pg1_Layout 1 11/2/2010 1:55 AM Page 1
O HERALD O
Visit us at: www.oheraldo.in
The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, tuesday, noVember 2, 2010 postal reg. no. Goa 101 priCe rs. 3.00
Goa’s Heartbeat: Bipasha bags international project Pg 4 It is fortune, not wisdom, that rules man’s life. — Cicero
IN BRIEF Cong ‘in no hurry’ over Chavan’s fate Congress today appeared to be in no hurry to decide the fate of Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, under fire over the Mumbai housing scam, even as he faced a fresh row over allocation of prime mining land in Vidarbha to kin of party functionaries. The party stuck to its position that it needed more time to study the documents in connection with the housing controversy which has sucked in Chavan. The Chief Minister seems to have got a breather after he offered to resign on Saturday. – (PTI)
Business: Indians most optimistic about jobs Pg 13
(air surcharge rs 2.00) pages 18 + 4
Sports: Vettori aims at 4000 runs, 400 wkts in Tests Pg 18
WINDS OF CHANGE: 99 NEW FACES HERALD NEWS BUREAU PANJIM, NOV 1
People in the urban areas seems to have voted for a change as several new faces were voted to power in most municipal councils thus showing the door to many of the sitting councillors. The polls saw as many as 72 per cent new faces voted to the new municipal bodies. A total of 99 new faces were elected in 134 wards in eleven councils. Leading the winds of change were the Canacona voters, who elected all the new faces to the 10-member Canacona Municipal Council. Chairperson Shyamsunder Dessai and outgoing deputy chairperson Dilip Kenkre were shown the door by electorates. In Sanguem Municipal Council, only four sitting councillors have been re-elected while six new faces emerged victorious. Margao elected 17 candidates in a total of 20 wards. In Mapusa seven new faces were elected while 8 sitting councillors retained their seats. However, Mapusa electorate gave a fractured mandate, as no panel could secure absolute majority. The panel supported by Mapusa BJP MLA Francis D’Souza suffered a setback. The 10-member Cuncolim Council will have eight new councillors for the next tenure. In Quepem Municipal Council, legislator Chandrakant Kavlekar claimed that all the councillors elected are affiliated to the Congress party. As many as five new faces have been elected to the 10member QMC.
In Bicholim Municipal Council, six new faces have been elected to the 10-member BMC while only two sitting councillors could make it to the new body. The fate of the 9 sitting councillors in Pernem Municipal Council was also similar to other councils as eight new faces have been elected to the 10-member council, as only one sitting councillor was re-elected. Elections were deferred in one ward in Pernem due to want of suitable candidate. The 10-member Valpoi Municipal Council elected as many as seven new faces. In the 12-member Curchorem-Cacora Municipal Council, as many as seven sitting councillors have regained power either directly or through their spouses. In Mormugao Municipal Council, 12 new faces have been elected. Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza’s wife Neny and elder brother Pascoal won with comfortable margins.
BJP routed in Margao
ON PAGE 2
GPCC general secretary Vijay Sardessai at a victory rally with his elected candidates, Gonzaco Rebello, Joseph Silva, Bertha Cardozo and husband-wife duo Sadanand and Babita. Photo by Santosh Mirajkar
POLL OF HONOUR
POLL RESULTS ROUND-UP
ON PAGE 4
Leaders scurry behind winners Carlos registers hattrick Husband, wife taste success I backed Pratima: Churchill
HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, NOV 1
The BJP suffered a complete rout in the elections for the Margao civic body with candidates owing allegiance to the Congress emerging victorious in the hustings. This is the first time in the last decade-and-half that the
BJP will have no representation in the Margao civic body. Candidates backed by Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, GPCC General Secretary Vijay Sardessai and other Congress leaders won the polls with ease. Of the 20 candidates who made it to the civic body, Arthur D’Silva, who won from
BJP accepts defeat HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, NOV 1
Ward No 1 with a handsome margin of 625 votes, said that he is an Independent candidate and owes no allegiance to any political party or leader. BJP leaders including twotime Councillor Narayan Fondekar, and the face of BJP in Margao Rupesh Mahatme,
Faced with the stark reality that the BJP for the first time in a decade and half will have no representation in the 20-member Margao municipal body, BJP leader and MLA Damu Naik said the party has accepted the miserable defeat faced by the party candidates in the municipal polls, but asserted that the poll results will not have any bearing on the party in the Assembly polls scheduled early 2012. He said the party would soon do the introspection on why the people of Margao have not accepted the candidates fielded by the party for the Margao elections. Replying to a question, he said a host of factors has gone against the party candidates, adding that low turn out of the educated class went against the party. “The turn out was very less as compared to the Assembly polls. The educated class did not come out in large numbers. May be, the BJP could not succeed in convincing the people on its mission to provide a stable and corruption free Margao council”, Naik said. He further said that the presence of Congress leaders such as PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, Urban Development Minister
