25 May, Herald Publication

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Sports: I have the killer instinct -- Anand Pg 18 Blessings never come in pairs; misfortunes never come alone -- Chinese Proverb

IN BRIEF Heat claims 3 CRPF men Three CRPF constables died due to heat stroke today while seven others were admitted to a hospital after collapsing during training, senior officials of the paramilitary force said.

The victims were in the Weapons and Tactical pre-promotion course at the Central Training College. The incident took place at about one pm when the temperature was about 45 degree Celsius, they said. – (PTI)

The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, tuesDaY, maY 25, 2010

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Sanatan men tested IEDs at Ponda, Sangli: probe Had plans to trigger blasts at 5 places HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Investigations by the National Investigating Agency (NIA) into the Margao bomb blast has revealed that the activists of Sanatan Sanstha had twice tested the Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs) at Talaulim in Ponda and Sangli in Maharashtra and had drawn up plans to trigger bomb blasts in as many as five places in Goa during the narkasura competitions on the eve of last year’s Diwali festival.

The chargesheet filed by the NIA against the 11 accused persons, including the six sadaks of Sanatan Sanstha reveals that the accused prepared the IEDs and conducted test blasts at Talaulim-Ponda hillock on three days, between August 26-28, 2009. It has come in evidence that the second test blast was conducted at Jath Sangli in Maharashtra during the last week of September 2009.

A perusal of the chargesheet reveals that the criminal conspiracy was hatched by deceased accused Malgonda Patil, deceased accused Yogesh Naik, Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar, Dilip Mangonkar, Jai Prakask allias Anna, Rudra Patil, Sarang Kulkarni and Prashanth Juvekar during the month of June 2009 to October 2009.

The NIA has pointed in the chargesheet that accused Malgonda Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Jai Prakash brought explosive materials like gelatin sticks and detonators and other accessories like Printed Circuit Boards, transistors, batteries,

wires etc for manufacturing the IEDs from difference sources.

The IEDs were assembled at the residence of Laxmikant Naik, the elder brother of accused Yogesh at Talaulim-Ponda and also discussed about the actions to be taken against the Government, organizers and participants and viewers of Narkasur competitions on grounds such competitions are against Hindu religion and practices.

In pursuance of the conspiracy, the accused formed two groups, one comprising of deceased Malgonda Patil and deceased accused Yogesh Naik to plant the IEDs at the narkasur competition at Margao and the second group consisting of Vinay Talekar and Vinayak Patil for planting the IEDs in a minilorry at Shanthadurga Temple, Sancoale.

The NIA has charged accused Dhananjay Ashtekar, a native of Ratnagiri for downloading circuit diagrams using internet (Google search) and contacted

Court nod for further probe HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

The South Goa Sessions Court on Monday granted permission for the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to carry out further investigations into the Margao bomb blast case.

The NIA had approached the court seeking permission to further investigate into the bomb blast, which the court on Monday granted under section 173 of the CrPC Five accused chargesheeted by the NIA in the Sessions court are still absconding. During investigations, their role and involvement in the criminal conspiracy has come out from the statements of accused Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashetkar and Dilip Mangonkar. The NIA has maintained in the chargesheet that their custodial interrogation is needed to unearth the larger conspiracy of this case.

No question of retirement: PM PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 24

Just into his seventh year in office, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today ruled out retirement since his tasks remain “unfinished” but offered to make way for a younger leader if the Congress party wanted that.

At a 75-minute press conference, his third in the capital since he first became the Prime Minister in 2004, Singh scotched speculation of “mistrust and distrust” between him and party President Sonia Gandhi, saying that there was “not an iota of truth” in that.

“No question of gap in thinking between me and the Congress President,” he said, pointing out that a coordination mechanism in already in place, meeting every week to take Sonia Gandhi’s advice.

He was asked whether he would make way for Rahul Gandhi to take over during his current tenure which will end in 2014 and whether the thought of retirement came to his mind.

In a carefully-crafted response, Singh told over 700 journalists, “I have been given this task (of Prime Ministership).

It is still unfinished. Till I finish the tasks, there is no question of retirement.”

At the same time, he said he himself felt sometimes that younger people should take over. “As and when, the Congress party makes that judgement, I will be very happy to make place for anybody chosen by the party,” he said.

At another point, the 77-yearold leader said Rahul Gandhi was “very qualified” to join his Cabinet and he had talked to him about it several times but the young leader wanted to focus more on building the party.

“Whenever he (Rahul) is ready, he would be an appropriate addition to the Cabinet,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister also rejected the suggestion that the National Advisory Council (NAC)

Sai PCB shop at Kholapur for preparing of Printed Circuit Board for IEDs, purchased electronic items for assembling the IEDs from J B electronics shops, alarm clocks from Manoj Shopee at Ichalkarnji, Kolhapur, near to his DKTE college, two transistors from Keycee Electronics at Lamington Road, Chunaman Lane, Mumbai in July 2009.

Incidentally, accused Vinay Talekar and Vinayak Patil purchased SIMs on fake and forged documents in the name of Amrin Sauji and Sonia Gaonkar from Ms Abbas Cellular Ponda and from Gonsalves Tours and Travels, Vasco.

The duo also visited Margaobased Ms Cell Touch, which deals with sale of second hand mobiles. The NIA says that accused Vinay Talekar purchased second hand mobile of Nokia 1100 make for Rs 500 from Cell Touch with the intention to use those materials to hide their identity during police investigations.

Manmohan speaks his mind…

ON SONIA: He scotched speculation of “mistrust and distrust” between them, saying that there was “not an iota of truth” in that.

ON RAHUL: He is “very qualified” to join the Cabinet. I talked to him about it several times but the young leader wants to focus more on building the party.

ON RETIREMENT: I have been given this task (of Prime Ministership). It is still unfinished. Till I finish the tasks, there is no question of retirement. revived after lying in limbo for over three years, with Sonia Gandhi again as its chairperson, would hinder the government’s work as a “super cabinet,” asserting that it is no super cabinet but an advisory body that helps in getting important inputs of the civil society.

Asked in a lighten vein as to whose advice he would weigh more and act upon it, his wife Gursharan Kaur ’s or Sonia Gandhi’s, Dr Manmohan Singh quipped that he was privileged to have benefit of advice by both, but hastened to add that “both deal different subjects and I welcome advice from both.”

During the press conference that was telecast live nationwide and that coincided with the completion of one year of UPAII, Singh answered questions on a range of issues including price rise, naxalism, terrorism and relations with Pakistan.

Fire brigade personnel removing the occupants from the ill-fated car at Pernem.

Tragic Monday claims 7 in mishaps HERALD NEWS BUREAU PANJIM, MAY 24

Seven persons, including four members of a family from Ratnagiri-Maharashtra, died while two persons were injured in four separate road mishaps at Ugvem-Pernem, Bhatwadi-Korgao, Matve-Dabolim and at Bordem-Bicholim on Monday.

PERNEM CORRESPONDENT ADDS: Four members of the Shetty family from Ratnagiri were killed, when the car in which they were traveling rammed against a mining truck along the highway at Ugvem.

The deceased have been identified as Ratnamala Shetty and her three sons Yogesh, Suresh and Dinesh.

According to Pernem police, the accident occurred at about 3.30 pm when a mining truck

(GA-03-T-9305) collided against oncoming Maruti car (MH-08U-3645), which was proceeding from Bangalore towards Ratnagiri.

The impact of the accident was such that the front portion of the car was ripped. The car driver, Yogesh, and his brother Suresh died on the spot, while Dinesh died at GMC Hospital at Bambolim. Ratnamala breathed her last at Tuem Primary Health Centre.

The police had a tough time in retrieving the bodies out of the mangled remains of the car.

Residents from surrounding areas rushed to the site of mishap on hearing the loud sound.

The Goa-based truck driver, who was operating the truck for a mine in Maharashtra, aban-

doned the vehicle and fled from the site.

In the second accident, one Suhas Surayakant Naik (28) of Parsekarwado-Arambol died in a head-on collision involving a motorcycle and a stone-laden truck at Bhatwadi.

According to Pernem police, the accident at about 3.15 pm when Suhas was proceeding on his Hero Honda motorcycle towards Korgao. On reaching near Bhatwadi, the tipper truck (GA03-T-1079), which was proceeding towards Korgao, collided against the motorcycle.

Seriously injured Suhas was rushed to Tuem Primary Health Centre, where he breathed his last.

Police said the truck driver, who had also abandoned the truck and fled from the site,

later surrendered at Pernem police station.

VASCO REPORTER ADDS: A 22-year-old native of BagalkotKarnataka died, while the rider was injured, when a speeding KTC bus rammed the motorcycle near Matve-Dabolim.

According to Verna police, Mahesh Subhash Chalwadi, who had come to Goa to attend a wedding ceremony of his cousin, was crushed under the rear wheels of the bus, after he fell down from Hero Honda Splendor motorcycle (GA-06-C-7150).

Chalwadi died on the spot, while rider Ravindra Dodamani escaped with minor injuries.

Verna police informed that the speeding KTC bus (GA-01X-0348) and motorcycle were proceeding towards Cortalim.

(Continued on page 11)

‘Human error possible cause of crash’ Bus owners AGENCIES MANGALORE, MAY 24

Human error might have caused the crash of an Air India Boeing 737-800 plane that killed 158 people on Saturday, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Monday.

Weather conditions and other factors at the time the plane reached its destination “looked absolutely normal for a regular touchdown and a safe landing,” Patel told a news channel.

“You can’t rule out a human error factor,” Patel said.

Only an inquiry could establish what exactly went wrong as the aircraft overshot the hilltop runway and crashed and plunged over a cliff and into a ravine at dawn on Saturday on the outskirts of Mangalore, he said.

Of the 166 passengers and crew aboard, only eight people survived the crash.

Patel said there was no rain in the area and visibility was good at the time of the plane’s landing.

Investigators and aviation officials searched through the

Kenyon International Emergency Services of crisis management professionals arrived in Mangalore on Monday to assist and counsel those affected by the air crash.

wreckage of the Boeing 737-800 strewn across a hillside to try to determine the cause of India’s worst air disaster in more than a decade. They recovered the cockpit voice recorder, which they hope will give them important clues.

A four-member US forensic team also arrived in India to help in the investigation, said Harpreet Singh, an Air India spokeswoman.

By Sunday evening, 146 of the 158 bodies had been identified and given to grieving relatives for burial, said Arvind Jadhav, Air India’s Chairman and Managing Director.

Doctors were conducting DNA tests on 22 bodies that were so badly burned that relatives could not identify them, said Suresh Babu, an official at Wenlock hospital in Mangalore.

They included a 2-year-old boy.

In nearby Uppala village, the relatives of brothers Mohammed Basheer and Aboo Backer Siddeeq were told it could take more than a week for the bodies of the two men to be identified, said their uncle BK Mohammed Haji.

“For two days we waited at the airport for the bodies,” said Haji. “All the bodies were badly charred and very difficult to recognise.”

The two men were returning home from Dubai for the wedding of their younger sister on Sunday. The wedding was canceled and instead friends and relatives joined the grieving family under a canopy erected for the wedding to pray for the dead men.

The black box would be sent to New Delhi for decoding and further investigations, officials said.

The flight from Dubai to Mangalore carried some of the millions of Indians who work as cheap labor in the Middle East back to their families for a rare visit during India’s summer holiday season.

Soren gets 7 days to prove majority PTI RANCHI, MAY 24

BJP today withdrew its support to the nearly five-month-old JMM-led Government in Jharkhand reducing it to a minority, following which Chief Minister Shibu Soren was asked by the Governor to prove his majority on the floor of the Assembly by May 31.

Soren was summoned by Governor M O H Farooq this evening after BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Raghuvar Das handed over a letter withdrawing his party’s support to the Government, Raj Bhavan said.

He has been given a week’s time to prove his strength in the House.

With 14 MLAs, Congress saw a possible role in the formation of a stable government. “We are watching the developments. We are putting our minds together to save Jharkhand from collapse,” Congress in-charge for the State K Keshav Rao told reporters in New Delhi.

In Ranchi, Congress

s p o ke s m a n Ra d h a k r i s h n a Kishore said, “If secular parties, including the JMM, send any proposal for formation of a secular dispensation, the party will look into it and place it before the Central leadership.”

In the 82-member Assembly, the Soren Government now has support of 25 MLAs, including 18 of its own, five of the AJSU and two others. The BJP has 18 members. The JD(U), which has 2 MLAs, also decided to follow suit and withdraw support to the Government.

JMM legislative party leader and Soren’s son Hemant said the Governor had acceded to the chief minister’s request to give him seven-days time to prove his majority in the Assembly.

Soren took oath as chief minister on December 30 last year with the support of the BJP, AJSU and others.

JD(U) spokesman Pramod Mishra said, “The JD(U) is a part of the NDA and our central leadership has directed us to go by the BJP’s decision.”

Frustrated over JMM backtracking on its power-sharing agreement, the BJP had yesterday decided to withdraw support after a defiant Soren asserted that he would continue as the chief minister and was in touch with Congress.

The BJP parliamentary board had on April 28 decided to withdraw support to the JMM Government after Soren voted against the party-sponsored cut motion against the UPA Government in Lok Sabha a day ear-

lier.

However, the decision was put on hold when Soren’s son Hemant wrote a letter to BJP chief Nitin Gadkari pledging support to a BJP-led Government.

But, the JMM did a U-turn and demanded rotational power sharing with each party leading the Government for 28 months. This was agreed to by BJP on the understanding that Soren will quit as Chief Minister

by May 25 after which former Chief Minister Arjun Munda will head a new coalition Government.

As the deadline for his stepping down approached, Soren made it clear on Friday that he was not going to quit.

The Chief Minister had on Saturday gone a step further saying he was weighing all options, including cutting a deal with the Congress to continue in power.

Meanwhile, CPI-ML(L), which has one MLA, said it would vote against the government during the floor test.

call off strike HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 24

Private bus operators today called off their strike after Director of Transport Swapnil Naik assured them to consider and study their demands in next 15 days.

The bus operators were upin-arms against the State Government as the earlier deadline of 15 days given by them expired today. They had threatened of having a day long strike on May 25 pressuring the Government to heed to their demands.

“We met the director today and he has asked for 15 more days to sort out the issues”, All Goa Private Bus Owners Association’s General Secretary Sudip Tamankar said.

Naik has recently taken over the charge as director after Venancio Furtado was relieved from his duties and transferred as managing director of Kadamba Transport Corporation.

Tamankar said that the Transport Department has informed them that the ticket fare hike issue is already in process and will be decided soon.

“We withdrew our strike as we did not want the passengers to be put to inconvenience”, Tamankar said.

He stated that the bus owners will meet Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Transport Minister Ramakrishna Dhavlikar in (Continued on page 11)

Brand new aircraft, experienced pilot, excellent runway, good weather, exceptional communication... then how did it crash?

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GOA, TUESDAY, 25 MAY, 2010

BJP chides CM’s remark on women Dares Kamat to ask Sonia quit politics

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 24

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s “soft” remarks on women advising them against joining politics seem to have not gone well with a few who seem to have taken a “hard” stand against the same.

At a public function on Saturday Kamat had observed, “Don’t fall for 33 per cent reservation in politics. Politics makes you go crazy. Women play an important role in transforming the society. We should look after our next generation.”

After some of the groups took up cudgels against Kamat for his remarks, the Bharatiya Janata Party dared the CM to ask Congress President Sonia Gandhi to quit from politics.

On Monday, BJP spokesperson and General Secretar y Govind Parvatkar chided the CM’s remarks, “What a shallow frame of mind of a CM of a progressive State like Goa where the only woman legislator has been kept out of the ministry.”

Parvatkar was making a reference to Santa Cruz MLA Victoria Fernandes.

Man jumps into Mandovi, meets watery grave HERALD REPORER PANJIM, MAY 24

An unknown man aged about 35 to 45 plunged into the river from the Mandovi bridge, here, and met a watery grave.

Police said the Police Control Room received a call at between 8.30 am and 9 am informing it about the incident after which the Marine Police were activated.

A search operation of two hours at the spot and surrounding area didn’t yield any results but after some time the body was found floating on the river. It was retrieved and has been kept at the mortuary for identification.

The man was wearing a purple colour shirt and black pant when he jumped into the river.

Kamat was recently in the news for allegedly using rude words when a five-member women delegation of village

groups protesting against landuse violations had gone to redress their grievances in his chamber at the Secretariat in

I was misquoted, says CM HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 24

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat denied having made anything against women getting 33 per cent reservation in politics.

“I was misquoted by a section of the media,” the CM clarified in a press statement sent through the Department of Information.

Even though some women groups had mentioned the CM indeed had made the statement but it was not as harsh as made out, Kamat went on to say, “Speaking on women selfhelp groups I had stated that after succeeding in getting 33 per cent reservation in elected bodies, women should now concentrate on economic independence as their topmost priority.”

“The women’s SHGs now have a very high responsibility in society towards this end. Economic independence for women is important as it would give a fillip to the uplifting of society as a whole,” the CM stated.

Clarifying further, he mentioned, “I have throughput my career in politics supported women in politics and will not even in my wildest dreams speak against such reservations.

We need more vibrant and dynamic women leaders in politics to render justice.”

Govt promoting nagars, allege village groups HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat might have denied having made any statement that he doesn’t need the votes of Goans.

But, the village groups of Goa has now asserted that neither the Chief Minister nor his government has taken any concrete action whatsoever to halt the transformation of beautiful Goan villages and vaddos into ugly, dirty and polluted slum “nagars” – thanks to the policies and sponsorship of the government.

Edwin Pinto of village groups of Goa said this itself should serve an eye opener to Goans as to whom Digambar Kamat and his government depend upon for their votes in Goa and whose interests they are actually serving.

Delving into the Digambar Kamat government’s track record, Pinto said that rampant mining in Sanguem and other interior areas of Goa resulting in heavy suspension of dust particles in the air, has struck lethally at the health of the peo-

ple, who now suffer from respiratory ailments.

“The fields and water bodies that sustain their livelihoods are being destroyed by ruthless mining companies in connivance with a heartless government. In the meantime, our Chief Minister remains lost in grandiose daydreams of a Vasco-Dona Paula sea link that will presumably remain as a monument to his rule of elitism”, he said.

He further said that in midst of people’s desperate cries for water in North Goa, Digambar Kamat’s PWD Minister Churchill Alemao focuses his energies in making public statements on behalf of Raheja builders and ensuring them a smooth and hassle free passage for their mega project in Carmona village, even at the cost of the identity and interests of the local Goan villagers.

“When Digambar Kamat’s predecessor Pratapsing Rane acquired huge tracts of Goan community land for favoured moneybags in the shape of SEZs,

Major works yet to get govt nod in Canacona

The protection wall being constructed at a river at Cotigao.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, MAY 24

The monsoon is on the verge of arriving in the State and yet the work on destruction caused

by October 2 floods is progressing at snail’s pace, while some major works are yet to receive the government’s nod.

If sources in the local water resources department are to be believed, many of the estimates submitted for obtaining approval have either been returned, while for others a p p ro v a l s h a v e n o t b e e n granted, thereby badly delaying many of the time-bound works.

Incidentally, the Talpona River, which had accumulated silt in large quantities, is not yet touched even though monsoon is barely a few days away.

“We have every reason to fear that if the river is not de-silted, it will lead to immediate floods in the coming monsoon,” said a resident from Talpona.

When enquired, it seems many of the clearing works in the rivers at Galgibaga and Talpona are pending for the simple reason of conflict in exercising control of jurisdiction in these areas.

“Even in one of the meetings chaired by the collector, it is decided that the captain of ports

Porvorim.

The delegation in a press conference had alleged the CM was cold and bitter towards them after they raised questions on seeking appointment to meet him. When the women members questioned that the politicians never sought appointment when they come knocking on the doors for votes, the CM had said, “He didn’t depend on their votes and they could do whatever they wanted.”

The Chief Minister initially denied having made such statements, but a weekly Goan tabloid has quoted the CM as saying he had made the statement under provocation by the women delegation.

Sabina Martins, Convenor of Goa Bachao Abhiyan and spokesperson of Bailancho Saad, observed it looked like the CM was working against his own party’s principles because on one side the Congress was trying to push the women’s reservation bill and on other side he was advising the fairer sex to stay away from politics.

is the authority in the river mouth, till the reach of saline water in upper portions of a river. Accordingly, as far as Talpona river is concerned, the river portion up to OrdhofondBhatpal comes under the captain of ports, who has been apprised to do the needful,” informed a source at local WRD office.

It may be recalled that after the destruction caused by unprecedented last October floods, rehabilitation to the tune of Rs 42 crore was estimated by the Irrigation/Water Resources Department in Canacona taluka alone.

However, the work of de-silting and constructing of protection walls, which are either s a n c t i o n e d o r u n d e r w a y, amounts to just around Rs 12 crore, while several estimates are still pending for attention, reportedly for want of funds, informed a source.

It is learnt that no central fund as promised has been received and many of the proposed works, which need to be attended before monsoons, are lagging behind for need of funds.

According to WRD sources, some of the works which are either recently completed or undertaken in Canacona taluka include the de-silting of Kuske

Photo by Kathy Pereira

river near Cotigao Bridge at an approximate cost of Rs 5 lakh, Bandhara near Marfond-Cotigao (Rs 3 lakh), Bandhara near PaliyeAvem in Cotigao (Rs 4 lakh), protection walls at Edda-Borimoll in Cotigao (Rs 16 lakh), AvemCotigao (Rs 3.75 lakh) and Tamnamoll-Cotigao (Rs 60 lakh).

Besides, desilting works are underway at Gunji (Rs 2.08 lakh), Fondsorem (Rs 60,000), KudriPedem in Loliem (Rs 7.5 lakh), Corfond Nalla (Rs 3.5 lakh), protection wall at Dayafond-Loliem (Rs 4.5 lakh), near Mallikarjun Devasthan, Shrishthal (Rs 65 lakh), Agondeshwar Temple in Agonda (Rs 80 lakh) and at Amona-Poinguinim (Rs 60 lakh).

Sources at the local WRD office also informed that construction of protection walls at Kuske (Rs 32 lakh) and Marfond (Rs 42 lakh) are already tendered, but work is yet to commence.

“Heavy siltation has taken place mostly in the upper portions of the rivers, some of which has been cleared, while works are underway in a few other places,” informed a WRD source.

A visit at Cotigao village saw that the de-silted waste, which includes mud, sand, stones and other waste, has been extracted and dumped by the roadside along most village roads.

despite written objections from the people and Comunidades of the area, it was the ordinary Goan citizen who was compelled to step forward and put a stop to this scam which the CAG Report later confirmed. Till today, our CM has failed to push adequately his own Congress government at the Centre for reversion of SEZ land back to the original owners”, he said.

He said the TCP Minister Digambar Kamat should inform the people of Goa what action has been taken against the Chief Town and Country Planner, whose TCP Department conveniently lost the file pertaining to the controversial “Aldeia de Goa” project.

“The functioning of this Government in the past year unfortunately, certainly does not give the slightest indication that Digambar Kamat and his Congress party feel any need for Goans or their votes. In the meantime, the destruction of Goa carries on unabatedly and irreversibly”, Pinto added.

Benaulim locals oppose housing project HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Residents of Benaulim on Monday opposed a housing project on the road leading to the beach.

Agitated residents of the village assembled near the proposed housing project and conveyed a message loud and clear to the builder that they are against the project since it will not be beneficial to the local villages.

The residents maintained that they are suffering because of poor infrastructure on the power and water supply front, and added that the proposed project would only aggravate the situation in the village.

On the contrary, the villagers put up a demand before the builder, who happens to be hailing from the village, to make small plots of the property admeasuring 5000 square meters and sell them to the local villagers.

An aged woman said the villagers indeed are passing through severe hardships for want of water and electricity in the locality. “Instead of building a massive housing project, the builder should go for small plots and sell them to the local people”, demanded Euthenia Fernandes.

The residents made their presence felt at the property after they spotted construction work this morning. They demanded to know how the authorities approved the project when the villagers are fighting for water, power and roads.

Another villager said even a poor villager would not mind buying a plot if the builder agrees to their suggestion and make plots by abandoning the project.

Cuncolim residents up-in-arms against bungalow construction HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Residents of Adibandh Cuncolim on Monday firmly opposed the construction of a bungalow in their locality apprehending that the structure would be used to set up an educational institution.

The message was conveyed to the Cuncolim MLA and Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao at a joint hearing conducted by the Cuncolim Municipal Council.

The residents made it quite clear to the owner of the property that they would oppose the project tooth and nail and even offered to buy the property at a market rate from the owner.

When the owner said she is giving in writing that no institution would come on the property, the residents thundered that they are opposed to any house or institution in the property.

Oscar Martins urged the Urban Development Minister to stand by the people, saying that entire Cuncolim is behind the residents against the bungalow. Saying that the people are opposed to the project, Martins said the people would come onto the streets if the construction license is not scrapped forthwith.

Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao assured the agitating residents that he would support their movement and urged the owner of the property to abandon the project in the interest of peace in the locality.

He said the owner of the property would discuss the proposal received from the residents with her husband and get back to him within two days. “My people have fears that a school is coming up in the property. She will discuss with the husband what is the cost of the land and the people will buy the property”, he said.

‘Construction file must pass through ward councillor before approval’ ipalities. I don’t interfere in any construction. A Councillor has the right to know about any construction plan, whether there is any access or way to the property. Treat this as my order. All the concerned councillors should be taken into account before passing any file, whether it is for a compound wall or a house”, he said.

Referring to the controversy over the approval given to the construction of a bungalow at Adibandh-Cuncolim, the Minister has said he has not allowed any controversial project to come in his Cuncolim constituency so far and warned the Civic officials of stern action of clearing files without the ward councillor’s nod. “This problem has arisen because the ward councillor was kept in the dark.

This should not happen again”, he warned.

Alemao’s stand assumes significance given that the Municipal Chairpersons leave alone the councillors are normally not taken into confidence before approving construction files on grounds the elected representatives have no right to interfere in the issuance of construction licenses.

Take the case of Margao Municipality. There’s a cold war between the ruling body and the Municipal technical section, with the latter even refusing to furnish information of the number of construction licenses issued by the Civic body in the last two year, leave alone consulting the City Fathers on the question of approving licenses.

Kids march to Mapusa municipality, demand repairs of Nehru Park

Lucky escape for occupants of 5 vehicles in Barcem mishap

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

This may come as a big surprise to the City Fathers and Babus employed in the Civic bodies.

Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao has said that no construction file can be approved by a Civic body without taking the concerned ward Councillor into confidence.

Alemao made the statement on Monday at the Cuncolim Municipal Council in the wake of an agitation by local people against a construction license issued by the Civic body.

An agitated Joaquim even went to the extent of warning the CMC engineer that he will sack him if any file is passed without taking the concerned ward councillor into confidence.

“I am the Minister for Munic-

HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, MAY 24

Life guards rescue 2 at Colva HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Life Guards deployed at the Colva beach has rescued two persons from drowning on Sunday.

In the first case, 22-year-old Hemraj Bharti had entered into the waters in a no swimming zone. He was pulled inside with a dumping wave when he was chest deep water. A lifeguard Gurudas Pagi noticed Bharti struggling the waters and making gestures for help and immediately conveyed the information to lifeguards Pritesh Gaude and Rockey Fernandes.

Rocky is reported to have ran towards Bharti with a rescue tube and secured the victim, while lifeguard Gaude gave a backup with rescue tube. He was later handed over to his cousin brother after checking his vitals.

In the second incident, 21year old Rajesh Kumar had entered the waters, again in a no swimming zone. Life guards Devidas Borkar and Vikram Gaude rushed to his rescue after he was found struggling and crying for help. The victim was brought to the shore safely with a Jetski.

The protest rally staged by children demanding repairs of Chacha Nehru Park at Mapusa.

Photo by Anil Shankhwalker HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, MAY 24

Some children from Mapusa on Monday afternoon staged a protest rally from Chacha Nehru Park near post office to the office of Mapusa Municipal Council (MMC) demanding immediate repairs of the playing equipments in the park.

Shiv Sena delegation led by Bardez Pramukh Philip D’Souza submitted a letter to Chief Officer D M Redkar and demanded the playing equipments in the park may be repaired before monsoon.

“In case MMC is unable to maintain the park, it may be handed over to private companies or look out for the sponsors who would take up the responsibility of maintaining the park in exchange for some advertising space,” stated Shiv Sena in the letter.

The Shiv Sena has already approached some companies in this regard and if they find some

sponsor, then they will direct them to MMC. Speaking to media persons, Chief Officer Redkar admitted that some of the playing equipments in Chacha Nehru Park have broken down.

He has instructed the municipal engineer to carry out repairs of the playing equipments wherever possible. He said he would also write to the Mapusa police to take action against those who sleep in the garden.

It may be recalled that the condition of the Chacha Nehru Park has become very pathetic.

The swings have broken and the slide has developed cracks on it, besides sea-saws do not have seats and the children are using the dangerous metal pieces that are left behind.

