6 MAY,2010 HERALD PUBLICATIONS

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O HERALD O The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, THURSDaY, maY 6, 2010

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Sports: Kalmadi and Co seek PM intervention in tenure row Pg 18 IN BRIEF Gujjars stir off The month-long agitation by Gujjars led by Kirori Singh Bainsla was called off today with the State government agreeing to accord one per cent more quota to the community in addition to the existing 4% given to them under the OBC category. -- (PTI)

World: Shahzad admits attending terror camp Pg 11

Forced brain mapping, polygraphs illegal: SC PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

In a blow to investigating agencies, the Supreme Court today ruled as illegal compulsory use of narco-analysis, brain-mapping and polygraph tests, saying such techniques amount to cruel and degrading treatment and unwarranted intrusion into personal liberty.

“We hold that no individual should be forcibly subjected to any of the techniques in question, whether in the context of investigation in criminal cases or otherwise. Doing so would amount to an unwarranted intrusion into personal liberty,” a three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said.

“Compulsory administration of any of these techniques is an unjustified intrusion into the mental privacy of an individual. It would also amount to ‘cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment’ with regard to the language of evolving international human rights norms,” the bench, also comprising Justices R V Raveendran and J M Panchal said in its 251-page judgement.

The bench said the results gathered from these techniques comes into conflict with the ‘right to fair trial’ and “forcing an individual to undergo any of the impugned techniques violates the standard of substantive due process which is required

13 dead in Taliban bloodbath AP

KABUL, MAY 5

Taliban suicide bombers disguised as police attacked a government compound today in southwestern Afghanistan in an assault that left 13 people dead, including a provincial council member and all nine attackers, authorities said.

Eight of the bombers blew themselves up and police shot the ninth, President Hamid Karzai’s office said.

The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which came as the provincial council was meeting in Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz province. The militant group said the council was trying to turn Afghans against the militants.

Insurgents have carried out coordinated suicide attacks on government and aid installations in the past to strike a blow against NATO and Afghan attempts to counter the insurgency.

This summer, a US-led military operation will try to clear the southern city of Kandahar of Taliban fighters in what will be a critical test of the war.

Many insurgents fled to Nimroz province earlier this year when troops conducted an offensive to rout the Taliban from neighboring Helmand province.

What the apex court ruled…

No individual should be forcibly subjected to any of the techniques in question, whether in the context of investigation in criminal cases or otherwise.

It would also amount to ‘cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment’ with regard to the language of evolving international human rights norms.

On the flip side…

Such techniques can be used with certain safeguards in place if a person volunteers and consents to undergo any of these tests but “the test results by themselves cannot be admitted as evidence because the subject does not exercise conscious control over the responses. for restraining personal liberty.”

However, the court said such techniques can be used with certain safeguards in place if a person volunteers and consents to undergo any of these tests but made it clear that “the test results by themselves cannot be

admitted as evidence because the subject does not exercise conscious control over the responses”.

The bench said when consent of a person is obtained for subjecting him to narco analysis, brain mapping and polygraphic

NIA laxity lets accused get bail HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MAY 5

The National Investigating Agency’s (NIA) failure to file a chargesheet within the stipulated period led Vasco Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) on Wednesday to grant bail to the two accused, arrested on charges of planting improvised explosive devices (IED) at Sancoale on the eve of Diwali on October 16 last year.

The accused, Vinayak Patil (28) and Vinay Talekar (25), also accused SANCOALE in the Margao blast case, were granted bail in the Sancoale case, as the National Investigating Agency (NIA) failed to file the chargesheet within the stipulated period of 180 days.

Both the accused, who were arrested in October, have been in judicial custody since then and the NIA, who is investigating the case, failed to file the chargesheet till date, prompting the court to grant conditional bail to both accused.

Both the accused have been

granted bail on surety of Rs 1 lakh personal bond with the condition that they would appear before NIA every day and would not tamper with the evidence.

However, the bail will be of little relief to the accused, as they have to be in judicial custody in connection with the Margao blast case.

It may be recalled that the devices were placed in the cabin of a mini truck carrying Narkasur effigy from Ponda, which was stationed at SanIED CASE coale, about 100 meters from the Shantadurga Temple, on the eve of Diwali last year.

The boys parked their vehicle and went to the temple to register for the competition, when the driver noticed a parcel in the cabin.

When no one claimed ownership of the parcel, the driver threw it out and at that moment, happened to hear an unusual sound in the parcel. The organizers became suspicious of the sounds and alerted the police.

tests, the guidelines laid down by the NHRC in 2000 for the lie detector (polygraph) test has to be followed strictly.

In the judgement, which can have wide-ramifications on several high profile cases, Justice Balakrishnan said the compulsory administration of the impugned techniques violates the “right against self incrimination” and is against the provision of Article 20(3) of the Constitution.

Holding that the underlying rationale of such right is to ensure the reliability as well as voluntariness of statements that are admitted as evidence, the Bench said “This court has recognised that the protective scope of Article 20(3) extends to the investigative stage in criminal cases.”

The court said Article 20(3) read with Section 161(2) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, “protects accused persons, suspects as well as witnesses who are examined during an investigation. The test results cannot be admitted in evidence if they have been obtained through the use of compulsion”.

The judges noted that Article 20(3) protects an individual’s choice between speaking and remaining silent.

“The results obtained from each of the impugned tests bear a ‘testimonial’ character and they cannot be categorised as material evidence,” they said.

The CRPF battalion which lost 76 men in the deadliest Maoist attack in Dantewada violated every basic rule of operation and became sitting ducks by not proceeding with its area domination mission as planned, according to available evidence.

Documents that were made available to the one-member probe headed by E N Rammohan into the April 6 attack during his recent visit to Dantewada in Chattisgarh suggested that the CRPF company invited trouble by staying put in one single place for an entire day, sources in the know of events before the attack said today.

According to the sources, the 81-member CRPF team along with a head-constable of Chattisgarh police did not leave for its mission on April 4 at the time—1900 hours—mentioned in the log book.

DANTEWADA MASSACRE

The CRPF team which was supposed to leave for its mission on April 4 at 1900 hours started moving into jungle areas at 0500 hours the next day despite instructions not to venture into forests early morning.

The personnel comprising companies of the CRPF’s 62nd battalion in fact started moving into jungle areas only at 0500

India: Kareena is scared of ghosts Pg 5

IPL row: Pawar to be added to tax case AGENCIES NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Is there a code of conduct for ministers who hold posts in sports associations? That’s what the Bombay High Court has asked the Union Government to explain.

The court has also asked that Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar be made a respondent, along with suspended IPL Chairman Lalit Modi and current IPL Chief Chiryau Amin, to a case filed by a member of the Shiv Sena.

The case being heard is a P ublic Interest Litigation (PIL) which challenges the Maharashtra government’s decision to waive any Entertainment Tax for the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament which just finished.

The exemption has cost the government several crores, and many have alleged that the decision was heavily influenced by Pawar, whose Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) forms the Maharashtra government along with its ally and senior partner, the Congress.

SCARE IN THE AIR

Burqa-clad Russian grounds airplane PTI KOLKATA, MAY 5

A SpiceJet flight with 123 passengers on board had a scare today after two Russian nationals including a woman in burqa behaved “suspiciously” and the plane made a priority landing at the Kolkata airport.

The Delhi-Kolkata-Dhaka flight (SG 208) of the low-cost air carrier touched down at the N S C Bose Airport at 11:23 am after being given clearance by the Air Traffic Control(ATC) to land ahead of other aircraft over Kolkata airspace, airport sources said.

All passengers were safe.

The aircraft was immediately taken to an isolation bay and was surrounded by CISF personnel, the bomb squad, fire brigade and the police in line with an emergency drill, sources said.

The pilot was give a priority landing after passengers reported the Russian couple to the air crew.

SpiceJet CEO Sanjan Aggarwal said the captain of the flight requested for a priority landing after being alerted about a suspicious passenger by the sky marshal on board.

The couple, who were bound for Dhaka, was reported to be from Chechnya,

Not involved in power subsidy scam: Mauvin HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 5

Once again facing high-voltage allegations from the Bharatiya Janata Party in the power subsidy scam, former Power Minister Mauvin Godinho on Wednesday claimed he was innocent and the subsequent criminal charges against him in the case were all politically motivated since day one.

Godinho, who is the deputy speaker in the present government, addressing a press conference in a starred city hotel today said he had been exonerated by the Supreme Court of any wrongdoing as per an observation made in the Supreme Court judgement delivered on May 3, 2010.

The observation (No 76), a copy of which was circulated to press persons, reads, “Before parting with these appeals, we make it clear that the observations made by us in the course of our judgement is only for the

CRPF battalion broke key rules, says probe report PTI RAIPUR, MAY 5

pRiCE Rs. 3.00 (air Surcharge Rs. 1.50) pages 18

hours the next day despite instructions not to venture into forests during early morning hours, the sources said.

Information in the documents, which were accessed, showed that the CRPF company had spent its entire day in the same ground where they fell to the bullets of the Naxalites in the wee hours of April 6.

Senior personnel in the CRPF team had even summoned some people including the head of the nearby village— Mukram—and asked for large utensils for preparing the meals for the entire group, the sources said.

The element of secrecy was missing in the operation as the CRPF company after spending the entire day in the ground shifted to a nearby “Ashram”, a hostel, besides ordering the villagers to bring cots and other material, the sources said.

Godinho said the subsidy that he released was to the tune of Rs 13 cr.

But when Parrikar was the CM, his ministry had given subsidy of Rs 15 cr to Mormugao Steel. When he was reminded that the present CM Digambar Kamat was the Power Minister in the BJP dispensation, the former had very little to say and on further questioning by the media, he categorically stated, “It is for you people to read between the lines.” purpose of disposing of these appeals and shall not be treated as an expression on the conduct of the then power minister.”

This observation was made

by Justices R V Raveendran and H L Dattu, both of whom also ruled, “Neither did the minister of power think it is proper and appropriate to place the proposals before the council of ministers or the CM nor did the secretary concerned deem it appropriate to do so. The proposals were finalised by the power minister at his level as per the

modifications suggested by him on July 30,.1996 which in our opinion are in violation of the business rules.”

Citing the earlier observation, Godinho maintained the SC was aware this could be used to launch criminal cases against me. The observation gives me a clean chit, he held further.

He chided leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar over his demand for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. I would like to educate him on (Continued on page 10)

The confusion arose because of the woman passenger’s manly physique and a language problem.

Also she was found eating without taking off her veil and passing food to her husband. a Russian province.

The burqa-clad woman Irbanieva Eieonora (42) and her 50-year- old husband Aslan Arthur were taken to the office of the airport manager where they were questioned.

The confusion arose because of the woman passenger’s manly physique and a l a n g u a g e p ro b l e m , t h e sources said.

The air hostesses became suspicious when they found her eating without taking off her veil and passing food to her husband, they said.

MPLAD scheme verdict today PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

The Supreme Court will pronounce on Thursday its verdict on the constitutional validity of MPLAD scheme under which members of Parliament are allocated Rs 2 cr annually for development of their constituencies.

A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, which examined the scheme, will deliver its judgement.

Looking at the cost of this project, I'm sure we will only have link between ministers, consultants, touts, middlemen, builders, engineers.....

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MMC reminds Fomento on need to cap Sonsodo site Asks to return draft Concession agreement for ratification HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

With monsoons round the corner, the Margao Municipal Council on Wednesday reminded Fomento on the urgent need to cap the Sonsodo waste treatment plant with Tarpaulin to prevent leachate flowing from the site into the adjoining water bodies.

The Civic body has also asked Fomento to return back the draft Concession Agreement so that the same is placed before the Council for ratification.

In a letter to Fomento, Margao Municipal Chief Officer Y B Tawde reminded the company about the commitments made to the High Court on the capping of the Sonsodo site with tarpaulin and carry out drainage works at the site before the onset of monsoons.

He pointed out that as per

Nigerian held for overstay HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, MAY 5

Porvorim police on Wednesday afternoon arrested a 24-yearold Nigerian national on charges of overstaying in the country.

According to Porvorim police, Chukwadyka Gigbokwe, who was staying in rented premises at Anjuna, was arrested at Betim.

Police said on enquiry, it was found that the Nigerian neither possessed passport nor he could give any satisfactor y explanation about it.

The Nigerian national has been booked under Section 14 of Foreigner Act, Section 79 of Foreigners Order 1948 and Passport entry into Indian Rule 1950.

He will be produced before Judicial Magistrate First Class on Thursday. Police Sub Inspector K P Sinari is investigating the case.

File photo on Sonsodo garbage site.

the bar scheduled filed in the High Court, the company had promised to cap the site with tarpaulin by May end and also undertake the drainage works.

The Chief Officer further said

that the company should commence work at the site and intimate the Council on the completion of the work so that the Civic body can also file a status report in the high court.

Residents hail CMC CO for action against illegal construction HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, MAY 5

Residents of Chaudi-Canacona have congratulated Canacona Municipal Council (CMC) chief officer for acting tough on an alleged illegal construction of a kiosk at Chaudi, which led to filing counter police complaints against a councilor and a villager.

According to sources, the concerned party who built the alleged illegal laterite bricks construction replacing an existing wooden kiosk over a septic tank of municipal residential-cum-commercial building at Chaudi was forced to demolish it after CMC Chief Officer Deepak Dessai took strong note of the alleged illegality.

It is learnt that Dessai last Friday directed the party to either demolish the laterite

brick stones structure within two days or face municipal action.

Accordingly, the structure was demolished on Sunday by the concerned party herself and restored it to its earlier form (with wooden planks).

In a letter, residents of Chaudi congratulated CMC chief officer for taking strong initiative against illegality and public health hazard nuisance.

It may be recalled that last week, Viraj Pai of Chaudi had filed a police complaint against CMC Deputy Chairperson and Chaudi Councilor Dilip Kenkre for allegedly assaulting him and issuing threats to kill.

In a counter-complaint, Kenkre alleged that he was abused when he had gone to take stock of an alleged illegal construction complaint at Chaudi.

MMC cracks whip against fruits sale on footpaths

Basket full of mangoes that were seized by the Margao Municipal Council during the encroachment drive on Wednesday.

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

The Margao Municipal Council on Wednesday cracked a whip against sale of fruits on the footpaths on pavements and passages.

Municipal workers descended at the Communidade building, old station road, Sadekar lane

and seized fruit baskets.

Market inspector Anil Shirodkar said put the value of the seized goods to Rs 5000.

He said the anti-encroachment drive was slow in recent times for want of a vehicle, but added that the drive would continue on a daily basis.

Ex-Canacona youth Cong chief reacts to Fernandes’ stance HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, MAY 5

The appeal by the Canacona block Congress chief to local party functionaries in the taluka to remain united has been received by some party workers with a pinch of salt.

Reacting to press statement of Canacona Congress Block President Elvis Fernandes, former Canacona Youth Congress president Sanju Naik asked Fernandes to clarify his achievements for Congress party in the taluka.

“When was the last time Fer-

nandes convened a meeting of his block members or with the so-called party panchas from the so-called panchayats having Congress hold,” asked Naik.

“In fact during Fernandes’ leadership, two Congress party candidates in the recently held ZP elections are defeated,” Naik, who himself was one of the defeated ZP candidate told Herald.

“How come the Congress block neither before nor after the elections convened any meetings of party functionar-

ies either to plan workers strategy for elections or to know the weaknesses of party workers in fighting elections, which are eventually lost by party backed candidates,” questioned Naik.

Out of the reported five panchayats under Congress fold, Khola is already gone to Quepem block and now Congress, especially the block president should strive to keep the remaining four panchayats under its feathers by personally interacting with workers.

On the draft concession agreement, the Civic body has reminded the company to return back the agreement on a priority basis so that the same can be placed before the Council for ratification.

It is quite some time that the Civic body had handed over the draft concession agreement besides a soft copy of the agreement to Fomento after receiving the draft from the office of the Municipal lawyer.

Meanwhile, officials of Fomento are believed to have inspected the Sonsodo site on Wednesday morning to take stock of the situation. Newlyappointed Chief Executive Officer, Fomento Shridhar Kamat along with other representatives of the company reportedly made their presence felt at the site this morning and assessed the situation.

Four held in Sanquelim assault case HERALD CORRESPONDENT BICHOLIM, MAY 5

Bicholim police on Wednesday arrested four persons in connection with the assault on a family at Kothiwada-Sanquelim.

In a complaint, one Sushant Sawant told Bicholim police that four persons including Manoj Sawant, Mohandas Sawant, Pramod Sawant and Pradee Sawant entered his house on Tuesday night and assaulted him and his family members.

In the attack, Sushant, his mother Anandi, sister Shruti and brother Sudesh were assaulted and were admitted to Asilo Hospital in Mapusa.

Bicholim police arrested the four persons under Sections 454, 323, 504, 506 rw 34 IPC. They were later released on bail. Hawaldar, Harischandra Parab is further investigating the case.

Plaint against one for raping minor HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

In a shocking incident, a 15-yearold minor girl was alleged raped by a 35-year-old man at Mugalli in Sao Jose de Areal village.

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the boy called up the girl, who was in Margao and informed that he will give her a lift to Ramnagiri as his sister has fallen ill.

The unsuspecting minor, who knew the accused well, took the lift and headed towards Ramnagiri. However, instead of taking her home, the accused boy took the victim girl in the bushes behind a place of worship and allegedly raped her.

Maina-Curtorim police said the accused is believed to have fled from the scene after committing the offense by leaving the victim to fend herself.

A complaint to this effect stands registered against the married man, informed PI Santosh Desai.

Bye-polls: no sale of liquor HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 5

All licensed premises “for the sale of liquor” shall be closed on May 8 to 10, 2010 in view of elections to 10-Navelim Zilla Panchayat Constituency in South Goa District and bye-election to ward No. VII of Village Panchayat Uccasaim – Paliem – Punola in Bardez taluka by the Goa State Election Commission to the wards Dramapur, Sirlim, Navelim, Telaulim to 10. Navelim Zilla Panchayat Constituency in Salcete taluka and Ward No. VII in Village Panchayat Uccasaim – Paliem – Punola in Bardez taluka.

CCCF demands detailed report on need for airport at Mopa HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

The Colva Civic and Consumer Forum has demanded that the government compile a detailed report whether Mopa airport is really required for a State having 15 lakh population and when the government is planning to spent Rs 500 crore for the upgradation of the Dabolim airport.

The Forum was reacting news reports in respect of Mopa airport by the government that the International Civil Aviation organisation has con-

ducted a feasibility report and Dabolim will not be closed down for the public.

Forum secretar y Judith Almeida has clarified that the ICAO feasibility report was prepared by one M M Bhagat individually and was submitted to the government with a proposal to build an airport on BOOT basis with or without government participation. “This feasibility report will natural be biased as he would get the contract. Also, in the report, he has mentioned that the report submitted is provisional and not

detailed”, Almeida said, adding that how the government is going ahead with the acquisition of land and spending tax payers money if the report is provisional and not detailed.

She said the report also mentions that there are no permanent houses on the land to be acquired, but in reality there are nearly 150 houses, some of them are more than 200 years old.

On the closure of the Dabolim airport, she said no two airports can exist within 150 nautical miles as per international law.

Govt claims sufficient doctors at CCHC HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, MAY 5

While adequate facilities and manpower have constantly eluded the Canacona Community Health Centre (CCHC), the government has now claimed that sufficient medical practitioners have been posted in Canacona.

A c c o rd i n g t o C a n a c o n a Health Welfare Committee (CHWC), only five doctors make up for the entire team of doctors at Canacona Community Health Centre (CHC). But the Directorate of Health Services has claimed that CHC has sufficient medical practitioners attending to various patients in Canacona.

C H W C P re s i d e n t D i o g o D’Silva informed that in a reply to their application under RTI Act, the Director of Health Services provided the figure as 14, the number of doctors attending to various patients visiting Canacona CHC. “This is totally absurd, as we do not have a gynaecologist or any other specialised doctor visiting the CHC,” said D’Silva.

Sources said: “If one takes a look at the staff strength board displayed in Health Officer’s cabin, it still paints a healthier picture for any onlooker.”

Says D’Silva: “Besides, information is also provided to us that seven village health sanitation committees constituted under National Rural Health Mission are functioning from the CHC, taking care of health needs in the taluka, each committee provided with funds of Rs 10,000.”

“We simply ask the government to show us where and when these committees are functioning and how and for what the amount is spent. We have never seen such committees in CHC, as people continue to suffer for want of proper attention,” adds D’Silva.

Krishna B Dessai, another executive member of CHWC said: “Neither, any of the section like

CHC Canacona at Chaudi.

laboratory, X-Ray units, etc, functions, nor there is any increase in deputation of doctors.”

Dessai further claimed that local health authorities provides concocted figures to higher ups and ministers, which in turn leaves the often touted stateof-the-art hospital ill-equipped with medical equipments and medicines, short-staffed as far as doctors and other medical staff is concerned ultimately doing no good to the society in general.

D’Silva said even the three dialysis units remain non-functional for major part of the days.

“The worst is no kidney patients who can afford alternate hospital stations, takes a risk to visit this unit at CHC for fear of getting caught in case of power failures,” said D’Silva.

Dessai, quoting government sources, who stated that doctors if posted in Canacona are not willing to come and if persisted with Canacona postings also resigns government job, asked the

Photo by Kathy Pereira

Staff strength display board in health officers cabin.

Photo by Kathy Pereira

government to carry proper investigation as to why doctors are not willing to work at Canacona.

“Let government investigate and also find out if doctors are not suitably paid for rendering their services to the entire state of Goa and whether Canacona

1 convicted for rash and negligent driving HERALD CORRESPONDENT SANGUEM, MAY 5

Sanguem Judicial Magistrate First Class Sudhir S Shirgaonkar recently convicted one Ulhas Naik for rash and negligent driving and for causing grievous injuries to two persons.

It may be recalled that on May 10, 2008, at about 6 am, Leena Velip and Sarita Gaonkar were standing near Bhavani Bar, Morcornem-Kirlapal, to proceed to their work place at Vagon by bus.

However, a speeding truck (GA05 T-0587) driven by the accused Ulhas Naik dashed against the duo, causing simple injuries to Sarita and grievous injuries to Leena.

The injured were later hospitalized

by a commuter, Sandip Gaonkar.

The prosecution examined 8 witnesses in the matter, including Investigating Officer Carlos Fernandes, attached to Curchorem police.

The JMFC, after going through the deposition of the witnesses and arguments advanced by APP Govind Gaonkar, convicted the accused with a fine of Rs 1,000 each for rash and negligent driving and causing grievous injuries and Rs 500 for inflicting simple injuries.

Woman killed

PONDA (HC): A 64-year-old woman from Metawada-Volvoi was crushed to death by a passenger bus at Volvoi on Wednesday.

According to Ponda police, the accident occurred when Kanchanmala Sakharam Shet was boarding a Ponda-bound passenger bus (GA-02-V-4888). Shet, who came under the rear wheels of the bus, died on the spot.

Police further informed that the woman was proceeding to meet the doctor in Ponda. Police is investigating the case.

taluka does not form part of the State,” he said.

Interestingly, CHWC expressed regret that including Chief Minister Digambat Kamat and Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane, no one in the government pays any heed to the health needs of the Canconcars.

Former DySP Varik no more

PONDA (HC): Former DySP Vishwanath Varik (68) passed away at his residence at DhavaliPonda on Wednesday. A native of Canacona, DySP Varik was a respected police officer during his tenure and was the recipient of the President Award for excellent service. The final rites will be held at Ponda crematorium on May 6.

AICSD chief organiser to address meet PANJIM (HND): Mahendra Joshi, Chief Organiser of All India Congress Seva Dal will arrive in Goa on May 6, 2010. He will address the State Executive Committee members, District Organisers, Mahila Executive Committee

members and Block Presidents of Goa Pradesh Congress Seva Dal at Congress office, Panjim at 3.30 on May 6, 2010. J T Vaz, chief organiser of Goa Pradesh Congress Seva Dal has requested all concerned to attend the meeting.

India second for most number of threatened amphibian species HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 5

India ranks second on the list of countries having the most number of threatened amphibian species in Asia, with 25 per cent of its species facing possible extinction, a study conducted by an international environmental agency said.

As per the study conducted by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), out of the 38 species of amphibians in Asia that are confirmed to be extinct, by the Global Amphibian Assessment (GAA), one is from India.

“India has the third largest amphibian population in Asia. The country comprises of 272 species of which 167 (66.3 per cent) are endemic to the country,” IUCN website mentions.

“Apart from one extinct species, 13 species are listed as critically endangered, 31 are classified as endangered and 23 as vulnerable,” the website added.

The Malabar Gliding Frog, an endemic species of South Asia found in NorthEastern India and in Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park in Goa and Jerdon’s Bullfrog, which is

widely distributed in Peninsular India and is being poached for meat in Goa are listed as a near threatened species. While the Indian Bull frog is listed as vulnerable.

The IUCN in their study has said that the loss and fragmentation of habitats is the immediate threat to amphibians in India.

“A vast majority of Indian amphibians occupy regions that are increasingly being used for agricultural purposes. In addition to this, a vast majority of amphibian species dwell in regions that are undergoing urban development, logging and industrialisation that have resulted in a drop in stable amphibian habitats,” the study reveals.

The study also says that pollution plays a major role in creating an unstable environment for amphibians in the country.

Excessive use of pesticides such as DDT, Dieldrin and Malathion has been shown to affect the immune systems of certain amphibian species.

In Goa too environmentalists feel that the climate change, habitat alteration and pollution are major contributors to dwindling amphibian populations in the state.

At the same time they realised that lots of study need to be done on the existence of some amphibian species as there is lack of knowledge on part of habitat, food, breeding process is concerned.

“As there is vast lacuna in our knowledge and understanding of certain groups of amphibians, we are restricted to take necessary measures as far as their conservation is concerned,” Nirmal Kulkarni, environmentalist said.

He said that some of the species like Caecilians (legless amphibians), Bush frogs and Wrinkled Frogs are Western Ghats endemics and found only in this region and nowhere else in the world, but we are unaware about their existence.

“If we don’t take proper measures now, the same will be in the list of threatened species after few years,” Kulkarni lamented.

As such the environmentalist under the banner Mhadei Bachao Abhiyaan will be submitting a proposal before the state forest department requesting to conduct a systematic study of Goa’s amphibian diversity.

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Elated over SC decision, Operation Sagar Kavach, police search trawlers entering River Sal Parrikar demands CBI probe HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 5

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

As part of the ongoing Sagar Kavach carried out in coordination with the Coast Guard and Navy, the Coastal police on Wednesday conducted a search of around 100 trawlers entering the River Sal at the river mouth on Wednesday.

In another operation, the Margao police today conducted search of citizens visiting the Margao police headquarters and the District Collectorate as part of the mock drill.

Betul Coastal police station incharge, PI Gurudas Kadam said the two patrol boats were deployed to patrol the sea and the River Sal – which is the hub for the fishing vessels.

Kadam said that fishing vessels entering the river from the sea were thoroughly searched by the police personnel right from the River mouth. “The police personnel continue to maintain vigil as the two-day mock exercise ends on Thursday”, he said.

Meanwhile, armed with hand metal detectors, personnel of the Margao police station conducted a thorough search of visitors at the district police headquarters and the adjoining district Collectorate as part of Sagar Kavach, informed PI Santosh Desai.

Elated over the Supreme Court decision upholding verdict of the High Court in power rebate case, the Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar on Wednesday demanded that the State Government should ask CBI to probe cases of fraud pertaining to power rebate pending against former power minister Mauvin Godinho.

Going a step further the Leader of the Opposition also

out that two notifications issued during tenure of Godinho were fraudulently issued. Upholding the decision of the High Court, Parrikar said, apex court has vindicated their stand that two notifications – issued on May 15, 1996 and August 1, 1996 facilitating power guzzling units to avail rebate, illegal.

Two notifications were struck down by the High Court declaring them null and void – the decision which has been upheld by the Supreme Court on May 3. With this decision, the State treasury is likely to earn Rs 100 crore.

Justifying his demand for CBI inquiry against a police complaint which he had made against Godinho then, Parrikar said, ex-power minister being a part of the government and Deputy Speaker of the House, there will not be fair investigation if local police conducts the probe.

Whether cases, pending against former power minister about power scam or disproportionate asset case, the investigation has to be through CBI, he demanded. "It is only apt that CBI conducts investigation as Godinho has much confidence in CBI," retorted Par-

POWER REBATE CASE Parrikar made the demands at a press conference here saying Supreme Court's decision has opened a scope for criminal investigation as it has brought

EXTORTION RACKET Goa police conducting naka bandhi throughout the day in Panjim on Wednesday.

