Page 1_Layout 1 8/28/2010 1:24 AM Page 1
O HERALD O
Visit us at: www.oheraldo.in
The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, saturday, august 28, 2010
Goa’s Heartbeat: Deepika erases final mark of Ranbir Pg 16
IN BRIEF Lanka to suspend on arrival visa facility Indians planning to visit Sri Lanka will no longer get their visas on arrival from September 30, with the government scraping the facility to foreigners, except visitors from Singapore and Maldives. Meanwhile, tourism industry officials said the move could affect tourism in Sri Lanka. – (PTI)
Business: New law to regulate foreign contributions Pg 15
Veteran Konkani writer Kelekar is no more
To be cremated today with guard of honour HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARCEL, AUG 27
Jnanpith awardee and renowned Konkani writer Ravindra Kelekar (85) passed away at a private hospital in Margao on Friday at about 11.30 am. According to Kelekar’s family members, his condition had deteriorated due to age-related problems a few months ago. The mortal remains of the legendary writer will be cremated on Saturday with a guard of honour at a crematorium at 12 noon, at Priol in Ponda taluka. Kelekar’s body was brought to his home at Priol at about 3.30 pm on Friday, where numerous personalities from the political, social, literary and other fields visited Kelekar’s residence to offer condolences to the bereaved family. Among them included former chief minister Luizinho Faleiro, Priol MLA Deepak Dhavlikar, Goa Konkani Academy President N Shivdas, writer Dilip Borkar, writer Shridhar Kamat Bambolkar, Kala Academy Member (Continued on page 12)
Public holiday declared PANJIM: All the State government offices and State government schools and educational institutions of Government of Goa will remain closed on August 28, following the demise of noted Konkani writer and Bharatiya Jnanpith Award winner Ravindra Kelekar on Friday. Addressing a press conference at the Secretariat, the Chief Minister has declared a public holiday on Saturday and had declared half day holiday on Friday as a mark of respect to mourn the death of late Kelekar.
ON PAGE 4: State grieves death of a noble son Kelekar - a freedom fighter & Konkani activist Fire alarm on Jet flight, 30 injured Panic gripped a Chennaibound Jet Airways flight carrying 153 passengers after a fire alarm in the cockpit went off when the plane was on the taxiway for takeoff late Friday night leaving 30 injured during evacuation by emergency chutes. As there was a sudden surge of passengers during evacuation, 30 of them received injuries, with three of them suffering fractures. – (PTI)
priCE rs. 3.00 (air surcharge rs. 1.50) pages 20
Panjim police seize pirated CDs worth Rs 34 lakh HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, AUG 27
Acting on a tip-off, Panjim police on Friday conducted raids in the city market and seized around 8,300 pirated DVDs and MP3, worth more than Rs 34 lakh. Among the seized discs are prints of recent Bollywood and Hollywood releases like Lafangey Parindey, Aashayein, Hello Darling, Scott Pilgrim Vs the World, etc. The raid team headed by Sub Inspector Ratnakar Kalangutkar, first carried out the raid at a shop no 157 (unnamed), followed by ‘Farhan Entertainment’, ‘Farhan Video Planet’ and ‘Movie World’, all located on the first floor of the New Municipal market. The raids were based on a complaint by Leon John and Devanand Naik, senior detection officers at Supercafe Industries Limited of T-Series Company at Mumbai. “ The complainants mentioned in their complaint letter that the shops were illegally manufacturing, storing and distributing the pirated discs on hire or sale…they requested to take action upon which we (Continued on page 12)
Sports: Saina Nehwal crashes out Pg 20
Charges framed against Margao blast accused HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, AUG 27
The South Goa sessions court has finally framed charges against the four accused persons in the Margao bomb blast case. The trial in the sensational case will commence from September 16 after the four accused pleaded not guilty and claimed to be tried. Charges against the accused persons Vinay Talekar, Vinayak Patil, Dhananjay Ashtekar and Dilip Mangaonkar were framed after South Goa sessions Judge U V Bakre read out the charges to each of the accused in the open court. As they pleaded not guilty, the judge fixed September 16 for the commencement of trial – nearly 10 months after an Improvised Explosive Devise (IED) exploded on a scooter behind Grace Church building, killing two persons on the even of Diwali festival. The accused have been charged for waging a war against the country, for hatching criminal conspiracy and under section 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Charges
The four accused have been charged under Section 16, 17 and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and section 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act and Indian Penal Code – Section 121-A and 120-B.