The water fountain has also become non-functional. The benches are broken and those in good condition are being

used by beggars and alcoholics for resting purpose. To make matters worse, one side of the compound wall has collapsed and there is no drinking water facility in the park.

The park was inaugurated by the then Goa Governor Romesh Bhandari on November 14, 1995, but due to non-maintenance of the park by MMC the condition of the park has deteriorated over the period of time.

MMC in its meeting on June, 29, 2007 had adopted a resolution that a proposal may be sent to North Goa MP Shripad Naik to provide financial assistance through MPLAD Fund or request the Goa State Urban Development Agency to undertake repairs/reconstruction/renovation of Chacha Nehru Park in Ward No 9 at the earliest.

Since there was no follow up action on the part of MMC, the park remained unattended.

Occupants in five cars had a lucky escape in a road mishap involving a tipper truck and four cars at Barcem-Padi in Canacona on Monday evening.

Highway traffic along the NH17 came to standstill for over two hours, as many vehicles were seen lined up on either directions, before Cuncolim police could arrive at the accident site and help discipline the traffic to flow freely as late as 5 pm.

No occupants, including drivers of all these vehicles, suffered any injuries and are reportedly safe.

According to sources, a tipper truck reportedly engaged at the ongoing hot-mixing road works at Agonda was racing towards the Balli hot-mixing plant. When it crossed the narrow culvert bridge at the foot of Karmalghat on Padi side, the truck veered towards the narrow road ahead after it saw vehicles racing in the opposite direction.

Sources said while one Tata Sumo applied brakes to avoid hitting oncoming truck, two closely following vehicles, Versa and a Tata Sumo also jammed brakes.

In the impact, Versa car (GA03-C-1000) was sandwiched between the two Tata Sumo vehicles with the second Sumo (GA-02-C-8027) hitting hard on its back, while Versa going on to hit first Sumo (GA-02-J-4321).

However, the truck zoomed passed but not before brushing badly against the third Sumo (GA-02 C-8027) which eventually suffered major damages.

In the impact, one of the front wheels of second Sumo vehicle got snapped and came under the wheels of Versa car, wheel other tyres got burst.

Soon, vehicles began to lineup on either sides and even though there was sufficient space for vehicles to cross over, in the absence of any traffic discipline, vehicles in an attempt to outsmart others, completely blocked the highway.

Govt asked to look into violations of bus permit conditions HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

GOACAN has submitted a detailed memorandum to Transport Minister Sudin Dhavalikar demanding that a plan of action is put in place to handle various violations of the bus permit conditions by the bus owners before effecting any hike in the bus fares.

GOACAN pointed out that the Government in the past had got an assurance from the bus owners that during every bus trip, bus drivers would carry a valid driving licence, wear a uniform and badge and that bus conductors would also wear a uniform and badge or name tag. It also got an assurance that on every bus trip the authorised fare table, registration certificate/ permit and bus time table would be displayed so that consumers would be easily able to identify the valid fare chargeable on that particular route, the route the bus is

permitted to operate on, the name of the bus owner and the vehicle number and the number of trips it is supposed to ply.

The NGO pointed out that the government also got an assurance from the bus owners that the buses would not be overloaded and the number of standing passengers would not exceed the permissible limit as per the permit conditions for each bus and during every bus trip the passengers would be issued a bus ticket as per the fare paid by them, this would also include tickets issued to students with valid ID cards traveling with a 50% concession.

The memo has also brought to the notice of the Transport Minister that there have been a series of accidents involving buses being driven in a rash and negligent manner which have resulted in serious injuries and even deaths of passengers (men, women & children),

that bus timings, routes & number of stops are linked to loading of buses beyond capacity, over speeding & racing to compete so as to grab passengers.

Besides diversion of permit buses on unauthorised trips like weddings, picnics & tourist hire and non availability of a bus service on some routes is causing great hardship to the consumers.

GOACAN has categorically stated that there must not be any change in the pattern of blanket 50% concession on bus fares for students in possession of valid Identity Cards which presently covers all routes, working days and holidays.

GOACAN has therefore demanded that all the assurances given by the bus owners related to issues with regards to the situation of the bus, bus drivers, bus conductors, fare table, time table, registration certificate / permit and tickets are all part of the bus permit conditions which have been issued by the State

Transport Authority (STA) & Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and as per the Motor Vehicles Act and Rules should be made mandatory and communicated to the bus owners that they will be strictly enforced.

The memorandum has further demanded that a detailed analytical report be prepared on the various bus accidents that have occurred in the last five years so as to pinpoint the causes, to assess the action taken against the guilty and compensation provided to the victims of these accidents.

It has also demanded that a White Paper be prepared on the requirements of buses on various routes in relation to increase in passengers, the frequency and timings, identification of bus stops and proper use and upgradation of the existing bus stands in the jurisdiction of the Village Panchayats and municipal councils.

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Colva p’yat to plug discharge holes of ‘Qualified professionals needed to deal with safety, health woes in industries’ hotels releasing waste into creek HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 24

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Facing an uphill task to crack a whip against erring hotel establishments, the Colva Panchayat has decided to plug the sewage discharge holes of all establishments releasing waste waters in the Colva creek, storm water drains and fields.

At a meeting held on Monday, the Colva Panchayat has decided to ask the Goa Pollution Control Board for extension of time to prepare an action plan, even as the body has resolved to knock the doors of the Water Resources department for the desilting of the contaminated Colva creek on a priority basis.

Today’s meeting chaired by Sarpanch Angela Borges took stock of the damning report compiled by the Goa Pollution Control Board and emphasised the need to unitedly solve the burning problem of sewage and waste disposal.

The Sarpanch told Herald after the meeting that the Panchayat will write a letter to the Water Resources Department, Pollution Control Board and Health Department on the issue of pollution and hygiene.

She said all hotels will be served notices, directing them to have their own soakpits, failing which the body will move the Health Department for disconnection of water and power supply to the erring establishments.

On directions issued by the Goa Pollution Control Board to

Another hotel traced dumping waste at Tolleband

Rapid technological developments and large scale mechanisation in chemical engineering, petrochemical and construction activities have resulted in complex safety and health problems in these industries, a senior bureaucrat said.

“These industries need the services of qualified safety professionals exclusively to take care of various safety and health related aspects of their personnel who are likely to be affected by any adverse effects arising from these industries,” GMEK Raj, Deputy Director General of Head of department, Directorate General Factory Advice Services and Labour Institutes, Union Labour Ministry, said.

Raj was delivering inaugural address for the Greentech Foundation’s ninth annual international greentech fire, safety and se-

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 24

File photo of Colva creek.

t h e Pa n c h a y a t b o d y, t h e Sarpanch said that the local body would move the Board for further extension of time, saying the 15 days time limit is inadequate to comply with the directions.

Colva Zilla member Nelly Rodrigues, who attended today’s meeting said that the panchayat would soon write to the Water Resources Minister, Filipe Neri Rodrigues to undertake desilting of the Colva creek before the onset of monsoons. “The Minister told me that the Panchayat

body can approach him with a resolution before technical officials from the department carry out survey of the creek”, she said.

The Zilla Panchayat member further said that local MLA and To u r i s m M i n i s t e r M i c k k y Pacheco has prepared a master plan for the village of Colva and other coastal villages, but said the plan could be put in place only after the monsoons.

Incidentally, the meeting was informed by the Panchayat secretary that efforts to requisition

the Margao Municipal night soil tanker to lift away the sewage waters from the Colva creek has evoked negative response from the Civic body.

Given the situation, the Panchayat has now asked the PWD, Sewerage department to issue the NOC to dump the sewage waters collected from the creek. “The PWD, sewerage has asked the Panchayat to furnish a copy of the Pollution Control Board on Colva creek before taking a decision”, the Sarpanch added.

Religious organisations urged to be ‘proactive’ in curbing incidents

Residents of Vaxim Island were left stranded for over four hours on Monday afternoon, after the lone ferry boat plying between Amboi-Diwar Island and Vaxim Island broke down.

It may be recalled that ferry services are the only mode of transport for residents of Vaxim Island to cross from Diwar Island to Vaxim.

A number of residents from Vaxim Island were unable to cross from Diwar Island to Vaxim after the ferry boat ‘Amona’ developed an oil leakage in the engine.

Residents of Vaxim, especially the elderly people, were forced to wait for nearly six hours to get the ferry repaired without any lunch and evening tea.

Lo c al s al leged that the coxswain and other staff on the

The State–level committee on replacement of old public transport vehicles on Monday cleared 73 applications for subsidy.

The committee headed by Transport Minister Sudin Dhavlikar at a meeting held on Monday, sanctioned subsidy for seven buses while rejected one application for replacement of old passenger buses.

The subsidy scheme was formulated in 2001 for replacement of buses older than 15 years with a view to control pollution in the State. The subsidy is for a maximum of Rs 2.5 lakh per bus.

Subsequently, the government brought yellow-and-black rickshaw, yellow-and-black taxis, motorcycle pilots under the purview of the scheme.

At the meeting on Monday, subsidy was cleared for replacement of 24 'pilot' motorcycles which are more than five years old. Each registered motorcycle owner gets a subsidy of Rs 18,000. Recently, the amount was enhanced from Rs 12,000 per vehicle.

Operators of 32 rickshaws had applied and all the applica-

tions were sanctioned for replacement of the three-wheeler vehicles which are more than 7 years. The subsidy is of Rs 30,000 each. The subsidy amount was recently increased from Rs 20,000 each.

Approval was given for replacement of ten yellow-andblack taxis which are more than ten years old. For purchase of each new vehicle, a subsidy of Rs 80,000 each will be sanctioned.

Transport Director Swapnil Naik is the member secretary of the Committee while the other members are Transport Secretary and Joint Secretary (Finance).

When the scheme was formulated, the objective was to provide for replacement of buses older than 15 yeas with a view to curtail vehicular pollution and to provide an efficient, reliable and comfortable service to the users. Similar was the objective for replacement of autorickshaw older than seven years, yellow and black taxis older than ten years, and ‘pilot’ vehicles of more than 5 years.

On receipt of applications, the scrutiny committee headed

‘Flying squad’ fails to halt filling of low-lying area at Mungul HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

SP South Allen D’Sa addresses heads of different religious bodies in the presence of Vasco PI Braz Menezes.

Photo by M Prabhav HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MAY 24

To ensure better co-ordination and support from religious organisations to curb growing incidents of burglaries and desecration in religious places, Superintendent of Police (South) Allen D’Sa has urged religious organisations to be ‘proactive’ to curb such incidents.

A meeting on safety and security of religious places was convened by Vasco Sub-Divisional Police Officer and DySP Mahesh Gaonkar at the Vasco police station on Monday in the presence of Vasco PI Braz Menezes and PI Jivba Dalvi.

The heads of temples, mosques, churches, gurudwaras and dargas, who also attended the meeting, came up with various suggestions to curb growing thefts and desecration incidents.

Addressing the people, SP D’Sa claimed that recent thefts and desecrations are challenge before the police and the department has taken it on priority

basis to crack such cases.

With regard to suggestions from various religious bodies to deploy police personnel to guard places of worship during night, SP D’Sa said it was practically impossible for understaffed police department to post police personnel at all the religious places.

“Society has to act as a watch dog and they should be the eyes and ears of police,” said SP D’Sa. SP D’Sa explained possible angles of thefts in religious places that take place for monetary gains, besides antique statues and idols are in demand in European countries.

“Desecration is carried out with full-fledged planning to create disharmony among the society, while in some rare cases some mentally challenged people and notorious elements are involved,” said SP D’Sa. He further said without the support of people, it is not possible for police to curb such incidents.

The religious bodies urged

Lone Vaxim ferry breaks down, commuters stranded for 4 hours HERALD CORRESPONDENT OLD GOA, MAY 24

plants, special economic zones, IT parks, business and residential complexes besides others,” Raj added.

He said that the common hazards present in the construction industries are due to handling of various building materials, machineries and lifting appliances, equipment, tool, exposure to dust, gases, fumes, noise, corrosive substances, working at height, electricity and disposal of wastes.

Addressing at the gathering, Khalap said that prime responsibility of employees is to see the safety measures are in place.

“Various state governments have passed regulations and statutory warnings, which are however ignored by the public,” he added.

Former Goa Pollution Control Board chairman Dr L U Joshi, Kamleshwar Sharan, Paula Harvey and Lim Boon Khoon, also spoke on the occasion.

Govt subsidy for replacement of 7 old buses

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Vigilant youth from Benaulim once again traced the hotel for dumping waste and garbage at the road junction at Tolleband.

This is the seventh case in the last fortnight that the youth of the village have successfully traced the hotels for dumping the waste on the road side in violation of rules.

In the instant case, an Udupi hotel from Mungul-Margao turned out to be the culprit after the youth successfully traced the hotel after sifting through the waste.

Roque Fernandes told Herald that the local youth have successfully intercepted and traced as many hotels dumping waste in Benaulim in the last 15 days.

He demanded that the Goa Pollution Control Board and the local Benaulim panchayat should initiate strict action against the erring hotels.

Benaulim Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes has complimented the local youth for once again intercepting a hotel for waste dumping at Tolleabandh. She has urged the authorities to intervene and maintain a vigil at selected points to prevent hotels from dumping waste, saying the situation might take a turn for the worse if hotels from neighbouring villages continue dumping waste in the village.

“Don’t blame the youth and villagers of Benaulim, if they take the law in their hands. Stop the menace before the situation takes a violent turn”, she warned.

The hotel owner was finally told to lift away the waste dumped at the road junction.

curity conference at Dona Paula.

Ramakant Khalap, chairman, Goa Law Commission, USA-based fire safety expert Paula Harvey and Singapore-based Lim Boon Khoon and Kamleshwar Sharan, President of Greentech foundation, were present on the dais.

Speaking further, Raj said that the chemical industries have adopted modern safety concepts such as process safety management, safety integrity level assessment, layers of protection analysis, Gap analysis and reliability analysis.

He said that the construction safety is another area which needs our immediate attention. “Construction industry is one of the major industries in India. The country being growing economy, a lot of construction activities are going on across the country leading to development of infrastructure, construction of core industries, power

ferryboat ‘Amona’ knew well in advance about the oil leakage from the engine, but did not inform the Captain of Ports.

“The residents were made to suffer for over six hours, as they were unable to move from one island to the other island,” said sources.

Savio Vaz of Vaxim Island said: “The ferry broke down at about 1 pm and was out of service till 5 pm, due to which lot of people were left stranded on Amboi in Diwar Island. The residents were unable to proceed towards Vanxim Island.”

“When I asked the coxswain what was the problem with the ferryboat, he said there was an oil leakage in the engine, but I believe they knew about it two days ago and did not inform the Captain of Ports, due to which the people of Vaxim Island had to suffer,” claimed Vaz.

“The government is doing nothing to take a note of it. One must understand that the only means of transport to Vaxim Island is ferry services and if the coxswain knew about the oil leakage, I wonder why he did not replace it and waited till things turned worse,” he added.

“I had gone to Old Goa and since I had to attend a Hindu wedding of one of my friend, I returned from Old Goa to change my clothes to go for the wedding.

But when I went to the ferry point, I was shocked to know about the breakdown,” added Vaz. During the breakdown of the ferryboat, some people from Vaxim Island were seen crossing the river by canoes.

When contacted, local Panch Manuel Furtado, who is also a resident of Vaxim Island, refused to comment on the issue.

that State government to provide surveillance system at subsidised rates, at which police was optimistic and directed religious bodies to post private security or volunteers during night.

All the religious bodies have been asked to keep patrolling register book in temples as patrolling police team would randomly visit religious places to sign the register to ensure that regular patrolling is down.

Cansaulim Church Parish Priest Fr S Rodrigues said complaints lodged with regard to thefts and desecrations are yet to come to logical conclusion and police should ensure that culprits are apprehended.

Iqbal Mohidin, trustee of Masjid Noor, Alto-Dabolim, said: “It is a good initiative that police have worked out blue print to curb such incidents and we will support it to curb such incidents.”

Khapreswar Temple, SadaVasco, trustee also echoed similar views and appreciated the initiative of the police.

2 sentenced in Sancoale workshop theft case HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

A Fast Track Court, Margao has convicted and sentenced to imprisonment two persons in a theft case that took place at the Sancoale workshop of Sesa Goa five years ago.

The court sentenced the two persons Krishna Kumar Oza and Sanjay Pawar to 14 month imprisonment and acquitted three of the accused persons Alam Syed, Bashir Shaik and Vaingankar. Six accused are still absconding.

The Verna police has charged the 11 accused for stealing goods worth Rs 20.75 lakh on October 31, 2005 from the Sancoale workshop of Sesa Goa.

Village groups had a bitter experience on the government’s much-publicised flying squad constituted to stop hill cutting and filling of low lying fields.

Representatives of village groups called the mobile squad at Mungul on the Colva-Margao road following filling of low lying fields.

Abijeet Prabhudessai told Herald that the activists expected the inauguration of the flying squad for South Goa on Monday and hence called the squad at around 11.30 pm.

However, even after waiting for an hour and half, there was no sign of the mobile squad reaching the venue. On the contrary, only three policemen from the nearby Colva police made their presence felt at the venue following instructions from the Deputy Collector to inspect the site and report back.

Prabhudessai, however, protested against the presence of the policemen, saying they are not technical people and incapable to understand the filling of the low lying areas.

“This whole thing is a big farce. We had thought that the

flying squad would be operational this morning. However, it is not near to us”, he lamented.

by Director of Transport scrutinises the applications and submits the report to the State-level committee for approval.

The approval is subject to many conditions. These include purchase of the vehicle within

90 days, verification of the purchase, submission of the registration to the government, cancellation of the registration of the old vehicle, etc. Besides, the owner will not be able to sell or even transfer the vehicle for a period of five years.

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S H O RT TA K E S Fr Salvador’s silver jubilee

PANJIM(HND): Fr Salvador Rodrigues, Vicar/Parish Priest of Tropa Church celebrated the Sacerdotal Silver Jubilee of his priesthood recently. Rt Rev Bishop Emeritus Raul Gonslaves was the main celebrant for the Eucharistic ceremony.

According to a press release, Fr Salvador’s 25 years of Priesthood saw an outstanding impression, popularly with the young, old, rich, poor, especially with the children and the youth. His love, smile, leadership qualities, visits, brought togetherness, unity among the Parishioners who flocked in large numbers for the church services. His winning ways gained him loyal friends whose support and financial efforts brought about proper use to meet the pressing and urgent demands of the Parish which were in need.

The press release states further that the Parishioners of Tropa Church offer sincere and deep gratitude to Fr Salvador with prayers and good health with more dedicated service in the vineyard of the Lord for rest of his life.

Inaugural function held

MAYEM(HC): Mayem MLA Anant Shet has stressed the need to preserve and maintain cultural heritage of the State by organizing various cultural programme.

He was addressing the gathering after the inaugural ceremony of 10th anniversary celebration of Sanskritik Sangeet Vidhylay Narvem recently.

MLA Shet also called upon members of different associations and clubs to work unitedly for the upliftment of cultural heritage.

Ideal High School Pilgao Headmaster Ramchandra Garde, Association President Damodar Mashelkar, Shiva Narvekar, Bicholim Scribes Association President Durgadas Garde and musician Suraj Sahakari were present on the occasion.

Garde and others also spoke on the occasion.

Vividha secures 82% results

MAYEM(HC): Vividha Higher Secondary School, NavelimSanquelim, has secured 82.27 per cent result in the recently held HSSC examination.

As many as 147 students had appeared for the examinations, of which 118 students passed.

Viju V Chodankar stood first (69.66%) in Arts stream, while the second place was shared by Ujawala Naik and Bhakti Phadte (61.66%), third place was secured by Swate Gawas (60%).

Sheetal Ghadi, Suraj Varendekar and Amar Gawas secured first three places in Commerce stream scoring 68%, 67.66% and 66.66% respectively. In Science stream, Urmila Rane, Ankita Kale and Shradha Naik secured first three places scoring 64.16%, 63.66% and 62% respectively.

Ambika Blae, Pooja Chari and Amol Kavlekar secured first three places in OSS stream scoring 66.37%, 64.12% and 60.12% respectively. In AET stream, Nilkanth Chari, Kiran Dhawaskar and Sayyad Noormohammad secured first three places scoring 76.50%, 73.37% and 64.12% respectively, while in HCA stream, Varsha Sawant, Sangeeta Deulkar and Sheetal Gaonkar secured first three places securing 75.37%, 71.25% and 64.12%.

Career guidance function

Students and their parents gathered at the career guidance programme organised by Popular Front of India.

PANJIM(HND): Popular Front of India, Goa branch conducted a career guidance programme for the students of Class Xth and above at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. About 150 students participated. The programme was inaugurated by the PFI President Sayed Iftiyaz.

Mr Iftiyaz spoke about the formation and activities carried out by PFI in the field of education and social empowerment all over the country.

The chief guest for the function was Prof M K Shaikh.

Traninig faculty for the programme was JC Yogesh Kelkar and JC Sudesh Gaonkar who helped the students to know the hidden potential in them and also guided them in selecting their future career. Prof Asaf Ali Shaikh was the guest of honour. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks presented by Jalees Shaikh.

Cycle ride to Coco beach

The members of the Goa Cycling Community.

PANJIM(HND): Goa Cycling Community organised a fun cycle ride to Coco beach recently. 19 Cyclists participated the fun ride from 7 am in the morning, crossing the ferry from Panjim to Betim onto Verem and along the Picturesque riverfront of The Mandovi along Reis Magos to Coco Beach.

The participants conducted games on the beach and also snacks and refreshments were served.

The participants included Sahil Prabhudesai, Siddharth Jadhav, Sheena De Mello, Joshua Rodrigues, Wren Fernandes, Shervyn Pereira, Dayn Cotta, John Caldeira, Patricia Pinto, Agnelo Pinto, Kirit Maganlal,Gaurishankar Banerjee, Suryakant Narvekar,Jagdish Bhobe,John Pereira, Maktum Munavali, Ashton Rosario, John Aguiar and Joseph Rodrigues.

Curtorim takes to fresh water fish production

Fish caught in tonnes from the Maitolem lake in Curtorim on Sunday.

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 24

Hundreds of fish-loving Goans made a beeline to Curtorim village in the wee hours of Sunday for local-variety of fish from the Maitolem lake.

On the occasion, the Fisheries department organised a fresh water fish culture awareness programme at the venue, educating the people on the benefits of using locally available irrigation facilities for fresh fish production.

Curtorim ML A Reginaldo Lourenco, Director of Fisheries S C Verencar and other department

officials were present at Maitolem as the locals netted tonnes of fish from the lake on Sunday.

“I am happy to be part of the program on educating locals on fresh water fish production. In Curtorim, we have six big lakes, which are also used for production of fish. The tanks also helps to recharge the ground water table”, Lourenco added.

The Fisheries Director said that Goans are dependent on the sea for their fish requirements and underlined the need to spread awareness on fresh water fish culture amongst Goans.

“The fresh water fish culture

Safety training workshop concludes HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

A two full day professional development training programme on safety concluded recently at Hotel Cidade de Goa. Organized

by Greentech Foundation, the training was conducted by Paula Harvey from USA and Lim Boon Khoon from Singapore. Both faculty members are of global reputation in terms of safety training. About forty participants including Safety Officers, Officers of Quality Control, Safety Engineers, Fire and Safety Officers attended. These participants were drawn from organizations across India like Assam Gas Co Ltd, SAIL, USV Ltd, HPCL, NTPC, GAIL, Rashtriya Chemical and Fertilizers Ltd, HPCL, Marico Ltd, Thermax Ltd and ACC Ltd. Among the topics where they were trained include safety culture, behaviour, fatigue management, hazard communication, walking and working surfaces, emergency action plans, fire prevention and protection and construction safety. K G Gupta, retired executive director of a PSU also graced the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Paula Harvey observed that in an era of economic meltdown, safety is taking a back seat. It is no more preferred aspect.

Many companies in USA have

cut short their budgets on safety as a result of which injuries, accidents have increased. She suggested that safety training must be behaviour based training.

Speaking on fatigue, Lim Boon Khoon said, when fatigue sets that is potential for accidents. Human beings or machines, working overtime is not good, which is not accepted in our country, he said.

Both companies and employees tend to regard safety in the workplace as nothing more than legislation, opined Kamaleshwar Sharan, President of Greentech Foundation which organised the first ever training programme on Safety with a faculty of international reputation.

More airlines, new airports, high-tech aircrafts, multiplying low cost airlines add challenge to airports safety in the country.

Aviation Ministr y must be geared up to manage safety with growth. Unfortunately in India we have the same regulator who lays down the rules also probes airline accidents. We too should have a separate investigating agency to probe into Mangalore type of air crashes. The emergency services in many of the Indian airports are inadequate.

Mangalore air crash must be an eye opener to bring in safety culture everywhere, said Kamaleshwar Sharan.

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar

is a profitable venture. The government provides subsidy for the farmers ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 80,000”, he said.

Complimenting farmers from Curtorim for taking up fresh water fish production in a big way, the Fisheries Director said that nearly 75 per cent of the seeds from the Keri farm are today being procured by farmers from Curtorim village.

Rui Menezes who had bagged the auction to net fish from Maitolem, said the seed was put in October last and thanked the local MLA for supporting the farmers in a big way.

National Sample Survey on Leprosy from June 1 HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

The National Sample Survey to assess the disease burden in Leprosy is planned all over India and in the State of Goa from June 1, 2010 to August 31, 2010. People are requested to corporate with the sample survey workers, states a press release.

I n Pe r n e m a n d Po n d a Talukas of North Goa District are selected for house to house survey to assess the disease burden in Leprosy by inv o l v i n g Pa n c h a y a t Ra j Institution (PRI) under the guidance of India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), JALMA, Agra.

The Programme Officer in Goa has planned for the survey by involving health workers, AWW/Volunteers and PRI's. The training for all the survey teams is already conducted. The survey will start from June 1.

Leprosy is a curable disease and early detection and treatment is essential. Survey is being conducted to detect the disease in early stages in the nation and in the two selected talukas of North Goa. (Ponda and Pernem). Survey teams would visit houses and the people are requested to be available during the visit of survey teams, adds the press release.

Rajiv Gandhi Manavseva Award instituted HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

The Government of India has instituted an award to honour an individual who makes outstanding contribution towards services for Children in the following fields such as Child Development, Child Protection and Child Welfare.

The Award known as Rajiv Gandhi Manav Seva Award for service to children, under this scheme three individuals will be selected by the National Selection Committee.

The Awards will be presented to the individuals who make outstanding contribution towards the services for children with various kind of disabilities.

The awards for an individual shall consist of cash prize of Rs 1,00,000 and a citation.

For details contact the Directorate of Women and child Development, Shanta Building, 1st

floor, St Inez, Panjim.

The application should reach this office before June 10, 2010, says a press release.

Bhaskar Awards on May 27 HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

Maharashtra Journalist's Foundation, Pune will present its prestigious Bhaskar Awards on May 27 at 12 noon at a function organised at Master Dinanath Mangueshkar Auditorium, Kala Academy to some prominent personalities from different walks of life.

Among the recipients, famous singer Usha Mangueshkar will be felicitated at the hands of Chief Minister, Digamber Kamat.

MP Shripad Naik will preside over the function.

upCOming EvEnTS Kala Gaurav Puraskar

PANJIM(HND): Directorate of Art and Culture, Panjim will be organizing a presentation ceremony of Kala Gaurav Puraskar 2009-10 on May 30 (Goa Statehood Day) at 4 pm at Dinanath Mangueshkar Kala Mandir (Kala Academy), Panjim.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat will be the chief guest and will felicitate the awardees. There will also be a musical programme, which will commence at 3:30 pm, says a press release.

Meet at Curtorim

PANJIM(HND): A meeting of the Board of Directors of Marmagoa Steel Limited is scheduled to be held on May 31 at 10 am at its Registered office, Plot No 280, Eclate, Curtorim, Salcette.

Dharna at Honda

PANJIM(HND): Around 100 members of Utt Goenkara of Honda, Upper Harvalem and Pissurlem village and surrounding areas will gather near the main road outside the Honda Panchayat, Sattari taluka on May 25 at 11 am to stage a peaceful dharna against the effects of overloaded mining trucks, says a press release.

Exhibition at Panjim

PANJIM(HND): Marg – Nehru Center and Department of Information & Publicity will organise the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Jawaharlal Nehru Faces and Thoughts’ by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat at Kala Akademi, Art Gallery on May 29 at 10 am.

The exhibition will remain open for public on May 29, 30 and 31, between 10 am and 6 pm.

Memorial scholarships launch

PANJIM(HND): Late Dr Madhavi Vinaykumar Pai Raikar Memorial scholarships will be launched through the Goa Hindu association at Farmagudi on May 28 at 5 30 pm.

The programme will be inaugurated at the hands of Goan scientist Padmavibhushan Anil Kakodkar.