Photo by Rozario Estibeiro

Red alert imposed, cops on strict vigil HERALD CORRESPONDENT OLD GOA, MAY 5

Old Goa police officials were kept on their toes, after a red alert was imposed all over the State on Wednesday.

Over 20 police personnel were deployed at various points in and around Old Goa to take cognizance of any untoward in-

cident.

Police personnel were deployed at major points like Panjim-Ponda highway, boat Jetty opposite Goa Institute of Management and Captain of Ports Jetty at Old Goa. Police personnel from Old Goa were also seen moving in and around Old Goa to keep a

track on movement of unknown people in the area.

According to sources, the red alert has been imposed all over the State and State Police Department has given a strict order to the concerned police stations to take care of the river points in and around the State, especially the coastal zone.

PWD directed to halt work on Bicholim bridge HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 5

The North Goa Collector Mihir Wardhan on Wednesday has directed the Public Works Department officials to halt work on the new Bicholim parallel bridge following reports in the media.

It was reported in the media that the construction of parallel bridge could cause environmental effect in form of flooding as the contractor has carried out mud filling in the river for laying slabs.

Taking cognisance of the same North Goa Collector Mihir Wardhan visited the site today and directed the officials to halt work until further decision is taken.

Speaking to Herald, Wardhan said that he has called for a meeting with PWD, WRD officials as well as the contractor Aditya

Constructions.

“I have told the PWD if they cannot finish work before monsoons they should halt work immediately and remove all the mud,” Wardhan said.

He however said he has not taken any final decision as the contractor has said he will finish work by June 7, which is very far and by that time monsoon already arrives in Goa. However, despite the collector’s orders PWD officials said the contractor will go ahead with the slab work.

“We have decided to go ahead with the slab as stopping work at this juncture will incur a loss of over Rs 2 crore,” a top PWD official told Herald.

“We have already ordered the ready mix concrete machine tomorrow,” he said.

Further, the official added, that the WRD

officials have misguided the collector that we will finish work by June 7.

“We have given an assurance that not only slab work but we will completely dismantle the fitting for slab and remove the mud by June 7,” officials said adding “… but some people are misguiding the collector saying that we will complete the slab only by June 7.”

PWD Minister Churchill Alemao when contacted did not comment much on the issue.

“I will take up the issue with the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, who is out of station,” he said.

When further pressed for his comment, he said, “Whatever is good for the residents of Bicholim will be done by the government.”

...asked to clear mud from Bicholim River basin HERALD CORRESPONDENT MAYEM, MAY 5

Collector Mihir Vardhan has directed PWD officials to clear the mud from Bicholim River basin

by May 25, as it may lead to floods during monsoon if the mud is not cleared.

This instruction was passed to the PWD officials at a special meeting convened in Bicholim mamlatdar’s office on Wednesday.

It may be recalled that Water Resource Department (WRD) has undertaken a work to protect Bicholim city from likely floods during monsoon by constructing retaining walls at required places at a cost of Rs 8 crore, of which 90% of the work has been completed.

The PWD has also undertaken the construction work of a parallel bridge at Bicholim since the last 8 months and the work is going on.

However, WRD has pointed out that the work undertaken

by PWD is not up to the mark and while carrying out the work, PWD has deposited a heap of mud, thereby blocking the entire flow of Bicholim River.

WRD officials asked the PWD to clear the mud deposited at

demanded that recently raked up issues by the Opposition such as alleged scam in the Excise department, issue of High Security Registration Plates (HSRP), illegal mining, police-drug dealers’ nexus, be investigated through CBI.

Oppn MMC councillors for immediate filing of writ plea HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

Demanding justice in the wake of allegations made by former Chief Officer Prasanna Acharya that some councillors were extorting money from builders, the opposition group in the Margao Municipal Council has demanded that the Chairperson Savio Coutinho should not delay in filing the writ petition in the High Court to unearth the true facts.

Saying that corruption has reached a new high in the Margao civic body, the opposition has demanded that Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao should intervene to stop the rot.

The opposition group felt the Chairperson is aware of the names of the Councillors involved in extortion racket, but accused him for shying away from divulging their names just because the unknown councillors belong to the ruling group.

The opposition group led by former vice-chairperson Narayan Fondekar demanded to know why the Chairperson is seeking the opinion of the Municipal legal counsel when the Council has resolved to file a writ petition in the High Court. “This

will not only cause delay in filing of the case, but there is doubt raised in many quarters whether the Municipal lawyer would give the green signal to file a case against a former Chief Officer”, he said, while demanding that the Chairperson should lead the Councillors in filing a special leave petition.

Former chairpersons Johnson Fernandes and Piedade Noronha expressed their shock that the Chairperson has decided to seek opinion of the Municipal lawyer when the Council at the special meeting on Tuesday has resolved to file the petition.

“There should not be any delay as the allegations made by the former Chief Officer has cast suspicions on all the Councillors”, Johnson said.

Former Chairperson Kamlini Painginkar also came down heavily on the ruling body saying that the opposition group of councillors are being discriminated by the Council in providing workers for pre-monsoon and other works.

Similar sentiments was expressed by Councillor Ciriaca Rodrigues, who said that the Municipality has not yet started the work of cleaning drains in her ward as part of the pre-monsoon works.

Cuncolim to have waste treatment plant soon HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

Mud being dumped in Bicholim River basin.

the earliest as it may cause floods during monsoon.

It is learnt that PWD Assistant Engineer Natrajan claimed it was impossible to clear off the mud at a fast pace.

WRD has lodged a complaint with Bicholim mamlatdar requesting him to look into the matter.

To sort out the issue, Bicholim Mamlatdar Pramod Bhat convened a special meeting of the officials of both the departments

Photo by Vishant Vaze

with Collector Mihir Vardhan at his office on Wednesday.

After visiting the site and learning about the gravity of the issue, Collector Vardhan came to the conclusion that the mud be cleared before May 25.

The Collector accordingly directed PWD officials to clear the mud from Bicholim River by May 25 or cautioned them to shoulder the responsibility of floods.

However, PWD Assistant En-

gineer Natrajan expressing his inability to meet the deadline and requested his to extend the time limit up to June 10.

Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar, who was also present during his visit to the site, directed PWD to complete the work within schedule time.

Later, the Collector also visited Sanquelim area and took review of the flood protection measures undertaken by WRD.

GCW demands revised minimum wages Threatens state-wide agitation HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 5

The federation of the Goa Convention for Workers on Wednesday has threatened of a State-wide agitation if the revised minimum wages are not implemented within a fortnight.

The workers have said that the agitation will take place either in form of a march in protest at Chief Minister Digambar Kamat’s residence or a walk in at Secretariat in Porvorim or in any other democratic way.

“The workers will use all the democratic means if the notification is not implemented in next fifteen days,” Raju Mangeshkar, general secretary GCW told reporters today.

“The workers will come out with big action on part of government failure. The agitation will mostly take place before chief minister’s residence or we might march towards Secretariat. We won’t give the exact means of agitation….let them see what we can do. Unless we come out on road in a big way, the government won’t wake up,” Mangeshkar added.

Goa government on March 11, 2010 revised minimum wages from Rs 103 to Rs 150 a day, for different categories of skilled and unskilled

labour in the State, which was termed as ‘too little, too late’ by the convention.

“Our actual demand was to revise minimum wages to Rs 275 but the State government came out with their own rates. It has been almost more than a month now since the order has been passed, but the State government is not showing any interest towards its notification. We are still being paid Rs 103 per day,” he stated.

Though, the government has said that the new wages will come into force from December 24, 2009, the Union demands it from August 2009.

President of Goa Raj Karmachari Maha Sangh (GRKMS) Putu Gaonkar said that government is running away from its responsibilities. “Inspite of being the costliest State in the country, the workers here have to cry for wages. States like Delhi is paying Rs 203 a day to its workers. Similarly, other states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh where cost of living is much low as compared to Goa, has already increased the wage rates,” he stated.

He informed that several workers from Verna Industrial Estate have left the job as the wages are not enough for their livelihood.

“More than 95 per cent of workers in Goa are unorganised and they are paid Rs 103 per day. More than 80 per cent of workers throughout the State are contract labourers, who have to work for nearly 12 hours a day for entire year, without availing of single leave or off,” Subhash Naik Jorge, union member said.

The convention alleged that the State government and labour machinery are ‘hand and glove’ with employers lobby and a deliberate attempt is made to delay the implementation of the notification.

Meanwhile, in a recent Writ Petition filed

by M/s Rich Audio System operating from Verna Industrial Estate and Prakash Colour Cartoon Industries, based in Corlim Industrial Estate before the High Court have challenged revision of wages claiming that the government has not followed the mandatory procedure.

“The State government did not go as per the recommendations of the sub-committee on minimum wages for revising the minimum wages in Goa and instead hiked the minimum wages above 45 per cent while disregarding the norms for fixation as per the Minimum Wages Act, they have pointed out,” states the petitions.

There’s good news in store for the residents of Cuncolim. Even as the Commercial Capital is struggling to put a garbage treatment plant in place at Sonsodo, Cuncolim will be the second town in the State to have its own land fill site and a waste treatment plant later this month.

If Cuncolim MLA and Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao is to be believed, the plant in Cuncolim will be commissioned between May 2025, adding that similar waste treatment plants are taking shape in other Municipal areas as well.

Briefing newsmen after inspection work at the plant at Cuncolim, Alemao said “a similar plant is running successfully in Bicholim. Cuncolim would be the second town to have a landfill site and plant. Another plant is taking shape at Sanquelim”.

The Urban Development Minister has expressed confidence that barring Mapusa and Curchorem – where the land acquisition process is still on – waste treatment plants will become a reality in the remaining Municipal councils before the next two years.

Saying that he has sanctioned funds for all the Municipal Councils to acquire land and set up the treatment plants. “In Quepem, the land fill site has started, while the process is on in other municipal areas”, he said, adding “before my tenure comes to an end, I will complete work on these plants at the earliest that all the towns have their own waste treatment plants”.

The Urban Development Minister said he has requested the Chief Minister

Digambar Kamat to sanction funds for the village panchayat bodies to look after their own waste. “Panchayat waste is finding its way in the towns and cities. I want to stop that garbage from coming to the cities”, he said, and categorically stated that no waste from outside Cuncolim would be accepted at the garbage treatment plant in the town. “The waste treatment plants set up in the towns are exclusively meant for the waste generated within the city limits. There’s no scope for waste from villages to be treated by the towns”, he said, while requesting the Chief Minister to provide funds for the village Panchayat to set up their own waste treatment plants.

Meanwhile, the Urban Development Minister has asked the Margao Municipal Chairperson Devendra Desai to ensure that the area acquired for the waste treatment plant in Cuncolim be fenced with trees so that people can visit the area and see for themselves the success of the plant. “The entire area should look like a garden”, he added.

rikar.

It must be recalled that Godinho had filed a complaint against Parrikar pertaining to alleged disproportionate expenditure on building infrastructure for IFFI 2004 and demanded CBI inquiry.

CBI investigation in excise scam, illegal mining, drug-dealing and HSRP: Claiming that he has documentary evidence in alleged excise scam as also HSRP, on the sidelines of the visit of their National President Nitin Gadkari, Parrikar made a strong demand that investigation of the cases be handed over to CBI. As also, cases pertaining to police-drug dealers’ nexus and investigation of illegal mining be handed over to CBI, he added.

The BJP’s national President is coming to Goa on May 6.

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short takes ‘Govradhan Kutir’ opened

MAYEM (HC): The Radha-Shyam-Sundar Temple ‘Govradhan Kutir’ was recently inaugurated at Tulsimala-Sanquelim.

Sri Sri Rev Rasik Das inaugurated the temple at the function organized by International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISCON), Ponda unit. Later, Das addressed the gathering on ‘Srimadbhagwadgeeta’.

On the occasion, devotee Vrajesh Das offered Abhishek to Lord Radha-Shyam. The chanting of Mahamantra Hare Krishna was also held on the occasion, which was attended by about 600 devotees. The programme concluded with a Mahaprasad.

Speakers in their address recalled the ideas and work of A C Bhaktivedant Rev Sril Prabhupad, who devoted to the cause of ISCON throughout his life to teach the teachings of Lord Krishna.

Meanwhile, a weekly discourse on Geeta has been organized at the venue from 7 to 8 pm.

Besides, chanting of Shloka programme to the children (7 to 12 years) will conclude with Mahaprasad.

Thousands throng jumble sale

PANJIM (HND): Thousands of people visited the Jumble Sale organized by Help & Help Charitable Trust in Margao which opened today. Everything from stationery, food stuffs, toys, books, clothes, household items, to television sets were sold for prices ranging from Rs 2 to Rs 2000. All items have been donated by companies, shops and individuals from all over Goa. The sale, which is being held for three days below Comunidade building near Kamat Hotel, is one of Help & Help’s annual fund-raising activities, proceeds of which are used to assist institutions serving the needy in Goa.

IGNOU admission extended

PANJIM (HND): Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) the largest University in the country is inviting applications for its July-2010 session for Masters Degree, Bachelors Degree, PG Diplomas, Advance Diplomas, Diplomas, Professional Certificates, PG Certificates, Advanced Certificates, NonCredit and Application Programmes. The date for submission of forms without late fee has been extended to May 31 and upto June 15 June with a late fee of Rs 200.

The common prospectus with application form can be obtained by paying Rs 100 at the sale counters of IGNOU Panjim Regional Centre, near P&T Staff Quarters, Alto Porvorim (2414553), IGNOU Study Centre at Dhempe Arts & Science College, Miramar (2462616), IGNOU Study Centre at Shree Damodar College of Commerce & Economics, Margao (2732084).

An electronic version of the prospectus is also available at IGNOU website: www.ignou.ac.in

Practice firing

PANJIM (HND): Naval Coast Battery, Mormugao will carry out 40/60 and 105 mm IFG gun firing from Mormugao, Headland, Sada, from 10 am to 1 pm on May 21.

The danger lies within an area bounded by 200° to 260° from Mormugao Headland Flag Staff position up to a distance of 20 nautical miles to seaward and flying height of 6500 m.

Course in non-violence

PANJIM (HND): International Gandhian Institute for non-violence and peace, Madurai, has designed a one year duration correspondence course, diploma course in non-violence and peace, which will include theory papers and practicals. The medium of instruction is English and any one, irrespective of qualification, can join the course. Those interested are requested to contact Director, Jan Shikshan Sansthan Goa, Vidya Prabodhini Educational Complex, Alto-Porvorim during office hours.

Naik felicitated

PANJIM (HND): Director of Food and Drugs Administration Salim Veljee felicitated V R Naik has for being the first postgraduate (M Pharm) of Goa College of Pharmacy in 1970 at the Alumni function held at Goa College of Pharmacy auditorium on May 1.

Naik was a student of Dr Alvaro Afonso, first principal of Goa College of Pharmacy. His thesis work on micro crystallization was very much appreciated by Dr Mary H Ferguson, Editor of American Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences in which his work was published. Subsequently, he published a review article in Pharma Times on the same topic. He was awarded a cash prize for his article on comparing churnas and bhasmas of Ayurveda with modern methods of micro crystallization which was judged the best article of the year in the journal.

Thereafter, he published a good number of research papers in national and international journals of repute in the fields of ethno pharmacology, marine pharmacology and clinical pharmacology at Goa Medical College.

4-day Goan festival at Chicalim from today

HERALD CORRESPONDENT CORTALIM, MAY 5

As part of efforts to maintain and enrich Goan rich cultural identity, Sobit Amchem Goem, a festival of Goan music, dance & drama will be organized by Chicalim Youth Club from May 6 to 9 at Chicalim Panchayat Ground, from 5 pm onwards On May 6, there will be a traditional brass band, drawing competition for children (Sub-Juniors/Juniors/Seniors), Magician Apollo, old time hit 'Zagor' and Konkani tiatr by Prince Jacob.

On May 7, there will be fancy dress competition for children (Sub-Juniors/Juniors/Seniors), dance performance by Dr Martin's `Dance Illusion’, folk dances by Kanta Gaude, mando/dekhni/dulpod by 'Kepemchim Kirnam' and live music by Purple Rain.

On May 8, khell tiatr written

& directed Seby de Curtorim will be staged, followed by inter-ward dance competition, fugdi/tabla/harmonium, fortes trio and Konkani musical show

by Marceline de Betim & his troupe.

On the last day -- May 9, a inter-village festival of music/dance & drama programmes will be organized, followed by one act play, Goan folk dances, vegetable carving, talent contest - dancing/speak on a given topic on Goa/ Sing any song in Konkani. Fire Show

by Damodar Padte, live music

by India & Heaven Touch.

Housie/snowball/Goan food, snacks, sweets, jewellery, handicrafts & other fun stalls will be on display at the venue.

Cortalim MLA and Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho will be the chief guest for the opening and closing ceremony.

‘Milestones of priesthood lie in the challenges faced by priests’

‘Ekvottachi Sanz’

(From L to R) Superior General of the Society of Pilar Fr Tony Lopes along with Frs Joseph Baptista, Orlando Lopes, Custodio Fernandes, Esperdiao Gonsalves, Peter Fernandes and Joaquim Fernandes.

ice and a challenge to witness Jesus, stated Fr Joaquim Fernandes, who undertook training in Agriculture in Japan in the early 80’s, presently working as the director of the Dudhsagar Krishi Udoy Farm at Collem.

Noting a sharp decline in vo-

should not rate priesthood as the last option,” said Fr Baptista.

Priest need to be more like Jesus, stated Fr Orlando Lopes, who was the main celebrant for mass while Fr Custodio Fernandes expressed words of gratitude.

Calangute parishioners complain of illegal bus parking

Justice Rebelho congratulated for elevation as SC Judge

HERALD CORRESPONDENT CALANGUTE, MAY 5

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 5

Vehicles that are parked causes inconvenience to Church goers at Calangute.

Photo by Thomas Fernandes

cles all along the major roads leading to Mapusa and Panjim due to illegal parking by the buses owners.

At times, the Church goers have to park their vehicles al-

most half the way mark at Boa Viagem Chapel on the way to Saligao and come walking to the Church.The vehicles are not moved despite the request from the Church goers or others.

Doc stresses on importance of nutrition intervention programmes HERALD NEWS BUREAU PANJIM, MAY 5

Dr Amit Dias, lecturer at Department of Preventive & Social Medicine of Goa Medical College, has stated that nutrition intervention programmes are important across the lifespan.

He was addressing a gathering as chief guest at the miniexhibition of visual aids, organized by students of TYBSc (Home Science) specializing in Food, Nutrition & Dietetics, as a part of the Nutritional Assessment & Education (Practical), an integral part of the curriculum.

He explained the importance of breastfeeding especially the early initiation of breastfeeding which can save millions of lives.

He also outlined the various Nutrition Intervention Strategies of the Government such as Goiter Prophylaxis Programme, National Nutritional Anemia Prophylaxis Programme, the Vitamin A Prophylaxis Programme, the ICDS Scheme which aimed to improve the nutritional status of the population.

He said that regular weighing of the child and growth monitoring plays a large role in the prevention of Protein Energy Malnutrition.

He also outlined the result of the Nutrition Intervention Programme for school children in Goa undertaken by Sangath, Porvorim in collaboration with the Goa College of Home Science.

“A child that is hungry cannot be expected to learn,” said Dr Dias and that the mid-day meal schemes improve school attendance, performance and nutritional status of children.

Nutrition Intervention Strategies are also required to tackle Childhood obesity by focusing on dietary changes & regular exercise.

Dr Dias also released a booklet of low-cost nutritious recipes developed by the students.

Earlier, Goa College of Home Science Principal Rajal K Shinkre welcomed the gathering and introduced the chief

Preparatory Course in General Mathematics, Preparatory Course in Social Sciences and Preparatory Course in Commerce. The course fees are Rs 850 only.

Interested candidates may contact St Xavier’s College for further details on 2262356 or 9420161490 on or before May 31, between 8.30 am and 1 pm.

upCoMInG eVents

cation to priesthood, Fr Joseph Baptista, currently the General Treasurer of the Society of Pilar, expressed that people need to pray for vocations.

“We need to take care not to criticize our priests in front of our children setting a wrong precedence and finally parents

Illegal parking of buses in the premises of St Alex Church, Calangute, causes inconvenience to the Church goers.

According to the Church goers, they are finding it tough to find a space in the parking zones meant for Church parking.

“There are number of buses parked in the parking zone meant exclusively for Church vehicles. The signboards are very much visible for the naked eye, but the drivers of the travel companies’ buses do not pay a heed to the advice,” complained the residents.

The Church goers have to park their vehicles far and wide or all along the roads. On Sundays, it becomes a sea of vehi-

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, MAY 5

BPP is a programme equivalent to XII Std which will enable a student to enroll for a Bachelor’s Degree Programme of IGNOU. BPP is a six months programme having the following three courses, of which a student has to clear any two:

HERALD NEWS BUREAU PANJIM, MAY 5

Superior General of the Society of Pilar Fr Tony Lopes has stated that the milestones of priesthood should not be counted by numbers of years, but rather by the challenges faced by priests in living austere lives in the missions.

Pilar Family gathered to celebrate a thanksgiving Eucharist on the occasion of the golden jubilee of the priesthood of Fr Esperdiao Gonsalves and 25 years of Frs Joseph Baptista, Joaquim Fernandes, Peter Fernandes, Orlando Lopes and Custodio Fernandes, on May 4 at the Mission Seminary Chapel, Pilar.

Appreciating the work of the priests who are celebrating their priesthood, Fr Lopes stated that Fr Esperdiao worked in difficult areas of Sanguem, 50 years ago when there was no electricity, while Frs Orlando, Custodio and Peter worked in challenging missions of Jharkhand, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Priesthood is a call to serv-

BPP program at St Xavier’s

Dr Amit Dias (center) of the Department of Preventive & Social Medicine at Goa Medical College along with Rajal K Shinkre (right), principal and Madhavi Latha (left) Faculty at Goa College of Home Science, releasing the booklet of low-cost Nutrition recipes.

guest.

She said that educating the community about good eating habits is instrumental in improving the health of the community.

She also briefed the gathering about the nutrition camps by the College in collaboration with Sangath, Porvorim during the year.

The camps made use of a participatory approach by way of lectures, skits, demonstration of low-cost nutritious recipes and assessment of nu-

tritional status by measuring height & weight and calculating BMI (Body Mass Index) of children & adolescents of different schools in Goa. Class Representative Aparna Mone presented a report of the Nutrition Camps. The students also performed a skit developed by them on the importance of Breakfast.

Madhavi Latha, Faculty & Subject Teacher, later proposed the vote of thanks. General Secretary Nimisha Kamat compered the function.

power shutdown MAY 6 PANJIM: From 9 am to 5 pm. Areas affected on Souza Towers, Panjim Garden, Velho Felho, Club National, Paradise, Kasturbha High School, Progress High School, Panjim Church, Immaculate building and surrounding areas.

SANTA CRUZ: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Vrundavan Hospital, Segundo Bairo and surrounding areas.

MAY 7 PANJIM: From 9 am to 5 pm. Areas affected are Sapna Centre, Panjim Mosque, Menino Residency, Nanu Enterprise Office, Singbal Book Stall, Jhon Paul Building, BSNL Office, CCP Office and Old Municipal Building, Cafe Central and surrounding areas.

PORVORIM: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Khana Khazana, PDA Colony, Tarun Bharat multigraphics, Teen building, O’Coqueiro, Resicom, Goa scan centre and Gauri apartment and surrounding areas.

BETIM: From 9 am to 5 pm. Areas affected are Baba tiles, Solmar Exotica, Betim and surrounding areas.

REIS MAGOS: From 9 am to 5 pm. Areas affected are Kegdevelim, Reis Magos and surrounding areas.

DONGRIM: From 9 am to 5 pm. Areas affected are Cruz nagar, Beliem, Dongrim, Mandopa, Moddi, Telephone exchange, Shantinagar, Firgullem and surrounding areas.

VASCO: From 9 am to 2 pm. Areas affected are Patrong Baina, Bhute Bhat and Junta quarters.

The managing committee of Narayan Rajaram Bandekar Senior Citizens Recreation Centre, Pedda-Margao comprising of President Tulsidas Malkarnenkar, Secretary G.Shetty, and members B V S Priolkar, A Kurade, R D’Silva, L D’Cunha, M Gonsalves and M F Fernandes met recently to congratulate Justice Rebelho.

Malkarnenkar informed that Justice Ferdino Rebelho has been elevated as Supreme Court Judge, Allahabad Court. He is the first Goan to be elevated to the Apex Court for his excellent contribution in judiciary.

Other speakers highlighted his maturity in giving judgments in various crucial cases and expressed that this is an honor to all Goans and senior citizens of the centre are very proud of him for the achievement.

The managing committee unanimously congratulated Justice Rebelho and wished more honors to come his way and take Goa to new heights. A resolution taken in this respect has been sent to him.

Doc favours ayurveda to treat heart ailments HERALD CORRESPONDENT MAYEM, MAY 5

Deendayal Janasewa Pratishthan under the banner Deendayal Nagari Sahakari Patsanstha Maryadit, Bicholim, recently organised a talk on ‘bye-bye to bye pass’ at Deendayal Bhavan, Bicholim.

In his speech, Dr Gurudatt Amin suggested going for Ayurvedic mode of treatment rather than allopathic to treat chronic heart diseases.

Dr Amin gave a brief illustration on causes of heart diseases, comparison on allopathic and ayurvedic mode, angiography, etc, with the help of slide shows.

“Walking is the best exercise to avoid death due to cardiac arrest,” he said. He also briefed the type of food to be consumed to avoid danger.

“The Cardiac Centre ‘Madhav Kendra’ at Khopoli is famous for curing major blockages of heart,” he added.

In his speech, Kanta Patnekar said such socio-beneficial programme will be organized in the future as social service to people.

Deendayal Pratishthan Chairman Kanta Patnekar, Vice Chairman Vallabh Salkar, Secretary Sadanand Natekar and Vithal Vernekar were present on the occasion. Vallabh Salkar proposed the vote of thanks.

PANJIM (HND): The Society of St Vincent de Paul at its ‘Blessed Frederic Ozanam centre’ at Ratmaddem, Carmona will present ‘Ekvottachi Sanz’ with gospel bands ‘Youth for Christ’, ‘Full on’ and ‘Faith’ at Dando ground, Cana Benaulim on May 8, at 7 pm. Free transport will be available at respective parishes from 6.30 pm onwards.

The society provides various facilities like daily diabetic/pressure check-up, doctor availability every Saturday evening, Ummid – a day care centre for the Senior citizens under the Directorate of Social Welfare like library, playing activities and light refreshment daily from 10 am to 6 pm. Free medical camps and medicines every 4 months, in monsoon free vegetable seeds for Vincentian benefactors.

‘Shejari’ screening

PANJIM (HND): Critically acclaimed classic film ‘Shejari’, directed by V Shantaram, will be screened at Maquinez Palace, auditorium I on May 8 at 6.30 pm.

The cast includes Keshavrao Date, Gajanan Jagirdar, Chandrakant, Jayashri, Manajirao, and Master Chhotu.

Synopsis: The film narrates the unfortunate schism that separates a Hindu from Muslim neighbour and a lifelong friend.

Goa Cinephile Members are cordially invited for the screening of this thought-provoking film. Non members can also attend the screening on payment of Rs 50 on the spot.

Konkani book release

PANJIM (HND): A scholarly book, Konkani Literature in Roman Script – A brief history, written by eminent Konkani stalwart late Prof Dr Olivinho Gomes will be released at a special function organized by Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) on May 8, at Kala Academy’s Black Box, Panjim at 5 pm.

The function has been organized to commemorate the 156th birth anniversary of Mons Sebastiao Rudolfo Dalgado, who was a linguist and a scholar of international repute. Every year, DKA celebrates 8 May as ‘Dalgado Day’ in memory of this great son of Goa. Containing information of immense value, Konkani literature in Roman Script – A Brief History, lists the invaluable contribution of Konkani writers in Roman script who have shaped our language and was the last book to be penned by Dr Gomes before his untimely death in July 2009.

Vinayak Naik, editor of Goa Today monthly magazine will be the chief guest, while Tiatr Academy of Goa President Tomazinho Cardozo will speak on the book. Eslinda Gomes, wife of late Dr Gomes, will be a special invitee and Premanand A Lotlikar, president of DKA will preside over the function.

