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Sports: Sachin hails Dhoni as best-ever captain Pg 16 IN BRIEF Condition of Satya Saibaba critical The condition of Sri Satya Saibaba, who was admitted to hospital following lung and chest congestion, is critical, doctors treating him said Monday evening. “Bhagwan Satya Saibaba continues to be on ventilator support for helping his respiration and suction of the secretions from the lungs. He continues to be on CRRT system to help the functioning of the kidneys,” a health bulletin issued by the hospital said. – (PTI)
EC orders ex-poll official’s suspension Election Commission ordered suspension of former Madurai East Assembly constituency Returning Officer S Suhumuaran, who had accused District Election Officer and Collector U Sahayam of harassing him to file cases against Union Minister M K Alagiri and his men. – (PTI)
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Goa: Govt primary education an expensive affair! Pg 3
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Heartbeat: Salman plays guardian Pg 4 to Bandra slum fire victim
BJP meets Governor, wants Babush sacked Issue may echo in House today
ment motion,” stated Parrikar without disclosing their action plan. Asked whether BJP will allow the House to function if their demand is not met, Parrikar replied, “It will be a collective decision.” While BJP preferred to maintain silence over their plan of action on Tuesday it is unlikely that the Party will waste this God sent opportunity to attack Taleigao MLA who has been thorn in the flesh for Parrikar – especially since he has declared his intention to contest Assembly election against Parrikar.
HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 4
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday continued their demand for dropping of controversial minister Babush Monserrate, who was detained by Customs in Mumbai for carrying excess foreign currency. The BJP delegation led by Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar called upon the Governor Dr S S Sidhu and demanded that Monserrate be sacked immediately. “How can you keep such a person in the Cabinet who has criminal involvement?” asked Parrikar after meeting the Governor. Parrikar claimed that Education Minister had not obtained permission from Ministry of External Affairs for this trip even though he had intimated Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and Speaker Pratapsing Rane. Meanwhile, the last week of the Budget Session of Goa Legislative Assembly which resumes on Tuesday is likely to be stormy with BJP gearing up to take an aggressive stand against Education Minister Babush Monserrate. “We would decide our line of action before the Session starts tomorrow,” Parrikar said on Monday when asked what would be his party’s stand in the House tomorrow. “The issue may be raised before “Question Hour” or may be later, there could be an adjourn-
75% turnout in Assam Phase I poll PTI GUWAHATI, APRIL 4
An estimated 75 per cent voters on Monday exercised their franchise in the first phase of the Assam assembly election covering 62 of the 126 constituencies, which was by and large peaceful. “The figure is likely to cross 75 per cent as reports from remote areas are still coming in”, Additional Chief Electoral Officer M C Sahu told PTI here. Deputy Election Commissioner Alok Shukla told reporters in New Delhi that polling was “very, very peaceful today. No major incident of violence has taken place”. To d a y ’ s p o l l i n A s s a m marked the start of the democratic exercise that will also cover Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal and Puducherry in April and May. While Assam will have two-phased poll, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry in one phase and West Bengal in six phases ending on May 10. The vote count is scheduled for May 13. Polling was brisk and peaceful and by late afternoon the turnout figure was about 65 per cent which is likely to increase and touch 75 per cent, he said.
Will seek detention details: CM HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 4
Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat has said he would seek details from a beleaguered Education Minister, Babush Monserrate on his detention at the Mumbai airport with excess foreign currency. Put on the defensive over the BJP’s demand for the sacking of the Education Minister and the threat of an agitation, the Chief Minister said “I have not met Babush yet since his return to Goa from Mumbai. His mobile phone has been switched off ”, when newsmen
sought his reaction on the foreign currency episode involving his Cabinet Minister. Replying to a question, Kamat said he would find out from the Education Minister on the chain of events, adding that he would come to know about the incident either tonight or tomorrow. Ever since Babush was detained at Mumbai airport, the Chief Minister had been treading a cautious path on the developments, especially when the BJP has threatened to agitate both inside and out of the Assembly against him.