Cultural programme

PANJIM(HND): Jan Ugahi is an NGO in Margao which works with street children, the street children will be conducting a cultural programme on May 28 at Kala Academy at 6:30 pm.

The program duration is about 2 hours.

According to a press release, the usual problem they face is that there is hardly any audience. Most people are ready to contribute in monetary terms but not in terms of their time.

The NGO has requested people to come forward and spend their valuable time by attending this programme and encouraging these children.

Applications invited for State Youth Awards HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Goa invites applications in prescribed proforma through the Voluntary Organisations/Educational Institutions/NGO's from the deser ving and eligible Youth's/Voluntary Youth Organisations, undertaking voluntary services for the welfare of the youth and backward communities for the presentation of the State Youth Award 200910.

All the applications, duly filled in enclosing the relevant Bio- data, credentials, certificate of achievements in youth work etc, should be submitted, in person to the office of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Campal, Panjim on or before June 18 by 5 pm.

The relevant application forms may be collected from Uday Navelkar, APEO, youth section of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs at Campal, Panjim during office hours on any working day.

‘Ashirwad’ opened at Quepem HERALD CORRESPONDENT QUEPEM, MAY 24

Quepem Urban Lok Seva Mandal, a subsidiary of Quepem Urban Co-operative Credit Society, recently opened an alcoholic rehabilitation center ‘Ashirwad’ at Deumol-Sirvoi, Quepem.

Ashirwad is the second center of its kind in the State, after Krupa Center at Mapusa.

The Center at Deumol, which will function in rented premises of one Marian Carvalho, was inaugurated by Quepem ML A Chandrakant Kavlekar in the presence of Sanguem MLA Meng Gaonkar, Quepem Municipal Council (QMC) Chairperson Lydia D’Costa, Quepem Urban Lok Seva Mandal Chairman Prakash Velip, Dr Guru Naik, Joshi Malik and others.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the rehabilitation center, MLA Kavlekar said many families in Quepem taluka have been affected due to alcoholism.

“Those who go after alcoholism, the life expectancy is about 30-40 years. The early death of husband due to alcoholism affects the entire family, particularly the growing children,” said Kavlekar appealing those present to take benefit of the center.

Speaking on the occasion,

n Those who go after alcoholism, the life expectancy is about 30-40 years. The early death of husband due to alcoholism affects the entire family, particularly the growing children.

MLA Gaonkar said there is a need of such centers in rural areas, as number of villagers affected by alcoholism has been drastically increased.

In his introductory speech, Quepem Urban Co-Op Credit Society chairman said the center will start operating from June 1 and the course will be of 35 days.

He said 15 members will be admitted in one batch and the fee is Rs 5,000.

In his speech, Dr Guru Naik said for an alcoholic to come out from the habit is very difficult. He appealed those present to change their attitude towards alcoholic persons.

Other who addressed the gathering includes QMC Chairperson Lydia D’Costa, Joshi Malik and others.

Dr Susana de Souza, Director of Sports and Youth Affairs along with the State Youth Contingent participating in the National Integration Camp at Mallapuram-Kerala, which is currently underway. Also present are Joaquim Fernandes, Deelip Dhargalkar, B S Malaj, Laximan Naik and U D Navelkar.

Saraswati HSS secures 100% results in Commerce HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARCEL, MAY 24

Shree Saraswati Higher Secondary School, Kavlem-Ponda, has recorded cent per cent result in Commerce stream for the second time since 2007-08.

As many as 39 students had appeared for HSSC in Commerce and one student secured distinction. In Arts stream, the school has recorded 83 per cent result with 39 students passing out of the 47 who had appeared for exams.

Earlier in 2007-08, one of the students was ranked sixth in the State in Commerce stream.

Shree Saraswati Higher Sec-

ondary School Principal Damodar Panchawadkar said this year, the sports policy proved beneficial to about 27 students, especially to the lone student who secured distinction.

“We have students from villages and majority of them are average students. It was an effort from teachers, students and their parents that our school could attain good results,” said the principal.

“This year, the sports policy has also benefited 27 students of which one was able to secure distinction,” said Panchawadkar.

POWER SHUTDOWN MAY 25

PERNEM: Between 8 am to 10 am. Areas affected are Pernem Municipal Council area.

MAY 26

MAPUSA: Between 9 am to 3 pm. Areas affected are Bodgini, Navtara hotel, Parra, Agnimorod, Parra Tower, Jakni waddo, Arradi, Verla, Canca, Brittonwado, Saliswado, Lingabhat, Lobowado, Fondacwado, Freitaswado and surrounding areas.

MAY 27

PANJIM: Between 9 am to 5 pm. Areas affected are Nizmar centre, Yes Bank, Sujay building, HDFC Bank, Bugde tailor, Phadte Arts, Bobby saloon, Pastry Cottage, Lar Milrock, Menezes building and surrounding areas.

MAPUSA: Between 9 am to 3 pm. Areas affected are Health centre, Igrezwaddo, Bamonwaddo, Portawaddo, Oxel, Guddem, Dando, Vaddi Siolim, Vagali, Marna and surrounding areas.

MAPUSA: Between 9 am to 3 pm. Areas affected are Kamlabai restaurant, Khorlim-Semer, Garden centre, Samtanagar, Saraswat Vidhalay School, Dr Boney hospital, Govt. primary school, Kamleshwar garage and surrounding areas.

REGION

OHERALdO = =

Pg5

GOA, TUESdAy, 25 mAy, 2010

26/11 court indicts some police officers for cowardice PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

Though the Mumbai police came in for praise for taking on the terrorists during 26/11 attacks, the special court which conducted the trial has criticized personnel of Azad Maidan police station, saying they acted in a "cowardly" manner and "ran away" instead of stopping the militants.

Instead of coming to the aid of Additional Commissioner Sadanand Date, who engaged the terrorists in a gunfight on the terrace of Cama Hospital and got grievously injured in the process, the officers from the police station possibly "ran away", Judge M L Tahaliyani said in the judgement, a copy of which was made available to PTI today.

The police station is at a stone's throw from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Cama Hospital where Ajmal Kasab and his companion Abu Ismail killed scores of people.

After firing indiscriminately on the passengers at CST, Kasab and Ismail proceeded to Cama Hospital, and went up to the terrace.

Date had rushed to the hos-

n Instead of coming to the aid of Additional Commissioner Sadanand Date, who engaged the terrorists in a gunfight on the terrace of Cama Hospital and got grievously injured in the process, the officers from the police station possibly "ran away".

-- Judge M L Tahaliyani pital after instructing constable Suresh Kadam to go to the police station, collect some bulletproof jackets, weapons and ammunition, and come to the hospital.

But, as according to Kadam's testimony, he along with Senior Police Inspector Thorawade and four others went only upto the rear gate of the hospital in a Bolero jeep and did not venture further.

Noting that other witnesses had mentioned that the Bolero was parked at the hospital's rear side, Judge said "It is

therefore possible that witness no. 138 (Kadam) and others had entered the Cama Hospital and ran away back... apprehending danger to their lives as around this time (11.45 pm) the accused had come out of the hospital."

"This definitely is cowardliness and lack of devotion towards duty," the judgement said.

The judge had orally observed earlier that had Sadanand Date got timely help, Kasab and Ismail could have been stopped at the hospital itself and further incidents could have been averted.

On the role of Inspector Thorawade, the court has noted that he was in-charge of Azad Maidan police station, but "lacks courage to take initiative" and as a result, those accompanying him, including Kadam, "could not do anything to stop the accused".

"I am aghast to note that witness no. 128 (Thorawade) did not even bother to go to BT Road despite the fact that he had seen the accused entering the road.... Authorities will take care of the attitude of this officer on the night of the incident."

Evidence against Faheem, Sabauddin ‘doubtful’: court PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

The 26/11 special court has come down heavily on the prosecution and investigating agency for submitting "doubtful" and "fragile" evidence against accused Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed that led to their acquittal in the Mumbai terror attack case.

"The evidence of the only prosecution witness is doubtful and unreliable. The investigating agency has failed to provide quality evidence against the duo (Faheem and Sabauddin)," the 1600-page judgement, a copy of which is with PTI, said.

The court had acquitted Faheem and Sabauddin on May 3 by giving them the benefit of doubt.

Witness Nooruddin Shaikh had deposed in court that he and another person, Bharat Thakur, had travelled to Nepal in January 2008 where he saw Ansari hand over maps of Mumbai target locations to Sabauddin at a Kathmandu guesthouse.

According to the prosecution, these maps were used by the Pakistani terrorists, including Ajmal Kasab, and one such map was found in the trouser pocket of slain terrorist Abu Ismail.

"Shaikh has not produced any documentary evidence of his travel and stay at Nepal. The witness has admitted that a record is maintained at Sonavali border with regard to entry of persons

into Nepal. He was not able to produce any entry slip. The investigating agency has not made any attempt to collect this evidence and not even tried to verify if Shaikh had visited Nepal," the court observed.

"The prosecution has also not examined Bharat Thakur to corroborate Shaikh's evidence.

The prosecution's explanation that Thakur is not traceable is very feeble and does not appeal to the court's reason," the judgement states, adding Thakur was one of the most important witnesses to prove the prosecution's case against Faheem and Sabauddin.

The court accepted the arguments of Faheem's lawyer R B Mokashi that there were no wrinkles or bloodstains on the map recovered from the body of Ismail.

"In my consideration, had the map remained in the trouser pocket of Ismail for such a long time it would have in fact been spoiled to a large extent. This evidence is thus highly doubtful," Judge Tahaliyani observed.

All the evidences submitted by the prosecution to connect Faheem and Sabauddin to the 26/11 terror attack case are found to be "doubtful and tainted", the court remarked.

"There are many loose ends and there is scope of doubting each and every piece of evidence. I do not think such fragile pieces of evidence are sufficient to prove the charges against Faheem and Sabauddin," it states.

7/11 blasts trial resumes before MCOCA court PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

The trial in the 2006 serial blasts in Mumbai trains, in which 187 people were killed and over 800 injured, resumed in Mumbai on Monday before a special MCOCA court, two years after it was stayed by the Supreme Court.

The apex court had in February 2008 stayed the trial after one of the arrested, Kamal Ansari, moved the court challenging the constitutional validity of a particular section pertaining to insurgency in the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

The Supreme Court had on April 25 this year dismissed the petition and vacated the stay on the trial.

All the 13 arrested accused attended the proceedings today through video-conferencing.

Farmers showing varieties of mangoes at an agriculture fair.

LDF govt a sinking ship, says Kerala PCC chief PTI THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, MAY 24

Describing the Left Democratic Front Government in Kerala a 'sinking ship', KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala today said V S Achuthanandan was the ‘weakest’ Chief Minister the state had ever seen.

Many partners, who were with the LDF, were leaving the Front as they had lost confidence in its functioning, Chennithala said.

"The LDF government is a sinking ship. Achuthanandan is the weakest Chief Minister the state had ever seen," he told reporters. CPI-M, leading the ruling Front, was now with the rich and not with the working classes, he charged.

Chavan demands night train on Mumbai-Sawantwadi route PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

With a view to provide relief to railway commuters on the Konkan belt, Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has demanded a separate night train on the Mumbai-Sawantwadi route.

Chavan, in a letter to Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee, said that Sawantwadi was the last and important railway station on the state's border with Goa. "If the station is converted into a junction, people from Konkan and Goa would be benefited," he said.

Chavan had earlier demanded more halts for superfast trains on the Konkan railway. Accordingly, the Rail-

n Chavan, in a letter to Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee, said that Sawantwadi was the last and important railway station on the state's border with Goa. "If the station is converted into a junction, people from Konkan and Goa would be benefited," he said. way administration has decided to have more halts for Karwar Express in Konkan region.

The Chief Minister had written to Banerjee that Konkan

Aamir attends his man Friday’s wedding PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

Actor-filmmaker Aamir Khan might be known for his perfectionism in professional life but he is also perfect when it comes to personal relationships.

The actor cancelled all his commercial shoots and other professional commitments yesterday so that he could go to Bangalore to attend his man Friday Sachin Gowda's wedding.

Sachin, who stays four hours away from Bangalore, has been working with Aamir since ten years. Aamir was accompanied by his wife Kiran Rao. "This entire week was kept aside for Aamir to finish shooting some commercials.

But he suddenly had to cancel all his work commitments as he heard of Sachin's marriage.

The wedding date got finalised just a week ago so Aamir decided to cancel all

his shoots and attend the marriage," sources close to the actor said.

Aamir was keen to attend the two-day wedding celebrations despite his pre-planned work schedule. The actor was there for Sachin like a family member, they said.

The actor immediately contacted ad filmmakers to cancel his shoots.

"It was just a three to four hour shoot for the patchwork

shoot of a commercial which could also be done at a later date. Aamir's other commitment was a look test for another ad.

Both these appointments have been put on hold for two days and didn't really create much of a problem for the ad makers," sources said.

"Yesterday a ceremony was held at Sachin's house and today there is a ceremony at the bride's house. Sachin was particularly surprised to see Aamir at his wedding as he was aware of the actor's professional commitments this week," sources said.

Aamir, whose last two films 'Ghajini' and '3 Idiots' have smashed all box office records, has decided to take a break from acting for a year and concentrate on his two home productions 'Peepli Live' and 'Delhi Belly' which are expected to be released soon.

Railway had fulfilled the dreams and aspirations of the local people who have contributed immensely to completion of the railway project.

However, there is only one passenger train Diva-Sawantwadi on the Konkan route. He said there are many trains on the Konkan railway route which do not halt at stations in Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg districts.

Chavan said superfast trains should also have at least one halt at Kankavli, Kudal or Sawantwadi.

He thanked the railway minister for announcing survey of a new railway line on Sawantwadi-Belgaum route in the Union Budget this year.

Ajay Devgan returns to action roles with ‘OUTM’ PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

Actor Ajay Devgan, who has been doing several comedy films of late, returns to his favourite action thriller genre with ‘Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai’ (OUTM) where he plays an underworld don.

The trailers of the movie has already been released in theatres with "Kites" last week.

Milan Luthria, the film's director says that the movie is seen through the eyes of a police officer and traces the changing face of the Mumbai underworld.

The film, set primarily in 1970 Mumbai, follows the rise of Sultan (Ajay Devgn), and his eventual fall, when his protege Shoaib (Emraan Hashmi), challenges his supremacy, and usurps power to rule the murky underbelly of Mumbai, Luthria said.

With only one lawyer having consented to appear for the accused so far, Special Judge YD Shinde adjourned the case until June 14, directing all the accused to appoint a lawyer for themselves by the stipulated period.

The accused had earlier refused to appoint any lawyer to defend them and demanded for the stringent provisions of MCOCA be dropped from the case.

The Jamaiat-e-Ulema, a Muslim organisation, which offers legal support to the accused, has contacted several criminal lawyers to defend the suspects.

"Four lawyers - Abadh Ponda, Zia-ul-Mustafa, Prakash Shetty and R B Mokashi would appear for the accused on the next date. We have approached other lawyers for the case," Gulzar Azmi, General Secretary of the organisation, said.

Heat wave claims 14 lives in Gujarat in last 24 hours PTI AHMEDABAD, MAY 24

Prevailing heatwave conditions in Gujarat have claimed 14 lives since yesterday.

The weather department has issued a warning that similar conditions would prevail in North Gujarat and Kutch regions for another day.

Three children from Jhalod taluka of Dahod district died during treatment in hospital today after they suffered sun stroke yesterday, district officials said.

They victims been identified as Suchi Charel (12) of Gardu village, Ranjeeta Vasaiya (5) of Dhavadiya village and Rajesh Katara (4) of Piporodiya village in Jhalod taluka, they said, adding over 30 patients are still under treatment for exhaustion and heat.

In Ahmedabad, five persons have died to heat in the last 24 hours, Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) officials said today.

One Fatima Saifuddin (78) died in the V S Hospital today, while late last night four persons. They have been identified as Omprakash Malhan (50), Pushpa Vadhera (70), Kusum Chndulal (75) and Sabera Shaukat (80).

In Mehsana, an unidentified beggar woman suffering from sun stroke died in the in civil hospital today, officials said, adding yesterday one priest Neekul Shukla (33) who had gone to perform marriage cer-

emony in Kadi taluka of the district collapsed and died due to severe heat condition.

One Sanjay Sahani (35) from Uttar Pradesh collapsed due to heat stroke while working and died after being taken to civil hospital in Bhavnagar district today.

Two persons died in Bhavnagar yesterday due to heat and exhaustion which include Sunil Bariya (22) and Dhiru Bariya (58), district officials said.

In Patan district a 50-yearold unidentified man died due to heat in Dhanodharda village of Chanasama taluka, yesterday night, district officials said.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials, heat wave conditions prevailed in parts of north Gujarat and Kutch region and other parts of the state.

The officials have issued a warning stating that heat wave condition will continue to prevail in parts of north Gujarat region and Kutch during next two days.

Meanwhile, people avoided venturing out during the day time during the soaring temperature.

Temperatures recorded in the major cities of the state include Idar 45.2 degrees Celsius, Deesa (44.2), Vallabhvidhya Nagar (44.6), Ahmedabad (44.9), Vadodara (44.7), Gandhinagar (44.4), Rajkot (43.5) and Bhavnagar (43.2).

OHERALDO

Edit Page Template:Layout 1 5/24/2010 9:05 AM Page 1

OPINION

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www.oheraldo.in

O HERALD O

Systemic Negligence of Consumer’s Grievances

Vol No CX No: 135 Goa, Tuesday 25 May, 2010

Errors of omission?

H

ow many times must the cannon balls fly, before they are forever banned? Poet-prophet Bob Dylan asked this question in a song he sang during the stormy ’60s, about the then raging war imposed by the US on Vietnam.

The answer, he said, was “blowin’ in the wind”. It may not be a perfect analogy, but today, one is forced to ask the state governments in Goa and Maharashtra – both ruled by coalitions comprising the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) – how many bomb blasts will it take before they realise that there is much more to the Sanatan Sanstha than meets the eyes of their police forces?

Let us look at the history of bomb blasts that the organisation’s members have been involved in. Bombs were planted in theatres in Thane and Navi Mumbai in May and June 2008.

All these were showing a Marathi ‘nattok’ that the Sanstha said was ‘derogatory’ to Hinduism. Two of the bombs exploded, and one of them injured a person at the Gadkari Rangayatan theatre in Thane. Four of the Sanatan Sanstha’s ‘sadhaks’ were arrested in this connection, but the police said there wasn’t sufficient ‘evidence’ to link the organisation to the blast.

Then came the Margao blast in October 2009, which killed two Sanstha ‘sadhaks’ who were about to plant the bomb in the busy Narkasur parade in Goa’s commercial capital. Another bomb was found on a truck bound for the Vasco Narkasur parade, but it was defused before it could explode. This blast was investigated by both the Goa Police and the newly established National Investigating Agency (NIA). The latter has filed a chargesheet implicating nine persons, all closely connected to the Sanatan Sanstha, in the blasts. It says the conspiracy stretches from Goa to Pune and the Konkan. It points out that many of the accused lived in the Sanstha’s Goa ashram.

It says the Sanstha organised military training for its ‘sadhaks’.

But it stops short of saying that the organisation is involved in the blasts.

Sanatan Sanstha founder Jayant Balaji Athavale has gone so far as to say that Sanatan Sanstha ‘sadhaks’ could have been involved in the blasts because “they could not bear the desecration of places of Hindu worship”. Writing in the organisation’s mouthpiece ‘Sanatan Prabhat’, he termed such actions as ‘sacrifice’, adding: “Sanatan teaches how to sacrifice the body, soul and wealth. It’s only after these sacrifices that they mature in ‘sadhana‘.” He went on to say that the Sanstha does not teach anyone what kind of sacrifice one should make, as it should be with one’s “own thinking”. Islamic organisations whose members have been allegedly involved in bomb blasts have been swiftly banned with much less evidence…

Terrorists have no religion. They have no scruples. They have no respect for humanity. If allowed to get away repeatedly, they get emboldened. There is no saying what could happen next. As Bob Dylan said, the implications of the NIA’s omissions could be “blowin’ in the wind”.

Around the world

C

ommander Dilip Donde, the first Indian to circumnavigate the globe solo in a sailing boat, completed his epic voyage on Saturday. He gave the entire credit for his feat to his boat, ‘Mhadei’, which was built at Divar in Goa by Aquarius Fibreglass. Cdr Donde may be more modest than he should, but this is a proud moment for the State.

It’s a pity that Goan officialdom, however, doesn’t realise that Goa is naturally suited to be India’s yachting capital. The State is slowly but surely yielding that status to Kochi. For example, the Goa government’s lack of interest resulted in the Volvo Ocean Race going to Kochi. Now, its rude refusal to allow berthing facilities to the yachts of the Vasco da Gama rally has resulted in them opting for Kochi and refusing to ever come back to this State.

School donations Bosco Medeira, Candolim This is with reference to the letter "Donation fee for education" (Herald May 24). Instead of complaining after negotiating and paying a lesser amount of donation Jurgen S should have convinced his/her sister to walk out of the said school and seek admission in the numerous government aided schools in Goa where education is almost free just as in the UK. One cannot appear to be self righteous after abetting something that one does not feel right about. We all know that it takes two hands to clap and if parents would say ‘no’ to donations and just walk out from these schools, the demand for donation will gradually reduce. Yes, I know I'm being an idealist and this will never happen but either take a principled stand or do not complain later. The school where admission was sought for, apparently is a private school in Margao and its hard to believe that private schools in the UK are free as is being implied in the letter because

100 Years Ago

PRIMEIRO DIARIO NAS COLONIAS PORTUGEZAS

25 May, 1910 • The permission was granted to Thomas Heliodoro de Costa to construct at his own cost, a bye-pass to link the ward of Lounsaddo to Curtorim.

• The Mormugao Railways Lines have profited to a sum of Rs 15,812, up to April.

• It is heart rendering to witness the plight of Daman people who, tormented by famine, are even willing to sell their own daughters.

• The American Physician Louis Khopsch commissioned by Christian Herald to help India with food and medicine, has arrived in the City of Bombay.

• A major blast occurred at the Arsenal of Johannesburg, killing 10 workers and further injuring other 32.

T

Government officials and employees must use the power entrusted to them properly writes PRABHAKAR KULKARNI

he government departments and service offering organizations registered under the Company Law are expected to be quite alert and responsive to consumers’ grievances. It is their statutory responsibility to offer best services as committed implicitly or explicitly so that no consumer is compelled to approach the appropriate Court of Law against such organizations.

But the system with which the departments and companies work is itself defective, careless and callous as is periodically disclosed when the matters are heard by Consumer Courts and their decisions stressing the propriety of consumers’ grievances as also relief offered to them.

Insurance companies are service organizations.

People pay them with expectation that they will be useful in unforeseen calamities, like severe illness or accidents and that too without any hassles and technical excuses. In a case heard by the Kolhapur Consumer Forum, The New India Assurance Company ltd. (NIAC) has denied claim of compensation for two persons relying on some technical grounds.

In the particular case, the girl is the only heir of her father who died in accident along with three others while one person was seriously wounded. They were traveling in their Maruti car owned by the girl’s father who had taken a comprehensive insurance policy from the NIAC. But the company accepted claims of two of the deceased persons but rejected claims of car owner and the person who was driving the car. The technical grounds for rejection cited by the NIAC are that the deceased car owner had no driving license and the man driving the car was a driver and hence not eligible for compensation.

While arguing on behalf of the heiress before the Forum, her advocate Vivek Shukla pointed out that the girl’s deceased father had taken the comprehensive policy from the NIAC in 1996 and that if a driving license was needed for car owner it should have been verified by the company while issuing the policy. The heiress was minor at the time of the accident and lost four members of her family; and as she was in a state of shock, it would have been impossible for her to find her father’s driving license.

While deciding the case, the chief of the Forum

Consumer Conundrums and two of its members have accepted the plea submitted on behalf of the complainant, the heiress. It was pointed out by the Forum that the NIAC had not produced any rule about it being mandatory for a car owner to possess a driving license. In the case of the person driving the car, he was a member of the family and had a driving license. He was not a paid driver and hence his claim need not be denied on the grounds that he was the paid driver.

Hence denying claim for the two is a serious matter . In this case, reference to a Supreme Court judgment was cited as a basic principle of accountability. The Supreme Court judgment stresses the point that the need of accountability is the soul of good governance, and absence of it is the sign of bad governance. Accountability means holding individuals and organizations responsible for performance measured as objectively as possible. It is the obligation of those in power

The Accidental Activist

The Way to Hell…

D

riving my daughter to school I noticed a JCB rooting around among the mangroves that line the little stream that makes most of Moira so beautiful. On the way back, I did a double take. A whole row of mangroves was missing. I drove like crazy to fetch Vizilia. As ex-sarpanch of Moira, her knowledge and battling abilities are formidable. By the time we drove back even more ancient mangrove trees had vanished, dug up from the roots. We yelled at the JCB operator to stop. As is always the case, the operator was a migrant who had no idea what he was doing, merely that the patrao had told him to do it. Why were they digging up the mangroves? The patrao knew. Where were the permissions?

The patrao had them. Where was the patrao? He had gone off to cast his vote in Karnataka where he came from. The stretch of stream that was being destroyed fell in the Bastora area. A scooter drove up and two Panchas from Bastora alighted. For a moment all was confusion, as I presumed that they were the missing–inaction patrao. When we sorted out who they were, they were aggressively defiant. ‘We are having the stream de-silted. Every monsoon it overflows and the water is salt. All the fields are fallow because of it. You can’t stop us from desilting our own stream!’ We pointed out that we had no idea of stopping the desilting. That was a good idea. A great intention. But hacking the mangroves

B V S Priolkar, Margao It has been prominently reported in the newspapers Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s remarks “I don’t depend on your votes” and “I don’t care, do what you want”.

Yes, the final truth has come out from horse’s mouth. All along we were hearing it from other sources and now CM himself admits it with arrogance and pride. It is a well known fact that migrants and the minority community is pampered with all benefits including free ration, disbursement of amounts regularly and also schemes prepared to suit them. Everyday (govt) cheques are distributed to them like peanuts. A vote bank has been systematically built and hence he does not need our votes. It is a good lesson for all of us not to remain under illusion any more.

CM has got all the time in the world to inaugurate gutters/toilets, go for birthdays/funerals, visit temples/churches. And if this is not enough there are bars/shops/offices, seminars/cultural programmes etc. But he has no time to talk to a group who has been making efforts to preserve Goa and its identity. Perhaps this is non-entity compared to his regular unproductive assignments. The people with him with so called appointment were for their individual favors unlike the one who was championing the cause pertaining to all of us.

This is a serious blow to Niz Goemkars. The intentions of CM and his gang and for that matter Congress party, are very clear that they don’t care for us and are determined to finish Goa. High Command at Delhi too is not bothered so long the ‘cut’ is received regularly.

Will this incident turn out to be a ‘blessing in disguise’ for everyone to seriously ponder and wake up and be united to fight and eradicate ‘this disease’ before it ruins us totally?

What-a-supply!

Prof Robert Castellino, Calangute To Goa goes the dubious distinction of being the only State in the country with a regular column in all leading local dailies devoted exclusively to 'Power Shutdown'.

meant that with no roots to hold the banks, even more mud would enter the stream. Instead of a solution what they were creating was an even bigger problem. The chance of worse flooding than before. The panchas took a closer look and did a double take in their turn. They hadn’t realized that the contractor had merely hauled up the mangroves, roots and all, to save time and effort.

By this time the Floriano Lobo had arrived, bringing the police with him. We all stood and gazed at the utter destruction that had resulted from a very good intention.

That is the problem with good intentions that aren’t seen through with enough research or knowledge. The Moira Panchayat had suddenly decided to dig a trench in the Gavar to ‘prevent it from flooding.’ The Gavar is the large field at the top of the plateau that actually acts as a water catchment area. The natural water reservoir that lies under it serves almost the entire village. Without so much as informing the Communidade, to whom the land belongs, they went ahead and dug an enormous trench and concreted the entire thing. A worried Communidade brought in an expert who said that the entire trench was a disaster. It was in the wrong place. The concrete would prevent the water from seeping down to the reservoir. Rather than saving the Gavar from flooding, what the Panchayats efforts would achieve was destroying

By Venita Coelho the reservoir. Yet another good intention that brought down disaster.

There are worrying parallels in both cases. In both cases, the Panchayat did not bother to even inform the Communidade who is responsible for the land. The Moira Communidade has taken the breach very seriously and consulted a lawyer. Hopefully, the Bastora Communidade will do the same.

To ignore the Communidade entirely smacks of arrogance and ulterior motives. In both cases the Panchayat decided that they would do some work that would ‘develop’ the village – without any thought of what real development is all about. Neither bothered to supervise the job they set out to do, but left it to the mercy of contractors.

We see the same story repeated all over Goa. Panchayats sanction work piece meal without any idea of the overall impact. Village after village has been gifted drains that are fully concreted – so that water merely drains off instead of replenishing the village water table. ‘Development’ work had destroyed natural springs and eco sensitive areas. The Projects sanctioned have more to do with the size of the budget and the kickback than with any real good for the village. Even where the intention is good – the result is often disastrous. That’s the problem with too little knowledge and too many good intentions. They do say that the way to hell is paved with them.