Summer fest at Vasco

PANJIM (HND): The St Andrew’s Parish Youth, Vasco will organise its 3-day summer festival ‘Illuminare 2010’ from May 13 to 15, from 7 pm to 11 pm in the St Andrew’s church compound, Vasco.

The inaugural of the 3-day festival will be on May 13, which will also be celebrated as the Family Day. The bands in attendance will be ‘Unique’ and ‘Versatile’, apart from ‘Emiliano and his trio’. There will also be a presentation by the St Andrew’s Parish Youth and the music school. This will be followed by a stage performance by Lavina, Ethel, Michelle, Sonia, Celestine, Frazer, Meryll and others. Through all this there will be a fellowship dinner.

On the second day, May 14, Goa’s topmost band ‘Archies’ will be in attendance apart from performances by gold medalists at the all India Dancesport Championship, Vasco based dance academy ‘The Dance Illusion’.

On May 15 which will be the day of the youth there will be a performance by ‘Goenchi Kirnnam’ and the band ‘Expression’ apart from Western and folk dances. There will also be a performance by the Dance Group ‘The Goan Effects’ and a dance presentation by the Deanery Youth group.

On all the three days there will be prizes, surprises, housie, and games, says a press release issued here.

Picnic for senior citizens

PANJIM (HND): Free picnic for senior citizens will be held under UMMID scheme and supported by Club Mahindra, Varca on May 16 at Pedda Beach, Varca from 9.30 am to 5 pm. Transport will be available at respective Parishes from 8.45am onwards.

Those interested in attending the picnic should carry their own bedsheets, plates, spoons and cups to avoid garbage and save the environment. Alcohol is strictly prohibited for this picnic and first aid is available on the spot. Those interested should submit their names to the Presidents of St Vincent de Paul conf. latest by May 12.

The following persons can be contacted: Alex Braganza on 2788413 (Benaulim area council – President), Piedade Leitao on 3162020 (Conf. St John de Baptist – Benaulim President), Josephine Fernandes on 2770225/9921380199 (Conf. Blessed Joseph Vaz – Benaulim president), Janet Fernandes on 2770127 (Conf. Our Lady of Patrocinio – Benaulim president), Joana Serrao on 9323615815 (Conf. Our Lady of Merces – Colva president), Yvette Gomes on 2745818/9970037360 (Conf. Our Lady of Gloria – Varca president), Christine Gonsalves on 2744071/9850100559 (Conf. Our Lady of Succor – Carmona President), Filipe Fernandes on 2772805/9822584204 (Conf. St Michael – Orlim president), Antonio Fernandes on 2744207 (Conf. St Roque – Fatrade president) and Callisto Rodrigues on 9890358099 (Conf. Blessed Joseph Vaz – Cavelossim president).

NSS selection trials

PANJIM (HND): The Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs, Campal-Panjim will conduct the State selection trials to select the best 5 NSS volunteers (3 boys and 2 girls and one programme officer) to represent Goa at the Mega Summer Camp 2010, at Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development, Sriperumbunder, Tamil Nadu in the month of May/June.

NSS volunteers of various higher secondary schools having NSS unit are hereby requested to attend the State selection trials to be held on May 11 at the Youth Hostel, Miramar, at 10.30 am, duly accompanied by the NSS Programme Officer along with a recommendation letter from the Principal of the institution and any other credentials, certificate of achievements in art, culture, adventure, etc.

They should report to Laxmidas Mangeshkar, APEO, NSS Incharge on May 11 at the Youth Hostel, Miramar at 10 am.

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GOA / REGION

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GOA, THURSDAY, 6 MAY, 2010

Sanguem residents demand SMC chief, residents threaten to confront Mamlatdar implementation of HC order HERALD CORRESPONDENT SANGUEM, MAY 5

Following the tragic death of a youth from Taripanto-Sanguem o n Tu e s d a y, re s i d e n t s o f Sanguem on Wednesday urged Quepem Deputy Collector Agnelo Fernandes for immediate implementation of High Court order for trucks transporting ore from various mines at Sanguem.

In a memorandum submitted to the deputy collector, the residents also sought necessary directions from the deputy collector for the stoppage of transportation activity of ore from Sanguem till the funeral ceremony of Martin Fernandes is held.

Acting on the representation made by the residents, Deputy

Collector Fernandes visited Sanguem town early Wednesday morning to take stock of the situation and see that no trucks ply along the Sanguem-Curchorem road as was assured by

mining woeS him to the locals earlier.

Police sources at Sanguem police station informed that mining companies in operation in Sanguem have assured that no transportation activity will be conducted from the mines till May 8 or as otherwise directed by the officials.

The locals in their representation stated that since long

they have been demanding implementation of the High Court order with respect to the movement of the trucks carrying ore from various mines in Sanguem and also restrictions on the load carrying capacity of the trucks plying in the region.

The locals are also demanding regulation of trucks and stoppage of overloading and overtaking by trucks from Sanguem upto the unloading point.

Speaking to Herald, the deputy collector assured total co-operation to the locals from his office and informed of his office having contacted the requisite offices for the stoppage of movement of trucks carrying ore from Sanguem till funeral services of Martin Fernandes are held.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT SANGUEM, MAY 5

Residents of Sanguem under the leadership of former Sanguem Municipal Council (SMC) chairperson Sanjay Raikar have threatened to confront Sanguem Mamlatdar on May 7 for his failure to efficiently handle mutation-related cases in Sanguem.

“Since passing of new legislation by the government, thereby bestowing the powers of certification in mutation-related cases to the Deputy Collector, all the work pertaining to such cases was put on hold at all the offices of the Mamlatdar including the office of Sanguem Mamlatdar,” informed Raikar.

However couple of months ago, the government after

studying the defects and problems envisaged in the implementation of the new passed resolution, the government reversed its order and reverted back the powers of certification in mutation cases to the Mamlatdar.

Incidentally, despite the order passed by the Mamlatdar, the Sanguem Mamlatdar’s office is yet to act in the matter and decide on many mutation cases, presently kept pending at the Mamlatdar’s office, Sanguem.

The only reason being reportedly cited by the officials is that they are yet to receive requisite circular from the government, thereby notifying the change in the earlier notification.

Raikar however pointed out

that all other offices in the State have already started pursuing with the mutation cases and it is only the Sanguem Mamlatdar who is sleeping with the mutation cases despite requisite orders from the government.

As an act of retaliation, locals from Sanguem led by Raikar have threatened to lead an agitation to the office Sanguem Mamlatdar on Friday and confront Sanguem Mamlatdar over the harassment meted out to them in mutation-related cases.

Raikar has urged all the locals having their grievances in mutation-related cases to join the agitation called by him and remain present outside the office of Sanguem Mamlatdar on May 7 at 9.45 am.

‘Additional dustbins needed to Filling of low-lying area resumes tackle garbage in Vasco city’ near Vasco crematorium HERLAD REPORTER VASCO MAY 5

HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MAY 5

Barely a day after the government announced that a ‘flying squad’ would be formed to curb illegal hill-cutting and filling of low-lying areas, filling of lowlying area has resumed opposite Hindu Crematorium at NonMon, Vasco.

It may be recalled that the operation had been stopped following media reports, but after a gap of one-and-half months, the activity has resumed.

Residents located opposite Hindu Crematorium at Non-Mon fear that their houses would get flooded during monsoons if the low-lying area is filled.

Vincent Dias of Non-Mon has complained to authorities about the land-filling activities.

He also stated that earlier he had to run from pillar to post once to ensure that authorities will act to curb the activity, but in vain.

“The area will be filled with mud, as couple of trucks with debris has been placed near the

Low-lying water catchment area being filled opposite Hindu Crematorium.

Photo by M Prabhav

construction site,” he said.

He further said about 1,000odd sq mtr paddy field of the Communidade, which was tenanted to one person has been left uncultivated for the last several years and over a period of time, the field has become water catchments area during monsoon.

“Filling of low-lying areas is going on to erect a shed to store fishing nets and rooms for migrant fishermen,” claimed Dias.

It is learnt that Mormugao Municipal Council is aware about the land-filling activity, but has failed to initiate any action in the matter.

Members yet to return books of Penha-de-France library HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, MAY 5

There has been growing tendency among some members of Penha-de-France Library at Alto Betim to appropriate books borrowed from the library.

According to sources in Penha-de-France Library, as of date, 37 members are yet to return the books to the library even the time allotted to them for keeping the books is over.

Sources further informed that the cost of such non-returned books works out at Rs 4,492.

“One member had borrowed the book ‘Make it with Paper’, costing Rs 650, in January 2007.

He is yet to return the book despite repeated reminders by the library,” informed sources.

The cost of some of the books unreturned so far even after one year varies from Rs 165 to Rs 325.

Penha-de-France Library Librarian Beena Naik said a member can borrow a book at a time and he is supposed to return that book within 15 days.

“If for some reason, the member could not complete reading the book, he is allowed to keep the book for another 15 days.

After 30 days, the library charges Re 1 per day till the date of return of the book,” added Naik.

“But some members do not bother to return the books at

Students borrow books from Penha-de-France Library.

Photo by Anil Shankhwalker

all despite repeated reminders.

The annual membership fee is Rs 10 only, but some members hesitate to pay the yearly fee of Rs 10 too,” said Naik.

Penha-de-Franca Library President Rajesh Volvoikar stated that public libraries are the democratic institution for the enjoyment of all.

“The growth of the library depends upon the support it gets from its members. The rules are aimed at increasing the use of library rather than curbing its use. Thus, the user should regard the rigid enforcement of the rules as an aid rather than hindrance in the use of the library,” said Volvoikar.

“The books that are borrowed must be returned on or before the due date so that other users do not have to suffer. If a book lying unused at home, it is the obligation of the user to return it as soon as possible. The members should treat the library as their own property and act accordingly,” added Volvoikar.

It may be recalled that Penhade-France Panchyat has started the library in May 2005, as there were no recreational facilities for the residents of Alto Betim.

Today, the library has got about 4,710 books in store and serves 974 members, out of which student members are 533.

Kareena Kapoor is scared of ghosts, horror stories AGENCIES MUMBAI, MAY 5

She might be the darling of the nation but when it comes to the supernatural, Bollywood star Kareena is scared of ghosts.

Recently, Ajay Devgn and Rohit Shetty scared Kareena by relating ghost stories on the sets of ‘Golmaal 3’.

Ajay and Rohit planned the whole prank in advance. When Kareena arrived on the sets, both Ajay and Rohit started discussing how a woman was brutally killed in the hotel, they were putting up. They told Kareena that the spirit of the slain lady roams around, seeking revenge. They also told her that the spirit has already killed a woman guest at the hotel.

Talking to a news daily, Kareena confirmed the entire

episode and said, "Ajay keeps trying to scare me with stories of a ghost in our hotel. Of course I get scared with such horror stories and keep yelling at them to stop but they don`t! This hotel is like a khandar with no other habitation outside it and hardly any guests and it gets a bit scary at times. But I refuse to cower in fright and give them the pleasure of pulling off their pranks!"

Talking about ‘Golmaal 3’, Kareena seemed quite excited about her upcoming flick and said, "In the evening, we hang out together -- Ajay, Tusshar and me- have dinner and going to the gym together. We are one happy unit here."

With almost 90 per cent of the dustbins in Vasco city are in dilapidated condition, Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Councilor Carlos Almeida has claimed that the new 100 dustbins, which are yet to be delivered, will not serve any purpose.

During the tenure of then MMC chairperson Carlos Almeida, the council had requested the authorities to replace the dilapidated dustbins.

Later, the urban development minister sanctioned Rs 45 lakh to purchase water tanker, one garbage compactor and 100 dustbins.

It may be recalled that about eight years ago, four compactors and 250 metal dustbins were allotted to MMC as a novel way to lift garbage without any hassle and much to the relief to labourers, who used to lift garbage manually, thereby taking risk to their against different diseases.

However, after nearly two years, the urban development minister sanctioned about Rs 45 lakh to purchase one compactor, one water tanker and 100 dustbins.

“The actual requirement of dustbins for the council is over 400. With just 100 new dustbins, which are yet to be delivered, it will not solve the problem,” claimed MMC Councilor Carlos Almeida.

“Besides, there are about 50 concrete dustbins which need to be replaced with metal dustbins,” added Almeida.

Sources informed that dustbins around Vasco city and outskirt areas are either in damaged condition or garbage scattered all around without any dustbins, thereby creating nuisance.

MMC Chairperson Shekhar Khadapkar said the council would get 100 dustbins, while Almeida claimed that when almost all the dustbins are in damaged condition, 100 dustbins will not serve any purpose.

BJP ensuring success of ‘Lotus’ ahead of p’yat polls in Belgaum HERALD CORRESPONDENT BELGAUM, MAY 5

As many as 20,409 candidates are in the fray for the elections of gram panchayats in the district that will go to polls on May 12.

The election is being held for 8,114 seats in 464 gram panchayats. May 3 was the last date for the withdrawal of nomination forms.

According to ZP office, 10,119 candidates withdrew their nominations. Out of the 8,114 seats, 901 seats have been elected unopposed, thus the election would be held for the remaining 7,176 seats. As many as 131 seats in eight gram panchayats have been elected unopposed.

Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has sanctioned additional Rs 15 lakh incentive for these gram panchayats for saving government’s time and money by avoiding the elections.

Out of 10 talukas in the district, Chikkodi taluka with 1,046 seats and 2,637 candidates and Belgaum taluka with 854 seats and 2,630 candidates are leading in the district.

Interestingly, nominations have been not filed for 37 seats, as the villagers of these gram panchayats are protesting against the authorities and have boycotted the elections.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party has taken these gram panchayat elections very seriously, as party leaders are seen holding parleys in all the villages.

Sources in council claimed that under Solid Waste Management scheme, the Urban Development Ministry is getting

sufficient grants, but MMC has been not allotted sufficient amount for garbage management.

Summer festival at Loutolim HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 5

The Socio Cultural Club of Loutolim is organising its first summer festival at Bonchear grounds, Loutolim from May 7.

The five-day entertainment extravaganza will commence from May 7 at 7.30 pm with a Tiatr Loztat Te Fattim by Mini Mario with youth stars and child artists of Goa. The festival will culminate on May 11 with a musical evening with South Goa’s popular oneman band in attendance.

OHERALDO

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OPINION

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www.oheraldo.in

O HERALD O

Maharashtra 50 not out

Vol No CX No: 117 Goa, Thursday 6 May, 2010

Truth ... sometimes

T

hank goodness for politicians’ egos and their repeated attempts to settle scores with one another. Without these, where would we have been? Even as we see Goa fast losing out on its uniqueness of the past, we can only depend on politicians to expose the errors, questionable decisions and misdeeds of each other.

Unfortunately, it happens in Goa only too rarely. In a State which has seen so much political instability — specially in the decade of the 1990s — one would have expected to happen more often. But it doesn’t.

This week, Opposition leader Manohar Parrikar scored in the power-rebate case. Not only did his campaigns help to save an estimated hundred crore rupees for the treasury, but he also exposed the seamy side of decision-making.

In the past fortnight, it was the turn of Mr Parrikar himself to face the heat, over the IFFI charges. In turn, diverse other politicians have been tripping up each other, mostly when their opponents have been out of power. Sometimes, as in the power-rebate case, it was not the ruling party which did the exposure; the campaign did get a bit of help from the judiciary, whose role also deserves to be appreciated.

Theoretically, there are a lot of checks and balances supposed to be in place in the Westminster system of administration, which we largely follow in South Asia. In practice, things don’t quite work in the textbook manner.

The Opposition doesn’t play its role as it should. Assembly doesn’t meet as often as it could, and its sessions are restricted to just a few days in each year. Even the media and citizens don’t always play their watchdog’s role as efficiently as is possible.

Right to information applications and writ petitions before the courts do have their role to play, but it is not everyday that you can go in for one.

Politicians exposing each other does help to make the point that governance is not always a process of ensuring the maximum benefit for the maximum number of people. On the contrary, it can be a game which benefits the organised few over the disunited many.

One problem with politicians setting the agenda on corruption, of course, is that it can get taken up in a skewed manner. For instance, narcotics along the North Goa coast is not the primary issue, but the possible involvement of the kin of a politician is!

Likewise, the dubious role of politicians on “our” side of the fence is not an issue, and concerns only get selectively raised.

If there is a sex-crime involving minister’s son, then it becomes big news. Same is the case if a death of a foreign teenager possibly involving the kin of some other politician, or rape allegations involving a politicians who nearly won the last elections (and could still be a thorn in the side of the winner).

This is clearly not enough. What matters is issues and concerns — not individuals. Certainly not score-settling! While one can hope that our political class will expose some more misdeeds while battling each other, the agenda of getting a cleaner administration, and one that works, is a larger task which calls for serious concern and commitment from the citizen.

M

As Maharashtra celebrated 50 years of Statehood on May 1, 2010 ERVELL E. MENEZES recalls the days

aharashtra completed 50 years as a state on May 1, 2010 and the celebrations were in full swing. Crackers, meetings, parties, they all contributed to that feeling of nostalgia which we lived through when the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti fought for statehood for about five years before Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru finally gave in on May 1, 1960. My dad took us (my brother and myself) to some public meeting at Dhobi Talao (not sure which maidan) to probably make us strike some political roots. We had already struck sports roots by then.

It’s 50 years now, but hard to believe. It is as fresh as if it were the day before yesterday. I remember vividly January 19, 1956 when a teargas shell fell into our compound. But we remember it more for seeing a man shot dead on Dr Viegas Street. He was a harmless passer-by who fell prey to a Central Reserve Police bullet as agitators kept pelting the cops with stones. The man, in dhoti, fell like a dead duck, his dhoti rustling in the high noon breeze. It was enough to disperse the crowd that had gathered to see the action.

The newspapers are full of the Samyukta Maharashtra Samiti movement which consisted mainly of Left-oriented mill workers.

After all the mills were the lifeline of Bombay then and now those grey haired senior citizens are able to smile at what might have been. Correctly they have been called the foot soldiers of the SMS. Then there was journalist P.K. Atre whose editorials in the “Maratha” caused many a headache for Prime Minister Nehru.

It was Atre whose brainchild was the Shiv Sena.

It is intellectuals like him who think ideologically for the betterment of the State. But sadly when these ideas are put into practice they are not the same. This is because lumpen elements creep in and hijack the movement. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of what it is meant to be. In Goa we have a similar example of the Protectors in Santa Cruz with “mummy” Victoria at the helm and son Rudolph in tow. And what a lethal combination they were?

That Goa deteriorated in the same way when it became the much desired destination is the way things change when money comes in. And don’t blame the Indian takeover as some of those with pro-Portuguese leanings will be inclined to think. If Goa is what it is today it is because of

Minding our Business money and corruption and our own very Goans, the Chalis Chor who have cashed in on the El Dorado. Don’t for one moment think that the Christians are better. Money is the leveller.

In Bombay it was Bal Thackeray who took on the cause of the Shiv Sena or the Marathi manoos and in the process built an empire for himself and his relatives. All in the name of Marathi manoos. Why he even earned the prefix of supremo. His voice was likened to a lion’s roar.

But it must be remembered all this was with the blessings of the Chief Ministers starting with V.P.Naik.

The moment Thackeray said “do this and Maharashtra will burn” the different Chief Ministers cowed down and were afraid to arrest him. With the Marathi manoos as his avowed initiative he established his own fiefdom. Now, with the split in his family and Raj and Udhav at loggerheads it

Those were the days

The Old, Old Tree

H

onestly, I wanted to write an article about trees and then it happened. I saw a man carrying a large leaf, almost thrice the size of a man’s opened palm. The leaf, pale green with chlorophyll, looked neither useful nor pretty, but I casually enquired from which tree it was and the man pointed in the direction of the ill-cutting and filling low-lying fields with mud are in the hill and said, “back there, the tree hundreds of years old, the oldest news, thanks to campaigns by groups like the Goa Bachao living thing around here.”

Abhiyan in persistently campaigning over such issues.

I decided to get across. I walked up the paths, by way of serpentine These concerns are indeed important, because seeing the law- turns, made by twos and fours. The evening was quite clear and breaker get away without any action makes the citizen apathetic, bright. Here, there and yonder, the place was filled with wild while those violating the law become only more brazen. flowers. There were a number of budding trees. I spied and stopped But these are not the only issue over which action has been to snack on the hill-grown sour and sweet berries and the odd long awaited from the Government of Goa. Uncontrolled hoard- late maturing cashew apple; twisting off the kidney-shaped gray ings causing visual pollution and distracting drivers all over the nut and sucking into the fruit, relishing its juice and pungent place, building on hill-slopes, selling water by the tanker with fibrous pulp. As I bent down to pick the fallen one, I saw a number no controls, dumping garbage and wastes in fields and forest, of gray nuts lying on the ground spattered with dry leaves. I picked up the nuts and stashed them in my bag. digging bore-wells that suck up aquifers ... the list is long.

I resumed the journey. Two shepherd girls keeping a watch over On these too, the government’s intentions are waiting to be their cattle were chitchatting. Part of the path was filled with ivy.

Unfinished tasks

H

rated. The people have a right to expect more!

Sustained drive needed Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco It is seen that the traffic police in the State are showing a lot of enthusiasm in restoring some sense of discipline on our roads. At several places the cops are seen carrying out alcohol tests on the drivers through the breath-analyser tests. Incidentally these tests against drunken driving are mostly carried out after dusk.

It must be said that drivers, particularly bus-drivers, imbibe in alcohol even during the afternoons. Hence it would be advisable to carry out these tests during the afternoons as well.

Also, it is understood that the police department will be acquiring several speedradars, at the cost or Rs 2 lakhs each, to intensify the drive against speeding by vehicle owners. One hopes that this will be a sustained drive against traffic offenders and not a flash in the pan. In this regard it must be said that the Close Circuit Television in-

100 Years Ago

PRIMEIRO DIARIO NAS COLONIAS PORTUGEZAS

6 May, 1910 • It is acknowledged that in 1624 the Dean of University of Coimbra, was burnt at the stakes by the Tribunal of Inquisition, for heresy.

• The Municipal Council of Ilhas appointed a Committee to receive and do the honors to the new Governor of the neighbouring City.

• Violent protests are taking place in Lisbon and in other Portuguese provinces against the passage of British troops through Beira.

• The Cruiser “Adamastor”, at present anchored at the Port of Lourenco Marques, is going to be replaced by two new War vessels namely “S. Gabriel” and “S, Rafael”.

• At Sessimbra (Setubal), troops stationed at the given point, opened fire on some mariners who were obstructing the departure of ships.

stalled at the Town Police station in the capital city some years ago reportedly remains defunct and non-functional.

Hopefully the speed-radars, which will be acquired using huge funds from the state exchequer, will not meet the same fate as the CCTVs.

Punish the motormen Er. Jayesh Shrikant Rane, Mumbai This refers to report ‘Mumbai motormen back on track’ (Herald, May 5). Strike of railway motormen collapsed the lifeline of Mumbai. The problem with these people is that despite drawing fat salaries, they go on strike several times in a year. Only God knows when these people will be fully satisfied. Although they are back on track at the moment, they will again go out of track if their demands are not fulfilled till June 15.

The qualification for motormen is only ‘diploma’ from government recognized institute. And if such motormen apply in the open market for jobs, they would be paid very less salary and the workload would also be high.

However, these motormen have got habitual of drawing high salary, high allowances, coupled with less workload. And if they want more, they just go on frequent strikes, resulting in loss in crores. For employees, government jobs have become like a goose that lays the golden egg and no one cares for quality or the outcome of work.

Instead of spending money on nation development, it is being wasted in paying high salaries to lazy workers. It is high time the government takes strong action against those who directly or indirectly take part in strikes.

Also, when the government recruits a new batch of motormen in the future they must be clearly told against indulging in strikes so that they are aware, in advance, of the punishment they will face?

A welcome move Prof Robert Castellino, Calangute Sports Minister Dr M S Gill’s move to put a restriction on the tenure of sports administrators, is a move in the right direction.

Administrators hold honorary posts and

is a different story altogether.

But with all this Marathi manoos rhetoric has the Shiv Sena done much to improve the plight of the lowly Maharashtrian. Has it tried to infuse a work ethic or tried to improve family conditions by making them reduce their alcohol intake. Is there any vocational guidance? No, it seems to have done precious little to change their basic thinking. I guess, it is like the Goans in Goa who today cannot be as easy-going as they were decades ago before the hippies put it on the map of the world.

That’s what many thinking Maharashtrians feel about their fellow Marathi manoos.

Shobhaa De says the same thing and this time she hit the nail on the head, writing in a guest column of one of the dailies. She was junior to me in St Xavier’s College but as I still played for the gymkhana hockey team, after finishing college

she would be there in the quadrangle playing basketball as Shoba Rajadaksha.

Says she “ I am as Maharashtrian as ‘varan bhaat’… .. I like to think that most Maharashtrians are like varan bhaat -mild, easy-to-digest and likeable.

Left to themselves they prefer to mind their own business and get on with life. And therein lies the key ‘left to themselves.’ Unfortunately, the time has come to admit that perhaps they are not being left to themselves. Opportunistic politicians have swiftly jumped in to profit from their discomfiture and frustrations.” But she later says on a nationalistic note: “Give the people better healthcare, roads, schools, hospitals, water. And stop this nonsensical ‘outsider-insider’ talk which is dangerous. In short only two categories can be allowed to exist in our democracy -Indians a n d n o n - I n d i a n s . ” We l l s a i d , M s . D e .

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan has big plans for the State and let’s hope he can build it stone by stone. In the first place he appears better than his sycophant dad S.B. Chavan who was Indira’s Gandhi’s lackey. “Maharashtra has been a pioneering state in most sectors, and my goal is to make it a global state.

In the years to come we will ensure that Maharashtra emerges as the top state in terms of infrastructure, investment, both foreign and domestic, and a realistic-oriented administration.

Our ultimate aim is to make Maharashtra an ultimate destination in the world.” We are with you Mr Chavan but this goal must be zealously pursued. There will be obstacles but in how you overcome them you can show your administrative prowess.

Whether linguistic states are an advantage for the country or not is another matter altogether.

There are many who are still convinced that the zones were better. As for cities they grow with their own brand of shows, it social circuits, its page 3 folks et al. But brand names and wannabes you will find everywhere. Or what would you say of Sania Mirza Malik being one of the judges at the Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2012? It surely lowers the stature of the contest. If I were one of the contestants I would forfeit my chances of winning it and ask her how was she qualified to be a judge? Your tennis is zero, you marriage made news for the wrong reasons. What’s right about you madam?

The terrain showed patches of dry grass and stubble.

I reached there. The ageless tree, seemed to have weathered atmospheric conditions but still reigned supreme. I stood there for a long time. Something in me yearned to stay and stay to ponder to contemplate. I felt peace inside me. It was a wonderful grace. There was a man really old, and I could not help thinking that during his prime, he must have been a giant of a man. He was resting his head against the trunk of the tree and seemed to draw courage and comfort from it. He sat there muttering as though nobody knew his sorrows, so he brought them to this venerable tree, another old-timer unique is being left alone! He asked me to lay my hand on one of the roots of the tree and by doing so, after a little while, the root started throbbing, as if saying something to me. I left the root, but the sensation did not leave me for a long time. They say that the age of a tree is assessed by counting the rings on the trunk, but there were hardly any noticeable.

All the pictures that hung in my memory are of a lot of fine

By Marc de Souza folks, but not great ones. I did not think that I have known any great people in my family or in the village. But recently, I have been thinking a lot about my grandmother. It seems I am not alone in remembering her so fondly, because my sisters have also said how much they would have liked to be able to have a talk with her.

Who was it that said, “when an elderly family member dies, it is like a library burned down .

I remember, too, our unforgettable ‘Shetcar’. During my schooling at St. Stanislaus, I developed a nasty aching ailment inside my left arm, with a slight running fever. Doctors in Bandra failed miserably and finally taken to a hospital, they told that I should be admitted for a whole battery of tests. Lucky for me, it was the holiday month of May and instead of marching frightfully to the hospital, I rolled down to Goa. That same evening ‘Shetcar’ was consulted, who on his daily walk to the hills got some roots and told my mother to rub them in oil and resultant mixture to apply on my whole hand. It may be difficult to believe, but with one application the nasty ailment vanished in the thin night air! Bless his heart!

Letters to the Editor Letter of the Day

Migrant workers exploited Joseph Pereira, Diwar Today, I visited my native place, Diwar and witnessed the miserable plight of the migrant workers who work for road construction inorder to provide us good quality roads. They are made to live in miserable tents without proper sanitation, no proper toilets and above all, no safe drinking water.

