O HERALD O The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, FRiday, septembeR 3, 2010
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Goa’s Heartbeat: Dwayne to star Business: Chances of US recession Sports: Dempo enters race, in ‘Center of Earth’ sequel Pg 16 25-30% -- Greenspan Pg 15 kicks off campaign Pg 19
Rs 2 cr worth goods go up in smoke at Kundaim
HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARCEL, SEPT 2
US issues travel alert for CWG The United States has asked its citizens to be alert and cautious for their security during the upcoming Commonwealth Games (CWG) in New Delhi in October, but, said it had no specific information on any terrorist threat. “The US government has no information on any specific threat of attack that any individual or group is planning to coincide with the Games,” the State Department said in its latest India-travel alert. -- (PTI)
Property worth over Rs 2 crores was destroyed in a fire at a manufacturing unit in Kundaim Industrial Estate on Thursday morning. No one was injured in the incident. The incident occurred at about 8.20 am on the second floor of the Oriental Containers unit that manufactures bottle caps. The second floor is utilized to stock the finished products along with the raw materials. When the fire broke out, the workers tried using the fire extinguishers, but to no use. Some workers in a bid to save finished material threw it outside from the second floor, but with the rising intensity of the fire, they gave up and escaped in time. Within minutes, the fire spread to the entire store room, engulfing the stored material, but the flames did not spread to the main operating unit on
Mock drill exposes major lapse HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, SEPT 2
A major security lapse has been exposed during a mock drill organized by the Captain of Ports on Thursday afternoon when the Anti Terrorist Squad (ATS) delayed reaching the spot. Sources confirmed that ATS responded nearly 20 minutes after the CoP officials alerted the police control room at 3 pm that heavily armed terrorist had sneaked in the vital installation. The sudden call was to test the security aspects with the ongoing festival season and approaching tourist season next month. Whereas teams from district and marine police, Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), River Navigation, CoP were immediately pressed into service, the response of the officials from the ‘elite department’ was sluggish. The tensed situation resulted in commotion over non-presence of the ATS officials which apparently, delaying the search operation for few minutes till their arrival. Officials were heard (Continued on page 13)
The goods destroyed in the fire at a manufacturing unit in Kundaim. Photo by Amresh Parab
the ground floor. The fire also damaged the roof, with asbestos sheets partially burnt in the blaze. Workers from Oriental Containers later alerted the Kundaim fire station. “When we reached the site, we saw dense smoke emanating from the second floor of the
unit and there was a massive fire,” informed Kundaim Fire Station Fire Officer Shripad Gawas. Fire tenders from Old Goa, Panjim and Ponda rushed to extinguish the fire, which lasted about 45 minutes. The estimated loss is said to be about Rs 2.2 crore, while fire
More artisans apply for clay idol subsidy By SHwETA KAmAT PANJIM, SEPT 2
Encouraged by the government move to ban plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, the number of artisans availing the government benefit for clay idols in the run up to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival is on the rise. Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Industries Development. Corporation (GHRSSIDC) Chairman Sameer Salgaocar said that this year. almost 500 artisans have applied for the subsidy. The State run corporation last year had distributed around Rs 45 lakhs.to various artisans as subsidy, which was aimed to promote clay idols and shun idols carved out from plaster of Paris (PoP). “We have increased the quantum of subsidy this year onwards,” Salgaocar said. He said that last year Rs 100 per idol for maximum of 150 idols was paid by the government which is now enhanced to Rs 100 per idol for a maximum
of 250 idols. “There is no limit for minimum idols but ceiling on maximum idols that can be benefited has been increased,” the chairman said. The corporation has deputed its teams which will inspect the idols at various places before approving the subsidy. “It’s a cheering sign that the number of artisans are increasing,”Salgaocar said. Responding to a question, the
Dahi Handi: it’s power play in Vasco HERALD REPORTER VASCO, SEPT 2
If football tournaments are a show of strength for political heavyweights in Salcete, the Dahi Handi has become a power play for two political rivals from the ruling coalition Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Two Dahi Handi events were organized by supporters of both groups within 50 mts distance from each other and that too in the heart of Vasco city.
personnel managed to save property worth Rs 2.5 crore. “We began operation to douse the fire and were soon joined by another fire tender from a private company from the same locality. However, with strong intensity of the fire, more fire tenders were summoned from Ponda, Old Goa and Panjim fire stations. It took us about 45 minutes to completely douse off the fire,” informed Gawas. Interestingly, there were no electrical fittings, which could have been blamed for the short circuit and the cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained. “There were no electrical fittings and a short circuit could not have triggered the inferno. We are investigating the source of the fire,” said Gawas. Director of Fire and Emergency Services Ashok Menon and Sub Divisional Fire Officer from Ponda Redkar also visited the site.