Letters to the Editor

I was given to understand that private school education is quite expensive in the UK.

CM spills out the truth

to be citizen friendly, just, fair, responsive, ethical, reasonable and do their best to help society progress. In view of this principle and facts of the case, the Forum has ordered that the NIAC should pay a claim of Rs. two lakhs to the daughter of the deceased car owner, Rs. 50000 to the driver of the car, Rs. 5000 for mental torture and cost of Rs. 1000 to the complainant who is the daughter of the deceased car owner.

In another case, the deficiency of service in the Regional Transport Office (RTO) was revealed.

In this case, the complainant had demanded a specific number for his Indigo car. He paid Rs. ten thousand, according to the set rate and received the number which was duly recorded in the RC book. When the car owner sold his car, it was disclosed that the same number had also been given to a two wheeler owner. This number was therefore not transferred along with the transfer of records to the purchaser of the car.

Accepting an amount and giving a specific number to a car owner and then giving the same number to another person is gross negligence and deficiency of service as pointed out by the lawyer who argued the case before the Kolhapur Consumer Forum who accepted the plea and ordered that the RTO should pay Rs. 25000 for mental torture and cost of Rs.1000 to the complainant.

The funds available with the RTO is public money and hence for the deficiency in service by the concerned official Rs. 25000 should be paid from his salary and not from public fund, asserts the Forum.

While deciding the case the Forum has pointed out that Government officials and employees are public servants They are expected to work according to rules and regulations prescribed. The power entrusted to them should be used properly and the should accept the accountability for their actions. They are also duty bound to provide the best possible service to citizens who have every right to complain if diligent service is not provided.

These two cases mentioned indicate that government departments or service organizations should avoid lacuna in their system so that proper and efficient service is provided to citizens or consumers. Government officials are prone to neglect letters written by people and they marshal their defences only when the matter is brought to the Court of Law. In view of their accountability which comes along with the power vested in their official capacity they should improve their working style and the very system, so that consumers are served efficiently and not compelled to approach Courts. The Forum’s order to let the officer pay from his own salary and not to use public fund for his deficiency in service is also important.

Most government departments and other organizations in the private and co-operative sector are prone to fight Court cases in defence because they spend public or organizations funds for the purpose while the litigant or consumer has to pay for his own pocket. If the responsibility to pay from their own pocket or salaries is imposed, the tendency of disservice to consumers and citizens will be curbed; the concerned officials will be cautious to provide good service and will see that there will not be any complaint against them.

Letter of the Day

Morning miracle H R Chico, Panjim This morning, when I went out walking, I took my car and house keys. When I returned, I found them missing, probably they fell along the way. So, I went back the way I came, looking for them and praying to Mary, Help of Christians, to help me find the keys. However, I came home disappointed and lit two candles.

As we were having lunch, the dog started barking as a neighbour called to say that a lady had come and placed the keys on top of my car. I believe in miracles and I think it was one. I thank the lady profusely for this kind gesture and ask Mary Help of Christians to bless her abundantly.

Not a day passes by without large tracts of the State being subjected to these shutdowns. Elsewhere in the country this may seem a joke but for the people of Goa this is no laughing matter.

The authorities may consider 'humouring' the people further by introducing a regular column in the newspapers devoted exclusively to 'Water Supply' indicating the day and time when the people of North Goa in particular may expect their next supply of tap water!

Report card for governance John Eric Gomes, Porvorim I am perturbed by the great disappointment and frustration I see in almost every Goan I meet. Our CM and his MLAs appear to have become drunk with power, thick skinned and arrogant. Whilst we are sweating it out in this heat and are crying for water, Manoharbab informs us that half the Cabinet is abroad. So let me assess our Government performance and draw their report card.

Let us start with the Opposition. They have made the right noises, but been unable or unwilling to go that extra mile to follow up. Parrikar has done some good work leading them in the Assembly and also in the Court. Thanks to that, many scams and scamsters have been brought in the forefront. He has comparatively single handedly done a lot of good work during IFFI, for which it is hilarious to see him being crucified by the pot calling the kettle black!

We cannot really fault the Opposition for today’s governance and so out of 10; I would give Parrikar 7, and the BJP 5.

Coming to the Congress Government, the Administration efficiency is at an all time low, and often, the right hand does not know what the left is doing There are good people, but Government policies and infighting make them wary of taking any responsibility. The Vigilance Department seems paralyzed. The CBI office is flooded with complaints, which are a State subject, so they cannot act. The Home Department says there is no drug scene in Goa, and negligible crime. We all know the reality! The latest is the obvious police reluctance to quickly investigate and do all it takes to wipe out the drugs scene in Goa. There is a thriving police-politicians-builders and vested interests nexus. Instead of encouraging public feedback, the police stonewall public participation.

The permanent damage done to Goa and Goans will be the legacy of this Government.

There is no long term vision and unless it can take urgent steps to implement Administrative and Police reforms to minimize further deterioration in law and order, massive corruption in vogue, damage to the ecology and environment, degradation due wrong tourism policies, casino culture and increasing ingress of migrant labour for unsustainable development, Goa is doomed to go the way of the concrete jungles where the rat race will be supreme, overriding all that is beautiful and noble in man. Out of 10, I would therefore have to give minus marks!

Humiliating Goans Ayres Sequeira, Salvador do Mundo I would frankly say our politicians are indi-

viduals with thick skin. No matter how much they are criticized, they know Goans are only a noise making lot and can be taken for a ride during election time.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat made his intention very clear to a delegation of five women from the village groups who went to meet him over land-use violations. His remark: I am not dependent on your votes is an indication that Goans will be humiliated henceforth by our elected representatives because we are a dwindling lot now in our own land with the influx of migrants into Goa. We are being outnumbered and least cared for. Kamat, I understand has built a migrant base at Monte Hill in Margao where he has a strong standing for every election.

His dependence on our votes is obviously a story of the past.

Water shortage J M de Almeida, Alto Porvorim Every year there is shortage of potable water in Porvorim and other parts of Bardez, resulting in demonstrations and gheraos of the concerned Assistant Engineer of PWD. This is a sorry state of affairs, and successive Governments have miserably failed to augment the capacity of the catchments areas to ensure uninterrupted supply of water.

The Government and the elected representatives only promise better supply of water but for years, these promises have never materialised, with the result that people have to suffer. The irresistible inference is that our planners, technocrats and politicians are a bundle of incompetent people who cannot find any potential solution to water shortage and are playing with the lives of the citizens.

Fortunately, the Ministry of Earth Sciences through the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) has successfully developed economically viable technologies that use Low Temperature Thermal Desalination based plants for producing potable water which is supplied through the distribution system for human consumption. Such desalination plants are already successfully functioning at Karavatti off Tuticorin, Chennai and elsewhere. We hope the Goa Government will contact expeditiously the NIOT to explore the possibility of setting up such plant in the coastal waters of Goa.

Paths of Wisdom Who’s carrying the bag?

Once Iswarachandra Vidya Sagar was proceeding to a neighbouring village to deliver a talk . People used to gather in large numbers to listen to his lectures. A young officer, who wanted to listen to Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar’s lecture, got down from a train with a bag to go to the Lecture-hall.

Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar also got down from the same train. The young officer was calling for a porter to carry his bag. Iswar Chandra went to him and said: “Why do you need a coolie to carry this small bag? Can’t you carry it yourself and save the money?” He replied: “It is not in keeping with my dignity to carry my bag. I am an educated person.” Iswar Chandra told him: “The hallmark of education is humility, not pride. If you cannot carry your own bag, how are you carrying your body?

If, however, you cannot carry your own bag, I shall do so.” And Iswar Chandra carried the officer’s bag. He acted on the motto: “Simple living and high thinking.” The young man wanted to offer money to his ‘porter’. Iswar Chandra told him: “To serve you is my reward”.

The young officer left and was later proceeding to the venue of the meeting. There people were offering garlands to Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar to welcome him to the meeting. The young officer realised that the man who had offered to carry his bag at the station was none other than the respected speaker of the evening, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar. He felt ashamed that he had made such a great man carry his bag. He reflected: “What is his education and what is mine?

I am like a glow worm before the Sun.” (Stories and Parables - “Oka Chinna Katha”)

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Pg 9

HE RA LD

INDIA

GOA, TUESDAY, 25 MAY, 2010

opinionatED

Sanatan-The Needle of suspicion

T

Adv Cleofato Almeida Coutinho

he filing of the chargesheet against 11 members of the Sanatan Sanstha (including the two dead) into the incident involving the Diwali eve bomb blast in Margao, by the National Investigation Agency, has set a debate on whether Sanatan has been indicted. While some hold that the Sanatan is responsible, in view of all its members being arraigned as accused, while the Sanatan claims that their stand of innocence has been vindicated.

It must be kept in mind that the National Investigation Agency was investigating the incident and has filed the charge sheet in respect of the incident. At this stage, with the exception of the statement of the Special Public Prosecutor, nothing is known, as the charge sheet is kept confidential.

However, it has to be kept in mind that the NIA was investigating into the scheduled offences as defined under the amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. It may be that the National Investigating Agency has not been in a position to bring home evidence in respect of any conspiracy by the Sanatan. The filing of the chargesheet against the 11 members of the Sanatan in no way grants a clean chit to the Sanathan, but in fact points a needle of suspicion towards it. It is not even known whether the NIA investigated the role of Sanatan.

The demand to ban Sanatan had gained momentum after the Diwali eve Margao Bomb Blast. Banning an organization is always a serious matter. The right to form association is a guaranteed fundamental right in as much as freedom of speech and expression or the right to settle and reside anywhere in the country. No doubt restrictions including banning an organization can be made based on limited grounds of ‘sovereignty and integrity’ of a country, public order and morality.

The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 permits declaration of association as unlawful. Once the association is declared unlawful, the use of funds by such unlawful organizations can be prohibited and being a member of such unlawful association is punishable that amounts to a ban on the association. Declaration of an association being unlawful can be made by the Central Government only by issuance of a notification which takes effect only after declaration is confirmed by sitting a High Court Judge headed tribunal which tribunal can confirm the declaration only after issuance of a show cause notice and conducting an inquiry into the matter.

Under the unlawful activities (prevention) Act, the unlawful activity is defined under Sec. 2(O) and -Unlawful association means any association (i) which has for its object any lawful activity, or which encourages or aids persons to undertake any lawful activity, or of which the members undertake such activity; or (ii) which has for its object any activity which is punishable under section 153A or section 153B of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), or which encourages or aids persons to undertake any such activity, or of which the members undertake any such activity; as defined under the Act or undertake activity punishable or spread of enmity amongst communities Sec. 153(A) IPC and offence under 153(B) pertaining to national integration.

The most important aspect to note is that an association can be declared unlawful if is that members undertake unlawful activities since the definition of unlawful association clearly includes besides the association undertaking unlawful activities, its members undertaking such activities. It may also happen that despite an organization or its members undertaking unlawful activities, the government takes a decision not declare an association unlawful since declaration of an association to be unlawful, is a policy matter for the government of the day.

Looking at the Margao Bomb Blast case, the 11 accused are charged under scheduled offences to the National Investigation Agency Act 2008. The accused shall have to be face the trial and in case the National Investigation Agency manages to bring home the guilt the accused would be convicted.

The amended Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967 has certain presumptions as to offence terrorist Act as defined in the amended Act of 2008. The status of evidence required to convict accused persons is certainly of higher value since criminal prosecution demands higher standard of evidence.

For the purposes of declaration of an association being unlawful by the government and the inquiry by the tribunal the standard of evidence required would certainly not be of the level as required in criminal cases, but there would have to be evidence of concrete materials of emergent and extraordinary circumstances for the government to formulate its opinion as to the association being unlawful.

At this stage when the contents of the charge sheet are not known, if the National Investigation Agency has enough evidence to prosecute persons under scheduled offences, than the evidence to declare association unlawful on the ground that its members undertake such activities is certainly available but it is the call the Central government has to take. The call shall have to be taken on consideration not only of the availability of evidence, but to what extent the Central government can go in pursuit of the ban.

In the wake of the demolition of Babri Masjid, the Central Government issued a notification banning Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Rashtriya Swanyam Sevak, Bajrang Dal, Islam Sevak Sangh and Jamat.e Islam Hind. The tribunal upheld the ban on the VHP but quashed the same against RSS and Bajrang Dal. The ban against the VHP was renewed after two years but was negatived by the tribunal. The ban against Jamat-eIslami Hind was upheld by the tribunal but set aside by the Supreme Court for lack of evidence.

The worth of the evidence gathered by the National Investigation Agency is the matter based on which the central government shall have to take a call.

4 held for duping PTI

JAIPUR, MAY 24

Four persons were arrested here for allegedly duping people by selling mirrors which they claim can help people see through clothes, police said today.

Acting on a tip-off, police arrested Vijay (22), Ramkesh (34) -- both hailing from Dausa, Shankar (23) and Rajesh (31)-who belong to Sikar and Agra respectively, yesterday from Nehru garden area while they were selling the mirror to a property dealer.

"The four accused were produced before a local court today which remanded them to threeday police custody," police said.

The accused stuck a deal with the property dealer to sell the mirror in Rs one lakh. They took Rs 5,000 as token money and rest of the amount was to be paid after the delivery.

’84 riots case: Judge asked to spell out reasons for recusal PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 24

A District Judge today asked sessions judge V K Goyal to state reasons for recusing himself from hearing a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case allegedly involving senior Congress leader Sajjan Kumar.

District Judge Bimla Makin asked Additional Sessions Judge Goyal to spell out the reasons for expressing his inability to adjudicate the case and forward his reply in a sealed cover on May 31.

Goyal was to, on May 21, pronounce the order on an application of the prosecution seeking direction with regard to a chargesheet prepared by police against Kumar but never submitted before a judicial officer.

The judge, who was to deliver the order on whether directions could be issued to the police to file the chargesheet before a competent court, had then decided to send the file to the district judge for transferring it to another Court.

"Due to some personal reasons, I do not want to try and adjudicate this matter. Let the file be placed before learned District Judge VIII with a request to transfer the same to some other court of competent jurisdiction," ASJ Goyal had said.

The court was told on April 21 that the chargesheet against the former outer Delhi MP in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case allegedly stating that there was sufficient evidence to proceed against him was prepared but never brought before a judge to seek his prosecution.

Meanwhile, another court, which was to formally frame charges against Kumar and others in a different 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, deferred the matter to May 28.

The adjournment of the case came after Anil Kumar Sharma, counsel for accused Krishan Khokhar, submitted that his client was indisposed due to heat stroke.

The case relates to the killing of five persons in the riots that broke out in Delhi Cantonment

After romancing Bollywood heartthrob Hrithik Roshan onscreen, Mexican beauty Barbara Mori is now eying to work with superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

The 32-year-old actress has been praised for her sizzling chemistry with Hrithik in Anurag Basu directed `Kites’.

But before she can foray into Bollywood, the modelturned actress needs to brush up her linguistic skills and learn Hindi.

Barbara, who was here with Hrithik and producer Rakesh Roshan for the promotion of their film, sought help from the father-son duo to translate ques-

PTI MANGALORE, MAY 24

In one cruel swipe, fate took away all that 13-year-old Rauhan loved the most - his parents and two younger siblings who died in the Air India Express plane crash here on Saturday.

Rauhan, the only surviving member of his family, flew in from Dubai yesterday with his uncle to trace the bodies of his father, mother, five-year-old brother and three-and-a-halfyear-old sister at Government Wenlock hospital mortuary here.

Mohamed Ismail, his uncle, identified Rauhan's mother from among the badly charred remains. A fatigued Rauhan, however, opted not to enter the mortuary.

DNA experts last evening took Rauhan's blood samples to establish the identities of his father and siblings as no unclaimed bodies matched the specifications given by Rauhan, his uncle said at the hospital last night.

Ironically, Rauhan's family were rushing here to attend the funeral of his grandmother, who died on May 21.

Save Telangana, no proposal to create new states: PM PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 24

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said there is no proposal before his government for creation of new states but there have been demands for a separate Telangana, which is being looked into by a committee.

Singh also said he cannot offer comments on the issue of creation of new states in the country pending the receipt of the report of the Justice B N Srikrishna committee report.

"There is no such proposal for creation of states (before the government)," Singh said when asked whether there was any move to create new states.

He noted that there were demands for the creation of a separate Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, which has been referred to a committee.

"The matter (issue of creation of Telangana) has been referred to a committee under a very distinguished former judge of the Supreme Court (Justice B N Srikrishna)," the Prime Minister said.

"Pending the receipt of the report it will be difficult for me to offer any comments," he said.

Singh's comments assume significance in the wake of demands from various political parties and organisation for creation of smaller states in the country following Centre's announcement in December last year that it would initiate steps for the formation of a separate state of Telangana.

However, a fortnight later, the Centre had said that there was a need for holding "wide-ranging consultations" on the issue following protests in Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra regions over the Centre's decision on Telangana.

In February, the Government appointed a five-member committee headed by Srikrishna to look into the demands for creation of Telangana as well as a united Andhra Pradesh.

Kerala girl creates history by installing idol in temple PTI THRISSUR, MAY 24

BJP mahila morcha at a protest rally to observe "Black Day" against the UPA government's failure to control the price hike in New Delhi on Monday.

Eastern Hoolock Gibbon spotted in Assam

PTI GUWAHATI, MAY 24

Assam with the highest diversity of non-human primate species in the country has added another feather to its cap with primatologists spotting the Eastern Hoolock Gibbon in three reserve forests in the state.

A team, led by primatologist Dilip Chetry of a prominent conservation group 'Aaranyak', with the support of the state forest department conducted the survey and spotted the endangered primate in three reserve forests in Upper Assam's Tinsukia district.

Chetry pointed out that before the survey was undertaken, the Northeast harboured 11 species with Assam being home to nine of them, but with the spotting of Eastern Hoolock Gibbon this has increased to 10.

Assam thus is the state with the highest diversity of primates in the country.

The Gibbon survey was conducted in six reserve forests at Sadiya range in the district, but the Eastern Hoolock Gibbon was spotted in 23 groups only in three reserve forests of Hallowgaon, Kukurmara and Kundil

Kolia on the north bank of river Lohit, he said.

The absence of the primate in the other three reserve forests confirmed the harsh reality that the gibbon population has been already wiped out from Deopani Reserve forest, North and west Block of Sadiya range of forests.

Forest loss and fragmentation due to expansion of agricultural activity such as ginger and mustard cultivation, encroachment by human settlement and illegal felling of trees as the most discernible factors posing grave threat to survival of gibbon in the area, Chetry said.

The primatologist also expressed concern over alleged unabated encroachment on forest areas by neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh that has resulted in conversion of more than 4000 hectares of forest land into agricultural field.

He also expressed concern over the inadequate manpower strength of the forest department in Sadiya range with only eight forest personnel patrolling the entire forest cover of the subdivision and no camp inside

After Hrithik, Barbara wants to work with SRK PTI NOIDA, MAY 24

following the assassination of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.

The formal framing of charges paves the way for initiation of trial in a case and the presence of all accused is required because they have to express their willingness either to contest the charges or admit them.

The court had on May 15 ordered framing of charges against the Congress leader and others in the anti-Sikh riot case relating to murder and spreading enmity between two communities after finding prima facie evidence against them.

Besides Kumar, other accused in the case are Balwan Khokhar, Krishan Khokhar, Mahender Yadav, Captain Bhagmal and Girdhari Lal. The CBI had filed two chargesheets against Kumar and others on January 13 in as many cases registered in 2005 on the recommendation of Justice Nanavati Commission which inquired into the sequence of events leading to the communal riots.

13-yr-old loses parents, siblings in plane crash

tions thrown at her by the audience.

When asked if she has signed any new projects the actress replied in negative but added, "I want to work with Shah Rukh Khan."

Barbara and Hrithik were all praise for each other forming a mutual admiration society. The 36-year-old actor said that he has learnt alot from his Mexican co-star.

The onscreen couple seemed unfazed toward the lukewarm response of the critic and audience to their film.

While the actress, who has has worked in Mexican TV soaps and films like `Inspiracion’ and `La Mujer De Mi Hermano’, said `Kites’ was the best movie of

her career.

Hrithik said that the 140-crore film is his labour of love straight from the heart which has garnered good reviews outside India.

"To each his own. I don't really trust them (critics). When I debuted in Bollywood they referred me as god and then after two years they said I am finished. So I would rather follow my heart and do what I like than try to please the critics," Hrithik said.

The film's international version `Kites - The Remix’ has been edited by Hollywood director Brett Ratner of `Rush Hour’ and `X-Men: The Last Stand’ fame, which will hit the theaters on May 28.

the forest area.

A number of threats like habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation and alteration, hunting etc. have been identified for species, but the primary threat is definitely the loss of natural habitat.

Chetry pointed out the need for a detailed strategy action plan for the future conservation of the species in the Sadiya region with Kundil Kolia Resrve Forest as a potential conservation site for the species.

“This being the sole population of the species in the state, the Kundil Kolia Reserve Forest can be upgraded to a wildlife sanctuary for the conservation of Eastern Hoolock Gibbon,” he said.

Hoolock Gibbon is the only species of ape to be found in India and the evergreen and semi-evergreen forests of the seven states of Northeast serving as the natural habitats of this endangered species.

Assam also has the distinction of being the only state with a wildlife sanctuary -- Gibbon Wildlife Sanctuary at Jorhat -devoted for the conservation of a primate species, Chetry said.

6 held for Dantewada killings PTI DANTEWADA, MAY 24

In a major breakthrough, Chhattisgarh Police has arrested six persons, including self-styled Naxal commander Barsa Lakhma, who were allegedly involved in the gunning down of 76 security personnel here last month.

"We have arrested six people in two different incidents including Lakhma last night from Morpali, four kms from Chintalnar," Superintendent of Police Amresh Mishra told PTI here.

The six were allegedly involved in the killing of 75 CRPF personnel and one state police constable on April six, the biggest attack on security personnel in post-Independence era.

Breaking centuries-old right traditionally held by male priests, a 12-year-old girl in Kerala has installed the idol of goddess Durga in a temple near here.

The girl, Jyotsna, performed the idol installation rites -known in local parlance as 'prathishta karmam' – yesterday at Painknnikkavu Bhadhrakali temple with full support and blessings of senior members of her family.

As per temple traditions followed by Kerala for centuries, only a few Namboodiri (a caste) families have the right to install idols in new or renovated temples and they are known as 'thanthris' (traditional high priests).

This practice was openly challenged over a century back by saint-reformer Sreenarayana Guru, who hails from a backward class background, by installing the idol of Lord Shiva at Aruvippuram in south Kerala.

There are also isolated instances of women having performed the rite, but it is the first time a Brahmin woman is performing the rites in an ancient temple.

Daughter of Thekkinyedath Padmanabhan Namboodiri and Archana Antharjanam, Jyotsna has shown keen interest in temple rituals and poojas from her early childhood.

Two years back, she was initiated into learning the rituals and mantras by her father himself.

Hailing from the family of Thrananallur Thanthris, Jyotsna learnt the mantras and rituals with great devotion and dedication, her father said.

"We did not face any resistance from the community or devotees when Jyotsna was cho-

sen to perform the ritual. In no scriptures is it said that only men should install idols in temples," Namboodiri told PTI. A seventh standard student in a church-run school, Jyotsna's teachers said she also excels in studies.

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Oz to expel Israeli diplomat over fake passports PTI MELBOURNE, MAY 24

Australia today said it would expel an Israeli diplomat after a probe found the Jewish state was behind several forged Australian passports used in the assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Dubai this year, dragging their relations to a "new low".

In a statement to the Parliament, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said an investigation by Australian Federal Police, ASIO and ASIS left the government in no doubt that the sophisticated forgery was the work of a state, namely Israel.

"No government can tolerate the abuse of its passports, especially by a foreign government. This represents a clear affront to the security of our passport system," he said.

Smith said intelligence sharing with the Israeli spy agency Mossad would also be cut as t h e f a ke p a s s p o r t s a f f a i r dragged relations between the two countries to a "new

low".

Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, 50, a founder of the Izzedine alQassam Brigades, was allegedly killed by Mossad agents in a luxury Dubai hotel on Januay 20.

Suspects in the killing of Mahmud al-Mabhuh used the identities of 12 Britons, as well as those from France, Germany and Ireland along with the four Australians, Dubai police have said.

The fake passports were of such a nature that they "could only (have been) affected by a nation through a state intelligence service", the minister said.

This had led to the conclusion that "Israel was responsible for counterfeiting and cloning of the passports".

Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Director-General of Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) had been visiting Israel to investigate the allegations.

Smith said the investigation cleared four Australians whose identities were used in the op-

eration. They were "innocent victims".

"We do not regard these actions as the actions of a friend.

We are a firm friend of Israel.

We regret very much that this incident has occurred," he said.

The minister briefed National Security Committee of Federal Cabinet this morning on the findings of the intelligence agencies, and recommended the expulsion of the Israeli diplomat as well as a freeze on intelligence sharing.

Asked whether the officer expelled from Australia was a member of Mossad, Smith said "I'm not proposing to identify that particular person".

However, he said, "Our response on any measure is comparable to the British response." In March, Britain expelled Mossad's London station chief over the use of forged British passports in the assassination.

The Israeli embassy in Canberra, however, declined to comment on the development.

US, China must work together on N Korea: Clinton PTI BEIJING, MAY 24

The US today sought China's cooperation in reining in North Korea while warning Pyongyang to stop its "provocative behaviour" following charges that it was behind the sinking of a South Korean warship.

"This is a highly precarious situation that the North Koreans have caused in the region, one that every country that neighbours or is in proximity to North Korea understands must be contained," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters on the sidelines of the second round of Sino-US strategic and economic dialogue here.

"North Korea is a matter of urgent concern. Last year we worked together to pass and enforce a strong UNSC resolution in the wake of North Korea's nuclear test. And today we face another serious challenge, provoked by the sinking of the South Korean ship.

"So we must work together, again, to address this challenge and advance our shared objectives for peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula," she said.

China has friendly relations with North Korea and its support is necessary for imposing any sanctions on Pyongyang as it is veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council.

Clinton warned North Korea against "provocative behaviour" and asked it to halt its "policy of threats and belligerence towards its neighbours".

Clinton's comments came as South Korea decided to cut trade links with North Korea after the March 26 attack and warned it will defend itself against any future attacks.

FROM PAGE 1 Tragic Monday claims 7 On reaching near Matve turn, when the bus was trying to overtake the motorcycle, it dashed the motorcycle handle and the rider lost his balance and fell down, while pillion rider came under the rear wheels of the bus.

Verna police have arrested bus driver Vashudev Naik under Sections 279, 304(A) of IPC and is investigating the case.

MAYEM CORRESPONDENT

ADDS: A 27-year-old man from Ladfe-Bicholim died, while the pillion rider was seriously injured, after the motorcycle they were riding rammed a roadside stone at Bordem-Bicholim.

According to Bicholim police, the accident occurred at about 9 pm when Ranjeet alias Bhikaji Naik was proceeding towards Bicholim on his Pulsar motorcycle (GA-04-B-2563).

Police said Naik lost control

over the vehicle and rammed a roadside stone and hit his head against a compound wall. He died on the spot. A girl, who was pillion rider, was seriously injured and was rushed to a hospital.

Police have sent the body to GMC Hospital in Bambolim for autopsy. PSI Tukaram Walke and HC Kubal conducted the panchanama and are investigating the case.

Bus owners call off strike next couple of days to reiterate their demands.

A fortnight back, the bus owners had met transport minister and transport director with their charter of demands. The bus owners had demanded fare hike and restrictions on 50 per cent concession to students, to be permitted to operate buses on nationalised routes and many other demands were listed out by the

bus owners.

Ads on private buses?: Private bus operators have appealed to the Government to allow them to display advertisements on their vehicles in order to allow them to get some revenue.

Taking up the matter with the Director of Trasnport Swapnil Naik on Monday, they urged the director that they should be allowed to function like Govern-

ment-run KTC which for quite some time now has advertisements displayed on the rear side.

The director is learnt to have told them that he would have to consider the legal side. Naik told them that in view of the defacement Act, he would have to take legal view on the issue.

If permitted, the other parametres would follow, the sources said.

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Two Koreas snarl at each other, tensions rise ReuteRs SEOUL/BEIJING, MAY 24

The two Koreas raised their war-like rhetoric today, threatening conflict if the other side pushes too far in escalating tension after Seoul accused Pyongyang of torpedoing one of its naval ships.

The United States, which has 28,000 troops on the peninsula, threw its full support behind South Korea, calling the defence of its ally unequivocal and pressing North Korea's only major ally, China, to rein in the hermit state.

The increasingly vitriolic comments across the heavily defended Cold War border are rattling investors and niggling at diplomatic relations in the economically powerful region.