Who is responsible for their plight? The contractors win the highly priced tender, but forget to provide proper facilities to the workers. The PWD authorities and Ministers in charge should see that when the tender is passed, the clause should be specifically added, concerning suitable accommodation, safe drinking water and sanitation, which includes toilet. Contractors try to curtail these workers of all their basic needs as they have to give a portion of the money as commission to the PWD who help and assist them to secure this tender. This is the reason why our honorable PWD minister is clinging hard to his portfolio and threatens dire consequences to those who will snatch away this portfolio from him.

Why does money make us forget the value of human life, particularly the migrant workers who toil hard to give us good roads and houses in this terrible heat and rain? there is no reason why they should stick to their posts indefinitely. Moreover, very few have anything to show by way of results to justify their prolonged continuance in office.

Whatever little sportsmen have achieved in sports is not because of good administrators. India’s only individual Olympic gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, is proof of that.

Dr Gill, however, would do well to push a similar proposal for limiting the tenure of our ‘political administrators’. After all they too have little or nothing to show for their ‘services rendered ‘ to the people.

While poverty keeps growing apace, the wealth of our leaders keeps increasing exponentially.

Is Goa monsoon ready?

Stephen Dias, Dona Paula All the respective Municipalities and Panchayats and the State government should open their eyes and see what devastating situation has taken place at Carambolim where huge garbage along with the plastic materials were seen blocking the gutters thus creating a chaos in that village. This is just due to one shower of rain on last Monday. And what will be the situation during this monsoon, if immediate action is not

taken to clean these gutters and the garbage dumped all around the roads in Goa? This probably is the warning for all the authorities to act fast before the monsoon strikes Goa.

Doctors or quacks Maria D’Cunha, Fatorda This is an eye-opener to all Goans who feel that they are being taken care of in the hospitals by doctors. Most of the hospitals employ homeopathic doctors in an allopathic set up just to cut down on the costs of employing a MBBS doctor.

One of the experiences I had involved two reputed hospitals in Goa. In the first hospital, where my uncle was admitted and undergoing treatment, a number of junior doctors would come and take care of my uncle. However, most of them were from a homeopathy background and hence most of my questions were left unanswered.

Hence, we decided to shift our uncle to another reputed hospital where again I had the same experience. This cost me the life of my uncle. It is sad but true that there was no senior doctor/consultant available when we wanted to revive my uncle as the homeopathy doctors were simply unaware

of the extreme life saving procedures.

I simply fail to understand why homeopathy doctors are employed in an allopathic hospital? Are Homeopathy doctors efficient enough to understand the terms and diseases in an allopathic set up?

In both the hospitals, I found that the nurses more competent than these doctors who would always call a consultant over the phone to answer any question.

I truly believe that a hospital is a place where worst fears occur and we go to console ourselves. But in such hospitals which employ incompetent doctors, it always leaves us with a thought that it is better to die at home rather than some hospitals where there are no doctors but only quacks.

I don’t know about the experiences others have had, but these two hospitals made me pay a heavy price, which I am left to regret even today.

Is malaria really on the decline?

S Kamat, Alto Betim In recent times there have been certain instances of our officials of government speaking and communicating the wrong thing or hiding the truth. The first instance was related to the reporting by the local head of a central institution that malaria is on the decline in Goa simply because the number of cases reported for malaria has fallen in the last year compared to the previous years.

These are the kind of data that our officials pounce upon to show that they are doing work. In this specific instance the figures have dropped close to 50% which for a statistician clearly indicates that there is some error in the collection of data. Many cases have probably gone unreported or there is some error in collating the data.

For instance, there could be more fatalities arising out of malaria which for some reason may not have been counted as reported cases! Thus there is very much a reason to go back and check the data rather than rush to the press to get a pat on the back, which could end up lower, as a kick in the butt when actual flaw in the data and/or analysis comes out.

Paths of Wisdom

A Simple Truth

by Osho A great master was sitting on the seashore, on the beach, and a man who was seeking the truth came to him, touched his feet and asked, “If I am not disturbing you, I would do anything you suggest that can help me to find the truth.”

The master simply closed his eyes and remained silent. The man shook his head. He said in his own mind, “This man seems to be crazy. I am asking him a question and he is closing his eyes.”

He shook the man and said, “What about my question?”

The master said, “I answered it. Just sit silently... don’t do anything, and the grass grows by itself. You need not bother about it everything will happen.

You just sit silently, enjoy silence.”

The man said, “Can you give it a name because people will be asking me, “What are you doing?”

So he wrote on the sand with his finger: meditation.

The man said, “This is too short an answer. Be a little more elaborate.”

The master wrote in big letters: MEDITATION. The man said, “But these are simply big letters. You are writing the same thing.”

The old master said, “If I say more than that, then it will be wrong. If you can understand, then just do what I have told you and you will know.”

Printed and published by Vinayak Pai Bir for and on behalf of Herald Publications Pvt Ltd. Printed at Herald Publications Pvt Ltd, Plot No: L-135, Phase II, Verna Industrial Estate, Verna, Salcete, Goa. Published at PO Box 160, Rua Sao Tome, Panjim, Goa - 403001. Editor-in-chief: Mr R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat (Responsible under PRB Act). Regd Office: St Tome Road, Panjim, Goa. Tel: 2224202, 2228083, Fax: 2222475 (all Editorial); 2230535, Fax: 2225622 (Advertising); Margao: 2737689. Mumbai Office: 16-A, Bell Building, 2nd Floor, 19 Sir PM Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400001 (Tel: 22840702/22844908). RNI No: 43667/83.

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GOA, THURSDAY, 6 MAY, 2010

oPinionatED Parliament paralysed over MPs’ remarks the Government

Hearing postponed in Nithari killings case

Controversial remarks by two members paralysed Parliament today leading to two adjournments each of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha with an angry opposition demanding an apology from them.

Mani Shankar Aiyar (Congress) in the Rajya Sabha and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (Trinamool Congress) stirred a hornet's nest by their remarks which the opposition found were objectionable.

The turmoil continued despite Speaker Meira Kumar strongly reprimanding Bandyopadhyay in Lok Sabha.

Bandyopadhyay is in the eye of a storm for his remarks against a CPI-M member from West Bengal in the backdrop of the motormen's strike in Mumbai.

"Those words and the manner in which they were said were quite unbecoming of a member of the House. I disapprove of such conduct. I hope no member will again give an occasion for the Chair to make such an observation," Kumar said.

In the Rajya Sabha, Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan told Aiyar, "If a member is hurt by anybody there is nothing wrong in saying sorry."

Aiyar had targetted leader of

A s p e c i a l C B I c o u r t h e re today fixed May 12 for deciding the quantum of sentence to be awarded to Surender Koli, one of the accused in sensational Nithari killings case, held guilty for raping and murdering sevenyear-old girl Arti.

Special Additional District and Session Judge A K Singh yesterday convicted 38-year-old Koli in the Arti murder case.

"The court has fixed May 12 as the next date for hearing to decide upon the quantum of judgement," Arti's lawyer Sanjay Tyagi said.

Both businessman Moninder Singh Pandher and his domestic help Koli were on Fe b r u a r y 1 3 , 2 0 0 9 , s e n tenced to death in the Rimpa Haldar case. However, Pandher was later acquitted by the Allahabad High Court on September 11, 2009.

Arti's rape and murder is the second conviction out of the total of 19 cases related to rape and murder of children and a young woman, whose body parts were found in a drain behind Pandher's D-31 bungalow in Nithari in Noida in Uttar Pradesh in 2006.

Bluffs Left, Right and Centre

R

By S Kamat

ecently when the Chief Engineer of the Water Resources Department indicated that the ground water table has not eroded in Goa, one wondered where the truth lies.

Then it was found that it was not him saying it, but he was quoting from a report of the Central Ground Water Board. He was doing that so that he would not be blamed. That is what we call an escape clause or what is known as insurance.

This is being stated when we know that all over the State groundwater has been at serious risk both in the coastal areas where it is because of excess drawal and in the hinterland because of mining. If you take away the hinterland and the coastal areas, what is left of Goa? Thus there seems to be a fallacy in the report. The official further talks of re-charging of groundwater by quoting the number of bandhs, check dams and the like. But this is tinkering with existing infrastructure which will not dramatically improve groundwater or potable water supply.

The kind of problem that we are seeing in Goa with the onset of the summer in relation to the availability of potable water and wells going dry, we have to think of something drastic and out of the box. We get 100-110 inches of rainfall every year. A majority of this water flows into the Arabian sea.

Why are we not thinking of capturing this water through massive manmade lakes in the hinterland (mining pits could be one option) or in the coastal areas and also see if this water can be conserved in underground manmade caverns in the hinterland. Thus when it is required this stored water in surface or underground tanks can be pumped to meet the needs of agriculture, industry or for converting to potable water to meet the needs of the local people.

The coastal lakes can be used for water-sports and the people would have no objection since it is rainwater being captured.

Industry must also be compulsorily asked to follow rain water harvesting. Then the same official talks of the industries in the Verna Industrial drilling unauthorized bore wells and tapping groundwater to such an extent that the adjoining local population had to complain about their inability to get water in their wells. He says that now it is being monitored but then what was the PWD doing for all these years when these industries were merrily drawing groundwater at the cost of the local people. Where was the monitoring then?

Does the PWD monitoring start only after the horses have bolted the stable and even then to tell us after peering inside – There are no horses ( read water) here. The PWD engineers sleep until they are woken up when the situation becomes unbearable and then claim that they are doing this, that or the other but nothing related to their direct official responsibilities.

Otherwise why should they take up works related to water during the summer when water as we all know is a problem.

Can they not take action in advance of the summer so that water supply is not disrupted due to regular maintenance works?

The last thing that the official said was that private tankers supplying water are required to take permission from the groundwater table engineer before they can tap the water.

This is indeed laughable. Stop any water tanker on the roads anywhere in Goa and ask him if he has ever heard of a groundwater table engineer let alone a certificate. The answer to this is obvious and we need to take it sportingly since after all government officials should be entitled to a joke once in a while and not go around dour faced all the time. This is the kind of government we have.

The plight of the aam admi is like what a Hindi proverb says – Na Ghar Ka, Na Ghat Ka, meaning neither are you of the house nor of the bathing ghat, essentially you are an orphan belonging to no one. Thus if you see the aam admi gets no sympathy from the political class and no work of his gets done by the bureaucracy.

PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane filed a personal affidavit before a High Court bench refuting allegations against him made by a local industrialist Shailendra Sahu in renewal of land lease row.

He urged the High Court to direct the petitioner to delete his name from the array of respondents.

Rane also questioned the contention of the petitioner that Revenue Minister of State Government has no jurisdiction to consider renewal or cancellation of lease of Government land.

Infact when the proceeding for lease renewal began, Patangrao Kadam was the Revenue Minister, Rane stated in his affidavit while wondering as to why wild allegation of favouring another industrialist Aspi Bapuna were leveled against him.

Rane stated that he accorded a fair opportunity to the petitioners counsel to file a detailed reply and unnecessary aspersions have been casted against

Security alert in North Bihar PTI PATNA, MAY 5

Security measures have been beefed up in north Bihar for the 48-hour shutdown called by the proscribed CPI (Maoist) from tomorrow to protest against alleged police attempt to foil a 'democratic action' of the Maoist backed outfit, Mahangai Virodhi Morcha.

"All police stations in the Naxal-infested areas in Tirhut and Darbhanga divisions in Bihar have been put on maximum alert," sources said. Extra security attention was being paid to protect vital installations, including property of railways, in

him.

The Revenue Department in its separate affidavit also reiterated the same stance and asserted that Revenue Minister and State Government has every right and jurisdiction under Maharashtra Land Revenue Code to sanction either the grant or renewal of lease action regarding breach of lease conditions if the market value of land exceeds Rs 3.75 lakh.

Both the affidavits categorically denied that during hearing held on April 20, the Revenue Minister scolded counsel for the petitioner and tried to pass order in favour of M/s Vidarbha Distillers.

Justice Bhushan Dharmadhikari at Nagpur bench of High Court while continuing interim order granted time to counsel for Bapuna and the petitioner to file their reply.

Government pleader Nitin Sambre said that the entire proceedings have been annexed with affidavit and no order had been passed by the Revenue Minister.

During the last hearing High

and a decision will be taken during the course of the day," he said.

During Zero Hour, BJP leader M Venkiah Naidu remarked, "We could have settled the issue outside the House but the incident has taken place in the House."

This angered ruling party members who wondered whether this is a threat.

Aiyar, who had by then arrived in the House, however, kept mum and the Chair had to finally adjourn the House in the Zero Hour as slogan-shouting BJP members stormed the well.

In the Lok Sabha, Congress members, especially from Gujarat, waved placards which read that "Gujarat Chief Minister should stop insulting the Supreme Court."

The issue they were raising was drowned in the din over demand for apology from Bandyopadhyay.

Eaerlier, Rajya Sabha was adjourned for 20 minutes after BJP members raised an uproar over alleged misuse of CBI against Gujarat police.

The problem started when Home Minister P Chidambaram was replying to supplementaries related to a question on fake encounters by Delhi Police.

PTI MUMBAI, MAY 5

DELHI BUREAU NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Minister of State for Environment and Finance on Wednesday denied any move to ban tourism in the tiger reserves even while stating that his ministry is working on strict regulations on tourism in the 39 "Project Tiger" reserves in the country.

In a statement, he said his ministry is concerned over mushrooming tourist lodges around tiger reserves such as the Corbett National Park and that is why it is working on detailed guidelines for promoting "eco tourism" that does not cause any damage to these reserves.

The new guidelines will ensure that tourism in the reserves is ecologically sustainable and is in line with the carrying capacity of the particular reserve, Ramesh said, stressing that he would like the locals in forests to actually benefit from such tourism.

Court had asked the government that any order passed by the Minister would not be in effect till the pending of the petition filed by Sahu and his two brothers.

The petitioners said they were joint owners of the 5.10 acre Nazul Land at Khasra Nos 104/3 and 106/3 at Mouzandora in the city, which was allotted in favour of their grandfather Sunderlal by the then Central Provinces (CP) and Berar Governor in March 14, 1942, on a 30-year lease.

The lease was later renewed from 1972 to 1978 and later till 2008. In 1975, the Sahu family in association with Aspi Bapuna and three others started Vidarbha Distilleries for producing liquor on 30,000 sq. ft of the their land.

The land to the company was given on rent by the Sahu family at Rs 1,100 per month. In 1996, a dispute emerged between Sahu and Bapuna over alleged illegal encroachment of Vidarbha Distilleries over formers land, petitioner claimed.

As concern mounts over the effects of global warming, Chennai metropolis is turning much hotter with the average temperature during summer witnessing a significant rise over the past century.

Data collected by Regional Meterological Office (RMC) here has revealed from 1906 to 2009 there has been a significant rise in the average temperature in the city during the summer.

The RMC analysed weather data in the months of March, April, May and June. The temperature variation chart showed an increase of 1.8

degree celsius in the mean t e m p e r a t u re i n M a rc h - meaning that the average temperature of 32.2 degree Celsius in March 1906 had risen to 34 degrees Celsius now, Met office sources said.

"Mean temperatures are rising globally and coastal cities will be the first to feel the impact," the sources said.

According to the RMC analysis findings, there was a minor shift in temperature data from 1901 to 1930. The mean temperature in April has risen from 34.1 degree Celsius to 35.6 degrees Celsius over the past 10 decades, a rise of 1.5 degree Celsius.

Mean temperatures in May and June remained constant at

jwadi Party and Trinamool Congress who sought an apology.

Amid the din, Deputy Speaker Karia Munda adjourned the House till 3.30 pm. During his speech, Kumar said the National Population Register exercise was being conducted along with Census, which could create confusion.

He said personnel conducting the census exercise have been asked not to cross-question people on their nationality. "The column says nationality as declared.

It should be nationality as determined," he said.

He claimed that while in other countries illegal crossing of border results in jail term, in India such people are given citizenship and other facilities.

"One day that person can get elected to Lok Sabha and sit next to you as a Minister in the UPA," Kumar said pointing at Chidambaram. "Do you mean there was no illegal migration and no ration cards given to such people between 1998 and 2004 (when NDA was in power)?" he questioned.

After the House was adjourned, Home Minister P Chidambaram was seen talking to Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Ku m a r. H e l a t e r w e n t t o Prasad and Mulayam Singh Yadav and was seen explaining something to them.

Radiation leak: missing cobalt pencils recovered

A worker sorts oranges at Mundhera wholesale market in the northern Indian city of Allahabad on Wednesday.

BEd paper in UP leaked PTI LUCKNOW, MAY 5

Test papers of the combined entrance examination for admission in BEd course in Uttar Pradesh were leaked in Farukkhabad district, leading to the cancellation of the exam scheduled for today, even as four persons have been arrested in this connection.

"Four persons have been arrested in Farukkhabad district last evening in this connection and computerised and handwritten copies of the BEd exam were recovered after which it was decided to cancel the test," Additional Director General of Police Brij Lal told reporters.

Acting of a tip off, police raided a photostat shop in Mohammadabad town in Farukkhabad and recovered 600 copies of A series of question papers of General Knowledge, English and Hindi languages, he said.

"While six persons, including the shop owner, managed to escape from the spot, four others Brijesh Kumar, Pradeep Kumar, Sanjay Dubey and Saurabh were arrested from the shop," he said.

Muivah says no force can stop him entering Manipur PTI KOHIMA, MAY 5

In a snub to Manipur government's ban on his visit, a defiant NSCN-IM leader T Muivah today arrived at the state's frontiers from where he is set to embark on a journey to his birthplace where prohibitory orders have been clamped and security heightened to avoid tribal unrest.

75-year-old Muivah reached Viswema village near the Nagaland-Manipur border on his way to his home village of Somdal in Ukhrul district in the neighbouring state.

Escorted by members of Naga civil society, Muivah left the NSCN-IM headquarters Camp Hebron near Dimapur at noon after a brief prayer and arrived here to a warm welcome at the check gate on NH-39. He was then escorted to Viswema village, 25 km south of this capital town.

Muivah would stay overnight at Viswema near the Mao gate on the inter-state border from where he would go to Somdal tomorrow, said Naga Hoho leaders, who are coordinating his

Chennai becoming much hotter in summer PTI CHENNAI, MAY 5

PTI

NEW DELHI, MAY 5 Discussion on caste-based census in the Lok Sabha got derailed today with BJP raising the issue of Bangladeshi infiltrators, clashing with RJD chief Lalu Prasad who wanted the issue of backwards to take precedence.

Initiating the debate on Census 2011, Ananth Kumar (BJP) raised the issue illegal migrants from Bangladesh getting registered as Indian citizens. He said the matter was related to "internal disturbance and external aggression".

At this, RJD chief Lalu Prasad charged Kumar with propagating BJP's agenda by "repeatedly t a l k i n g o f Pa k i s t a n a n d Bangladesh and ignoring the issue of backwards in the census exercise." An agitated Kumar then said he would raise the issue suggested by Prasad but would first take up the issue related to national security.

When Prasad repeatedly objected to the BJP leader referring to the problem of illegal migrants only in his speech, Kumar asked the RJD chief to clarify "whether you are with India or with Pakistan and Bangladesh."

He made certain remarks against the RJD leader, to which Prasad retorted that Kumar was levelling "wild allegations". He was joined by members of Sama-

No ban on tourism in tiger reserves

Rane refutes allegations in land lease row

PTI NAGPUR, MAY 5

the opposition Arun Jaitely in the Rajya Sabha two days back and the storm has not yet subsided with the BJP adamant on an apology from the member whose maiden speech has created the controversy.

Both Aiyar and Bandyopadhyay were present in the respective Houses but gave no signs to make amends.

Soon after Lok Sabha met for the day, the Speaker made her observations reprimanding Bandyopadhyay. The House was adjourned as AIADMK members stormed the well on the issue of 2G spectrum allocation.

As Lok Sabha reassembled at noon, Left members stormed the well demanding unconditional apology from Bandyopadhyay, who was smiling.

The Left members raised slogans like "shame on Parliament, we want unconditional apology".

The Aiyar issue created uproar in the Upper House since it assembled for the day and led to two adjournments.

As the BJP members insisted on an apology from Aiyar during Question Hour, Chiarman Hamid Ansari told the House, "Parliamentary Affairs Minister has been apprised of the issue.

Some work is in progress on it

PTI GHAZIABAD, MAY 5

BJP, RJD clash in LS on census issue

about 36-37 degrees Celsius.

Met department studies had also projected rise in the sea level of upto 0.8 metres by year 2100. This should be of concern to India, which has a long coastline, as any rise in sea level would have a huge social and economic impact, the findings said.

Climate change has the potential to adversely impact natural ecosystems like forests and socio-economic systems such as food pro duction and fishing.

According to state Environment Department, increase in global warming over a period of time is expected to have a severe impact on the ecosys-

tems, sea levels, crop production and related processes.

The impact would be particularly severe in the tropics, which mainly comprise developing countries, including India.

The department stated that even with slight changes in temperature, agricultural yield was likely to decrease noticeably.

It said agricultural productivity was sensitive to direct effect from changes in temperature, precipitation, radiation, or carbon dioxide concentrations and indirect effects through changes in soils and the distribution and frequency of infestation by pests and diseases.

entourage.

The timing of his departure for Ukhrul was not disclosed for security reasons.

Nagaland Police have provided Muivah with a bullet proof vehicle while security forces were deployed on the national highway, a senior Nagaland Police officer said.

At least 50 vehicles, mostly occupied by members of Naga NGOs, including women, escorted Muivah to Viswema.

In a hurriedly convened press briefing at the NSCN-IM headquarters last night, Muivah said he would go ahead with his planned visit to his village which was agreed upon by the Centre.

"I must go there and no force can stop me. My parents died waiting to meet their son," Muivah said.

He said he failed to understand why Manipur was objecting to his visit, adding "such move is not necessary as the visit is for peace, to meet family and friends and not to disturb anyone."

The Manipur government has

BJP accuses Govt of misusing CBI PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Accusing the government of misusing the CBI in disproportionate assets cases against politicians, BJP today said its members would stage a dharna on the issue in Parliament premises tomorrow.

At the weekly meeting of BJP Parliamentary Party, senior leader L K Advani commended his party MPs for working as an effective opposition and raising cont e n t i o u s i s s u e s l i ke I P L , phone tapping and misuse of CBI by the government.

stepped up security measures and clamped prohibitory orders on the other side of the Mao inter-state gate to thwart the entry of the Naga leader into the state fearing breach of communal harmony.

"The opposition to my visit came as a surprise...the visit is for peace, to meet family and friends and not to disturb anyone...We will not claim anything which belongs to the Meiteis (an ethnic group), let them have theirs, we will only have what is rightfully ours," he said.

In a major relief for Delhi residents, all the missing cobalt pencils auctioned to a scrap dealer

by Delhi University have been recovered, a month after eight people were exposed to radiation in the national capital's Mayapuri area.

The National Radiation Emergency Response team of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) recovered 16 cobalt pencils from a Gamma cell which was scattered in a scrap yard in Mayapuri, exposing eight persons to radiation. One of them had died later.

BARC sources told PTI that while four pencils were recovered intact, others were found scattered in pieces as they were dismantled in the scrap yard. Some were recovered even outside Delhi.

"The operation of highly radioactive cobalt sources was completed last night and all material has been handed over to Narora Atomic Power station," the sources said.

"Each of the pencils had 7 pieces inside. We have recovered all the 112 pieces and sent them in sealed flasks to Narora," the sources said.

The Gamma cell was auctioned by the Delhi University's Chemistry Department to a scrap dealer leading to radiation leak in Mayapuri."Many of these pieces were hidden in the scrap among nuts and bolts and we had a tough time tracing the sources," the sources said.

The source search, identification and recovery operation of the Mayapuri scrap to make it free from "orphan sources" (unaccounted sources to Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) began on April 7.

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GOA, THURSDAY, 6 MAY, 2010

Nepal’s Maoists block roads AP KATMANDU,

Nepal's Maoist opposition blocked streets leading to key government offices Wednesday on the fourth day of their crippling general strike to demand the prime minister's resignation, while the government vowed not to bow to protesters' pressure.

Protesters hoped to disrupt the government by blocking streets leading to the Singhadurbar complex which houses key offices and ministries, but many government ministers already had entered the complex under police protection before sunrise.

The Maoists, known to use violence to back their strike calls, have demanded that residents halt all travel and keep businesses and schools closed since Sunday in their campaign to get Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to resign and hand power to a Maoist-led government.

The strike has shut down most businesses, schools and transport, with daily activity grinding to a standstill.

The standoff has raised fears of renewed violence in Nepal, where the Maoists ended their decade-old insurgency and joined a peace process in 2006.

They won elections in 2008 and briefly led a coalition government, but a dispute over the army chief's firing split the coalition, leading to the formation of the current administration they are trying to topple. The strike also comes as Nepal's Constituent Assembly, elected to draw up a new constitution, struggles to draft the charter before its term expires May 28.

Leaders of the Maoists and the two main ruling parties were meeting again on Wednesday to try resolve the crisis through talks — the latest round of talks in the past three days that have so far failed to break the deadlock. Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal and his deputy Baburam Bhattarai met the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) Jhalnath Khanal and the president of the Nepali Congress party, Sushil Koirala, at a downtown hotel.

UN to give Kyrgyzstan $12 mln aid

Red Shirts hold firm

AGENCIES BISHKEK, MAY 5

The United Nations is ready to allocate some $12 million in financial aid to Kyrgyzstan, UN secretary general's special representative for Central Asia said on Tuesday.

Miroslav Jenca said the UN was ready for close cooperation with the republic's interim government, in particular to help it stabilize the situation in the country and deal with the consequences of the crisis, and move ahead with democratic reforms.

Jenca added that depending on the situation the amount of aid could increase.

During his visit to Kyrgyzstan, Jenca has already had talks with Kyrgyz interim government representatives on possible directions of UN-Kyrgyz cooperation in developing the constitutional process, and organizing a constitutional referendum and presidential elections that will meet international standards.

A UN expert will come to Kyrgyz capital on Wednesday to assess the draft constitution put forward by the provisional government, Jenca said.

Uprisings broke out in Kyrgyzstan on April 6, spreading across the country and lasting several days. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was deposed and forced to flee the capital and later the country. An interim government was formed.

Jenca emphasized this is his second visit to Kyrgyzstan in the past two weeks.

Thai Red Shirt anti-government protesters pray during a ceremony to mark the 60th Coronation Day for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, inside their fortified camp in the financial central district of Silom in downtown Bangkok, on Wednesday.

REUTERS BANGKOK, MAY 5

Thailand's anti-government protesters are showing no signs of ending their eight-week old demonstrations in the heart of Bangkok's main commercial district, despite agreeing to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's reconciliation process.

The Red Shirts held a ceremony at their barricaded outpost Wednesday in observance of Coronation Day, which marks the 60th anniversary of the coronation of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The ailing 82year-old monarch has been hospitalized since September, but is expected to attend Wednesday's ceremonies at the Grand Palace.

Red Shirt leaders announced

Tuesday they had agreed in principle with Abhisit's plan to end the political stalemate. But they want the prime minister to set a firm date to dissolve parliament before electoral officials can determine when the election can be held.

Abhisit has offered to call an early parliamentary election on November 14 if the Red Shirts accept his plan. But he says he still wants to be in power in September to craft a national budget. Both sides also want to be in power in September when a key reshuffle of top military posts is scheduled.

The prime minister unveiled his reconciliation plan Monday.

It calls for respecting the monarchy, solving problems of economic injustice, an independent

body to ensure a free media, a debate on constitutional reform, and an independent investigation of recent political violence.

Fighting between the protesters and security forces has killed at least 27 people since the street protests began.

The protesters want an early election to replace a government they see as elitist and undemocratic. Many of them are rural poor and working class activists who support former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, ousted in a 2006 coup for alleged corruption.

Red Shirt sources told VOA Thaksin supports the government's reconciliation plan. He has been living in exile to avoid a prison sentence on corruption charges.

Net users must register real names in China REUTERS BEIJING, MAY 5

China is considering measures to force all its 400m internet users to register their real names before making comments on the country's myriad chat-rooms and discussion forums, in a further sign of tightening controls on freedom of speech.

The move comes less than a week after China announced a hardening of its State Secrets law, requiring internet and mobile phone operators to inform on their customers and co-operate with police demands for information on users.

