves and our friends, forgetting that all of our Facebook and Twitter contacts can see them, family and potential employers included.” “‘Last Night Never Happened’ is the life-saving app that will help you avoid letting those posts spread on the internet and save you a lot of embarrassment,” he added.

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