The ‘Three Brothers Club’, symbolizing unity of Hindus, Muslims and Catholics, is well known in the port town for hosting Dahi Handi for the last 37 years. However, this year, the club management and newly elected president Sudesh Kolgaokar’s decision to invite Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho as the chief guest, prompting supporters of Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza to conduct a similar Dahi Handi programme.
The Club had invited D’Souza as the chief guest for last two successive years, but newly elected President Sudesh Kolgaokar, a strong supporter of Godinho and who has expressed desire to contest in the ensuing council election under Godinho, invited Godinho as the chief guest instead of D’Souza. Other guests during the function too were Godinho’s supporters. They included Ligorio Monteiro, Shobha Pawar, Ashok (Continued on page 13)
Ore exports continue as mine owners get crafty PTI BELLARY, SEPT 2
The Karnataka government’s efforts to check iron ore exports are being thwarted by crafty mine owners that have secured permits to supply the mineral to steel mills in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Goa, but are instead shipping it overseas, industry sources said. Officials of the Department of Mines & Geology Hospet confirmed to Press Trust of India that permits were issued to local mining companies for transporting the ore to SBQ Steel in Nellore and Essar Steel in Visakhapatnam, as well as Apparent Iron and Steel and some other steel mills of Goa. The permits, they said, were issued after taking an undertaking from mining companies that
the iron ore is meant for domestic steel mills and not for export, the officials said. Sources in the industry, however, said politically well-connected owners with links to several steel mills in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Goa were exporting the iron ore under the guise of supplying it to these industries. “Of course, we do verify all documents at check posts, but once the trucks cross the State’s borders, we cannot say whether the trucks head to the designated steel mills or to ports for exports,” the Road Transport Organisation (RTO) inspector at the Hagari check post, Nijamuddin, said. The government’s latest move to install six closed circuit (Continued on page 13)
chairman said that the corporation has no right to check the sale of idols made from plaster of Paris in the market. “Police will have to work against such idols and I presume the action has started,” he added. An idol maker from Marcel said that they have been into the business of making clay idols since time immemorial. “We don’t make idols because government pays us subsidy but surely the amount comes handy for us to tackle the high cost of raw material required to make Ganesh,” the artist said. Dalvi, an artist from city said that the numbers of clay idols we are making are far less than the PoP idols; but we are seeing a rise in the demand for clay idols. “Till last year, I was selling some 30 clay idols. This year, the number will go up to 50. We have already received orders for over a dozen clay idols, (Continued on page 13)
Nitish for parleys as Maoists up the ante PTI PATNA, SEPT 2
Building pressure on the Bihar government, Maoists today claimed to have killed one of the four policemen taken hostage after which Chief Minister Nitish Kumar offered to hold talks with the ultras, even providing them safe passage. Maoists threatened to execute the remaining three by 10 a.m. tomorrow if their demands for freeing eight ultras in jail were not conceded. As reports of killing of SubInspector Abhay Yadav came in, Kumar said his government was ready for talks with the ultras. “We are ready for talks for securing the release of the policemen being held hostages by the Maoists,” he said on the sidelines of a function here. “We need to think with seriousness on this issue. I don’t know what mistakes the cops had made. By taking people hostage, I don’t know what example the Naxals are trying to set,” he said. Avinash, a self-proclaimed Maoist spokesman, telephoned media offices here, claiming that one of the Yadavs had been killed after the deadline for freeing ultras ended today. Maoists also want that security forces should be withdrawn from Naxal areas in exchange
for the policemen’s freedom. Director General of Bihar Police Neelmani, however, said there was no evidence of the ultras taking the extreme step. “Search operations have been intensified for the hostages,” he said. The Maoists had kidnapped sub-inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay Prasad Yadav, BMP havildar Ehtesham Khan and BMP ASI Lucas Tete after the encounter in Kajra police station area on Sunday, which had left eight policemen dead. Families of the four policemen pleaded with the chief minister to save the hostages.
At least we can have a foundation laying ceremony I thought. Whether to continue with the project can be decided accordingly.