Babush to place Customs panchanama in Assembly HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 4
Beleaguered Education Minister Atanasio alias Babush Monserrate has said that he would place the panchanama conducted by the office of the Customs Commissioner relating to the currencies/traveller cheques before the House on Tuesday for the information of the members of the Legislative Assembly. The Education Minister, who was in the city here Monday evening, said he has disclosed in a transparent manner all details concerning the incident which has been inflated by vested interests for obvious reasons. “It has been observed and calculated by the office of the Commissioner of Customs that a total of INR 22,99,022 has been involved in the matter. The rates of calculating the valuation of foreign currency has been done by the Customs although I have bought the same at much lower rates”, he said. Monserrate said a big hue and cry has been raised from expected quarters and various stories have been concocted by some people. “If any person minutely observes the sequence of events, it is clear that I have not used my status as a minister (Continued on page 8)
Controversy over ‘fake’ WC refuses to die down
Devotees from Mala, Panjim took out a procession from Maruti temple to Vithoba temple on the occasion of Gudi Padwa on Monday evening. Photo by Rozario Estibeiro
North India hit by quake, no reports of casualties PTI DEHRA DUN/NEW DELHI, APRIL 4
A 5.7-magnitude earthquake of “moderate” intensity with its epicentre at the Indo-Nepal border region shook parts of North India Monday evening but there was no immediate report of any loss of life or property. The two units of Narora Atomic Power station in Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh, which is located in the seismic zone and around 450 km from the epicentre of the quake, were safe. There was some panic in villages in Indian side of the Indo-Nepal border. Indian Meteorological Department officials in New Delhi and in Chandigarh said the quake measured 5.7 on the Richter
Tata candid, Radia evasive, says PAC PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 4
ICC claims original given to Indian team PTI MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, APRIL 4
The controversy over the trophy presented to the World Cup winning Indian cricket team by the ICC refused to die down on Monday because the “perpetual” trophy that is handed over to the victorious squad was lying in a Customs warehouse in Mumbai and it was given only a replica. Captains of the previous winning teams such as Ricky Ponting of Australia have all been given the perpetual trophy on winning the final. The names of previous winners are engraved at the base. Subsequently, the perpetual trophy is taken back by the ICC and the replica is given to the winning team for keeps. As reports surfaced that the ICC had left the perpetual trophy with Mumbai Customs as they were asked to pay a customs duty of Rs 22 lakhs, the cricket’s Governing body ICC said that the trophy that was handed to Mahendra Singh
Dhoni’s team was a “real one” and not a “replica”. It was obvious that the replica which would have been given to the team later was handed over at the presentation ceremony on Saturday night in Wankhede stadium in Mumbai after India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets. International Cricket Council CEO Haroon Lorgat said “It is
very disappointing that media reports do not represent the fact.... India got the trophy which was intended to be delivered to them.” “We had the real trophy on the field of play on Saturday and that is the trophy that was given to the Indian team,” he told a media conference in Mumbai. Former ICC president Ehsan Mani said the Indian team should have got the perpetual trophy on Saturday night with the name of the winning country engraved. ICC and BCCI should have taken the responsibility to ensure this, he said. “Every team member would have liked to have been there in front of the original trophy,” he added. A livid former Indian wicketkeeper batsman Farookh Engineer asked,” Is it some kind of a April Fool joke? Players like Gautam Gambhir voiced their disappointment at what former captain Bishen Singh Bedi called a “goof up”.
Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata and Niira Radia were on Monday quizzed in connection with 2G spectrum scam by Parliament’s PAC whose head M M Joshi said the panel found the industrialist candid and the corporate lobbyist “evasive”. The PAC will tomorrow question Reliance Communications Chairman Anil Ambani, as also Etisalat DB Telecom CEO Atul Jhamb, S-Tel CEO Shamik Das and Unitech Wireless Managing Director Sigve Brekke on the same issue. PAC quizzed Radia for two hours and Tata for three hours on issues related to the 2G spectrum allocation scam. “It was felt by the PAC that Niira Radia was not putting facts clearly. She was not in a mood to place facts before the committee. When asked about the tapes, at first she dilly-dallied and was evasive,” Joshi said.