Plans to make all online users register have been debated for years in China, but senior officials have confirmed that the

government is now actively investigating how to implement a system of real-name registration.

"We are also exploring an identity authentication system for users of online bulletin board systems," said Wang Chen, the vice-head of the ruling Communist Party's propaganda department in a speech to China's top legislature reported by the staterun China Daily newspaper.

Chinese online users are already banned from making anonymous comments on online news portals, but they are allowed to use "net-names" which obscure their real identity.

In a country where print and television media is tightly controlled, the discussion platforms

Taliban target Afghan govt compound AP KABUL, MAY 5

Taliban suicide attackers disguised in police uniforms targeted a government compound Wednesday in southwestern Afghanistan, sparking battles that killed a provincial council member and three policemen.

Nine attackers also died.

The Taliban said it carried out the attack because the council was trying to turn Afghans against the militants. The council was meeting in a compound in Zaranj, the capital of Nimroz province in southwestern Afghanistan along the Iranian border.

Militants have conducted a string of coordinated suicide assaults on Afghan government compounds across the country.

Some insurgents fled into Nimroz province earlier this year when international and Afghan troops conducted an offensive to rout the Taliban from neighboring Helmand province. Nimroz is also a major trafficking route for Afghanistan's huge

opium trade.

Wednesday's assault began when nine suicide bombers wearing Afghan National Police uniforms tried to access the provincial governor's compound, where the Nimroz council was meeting, said provincial police chief Gen. Abdul Jabar Pardeli. But police became suspicious and fired on them, detonating several of the bombers' explosives.

The battle started during the council meeting and lasted more than an hour, according to provincial Gov. Gulam Dastagar Azad. A female council member, three Afghan policemen — who were guarding the compound — and nine Taliban insurgents were killed, he said. Ten police were wounded.

One suicide attacker successfully detonated his bomb, Pardeli said.

He said police also found a car packed with explosives near the compound, which houses a court, the governor's offices and a guest house.

Shiite clerics to have final say in Iraq alliance AP BAGHDAD, MAY

An agreement signed by Iraq's two main Shiite blocs looking to govern the country would leave the final decision on all their disputes to top Shiite clerics.

A leading member of the prime minister's coalition who signed the agreement confirmed Wednesday that it gives a small group of clerics led by Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani the last word on any disputes between the two allied blocs. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The new Shiite alliance would likely dominate any future government, potentially giving their religious leaders a strong say over future policy.

Shiite politician Karim al-

Yaqoubi, who attend the signing, also confirmed the contents of the agreement.

A Sunni politician warned Wednesday that a new alliance of conservative Iraqi Shiite parties could revive the sectarian conflict that once wracked the country.

Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's State of Law coalition and the conservative Shiite Iraqi National Alliance announced an electoral alliance Tuesday that leaves them just four seats shy of a ruling majority in the 325member parliament.

The alliance means Iraqiya, the bloc that won the most seats in the March 7 election with heavy Sunni backing, will likely be squeezed out of the new government — potentially leaving the Sunnis feeling angry and disenfranchised.

are one of the few vibrant places of debate where citizens air grievances and are frequently critical of the government.

The announcement drew a predictably scathing response from online users angry at yet further plans to curtail freedom of speech.

"I am afraid there will be more harassment or reprisals if realname registration system is enforced," wrote one user of the popular QQ.com bulletin board.

"Stopping the free flow of people's thoughts will cause more damage than stopping the water flowing in the rivers," added another on the Tianya website.

"China will soon enter an era when people only dare to con-

tact each other with eyes rather than by talking," wrote a third, drawing a literary allusion to the ancient Chinese tyrant-emperor who so controlled his subjects speech that they dared only make eye contact in the street.

Their comments may not be in vain. Last year China's internet users reacted furiously to Chinese government attempts to introduce the Green Dam Youth Escort internet monitoring software, eventually forcing the government to shelve its plans.

And this year Google, the internet search giant, announced it was closing its Chinese-based search engine because of its concerns over expanding Chinese government censorship of the web.

Iran kicks off new war games AP TEHRAN, MAY 5

Iran on Wednesday kicked off new war games and military maneuvers in the strategic Persian Gulf waters, the country's second military show of force in less than a month.

The exercises reflect Iran's desire to flex its military muscle at a time of a deepening standoff with the West over Tehran's controversial nuclear programme. The war games, held annually since 2006, also act as a warning, should US or Israel consider a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

The new maneuvers, dubbed "Velayat 89," are to last eight days in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman and cover about 250,000 square kilometers of Iranian territorial waters, reported state TV. In late April, Iran's Revolutionary Guard held five-day maneuvers in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's leaders have in the past said that if attacked, the country would respond by shutting off the Strait

of Hormuz, the mouth of the Gulf through which around 40 percent of the world's oil and gas supplies passes, as well as by attacking American bases in the Gulf.

Navy chief Adm. Habibollah Sayyari was quoted by the TV as saying Wednesday that Iran's Navy, backed by the air force, will "show its might" in the latest exercise.

The exercise comes as the Obama administration is lobbying hard at the UN Security Council for tougher punishment of Iran over its refusal to suspend uranium enrichment, a process that can produce either a warhead or fuel for a nuclear reactor.

The West accuses Iran of seeking to build a weapon, a claim Tehran denies, insisting its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes, such as power generation.

The exercise also comes against the backdrop of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's remarks on the sidelines of a nuclear treaty conference at UN headquarters in New York dismissing the threat of further economic penalties for Iran.

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Not involved in power... the constitutional guarantee under which there can be no double proceedings in any given case. Without this constitutional guarantee a case can go forever and ever, he stated.

Godinho admitted he may have committed a fault in issuing the power rebate notification but there were other officers like the secretary to correct him.

He mentioned the subsidy that he released was to the tune of Rs 13 crore but when Parrikar was the CM his ministry had given subsidy of Rs 15 crore to Mormugao Steel.

When press persons reminded Godinho the present CM Digambar Kamat was the power minister in the BJP dispensation, the former had very little to say and on further questioning by the media, he categorically stated, “It is for you people to read between the lines.”

Godinho said the talk of Rs 100 crore subsidy is false. If the government was serious about recovering the money it must work in the right earnest and not just talk in the air, he mentioned.

The deputy speaker said in three of the cases that arose as a result of the power rebate he has been given a clean chit and the fourth case too will be struck down.

Getting back to Parrikar, he said the man has to explain where did the Rs 32 crore spent for renovation of Kala Academy go during IFFI 2004? He said no charge lay against him and his detractors were only trying to persecute him.

He was again reminded the present CM again formed part of the core committee that took several decisions pertaining to the first IFFI.

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Shahzad admits attending terror camp in Pak PTI NEW YORK/KARACHI, MAY 5

Faisal Shahzad, the PakistaniAmerican arrested in connection with the failed Times Square car bomb attack, has admitted he had attended a terrorist training camp in Pakistan, the FBI said.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) also said that Shahzad(30) confessed he had attempted to detonate a bomb at Times Square.

Pakistani authorities have meanwhile detained two persons in Karachi for their alleged links with Shahzad, who told the FBI he had also received training to make bombs at the terror camp in Waziristan, a lawless tribal region where the Pakistani Taliban operates with near impunity.

The training raised the possibility of a coordinated international plot for an attack.

In a 10-page complaint filed yesterday before the Court of Judge Nathaniel Fox, Southern

District of New York, the FBI alleged Shahzad travelled from Connecticut to New York on a sports-utility vehicle (SUV) that was laden with a bomb.

Shahzad was arrested from the New York's John F Kennedy Airport on Monday night when he was trying to flee the country.

US Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters in New York that Shahzad was co-operating with the federal investigating agencies and was providing useful information.

"After the arrest Shahzad admitted that he had attempted to detonate a bomb in Times Square. He also admitted that he had recently received bombmaking training in Waziristan, Pakistan," the FBI said.

In Karachi, Security officials, who declined to be named, confirmed at least two detentions but did not reveal further details.

According to other sources,

a person identified as Tauseef Ahmed was one of the detainees. Ahmed had made several contacts with Faisal in the last few weeks and had even gone to the US sometime back on his invitation, they said.

The other person picked up was related to Faisal who originally belonged to the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), they said. A television news channel reported that Tauseef's wife had claimed that her husband was innocent and being made a scapegoat.

The US federal complaint said Shahzad, who gained US citizenship in April last year, ret u r n e d f r o m Pa k i s t a n o n February 3. He had arrived on a one-way ticket.

During an immigration inspection, Shahzad told officials that he had been in Pakistan for at least five months to visit his parents.

He indicated that he intended to stay in a motel in Connecticut while he looked for a place to live and a job. Shahzad further advised his wife to remain behind in Pakistan, the FBI told the court.

In addition, Shahzad admitted that he had brought the Pathfinder to Times Square and attempted to detonate it.

Shahzad also noted that he had driven a particular car to the airport on May 3, 2010 and stated that the car contained a gun, the FBI said, adding the gun was recovered from his car.

FBI lost suspect before flight AGENCIES NEW YORK, MAY 5

An FBI team tracking the man suspected of the failed Times Square car bomb attack lost him for crucial hours before he drove to John F Kennedy airport and boarded a plane to Dubai, intelligence officials have admitted.

The intelligence team did not know Faisal Shahzad, an American of Pakistani descent, was planning to fly abroad until a final passenger list was sent to officials at the Customs and Border Protection agency minutes before the Emirates flight EK202 was due to take off, according to The New York Times.

Compounding the FBI team’s error, ground staff at Emirates did not act on an electronic message sent to all airlines at midday

UK heading for hung House PTI LONDON, MAY 5

David Cameron in Eaglesham, Renfrewshire East, the seat Tory candidate Richard Cook aims to take from Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy.

Muslim woman fined for wearing burqa in Italy AGENCIES ROME, MAY 5

A Muslim woman in northern Italy has been given a €500 (£430) on-the-spot fine under anti-terrorism laws for wearing a face-covering burqa in public, according to reports.

In what is reported to be the first such case amid proposals for sanctions against traditional Islamic dress in a series of European countries, the 26-yearold Tunisian woman was stopped by police in the city of Novara, a stronghold of the anti-immigration Northern League.

The woman was wearing a full-length burqa with a niqabtype veil covering all her face apart from her eyes. She and her husband, both legal residents, were en route to Friday

prayers when they were stopped by police for an identity check.

Some reports said the pair was inside a post office at the time, while others said they were standing near it.

The husband was able to produce papers for the couple, but he refused to allow the male officers to see his wife's unveiled face to confirm her identity. This was done when a female officer was called to the scene.

Although there was no problem with the couple's status, the woman was fined €500 under a municipal ordinance introduced in January that bans clothing preventing easy identification of the wearer in public buildings.

The measure was introduced

by Novara's Northern League mayor, Massimo Giordano, Italy's

Ansa news agency reported. It is based on a national anti-terrorism law passed in 1975 which was intended to prevent the wearing of masks or motorcycle helmets.

Some police spot checks were specifically aimed at stopping Muslim women from wearing face-covering garments, the town's police chief, Paolo Cortese, told Ansa.

"Unfortunately it is apparently not yet clear to everyone that clothes preventing the wearer's identification can be tolerated at home but not in public places, in schools, on buses or in post offices," he said. "There are still some people that refuse to understand that our community in Novara does not accept and does not want people going around wearing the burqa."

Britain today appeared headed for a close race in tomorrow's general elections which may lead to a phase of India-style coalition politics as latest opinion polls showed main contenders -- Labour and Conservatives -- running neck and neck.

With prospects of a hung Parliament looming large, leaders are exploring alliances hours before polling opens tomorrow.

On the last day of campaigning, the ruling Labour party of Prime Minister Gordon Brown is widely expected to lose power after a record 13 years in office.

Phrases associated with Indian elections such as 'tactical voting', 'coalition partners' and 'common minimum programme' increasingly figure in the election discourse as strategists make behind-the-scene moves to explore possibilities in the event of a hung verdict.

The emergence of the Liberal Democrats as a third major pole in this election upset the cosy consensus between Labour and Conservatives, with Liberal Democrats leader Nick Clegg widely seen as a kingmaker in the post-election sweepstakes.

Leaders of all three parties -Clegg, Brown and David Cameron -- criss-crossed the country at a frenetic pace, seeking to attain the magic figure of 326 in the House of Commons with the strength of 650.

In 2005, the Labour had won a majority by securing 349 seats, while the Conservatives bagged 210 and the Liberal Democrats 62. However, latest opinion polls left Labour and the Tories neck and neck on

which of the two would have more MPs, with Lib Dem support falling back.

With just hours to go before voting begins, a daily ComRes poll showed party support had remained static, with the Tories on 37 per cent, Labour on 29 per cent and the Lib Dems on 26 per cent.

This would make the Tories the largest party but short of a majority. Labour strategists still hope that due to the first-pastthe-post electoral system, the party may still win the most seats even if it polled the least number of votes.

However, the rising popularity of Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats after the first of the three television debates is expected to cut into the Labour party's votes, which may help the Conservatives.

Clegg has kept his options open on which party his group will align with, but has insisted that whichever party signs up to its key issues such as electoral and constitutional reform will have its support.

According to the pro-Conservative 'The Daily Telegraph', even if Cameron does not win outright in the election, he could still be installed as Prime Minister under a deal with the unionist parties in Northern Ireland. The paper says the Democratic Unionist Party was willing to enter into a formal coalition in return for "a shopping list of demands".

Brown urged voters to 'come home to Labour' while Cameron went on an overnight campaign across Bristol, Scotland and Northern Ireland to claim that he and his party were the only ones who could bring about change.

Cuba best place People who sleep for less to be a mother than six hours die early

AGENCIES WASHINGTON, MAY 5

Cuba, despite its image as a backward nation ruled by a despotic Communist regime provides the best conditions for motherhood among developing countries, according to Save the Children's State of the World's Mothers 2010 report.

The report, made public Monday, examines 160 countries 43 developed and 117 developing ones - and analyzes the best and worst places to be a mother based on 10 factors such as the educational status, health, economic circumstances of the mothers, as well as the basic well-being of children.

Among developed countries, Norway is in first place in the rankings, followed by Australia, Iceland and Sweden.

Within Latin America, Cuba

is in first place on the list of best developing countries in which to be a mother, while Argentina is in third place, Uruguay in seventh and Costa Rica in 12th, followed by Chile, Colombia and Brazil.

In comparing countries, the report says that in Ethiopia medical assistance is provided at just six percent of births, while in Norway, there are plenty of qualified health personnel present at almost all births.

One out of ever y seven women dies during pregnancy or while giving birth in Niger, but in Greece and Italy the death rate is less than one in 26,000 and in Ireland it is just one in 47,000.

In Afghanistan, one of every four children dies before reaching the age of 5, while the comparable figure for Spain, France and Portugal is one of every 250.

Save the Children is issuing an urgent call to increase the number of healthcare workers in the world's poorest nations, given that 343,000 women lose their lives because of complications during pregnancy or birth and almost nine million children die before their fifth birthdays in those countries.

In fact, 57 countries have a ‘critical shortage’ of healthcare workers, 36 of those nations being in Africa, and every year 50 million women in developing countries give birth without the help of any health personnel.

REUTERS PARIS, MAY 5

People who sleep fewer than six hours a night are more likely to die early, researchers have found in a study they claim provides 'unequivocal evidence' of a link between sleep deprivation and premature death.

They discovered that people who slept for less than six hours each night were 12 per cent more likely to die prematurely - before the age of 65 - than those who slept the recommended six to eight hours a night.

The team from the University of Warwick and Federico II University Medical School in Naples analysed 16 studies involving a total of 1.3 million people before reaching their conclusions.

They pointed out that previous studies had shown that

sleep deprivation was associated with heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and high cholesterol.

However, the researchers also found that sleeping too much was linked to an early death.

Those who slept for more than nine hours a night were 30 per cent more likely to die early, the research published in the journal Sleep found.

That directly contradicts research published in the same journal last week which suggested that people who slept for ten hours or longer a night were more likely to live to 100.

This was thought to be because people who lived into extreme old age were healthier and therefore slept better.

However, the authors of the latest research contradicted this and suggested that long sleep

was a sign of underlying illnesses such as depression and low levels of physical activity. Some cancer is also associated with sleeping for longer.

Professor Francesco Cappuccio, leader of the Sleep, Health and Society Programme at the University of Warwick and Consultant Physician at the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, said: “Whilst short sleep may represent a cause of ill-health, long sleep is believed to represent more an indicator of ill-health.

“Modern society has seen a gradual reduction in the average amount of sleep people take, and this pattern is more common among full-time workers, suggesting that it may be due to societal pressures for longer working hours and more shiftwork. On the other hand, the deterioration of our health status is often accompanied by an extension of our sleeping time.

“Consistently sleeping six to eight hours per night may be optimal for health. The duration of sleep should be regarded as an additional behavioural risk factor, or risk marker, influenced by the environment and possibly amenable to change through both education and counselling as well as through measures of public health aimed at favourable modifications of the physical and working environments."

on Monday — more than eight hours before Shahzad boarded his plane — notifying them that his name had been added to the no-fly list, officials said.

Two hours after his passport number had also been added to the no-fly list, Shahzad rang Emirates and booked a ticket to Islamabad via Dubai. An hour later, he arrived at the airport, paid for the ticket with cash, and boarded the aircraft.

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Now carry upto $3000 on foreign trips PTI MUMBAI, MAY 5

People going abroad have reasons to cheer as now they will be entitled to get foreign exchange up to USD 3,000 against the existing limit of USD 2,000.

Following changes in the forex rules, travelers going abroad can get up to USD 3,000 or its equivalent amount in other currencies from forex

dealers without prior permission of the Reserve Bank.

"The existing limits have been reviewed and it has been decided to increase this ceiling, with immediate effect," RBI said in a notification yesterday.

These provisions, however, will not apply to persons going to certain specified countries like Iraq, Libya, Iran, Russia and the CIS countries. The notifica-

tion further said persons going to Libya or Iraq will continue to get up to USD 5,000 or its equivalent in other currencies while the existing provisions for travellers to Iran, Russia and CIS countries will remain unchanged.

Forex dealers and money changers can also sell foreign exchange in other currencies other than American dollar up to USD 3,000.

Shopper's Stop lines up capex PTI MUMBAI, MAY 5

K Raheja Group-promoted Shopper's Stop has lined-up a capex of Rs 125-crore to open around 12 stores this fiscal, a top company official said.

"We plan to open 8-12 stores this year and will invest about Rs 125-crore for the same. We will focus mainly on the metros we are already present in, besides some Tier II cities," Shopper's Stop's CEO, Govind Shrikhande, said.

Bajaj FinServ plans wealth Mgmt PTI MUMBAI, MAY 5

Bajaj Group's financial services arm Bajaj Finserv plans to enter the wealth management business and also banking, a top company official said today.

"We plan to enter the wealth management business in the second-quarter of 2010," Bajaj Finserv MD Sanjiv Bajaj told reporters after announcing the company's new brand identity and business plans here.

Bajaj Finserv will take a step forward towards its goal of becoming a full-fledged financial services company by starting its wealth management business, including products distri-

Microsoft, Nokia launch new software ReuTeRs HELSINKI, MAY 5

Nokia and Microsoft unveiled on Wednesday the first result of their new software collaboration aimed at breaking the dominance of Research in Motion's BlackBerry in wireless services for corporations.

Nokia and Microsoft, at one time fierce rivals in the mobile telecom business, announced the alliance in August 2009.

They expect to offer Nokia phones running Microsoft's Office programmes later this year.

On Wednesday the companies unveiled Communicator Mobile software, which enables people to see their colleagues' availability, and click to communicate with them using instant messenger, e-mail, text or phone call.

bution and advisory services to retail customers in five cities during the second quarter of this year, he said.

The company is venturing into the asset management business in a joint venture with German giant Allianz, pending regulatory clearance, he said.

The firm is also gearing up to enter the banking business and considering applying for a licence.

"We are keen to enter the banking business and will consider applying for a licence once the Reserve Bank comes out with its guidelines," Bajaj said.

Bajaj Finserv is a zero debt company and has Rs 900- crore

worth cash. We are adequately capitalised to build this business in the coming years," he said, adding the company has no plans to raise money from the capital market.

Last month, the company launched its construction equipment financing and retail loan against securities businesses.

The construction equipment industry size is around Rs 15,000 crore where banks, along with select NBFCs, are key players. Bajaj Auto Finance (BAFL) launched construction equipment financing from April 2010 in 16 locations.

BAFL would primarily target medium-to-large customers in

the first phase and increase the wallet size in the retail segment at a later stage, Bajaj said.

It launched retail loan against securities (LAS) in seven markets. It will be offering LAS products to the HNI customer segment where the loan will be offered against pledge of shares and MFs. Meanwhile, the company today unveiled a new brand identity for all its Group firms.

Under the new identity, all the businesses under Bajaj Finserv would use the brand in such a manner that consumers experience, through each business, the common values of the Group, it said.

Now car with inbuilt scooter

AGeNCY MELBOURNE, MAY 5

Traffic snarls in cities need not cause much worry as a new car with an inbuilt electric scooter that flips and folds into the boot will allow commuters to zip through the congested streets.

Carmaker Volkswagen is working on a bike that neatly compacts into the boot of a car and can be recharged on the move.

The 'Bik.e' may look like a traditional push bike, but there are no pedals - thus it's actually more like a folding electric scooter.

Honda in Japan has already sold a version of its City hatch in the 1980s with a bike in the boot. The concept will be a blessing for commuters who are increasingly frustrated with thick traffic and hefty parking charges.

Volkswagen has designed the Bik.e to work in tandem with the car - it folds up for easy storage in the spare-wheel well and can be recharged by plugging it into the car's battery outlet or a conventional power point.

The Bik.e's top-speed is 20 km per hour and it has a range of about 20 km.

With such a slight range it's hardly going to replace your everyday drive, but it could well be handy if you park your car a long distance from your

workplace, or even for getting to and from the train station.

A business case is currently being developed for the Bik.e and the concept is likely to make it to production, said Volkswagen's head of research and development, Ulrich Hackenberg, during a press conference at the Beijing motor show.

He said that Volkswagen's quest for environmentally friendly mobility is not limited to conventional forms of transportation.

'We think far beyond the car,

April services biz zooms to 21-month high ReuTeRs MUMBAI, MAY 5

Business at Indian service companies rebounded to a 21month-high in April on new business and high input prices, a survey shows, indicating it could more than make up for a dip industrial activity.

The HSBC Markit Business Activity Index, based on a survey of 400 firms, rose to 62.1 in April, its highest since July 2008, and compared with 58.1 in March.

Services industries have expanded robustly since the middle of last year. The month-on-month increase in April has been the strongest since April 2008.

"This was an impressively strong release, suggesting that the modest slowdown in industrial activity indicated by the last couple of manufacturing PMIs is being more than offset

by a pick up in service sector activity," said Robert Prior-Wandesforde, senior regional economist at HSBC in Singapore.

"In other words, GDP growth looks set to strengthen and we wouldn't rule out a quarter or two of double-digit gains in the economy as a whole," he said.

The survey showed the increase was due to higher wages, as well as increased fuel and raw materials prices and a steady uptick in new business.

Manufacturing in April dipped slightly from the previous month but figures still signaled significant strength reaffirming the double-digit gains in industrial output in recent months.

The services index has expanded for the twelfth month in April. The 50 point level separates expansion from contrac-

tion.

The employment index rose to its highest in 20 months.

All the comprising indices saw an increase this month with the business expectations

sub-index rising to 72.6 from 70.3 in March due to favourable economic conditions and expansions into new markets, according to the survey.

"It is important to stress, however, that such strength is not sustainable and is bringing with it capacity constraints and higher cost/price pressures," Prior-Wandesforde said.

Sensex takes a fall, domestic funds come to aid PTI MUMBAI, MAY 5

Worries that Greece’s financial crisis might spread to other euro zone nations sent the Sensex tumbling today, but buying support from domestic funds arrested the fall to just 49 points.

The Bombay Stock Exchange’s 30-share Sensex ended the day at 17,087.96 points, down by 0.29 per cent or 49.18 points. In intra-day trade, the index had plunged 279 points to a near twomonth low of 16,858.23 level.

The Dalal Street opened low, but buying by domestic funds before close checked the losses.

MF FUNDA TAuRus MuTuAL FuND has appointed Sadanand Shetty as vice president (VP) and Sr Fund Manager - Equity with effect from May 3, 2010.

He joins Taurus from Kotak Securities At Kotak, he was responsible for managing portfolios in his capacity as VP and Portfolio Manager – Equity, for nearly six years. He successfully managed portfolios which aggregated over USD 200 million discretionary fund on behalf of private clients spread across India.

uTI MuTuAL FuND has approved May 10, 2010 as the record date for declaration of dividend under dividend option of uTI Fixed Income Interval Fund - series II - Quarterly Interval Plan V. The face value of per unit is Rs 10. The quantum of dividend will be 100% of distributable surplus as on the record date.

Kirloskar Brothers Ltd said on Thursday the company through its unit Kirloskar Brothers International B.V., Netherlands, has acquired 90 percent shares of South African company Braybar. The cost of acquisition is around Rs 11 crore, it said in a statement.

Bhushan Stee, 1600, 1631.65, 1570.65, 1613.45 Biocon Limit, 285.05, 291, 283, 290.1 Bombay Dyein, 560, 569, 546.6, 565.95 Bosch Limite, 4843.85, 4899, 4700, 4888.3 Brigade Ente, 137.9, 141, 135, 139.8 Cairn India, 301.05, 305, 295.1, 300.4 Canara Bank, 422.8, 438, 415.6, 435.4 Central Bank, 145.05, 149.35, 141, 148.25 Century Text, 485, 499.9, 480.3, 496.8 Cesc Ltd, 392, 396.65, 388.6, 393 Chambal Fert, 62, 63.4, 60.9, 63.15 Chennai Petr, 279, 279.25, 273, 277.75 Cipla Ltd, 331, 339.8, 328, 335.2 Colgate Palm, 735.6, 759, 735.6, 755.4 Container Co, 1290, 1325, 1290, 1322.8 Crompton Gre, 255, 265.25, 251.15, 263.75 Cummins Indi, 562, 571.2, 560.1, 566.35 Dabur India, 181, 187, 180, 185.8 Deccan Chron, 147.45, 147.5, 141.6, 146.4 Dish Tv Indi, 36, 37.2, 35.1, 36.9 Divi's Labor, 686, 709, 680, 701.25 Dlf Limited, 300, 303.4, 294.6, 301.4 Dr. reddy's, 1213, 1251.55, 1213, 1240.8

Ajanta Pharma Gayatri Proj Bharat Bijlee Infotrek sys swaraj engines Torrent Pharma PNB union Bank Dr Reddys Lab Rashtriya Chem Flex Foods Source: Indiainfoline.com

HDFC MuTuAL FuND has approved May 10, 2010 as the record date for declaration of dividend under dividend option in retail and wholesale plan of HDFC Quarterly Interval Fund - Plan C. The face value per unit is Rs 10. The quantum of dividend will be 100% of distributable surplus as on the record date.

ReuTeRs MUMBAI, MAY 5

Aban Offshor, 1152, 1152, 1073.3, 1099.2 Abb Ltd., 716.1, 729, 707, 723.7 Abg Shipyard, 252.9, 258, 246, 256.6 Acc Limited, 878.2, 890, 857, 885.3 Adani Enterp, 561, 570.55, 546, 565.2 Aditya Birla, 801.6, 801.6, 765.1, 773.3 Allahabad Ba, 151.9, 158.1, 148.15, 157.2 Alstom Proje, 579, 601.6, 562.1, 596.5 Ambuja Cemen, 113.5, 116.9, 112.55, 115.85 Andhra Bank, 127.05, 137.85, 125.95, 136.7 Ansal Prop &, 78, 79.85, 75.9, 79.2 Ashok Leylan, 58, 62.7, 58, 62.45 Asian Paints, 2054, 2074.9, 2047.9, 2060.6 Axis Bank Li, 1216.6, 1251.6, 1216.4, 1241.3 Bajaj Hindus, 116, 118.15, 111.7, 116.85 Bank Of Baro, 678.6, 706.4, 678.6, 703.3 Bank Of Indi, 365, 376.7, 362.05, 374.25 Beml Limited, 1005, 1026, 991.85, 1012.2 Bharat Elect, 1780, 1818, 1735.1, 1803.4 Bharat Forge, 265, 273.45, 263.3, 272.1 Bharat Petro, 510, 532.4, 509, 526.55 Bharti Airte, 287.2, 299.8, 283.2, 296.3 Bhel, 2440, 2454, 2415.25, 2446.4

BOARD MEETINGS

FORTIs MuTuAL FuND has decided to revise the exit load structure for regular and institutional plan (including options / sub options) in Fortis Bond Fund. The changes will be effective from May 07 2010.