But few analysts believe either Korea would dare go to war. The North's military is no match for the technically superior South Korean and US forces. And for the South, conflict would send investors scurrying out of the country.

The mounting tension follows last week's findings by international investigators who accused North Korea of torpedoing the Cheonan corvette in March, killing 46 sailors in one of the deadliest clashes between the two since the 195053 Korean War. ''I solemnly urge the authorities of North Korea ... to apologise immediately to the Republic of Korea (South Korea) and the international community,'' South Korean

President Lee Myung-bak said in a nationally televised address.

Lee said he would take the issue to the UN Security Council whose past sanctions are already sapping what little energy the ruined North Korean economy has left.

His government also banned all trade, investment and visits with North Korea.

The won fell more than two per cent to an eight-month low in early trading, partly driven down by the North Korea concerns. It later recovered a little with traders seeing the rhetoric as falling well short of actual war.

The White House called South Korea's measures to punish the North entirely appropriate and told Pyongyang to stop its ''belligerent and threatening behaviour'' as tensions on the peninsula escalated to their highest in years.

An angry North Korea threatened to fire at equipment the South said it would put up to broadcast anti-Pyongyang messages and was ready to take stronger measures if the South escalated tension.

It also issued a statement repeating its position that it had the right to expand its nuclear deterrent. ''North Korea's goal is to instigate division and conflict,'' said Lee, speaking from the country's war memorial in the capital Seoul. ''It is now time for the North Korean regime to

Obama tells military to prepare for N Korea aggression ReuteRs WASHINGTON, MAY 24

People evacuate from a hotel during an anti-terrorism drill in Seoul on Monday. South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said on Monday North Korea would pay the price for sinking a South Korean naval ship and that the South would invoke its right to defend itself if Pyongyang waged aggression again.

change.''

In what may alarm Pyongyang as much as anything, its wealthy neighbour said it plans to reduce the number of workers in a joint factory park just inside the North which has long been an important source of income for the North Korean leadership.

Much of the diplomatic focus will be on China, the only major power to support North Korea and which earlier this month -- to the annoyance of the South -- hosted a rare overseas visit by the North's sickly looking leader Kim Jong-il.

US Secretary of State Hillary

Clinton, on a visit herself to Beijing, urged China to cooperate on the challenge posed by the sinking of the Cheonan.

The United States is pressing China to join international condemnation of North Korea.

Beijing has so far avoided joining in the blame of Pyongyang, saying it will make its own assessment of why the ship sank.

Analysts say Beijing is terrified of any action that might cause the already shaky North to collapse, sending chaos across into its territory and, perhaps even more worrying, leading to US troops moving up the peninsula right to its

border.

That means China is likely to be reluctant to support more sanctions against the North, whose economy is already in tatters.

A South Korean government report said the North's foreign sanctions-hit trade fell 10 per cent last year and could fall further this year, forcing it to depend even more on China to prop up its economy.

Lee said the South reserved the right to defend itself if Pyongyang wages aggression.

The North said much the same to its neighbour last week when it denied involvement in the sinking.

Bangkok cautiously re-opens for business

Clash erupts in south Yemen, one killed

roads have been wiped clean.''

Both metropolitan train services, the Skytrain and the underground, were operating after starting skeleton service over the weekend following disruptions during the protests.

Trains were crowded, but there was enough space to stand comfortably, even in morning rush hour. ''You look around and it feels like nothing has happened,'' said Dao Pipirom, a 35-year-old market researcher whose apartment is in the business district. ''Life goes on as normal now.'' ''But I still get very agitated when I hear loud noise. I keep thinking it's another grenade blast or gunshot.''

The government will announce first quarter GDP figures, likely to show the economy was recovering well from the global economic crisis in the January-March period, but was beginning to show effects of the political crisis.

Government offices and some schools are also scheduled to reopen today, but a night curfew in the city and 23 provinces was still being imposed.

At least 54 people were

ReuteRs ADEN, MAY 24

PtI ISLAMABAD, MAY 24

Clashes between Yemeni police and gunmen who had briefly held two policewomen captive killed at least one person in south Yemen, Yemeni media said. Tensions between Yemeni security forces and southern secessionists protesting against President Ali Abdullah Saleh's government have been on the rise, accompanied by arrests and deaths on both sides.

The Sahwa Net opposition news website yesterday said police had cordoned off a building in the flashpoint Abyan province in south Yemen where the wanted gunmen were located.

Fighting broke out and two policewomen who entered the building to evacuate families inside were taken hostage. At least one person was killed and two others wounded.

The gunmen eventually escaped, leaving the captured policewomen inside the building, Sahwa reported.

North and South Yemen formally united in 1990 but many in the south, where most of impoverished Yemen's oil facilities are located, complain northerners have used unification to seize resources and discriminate against them.

A 17-member full bench of Pakistan's Supreme Court hearing the two cases related to a landmark constitutional reforms package and a controversial graft amnesty, that may trigger a stand-off between the judiciary and the executive was adjourned today.

The larger bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry took up 15 constitutional petitions challenging provisions of the 18th constitutional amendment but put off the issue till May 31 as the government failed to submit its response.

The same bench subsequently took up review petitions filed by the government against the Supreme Court's order striking down the National Reconciliation Ordinance, a graft amnesty that benefited President Asif Ali Zardari and over 8,000 others.

This case was adjourned till June 7 after the government made a request to change its lawyer.

When the bench began hearing the petitions challenging the 18th constitutional amendment, the government's counsel requested the court to give him two to three days to submit a response.

He acknowledged that the

ReuteRs BANGKOK, MAY 24

Bangkok got back to business today with markets, government offices, and schools reopening after a massive clean-up of the city following the worst political mayhem in modern Thai history.

Thailand's stock exchange and other financial markets resumed full-day trading, after being closed on Thursday and Friday following a wave of arson and street battles when the army dispersed thousands of anti-government protesters.

Stock Exchange of Thailand President Patareeya Benjapolchai told Reuters she expected an inflow of foreign capital into Thai stocks, whose values now were among the lowest in Asia.

Analysts, however, disagreed. ''Investors may be temporarily relieved that a semblance of normalcy has returned but the political risk remains high and investors will likely be cautious,'' said Warut Siwasariyanon, head of research at Finansia Syrus Securities in Bangkok. ''The big underlying conflict is still there and the wound is deeper than ever even as the

Militants attack UN Gaza summer camp ReuteRs GAZA, MAY 24

Masked gunmen attacked a UN-run summer camp for children after militants in the Gaza Strip accused the United Nations of promoting immorality in the religiously conservative enclave controlled by Hamas Islamists.

About 20 men, some carrying assault rifles, tore up large plastic tents and burned storage facilities at the site, where tens of thousands of children are due to attend camp sessions, said Ibrahim Elewa, a private guard who was on duty when they struck.

Two days earlier, a previously unknown militant group, ''The Free of the Homeland,'' issued a statement criticizing the camp's organiser, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), for ''teaching schoolgirls fitness, dancing and immorality.''

Fundamentalist Muslims, or Salafis, whose agenda of global or holy war against the West is against Hamas' nationalist goals, have stepped up attacks in the Gaza Strip over the past several months, targeting Hamas security men and offices.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack as ''an attempt to intimidate and harm the most

defenseless in Gaza. ... The Secretary-General calls upon the de-facto authorities to ensure the safety of the UN's operations and to allow UNRWA to carry out its work unhindered,'' said a statement issued

by Ban's office in New York.

John Ging, UNRWA's director of operations in Gaza, told reporters at the damaged camp there was ''no doubt in my mind that it is vandalism linked to a certain degree of extremism.''

Taher al-Nono, spokesman for Gaza's Hamas government, condemned the attack ''by a group of gunmen'' and pledged authorities ''will track down the perpetrators.''

Last month, Hamas made its own move against what it viewed as immoral conduct, sending police to break up the Gaza Strip's first major hip-hop concert. It said organizers failed to obtain a permit.

Ging pledged the summer camp, in which boys and girls will be separated in accordance with traditions and values in the religiously conservative territory, would be held as planned. ''The good news for children is and the good news for their parents is UNRWA will not be intimidated by such attacks,'' Ging said.

killed and over 400 injured in the latest bout of violence which began on May 14. Almost 40 buildings in the city were set on fire and the tourism and retail sectors have been devastated.

Yesterday, thousands of municipal workers and volunteers, including high school students, cleaned up the Rachaprasong district the anti-government red shirt protesters had occupied for months.

Armed with straw brooms, plastic gloves, garbage bags and face masks, some used kitchen scourers and razor knives to remove anti-government posters and graffiti. Others carted away rubbish left by the protesters.

The red shirts, mainly rural and urban poor, demand new elections, saying Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva lacks a popular mandate and is propped up by the military and a Bangkok elite that has disenfranchised them.

Abhisit said in a regular Sunday broadcast that he did not wish to stay for his full term, which lasts until 2012, but did not confirm whether an earlier offer to the red shirts of a November election was still on the table.

UK army’s chief bomb officer quits over Afghan ReuteRs LONDON, MAY 24

The British Army's top bomb disposal officer has resigned, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a statement today.

The MoD said Colonel Bob Seddon, who held the post of Principal Ammunition Technical Officer (PATO), would step down in January.

The Sun newspaper said Seddon was quitting over concerns that a shortage of trained bomb disposal experts was putting troops in Afghanistan under strain. ''I am very concerned over the pressures they are facing in Afghanistan,'' the paper quoted Seddon as saying in a BBC documentary to be broadcast later on Monday. ''We've broadened our training and selection but it will take time before these measures come into play. The existing cohort are going to be under pressure,'' Seddon said.

Britain's new Foreign Secretary William Hague and other senior ministers were in Afghanistan at the weekend to get a first-hand look at the situation in the country.

The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government formed says its top foreign policy priority is the strategy for Afghanistan, where Britain has 9,500 troops battling Taliban.

President Barack Obama has directed the US military to coordinate with South Korea to ''ensure readiness'' and deter future aggression from North Korea, the White House said today.

The United States gave strong backing to plans by South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to punish North Korea for sinking one of its naval ships, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

The White House urged North Korea to apologize and change its behavior, he said. ''We endorse President Lee's demand that North Korea immediately apologize and punish those responsible for the attack, and, most importantly, stop its belligerent and threatening behavior,'' Gibbs said. ''US support for South Korea's defense is unequivocal, and the president has directed his military commanders to coordinate closely with their Republic of Korea counterparts to ensure readiness and to deter

Full Bench of Pak SC adjourns hearing on graft amnesty government should have submitted a reply within the deadline set by the apex court.

Chief Justice Chaudhry asked how the hearing could be conducted without the government submitting its reply. The bench then put off the hearing of the petitions till May 31.

These petitions have challenged various provisions in the landmark reforms package, including the renaming of the North West Frontier Province as Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa and a new method for appointing members of the superior judiciary.

In the second case, the Advocate-on-Record Raja Abdul Ghafoor said the government wanted Kamal Afzar to appear on its behalf instead of Masood Chisthi.

The bench raised several queries in this regard before putting off the matter till June 7.

Political circles were abuzz with speculation about a possible stand-off between the executive and judiciary during the hearing of these two cases.

The Pakistan People's Partyled government appeared to be on a collision course with the Supreme Court after it refused to reopen graft cases against Zardari in Switzerland in the wake of the annulment of the NRO last year.

Top army brass wants tenure extension for Kayani PtI ISLAMABAD, MAY 24

Amid speculation whether Pakistan government would grant an extension to Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, the powerful Army Chief seems to have got the backing of his key commanders to prolong his tenure.

Army commanders have developed a consensus that COAS General Kayani should continue till the ongoing war on terror takes a decisive turn so that the achievements attained may be consolidated and not go waste, The News daily said.

Kayani is set to retire on November 28 this year and political circles have been abuzz with speculation on whether the Pakistan People's Party-led government will grant him an extension.

Kayani got the backing from his top brass during the Corps Commanders and Formation Commanders' conference that concluded last week.

However, Kayani "did not hint about his interest in staying in the office after completion of his tenure", the report said.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani recently said his government will make a decision when the time comes. He had also upbraided his Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed

future aggression,'' he said.

Obama and Lee have agreed to meet at the G20 summit in Canada next month, he said.

Late last week, a team of international investigators accused North Korea of torpedoing the Cheonan corvette in March, killing 46 sailors in one of the deadliest clashes between the two since the 1950-53 Korean War. Lee said today South Korea would bring the issue before the UN, whose past sanctions have damaged the already ruined North Korean economy.

The United States still has about 28,000 troops in South Korea to provide military support.

The two Koreas, still technically at war, have more than 1 million troops near their border. ''We will build on an already strong foundation of excellent cooperation between our militaries and explore further enhancements to our joint posture on the Peninsula as part of our ongoing dialogue,'' Gibbs said.

Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani

Mukhtar for his statement that Kayani will not be granted an extension.

Gilani said Mukhtar should not have made such a statement and rapped him for his "premature, inopportune and uncalled for" comments. Under a new constitutional amendment, the powers for the appointment of an army chief have now passed on to the prime minister instead of the president.

The government had not made any decision on the issue of granting an extension in service to 58-year-old Kayani, who will complete his tenure in November this year, and a decision will be made "when the time comes," he said.

The next most senior Gen-

eral in the Pakistani army hierarchy is Lt Gen Nadeem Taj, who is the Commander of the Gujranwala corp.

Gen Tariq Majid, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee who is set to retire on October 7, is also "supportive" of Kayani continuing as the army chief until "the ongoing war (on terror) reaches a final stage".

The army's senior commanders appreciated the role played

by Kayani in enhancing the "image of the armed forces ever since he assumed the office about 29 months ago".

They also appreciated the successes in the war against terrorists in a short span of time.

The daily quoted its sources as saying that the government is "working out a strategy to institutionalise the arrangement to provide the much-needed" extension for Kayani.

The sources said Prime Minister Gilani had not made up his mind about granting an extension to Kayani but "he is not averse to the idea as he disapproved of a statement made by his defence minister on the subject".

Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar had said the government was not planning to grant an extension to Kayani and that the general had not sought one.

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PM promises steps to tame inflation to 5-6% by Dec PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 24

With his government under attack over high prices, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said inflation would come down to 5-6 per cent by December and projected an 8.5 per cent economic growth for

this fiscal.

"Price continues to be a matter of deep concern. The government attaches highest priority to containing inflation so that there is no distress to the common man", he said in his first press conference to mark the completion of one

TALK BUSINESS

SpiceJet completes 5 years PANJIM (HBD) – SpiceJet completed five years of succesful domestic operations. Starting operations in May 2005, the airline has grown to a fleet size of 20 Boeing aircraft connecting 19 destinations across India over the past five years.

To commemorate this occasion, all guests traveling on SpiceJet were served a set of five complimentary hand-made chocolates as part of the celebrations.

Air Arabia increases frequency to Goa PANJIM (HBD) -- In response to increasing seasonal demand for low-cost services to Goa, Air Arabia announced that it will now offer five weekly flights between the carrier’s hub in Sharjah, UAE, and Goa. “Goa continues to attract more and more visitors from the UAE,” said AK Nizar, head of commercial department, Air Arabia.

“Air Arabia has decided to increase the frequency of service due to the increased seasonal demand on this popular route, enabling customers to take advantage of great fares and convenient flight timings to plan their ideal itinerary.”

The two additional flights will operate on Mondays and Fridays every week starting June 1, 2010, until October 30, 2010, between Dabolim International Airport in Goa and Air Arabia’s hub in Sharjah. In order to offer more convenient itinerary options, the flights will depart from Sharjah at 22:25 pm and arrive in Goa at 03:05 am the following day. The return flights will depart from Goa on Tuesday and Saturday at 03:45 am and arrive in Sharjah at 05:25 am the same day.

Air Arabia currently offers flights to Goa on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays departing Sharjah at 22:00 pm and arriving in Goa at 03:00 am. The return flights depart Goa on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 03:45 am and arrive in Sharjah at 05:25 am.

PNB to open Ponda branch

K R Kamath, CMD, Punjab National Bank (left) along with Chief Minister of Goa, Digambar Kamat.

PANJIM (HBD) -- K R Kamath, CMD of Punjab National Bank, leading Nationalised Bank visited Goa, recently. PNB already having branches at Panjim, Mapusa, Margao and Vasco announced that the bank will be shortly opening a branch at Ponda.

During the visit Kamath addressed a customer meet at Panjim in the presence of S S Bhandari, field general manager, Mumbai and S K Chopra, circle head, Pune. He has also addressed the staff members of the bank and delivered a motivational speech.

Kamath also called on the Chief Minister of Goa, Digambar Kamat who happens to be a long standing customer of the bank.

Kamath proposed to chief minister that the credit deposit ratio of the bank in Goa is above 100% and the bank will actively involve in the developmental activities in the state in future too. During their interaction, Kamat expressed happiness about bank's services and appreciated bank's efforts in social development. CMD Kamath has assured the chief minister of all banking assistance to government projects and also providing financial products to government sector and government employees.

Sensex ends flat PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

The surprise peace between warring Ambani brothers powered stock markets today, with the benchmark Sensex shooting up by 312 points in early trade but swift profit booking minutes before the closing bell saw the index ending just 24 points higher.

After swinging wildly during the day, the 30-share index of the Bombay Stock Exchange ended at 16,469.55 points, up by 0.15 per cent, or 23.94 points.

The index oscillated between a high of 16,757.73 and low of 16,413.03, indicating high volatility.

The National Stock Exchange's 50-share Nifty too moved in the same way and closed 12.80 points higher at 4,943.95.

year of the UPA-II government.

The Centre, he said, would closely monitor the situation and "together with the state governments, take all corrective steps to bring down prices and protect the vulnerable sections of society."

He exuded confidence that with the measures being taken "we can bring inflation down to 5 to 6 per cent by December."

While food price inflation is ruling around 17 per cent now, the general price index had crossed the 10 per cent level in

February. The government had relaxed import of essential commodities and imposed ban on export of rice, wheat and pulses, besides restricting sugar exports to check prices.

Singh said that international situation, especially high petroleum prices, coupled with drought and floods at home had fuelled prices.

The UPA-II last month survived cut motions brought against it in Parliament by opposition parties against certain budget proposals that led to

hike in prices of fuels and fertilisers.

Attaching high priority to raising investment in social and economic infrastructure and also agriculture, he said despite the pressure, the economy was expected to grow by 8.5 per cent in this financial year, up from 7.2 per cent and 6.7 per cent in the previous two years.

"This is widely regarded as one of the best performances among the larger economies in the world...Our medium target

is to achieve a growth rate of 10 per cent per annum. I am convinced that given our savings and investment rate this is an achievable target", he added. India's savings and investment rate is nearly 35 per cent of GDP, second only to China's healthy 49 per cent.

To achieve double-digit economic growth, Singh said, fresh impetus would have to be given to manufacturing, agriculture and social and economic infrastructure.

Singh, who is recognised as

a world-renowned economist, said that India did not allow global financial crisis to "interrupt" the inclusive growth.

"I leave it to you to judge how well we have done on this count", said.

On the issue of reservation of jobs in the private sector, Singh said, "We need to create an atmosphere so that trade and industry participants help us on this issue. We are working hard towards that and we acknowledge it needs to be taken forward fast."

Raja followed NDA policy on licence: PM PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 24

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defended Telecom Minister A Raja, under attack for alleged scam in granting licences in 2008, saying he had only followed the policies of the previous NDA government.

At the same time, he dismissed suggestions for Raja's removal from the Cabinet, saying "....pending the investigations it is not proper for me to express any definitive opinion."

Citing the success of 3G spectrum auction, which would fetch the government over Rs 67,700 crore as against about Rs 10,000 crore that the exchequer got from new 2G licences in 2008, the opposition has been asking for Raja's resignation saying the scam caused a loss of up to Rs 1,00,000 cr to the exchequer.

Answering a query at the first national press conference of the UPA-II, Singh said: "I have also discussed this issue

with Raja... he has told me that what he did was, implemented the policies which were in place since 2003 (NDA regime)."

Singh said Raja, who reprsents DMK in the Union Cabinet, has also made his position clear in Parliament and also in the media.

The Prime Minister, however, admitted that there is a huge gap in the revenue generation from 2G licences (given

by Raja in 2008) compared to a

whopping Rs 67,700 crore from the auction of 3G spectrum sale that concluded only last week.

"I think one has to look at the whole problem in proper perspective. There was a particular policy which was in place since 2003 before our government came into power," Singh said, adding that Raja's point was that it would amount to discrimination if different yardsticks were applied for the new entrants.

...admits to leakages in Dev funds PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 24

Admitting "leakages" in funds meant for various development programmes and schemes, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said the government was working to rectify

MCX unveils futures in Zinc Mini

the problems.

"There are leakages in programmes and schemes. You cannot deny that. It had been and is the endeavour of the government to rectify these," Singh told reporters here.

The Prime Minister was

asked about the steps taken by the government to ensure that funds meant for development programmes are properly utilised.

Commenting on UPA's flagship scheme Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment

Kids Gurukul comes to Goa

Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS), he said several steps have been initiated to check the "shortcomings".

"It is a continuous process and there is a need to keep it on. And we will continue to do so," the Prime Minister said.

Pranab welcomes Ambani truce

PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

HERALD BUSINESS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

PTI BAHARAMPUR (WB), MAY 24

Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd (MCX), launched its MCX zinc mini futures contract.

Initially, June and July contracts of zinc mini will be available for trading and in due course, more contracts will be introduced, a press release issued here stated.

While the contract specification of zinc mini is exactly the same as that of the existing zinc contract on MCX, the tonnage has been reduced to one tonne. The current zinc contract on MCX has a lot size of five tonnes with an average daily volume of 1,40,000 tonnes.

"There is a growing demand from the industry, especially the SME segment, for zinc mini contract which would help them hedge the zinc price risk," the release said.

MCX's deputy managing director, P L Singhal, said "the Zinc mini futures contract is an excellent risk management tool for SMEs, especially those in the galvanising, die casting and brass industry that have a fairly large consumption of zinc."

Kids Gurukul, a leading educational toy library, has opened a franchisee outlet at Landscape Shire Caranzalem, recently.

The outlet has over 300 games, 350 books and 250 CDs of known brands like Fisher Price, Pogo, Funschool, Disney, Toybox etc.

Kids Gurukul apparently brings improvement in childs concentration, memory, language, and analytical skills, says a press release.

Sona Sharma, master franchisee owner, Goa says that the first 6-10 years of a child are crucial to brain development. During this period, the brain triples in weight and establishes billions of nerve connections. At this stage, kids have twice as many nerve connections than a lot of adults.

We, through the medium of various games and toys, are trying to help kids in their development.

Sharma says that the library has toys which compliments the school curriculum and enhances the grasping power and knowledge of children when used in parallel to studies. The

Welcoming the truce between the Ambani brothers Mukesh and Anil, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said it would do a lot of good to the business world.

"I saw it in the newspapers today... The agreement to end the long standing dispute between the two brothers was needed. It will have a good effect on other corporate houses who will profit by it," Mukherjee said.

Yesterday, the two Ambani groups decided to end their long-standing dispute and scrap all existing non-compete agreements executed in January 2006, besides expeditiously negotiate gas supply agreement in accordance with the Supreme Court order of May 7.

The Supreme Court too had asked the two brothers to come to an agreement within the framework of government policies during the hearing into the gas dispute, Mukherjee noted.

Mukherjee was here to campaign for the civic polls scheduled this weekend.

Aban Offshor, 690, 724.9, 690, 700.5 Abb Ltd., 830, 830, 823.35, 829.05 Abg Shipyard, 247, 252.95, 237, 240.1 Acc Limited, 870, 875.1, 849.05, 855.15 Adani Enterp, 548, 548, 548, 548 Aditya Birla, 742.15, 758.9, 733.3, 738.1 Allahabad Ba, 159, 159.8, 157.25, 157.75 Alstom Proje, 583.15, 595, 574, 578.7 Ambuja Cemen, 106.1, 117.7, 105.55, 111.2 Andhra Bank, 128, 130, 126.2, 126.5 Ashok Leylan, 62.8, 62.8, 59.7, 59.85 Asian Paints, 2044.9, 2088, 2011.65, 2068.9 Axis Bank Li, 1215.65, 1240, 1190.3, 1198.35 Bajaj Hindus, 103.15, 106.8, 103, 103.95 Bank Of Baro, 682, 699.8, 682, 688.8 Bank Of Indi, 327, 330.7, 321.2, 322.9 Beml Limited, 1005, 1010, 995, 999.5 Bharat Elect, 1769.05, 1769.05, 1732, 1748.85 Bharat Forge, 265.6, 269.9, 261.05, 262.7 Bharat Petro, 565, 568.2, 553.6, 559.75 Bharti Airte, 268.05, 271.35, 263.3, 266.05 Bhel, 2300, 2340, 2292.1, 2301.9

Bhushan Stee, 1445, 1482, 1387, 1430 Biocon Limit, 285, 289, 284.6, 287 Bombay Dyein, 523.8, 532.7, 506.1, 514.45 Bosch Limite, 5080, 5080, 4892, 4900.1 Brigade Ente, 135.05, 137, 130.4, 131.2 Cairn India, 281.95, 284.65, 276.35, 278.65 Canara Bank, 416, 419.6, 406.3, 407.9 Central Bank, 147, 152.9, 145.25, 146.4 Century Text, 449.5, 455.6, 434.15, 439.45 Cesc Ltd, 376, 398.7, 365.05, 366.1 Chambal Fert, 56, 57.1, 55.5, 56.05 Chennai Petr, 258, 259.9, 254.25, 255.2 Cipla Ltd, 319.6, 322.7, 312, 313.35 Colgate Palm, 715, 716, 699, 703.9 Container Co, 1292.1, 1315, 1270.25, 1279.05 Crompton Gre, 235, 237.95, 230.95, 233.05 Cummins Indi, 570, 577.65, 563.25, 568.15 Dabur India, 185.9, 188, 181.1, 182.55 Deccan Chron, 125, 129.4, 123.8, 125.25 Dish Tv Indi, 38.15, 38.5, 37.4, 37.5 Divi’s Labor, 700, 730, 700, 719.45 Dlf Limited, 272, 280, 260.35, 263.4 Dr. reddy’s, 1350, 1350, 1280, 1289.45

uniqueness of the library is that it enhances the learning skills of children as same concept can be explained through books, toys, puzzles and CD’s.

The children can in a month take toys worth 10 times value of monthly membership that starts with Rs 250 (apart from one time registration and refundable deposit). The children can rotate toys on weekly basis thus they always have new toys before they get bored of them.

The books available for borrowing range from Aesop fables, Indian mythology, fairy tales, fiction and science facts.

Toys such as puzzles, mixing and matching, play cards, pictionary, and mind maps can help children make complex associations and help in rapid development of their logic and reasoning.