Act and section 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Substances Act and Indian Penal Code – Section 121-A and 120-B. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had named 11 persons as accused in the Diwali (Continued on page 12)
Visa denial sparks off diplomatic row India puts defence exchanges with China on hold PTI NEW DELHI, AUG 27
Triggering a major diplomatic row, China has refused to permit an Indian army general to visit that country as he is in-charge of “sensitive” Jammu and Kashmir, prompting an angry retaliation by India which put all defence exchanges with it on hold till the matter was sorted out. India, which has already lodged its protest with China for denying permission to Northern Commander Lt Gen B S Jaswal, on Friday said the Chinese action amounts to questioning the status of Jammu and Kashmir which is “unacceptable”
as it relates to the country’s sovereignty. In a retaliatory action, New Delhi refused permission to three Chinese officers – a Senior Colonel and two Captains – to visit this country in August. Gen Jaswal, General Officerin-Commanding of Udhampurbased Command, was to visit China as part of defence exchanges, sources said here on Friday. The visit by a General-rank officer to China was agreed upon between the two countries in January during the Annual Defence Dialogue, the sources said. However, at that time it was not decided as to who will be
UK scientists crack wheat genome code PTI LONDON, AUG 27
British scientists have decoded the genome of wheat, in a breakthrough research that will prove valuable to crop breeders in increasing the yield of the staple food crop in countries like India. Wheat production worldwide is under threat from climate change at a time when there is an increase in demand from a growing human population. Scientists at the University of Liverpool, in collaboration with the University of Bristol and the John Innes Centre, have sequenced the entire wheat genome and will make the DNA data available to crop breeders to help them select key agricultural traits for breeding. Bread wheat, with an estimated world harvest of more than 550 million tonnes, is one of the most important food crops in the world and is worth more than 2 billion pounds to the UK’s agricultural industry. Wheat breeders, however, had few genetic tools to help them select key agricultural traits for breeding and do not always know the genes responsible for the trait they need. Now, scientists have analysed the wheat genome, which is five times larger than the human genome and the largest genome
to be sequenced till date, to give breeders the tools required to select traits for a healthy yield. Professor Neil Hall, from the Institute of Integrative Biology, explains: “Sequencing the human genome took 15 years to complete, but with huge advances in DNA technology, the wheat genome took only a year”. “The information we have collected will be invaluable in tackling the problem of global food shortage. “We are now working to analyse the sequence to highlight natural genetic variation between wheat types, which will help significantly speed up current breeding pro grammes”. The project, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), was undertaken at the University’s Centre for Genomic Research.
sent by India, they said. When India conveyed its decision to send Gen Jaswal, China wrote back on July 21 saying it would cause “difficulty” as the officer came from “sensitive location of Jammu and Kashmir”, the sources said. China also said “people from this part of the world come with a different kind of visa” and suggested that India may send some other officer instead of cancelling the visit. Angry at the Chinese move, India issued to it a demarche (protest note) on August 2. It also retaliated by refusing permission to a Senior Colonel who had to deliver a “guest lec-
ture” at National Defence College and two Captains who were to visit Panchmarhi for some course. Sources said the denial of permission to Gen Jaswal was a “matter of concern” as it has “introduced further complexities” in the already complex relations. New Delhi made it clear that the defence exchanges will remain “on hold” till the issue concerning China’s position on Jammu and Kashmir is addressed. “Whatever will be the consequences, the Chinese side will be solely responsible,” a source said.
Proposal for special force to man Secretariat HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, AUG 27
Goa Police have moved the proposal of having a special police force to man the security of Secretariat at Porvorim at an estim a t e d c o s t o f R s 3 c ro re annually. The force when it comes into reality will replace the existing private security guarding the highly vital Secretariat, Vidhan Sabha and Ministerial Block. Sources stated that the proposal is currently pending with Finance Department for formal approval. “There is requirement of 350 personnel as per the proposal. The administrative approvals are being sought for the same,” a senior officer stated. The force will be in addition to the existing Goa police, which man the security of this complex during State Legislative Assembly session. The need to have special force was felt after the complex was being listed as one of the vital establishments that can be on the terror radar. The secretariats in Maharashtra, Karnataka and other States have similar force, which entirely takes up the security apparatus in their hand. Interestingly, the size of the force in Goa is being debated in bureaucratic circle as 350 police guarding around 500 people working at the Secretariat seems to be an illogical proportion.
With Teak at mid wicket, Bamboos in covers, Timber at fine leg, Sandalwood at short leg... We will still build the stadium.