According the revised exit load charge will be 2% if redeemed / switched out upto 1 year from the date of subscription. In case of inter scheme switched, exit load, if any, will be charged. However, for intra scheme switches, no exit load will be charged.

Nil if redeemed / switched out after 1 year from the date of subscription / switch-in.

No exit load will be charged for dividend reinvestment units.

Of the exit load charged to the investor, a maximum of 1% of the redemption proceeds shall be maintained in a separate account which can be used by the AMC to pay commissions to the distributor and to take care of other marketing and selling expenses. Any balance shall be credited to the scheme immediately

Kirloskar buys TALK BUSINESS 90% stake in Idea ups market share in Q4 S African firm PANJIM (HBD) -- Idea Cellular increased its revenue market share from 11.4% to 12.7% in Q4. Similarly, Ebitda margin even for the established service areas improved by 0.8% to 30.7% from 29.9% compared to the previous year, notwithstanding the punishing 23% drop in ARR. Idea grew Ebitda and PAT compared to the previous year, both on a standalone and consolidated basis, after further absorbing incremental Ebitda losses of Rs 2,403 million from the new service areas during FY10.

The one-time income, during the quarter, represents the impact of conversion of finance lease into operating lease in the service areas of erstwhile Spice.

as such, with a focus on mobility in general' Hackenberg said.

'And we do this regularly in

concept teams made up of specialists with a mission to look into the future and give up existing conventions, which means finding new, unconventional solutions'.

Having the Bik.e in the spare-wheel well is also handy for an emergency situation - it's like having a pair of spares instead of just one. '(The Bik.e) can be folded up and stowed conveniently in the luggage compartment, or on the spare wheel at the back with no restriction of the capacity available,' said Hackenberg.

'So you can take additional mobility along with you: for example, to reach particular destinations in town, or to remain mobile in your leisure time when you have to park your car somewhere.

'I think this is a super idea beyond mobility and the car itself,' he was quoted as saying.

ICICI PRuDeNTIAL MuTuAL FuND has approved May 10, 2010 as the record date for declaration of dividend under dividend option of ICICI Prudential Fixed Maturity Plan-series 45 - Twenty Months Plan.

The face value per unit is Rs 10. The quantum of dividend will be 100% of distributable surplus as on the record date.

Edelweiss Ca, 414.9, 419.8, 402, 416.25 Educomp Solu, 672, 682.8, 658.2, 679.8 Eih Limited, 123.8, 125, 121.25, 124.2 Engineers In, 2300, 2333, 2256, 2306.45 Essar Oil Lt, 136.2, 138.35, 134.5, 137.75 Essar Shippi, 85.2, 90.25, 84, 89.55 Exide Indust, 121, 122.5, 119, 122.05 Federal Bank, 282, 299.8, 279, 297.55 Financial Te, 1480, 1494, 1440, 1472.6 Gail (india), 421, 425, 416.35, 419.65 Gammon India, 210, 219.8, 203.3, 216.6 Glaxosmithkl, 1880, 1958.9, 1880, 1945.6 Glenmark Pha, 275, 289.9, 275, 285.8 Gmr Infrastr, 60.3, 62.5, 59.1, 61.75 Godrej Indus, 157, 161.95, 156.15, 160.75 Grasim Indus, 2575, 2608, 2536.15, 2584.75 Great Offsho, 450, 456, 436, 454.7 Gtl Infra.Lt, 38.85, 41.55, 38.85, 41.15 Gujarat Mine, 122.55, 134.5, 122.5, 133.3 Gujarat N R, 81, 81, 74.8, 79 Gujarat Stat, 92.5, 95.75, 90.65, 94.85 Gvk Pow. & I, 44, 45.05, 43, 44.85 Hcl Technolo, 395, 408.5, 390, 405.05 Hdfc Bank Lt, 1932, 1933.7, 1880.1, 1916.35

Hdfc Ltd, 2800.1, 2811.5, 2766, 2801.15 Hero Honda M, 1886.3, 1895, 1863.1, 1889.15 Hindalco in, 158, 165, 157.7, 163.65 Hindustan Co, 120, 125.7, 118, 124.95 Hindustan Ma, 75, 75.9, 73.15, 75.2 Hindustan Pe, 319.9, 335, 319.9, 328.85 Hindustan Un, 242, 242, 227.6, 228.75 Hindustan Zi, 1151, 1156, 1111.25, 1144.25 Housing Dev, 248.5, 253.55, 240.3, 250.3 Icici Bank L, 910, 910, 887.25, 903.65 Idea Cellula, 62.5, 64.1, 61, 63.5 Ifci Ltd, 49, 52.3, 49, 52 India Cement, 118, 122.45, 116.5, 122.2 India Infoli, 102.9, 104.6, 100.55, 103.7 Indiabulls F, 145, 156.3, 139.4, 154.65 Indiabulls R, 160, 164.95, 156.5, 163.8 Indian Bank, 215, 235, 210.6, 233.3 Indian Hotel, 104, 107.4, 102.35, 106.6 Indian Oil C, 298.7, 307.35, 297.8, 299.35 Indian Overs, 92.25, 96.75, 90.25, 96.15 Indus Dev Ba, 119.5, 124.9, 117.4, 124.25 Indusind Ban, 187.5, 192.4, 184.6, 191.55 Infosys Tech, 2649.4, 2708, 2610, 2693

Infra. dev., 162.1, 163.55, 159.65, 162.1 Ispat Indust, 18.65, 19.4, 18.25, 19.3 Itc Ltd, 250, 263.6, 250, 262.15 Ivrcl Infras, 166.05, 167.95, 161.4, 164.7 Jai Corp Lim, 245, 248, 238.15, 245.85 Jaiprakash A, 137, 137, 130.55, 133.55 Jet Airways, 512, 514, 498.6, 509.65 Jindal Saw L, 201.3, 206.4, 197.75, 204.75 Jindal Steel, 705.1, 705.1, 678.4, 690 Jsw Steel Li, 1128, 1164.8, 1088.35, 1156.05 Kotak Mahind, 721.4, 749.6, 715.35, 746.45 Lakshmi Mach, 1974, 2019.9, 1945, 1998.3 Lanco Infrat, 58.5, 62.2, 58.25, 60.65 Larsen & Tou, 1540, 1543.45, 1514.9, 1538.85 Lic Housing, 940, 962, 930.25, 952.8 Lupin Limite, 1740, 1834.9, 1725.55, 1819.45 Mahanagar Te, 70, 70.5, 69.1, 70.2 Mahindra & M, 510.1, 528, 502.6, 518.4 Maruti Suzuk, 1247.7, 1290, 1233.8, 1282.55 Max India Lt, 166, 177.95, 166, 174.75 Maytas Infr., 193.1, 199.9, 185, 198.4

Moser-baer (, 70.05, 70.9, 69.3, 70.5 Mrpl, 74, 75.05, 73, 74.85 Nagarjuna Co, 181, 181, 175.2, 177.35 Nagarjuna Fe, 31.15, 32.5, 30.8, 32.3 National Alu, 400, 410, 395.3, 407.7 Neyveli Lign, 146, 148.9, 143.05, 147.3 Ntpc Ltd, 201, 205.95, 201, 205.15 Oil And Natu, 1035.1, 1043.65, 1019, 1031.05 Omaxe Limite, 93, 96, 91.1, 94.7 Oriental Ban, 331.05, 349.8, 331.05, 348.25 Pantaloon Re, 415, 415, 397.1, 406.5 Parsvnath De, 119.75, 123.2, 115.05, 120.25 Petronet Lng, 81, 82.2, 79.05, 81.95 Power Fin Co, 272.6, 276.75, 264, 275.45 Power Grid C, 107, 107.7, 106.2, 107.25 Praj Industr, 88, 93.45, 85.7, 92.75 Punj Lloyd L, 157, 158.2, 153.5, 156.25 Punjab Natio, 1000, 1048.5, 966.7, 1042.65 Rajesh Expor, 121.1, 123.5, 117.55, 122.85 Ranbaxy Labs, 436, 448, 430, 446.2 Rashtriya Ch, 78.55, 79.85, 77.25, 79.55 Rel. nat. re, 67, 69, 64.6, 68.5 Reliance Cap, 710.7, 714.7, 700, 709.7

Reliance Com, 160.05, 160.9, 157.1, 160.15 Reliance Ene, 950, 950, 920, 935.33 Reliance Ind, 800, 804.95, 764.35, 798.75 Reliance Ind, 1010, 1023.55, 1003.3, 1020.65 Reliance Pow, 152.5, 155.4, 151.7, 154.1 Rolta India, 177, 186.45, 175.6, 185.4 Satyam Compu, 91, 91.6, 89, 91.25 Sesa Goa Ltd, 379.75, 404.8, 368, 398.35 Shipping Cor, 159.1, 162.4, 153.4, 161.7 Siemens Ltd, 666.4, 678.8, 656.85, 674.6 Sintex Indus, 308.8, 310, 303.2, 304.9 Sobha Develo, 294.4, 305.7, 290.8, 301.5 State Bank O, 2260, 2285, 2240.5, 2276.2 Steel Author, 205, 215.55, 201.35, 211.75 Sterlite Ind, 745, 764.95, 726.95, 749.95 Sun Pharmace, 1550, 1568, 1522, 1529 Sun Tv Netwo, 418, 418, 405.3, 413.55 Suzlon Energ, 66.8, 68.15, 65.85, 67.75 Tata Communi, 265, 265.95, 261.1, 265.45 Tata Consult, 750, 768, 740.15, 765.75 Tata Motors, 820, 841.6, 806.35, 834.85 Tata Power C, 1301, 1325.5, 1301, 1320.3 Tata Steel L, 570, 577.4, 555.7, 573.1

Tata Tea Ltd, 991.3, 1039, 988.6, 1031.9 Tata Teleser, 22, 22.4, 21.85, 22.3 Tech Mahindr, 743.75, 743.75, 719.05, 736.35 The Ge Shpg., 309, 316.7, 309, 313.4 The Phoenix, 208, 211, 205, 207.9 Thermax Ltd, 701, 701, 681.3, 689.75 Titan Indust, 2140, 2229.95, 2096, 2194.8 Torrent Powe, 300.25, 308.4, 296, 307.15 Triveni Engg, 105, 110.05, 102.1, 107.65 Tv18 India L, 76.75, 79.15, 75.7, 78.75 Uco Bank, 68, 74.95, 67.3, 74.5 Ultratech Ce, 912, 973, 910, 968.4 Union Bank O, 292.65, 304.4, 292.05, 302.15 Unitech Ltd, 78, 79, 76.6, 77.7 United Phosp, 164, 173.7, 162.35, 170.45 Videocon Ind, 105, 105, 96.5, 104.9 Vijaya Bank, 52.5, 56.9, 52.45, 56.65 Voltas Ltd, 170, 174, 168.8, 173 Welspun Guj, 265.5, 271, 258.65, 268.25 Wipro Ltd, 655, 675, 647.4, 671.4 Yes Bank Lim, 273.2, 279, 270.1, 276.35 Zee Entertai, 285, 294.7, 282.8, 293.55

PG 13:Layout 1 5/5/2010 8:31 PM Page 1

HE RA LD

BIZ

GOA, THURSDAY, 6 MAY, 2010

Sanction sought for 15 textile parks PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Ministry for Textiles has sought sanction of the Finance Ministry for setting up 15 Integrated Textiles Parks (SITP) in the country, the Rajya Sabha was informed today. Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran said during Question Hour that under SITP, there is a cap of 40 textile park projects, "but the ministry realises the fact that these parks help in promoting the industry, and therefore we have sent a proposal to the finance ministry for sanctioning 15 more such parks. " He said the proposal is still under consideration of the finance ministry. Maran said the sanction for 40 textile parks were given for the 10th and 11th Plan.

Out of these 17 are currently functioning. To a query related to number of such parks in Maharashtra, Maran said out of the nine sanctioned in the state, "due to global slowdown, four projects could only be completed there and they are running successfully.

SAIL to set up power plant, steel mill by 2020 PTI BHUBANESWAR, MAY 5

After showing keen interest to establish a port in Orissa coast, public sector steel giant SAIL is planning to set up a power plant and another greenfield steel mill somewhere in eastern India.

This was disclosed by SAIL's Director (Technical), V K Gulhati at the sileline of a seminar here. "We are holding discussion with L & T for setting up a 1000 MW capacity coalfired power plant," he said Stating that the SAIL was yet to identify location for the proposed power plant, Gulhati said the project would be pitheaded. Therefore, it would be set up at a place close to the coal mines, he said.

Not ruling out possibility of setting up the proposed power plant somewhere in Orissa, Gulahati said SAIL had applied for coal blocks at different places.

SAIL which presently consumed about 800 MW of power to operate its steel plants, could require about 2,000 MW of power after ex-

pansion of its different brownfield projects at Rourkela, Bokaro and Vilai.

Quoting the public sector's vision-2020 document, Gulhati said while the capacity of SAIL's Bhilai plant would be raised to 7.5 mtpa from 5 mtpa, plans were also afoot to increase the capacity of Bokaro plant from 4.5 mtpa to 7 mtpa.

Similarly, the capacity of Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) would be 4.5 mtpa from its existing two mtpa by 2020, he said.

Capacity of the steel plant at Bokaro could further be increased to 16-17 mtpa, he said adding another two mtpa greenfeild steel plant mtpa could be set up at Durgapur as the existing plant had additional land at its disposal.

On the proposed new steel plant, he said the CPSU was talking to governments of Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Bihar for setting up another mega greenfield steel mill by 2020.

The proposed new greenfield steel plant would have capacity of six mtpa which could

be expanded up to 10 mtpa.

To a question, Gulhati said SAIL had already placed orders for equipment to expand the RSP. He, however, said equipments orders did not include plate mill. "The order for the plate mill will be placed within a month or two," he said.

SAIL which presently handled about 10 to 11 million ton of goods for export and import, required a port as its export and import ratio could increase eight fold by 2020, particularly after expansion of its brownfield projects.

Therefore, he said, the PSU required a port to handle its own affairs instead of depending on others for import and export. SAIL's import items mostly include coaking coal.

He said the port at Haldia would unsustainable for the PSU in the long run.

This apart, the domestic steel major had also signed an MoU with the South Korean steel major, Posco for general and technical cooperation between the two steel giants.

Pg13 Google to start selling e-books PTI

NEW YORK, MAY 5

Google is planning to begin its sale of digital books by late June or July. The Wall Street Journal stated that Chris Palma, Google's manager for strategicpartner development, announced a time table for Google's e-book launch plans at a publishing- industry panel meet in New York on Tuesday.

Google has been speaking about its vision on distributing books online for several years now. More recently, over the last few months, it has been evangelising a new service called Google Editions.

"The company is hoping to distinguish Google Editions in the marketplace by allowing users to access books from a broad range of websites using an array of devices, unlike rivals that are focused on proprietary devices and software," the report said. While Palma did not give out the details, he said that users of Google Editions would be able to read books from the web browser - nullifying the need for an e-reader device.

Despite puny payday, banks vie for govt deals ReuTeRs MUMBAI, MAY 5

Wind energy sector to add over 5k MW PTI

Globe Group enters snack Mkt

HYDERABAD, MAY 5

PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Wind energy sector in India is all set to add over 5,000 MW generation capacity per annum by 2015, a top official of the Indian Wind Turbine Manufacturers Association has said.

"India has potential of generating about 48,000 mw power through wind energy. With the availability of new technology through powerful and taller masts, the total potential can be pegged at about 1.2 lakh mw," said D V Giri, chairman of the IWTMA here.

He said the cost of production of a MW power would be Rs 5 to 6.5 crore which is much cheaper than the solar energy.

According to the data supplied by the association, the country today has about 11,000 MW of installed wind energy capacity and the utilisation (plant load factor) is between 15 to 20 per cent.

The association with 13 wind turbine and related equipment manufacturers has also been lobbying for policy reforms in expanding the wind energy generation.

Electrical equipment maker Globe Group of Industries today announced its foray into the Indian snacks market with the launch of its corn chips, ''Cornitos''. The group''s foods division, Greendot Health Foods, has earmarked an investment Rs 20 crore on marketing and expanding its product portfolio with an aim to garner 5 per cent of the estimated Rs 500-crore Indian chips market within one year.

The market is currently dominated by the likes of PepsiCo and ITC. "For the last two years, we have been studying the market, particularly the chips category. It is around Rs 500 crore and we see a lot of potential in it," Globe Group India Marketing Director Vikram Agarwal told PTI. He said the company''s products will hit the market by next week under the brand ''Cornitos'', in the North Indian states in the first phase.

It plans to pan-India in the next six months. "Our first brand'' Cornitos'' is tortilla corn

LAUNCH PAD

Sun Direct launches mega shine pack

PANJIM (HBD) -- Sun Direct Pvt Ltd, the second largest directto-home service provider in the country, has launched the Mega Shine pack. Subscribers can avail a three month subscription and choose from six free top up packs of popular channels at Rs 1,750 which is inclusive of installation charges.

The Mega Shine pack is offers fun, movies, latest news to suit the needs of every member of the family. It offers top notch channels including Colors, Star Plus , Zee TV , Sony TV , NDTV Imagine , SAB TV , Set Max , Zee Cinema , Hungama , Disney , Disney XD , Aaj Tak , NDTV 24 x 7 Along with this tempting combo one can opt for 6 free top ups of popular regional channels which include Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati and Punjabi.

Recently Sun Direct launched its VoD services in Hindi and other regional languages. Earlier, they had launched India's first HD services. Sun Direct is a defacto leader in the South Indian DTH market and adds the maximum number of all new DTH connections with the fastest growing subscriber base in excess of 5.3 million subscribers. Sun Direct is far ahead in the race of the Direct- to - Home industry with its innovative technology, value for money pricing, attractive bundling of packages that appeal at every segment of the customer chain.

chips, popularly known as ''nachos''.

We have invested around Rs 20 crore on developing the product and market research," he said. Agarwal said the company is looking to achieve a sales of Rs 30 crore by the end of this fiscal and capture a share of five per cent within one year.

At present, the Indian chips and wafer market is dominated

by Pepsico''s Lay''s, ITC''s Bingo and Parle''s Hippo. And Lays holds over more than half the market.

"We hope to capture around five per cent of the market in the next one year and a sales of Rs 30 crore," he said. He also said the company plans to expand its product portfolio in the next six months but declined to give further details.

The company currently produces its snacks from its Roorkee plant. Globe Group of Industries was founded in 1978 and makes capacitors.

It has a annual sales of Rs 100 crore.

Frito Lay to up potato farming PTI HYDERABAD, MAY 5

Frito Lay, a PepsiCo's salted snacks division, is planning to increase contract farming of potato in India by almost fourfold over the next three years, said a company official said.

The company, which has contract farming agreements with farmers in Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, MP, WB, Uttaranchal, UP and Jharkhand, is also negotiating with some farmers of TN and AP for similar tie-ups. "At present, 15,000 farmers are under our contract farming of potatoes. Besides we also source the commodity from 40,000 farmers," Frito Lay India executive vice-president Ruchira Jaitly said.

Governments are not known for being the best paymasters, and few are as miserly as India when it comes to paying investment banks to underwrite share sales by state companies.

Still, despite a payout that will do little more than cover costs, bankers from 20 institutions will make their pitch in New Delhi this week to be among up to six chosen for a role in the $2.7 billion IPO by Coal India, the world's largest coal miner.

Given the poor performance of some recent state deals as India looks to sell down holdings in roughly 60 companies over the next few years, the policy of paying rock-bottom fees may be self-defeating.

Perhaps with that in mind, the government recently adjusted its criteria when selecting banks and will in upcoming deals refrain from picking underwriters based on the lowest bid.

Instead, the government is assigning a 70 percent weight to factors such as sector experience, qualifications and marketing strategy, and 30 percent

Efficient switch from D-Link

to fees, banking sources said.

The Department of Disinvestment, which handles asset sales, could not be reached for comment.

Some recent share sales have paid banks fees of 0.07 percent, according to sources and reports, a fraction of what bankers working on deals for privately owned Indian firms or on state-run sales in China could expect.

With teams of highly paid bankers to pay and costs to cover, from the investor marketing roadshows to printing application forms, bankers say such fees are barely enough to meet expenses.

"Sometimes we recover our costs, sometimes we don't," said a senior banker who has worked on IPOs from state-run firms in the past and is also vying for the Coal India issue.

"It's a market share business.

Everyone will be on Coal India, everyone will put their best foot forward," he said.

While the chosen banks are unlikely to reap a fee windfall on the deal, which could be the country's largest-ever IPO, they have little choice but to bid to gain league table standing,

brand recognition and followon business.

USUAL SUSPECTS The list of banks invited to pitch for Coal India is split evenly between domestic and global institutions, including usual suspects such as Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and UBS. Given its size, Coal India is likely to attract more spirited interest from bankers than the $270 million follow-on offer from Engineers India. The government has issued a notice seeking up to four banks to handle the Engineers India deal.

Earlier this year, state miner NMDC Ltd raised $2.2 billion in a follow-on share sale that made virtually no money for the banks involved, according to sources with direct knowledge of the deal.

The offer struggled to attract investor demand, as did the February sale of a $1.8 billion stake in top electric utility NTPC in a deal that paid fees of 0.07 percent, according to a report by brokerage SMC Capitals.

"Low fees for the public sector deals could be one of the

reasons for the poor performance of these issues," said Jagannadham Thunuguntla, head of equities at SMC Capitals.

"The motivation required for the banking team is not there."

Rural Electrification, which raised $760 million in a followon offer, also paid 0.07 percent, according to SMC, split among five banks, or about $100,000 for each bank.

By comparison, the Hong Kong portion of Agricultural Bank of China's $30 billion IPO is expected to generate fees of 1.5 to 2 percent for banks. Indian private sector firms are also comparatively generous.

Banks that led the $325 million IPO by developer DB Realty earned 2.13 percent in fees, while the $160 million offer by IL&FS Transportation yielded 2.86 percent, according to SMC Capitals.

LITTLE CHOICE Investment banks in India have little choice but to bid for state business, having aggressively built up teams to capitalise on the fast-growing economy, often crowding into deals and accepting low fees to win business.

The three largest Indian eq-

uity sales this year have been from state issuers. Local house Kotak Mahindra worked on all three, while Citigroup, ICICI Securities and Royal Bank of Scotland worked on two each.

Indian firms raised $20.2 billion from share sales in 2009, a near-tripling from a year earlier, according to Thomson Reuters data. JP Morgan expects the total to reach as much as $30 billion this year.

Beyond Coal India and Engineers India, state issues in the pipeline this year include offerings from Steel Authority of India Ltd and Hindustan Copper.

Besides gaining league table standing and brand recognition, banks justify doing cheap or loss-making deals with the argument that they will lead to flow-based trading business in future and open doors for follow-on deals.

It also doesn't hurt to be in the government's good graces.

"Banks do undercut fees because they want to get associated with the bigger deals and there are not too many of them here in India," said a senior banker with another foreign bank.

Telenor cuts India Capex with 174 million subscribers, were due to open at 0700 GMT. "Current trends in the Asian and Nordic regions are positive and I am pleased to see that the Telenor Group had a rebound in organic revenue growth," Chief Executive Jon Fredrik Baksaas said in a statement.

Telenor, which has operations in 14 countries in Europe and Asia, affirmed its 2010 guidance for low single-digit organic revenue growth and said it expected an EBITDA margin of around 28 percent, compared with 27 to 28 percent previously.

"In addition, we revise our expected capex-to-sales ratio slightly downwards, following the development in (Indian unit) Uninor and lower overall investments during the first quarter," Baksaas added.

Telenor cut its India invest-

ments for 2010 to between 2.0 billion crowns and 2.5 billion from 2.5 billion to 3.5 billion and the overall plan to between 13 and 14 percent of revenue from 14 to 16 percent.

Analyst Tore Tonseth at Argo Securities said this could open the way for a boost in dividends or investments in new regions. "I think they will resume the stock buyback programme," he said.

INDIA Last year Telenor bought into a nascent telecom firm floated by Indian realty Unitech Ltd and launched services under the Uninor brand in different parts of the world's second-most populous country.

India added a record 20.3 million mobile connections in March.

The Uninor unit had an EBITDA loss of 974 million

Citi plans fund for low income group

Airtel in pact to expand broadband biz

Orchid Chem in pact with Alvogen

Citigroup plans to launch a USD 200 million fund for small-business lending in low and moderate income communities. In an interview to The Wall Street Journal Citi CEO Vikram Pandit said the fund would make small and midsize loans to service institutions and charter schools that the bank may not have had access to.

The loans will generally range in size from USD 14,000 to USD 500,000.

While lending volumes for home mortgages and privateequity leveraged buyouts have diminished since their peaks a few years ago Pandit said, adding the new fund would address one area where "there are opportunities to get small businesses growing more.

Telecom service provider Bharti Airtel entered into partnership with cloud computing service provider Novatium to expand broadband business in India.

Under the tie-up, Novatium would offer cloud computing services, 'Airtel Net PC', for Airtel broadband customers in India, Bharti Airtel Telemedia Services-CMO Vikas Singh said.

Singh said the service was available under three plans for Airtel customers.The Airtel Net PC Plus plan A is at one time cost of Rs 4,999 including the Nova Navigator device, a USB keyboard and Mouse while Net PC Plus B at a cost of Rs 8,999 would include a 15" LCD Monitor. A bundled offer of Net PC along with a 169 GB hard disk drive is priced at Rs 10,999.

PTI MUMBAI, MAY 5

D-Link, a provider of networking solutions, today launched a new switch series that it claims conserves power without affecting network performance.

The green managed switch, DGS-3200-24, offers advanced security features and is capable of operating in temperatures up to 50 degree centigrade, the company said.

D-Link green technology automatically detects device link status and reduces the power usage of ports that are not linked. When detecting a link down, the DGS-3200-24 conserves power usage without sacrificing network performance.

PTI NEW YORK, MAY 5

ReuTeRs OSLO, MAY 5

Norway's Telenor ASA posted higher than expected firstquarter core earnings on Wednesday as economies improve and said it would cut investment spending, paving the way for a resumption of its stock buyback programme.

The mobile phone operator said earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell to 7.09 billion crowns ($1.3 billion), beating an average forecast for 6.68 billion in a Reuters poll of 19 banks and brokerages.

"The Nordics are strong and losses are below expectations in India. The stock will definitely rise on this," analyst Espen Torgersen in Carnegie said.

Shares in Telenor, one of the world's biggest mobile groups

" According to the publication, such small-business loans are typically used by start-ups in such sectors as bakeries, restaurants, delivery and translation services and even air-conditioner repair. Lending for Citi''s new Communities at Work Fund would be managed by Calvert Foundation, with marketing by Opportunity Finance Network, a network of 160 financial institutions, the report said.

Pandit said the program would be national in scope, including rural areas where Citi doesn''t have a presence.

"Given that we''re not the largest retail commercial bank in the US there are many, which are much larger than us, we''re doing everything we can to extend our reach," the report said citing Pandit.

PTI CHENNAI, MAY 5

ReuTeRs MUMBAI, MAY 5

Orchid Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd said on Wednesday it has signed an out-licensing and distribution deal with U.S.-based Alvogen for marketing the Indian company's eight oral non-antibiotic formulations in U.S. Under the terms of the agreement, Alvogen would pay certain dossier license fees to Orchid and the two companies would share profits from these products, it said in a statement.

"The moment these products go off-patent, we would be one of the few people to launch these products," K Raghavendra Rao, managing director, Orchid Chemicals & Pharma said. "...So the launch is going to be from next year and the eight products would be launched sequentially."

The combined market size of

crowns in the first quarter, against a 1.0 billion loss forecast by analysts. Telenor repeated its forecast of an EBITDA loss of 4.5 billion crowns to 5.0 billion for India this year.

Analysts have long been sceptical about the move into India, where margins are wafer thin and competition intense for hundreds of millions of potential clients.

Last week Telenor's India unit launched a new trafficbased discount plan for mobile calls that could see prices falling, the latest salvo in a price war.

Telenor said rules demanding all purchasing orders for telecom infrastructure equipment must be pre-approved by the authorities had resulted in a delay in the second launch phase, planned for the second quarter 2010.

these products in the U.S. is about $8 billion annually, the company said in a statement.