(Continued on page 12)
(Continued on page 12)
King Cong, says CM HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 1
Claiming that majority of Congress workers swept the municipal elections in the State, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said that people have voted for development. The chief minister attributed the victory to the development work carried out by his party throughout the State. “Majority of the Congress workers have got elected which indicates that the Congress party is gaining more ground in the State,” he told reporters adding “it is good governance which has paid in these civic polls.” “This victory has come days after the bye-election in Valpoi, which Vishwajeet Rane won by over 8000 votes,” he said adding “this is once again a vote of development endorsed by the people residing in the municipal areas,” Kamat said. Eleven municipal councils in the State went for polls on Sunday which saw 72.62 (Continued on page 12)
Highway panel dares govt, to go ahead with agitation HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 1
National Highway Diversion Action Committee (NHDAC) today declared it will go ahead with its peaceful agitation even as the government imposed Section 144, which prohibits assembly of five or more persons and holding of public meetings,
within 500 meters around the Secretariat complex at Porvorim and area under Panjim Police Station for 12 hours between 12 noon and midnight. The orders came in light of the morcha scheduled by NHDAC, from Panjim to Porvorim, at 3 pm. Condemning the develop-
ment, NHDAC said it will not be cowed down by such impotent threats and will defy the illegal order by holding the public meeting at Azad Maidan as scheduled. The NHDAC said it will protest against this gross violation of people’s fundamental democratic right.
“NHDAC appeals to the people of Goa to assemble at Azad Maidan on November 2, at 3 pm to protest against the expansion of NH4A and NH17 and to uphold our right to protest against this draconian order by the shameful government of Goa,” NHDAC convener Sunil Desai said at a hurriedly called press
Princess receives 9 technical bids HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 1
The response to the short tender notice issued by the Tourism Department for removal of M V River Princess has been pretty good with nine bidders filing their bids for removal of the illfated ship, which has been grounded off-Sinquerim beach for last 10 years now. The technical bids were opened today afternoon while financial bids will be opened at later date after the committee examines the technical bids and short-lists the most eligible (Continued on page 12)
REMEMBERING A MARTYR: A relative of Late Floriano Vaz lights candles at the martyr’s memorial niche on Monday evening at Holy Spirit Cemetery, Margao. Floriano became the first martyr to fall prey to a bullet on December 20, 1986, while fighting for recognition of Konkani language. Photo by Savio Dias
School teachers to be trained in fire fighting HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 1
Teachers in Goa’s schools will now be fire fighters without khaki uniform, trained in safety and evacuation of students and other staff in case of emergencies. Goa Fire and Emergency Services has decided to train 1200odd teachers pulled in from schools in ‘basic fire safety and evacuation drill process for educational institute’ from this November. “We will teach two teachers from each school, who will know to respond to the situation before fire fighters arrive,” Fire Services Director Ashok Menon told Herald. The programme, which will begin from November 9, would be held at three centres Panjim, Margao and Ponda. The director said that Directorate of Education has responded ver y well to our proposal. “Teachers from primary to
college level will be trained in this programme,” he stated. The response for the programme from teachers was also ‘tremendous.’ Till date, department has got response from 484 teachers from Panjim, 436 from Ponda and 303 from Margao, who would be trained at oneand-half-month-long pro gramme concluding on December 21, 2010. The training will have multiple effects; Menon said adding that once they are back in their schools, the teachers will train other colleagues and students. Menon said that the department wants that schools should be prepared in case of any emergencies. After their training, the trained teachers will have evacuation drill in schools so that if tragedy strikes, the response comes quick. To increase fire safety in the State, the Fire Department also wants to go a step ahead and (Continued on page 12)
conference in the late evening. On the imposition of Section 144, Desai said “the government is trying to stifle the voice of the people who are fighting for their right.” “Our meeting is peaceful. We just wanted to gather at Azad Maidan and march to the (Continued on page 12)
Congratulations!! Our gang has beaten all other gangs in the Municipality elections...