Edelweiss Ca, 402.7, 418, 402.7, 409.05 Educomp Solu, 494.7, 510, 480.1, 484.95 Eih Limited, 119, 125.3, 118.75, 119.55 Engineers In, 357, 358.7, 335, 338.25 Essar Oil Lt, 125, 127.1, 122.2, 122.65 Essar Shippi, 82, 84.4, 80.7, 81.4 Exide Indust, 114.35, 115.7, 112.85, 113.35 Federal Bank, 316.7, 320.5, 310.4, 311.9 Financial Te, 1310, 1334.7, 1295, 1307 Gail (india), 457.9, 457.9, 447.85, 451.75 Gammon India, 200, 204.4, 197.1, 202 Glaxosmithkl, 2083.35, 2083.35, 2018, 2025.9 Glenmark Pha, 265.9, 272.5, 264.5, 271.55 Gmr Infrastr, 59, 59.5, 56.8, 56.9 Godrej Indus, 156.4, 158.4, 152.1, 153.2 Grasim Indus, 2465.1, 2499, 2380, 2394.9 Great Offsho, 441, 452.75, 438, 444.7 Gtl Infra.Lt, 37.9, 38.8, 37.5, 38.15 Gujarat Mine, 117.4, 119.3, 113.05, 114.25 Gujarat N R, 59, 62.5, 58.3, 58.75 Gujarat Stat, 92.5, 93.35, 91, 91.3 Gvk Pow. & I, 42.5, 42.75, 41.1, 41.4 Hcl Technolo, 367.45, 375, 357.75, 371

Hdfc Bank Lt, 1835.2, 1867.5, 1811.05, 1824.55 Hdfc Ltd, 2725, 2749.75, 2652, 2664.1 Hero Honda M, 1865, 1899.9, 1855.1, 1893.15 Hindalco in, 152.1, 155.65, 144.2, 145.6 Hindustan Co, 112.5, 113.2, 109.5, 110.15 Hindustan Ma, 68, 69.3, 66.25, 67.25 Hindustan Pe, 349.7, 351.5, 341.5, 342.95 Hindustan Un, 236.9, 236.9, 228.75, 231.7 Hindustan Zi, 984.8, 1012.8, 971, 978 Housing Dev, 219, 220, 206.6, 209 Icici Bank L, 839.5, 949.6, 825, 832.1 Idea Cellula, 53, 53.9, 51.85, 52.2 Ifci Ltd, 52.1, 52.6, 50.65, 50.9 India Cement, 110.25, 112.5, 109.15, 110.9 India Infoli, 101.05, 102, 98.65, 99.8 Indiabulls F, 148.3, 150.7, 140.35, 143.1 Indiabulls R, 155.5, 157.95, 149, 149.95 Indian Bank, 212.7, 213.5, 210.1, 211.5 Indian Hotel, 109, 109.9, 105, 105.8 Indian Oil C, 332.1, 332.1, 323.05, 325.15 Indian Overs, 92.9, 94.05, 92.9, 93.6

Indus Dev Ba, 112.2, 113.9, 110.8, 111.4 Indusind Ban, 187.7, 193.4, 186, 187.1 Infosys Tech, 2611, 2630, 2579.25, 2600.4 Infra. dev., 152.05, 154.85, 149.2, 150.25 Ispat Indust, 18.4, 18.4, 17.4, 17.5 Itc Ltd, 275, 275.5, 265.55, 268.05 Ivrcl Infras, 164, 164, 156.4, 157.3 Jai Corp Lim, 220, 239.9, 220, 227.1 Jaiprakash A, 120, 122.75, 117.4, 118.8 Jet Airways, 491, 504.7, 486.6, 489.9 Jindal Saw L, 191.8, 194.1, 187.75, 190.8 Jindal Steel, 650, 655.15, 639.5, 648.25 Jsw Steel Li, 1105, 1124.45, 1044.3, 1055.35 Kotak Mahind, 754, 758.9, 737.05, 740.5 Lakshmi Mach, 1841, 1910, 1840, 1876.65 Lanco Infrat, 55.9, 58.9, 55.3, 56.9 Larsen & Tou, 1630, 1649, 1616.3, 1631.4 Lic Housing, 955, 963.65, 922.1, 926.25 Lupin Limite, 1825, 1843.75, 1796.2, 1806.6 Mahanagar Te, 57, 58.3, 56.15, 56.75 Mahindra & M, 575, 575, 524.05, 529.2 Maruti Suzuk, 1254.9, 1259, 1205, 1215.65 Max India Lt, 178, 179.4, 173.5, 174.8 Maytas Infr., 185.9, 188.9, 178, 179.7

Pointing that the whole issue was being investigated and the CVC has asked the CBI to look into this and the process is on, he said and assured: "If I come to know that there is any involvement at any level in corruption, we will take action."

The pricing for 2G spectrum was based on policies that were already in place and had approvals of telecom regulator TRAI, he said.

Nine new companies including Unitech, Shyam Sistema, Datacom, S Tel and Loop Telecom were given licences in 2008 and pan-India licence was then offered at Rs 1,658 crore along with start-up 4.4 MHz spectrum.

Anil Ambani-led R-Com and Tata Teleservices were allowed to offer mobile services on both technology platforms – GSM and CDMA.

3G inflows to lower FY11 borrowing NEW DELHI: Fund inflows towards the 3G spectrum auction will bring down fiscal deficit and cut the government's borrowing plans, Cabinet Secretary K M Chandrasekhar said.

The govt borrowing could be lower by up to Rs 35000 crore in the 2010/11 fiscal year from estimates of Rs 457000 crore on higher-than-expected 3G mobile spectrum sale inflows, a government official said.

BOARD MEETINGS Aban Offshore Nagarjuna Constr Euro Finmart NHPC AMD Inds Gujarat Inds Power Grid Corp Hindustan Unilever Provogue India IL&FS Trans Jai Corp Shree Ram Mills JK Tyre JM Financial Sical Logistics Siyaram Silk BOB Jyothy Lab South Indian Bank Kaveri Seed Tata Tea Man Infra Mercator Lines Mysore Paper Vinyl Chemicals Source: Indiainfoline.com

MF FUNDA BIRLA SUN LIFE MUTUAL FUND has approved May 28, 2010 as the record date for declaration of dividend under the dividend option of Birla Sun Life Long Term Advantage Fund.

The fund house has decided to distribute 10% or Re 1 as dividend on face value of Rs 10 per unit.

MIRAE ASSET announced the launch of Mirae Asset Emerging Bluechip Fund, an open ended equity fund.

Mirae Asset Emerging Bluechip Fund`s NFO will be open from May 24 till June 22, 2010. The units will be available at Rs 10 each during the NFO period.

Speaking on the launch of the new fund, Arindam Ghosh, CEO, Mirae Asset Global Investments (India) (P) said, “We believe that today`s mid-cap stocks have the potential to be tomorrow's largecaps and a right amount of midcaps in the portfolio can help investors optimize their risk adjusted returns.”

The fund offers growth and dividend options (payout and reinvestment), with minimum application of Rs 5,000 and in multiples of Re 1 thereafter.

Additional investments in an existing folio can be made of Rs 1,000 and in multiples of Re 1 thereafter. There is an exit load of 1% for redemptions within one year (365 days) of allotment / purchase.

IDFC MUTUAL FUND has approved May 28, 2010 as the record date for declaration of dividend under the dividend option of IDFC Super Saver Income Fund- Medium Term-Plan A-Bi-Monthly dividend.

The fund house has decided to distribute Rs 0.2210 per unit as dividend on the record date.

HSBC MUTUAL FUND has approved May 28, 2010 as the record date for declaration of dividend under dividend option of HSBC Equity Fund. The face value of unit is Rs 10.

The quantum of dividend will be Rs 1.50 per unit as on the record date.

KOTAK MAHINDRA MUTUAL FUND has approved May 28, 2010 as the record date for declaration of dividend under dividend option of Kotak Opportunities.

The fund house has decided to distribute Re 1 as dividend on face value of Rs 10 per unit.

Moser-baer (, 59, 60.9, 58.1, 58.9 Mrpl, 68.1, 69.3, 67.8, 68.2 Nagarjuna Co, 160, 162.5, 157.25, 158.4 Nagarjuna Fe, 28.8, 29.5, 27.85, 28.05 National Alu, 406.75, 412.95, 400.6, 408.6 Neyveli Lign, 142, 146, 141, 144.1 Ntpc Ltd, 199, 199.5, 196.25, 198.2 Oil And Natu, 1105, 1130, 1075.25, 1082 Omaxe Limite, 88.5, 90.4, 88, 88.45 Oriental Ban, 323.1, 332.5, 320.15, 327.9 Pantaloon Re, 390, 398.8, 380, 381.65 Parsvnath De, 112.2, 114.45, 109.1, 110.2 Petronet Lng, 83.8, 84.6, 81.55, 82.3 Power Fin Co, 290, 295.45, 285.7, 287.3 Power Grid C, 103.6, 104.05, 102.1, 102.75 Praj Industr, 81, 82.9, 79.75, 80.15 Punj Lloyd L, 133.5, 136, 130.15, 130.85 Punjab Natio, 998, 1011.5, 980, 982.7 Rajesh Expor, 122, 122.5, 115.6, 117.2 Ranbaxy Labs, 420, 429.9, 408, 412.85 Rashtriya Ch, 76.5, 77.4, 74.65, 74.95 Rel. nat. re, 50, 62, 49.2, 54.6 Reliance Cap, 655.1, 696.9, 655, 672.75

Reliance Com, 140, 150.85, 137, 147.9 Reliance Ene, 918, 941.95, 901, 910.65 Reliance Ind, 727.95, 831.55, 727.95, 786.2 Reliance Ind, 1018, 1048.95, 1016.45, 1022.65 Reliance Pow, 145, 159.45, 141.25, 149.65 Rolta India, 173.8, 175.75, 168.5, 169.65 Satyam Compu, 83, 84.4, 82.15, 82.65 Sesa Goa Ltd, 345.65, 352.4, 335.25, 338.4 Shipping Cor, 156.55, 160.8, 156.1, 158.2 Siemens Ltd, 662.5, 679.7, 655, 673.95 Sintex Indus, 289, 290.45, 282.05, 283.65 Sobha Develo, 302.65, 310, 292.65, 295.05 State Bank O, 2282, 2311, 2222.95, 2231.2 Steel Author, 204, 209, 198.05, 200.2 Sterlite Ind, 655, 662, 632.1, 636.45 Sun Pharmace, 1551.5, 1565, 1520, 1548.2 Sun Tv Netwo, 409, 413, 402.4, 406.65 Suzlon Energ, 59.5, 60.9, 58.25, 58.8 Tata Communi, 247.9, 247.9, 241.2, 242.15 Tata Consult, 725, 730, 712.7, 717.6 Tata Motors, 720, 739.4, 702, 706.95 Tata Power C, 1270.1, 1270.1, 1232.65,

1244.4 Tata Steel L, 516, 524, 495.1, 501.05 Tata Tea Ltd, 1124, 1124, 1061.3, 1070.05 Tata Teleser, 19.5, 20.15, 19.5, 19.85 Tech Mahindr, 660, 677, 657.6, 663.75 The Ge Shpg., 279, 291, 279, 286.1 The Phoenix, 195.6, 207.9, 195.6, 203.3 Thermax Ltd, 684, 694, 684, 690 Titan Indust, 2338, 2338, 2216, 2228.7 Torrent Powe, 323, 328.95, 310.25, 314.95 Triveni Engg, 99.8, 102.7, 97.15, 98.15 Tv18 India L, 75, 76.1, 73.25, 73.5 Uco Bank, 71.75, 72.5, 71.5, 71.7 Ultratech Ce, 940.4, 966, 940.4, 956.1 Union Bank O, 295, 297.3, 293, 294.3 Unitech Ltd, 70.5, 71.9, 67.2, 67.55 United Phosp, 167, 171, 161.25, 162.15 Videocon Ind, 204.2, 209.7, 203.05, 207.2 Vijaya Bank, 57.5, 57.5, 54.6, 54.95 Voltas Ltd, 176.2, 177.45, 169.5, 170.8 Wipro Ltd, 652, 655.2, 636.5, 647.95 Yes Bank Lim, 269.95, 272.8, 261.6, 263.85 Zee Entertai, 295, 295.5, 279.7, 280.95

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Decision on fuel price hike at EGOM in June PTI CHENNAI, MAY 24

A decision on fuel price hike would be taken at the Empowered Group of Ministers meeting slated to be held in New Delhi on June 7, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said today.

The EGOM would meet under the chairmanship of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Deora told reporters after a meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee here.

Deora said no concrete decisions were taken at the meeting which discussed various matters on the heavy losses incurred by the oil marketing companies.

"Some members suggested fuel price hike as the oil com-

panies are making heavy losses ... We would not like to increase the fuel price ... But sometimes it is not possible as 80 per cent of oil imported is consumed," he said.

He said that MPs have also urged the government to provide some subsidy to the oil companies to cover the losses.

Oil Secretary S Sundareshan said, "If the price of oil, LPG and petrol does not go in tandem with crude ... it is difficult to say at what price we require to increase the price (of fuel). But all that can be said is that at the (prevailing) prices we require to increase..."

On the oil marketing firms facing huge losses, he said "last year (2009-2010) the extent of under recovery was to the

order of Rs 46,000 crore of which Rs 14,200 crore was provided by upstream companies and Rs 26,000 crore by government as cash."

Asked about the gas pipeline connectivity for Tamil Nadu, Deora said the Kakinada-Chennai Pipeline connectivity and Chennai-Tuticorin Pipeline connectivity had been cleared by the Ministry and the work has started.

Similarly, work on KochiMangalore Pipeline, which will also cover Coimbatore, Salem and Erode in Tamil Nadu and another Chennai-Bangalore Pipeline connectivity have also commenced. "We are fully confident that pipeline connectivity would be completed by 2012 end," he said.

IIMB, IVEY School form strategic tie PTI BANGALORE, MAY 24

The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore and the Richard IVEY School of Business at the University of Western Ontario (IVEY) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to foster and grow research collaborations between the two management schools.

This partnership also aims at developing India specific case materials for use in business education around the world, IIM-B said in a statement here.

It intends to build on the complementary strengths of the institutions through multiple points of collaboration.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Pankaj Chandra,Director IIMB and Prof. Carol Stephenson, Dean of the Richard Ivey School of Business here.

PNB-OICL in pact for mediclaim PTI CHENNAI, MAY 24

Punjab National Bank and Oriental Insurance Company Ltd (OICL) launched 'PNB-Oriental Roay Mediclaim Policy' exclusively for PNB customers. ''The policy will cover entire family under one sum insured per policy of the customer'', PNB executive director Pydah said. The policy has a number of features such as family floater policy covering proposer, spouse and two dependent children, uniform premium for all age group persons and entry age up to 80 years.

Stating that PNB customers taking this policy would also get benefit of extra exemption under section 80-D of the I-T Act, he said the bank has already attracted few customers.

On the bank's future expansion plans, he said the bank would take steps to enhance its overseas operations from this fiscal. ''We are going to set up our subsidiary in Canada and RBI has give permission to set up a full-fledged bank in Norway'', he added.

He said that bank was planning to set up a representative office in Sydney.''We have chalked out our 'vision-2013' plan, where we are going to enhance our service to customers''.

To its admirers, the ruling coalition led by Congress has had a good year -- sound fiscal policy to stave off a ruinous global credit crisis, fast growth and some tentative steps toward reforms.

But to its critics, Singh's government has floundered on inflation, struggled ineffectively against a Maoist insurgency, and managed its political allies so badly its substantial parliamentary majority dwindled, hurting its ability to pass promarket legislation needed to sustain robust growth.

A sense of bullish self-confidence marked the Congress party-led coalition's handsome re-election victory last May, spurring hopes of firm governance and quick policy changes. A slew of crises then undercut that electoral momentum, emboldened the opposition and weakened Congress's hold on allies.

What may be more important though is that many investors remain optimistic government eventually will take steps to open the insurance, banking and retail sectors to overseas players, and India has too much potential for them to ignore in any case.

GOOD MARKS FOR THE ECONOMY

The India unit of Nissan Motor on Monday said it has started producing Micra hatchback, for which the domestic sales would commence from July and exports from September.

The first Micra compact car rolled out of the unit's factory near the southern city of Chennai on Monday, the company said in a statement.

The cars will be put on dis-

Jewellers in India are pinning hopes for demand in 2010 on the domestic market as international destinations struggle, but extraordinary price volatility is limiting sales, even in auspicious periods.

India, the world's biggest market for the precious metal, had made successful forays into target markets for midpriced jewellery, but wholesalers exhibiting at Vicenza's international jewellery trade show said uncertainty across financial markets was also mirrored in export activity.

"For the moment, all the markets are slowing down, except for India. Europe is slowing down, the U.S. is not out of the woods yet," said Pradeep Kumar Godha, chairman and managing director of Shantivijay Jewels ltd, in Mumbai.

The industry-backed World Gold Council has been cautiously optimistic on the outlook for demand in 2010, pinning improvement on economic recovery driving jewellery demand and investor appetite for bullion.

Global gold demand fell 11

PTI KOCHI, MAY 24

Many investors wanted cuts in subsidies for fuel, fertiliser and food. They expected the government to move fast on removing supply bottlenecks blamed on state-controlled prices as well as poor roads and rail.

Instead, the coalition spent much of the year fighting political fires, from public anger over high prices to criticism over a growing Maoist insurgency and a high-profile ministerial resignation over a cricket funding scandal.

"The government should have been stronger, instead it moved from one bungle to another," said Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, a leading newspaper columnist writing about the country's political economy.

In March, Singh lost some of his key allies as he tried to push through a bill reserving parliamentary seats for women. The thinning majority sent jitters through Congress before it cobbled the numbers to defeat a parliamentary vote on high prices. While many say the government's response to inflation, now running at an annual rate of nearly 10 percent, was the single biggest failure, its overall handing of the economy has been praised.

Car sales are up 40% year-onyear, industrial output grew by 10.4 percent in 2009-10 and

consumer durables production surged by 30% in the last five months.

The govt has also moved to sell stakes in some state-run firms, worked on a new tax code and is moving to repair public finances. It has sold spectrum to telecoms firms, which is expected to bring much needed funds.

SUSTAINING GROWTH? To sustain grown, investors will be looking to the prime minister to introduce policies to improve the country's dilapidated roads, ports and airports and allow India's large savings to be channeled into productive returns.

Analysts expect Singh to continue to support, but make slow progress on, bills that would liberalise insurance and banking and open up retail, which could resolve supply bottlenecks contributing to high inflation.

Another likely slow mover, given problems with Congress's allies, will be a nuclear liability bill needed to allow entry of US atomic energy firms into India.

"Gradualism punctuated by political compulsions will probably remain the key mantra," Macquarie Research said in a new report that rated the governing UPA performance at an uninspiring six on a scale peaking at 10.

The Gujarat based Lorenzo brand vitrified floor tiles manufacturers is targetting a rs 300 crore turnover in the current fiscal.

Located at Morbi in Gujarat, the two year-old 1SO 9001:2000 certified company's turnover in the 200809 financial year was only rs 75 crore, managing director B J Gadara told reporters here.

The company is also expanding its production capacity to touch 20,000 Sq.Metres of vitrified tiles per day this fiscal from 7500 square metres two years ago, he said.

With over 1,000 dealers and nine sales depots, the company has chalked out a plan to enhance its market share in the country, especially South India where Kerala is a potential market.

Noble pulls out of GPL's port project PTI BERHAMPUR, MAY 24

Less than a month after Gopalpur Port Limited (GPL) announced financial closure of Rs 1400 crore for the first phase of the deep sea port near here, one of its partner Noble Group Limited has decided to pullout.

Hong Kong-based Noble Group, a commodity trading company along with other two firms, Orissa Stevedores Limited and Sara International, had formed a consortium to develop Gopalpur port into an all weather major port with an investment of around Rs 2500 crore.

The GPL had signing memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Orissa government in 2006.

GPL authorities said there would be no impact on the proposed expansion and development of the port project with the exit of Noble.

Noble was virtually out of the project since long as the company had not shown any interest, one of the directors of GPL, Manmohan Maharana, said.

"The port project will go on as per its scheduled plan. It is set to become an all-weather port by the end of next year, as announced by the company, Moharana said.

Nissan’s Micra in India from July ReuTeRs MUMBAI, MAY 24

ReuTeRs VICENZA, MAY 24

Lorenzo eyes Rs 300 cr turnover

Investors still hope for reform after mixed year ReuTeRs NEW DELHI, MAY 24

Jewellers look to home as global markets struggle

play across showrooms in India from May 25, when bookings will also be taken, it said. "...we are introducing a product that has been specifically designed keeping in mind the discerning consumer needs of India," Nissan Motor's COO Toshiyuki Shiga said in the statement.

The cars will be exported to Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The manufacturing unit, in which Nissan along with its alliance partner Renault is investing Rs 4500 crore over seven years, has the capacity to produce 400,000 units annually and will be used by the partners as a global hub for exports.

Global car companies are vying for a share of India's compact car segment, which is about 70 percent of the total passenger car market.

India's top carmaker Maruti Suzuki is the undisputed leader in the segment with brands such as the best-selling Alto, Swift and Ritz hatchbacks.

Earlier launches this year in the compact segment were General Motors' Beat, Ford's Figo and Volkswagen's Polo hatchback, with Polo sedan expected in June and Toyota's Etios towards the end of the year.

percent in 2009, hammered by a 20 percent drop in jewellery demand which accounted for 52 percent of the overall demand last year. Identifiable investment demand rose 7 percent in 2009.

Gold prices have surged in recent weeks, hitting record highs in dollar , euro, sterling and Swiss franc terms but the driving force behind the rally, euro zone sovereign debt worries and concern on the pace of global economic growth, is being felt on wholesale and retail markets.

Hemant Shah, director of Hammer Group, a major jewellery wholesaler and core Council member of India's state-backed Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council, said that the uncertainty had turned attention back to Asia.

"India and China are the growing markets, it is these markets that have strong consumer activity," he said.

"India has not been very badly hit by the recession. Also Indian consumers today have demographics that work very well," he added, referring to the benefit of international

companies outsourcing labour.

PRICING LIMITS Shah said that while wedding jewellery demand in India would remain strong, the complete domestic picture was not entirely plain sailing, with volatility denting consumer sentiment.

He said clients were reporting a disappointing outcome from Askhay Tritiya, a religious occasion where demand usually jumps because it is considered an auspicious time to buy jewellery and coins.

"Although it is deeply entrenched in religion, this year demand fell by about 60 percent, according to clients I speak with," he said.

"There is a line beyond which if prices start to shoot up, even with religion, people will not cross. The desire for jewellery is not going to go away any time soon, but there's a limit where people will hold back for dips," he added.

Jewellers said another sideeffect of the strong gold price is increased use of diamonds in wedding jewellery, with some consumers opting to spend less on gold content and more on stones.

Essar begins operations at Hazira PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

Essar Shipping Ports & Logistics, today said that it has commenced commercial operation of its 30 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) bulk terminal at Hazira.

The terminal became operational with the berthing of the first supramax vessel, M V Malavika.

The Hazira terminal is one of India's largest dry bulk terminal and has been set up at a total cost of close to Rs 800 crore, a press release issued here said.

"With this new facility, Hazira will find a pride of place on the global map of terminals. This also firmly establishes Essar Bulk Terminal's credential to build and operate large terminals. Hazira facility can now become the gateway terminal of Gujarat for deep draught vessels," Essar Bulk Terminal Limited (EBTL), Chief Executive Officer, Capt S Das, said.

With the commissioning of this facility, Essar's total cargo handling capacity, between Hazira and Vadinar, has now increased to 76 MTPA, the release said.

Whirlpool India to hike prices, spread reach ReuTeRs MUMBAI, MAY 24

Consumer durables maker Whirlpool of India, the Indian unit of global appliances maker Whirlpool Corp, plans to hike product prices by 2-3 percent in the next 2 months, a top official said.

"Input prices have gone up and another price increase is on the anvil... probably in the range of 2-3 percent, however we don't see that impacting growth in any way," Shantanu Dasgupta, vice-president, corporate affairs and strategy, told Reuters over a weekend interview.

"We are currently in the middle of the season and many commodities have already been brought so the increase will happen when the season ends," he added.

The company, which makes refrigerators, air-conditioners and washing machines, has revised its investment in India

to Rs 400 crore over 3 years, starting this fiscal. In November the firm had earmarked Rs 300 crore for the same period.

"The investments are going up as we have to support and drive growth through innovation and distribution," Dasgupta said.

The firm plans to launch a new range of higher end washing machines by September this year and boost distribution.

"We are also aiming at strengthening our distribution by looking at 700 small towns across the country and these are currently being mapped. The smaller towns will be the future areas of growth."

Sixty percent of the firm's revenue comes from the urban market while rural sales make up the rest.

Whirpool is ramping up its power accessories division and

plans to invest $1 million every year for development and advertising of new products. It is expecting Rs 400 crore revenues from it in 4-5 years.

Revenues from its power business in FY10 stood at Rs 25 crore and it sees a 50-60 percent jump in FY11 from the business.

"We are already present in the power accessories business. We plan to increase our range by adding inverters, stabilisers, UPS to our list," Dasgupta said.

"Currently we are talking about home accessories but we are also evaluating possibilities in the out-of-home segments."

The consumer appliances maker's FY10 net profit doubled to Rs 146 crore on sales of Rs 2220 crore.

"In FY11 we expect to maintain a 30 percent growth in our topline and hope to maintain our margins in the current fiscal," Dasgupta said.

PC sales up 33% in Q4, says IDC ReuTeRs MUMBAI, MAY 24

Sales of personal computers (PCs) in India rose 33 percent during the first three months of this year from a year ago, spurred by consumer confidence and a revival in IT spends, research firm IDC said on Monday.

Sales of desktop computers,

which accounted for about two-thirds of the total PC sales of 2.2 million units in the quarter, rose 18 percent to 1.4 million units.

Notebook computer sales surged 72 percent 803,000 units.

"This performance underscores a more broad-based recovery in the India PC

market," Anirban Banerjee, associate vice president, research, at IDC India said in a note.

The consumer segment saw PC sales jump 42 percent in the quarter, while shipments to the commercial segment rose 28 percent, IDC said.

For the fiscal year ended March, computer sales re-

vived to record a 7.6 percent rise, from a 8.1 percent decline a year earlier, IDC added.

Hewlett-Packard held on to its top slot in the overall PC market with a market share of 16.5 percent, followed by Dell Inc and Acer with 13.6 percent and 13 percent market share respectively.

Essar picks HP’s infra solution PTI MUMBAI, MAY 24

Hewlett-Packard (HP) said that Essar has selected its Converged Infrastructure solution to build a shared services environment across its group companies.

This will allow Essar to improve time-to-market and reduce cost by leveraging a flexible IT model where resources can be provisioned on the fly as per business demand, an HP release said here today.

"With HP Converged Infrastructure solutions, Essar will now be able to use a shared services environment where resources can be consumed on demand," HP India, Converged Infrastructure and Datacenter Transformation, country head, Santanu Ghose, said.

Using HP's converged infrastructure solution, Essar is enabling a share services model by pooling together all its IT resources into a highly virtualised environment. Specific application templates have been developed to automatically provision resources for every new business user. Businesses can then request IT services on the fly by using a built-in self service portal, the release said.

In addition, the group was planning to consolidate its IT infrastructure and build a shared services model that would ensure high return on its IT investments, the release said.

Funskool bags rights to distribute Danish toys PTI CHENNAI, MAY 24

Funskool INdia, a joint venture of tyre company MRF and US-based toy maker Hasbro Inc, today said it has bagged the rights from Denmark-based toy manufacturing firm LEGO Group to distribute their toys in India.

Initially, Funskool would retail toys like LEGO Duplo, LEGO City, LEGO Creator, LEGO Technic, LEGO Atlantis, LEGO Racers in the country,Funskool India said in a statement here.

"LEGO Group is one of the most popular and

sought after names in the toy industry and we are delighted to partner with them to distribute their products in the India market. With this association, we expect to further strengthen our leadership status in the Indian Toy industry,” Funskool India CEO K John Baby said.

After commercially beginning their operations in 1988, Funskool India has a manufacturing facility at Goa and at Ranipet. Besides Hasbro Incorporation, Funskool also represents Japanese toy maker Tomy in India. It has also got exclusive rights from Walt Disney for board games, the statement added.

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GOA’S HEARTBEAT Melodious voices sweeping through the air and enchanting and soothing all, with or without an accompanying score, such is the effect of a choir.

Goa, the land that has borne many talents in music, has its fair share of choirs and choral ensembles.

Herald reveals more

GOA’S FOOTBALL

The Melodies of Choral Music

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The only person who never makes mistakes is the “ Uddarachem pott sodanch “person ritem - Anonymous who never does anything - Denis Waitley

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Tuesday, 25 May, 2010

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Foreign Exchange improves Quality A n th 2 0 1 0 F IF T h e n in e te e egin on June ill b World Cup w a. As football ic fr A th u o S 11 in ls te yell for goa ta s e th in s n fa will penalty, they or frown at a that India is d te in o p p a be dis Herald meets t, e Y . re e th not ho enthusiasts w n ll a tb o fo o tw a ve that India c not only belie dually making ra do it, but are g it possible

BY NOMRATHA FERNANDES HERALD FEATURES ario Fernandes from Divar and Fabiano DeSouza from Calangute are football fans. As soon as you hear those words you imagine them to be glued to their television sets for every football match, roaring out cheers or boos, depending on the match’s situation. They probably do all of this, but don’t just stop at that. Once the match is complete and the television is switched off, they take their passion for football to the field.

Fabiano runs the Goa United Sports Academy in Calangute. The Academy trains youngsters in football. Its current strength is 600 children, all with hopes of making it big in the football world. Mario on the other hand is plain passionate about changing the football scene for the better in Goa. The Goa United Sports Academy has invited football players from all over India for a trial to be held on June 2 at 4pm at the Poriat Ground, Calangute.

The upper age limit is 16 years. “This is just one among many such trials we will be conducting in the future - a big opportunity for young football talent.

Scouts from various international football schools will be present here and players, if selected, will get a chance to join these schools in countries like the UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, etc,” says DeSouza.

“We have excellent players on an individual basis. Indian (Goan) players

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BY JANICE RODRIGUES HERALD FEATURES nchanting their way through the years are two choirs that have seen growth ever since their inception.

Both of them, different in their own ways but bound by music, are the Choir of Santa Cecilia of the Rachol Seminary and the Namah Chorale.

“A choir is a large group of people singing in the four voices and there has to be at least four people singing in one voice,” explains Fr Romeo Monteiro of the Rachol Seminary, who has taken up the charge of the Choir of Santa Cecilia.

Formed by the Archbishop Patriarch Dom Antonio Sebastiao in 1897, formerly under the name of ‘Palestrinian Orpheon’ and later rechristened in the year 1905, the Choir of Santa Cecilia is the oldest in Goa. The uniqueness of this choir is that it constituted solely of the seminarians of the Rachol Seminary. “We have accompanying artists and singers while performing for the various concerts,” says Fr Romeo.