"This size is quite interesting and we should be able to make reasonable turnover and profit out of this deal," he added.

Orchid Chemicals is the firstfiler for paragraph-IV status for three of these eight products.

"This gives us exclusive marketing rights for these products for at least six months postlaunch," he added.

The eight products covered under the deal are from the therapeutic segment, the company said, adding "The two companies would share the legal expenses and bio-study costs."

Earlier, on April 29, Orchid Chemicals said it had settled a patent litigation with Forest Laboratories Inc regarding its generic drug Memantine tablets.

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Pg14 GOA’S HEARTBEAT Film Curtorim goes Global kaman “ Gorje -purtim Anonymous

“

Thursday, 6 May, 2010

Finance Scheme: For and Against

“

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, “ the mind can achieve - Napoleon Hill

email us at: goasheartbeat@herald-goa.com

Internet portals, which were predominantly used for communication and entertainment among other things, now helps us learn our land better, giving us a peek into one of Goa’s many villages, showcasing its unique assets

BY JANICE RODRIGUES HERALD FEATURES he internet has become one of the most widespread tools of mass communications, building virtual bridges into worlds earlier only heard of, not ventured by any ordinary man. For instance, someone living in Canada would never have known that there existed a village called Curtorim in a country halfway across the world. But now with the power of the internet, it is all possible, and the makers of the website ‘www.cutorim.com’ have proved it.

Curtorim, one of the biggest villages in Goa, is now accessible to people sitting in any corner of the world with just a click of a button. In an attempt to get their hometown to the reaches of the world, two ‘Curtorcars’, as they call themselves, Percival De Costa and Rabindra Pimenta, have taken the initiative to bring their culture to the world.

It all started with the founding of a group in a social networking website. “We then realised that the network site has certain limitations and couldn’t do much more than just gather members and post a few comments. We decided to expand our reach and develop a web portal.

Also, there were some people who found it a little confusing to navigate on the group, so, in order to provide a more user friendly base, we developed the website,” say the makers, De Costa and Pimenta.

The website is an easily accessible doorway into the village, and gives the viewer a gist of the green and quiet village life of Curtorim. The homepage has a background of the fields with pictures of various sights of the village flashing in one corner. “We wanted to take Curtorim to the doorsteps of ‘Curtorcars’ abroad who have left their land and miss their home, because although I am a native of Curtorim, I work in Kuwait and Percival works in Dubai. We know how it feels to be away from home,” says Pimenta. The website is a place where the people of Goa can keep themselves updated of the happenings in and around the state.

The website could serve as a perfect example of how one can take the culture of their land to the world and help facilitate their enterprises at the same time. The website has a space for the advertising of the small-scale enterprises thus providing advertising a larger and different dimension. One page is dedicated to an interactive forum where members can discuss any topic that will benefit the people of Goa at large and Curtorim specifically.

“We work in close co-ordination with each other and get valuable inputs and updates from the people back in Goa who contribute via email and get the

T the Goa version of d e is v re e Th sistance inancial As F f o e m e h Sc m a k in g as been h s m il F erald fo r e state. H th in s e n li head etween ifference b d e th t u o v is e d finds n d th e re a l a in g ri th e o t Goan and wha version it ink about directors th

BY DOLCY D’CRUZ HERALD FEATURES efore a director can utter the words ‘Lights, Camera, Action’, he has a pile of things that need to be done. The major and minor responsibilities to make a successful film are very pressurising for directors. But when it comes to finance, the government, in its bid to reduce the stress producers and directors have to face, has relaunched the Goa Scheme of Financial Assistance for Films.

The scheme was recently relaunched by Chief Minister Digamber Kamat through the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG). The scheme is said to be producer- and directorfriendly and requires only a two-page synopsis of the film instead of a 50-100 page brief. Besides the synopsis, the eligibility criteria states that the directors and producers who apply for the scheme should be born in Goa or have 15 years domicile in the state and should have paid income tax for at least three years.

The scheme has been revised by a special subcommittee comprising Vishal Pai Cacode, member of the governing council of the Entertainment Society of Goa, Dharmanand Vernekar, member of the general body of the ESG, Dr Pramod Salgaocar and film directors Laxmikant Shetgaonkar and Rajendra Talak.

The directors and producers have to submit their brief to the jury which will decide and give their yes or no with a reason to the directors and producers. The entire procedure is simplified which includes expenditure, which was not included in the previous scheme. “There are a lot of changes in the revised version for the good.

In the previous version, the first instalment for reimbursement was only for the raw stock which included only camera tapes. But now the scheme is modified and the money for director, cameraman and light man is also reimbursed. The scheme claims to reimburse the range of Rs 1- 8 lakhs for a feature film,” says Arnold D’Costa, producer of ‘Kantteantlen Ful’, which was awarded the best film at the Goa Film Festival in 2008.”

“However, there is one drawback. Producers and directors applying for the scheme can do so only every alternate year, which means that even if the director or producer is capable to make good films, they have to skip a year. Also there should be an exception for film students to make films. They are taught film making in colleges and they can easily apply the strategies required. An exceptional amendment should be made, wherein the students can apply without providing the income tax return file,” says Arnold. “Every producer or director brings out a film to make some profit, this scheme can really boost the confidence of a producer or director as their money will be reimbursed,” says Arnold who will be launching a Konkani film, ‘Rostea Voilim Bhurguim’.

Agnelo Fernandes, an upcoming director who is releasing a documentary titled, ‘Unknown Greatest Freedom Fighter: Carlos Da Cruz’, found the criteria still challenging: “The eligibility criteria requires a producer or director to be born in Goa or 15 years domicile in the state and should have paid income tax for at least three years. This doesn’t make it easy for newcomers to make films.”

B

­H­O­R­O­S­C­O­P­E Stick to your routine today. Blazing a trail will take you in the wrong direction. Your visionary (21 Mar – 19 Apr) nature is in full force today, so make sure that you're able to make the most of it. You may need to break it down for someone who just can't cope with your broad scope.

Too much of your life is on the go. Book a table for lunch and use up a whole hour. You are hav(23 Sep – 22 Oct) ing a great time today -things are aligned in your favor. It's one of those awesome days when things are more fun than usual, and friends and family are glad to be around you.

Tell your problems to your friends -- someone has a good suggestion you should hear. You need to (20 Apr – 20 May) deal with a power struggle that is shaking your workplace or home life -- as uncomfortable as it is, you're the only one who can put a stop to it. Things should settle down tomorrow.

There's a mystery for you to solve. Write down the clues and follow the evidence. Conflicts are like(23 Oct – 21 Nov) lier than ever today, and you need to do whatever you can to make sure that you're not escalating them too far. It's a good time to slow down and talk things over rationally.

A misunderstanding causes gigantic waves; resolve to be more direct next time. Sometimes (21 May – 21 Jun) you need to just wander off on your own and deal with life -or think things through. Today's thoughtful energy helps you make some serious headway into a difficult problem.

Trying to fly high but having trouble getting your feet off the ground? Flap harder. Your intellectual (22 Nov – 21 Dec) energy is peaking, especially when it comes to absorbing new ideas or pushing ahead with new projects. You may not be as convincing as usual, but that can wait for a bit.

Daydreaming will have to suffice for a vacation for the next few (very) busy months. The only (22 Jun – 22 Jul) flexibility you'll experience today comes from you -- things are what they are, and there's not really any way to change them. If you change the way you respond to them, you can win big!

Try to do more creative writing -- even if it's just emails and birthday cards. It's a good time (22 Dec – 19 Jan) to apply yourself to your finances in a new way. Maybe you can find a way to handle your debt, or maybe it's time to reconsider a long-standing investment. Your brain is up for it.

As always, listen to your instinct when making decisions -- don't listen to others. Try something (23 Jul – 22 Aug) new today, especially if you're facing a problem that hasn't been solved yet, as is quite likely.

Your lateral thinking can make a big difference, so see what you can do.

Read your receipt next time you use an ATM -your bank account may be misleading. Your abil(20 Jan – 18 Feb) ity to attract attention, investments, suitors or whatever else you desire is heightened right now -- so make sure that all of the right people know that you are available!

Not a lot will get done today, but don't worry.

Progress isn't all that matters. Someone (23 Aug – 22 Sep) needs to hear your opinion -- but you need to keep it positive, or at least constructive. Tearing them down only builds up their resistance to the point where they can't hear you anymore.

Worry less about what others think of you and more about how to be a better you. Your thinking (19 Feb – 20 Mar) is pretty far from realistic today, but that might be just what you need. As long as you don't dive headfirst into crazy plans, you should be able to think outside the box enough to do right by yourself.

Kylie’s Tracks to be turned into Musical

Photo by JoeGoaUK

information needed,” say the makers of the site. They continue, “Our sole aim is to bring out the best for the state and the village, we are trying to do as much as we can for the state,” says De Costa.

The articles and the interviews posted on the website are evidence of the networking of the makers of the website.

The spread of culture can be seen in the various pictures of the village. It also has a music player which is loaded with ‘Mando’ songs which transports the listeners to the villages of Goa, thus helping in preserving the identity of Goan culture. The website keeps its visitors updated about the happenings in Goa through the internet links of the various local dailies.

The website has been visited by more than 1000 visitors all over the world, in just two weeks since it started, thus showng the widespread reach of the internet. By popularising the website on social networking sites, the website ensures a further reach.

The power of the internet has touched the lives of many people and Goa is not far behind; the makers of the website are tapping this powerhouse to spread their message. “The IT scene in Goa has made tremendous progress.

It is very gratifying to see it grow by leaps and bounds by the day. We believe that Goa can become one of the best places in the field of IT in India,” conclude the makers.

Carnival Plays to Compete HERALD FEATURES iatr, part and parcel of Goa has entertained audiences for well over a century now.

Through the years it has become so popular that it has imbibed itself into the traditional entertainment scene of the Goan people. ‘Tiatr’ gets even more entertaining when a competitive element is involved as witnessed at major competitions.

Going with this spirit, the Open Competition of Carnival Plays, organised by HCN and Vandana Productions will take place on May 18, 19 and 20. The venue for the competition will be the Pai Tiatrist Auditorium, Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. A total of nine groups have been confirmed for the competition.

These nine groups will have major tiatrists as a part of them. They include Miguel D’Souza, Frank De Benaulim, Vincent De Cacora, Peter De Macazana, Jose De Velim, Jack Rodson, Salvador Alfonso, Eddy De Quepem and Xavier De Sanguem.

Khell ‘tiatr’ from being a one-act play, now has five to eight acts all threaded together to form a single story. The stories mainly revolve around life in the village but in the recent past have come to include a variety of topics. The time limit in this competition is 45 minutes, with the minimum being 25 minutes and each ‘tiatr’ should contain 3 partios. The organisers have stressed that all the aspects of the tiatr should be traditional in nature. There should be no costume change and the topics cannot be personal in nature nor offend any religion.

T

The Open Competition of Carnival Plays will give Goan audiences a chance to witness the fruits of nine groups that will compete to win. It will take place on May 18, 19 and 20 at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao

A

fter a successful music career and small screen appearances, Kylie Minogue has set her sights on the theatre and is penning her own musical. The 41-year-old Australian singer has teamed up with William Baker, her close friend and associate, to create a musical, which will be an interpretation of her songs.

Baker, who has worked as Minogue’s stylist and creative director on a number of her tours, had directed a West End revival of musical ‘Rent’ in 2007. He also produced and directed a TV documentary from 2007 about Minogue, called ‘White Diamond’.

The latest musical is currently untitled and who will play Minogue has not been decided but the ‘Chiggy Wiggy’ singer will not headline the show.

Minogue also denied that the musical will chart her rise to fame.

“Yes, William Baker and I are working on getting the story written. I’m comfortable because it’s not my life story; it’s about the interpretation of my music,” she said.

Kylie rose to fame with her first single ‘Locomotion’ which spent seven weeks at number one on the Australian singles chart and became the highest selling single of the decade and she never looked back since her first release ‘I Should Be So Lucky’ went on to become No1 in January 1988.

The singer, who battled breast cancer in 2005, is currently busy with her new album ‘Aphrodite’, which will release in July.

This is not the first time that any singer’s tracks will be turned into a musical. Earlier, Swedish pop band Abba's iconic tracks were transformed into hugely popular stage show ‘Mamma Mia!’ and then adapted for the big screen where Meryl Streep played the lead role.

Kareena doesn’t believe in Ghosts R

ohit Shetty’s boys are running out of ideas. After the male cast of ‘All The Best’ played a ‘ghostly’ prank on Bipasha Basu during the film’s shoot, the cast of ‘Golmaal 3’ decided to repeat the same scare on Kareena Kapoor while shooting at a hotel.

They planned the whole prank in advance.

When Bebo was on the set one day, Ajay and Rohit casually began discussing how a woman was killed in the hotel. They said how they’d read all about it on the net. They even told her that the lady’s spirit roams around in a white saree late night and visits all the villas, suites and rooms at the hotel.

To spook her further, they added that it is a very angry spirit that roamed the hotel and it even killed a guest staying at the hotel. The actress who was staying in a suite was naturally scared and kept shouting at them to stop discussing these ghastly details, but they mercilessly continued. As Kareena is the only girl on the set, she is often the target for such pranks.

Bebo laughs, “Ajay keeps trying to scare me with stories of a ghost in our hotel. Of course I get scared with such horror stories and keep yelling at them to stop but they don’t! This hotel is like a ‘khandar’ with no other habitation outside it and hardly any guests and it gets a bit scary at times. But I refuse to cower in fright and give them the pleasure of pulling off their pranks! I am not so scared as much as I am tired of their pranks. I am a very spiritual person and I don’t believe in ghosts.

Nor have I ever seen a ghost in my life.”

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GOA’S HEARTBEAT Thursday, 6 May, 2010

WHAT’S UP IN GOA??

World AIDS Orphan Day 2010 (WAOD 2010) will be observed at Mangoor Sports Club, Mangoor Hill, Vasco on May 7 at 2:30pm. The theme is ‘I Am Positive’.

A workshop on Mental Arithmetic and Vedic Maths will be conducted for students on May 7 and 8 from 9am to 1pm at Margao. Call 9657210949.

The feast of the Holy Cross Shrine, Bambolim will be celebrated on May 16. The first mass will be held at 7:30am, the high mass will begin at 9am and the evening mass at 5pm.

An exhibition on the art of Pinhole photography is on till May 9 at the Art Chmaber, Calangute. It is organised by the Goa Centre for Alternative Photography (Goa-CAP). Call 2277144.

‘Srujanotsav Gulzar’, a trilogy of Hindi plays based on Gulzar’s works is on till May 8 at the Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. It is organised by the Ravindra Bhavan and the Directorate of Art and Culture. Call 2653083.

Competitions will be held by the Indian Medical Association, Students Wing to mark the occasion of World No Tobacco Day on May 31. The last day to submit entries is May 20. Call 9860030131 or 9923568524.

The classic movie ‘Shejari’ will be screened at the Maquinez Palace, Panjim on May 8 at 6:30pm. It is organised

by Goa Cinephile. Call 2428111-5.

All Goa Quiz Contest for students will be held on May 14 at 3:30pm to be held at Raghvendra Swami Hall. Call 9823580272.

An interaction with Mahesh Elkunchwar, senior theatre personality from Nagpur will be held at the Kala Academy on May 6 at 5.30pm. Call 2424652.

The presentation of the Sahitya Puraskar for the year 2008 will take place on May 7 at 5.30pm at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Call 2420452.

‘Sobit Amchem Goem’, a festival of Goan music, dance and drama, organised by the Chicalim Youth Club will take place from May 6 to 9 at the

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Pg15

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HERALD FEATURES he art exhibition ‘Different Moments’ was recently held at the Kala Academy, Panjim. Featuring fif teen budding artists, the exhibition was held to mark the 50th anniversary of Sanukth Maharashtra.

The man behind ‘Different Moments’, Santosh Patil, hails from a poor family of farmers. Born and brought up in the rural village of Sangli in Maharasthra, Santosh displayed a passion for art from a very young ago. Breaking away from the family occupation, Santosh set off on a journey of his own to pursue his dream of becoming an artist.

This exhibition was a stepping stone to that dream.

Elements of his childhood to the rural environs of his native village are visible in his creations. Bold and impressive, his works focused on the subject of beauty, love and positivity.

Photos By Herald Features

Children reveal their Creative Side in Block Printing HERALD FEATURES

T

he Museum of Christian Art came alive with children bustling with energy and trying their hand at block printing with the two-day workshop ‘Fun with Blocks’.

One of the oldest techniques of printing has been used for creating intricate designs on paper and cloth.

The creativity of the 21 participating children was demonstrated when they created designs of their own with the animal and plant motif blocks, both on paper and cloth. The art displayed in the gallery has Indo-Christian art, and the event, in kept with this theme, thus helping children develop an interest in museums.

Funny Quote “ All marriages are

happy. It's the living together afterward that causes all the trouble.”

– Raymond Hull

Pronunciation pee-uh-NISS-tik Function Adjective Meaning 1 : of, relating to, or characteristic of the piano 2 : skilled in or well adapted to piano playing Example Sentence Hortz polished his pianistic abilities by listening to Brahms.

DAILY GROOK ART SMART

by Francis Rodrigues often artist homes are painted shown, while in the rooms curtains are drawn!

Instructions for Sudoku SUDOKU SOL 545 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

Goa’s First International Pinhole Photography Exhibition HERALD FEATURES l transporte de mi mama’, which is currently on at the Art Chamber, Calangute, is Goa’s first international pinhole photography exhibition. It is based on the recent international contest organised by Goa-CAP in order to support, promote and celebrate the art of pinhole photography in India and to honour the Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day, April 25, 2010. The exhibition features the work of 191 artists from 41 countries.

The exhibition will be on display till May 9, 2010.

‘E

GARFIELD

SOUTH POLE

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 Sabki Laadli Bebo 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

10:30 Crime Patrol 11:00 Godh Bharaai 11:30 Indian Idol 13:00 Godh Bharaai 13:30 C.I.D Classics 17:30 Indian Idol 19:00 Sukh By Chance 19:30 Godh Bharaai 20:00 C.I.D Classics 21:00 Indian Idol 22:30 Crime Patrol

10:00 Choti Bahu

10:30 12/24 Karol Bagh 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

09:40 Fearless Hyena II 11:35 Independence Day 14:30 27 Dresses 16:45 Snow Dogs 18:50 Never Been Kissed 21:00 Death Proof 23:10 Mirrors

10:00 Charlie Wilson's War 12:00 The Murder of Princess Diana 14:00 Patriot Games 16:30 Mr. Deeds 18:30 Slap Shot 3 21:00 Deep Blue Sea 23:15 Solo

08:00 Khiladi 420

10:00 Maniben.com 10:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

11:15 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 12:00 Lapataganj 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 Lapataganj 15:00 Yeh Chanda Kanoon Hai 15:30 Jugni Chali Jalandar 15:00 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

16:30 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 17:00 Gutar Gu 17:30 Lapataganj 18:00 Yeh Chanda Kanoon Hai 18:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

19:00 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 19:30 Lapataganj 20:00 Maniben.com

Parenting

An Exhibition showcasing ‘Different Moments’ of Life

LAFFS

WORD OF THE DAY

SUDOKU 546

Village Panchayat Ground, Chicalim.

Call 9822120807.

A creativity contest on graphic designing on the subject, ‘A new world…VISION 2050’ will be held from July 10 onwards. The last day for registrations is June 18. Call 9423885224 or 2225153. Visit www.mgmgoa.cm.

A seminar titled, ‘Developmental Issues in Goa: A Media – Government Interface’ will take place on May 8 and 9 at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. Call 2452805-10.

A reading of poems of Konkani poet, Dr Manohar Rai Sardessai will take place on May 9 at 6pm at Casa da Moeda, Panjim.

The movie ‘From Mali to Mississippi - Feel Like Going Home’ and the documentary ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ will be screened at Art Escape, Benaulim on May 9 at 7:30pm and 9:30pm, respectively. Call 9820695272, 9881568756 or 9323590051.

A basic course in personal counselling, conducted by the Anthony deMello Institute, Margao will begin on May 10. Call 9960286839 or 2735839.

E-mail cliffadmi@gmail.com.

‘Open Competition of Carnival Plays’, organised by HCN and Vandana Productions will take place on May 18, 19 and 20 at Pai Tiatrist Auditorium, Margao. Call 9822983541.

The 8th Introduction to Kayaking and Training Program 2010, organised

by Goa Kayaking will take place from May 7 to 10 and May 14 to 17 at the Vainguinim beach, Dona Paula. Call 9422056037, 2223119 and 2462182.

E-mail goakayaking@gmail.com.

A musical programme ‘Padmashree M Boyer Hanchea Kantarancho Ugddas’ which will highlight memorable songs sung by the late M Boyer will take place on May 6 and the Ravindra Bhavan, Sanvordem on May 23. It is organised by Konkani singer Andrew D’ Souza and the Tiatr Academy of Goa.

Education

12:15 Bandhan 16:25 Angaaray 20:00 Farishtay

23:10 Monster's Ball

09:30 Chehraa 12:30 Mere Jeevan Saathi 16:00 Hanuman 20:00 Hindustani 23:00 Fatal Target

08:30 Kayda Kanoon 12:00 Rishtey 16:00 Judge Mujrim 20:00 Sooryavansham

10:00 G.I. Jane 12:30 Ballistic: Ecks Vs. Sever 14:30 Running Scared 16:50 Spider 18:55 Off the Black 21:00 Eastern Promises

08:00 Aulad Ke Dushman 12:00 Mr. India 16:00 Sansar 20:00 Journey Bombay to Goa

E N T E R TA I N M E N T 20:30 Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta…

21:00 Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo 21:30 Jugni Chali Jalandar 22:00 Lapataganj 22:30 Yeh Chanda Kanoon Hai

10:00 Dill Mill Gayye 10:30 Mile Jab Hum Tum 11:00 Jaane Pehchaane Se Yeh 11:30 Geet 12:00 Rang Badalti Odhni 12:30 Dill Mill Gayye 13:00 Jaane Pehchaane Se Yeh 13:30 Geet 14:00 Rang Badalti Odhni

14:30 Mile Jab Hum Tum 15:00 Naseeb 18:00 Laughter Ke Phatke 18:30 Dill Mill Gayye 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 Jaane Pehchaane Se Yeh

14:00 Criss Angel Mindfreak : Steamroller 15:00 Video Zonkers 17:00 The Amazing Race Asia 18:00 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles 19:00 Wipeout Australia 20:00 Ghost Adventure 21:00 Sports Crash 22:00 Top Chef : Super Bowl Chef Showdown

11:00 Numb3rs 12:00 Video Zonkers 13:00 Wipeout Australia

10:00 Monk 11:00 American Idol 12:00 The Bold and The Beautiful

12:30 Castle 13:30 90210 14:30 Two and a Half Men 15:00 The Bold and The Beautiful 15:30 Monk 16:30 Friends 17:00 Castle 18:00 90210 19:00 Friends 19:30 Two and a Half Men 20:00 Monk 21:00 Friends 21:30 Two and a Half Men 22:00 Castle:Hell Hath No Fury

12:30 Golf Focus 2010 13:00 Max Power 2010/11 14:00 Barclays Premier League 09/10 : Fulham vs. Stoke City 16:00 Nike Football Locker Room 16:30 Almost Anything Goes 17:00 Simply the Best 17:30 Sea Master Sailing Series 18:00 TNA Sikander 19:00 F1 Classics : 1999 Canadian Grand Prix 20:00 Sports Mania 20:30 Ace 2010 21:00 Score Tonight 21:30 TNA Sikander 22:30 GS Caltex Maekyung Open H/ls : Day 1 23:30 V8 Supercars Championship Series 2010 H/ls

09:00 ICC World T20 2010 H/ls : Bangladesh vs. Australia 10:00 ICC World T20 2010 H/ls : South Africa vs. Afghanistan 11:00 T20 Superstars ICC W T20 2010 : Pakistan 11:30 T20 Superstars ICC W T20 12:00 Barclays Premier League 16:00 Vancouver 2010 Olympic 16:30 Football Focus with John

17:30 Football Crazy 18:00 Uca National High School 19:00 Goals!

19:30 Global Football 20:00 Sportscenter India 20:30 Sportscenter Asia 21:00 2010 FIFA World Cup Magazine Show 21:30 NBA Action 22:00 Sportscenter India 22:30 Sportscenter Asia 23:00 Premier League World 23:30 Goals!

10:30 Football India 11:00 FIFA: Futbol Mundial 11:30 Scottish Premier League 13:30 UEFA Champions League 15:30 Football India 16:00 Football League Show 16:30 Mobil 1 The Grid 17:00 WWE: Raw 17:00 UEFA Europa League

07:30 Flavors 08:00 English News 09:00 Konkani News 10:00 Marathi News 11:00 Face-2-Face 11:30 Talking Talkies 12:00 Concert of Classical Music 12:30 Flavors 13:00 English News 14:00 Merry Jo Concert 15:00 Sangeet 15:30 Face-2-Face 16:00 Fairyland 16:30 Flavors 17:00 Kids Club 17:30 Concert of Classical Music 18:00 Konkani News 19:00 Marathi News 20:00 English News 21:00 Straight Talk 22:00 English News 23:00 Life is to Live 23:30 HCN Smash Hitz Note: Subject to change

HERALD CROSSWORD - 546 Across 1- Brownish gray baboon; 7Deranged; 10- Clinton's birthplace; 14- The land of promise; 15- Parisian pal; 16Children's author Blyton; 17Breastbones; 18- Digit of the foot; 19- Crown of the head; 20- Intermission; 23- Silk cotton; 26- Fish eggs; 27- Merits; 28- "All The Way To ___", song by REM; 29- Jockey Turcotte; 30- Boy; 31- Gave light; 33- Fabled bird; 34- Aliens, for short; 37- Large body of water; 38- Big galoot; 39Essen exclamation; 40Mouth; 41- Ask invasive questions; 42- "Treasure Island" monogram; 43- The month of May; 45- Non-dairy milk; 46Indian dish; 47- Zeno's home; 48- Cool!; 51- Mire; 52- Thorax; 53- Immeasurable; 56Final Four org.; 57- Longsleeved linen vestment; 58Immature insects; 62- Singer Sedaka; 63- Green shade; 64Characteristics; 65- Cravings; 66Georgia, once: Abbr.; 67- Poem of 14 lines; Down 1- IV units; 2- Covering for the head; 3- Hydrocarbon suffix; 4Reindeer of North America; 5Spiritual sustenance; 6- Med school subj.; 7- Married woman; 8- Love, Italian-style; 9- Mon ___!; 10- Group of seven; 11- Broadcasting; 12- Metal spike used by mountaineers; 13- Perfect places; 21- Wears away; 22- Fine; 23-

Brittle; 24- Conger catcher; SOLUTION - 545 25- Embed; 29- Answer; 30Nearby; 32- Dark brownish red color; 33- Open shelter; 34- Author Zola; 35- Domesticates; 36- Perspire; 44Mideast capital; 45- Takes by theft; 46- Reception in colonial India; 48- Simpleton; 49- Host; 50- At full speed; 51- Some hybrids; 52- Mild cigar; 54- Enervates; 55Diner orders; 59- Bordeaux, e.g.; 60- Broke bread; 61Cornerstone abbr.;

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SPORTS

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GOA, Thursday, 6 May, 2010

Vasco beaten HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MAY 5

A second half goal by Nigerian striker Badmus Babatunde helped ONGC to notch up their first 1-0 win against Vasco Club in ONGC Second Division ILeague final round in Bangalore on Wednesday. Coming from a win against Sesa Football Academy, Vasco were not in best of their form and went down to the better team today.

Just two minutes in the second half ONGC stunned their opponent, when Babatunde scored in the 47th minute.

Vasco did try everything in search of the equaliser but, it was ONGC who held to their one-goal advantage and emerged victorious.

Dempo ground AI, stay on course for crown Dempo...2

Air India...0

HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MAY 5

Dempo Sports Club moved closer to I-league crown when they tamed Air India 2-0 in a 24th round match of ONGC 3rd I-League at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Wednesday. There was no score at half time.

Dempo, egged on by their supporters, enjoyed total domination against the airmen, who adopted a defensive approach playing five men at the back .

Fighting against a team with five players in the senior National side and with two quality foreigners in their rank, Air India coach Mohammed Yusif Ansari

Carmona up

MARGAO (HC) -- Carmona Sports Club downed United Club of Benaulim 2-0 to storm into the semi-final of Eslinda Alemao memorial inter-village football tournament organized by Sporting Club of Davorlim at Davorlim ground on Wednesday.