Vision document to unveil illegal mines in State HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 4
The list of illegal mines in the State will now find place in the State government’s Vision document, which is compiled by panel of environmental experts. Vision Document for the Environment and Sustainable Development, a sub-committee of Golden Jubilee Council formed by State government under chairmanship of Dr Raghunath Mashelkar will be compiling a directory on the mushrooming illegal mining activities in the State. Environmentalist Madhav Gadgil, who heads the sub-committee, has urged all the concerned NGOs and locals to
provide detailed information on the illegal mining activities taking place in different parts of the State. “There is no doubt that illegal mining is escalating in Goa at much faster pace. Our stand is clear that the illegal mines should go. We are compiling directory of illegal mining activi-
ties in the State as part of Vision document,” Gadgil told reporters. The committee in collaboration with Center for Environment Education (CEE) has decided to take a hard look at the whole process of mining activity in the State. Hence they are been assigned with the task
to study the quality of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), extent of compliance of conditions contained in environmental clearances and adequacy of environmental management plan in mining sector. The same would be uploaded on CEE website. Gadgil said that he had come across instances in Goa, where environmental clearances were granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), despite EIA’s warning about large scale environmental damage caused by any mining activity. “The current EIA have several wrong or incorrect information, (Continued on page 8)
The two units of Narora Atomic Power station in Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh, which is located in the seismic zone and around 450 km from the epicentre of the quake, are safe. struck at 5.02 pm and was of “moderate” intensity. However, the US Geological Survey Department in its website put the magnitude at 5.4. “The quake was epicentred at Indo-Nepal border,” the officials said, adding, “there is no
fear of aftershocks.” “We are keeping our fingers crossed,” they said. Police and fire brigade said there was no report of any casualty or damage in Delhi after tremors were felt as far as the National Capital. “The plants (at Narora) are safe and continued to operate safely,” N Nagaich, the plant’s Chief Executive, told PTI. The official’s remarks were reassuring as questions were raised about the safety of Indian nuclear power plants from effects of quake and tsunami in the wake of the nuclear disaster in Japan. Officials and eyewitnesses said the tremor lasted between 3 and 30 seconds.
Stop targeting Indian cos under H1-B: USIBC PTI WASHINGTON, APRIL 4
Arguing strongly in favour of the H1-B visa programme, an umbrella body of Indian and American industrialists has asked the US Congress to stop targeting Indian companies with discriminatory fees as they have brought investment and quality jobs into the country. The US India Business Council (USIBC) has said that the H1-B programme has helped attract billions of dollars of Indian investment into the US, which in turn is supporting tens of thousands of quality jobs. “The continued targeting of Indian companies could put these opportunities in jeopardy.” “Unfortunately, Congress has targeted Indian firms and used them to pay for unrelated US initiatives by imposing large and discriminatory fee increases on 50/50 firms seeking to sponsor new H1-B and L-1 visas,” said Ron Somers, president of USIBC. The hike in the visa fee under these two programmes was included in 2 pieces of legislation
signed into laws – the Supplemental Border Security Bill and the 9/11 Health Responders Bill. In both instances, the fees were included as revenue offsets. “...in several instances prominent Members of Congress spoke out against Indian companies, in one instance calling them ‘chop shops’“, Somers said in his letter to Congressman Elton Gallegly, head of the Subcommittee on Immigration Policy & Enforcement, House Committee on the Judiciary. The letter dated March 29 was submitted for consideration for a subcommittee hearing on the H1-B visa programme. Corporate America, Somers said remains concerned with continuing false perceptions about the nature of Indian investment in the US and the use of the H1-B programme by Indian companies. “The specific targeting of Indian companies could create unintended consequences, including a backlash against US companies operating in India,” he said.