Performing at specific concerts, the Santa Cecilia Choir abides by the strict principles to achieve excellence in choral music. The members of the choir are chosen every academic year as the fresh batch of the seminarians come in. “We choose about 16 to 18 members in our choir with at least four in each voice and other associate

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members join in when we perform publicly accompanied by the musicians, on a voluntary basis. This year’s concert saw the 84 member choir accompanied by 65 orchestra members,” says Fr Romeo who has been in charge of the choir since 2007.

The Namah Chorale on the other hand is a non-religious chorale which consists of about 60 members, of which 36 are regular members and the rest join in at various points. The Chorale, although relatively young with only four years in the Goan music scene since 2006, has managed to gain ground and hold the audience enrapt.

“We have about 8 to 9 people in each voice, most of our members are Goans but there are some members who join in from other countries as well,” says Christo, the conductor of the Namah Chorale. The versatility of the choir can be seen in the type of songs they perform. “We don’t restrict ourselves to the genre of chorale music; we even sing pop from Abba to the Beatles,” says Christo, who is basking in the glory of the recent certification the chorale received. “We just have been awarded a distinction at the Ensemble Music Exam; it gives us a boost to have some kind of certification,” says Christo.

The scene of the choirs in Goa is definitely getting a boost and is gaining recognition for their talents. “Choirs give a great opportunity to the talent around the state,” concludes Christo.

­H­O­R­O­S­C­O­P­E Slow progress is frustrating, but don't doubt that this is the right thing to do. Everything (21 Mar – 19 Apr) serious is going on under the surface -- how frustrating! You might not even realize your mate or best friend is mad until it all boils over. And that could take days!

Recent small changes are starting to make a much bigger impact than you expected. Nothing (23 Sep – 22 Oct) can be solved today without dipping beneath the surface. It's a good time to immerse yourself in whatever is going on, rather than just taking it all in at a glance. You can learn a lot!

Their odd behavior is likely due more to jealousy than anything else.

Be flattered. You pride (20 Apr – 20 May) yourself on your intensity, though you also value your down time. Right now, though, you need to ramp up to a new level, because only through concentrated effort can you get anything done.

Making difficult decisions is the best way to learn what's really important to you. You're in (23 Oct – 21 Nov) the middle of a situation that doesn't seem to offer you a winnable option. If you find a way to give in without giving up ground, you can come out ahead in the very long run.

They would never willfully mislead you. Give them a chance to explain their side. Your ability to (21 May – 21 Jun) get others to do what's right is key at the moment, and that means that you need to make sure that everyone is lined up and facing the right way. Your service to them is admired.

Feeling shy and introverted? Schedule some alone time to recharge your batteries. You need (22 Nov – 21 Dec) to deal with subconscious issues today -- but how can you identify them? Dreams offer easy clues, but if they're long gone from memory, try sitting still and letting your mind wander.

An encounter may cause emotional upheaval -unless you chalk it up to coincidence. You're feel(22 Jun – 22 Jul) ing pretty good about your situation -- but unsure of what to do next. That's fine, as long as you can hold your ground for the time being. Your position isn't so bad, really.

Get ready to be reminded once again what wonderful friends you have. You're lucky. A little (22 Dec – 19 Jan) meditation goes a long way today, especially if you're facing a crisis or a pressing issue. It's a good time to pull back a bit and decide what it is that you really, truly want.

Watch for someone who's always plotting -you could become part of their story. Nothing is (23 Jul – 22 Aug) quite as it seems today, but that doesn't mean that you can't push forward. If you're willing to look under the surface, you may find that things start to make more sense pretty quickly.

They slowed down to wait for you. Now you should slow down and wait for them. Focus on career is(20 Jan – 18 Feb) sues today, even if they've been dragging you down lately. In fact, that's all the more reason to redouble your efforts -- life can get a lot better once you move past this slump!

You can't analyze the unseen. Sometimes, you just have to have faith and believe. You need (23 Aug – 22 Sep) to look more deeply into the unseen issues that are affecting your personal life. Some may be internal and some external, but they all deserve attention. Something has to give!

You'll get a warm and fuzzy feeling when someone is especially thoughtful today. Fuzzy (19 Feb – 20 Mar) thinking may be just what is needed today. Your mental energy may not lead to rigorous logic, but it can still get you where you need to go -- with time to spare for the good stuff!

Cape United Soccer School of Excellence in South Africa has already spotted one Goan football talent, 16-year-old Brandon Fernandes from Benaulim. He was invited by the Soccer School for a week long trial in April and had an enjoyable time on the field, and off. He managed to impress the staff of the School with his sporting talent.

Mike Steptoe, the owner of Cape United is eager to meet his parents and will be coming down to Goa to do so. This is an opportunity of a lifetime for Brandon. If all works out fine Brandon will be offered a contract with the Soccer School till he turns 18 years of age. He will have two nuggets of gold in his pocket that will make him shine. He will train under one of the world’s leading football schools. This means that his chances of entering a European football league are higher. The School will maintain his progress and upon completion he will be offered a professional contract under the School’s management. He will become the first Indian footballer to achieve this feat.

This youngster began playing at age 8. Fransa FC and Velsao Pale Sports Club saw him as part of their U-14 teams. Presently, he is playing for Salgaocar Sports Club, U-16 and U-18 teams.

‘I Hate Luv Storys’ does not belittle Bollywood: Imran Khan

have not failed to match international football standards of playing and a number are also playing in major international clubs. But the level of competition at a national level is poor,” says Mario. Teams kick it out for various national tournaments, a winner is declared and the cycle continues. The very level of competition has to be improved for this to change. “When youngsters are exposed to an international standard of football it will automatically bring about a drastic change in the standard of football in the state,” he adds. A mingling of young football players from Goa with those from the ruling football nations will bring about a certain awareness to the nuances of the game which will only work for the betterment of the game in the country.

The trials thus are their pitch- in to make India one amongst the countries to qualify for the forthcoming Football World Cup. In their own words, “Begin at raising the level of players in the country and the level of football will rise.

India will be on the way to qualifying for the World Cup.” While efforts are put into upping football – the game and the facilities, focus towards a certain goal gives direction to players, thereby strengthening their purpose of those many hours of practice, their personal passion aside.

Opportunities like this also witness serious commitment and an overall improvement in game, by player and by team.

Their grievances of football in the state overlap those of the various other sports. “The pre-requisites for forming a football club are in actuality three to four football grounds, an indoor ground, a gymnasium and medical facilities,” says Mario, visibly disappointed. Fighting all odds, they are trying, with a firm belief that in time and with perseverance, things will change for the better.

Shrek returns with Loads of Fun

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e achieved heartthrob status with his debut in the hit romantic comedy ‘Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa’ and Imran Khan is returning to the genre with ‘I Hate Luv Storys’ (IHLS), which he says is a parody of all things Bollywood.

Though Imran’s new film pokes fun at the ‘cheesy’ treatment given to love stories in Hindi cinema, the actor says that the film does not take a condescending look at Bollywood, instead the laughter comes from the fact that everyone loves the much derided cliches.

“IHLS is a self parody and we are not shying away from admitting that. See, the fact is that there is a tendency amongst a lot of people in the industry to say that the song and dance routine is passe. It is something that I have never understood,” the actor said.

The Karan Johar production, directed by debutante Punit Malhotra sees Imran pair up with Sonam Kapoor, who plays a die-hard ‘filmi’ romantic. If promos are any indication, the film makes an unabashed statement about the song, dance, mush and romance in Bollywood. But he is all for more song and dance in films, said the 27-year-old actor.

In fact, Imran is of the opinion that Bollywood does not need to be apologetic about it’s song and dance routines and stick to it’s entertainment value. “We are making films for the Indian industry so why not just make it the way everyone loves them? If we are making Hindi films with all the songs and dances then why be apologetic? We should be proud of what we are doing and only aspire to do something better. Let’s work further on getting some more amazing music and amazing dance numbers but let’s not do away with them please,” he said.

According to the actor, IHLS is a “classic romcom” which doesn’t claim to charter into an unexplored territory.

“The story itself belongs to the kind that we always make. It is not a great original screenplay but the idea is to pick the same story and make it into something which is very interesting. The film itself is a classic romcom which has all the ingredients that we like in a romcom,” said Imran.

W

hen the first ‘Shrek’ released far, far back, it entertained everyone by turning every known fairy tale around. Then came the sequels, and things went downhill.

Thankfully, the makers discovered the lost magic formula, and this time, instead of other fairly tales, they turned the tables on their own story.

Like all things human and ogre, Shrek is no longer happy with his ‘boring’, contented life, raising kids and listening to the same stories from friends. He longs for the excitement of his bachelor life, where everyone was scared of him. So, in a fit of desperation, he trades a day from his life with a day of living the old scary life. Sadly, he makes the deal with Rumpelstiltskin, who had always wanted to usurp ‘Far Far Away’.

As expected, things turn horribly wrong and everything changes and it is up to Shrek to correct his ‘mistake’ so that things get back to normal.

The first ‘Shrek’ in 2001 was an instant hit in every department. ‘Shrek 2’ was a worthy successor. But the third installment disappointed everyone. Thankfully, ‘Shrek Forever After’ returns the much needed fun quotient into the most successful animated franchise of recent times.

The attention to detail in its 3D is good and entertains. However, like the first part, there is a lot of humour happening in the background for the delight of the discerning and observant viewer. Knowledge of fairy tales enhances the entertainment quotient.

The introduction of new characters, Rumpelstiltskin and Pied Piper, along with new facets to the same old characters, brings the much needed novelty to the film.

After the dismal third part, everyone wished this ogre to go away. However, ‘Shrek Forever After’ will have audiences wanting more of this, purportedly last film of the franchise.

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GOA’S HEARTBEAT

CURR

Tuesday, 25 May, 2010

WHAT’S UP IN GOA??

Football trials will be held on June 2 at 4pm at the Poriat Grounds, Calangute. Call 9422452093. E-mail fabianodsouza@yahoo.com A workshop for tiatr script writers and lyricists will take place on June 7 from 10am onwards at the Tiatr Academy Conference Hall, Campal, Panaji.

Registration closes on June 4, 2010.

Call 2230738 or 2230739.

‘Paltadacho Munis’ or ‘The Man Beyond The Bridge’ is being screened till May 25 at 6pm and 8pm at the Maquinez Palace, Panjim. Call 2428111, 2428113 and 2428115.

‘Tobacco Control and the Role of the Media’, a workshop organised by the Voluntary Health Association of Goa (VHAG), GOACAN, Goa Union of Journalist (GUJ) and the International Centre Goa (ICG) will take place on May 25 at the International Centre Goa from 9.30am to 5.30pm.

A photography exhibition by Thomas Vaz is being held till May 25 at the Museum of Christian Art, Old Goa. Call 2285299 A 6-month training programme for preschool teachers will be held every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from June to December 2010. Registration closes on May 27. E-mail reachus@sethu.in. Call 6513749 The seventh session of Zeitgeist – the Art History Club will be held on May 27 at 6:30pm at the Gallery Gitanjali, Panjim the discussion will be on the topic of the Unbearable Lightness of Being- Abstraction in the 20th Century.

To register contact 9823572035 or email: gallerygitanjali@gmil.com The Gomant Vibhushan Award will be handed over to Dr Anil Kakodkar on May 29 at 5:30pm at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Call 2420452.

‘Solar Training Workshop’, organised

by The International Centre Goa, Dona Paula will take place on May 29 and 30 at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. Call 9765404391 A summer experiential adventure

WORD OF THE DAY

luscious Pronunciation LUSH-us Function Noun Meaning 1 : having a delicious sweet taste or smell 2 : sexually attractive 3 : richly luxurious Example Sentence Jobelle loves freshly picked lusicous strawberries with wipped cream.

SUDOKU 561

camp, organised by Wildtrek Adventures will take place on May 29 and 30. Call 9822123458, 9822155805, 9422640141 or 9822988918.

The Kala Gaurav Puraskar will be handed over to Dr Sakharam Bhalchandra Nadkarni by the Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat on May 30 at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Cal 2420452.

‘Mahaquizzer’, a national level quiz, organised by the Karnataka Quiz Association and the Sunday Evening Quiz Club will take place on May 30 at the Goa Pharmacy College, Panjim. E-mail mahaquizzer@gmail.com or seqcgoa@gmail.com World Tobacco Day will be celebrated with various competitions organised by the Indian Medical Association, Students Wing on May 31. Call 9860030131 or 9923568524 ‘Awareness Week’ will be celebrated by all the polytechnic educational institutions in Goa from May 31 to June 4 from 10am to 11am. Call the Government Polytechnic, Panjim on 2432667, the Government Polytechnic, Curchorem on 2654400 or 2967602, the Government Polytechnic, Bicholim on 222717, 361235 or 2361235, the Agnel Polytechnic, Verna on 2791206, 2791208, 2791266 or 2791268 and the Institute of Ship Building Technology, Vasco on 2524097..

The feast of Our Lady of Three Necessities will be celebrated on May 31 at the Se Cathedral, Old Goa. A 6-month fisherman training course will begin on June 1 at Fisherman Centre, Ela-Dhauj, Old Goa. The last date to register is May 26. Contact Fisherman Training Centre, Ela-Dhauj, Old Goa. ‘Coconut Heritage Photography Contest’ a photography contest organised by the Heritage Jazz is open for entries till June 10. The entry forms are available at Champs and Big G, Margao and Champs, Magsons, the Don Bosco Oratory and the Gonsalves Mansion, Panjim. Call 2228010.

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Photos by Herald Features

The play threw light on a very topical issue in Goa – a farmer getting duped off his cultivable land, by the land sharks HERALD FEATURES embers of Rangmell of Kala Academy gave a rousing performance while enacting a drama ‘Olakh’, written and directed by Rajeev Shinde and produced

by Dr P R Phaldesai, member secretary (KA).

The small audience that was present at the Dinanath Mangueshkar hall was kept rooted to their seats all through the show which involved a touching sotry of a farmer who is duped of his cultivable land. The land sharks take him for a ride and he ends up searching for his own identity but no village acknowledges him or claims to know him. As for the acting, every young artiste gave a fascinating performance doing full justice to their role. The cast included Jayesh Bagkar, Tulsidas Sawant, Priyanka Naik, Namrata Naik, and Mamata Pednekar amongst others.

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“Suburbia is where the developer bulldozes out the trees, then names the streets after them.”

– Bill Vaughan DAILY GROOK GREASE SLEAZE

by Francis Rodrigues latin romeos gals do play, they all use oil of olay!

Instructions for Sudoku SUDOKU SOL 560 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

Faces and Thoughts of ‘Chacha’ Nehru to come alive HERALD FEATURES o commemorate his 46th death anniversar y (May 27,1964) and perpetuate his inspiring memory, MARG Trusts Nehru Centre, as in the past, will hold Jawahrlal Nehru-Faces & Thoughts, a three-day photo exhibition on May 29, 30 and

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10:30 12/24 Karol Bagh

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HERALD FEATURES iatr Academy Goa is holding a workshop for writers of scripts of tiatr and lyrics of songs on June 7, 2010 from 10 am onwards at TAG’s Conference Hall, Campal Trade Centre, Campal, Panjim, Goa. According to sources from the academy, “The workshop will deal with the correct method of writing in Konkani in Roman script. It is a fact that in the present times, no tiatr artiste has taken formal education in Konkani in Roman script. This is the main reason why different script writers and lyricists write Konkani in Roman script in different ways.” TAG aims at bringing uniformity in the writing of Konkani in Roman script among the tiatr artistes by organising a series of workshops to that effect. The first workshop scheduled on June 7 will be conducted by Tomazinho Cardozo, President of TAG. Tiatr artistes interested in attending the workshop should confirm their participation by informing TAG by writing or through phone nos. 2230738/2230739 on or before June 4, 2010.

TAG requests the tiatr artistes to take benefit of the workshop so that the standard of writing Konkani in Roman Script improves.

‘Olakh’: Searching for the Identity

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10:30 Crime Patrol 11:00 Godh Bharaai 11:30 Indian Idol: Extra 13:00 Godh Bharaai 13:30 C.I.D : Split 15:00 C.I.D Classics 18:00 Boogie Woogie Kids 19:30 Godh Bharaai 20:00 C.I.D Classics 21:00 Indian Idol

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HERALD FEATURES he Directorate of Art and Culture will present the first ever Gomant Vibhushan Award to Dr Anil Kakodkar for his contribution in the field of Science and Technology. The award ceremony will be held on May 29, 2010 from 10 am to 7 pm at Dinanath Mangeshkar Auditorium, Kala Academy. Considered the highest award to be presented to any Goan by the state, the award is a new scheme introduced from the year 2009-10. Eminent Goan origin personalities who have made Goa proud by excelling in their own field and bringing laurels and recognition to Goa at National and International stratum will be bestowed with the Gomant Vibushan Award. The award comprises an amount of Rs 5 lakh along with a memento and a citation.

Dr Anil Kakodkar was listed in India’s 50 Most Powerful People 2009 by the Business Week magazine. An eminent Indian nuclear scientist and mechanical engineer, he was the chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India and the Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy. Dr Anil is also a recipient of the Padma Shri award in 1998, the Padma Bhushan award in 1999 and the Padma Vibhushan award in 2009.

The award ceremony will include the release and screening of ‘Karmayogi’, a documentary film based on the life of Dr Anil Kakodkar, an open interview of Dr Anil Kakodkar by Dr Ajay Vaidhya and a panel discussion on the theme Science and Society.

The Governor of West Bengal, M K Narayanan will be the Chief Guest at the award presentation ceremony and Digambar Kamat, Chief Minister of Goa, will preside over the function in the presence of Pratapsingh Rane, Speaker of Goa Legislative Assembly, Manohar Parrikar, leader of Opposition of Goa Legislative Assembly and Francisco Sardinha, MP Lok Sabha.

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08:35 Nim's Island 10:30 Mad Money 12:40 Chain Reaction 14:50 Taken 16:45 Hannah Montana 18:55 The Dark is Rising 21:00 The Transporter

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11:15 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 12:00 Mr. and Mrs. Sharma Allahabadwale 12:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

13:00 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 13:30 Maniben.com 14:00 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

14:30 Mr. and Mrs. Sharma Allahabadwale 15:00 Lapataganj 15:30 FIR 16:00 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

16:30 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 17:00 Mr. and Mrs. Sharma Allahabadwale 17:30 Gutar Gu 18:00 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

18:30 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 19:00 Lapataganj 19:30 Mr. and Mrs. Sharma

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To be bestowed with the first Gomant Vibhushan Award

GARFIELD

10:00 Sabki Laadli Bebo 10:30 Saath Nibhana Saathiya 11:00 Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya 11:30 Behenein 12:00 Sapna Babul Ka ...Bidaai 12:30 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 13:00 Tere Mere Sapne 13:30 Hamari Devrani 14:00 Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat 14:30 Behenein 15:00 Sajan Ghar Jaana Hai 15:30 Sapna Babul Ka ...Bidaai 16:00 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 16:30 Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya 17:00 Sasural Genda Phool 17:30 Saath Nibhana Saathiya 18:00 Zara Nachke Dikha 18:30 Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya 19:00 Saath Nibhana Saathiya 19:30 Sasural Genda Phool 20:00 Sajan Ghar Jaana Hai 20:30 Behenein 21:00 Sapna Babul Ka ...Bidaai 21:30 Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai 22:00 Sabki Laadli Bebo 22:30 Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya

Fashion

INGS

Great Goan Honour for Dr Kakodkar

Funny Quote

11:00 Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi 11:30 Pavitra Rishta 12:00 Do Saheliyaan 12:30 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 13:00 Jhansi Ki Rani 13:30 Pavitra Rishta 14:00 Choti Bahu 14:30 Do Saheliyaan 15:00 Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi 15:30 12/24 Karol Bagh 16:00 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 16:30 Choti Bahu 17:00 Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi 17:30 Jhansi Ki Rani 18:00 Pavitra Rishta 18:30 Ghar Ghar Mein 19:00 Do Saheliyaan 19:30 Choti Bahu 20:00 Jhansi Ki Rani 20:30 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 21:00 Pavitra Rishta 21:30 Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi 22:00 12/24 Karol Bagh 22:30 Do Saheliyaan

Entertainment

12:30 Maa Ki Shakti 15:50 Kala Bazaar 20:00 C Kkompany 23:15 Ru-Ba-Ru

09:30 Dhokha 12:30 Ab Tak Chhappan 16:00 Main Hoon Rakhwala 20:00 Angaaray 23:00 Enemy of the State

08:15 No Escape 10:35 Chicks on Flicks 11:05 Down in the Valley 13:20 Half Nelson 15:25 Affliction 17:40 Hollywood One on One 18:10 Gosford Park

21:00 Havoc 22:55 The In-Laws

08:30 Khal-Naaikaa 12:00 Apna Sapna Money Money 15:30 Super Gaane 16:00 Kaalia 20:00 Bhoothnath 23:30 Dost

08:00 Nagin Ek Inteqam 12:00 Kranti 16:00 Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge 20:00 Aadmi

E N T E R TA I N M E N T Allahabadwale 20:00 Maniben.com 20:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

21:00 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 21:30 Mr. and Mrs. Sharma Allahabadwale 22:00 Lapataganj 22:30 FIR

10:30 Mile Jab Hum Tum 11:00 Laughter Dons 12:00 Jaane Pehchaane Se Yeh 12:30 Dill Mill Gayye 13:00 Mile Jab Hum Tum 13:30 Geet

14:00 Rang Badalti Odhni 14:30 Jaane Pehchaane Se Yeh 15:00 Main, Meri Patni Aur Woh 18:00 Laughter Ke Phatke 18:30 Horror Nights 19:00 Geet 19:30 Rang Badalti Odhni 20:00 Dill Mill Gayye 20:30 Jaane Pehchaane Se Yeh 21:00 Mile Jab Hum Tum 21:30 Geet 22:00 Rang Badalti Odhni 22:30 Dill Mill Gayye

11:00 Csi 12:00 World Records Smashed

13:00 Criss Angel Mindfreak 14:00 Scare Tactics 15:00 Guinness World Records 17:00 The Amazing Race Asia 18:00 Terminator 19:00 World Records Smashed 20:00 Breaking The Magician's Code 21:00 So You Think You Can Dance 22:00 Magic Asia: India 23:30 Magic Asia: India 23:00 Csi

10:00 Monk 11:00 V.I.P 12:00 The Bold and The Beautiful

12:30 Castle : Inventing the Girl 13:30 American Idol 14:30 Scrubs 15:00 The Bold and The Beautiful 15:30 Monk 16:30 Friends 17:00 Castle: Inventing the Girl 18:00 V.I.P 19:00 Friends 19:30 Scrubs 20:00 Monk 21:00 Friends 21:30 Scrubs 22:00 Castle: Fool Me Once

09:30 The Contenders : USA & Uruguay 10:00 Sk Telecom Open : Day 2 13:00 MLB Regular Season 2010 : Boston Red Sox vs.

Tampa Bay Rays 16:00 NBA Eastern Conference Finals 2009/10 : Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics 18:30 2009 Winter X Games 13 Slammed Stomped 19:00 World of Gymnastics 19:30 Sportscenter Express : South Africa 20:00 Sportscenter India 20:30 Sportscenter Asia 21:00 The Contenders : Australia & Slovenia 21:30 The Contenders 22:00 Sportscenter India 22:30 Sportscenter Asia

11:30 Motorsport Mundial 12:00 Real NBA 12:30 2010 South Africa Tour to West Indies H/ls : 2nd ODI 14:30 The Inside Story : Pakistan vs. England: 2nd T20 15:00 UEFA Champions League 2009/10 : Bayern Munich vs. Inter Milan

31(Saturday, Sunday and Monday) at Kala Academy Art Gallery , Panjim , between 10 am to 6 pm.

The exhibition will be inaugurated on May 29 at 10 am by Chief Minister Digambar Kamat.

The display of photos is nothing but the discovery of Jawaharlal’s socio-political and personal life from his childhood till the end of the journey. The photos depict his young days, his role and participation in the freedom struggle, his nearness to Mahatma Gandhi and to the national and world leaders.

The display will also contain a variety of books written by him and by scores of scribes on his life and action. A special cell will take you down memor y lane to the visit of Jawahrlal to Goa in May 1964.

17:00 WWE: After Burn 18:00 Moto GP H/ls : Monster Energy Grand Prix De France 19:00 Moto GP H/ls 20:00 2010 South Africa Tour to West Indies H/ls 22:00 Real NBA 22:30 WWE: After Burn

11:00 Apollo Flight of the Hawkz 12:00 In the Womb : Animals 13:00 Apollo Flight of the Hawkz 14:00 Lockdown 15:00 Apollo Flight of the Hawkz 16:00 Nat Geo Junior 17:00 Most Amazing Moments 18:00 Nat Geo Wild 19:00 Mega Factories

07:00 07:30 08:00 09:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 14:00 15:00

Kids Club Flavors English News Konkani News Marathi News Hymn Singing Face-2-Face Konkani Songs Flavors English News Fussion Concert On a mission with same passion 15:30 Sangeet 16:00 Evening with the Parishioners 16:30 Flavors 17:00 Kids Club 17:30 Konkani Songs 18:00 Konkani News 19:00 Marathi News 20:00 English News 21:00 Konkani Songs 21:30 Fairyland 22:00 English News 23:00 Sangeet 23:30 HCN Smash Hitz Note: Subject to change

Refurbished Norbert’s now open to Public N

orbert’s Fitness Studio at Caranzalem, which was recently reopened to the public with a whole new look , is now designed to cater to the individualistic needs of two categories of people as it now supports two separate facilities – a cardio training area and a strength training area.

With this innovation in gym services, Norbert’s Fitness Studio now has programmes and amenities to suit every individual’s fitness desires. An increased number of spinning bikes, ellipticals, and treadmills intertwined with a resistance training corner comprising of the cardio facility with international-standard weight training machines and dumbbells are sure to provide an all round fitness.

With the right blend of exercise and a balanced diet, workouts here move away from the monotonous one-hour ‘gymming’ to the more serious and result-oriented regimes that help increase overall fitness and wellbeing and decrease the dosage of medication.

HERALD CROSSWORD - 561 Across 1- Pertaining to space; 8Winter melons; 15- Dormer window; 16- Producing effects; 17- 15th letter of the Greek alphabet; 18- Small end-blown flute; 19- Move about recklessly; 20- Gaming cubes; 22- European ermine; 23- Connect with; 25- "It's ___ real"; 26- Brown and white Eurasian falcon; 29- Approvals; 31- Yank's foe; 34Boring tool; 36- Bad-mouth; 37- Entrance; 38- Slanting; 40- Due to the fact that; 42Shape; 43- Genetic messenger; 45- Distended; 46- Ask invasive questions; 47- Autocratic Russian rulers; 49- Designer Geoffrey; 50- Clarified butter; 52- Exhausted; 54Less common; 56- Combustible heap; 57- NFL scores; 60- Unity; 62- Intestinal; 65- Sluggishness; 66Tumor formed of nerve tissue; 67- Not strict; 68- Add sugar; Down 1- Trudge; 2- Cougar; 3- Biting; 4Tic ___ Dough; 5- Like some vbs.; 6- Battery terminal; 7- Mildness; 8- Pigeon coop; 9- Mil. address; 10- Faculties; 11- Aggregate of qualities that make good character; 12- Capital of Louisiana; 13Organization to promote theater; 14- Editor's mark; 21- Like some dorms; 23- Lukewarm; 24- Oilrich nation; 25- Attack on all sides; 26- Trample; 27- Shady recess;

28- Strong yellow-green; 30- SOLUTION - 560 Bro or sis; 32- Histological stain; 33- Plait, old-style; 35- Suckle; 37- Ventured; 39- Bambi's aunt; 41- Raise to third power; 44- Bohemian; 47- Cylindrical; 48Alarms; 51- Artist Rousseau; 53- Continue a subscription; 54- Agitate; 55- Actress Heche; 56- H.S. exam; 57- Horse's gait; 58Thin change; 59- Examine, search; 61- Sloth, e.g.; 63Calendar abbr.; 64- Before;

SPORTS

Pg16

GOA, Tuesday, 25 May, 2010

Vasco hold Mohammedans

Vasco…1 Sesa…1

M Sporting…1 HAL…1

2nd div i-league HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, MAY 24

Vasco Sports Club failed to qualify for next season’s I-League after drawing 1-1 with Mohammedan Sporting in Banga-

lore on Monday.

In an earlier match, Sesa Football Academy drew with HAL, Bangalore 1-1 which meant Vasco's fate was decided before they drew with Mohammedans.

HAL qualified alongwith ONGC for the 4th edition of the National League which now becomes a 16-team tournament.

Vasco finished third, collecting 10 points from seven matches while Sesa finished with three points drawing three and losing four.

Sesa knew they have fallen short of qualifying but were determined to leave the competition with at least one win. They were also aware that a win today against HAL could have helped Vasco to qualify.

Sesa took the lead in the 29th

minute when Selwyn Fernandes headed in off Israel Gurung’s cross. HAL's Satish Kumar scored the equaliser before the break through a solo effort dodging past two defenders and burying the ball past the Sesa goalkeeper with a low drive.

Sesa were missing key defenders throughout the second stage of the tournament and were also playing without their star striker Marcus Mascarenhas.

Sesa coach Clifford Chukuwuma stated, "Today we did not play any different from our earlier matches. I am happy with how my boys played. They

have learnt a lot and I am confident we will return much stronger in the next season.”

A dejected Vasco team took the field with Joel Sequeira scoring in the 35th minute. In the 67th minute, Jyoti Kumar equalised for Mohammedans.

Speaking to Herald, Vasco manager Gavin Araujo said, "Throughout the tournament I felt we played well. We won three matches and lost two against teams which qualified.

Today, we could have won but our boys already knew that we did not qualify and were disappointed."

Candolim down Sodiem Siolim palyekar soccer HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

Candolim Sports Club registered a 2-0 win over Sodiem Siolim in the inaugural match to enter the quarter-finals of Pramodini Dattaram Palyekar memorial soccer organised by Football Club of Siolim at St. Anthony’s

church ground, Siolim on Monday. Candolim scored a goal in each session.

Francis Rebello put Candolim ahead in the 4th minute as he guided the ball into the goal off Kliber D’Souza’s cross.

Changing over, Wesleslau Rebello latched on a power-packed long ranger to further consolidate the lead in the 10th minute.

Manora enter last eight atlanta georgia cup HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MAY 24

Youth of Manora played their hearts out to register a 3-0 win over Ambelim Sports Club to enter the quarter-finals of AllGoa Atlanta Georgia Cup intervillage football tournament organised by Enfermos Sports Club at Rosary ground, Navelim on Monday.

Youth of Manora led 1-0 at the breather.

Manora took the lead in the 35th minute when striker Mauricio bulged the net giving no chance to the rival goalkeeper from close range.

A f t e r t h e l e m o n b re a k , Manora were a transformed side as they repeatedly raided the rival goal with well orchestrated moves.

Manora were rewarded in the 45th minute when striker

Don Fernandes slotted past the rival goalkeeper with a rasping drive.

Edison Sequeira rounded off the tally for Manora late in the second half.

GOA DIARY U-19 girls soccer trials

PANJIM (HSD) – The Goa Football Association will conduct selection trials for U-19 girls from May 26 to 28 at Campal ground, at 8 a.m.

Those born between 1.1.1992 and 31.12.1994 may report to Maymol Rocky at the venue.

Cycle rally at Mira Mar

PANJIM (HSD) -- The mass cycle rally organised by Goa Cycle Club and supported

by TI Cycles India, will be held on May 27, from new high mast, Mira Mar, at 6 p.m.

Details may be obtained on 9822166165.

Athletics trials at Campal

PANJIM (HSD) – The Goa Athletic Association will conduct selection trials for U14, U-16, U-18 and U-20 boys and girls on May 29 at Campal ground, at 3.30 p.m, to select the State team to participate in West Zone Athletic Championship to be held at Ujjain.

St Anthony soccer quarters: James 7788, Bogmalo v. Davorlim Boys, Davorlim, Firguem bhatt ground, Goa-Velha, 5 p.m.

Fr. Chico Cup soccer inaugural: Siolim Sodiem v. Adarsh YS Saligao, Dr. Gustavo Monteiro stadium, Candolim ground, 4.45 p.m.

All-Goa Diogo Vaz memorial veterans soccer: Bardez Veterans v. Curtorim Veterans, Don Bosco ground, Panjim, 4.45 p.m.

Santa Cruz Youth Cup soccer: Candolim Youth v. Azzosim Youth, Santa Cruz ground, 4.15 p.m.

Shooting Star soccer: Ambelim SC v. Don Bosco, Fatorda, Assolna ground, 4.30 p.m.

Pramodini Dattaram Palyekar soccer: FC Siolim v. PVC Parra, St. Anthony’s church ground, Siolim, 4.30 p.m.

Sai Avtar Super Cup soccer: Candolim SC v. Arpora SC, Anj u n a G y m k h a n a g ro u n d , Tembi, 4.45 p.m.

Nerul Panchayat Cup soccer: Nerul SC v. Saligao SC, Nerul ground, 4.45 p.m.

Varca Panchayat Cup soccer: Carmona SC v. Cuncolim Union, Varca ground, 4.30 p.m.

SPORTS

Pg17

GOA, Tuesday, 25 May, 2010

Veterans defend Federer, Serena reach 2nd round Dunga’s isolation plans AGENCIES PARIS, MAY 24

Milito’s form shows why he was picked: Maradona REUTERS BUENOS AIRES, MAY 24

Diego Milito will h a v e the

same chance as Argentina's other in-form strikers to earn a place in their World Cup side, coach Diego Maradona said.

Milito, one of six strikers in Maradona's 23-man squad, reached the heights of European football by scoring both goals in Inter Milan's 2-0 win over Bayern Munich in Saturday's Champions League final in Madrid. ''I'm not surprised by Milito.

He's had a spectacular season, but then so have the others, Lio (Messi), (Carlos) Tevez, 'Kun' (Sergio Aguero),'' Maradona on Sunday told a news conference. ''Milito has proved me right for picking him. Whoever is in the best form will play,'' said Maradona, whose first-choice pair appear to be Messi and Gonzalo Higuain. ''There are no first-team players and no reserves (in the squad),'' added Maradona, who wiped his face with a towel after his players practised in a downpour at their training base.

Maradona, whose team face Canada in a farewell match at

River Plate's Monumental stadium on later Monday, said the players were all in great spirits and anxious to work towards the South Africa finals starting on June 11. ''In 1986 we had a build up of 70 days, today we are barely 20 days away and I still don't have my full 23,'' said Maradona.

Milito, Inter team mate Walter Samuel and Bayern's Martin Demichelis had not yet joined up with the squad. ''But the players have understood that you experience the World Cup the way we are living it,'' said Argentina's 1986 World Cup-winning captain, who has often stated that he knows what it takes to win the trophy. ''I want to have them all sharp... We can give anyone a good fight, a footballing fight, because we have a good game and good players. This squad are similar to that of '86 because they have hunger for glory.''

Argentina face Nigeria, South Korea and Greece in Group B at the finals in South Africa.

Maradona, who had criticised Inter coach Jose Mourinho for his side's ultra-defensive performance in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final away to Barcelona, said he would not give up on attack come what may. ''Not at any price. If I renounced attack it would be a sin with the players I have,'' he said. ''I think that if we play the way we should we'll do well.''

REUTERS CURITIBA (Brazil), MAY 24

Midfielders Gilberto Silva and Kleberson, who won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002, have defended coach Dunga's plans to keep the squad preparing for the 2010 finals isolated from fans and media.

The pair, speaking to reporters, pointed out the differences between Dunga's methods and those of 2002 title-winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari.

While the so-called "Scolari Family" were free to move around at will and talk to reporters in their hotel at the South Korea/Japan finals, Dunga's squad have been confined to their training base with a minimum of contact with media.

"They are different trainers, each has a work philosophy, Felipao (Big Phil) and Dunga, despite both being 'gauchos' (from the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul)," said Kleberson, overlooked for the 2006 finals.

Dunga's policy of isolation is a reaction to the freedom the team had under Carlos Alberto Parreira in the countdown to the 2006 finals in Germany where Brazil were eliminated in the quarter-fi-

nals.

Fans have been barred from training sessions and Dunga sends just two players out per day to talk to reporters.

Gilberto, who was in the team that disappointed in Germany, said Dunga sought what was best for the squad.

"I don't see a barrier, if the journalists who are here today were accompanying another national team out there they'd have even greater difficulties to find news," he said.

"We're also experienced after what happened in 2006."

Kleberson and Gilberto are among seven defensive midfielders in the squad. Dunga has been criticised for a lack of creative players but the pair said the team were ready to reach their objective, a sixth title.

"We're already used to criticism in relation to the midfielders. The important thing when we go after our objectives is that it doesn't matter who's playing," said Gilberto.

Asked about the absence of Ronaldinho and Santos's Ganso, Kleberson said: "Brazil have excellent players, we know only 23 players can be called up. I worked hard to gain the coach's confidence to be here."

The squad have been based in Curitiba since Friday and began physical training yesterday after having medical tests during the first two days.

They leave for South Africa on Wednesday with a stop in Brasilia where they will be received by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Brazil, who will be based in Johannesburg, face North Korea, Ivor y Coast and Portugal in Group G at the finals starting on June 11.

Special courts set up for offenders REUTERS JOHANNESBURG, MAY 24

South Africa has set up more than 50 special courts to provide fast justice during the World Cup, officials said today.

Justice Ministry spokesman Tlali Tlali said the 56 courts around the country would start operations immediately and wind up two weeks after the

month-long tournament ends on July 11.

South Africa has also built holding cells in several of the 10 World Cup soccer stadiums to handle hooligans and others who commit offences during matches.

The courts have been established to accelerate cases involving foreign fans so that

they can be dealt with before either suspects or witnesses leave the country.

Tlali said the courts, housed in existing judicial facilities, would apply normal legal processes. ''There will be no leniency and no different standards will apply,'' he told the South African Press Association (SAPA).

South Africa is one of the world's most violent countries outside a war zone and crime has been one of the biggest concerns of tournament organisers. It has also been blamed for lower than expected foreign bookings for the soccer spectacular, now put at around 300,000 compared to an original estimate of 450,000.

Woods gets new blonde girlfriend AGENCIES NEW YORK, MAY 24

After his blonde wife Elin Nordegren left him following exposure of his serial infidelities, Tiger Woods is reportedly trying out a replacement blonde, in the same way some golfers try out replacement clubs, say reports here.

The world's richest athlete till his fall from grace was spotted out on the golf course in his gated Florida community taking a young, fair-haired stunner who was not his wife for a test drive,

says the New York Post quoting a celebrity web site.

Woods' comely course partner was a "look-alike" for his sexy Swedish wife Elin Nordegren, says the Post.

"Tiger was on the golf course the other day, hitting balls. He was with a very pretty blonde who looked a lot like Elin. She was sitting in the golf cart while he was playing,'' the tabloid quoted the website as saying.

"They were talking and laughing and obviously having

a good time. Tiger has been out frequently... he doesn't want to stay home alone anymore."

The golfer and his wife have not had any contact since the failure of their apparent attempt to patch things up, says the report.

Woods' double life came to light in November when he crashed his car outside his Florida home ostensibly after being hit by his wife, leading to revelations of his serial infidelities.

Even as one after another 19 women claimed sexual relations with the golfer and his marriage crumbled, the golfer went into rehabilitation from sexual addiction. He came out in February to hold a press conference to make a tearful admission of his infidelities.

The golfer took part in The Players Championship earlier this month but withdrew after suffering injury.

Though the couple have not filed for divorce, his wife lives separately with their two kids.

Zulfa emerge champions

The victorious Zulfa Sport and Social Club team, winners of 2nd Zulfa Rolling Trophy Cricket tournament in Dubai ground, recently.

HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MAY 24

Zulfa Sports and Social Club defeated MU Sanguem by three runs in the finals to win the 2nd Zulfa Rolling Trophy Cricket Tournament organised by Zulfa

SSC exclusively for the Goan community settled in Dubai, at Dubai ground, recently.Hard hitting batsman from Vasco, Mohsin Bepari of Zulfa powered his team to lift the trophy and was awarded the man-of-the se-

ries prize.

Batting first, Zulfa scored 59 for 7 in 8 overs. For Zulfa, Siddhik scored a quickfire 30 in 18 balls and was supported by Mohsin Bepari 14. For Sanguem, Anis and Irfan took two wickets

each.

In reply, Sanguem were 54 for 8. Anis alongwith his partner added 17 runs in the last over but fell short of victory. Manof-the match Zaheer Sadekar and all-rounder Mohsin Bepari took three wickets each for Zulfa.

Zulfa received AED 5,555 while Sanguem had to be content with AED 3,333. MU Kakeez took the third place while Panjim Sparkling were fourth.

Fo l l o w i n g p r i z e s w e r e awarded: Best discipline team Karama 32 Warriors; Best batsman - Sher Khan (Sanquelim Eagles); Best bowler Shaikh Murad (Zulfa); Best fielder - Nawaz (Ponda Boys); Best wicketkeeper - Shaikh Sabir (Zulfa).

Indu Mouli, general manager, NMC Trading was the chief guest and gave away the prizes in the presence of guest of honour Mohammad Faisal, Kasim Khan, Julius, Mazrodin, Shaikh Rafik, Shaikh Yusuf, Nazir Khan, Adam Shaikh, Munaf Mulla, Shaikh Kader, Farooq Mulla, Sayed Yusuf, Nazir Sadekarv (all CAOs), officer-bearers of Zulfa, Shaikh Yasin, Shaikh Ijaz, Feroz Khan, S Mansor, Riaz Khan and Sayed Munazir.

Roger Federer lost an argument.

His tennis was more persuasive.

Miffed by a line call in his first match as French Open defending champion, Federer quickly regrouped to win the opening set two points later, then went on to beat Peter Luczak 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 Monday.

Top-ranked Serena Williams encountered a stressful situation herself late in the first set, when she erased three break points before going on to beat Stefanie Voegele 7-6 (2), 6-2.

The top-ranked Federer committed only 11 unforced errors, lost just 14 of 64 points on his serve and faced only one break

point.

Although Federer won at Roland Garros a year ago to complete a career Grand Slam, the role of favorite again goes to four-time champion Rafael Nadal. They could meet in the final.

No. 3-seeded Novak Djokovic, a two-time semi-finalist, beat Evgeny Korolev 6-1, 3-6, 6-1, 63. Americans Taylor Dent and John Isner also advanced.

The unseeded Dent won a match at Roland Garros for the

first time in his 12-year career, beating Nicolas Lapentti 6-3, 64, 7-6 (3).

Another American, Michael Yani, lost a match that equaled the longest at the tournament since the tiebreaker was introduced in 1973. Lukas Lacko beat Yani 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 12-10.

The match resumed at 8-all Monday after being suspended overnight because of darkness.

In women’s play, No. 3-seeded Caroline Wozniacki eased past

Alla Kudryavtseva 6-0, 6-3. No. 5 Elena Dementieva, No. 8 Agnieszka Radwanska and 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic also won.

The 6-foot-9 Isner, seeded 17th, lost only 10 points on his serve, never faced a break point and beat Andrey Golubev 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. No. 15 Tomas Berdych and No. 20 Stanislas Wawrinka also won, but two seeded Spaniards lost—No. 21 Tommy Robredo and No. 27 Feliciano Lopez.

Clarissa, Raunak, Nihal top

Sri Lanka thrash Kiwis AGENCIES FLORIDA, MAY 24

Sri Lanka beat New Zealand by seven wickets, with more than four overs to spare, in a lowscoring Twenty20 international in Florida on Sunday.

The tied two-match series was the first time that two Testplaying nations had met in an official game in the United States.

Hopes of introducing the American public to a format of cricket that usually brings big hitting and non-stop action were dashed, however, by a slow and low surface that made scoring difficult.

Nevertheless, the Sri Lankan supporters who had travelled from across North America to the only purposebuilt cricket stadium in the States for the game enjoyed a rare chance to see their favourites perform.

Nuwan Kulasekara ripped through the New Zealand top order as he took three wickets in the second over, removing openers Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redmond and Rob Nicol with some excellent swing bowling.

"This wicket really was ideally suited to Kulasekera, there was a little bit of something in it early on and he took full advantage of it with some magical bowling," said Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara.

As in Saturday's game, New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori got to grips with conditions, making a stabilising 27.

Nathan McCullum's unbeaten 36 took New Zealand to 81 before they were bowled out in the 18th over.

Sri Lanka, who had lost Saturday's opening game of the series, were never in trouble, with Tillakaratne Dilshan's unbeaten 33 guiding his team to a comfortable victory.

Clarissa D’Souza, Raunak Pai, Aby Jose, Nihal Chico, Xavier D’Souza and Akash Fulkar from Campal Swimming Pool, Panjim, who won a haul of medals at 22nd State Juniors and Sub Juniors Aquatic Championship at Fatorda with coach Thomas Jose.

HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

Swimmers from Campal Swimming Pool, Panjim won a haul of medals at the recently concluded 22nd State Juniors and Sub Juniors Aquatic Championship at Fatorda.

Clarissa D’Souza (girls group

II) won 16 medals - 14 gold, 2 silver. She set four meet records.

Clarissa also won the individual championship.

Nihal Chico (boys group II) won 12 medals - 2 gold, 8 silver and 2 bronze. Raunak Pai (boys group III) won 10 medals - 6 gold and 4 silver while Aby Jose

(boys group III) won 6 medals 2 gold, 1 silver and 3 bronze.

Xavier D’Souza (boys group IV) won 6 medals - 3 gold, 2 silver and one bronze. Xavier also won the individual championship. Akash Fulkar won the individual championship in boys group I.

The Taekwondo Association of Goa team which won seven gold, three silver and four bonze at 4th National Poomsae in Sub-Junior, Junior, Senior boys and girls and men and women in Surat, Gujarat from May 13 to 15. They won the sub-junior boys and girls team championship and overall 2nd place in junior girls event and 2nd place in seniors with Angela Rajan Naik being the coach for all the events.

Paes-Dlouhy seeded 3rd AGENCIES PARIS, MAY 24

Defending champions Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy have been seeded third for the men's doubles at the French Open.

They open their campaign against Swede Johan Brunstrom and Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands.

Mahesh Bhupathi and his Belarussian partner Max Mirnyi are seeded fifth and pitted against Jurgen Melzer of Austria and Philipp Petzschner of Germany in their opening match.

Another up and coming pair, Indian Davis Cupper Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan's AisamUl-Haq Qureshi will take on Italian Fabio Fognini and American Michael Russell.

Bopanna and Qureshi finished runners-up at the ATP Nice event last week in the run-up to the clay court Grand Slam.

DBO edge past PY Nuvem HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MAY 24

Don Bosco Oratory, Fatorda registered a hard fought 1-0 win over Parish Youth, Nuvem to sail into the quarter-finals of All-Goa Varca Panchayat Cup inter-village football tournament organised

by Varca Sports Club at Varca ground, on Monday.

The all-important goal came in the first half when Joel punished the rival goalkeeper with a stiff grounder.

Crossing over, Nuvem went into the attacking mode but were unable to get past the rival defence.

Don Bosco also had scoring chances but their forwards either shot straight into the rival goalkeeper or wide.

Roque Borges of Don Bosco was given the man-of-the match prize.

A football trainee receiving a certificate from Thomas Rodrigues, Headmaster, Carmel High School alongwith Anjulo Fernandes and other coaches at St Anthony’s HS ground, Majorda. The 25-day summer advance football coaching camp organised by Kaykee Youth Club was attended by 45 boys and girls.

Goa Diocesan Priests triumph HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MAY 24

Goa Diocesan Priests (Juniors) scored a 5-3 win over Holy Spirit Parish Ward Youth to win the Margao Feast celebrations football star match at Holy Spirit church ground on Saturday. The teams were locked 2-2 at the end of the regulation time.

Valentine Alvares and Hayston Fernandes scored a brace each

for their respective teams.

In the ensuing tie-breaker, Valentine, Jaison Vaz, Milagres Dias scored for Diocesan Priests while only Domingos Rodrigues found the net for Holy Spirit.

Milagres Dias saved penalty shots from Haysten Fernandes and Hazlitt Fernandes to give Diocesan Priests the victory.

Earlier, in an exhibition match, Dovondde Youth defeated Fa-

torda Youth A 3-2, while Fatorda Youth B edged past Maddel Youth 8-7.

Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas was the chief guest. Fr. Boulais D’Costa, parish priest, Our Lady of Rosary Church, Fatorda was the guest of honour. Agnelo de Fatorda compered. Fr. Freddy Lobo, assistant parish priest, Holy Spirit Church proposed the vote of thanks.

The victorious Goa Diocesan Priests (Juniors), which won the Margao Feast celebration football star match and runners-up Margao Parish Ward Youth alongwith Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas.

Photo: Savio Dias

SPORTS

GOA, TUESDAY, 25 MAY, 2010 www.oherald.in

‘Vasco should replace Mahindra’

“How can you induct a team directly into the I-League,” the Vasco official queried since it is promotion and not selection that is the criteria to be adopted.

“There is no provision for inducting any team directly into the ILeague, and if this is done then it is against the principles of Fair Play,” he added and pointed out that the structure on promotions and demotions is quite clear.

Meanwhile, a source divulged that it was the same AIFF that did not allow TFA to field their Junior team in I-league after they had earned a promotion in 2007.

How, three years later, can they

forget about it, he questioned and threw light that HAL, which had finished third in Second Division League then, had been promoted in lieu of TFA. The situation is similar now and Vasco Club feel that they are the ones to be promoted in place of Mahindra.

Goa has a representative in AIFF, Joaquim Alemao, vice-president and GFA president, who is expected to put up the genuine case of the Goan team before the AIFF. Meanwhile, GFA secretary, Savio Messias stated that Vasco deserved to be promoted on sheer

PTI CHENNAI, MAY 24

Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand today said by winning his fourth World Chess Championship title early this month he has proved wrong his critics who accused him of lacking in killer instinct.

Anand retained his World Chess Championship title after beating Bulgarian Veselin Topalov in a nerve-wrecking 13th and final game on May 11 in Sophia and the Chennai-born Indian said the triumph was a special one.

"Generally people accuse me of lack of nerves or killer instinct. My ner ves worked better. I defended the third title in a row and that is very special," he told reporters here.

Anand said the contest against Topalov was the toughest of the World Championship

merit of finishing third in 2nd Div League to fill up the vacancy caused by Mahindra’s withdrawal.

“Going by the rules, regulations and past procedures and precedents, Vasco’s rightful place is in the main I-League,” insisted Savio.

The issue of relegations and filling up the Mahindra vacancy should have been discussed at the last AIFF Executive Committee meeting when Mahindra had already informed the AIFF about their withdrawal, which was not done, a source pointed out.

However, what was discussed and approved was the inclusion of Under-19/21 team in I-League.

I-League sans Nat players, U-21 team inclusion hits clubs

BY JOVITO LOPES PANJIM, MAY 24

As the I-League comes to an end with the teams engaged in ‘poaching’ players for the next season, several football club administrators are pondering over two important decisions that the AIFF has taken – the nonavailability of 30 players selected for National camp for eight months from June for the AFC Asian Cup 2011 in Qatar and the inclusion of India U-19/21 team in I-League.

The next I-League is expected to start in September without the National players (who will be paid by AIFF) as India need to undertake long term preparations for the tough contest.

“I would be failing in my duty if I don’t point out that both Indian and Asian fans had to wait for 26 long years for this moment. India last played in the Asian Cup in 1984,” that’s how AFC president Bin Hammam commented on India’s qualification.

“I as well as millions of Indians want to see India playing in each and every Asian Cup after this.

However, this can be guaranteed

only when there is a solid and professional base of club football in the country,” Hammam had also added.

The I-League is an elite competition in which, well organized clubs participate with the highest standards of players, coaches, referees, administrators, event management and facilities.

That’s the stated objective according to AIFF. It is the main football event in India.

The regulations stipulate that the State football associations to which the club is affiliated should endorse all entries and that entries without this endorsement shall not be entertained. Further, it points out that clubs which are not first affiliated to a State football association will not be allowed to participate in I-League (regulations for 2009-10 League).

Stressing on the need for professionalising football in India, Hamam had told the clubs that the AFC and FIFA wanted to listen to the club owners on the same. The AIFF committee later approved the new criteria for professional clubs in India

n The next I-League is expected to start in September without the National players (who will be paid by AIFF) as India need to undertake long term preparations for the tough contest. to join the I-League. The deadline for the clubs to meet the conditions was fixed as December 31, 2010.

The conditions were the same as those that would apply to all clubs eligible to participate in the AFC Champions League in 2011.

If the I-League is a club competition and for professional clubs, one is at a loss to understand about the status of the National U-21 team in the League next year, for it is neither a club in the first place nor a commercial entity. What will happen if, by chance, they win the I-League? Will they then take part in AFC club competitions?

And, if they finish last will they be demoted, or will there be no demotion at all? And, most importantly, could there be a possibility of match-fixing, since at the moment the team will al-

ways remain in the I-League?

The deadline given by AFC to meet the criteria is December 31, 2010. The clubs should be a separate commercial entity among several other requirements, and that’s what exactly Dempo, Churchill Bros, Salgaocar, Sporting, Vasco Club have done.

The way the AIFF goes about sometimes appears strange.

Look at the letter written by Alberto Colaco, when he was the honorary secretary of Goa Football Association (GFA) to P P Lakshmanan, then honorar y secretary, All India Football Federation (AIFF), on 9-5-1996 on the preparation of National team.

“This has reference to the circular No. 25/AIFF/SCC-82/96-97 dated 24th April 1996 on the preparation of National team.

It is really surprising that the AIFF has decided to hold 15 days

Pg 18

I have the killer instinct: Anand

n How can you induct a team directly into the I-League, since it is promotion and not selection that is the criteria to be adopted.

There is no provision for inducting any team directly into the I-League, and if this is done then it is against the principles of Fair Play.

-- Vasco Director Vinod Parkkot

HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 24

Vasco Sports Club finished third in Second Division ONGC League with a tally of 13 points after they were held 1-1 by Mohammedan Sporting in their last match at KSFA Stadium, Bangalore on Monday.

With HAL sealing their ONGC I-League berth earlier in the day after they played out 1-1 draw with Sesa Football Academy, Vasco automatically crashed out of the qualification race. ONGC had qualified earlier.

Meanwhile, Vasco Club Director Vinod Parkkot felt that the club should be promoted to the main I-League, as Mahindra have withdrawn from the competition.

“Two teams from I-League will be demoted this year which means that ONGC and HAL will take the two places. There being a vacancy caused by Mahindra’s withdrawal, it stands to logic that the 3rd placed team in 2nd Div League should be promoted,” disclosed the Vasco official.

Veterans defend Dunga’s isolation plans Pg. 17

Vasco hold Mohammedans Pg. 16

camps every month, thus depriving the Clubs which have signed the players of their services for nearly five months. The Clubs selected for the Federation Cup, under the new format, will be deprived of their best players thus affecting their prospects and reducing the glamour of AIFF’s most important knock-out tournament.”

“The frequency of the camps and the constant travel and change of environment will adversely affect the players’ performance. Instead of having three frequent camps, the National coach should liase with the coaches of the Clubs and if necessary prescribe them training schedules for improving the physical fitness of the players.

This method is followed in every country abroad and their rate of success is much higher than ours.”

“It appears that the present National coach has nothing but contempt for the club coaches and by constantly criticising the AIFF, its affiliates and officials publicly, is able to browbeat the AIFF in accepting his unreason-

able demands.”

“I am afraid that having been made to suffer by the frequent absence of their players, we may only succeed in destroying club football, which needless to say, will have disastrous consequences for the game.”

“I hope that you will consider reducing the number of camps and request the National coach to sit with the club coaches to draw a plan for building the National team.”

Alberto Colaco is now the current general secretary of AIFF. He now appears to talk professionally, and talks tough, eager to take disciplinary action against even a top club official for speaking against the poor standard of refereeing without even referring the matter to the Executive Committee and tearing official invitations sent by a top Indian club. May be he is right. Certainly, he has the backing of some club coaches and officials and even AIFF president Praful Patel and most importantly, Joaquim Alemao, the new vice-president, who has always stood by him.

matches that he had played and his Bulgarian opponent was an incredibly tenacious fighter.

"It was the toughest that I played. Every game was intense and hard fought. We almost never finished a game under four hours. It was exceptionally tense and nerve wracking," he said.

"I knew that any way he was not going to offer draw (12th game). For the first time, we did not speak to each other during the match. Only at the end of the game, he spoke," he said.

"I generally had the edge over him (Topalov). Even there the dominance was not clear at all.

That perhaps makes the joys of pulling it off in the end even greater," he added.

Comparing his latest world title with the earlier three, Anand said, "It was tough on the chess board and off it. In general, I guess this is how the match is supposed to be. It was just that in the earlier championships, I suddenly built up a huge lead. But this match went the whole length. In that sense this championship was the sternest test that I ever faced."

There were many firsts enroute to Anand's World Championship title.

It was the first time he travelled by bus to the Championship because of the volcanic ash emanated from Iceland. It was the first match between "non-Soviets" since 1921. It was the first time a player defended his title after losing the first game.

"This is incidentally the first

World Championship match that I played full length. Every other match finished actually ahead of schedule," Anand said.

As for the support he received from Gar y Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik during the Championships, Anand said it gave him a boost.

"It is difficult to say very precisely ... There were many difficult moments in the match, a lot of tense moments, suddenly you get a phone call from Gary or Kramnik, and it definitely cheered me up a lot. This is the first time that I received this kind of help," he said.

On Russian domination of World Championship titles, Anand said, "I would say that their dominance was not what it used to be. I doubt that any country will dominate like Soviet Union."