Carmona were the better side as they showed urgency in their approach with their forwards and midfielders working in tandem to put tremendous pressure on the rival citadel . They were rewarded when Chrisbern Estibeiro bulged the net.

Carmona put up a better performance and called the shots against the rivals and Preston D’Sa doubled the lead.

played his card well.

Socorro Velho and captain Vijeth Shetty spoilt Dempo’s moves with good support from the defenders. They managed to stop Roberto Mendes da Silva, Climax Lawrence and Anthony Pereira.

The Dempo waistline comprising Climax Lawrence, Clifford Miranda, Roberto Mendes da Silva were no that enterprising and did not provide much openings for the forwards to put pressure on Air India defenders.

Dempo had a clear chance in the very 3rd minute but international midfielder Clifford was the biggest culprit as he bungled

after receiving a Roberto Mendes da Silva pass.

Air India had only one opportunity but Nigerian striker Ndubuisi Opara shot wide from close range after being fed by Yusif Ibrahim Tijani.

Roberto Mendes da Silva almost put Dempo ahead in the injury time, but his left footer missed the mark narrowly.

Dempo started the second session in rousing fashion with Ranty Martins and Joaquim Abranches taking pot shots.

Once, Valeriano Rebello’s rasping drive was blocked by Air India goalkeeper Arnab Das Sharma.

Dempo finally found the net when man-of-the match striker

Joaquim Abranches’ header beat the goalkeeper in the 63rd minute after Ranty Martins’ power-packed shot was parried away by the Air India goalkeeper.

Three minutes later striker Abranches was tripped by Air India defender I Khelemba Metei inside the box and referee Shaji Kurian pointed to the dreaded spot. Striker Ranty Martins had no difficulty in beating the Air India goalkeeper.

Dempo captain Anthony Pereira almost made it 3-0 in the 77th minute but his try off Sameer Naik hit the horizontal.

Later, Ranty Martins’ shot was blocked by Air India goalkeeper.

Ranty could have well added one in the 83rd minute but he headed out with an open goal before him.

Dempo, with three points continue to stay at the top with 50 points from 24 matches while Air India remained with 25 points.

Dempo chief coach Armando Colaco, as expected, was thrilled and attributed the win to the collective brilliance of his players. Colaco felt that his boys were lethargic in the first half.

“At the interval I told them to put up a better performance to win the match so that we could go and enjoy a better game against Lagong Football Club in next away encounter.”

HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MAY 5

Salgaocar should be in full strength.Goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey returns to the team after missing the previous match.

Hoping to avoid the drop, Salgaocar and Mumbai Football Club are determined to adopt an attacking approach and will go all out for a win to grab full points on offer.

Bencherifa knows that tomorrow’s match is very important.

“It is a must win situation for us. If we drop points, we will end making things difficult for us in the remaining two rounds.

We have to try and avoid staying in the periphery of the relega-

tion zone.”

Kalyan Chaubey will take charge under he bar. Bevan D’Mello is likely to partner Nigerian Ekene Ikenwa in the hunt for goals while the defence will see Rouhollah Samienia, Luciano Sabrosa, Rino Anto and Melwyn Rodrigues. The strikers can expect to be fed by medios Rocus Lamare, Francis Fernandes. Cajetan Fernandes and Anthony Barbosa.

Mumbai coach Khalid Jamil is cautious. “Salgaocar are a good side and we have to be on our guard. It’s their home match after all,” said Jamil. “We will

have to win tomorrow,” the coach said knowing fully well that another loss or slip could bring the curtains down for his team.

Jamil faces injuries problems - Kane Vincent, defender Prem Kumar (knee injuries). Goalkeeper Lal stands suspended due to double bookings. International striker Abhshek Yadav’s experience should come in handy for Mumbai.

The encounter holds plenty of promise and excitement as both sides are keen to play an attacking game and aim for a win.

Bencherifa confident of win

Salgaocar Sports Club’s Moroccan coach Karim Bencherifa has full faith that his team will emerge winners against Mumbai Football Club in a 24th round match of ONGC 3rd I-league match at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Thursday.

Salgaocar may still be smarting from the 3-1 defeat at the hands of Churchill Brothers in an earlier match, but their coach feels that his players have put the setback behind and will take on the Mumbai challengers with a positiveframe of mind.

Varca enter final

alvernaz & lalush soccer HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MAY 5

Hosts Varca Sports Club made their way into the final of AllGoa Alvernaz and Lalush Alemao memorial inter-village football tournament organized

by Churchill Brothers edging past Sao Jose de Areal Sports Club 1-0 at Varca ground on Wednesday. There was no score at half time.

Varca could have not settled for anything less than a win as their players responded well with their forwards repeatedly raiding the rival citadel.

Sao Jose de Areal, on the other hand, were eager to put

up an improved performance but they disappointed the fans as they seldom troubled the rival defence.

In the second session, Varca created a couple of scoring chances until Columban Noronha struck the match-winner. He was later declared manof-the match .

Goa boys who won the baseball gold.

Photo: Third Eye

Goa boys bag gold in baseball

ONGC I-League: Salgaocar v. Mumbai Indians, Nehru stadium, Fatorda-Margao, 4 p.m.

St Sebastiao soccer semis: Sinquerim Mayem Lake v. St Sebastiao Bandh, A L ua ground, Merces, 5 p.m.

Shooting Star soccer: Dramapur Sports Club v. Curtorim Gymkhana, Ambelim ground, 4.30 p.m.

Immaculate Conception festival soccer (semis): Sao Jose de Areal v. Sporting Club of Davorlim, Avedem panchayat ground, Paroda, 4.30 p.m.

Holy Cross soccer semis: Verna Sports Club, Verna v. Betalbatim Sports Club,Vodlemoll ground, Kakoda, 4.15 p.m.

Arpora-Nagoa Village Panchayat Cup soccer: Milagres Sports Club v. Nerul Sports Club, Salt Lake ground, Arpora, 4.45 p.m.

Alvernaz and Lalush Alemao memorial soccer: St Anthony’s Sporting Club v. St Savio Sports Club, Calangute, Varca ground, 4.30 p.m.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, MAY 5

Hosts Goa drubbed Delhi 6-0 homes to merge champions in boys section in 20th Junior National Baseball Ball champio n s h i p o rg a n i z e d b y G o a Baseball Association at SAG complex, Fatorda on Wednesday

Amey Shettye (2), Jayesh Gaude, Nirnanjan Gaude, Sunny Gaude and Sahil Vaigainkar excelled for Goa. In the Hardline Cup, Orissa thrashed Madhya Pradesh 6-0.

In the girls final, Goa went down fighting to Delhi 2-3. Cherryl D’Mello and Neha Bhomkar

played well for Goa. Fo l l o w i n g p r i z e s w e re awarded: Best pitcher Sunny Gaude of Goa. Best catcher Sunny Gaude of Goa. Best all-rounder Amey Gaude of Goa. Upcoming player Sahil Vaigainkar of Goa. Cheryl D’Mello was adjudged best all-rounder in girls section.

Dempo face Salgaocar in GPL final HERALD SPORTS REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 5

Dempo CC qualified for the GPL cricket final with a 90-run first innings lead over Goa Sports Academy (GSA) at Gymkhana ground on Wednesday.

Sandesh Pawaskar’s well made 106 with 10 fours and two sixes did not help GSA’s cause as they folded for 338 in 83 overs. Sashi Kadam 78 not out, Tushar Narvekar 40, Damodar Narvekar 40, Damodar Lotlikar were the other scorers.

Amit Yadav 4-115, Arun Wadjee 3-91, Saurabh Bandekar 249, Mandar Chiplunkar 1-23 were the Dempo wicket-takers.

Vasco Reporter adds: Salgaocar took a crucial 100-run first innings lead against Chowgule and entered the finals of GPL

Sangolda win

nagoa-arpora cup

CALANGUTE (HC) -- Sangolda Lightning blanked Sodiem Siolim Sports Club by a tennis score of 6-0 to move into the quarter-finals of Nagoa-Arpora Panchayat Cup football organised by Arpora Sporting Club at Salt Lake ground, Arpora on Wednesday.

Dominating the proceedings, Sangolda forged ahead within minutes of kick-off through Agnelo Quadros off a Mahendra move. Though playing with 10 men, Sodiem fought well.

Changing over, Sangolda kept up the pressure and scored two quick goals through Llyod Mascarenhas while Shadab Shaikh scored the first hat-trick.

cricket at BITS ground, Sancoale on Wednesday.

A game plan by Salgaocar coach Dinesh Rao to score some quick runs and take early wickets was very well executed by the players.

Since the 3-day match was washed out on day one and with the second day’s proceedings being delayed by two hours, the semi-final was drawn.

Resuming at the overnight score of 196 for 6, Vishal Singh and all-rounder Sherbahadur Yadav scored some quick runs to put a commendable total of 280 for 7 in 89 overs. Vishal remained 68 not out, while Yadav finished his innings with 53 runs with two sixes in his kitty.

Pacer Dhanraj Singh in his very second delivery bowled

Chowgule opener Mulgaonkar on zero to provide an early breakthrough, while he took two more wickets later. He was ably supported by Yadav and Vidhyadhar Kamat, who took one wicket each as Chowgule were 82-5 at lunch.

Some smart batting from Santosh Sinde sent shock waves in the Salgaocar camp as he single handedly pushed Chowgule from 82 to 150 before he was caught off Kamat. Shinde struck 70 with 6 sixes and six fours. Others who scored for Chowgule were Dhiraj Naik 30, Amog Desai 26 and Vaibhav Naik 10.

Fo r S a l g a o c a r, D h a n r a j Singh and Kamat took three wickets each. Yadav two wickets, Badal Singh one and one was run out.

Dramapur in final holy cross soccer HERALD CORRESPONDENT QUEPEM, MAY 5

Dramapur Sirlim SC moved into the finals of 14th Holy Cross Soccer tournament defeating runners-up DBO Fatorda 8-7 via the tie breaker at Voddlmol, Kakoda on Wednesday. There was no score at full time.

Fatorda looked to be more dominating in the first half but could not create opportunities to score as Dramapur defenders stood their ground resolutely.

Dramapur took over in the second half and created many

opportunities but could not score as either their strikers shot wide or had their shots on the goalpost.

Besides, the Fatorda goalkeeper came up with some brilliant saves.

In the resulting tie-breaker, Piedade Rebello, Dickson Costa, Ryan Fernandes, Domnick Rebello, Jolex Fernandes, Benson Fernandes and Edwin Soares were on target for Dramapur.

Agnelo Furtardo, Mahadev Talwar, Danny Dias, Vincente Barbosa, Wilson Dias and Santano Furtardo found the net for Fatorda.

Anil Kalangutkar (6), Seeya Bhonsle (6), Akshata Pathak (6), Mehank Dharwadkar (6), Alaine Gomes (7), Aryan Bhobe (7), Leander Fernandes (7), Kenneth Vaz (7), Taniya D’Mello (10), Paritosh Tengshe (10), who swam across Mandovi under the supervision of coaches Loretto Cardoso and Domnic Fernandes alongwith Victoria Fernandes, MLA and Robert Pulleng. The event was organised by Vista do Rio Resort, Porvorim.

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Pg17

SPORTS

GOA, Thursday, 6 May, 2010

Messi puts Barca within title reach

Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Barcelona fires an overhead kick towards goal at Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona, Spain on Tuesday.

la liga REUTERS MADRID, MAY 5

Barcelona took another big stride towards a second-straight La Liga triumph when top scorer Lionel Messi struck twice in the leaders’ 4-1 home win over rel-

egation battling Tenerife on Tuesday.

Carles Puyol’s howler gifted the visitors an equaliser after Argentina forward Messi had put Barca ahead in the 17th minute before Bojan Krkic and substitute Pedro netted with

clinical second-half strikes.

Messi grabbed a fourth in added time at a rain-lashed Nou Camp when he controlled a Daniel Alves pass and lifted the ball over Tenerife goalkeeper Sergio Aragoneses for his 31st league goal of the campaign.

W ith two matches lef t, with a curled shot in the 22nd Barca have a La Liga record 93 minute before captain Puyol points, four clear of second- squandered posesssion and placed Real Madrid, who have Daniel Kome sent Roman Mara game in hand and can cut tinez clear to score with a neat the gap back to one with a finish past Barca keeper Victor win at Champions League Valdes six minutes before halfhopefuls Real Mallorca on time.

Wednesday.

Alves released Bojan to score Barca’s points total from 36 with an angled drive in the 63rd matches surpasses the 92 accu- and Pedro, who replaced injured mulated by Real under Fabio Spain centre back Gerard Pique Capello in the 1996-97 season at the break, ran on to Messi’s when there were 22 teams deflected pass to score a third rather than 20. that ricocheted in off Aragone“We have 93 points and I ses. don’t even believe it myself,” Alves conjured another assist coach Pep Guardiola said at a in the 93rd minute, Messi bringnews conference. ing the ball down with his left “We will have to win in Sevilla foot and finishing neatly with if we want to be champions,” his right. the 39-year-old World CupS C O R E B OA R D b o u n d S p a i n added. “It’s the 17th consecutive for ward Juan Getafe...1 Gijon...1 match that we Barcelona...4 Tenerife...1 M a t a s c o r e d have played with twice and intera gap of only Almeria...4 Villarreal...2 national team t h re e o r f o u r Valencia...3 Xerez...1 m a t e D a v i d days. The effort Silva netted one is incredible.” as third-placed Valencia came Barca’s final two games are from behind to beat bottom side away to fifth-placed Sevilla and Xerez 3-1 at the Mestalla in the home to relegation-threatened late kickoff.

Real Valladolid, while Real play Victory for Unai Emery’s side Athletic Bilbao, who are fighting all but guarantees them an aufor a Europa League spot, at tomatic spot in next season’s home and struggling Malaga Champions League, while defeat away. for Xerez leaves them needing Guardiola’s side, with only a miracle to avoid being relethe league to fight for after last gated on their debut in Spain’s week’s Champions League exit, top flight. took early control on a slick surVillarreal’s slim hopes of a face and Brazil right back Alves Champions League spot were fluffed one good chance before killed off when defender Mateo providing the cross that led to Mucacchio was dismissed in the Messi’s opener.

16th minute and they lost 4-2 S w e d i s h s t r i ke r Z l a t a n at Almeria.

Ibrahimovic nodded the ball Striker Roberto Soldado into the World Player of the hooked in a spectacular overYear’s path and he chipped a head kick to rescue a point for delicate shot from close range Getafe at home to Sporting that evaded desperate lunges Gijon and lift the Madrid club

by Aragoneses and defender above Villarreal into sixth and Pablo Sicilia. a Europa League qualification Messi came close to a second berth.

Manchester Utd need to support Rooney to counter Chelsea rise REUTERS LONDON, MAY 5

Manchester United, left clutching at straws in this year's Premier League title race, must inject new blood into their ageing squad during the close season to re-establish their grip on England's most cherished trophy.

United go into the last game of the campaign at home to Stoke City on Sunday hoping for, rather than expecting, a final twist to a compelling battle for top spot with Chelsea, an uncomfortable position for a club not used to failure.

Alex Ferguson's squad, minus the departed Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez, have shown customary zeal in their pursuit of a record 19th league title.

But unless Wigan Athletic pull off a huge upset by winning at Chelsea on Sunday, United must accept second prize and accept they are an inferior model this time round.

Before a ball was kicked this season the decision to sell Ronaldo to Real Madrid and allow Tevez to join Manchester City and only bring in Wigan winger Antonio Valencia and fading force Michael Owen looked risky, and so it proved.

Were it not for Rooney's incredible goalscoring efforts United would have struggled to mount any sort of title challenge even during a season when Chelsea have often stuttered, Arsenal flattered to deceive and Liverpool were nowhere.

Despite an encouraging first term at Old Trafford for Valencia and the emergence of Nani as a genuine match-winner, United have been far too reliant on the tireless Rooney who has scored 34 goals this season in all competitions.

Almost inevitably, Owen's injury problems returned and Bulgaria striker Dimitar Berbatov has failed to take his share of the strain, another lacklustre display in the weekend win at Sunderland ending when he was substituted in the second half.

Ferguson's pressing need after the dust has settled on the season will be adding another goalscorer, possibly two, to lessen the load on Rooney who, worryingly for England coach Fabio Capello, has run himself ragged this season.

The Scot has already signed 21-year-old Javier Hernandez from Mexican club Chivas de Guadalajara, pending a UK work permit, but an established marksman will be required if United are to keep pace with their rivals at home and in Europe.

Much will depend, however, on what transfer budget Ferguson is given by American owners the Glazers.

He will also have to come to terms with fact that Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs will soon be restricted to cameo roles as age finally catches up with them although Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher's rise in stature has been a huge positive.

While their class still shines bright at Old Trafford, and Ferguson showed his faith in them by giving Scholes and Giggs one-year contract extensions, replacements will be required sooner rather than later.

Occasionally, like in the Champions League defeat

by Bayern Munich, United's squad has looked a little frayed.

Competition in Europe and at the top end of the Premier League will be even more intense next season with big-spending Manchester City, ambitious Tottenham Hotspur and improving Aston Villa genuine threats on the domestic scene.

Ferguson has remodelled his United side before, however, and there is no reason to suggest he will not be able to do it again. As soon as the final ball is kicked this season the Scot will be planning next year's assault.

United have matched Chelsea in a campaign during which they had to adjust to losing two key players and, but for a 2-1 home defeat by the Blues in April, would be sure of claiming a fourth straight title on Sunday to go with their League Cup success.

India to begin Azlan Shah title defence today

Messi closing in on European Golden Shoe has three games in which to catch his compatriot as Real have a game in hand over Barca.

There are few individual gongs that elude Lionel Barca coach Pep Guardiola paid tribute to the Messi and he is fast closing in on one that is prolific Messi, still only 22, who has 44 goals in missing from his trophy cabinet: the European all competitions and needs three more in the Golden Shoe (www.eurotopfoot.com). league to match the club record of 34 in a season The Argentina forward has 31 goals in La set by Brazilian striker Ronaldo in 1996/97.

Liga this season after his double for Barcelona "He was chasing passes in second-half added against Tenerife on Tuesday, giving him 62 time with the same enthusiasm as if it were the points in the race to be named the continent's first minute," Guardiola said at a news conference leading marksman with two matches still to after Barca went four points clear of Real Madrid play. at the top of La Liga.

Udinese's Antonio Di "That's because he's a Natale, Chelsea's Didier n Udinese's Antonio Di Natale, born goalscorer and he has Drogba and Manchester Chelsea's Didier Drogba and that gift," he added.

United's Wayne Rooney, Goals scored in Europe's Manchester United's Wayne who all have 26 goals and top leagues like the PreRooney, who all have 26 52 points, have a slim mier League, La Liga, Serie chance of overhauling FIFA A and the Bundesliga are goals and 52 points, have a World Player of the Year awarded two points and slim chance of overhauling Messi, with two Serie A those in less prestigious FIFA World Player of the Year leagues 1.5 points. matches and one Premier League game left.

Atletico Madrid's Messi, with two Serie A Gonzalo Higuain has Uruguayan striker Diego matches and one Premier netted 25 for Real Madrid, Forlan won the shoe last giving him 50 points, and season with 32 goals.

League game left.

AGENCIES MADRID, MAY 5

Williams sisters into Rome quarter-finals

PTI IPOH (MALAYSIA), MAY 5

AGENCIES ROME, MAY 5

With almost all the teams bringing in new-look squads, India would target their fifth Sultan Azlan Shah trophy but will have to overcome some stiff resistance from world champions Australia and Asian champions South Korea on the way.

India, the defending champions and four time winners, will play China in their campaign opener tomorrow and will clash with traditional rival Pakistan here on Friday.

India's squad is well bala n c e d w i t h S re e j e s h a n d Bharat Chetri guarding the goal post. The deep defence will be in the hands of Dhananjay Mahadik, Bharat Chikara and two rookie drag-flickers 18-year old Amit Prabhakar and Rupinder Pal Singh -- while the versatile Sardar Singh is expected to lend stability in the dual role of defender and playmaker.

The mid-field quintet has seen the return of former skipper Prabodh Tirkey and Ravi Pal Singh.

They will join Gurbaj Singh, Arjun Halappa, Vikas Pillay and Danish Mujtaba.

The Indian attack will be spearheaded by captain Rajpal Singh with Shivendra Singh, Mandeep Antil, Tushar Khandker and Sar vanjit Singh.

All the participating teams have brought many new faces thus using this tournament as a build up for the future.

Top-ranked Serena Williams reached the Italian Open quarterfinals in her first tournament in three months after defeating Andrea Petkovic of Germany 62, 3-6, 6-0 on Wednesday.

Older sister Venus Williams alsa advanced by ousting Shahar Peer of Israel 6-3, 6-4. Both sisters are back from knee injuries, and could meet in the semifinals after being placed in the same half of the draw.

Serena had been off the tour since she won the singles and doubles at the Australian Open, and she was entered in Rome thanks to a wild card.

Against the 49th-ranked Petkovic her game was erratic at times. She closed the match with almost as many winners as unforced errors, 25 to 21.

Serena got off to a good start, winning the first set with a fivegame streak. But she quickly fell 4-1 behind in the second, came back to 4-3 but conceded another, decisive break to Petkovic.

In the third set, she picked up her game and played aggressively.

The fourth-seeded Venus, who had been sidelined with a knee problem since losing the Key Biscayne final, broke once in the first set and dropped just four points on her serve. Both players then lost serve early in the second, and Venus had to save two break points at 4-4 before getting the decisive break in the next game with a fore-

Mourinho coy on future, Man City warned me over blasts Roma over final signing Bellamy: Redknapp AGENCIES MILAN, MAY 5

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho said on Tuesday he is not certain to stay at the Champions League finalists next season as his team prepared for the first part of their assault on an unprecedented Italian treble.

Inter meet Serie A title rivals AS Roma in the Italian Cup final on Wednesday but with the outspoken Mourinho giving a rare domestic news conference, questions about his future flowed.

Asked if he would stay next term, he said: "I can't say it, in football you can never say a thing like that."

The Portuguese has a contract with Inter until 2012 but has consistently said he does not like Italian football, fuelling media speculation he could soon end up at Real Madrid or return to his beloved English Premier

League.

Mourinho, who won the scudetto with Inter in his first season in charge last term, became so fed up with grillings from the Italian media and soccer authorities that he stopped doing non-Champions League news conferences two months ago.

The former Chelsea coach decided to waltz back to the stage on Tuesday, given that the Cup final was a special occasion, with his acid tongue in tow.

His main target was Roma president Rosella Sensi, who said Inter should be ashamed of their 2-0 victory at Lazio on Sunday where home fans cheered the goals because they want the league leaders to beat bitter rivals Roma to the title.

"The lady may be president, a doctor, she may be born in a golden crib but she must give us respect," Mourinho barbed, before criticising the long-made decision to hold the Cup final in Roma's Stadio Olimpico home.

AGENCIES TOTTENHAM, MAY 5

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp claims Manchester City used bullying tactics to stop him signing striker Craig Bellamy last season, turning up the heat on the teams' Premier League clash at Eastlands on Wednesday.

Redknapp, whose team will prevail in the battle to finish fourth and clinch a Champions League playoff spot if they beat City, said the world's richest soccer club warned him off signing the Wales forward from West Ham United in January last year when he was also trying to buy Wilson Palacios from Wigan Athletic.

"We were having a bidding war on

Bellamy over the fee. They came in and said: 'You know, if you don't drop out of Bellamy, we'll sign Palacios as well and you won't get any of them'," Redknapp said at the club's training ground.

"So we had no choice, really.

They just said: 'We'll blow you out of the water but if you pull out of Bellamy, we'll pull out of Palacios and then we both get a player.'

"Did they want Palacios? Not really, I don't think, no. They were half-interested.

"What can you do? It's difficult. You've got a difficult decision, haven't you? And then, obviously, the money that they offered Bellamy, we couldn't compete with anyway."

The much-travelled Bellamy eventually joined City for 14 million pounds ($21.33 million) while Honduras midfielder Palacios went to Spurs for about 12 million pounds.

hand winner.

She saved another break point when serving for the win before converting her second match point.

Also, Nadia Petrova of Russia won 6-0, 3-6, 6-2 against Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania, who knocked out defending cham-

pion Dinara Safina on Tuesday.

In other third-round matches at the clay-court Foro Italico, fourth-seeded Venus Williams took on Shahar Peer of Israel and two-time former champion Jelena Jankovic was up against Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium.

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SPORTS

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Messi closing in on European Golden Shoe Pg. 17

Dempo ground AI, stay on course for crown Pg. 16

GOA, THURSDAY, 6 MAY, 2010

www.oherald.in

Battle for semis begin today PTI BARBADOS, MAY 5

India will have to battle it out with three world champions to seal one of the two semi-final slots from their cluster when the Super Eights stage begins at the Kensington Oval from tomorrow.

India have been drawn along with West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia, who by far look the best equipped all-round team capable of claiming the coveted trophy.

England, who squeaked into the Super Eights following a washout against Ireland, will play South Africa, New Zealand and most likely Pakistan in the other cluster.

Defending champions Pakistan will hope that Australia will crush Bangladesh in their last group match so that they can enter the second round of the championship, which offers a winners purse of USD 8,00,000.

Six days into the championship, the wheat has been separated from the chaff.

The world's best eight teams will battle for supremacy here on, striving to make the semifinals, slated for May 13 and 14

n India have been drawn along with West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia, who by far look the best equipped all-round team capable of claiming the coveted trophy. It is a do-or -die from now for Dhoni's men, who need to win two of their matches to ensure that they extend their stay in the enchantingly beautiful islands. at St Lucia. The final is scheduled for May 16 in the land of the legendary three Ws – Weekes, Walcott and Worrel.

India did magnificently well in the group games, trouncing debutants Afghanistan and South Africa by big margins but their biggest challenge begins now.

It is a do-or -die from now for Dhoni's men, who need to win two of their matches to ensure that they extend their stay in the enchantingly beautiful islands.

India play an exotically talented Australia on May 7, and then run into Chris Gayle’s West Indies on May 9. They need to win one of these two games, as they have the comfort of playing a relatively weaker opponent in

Sri Lanka on July 11 in St Lucia.

Dhoni might have tried different combinations in the group matches, but he would have to have his best man on the park if he aspires to get the better off Australia and West Indies.

Forget their batting reserves, Australia's pace battery wears a mean and lethal look. Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait, Mitchell Johnson and Shane Watson back their pace and verve with line and length. As such, it would be difficult to score off the foursome.

It would be critical that Gautam Gambhir, who had a hit at the nets yesterday, recovers completely from his fever-driven fatigue, accentuated by a stomach bug, which had forced him

Kalmadi and Co seek PM intervention in tenure row PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Miffed with the Sports Ministry’s new regulations limiting their tenures, IOA Chief Suresh Kalmadi and National Sports Federations' officials today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here and sought his intervention in the matter.

Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi, Secretary General Randhir Singh and several other NSF chiefs including Archery Association of India chief V K Malhotra met the prime minister at his parliament office.

The delegation also gave the prime minister the letter which the International Olympic Committee has sent them saying that the tenure and age-limit of the office bearers cannot be decided or imposed by the government.

After the meeting, Kalmadi said the prime minister has promised to look into the matter. Kalmadi warned that sports activities will suffer in the country if the guidelines are imple-

Steffi bags silver HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MAY 5

Commonwealth Games probable, Steffi Cardoso of SAG did the State proud bagging the silver medal at 15th National Senior Federation Cup Athletic Championship at Ranchi on Wednesday.

Steffi gave her best shot for the silver with a distance of 13.67m. Seema Antil of Haryana won the gold with 14.30m while Patwant Kaur of Railways took the bronze with 13.14m. Steffi became Goa’s lone medal winner in the event organised by Athletic Federation of India.

n The PM told us that he will look into the matter and get back to us. If you fiddle with the autonomy, you get into trouble. If IOC imposes sanctions it can bring to a standstill all sports activity in the country.

-- IOA President Suresh Kalmadi mented.

"The PM told us that he will look into the matter and get back to us. If you fiddle with the autonomy, you get into trouble. If IOC imposes sanctions it can bring to a standstill all sports activity in the country," Kalmadi

told reporters.

Kalmadi yet again lashed out at Sports Minister M S Gill for the timing of the move.

"Dr Gill should have come up with this idea after the Games.

The timing (of the sports ministry's move) was not good," he said.

out of the game against South Africa.

If the classy left-hander fails to deliver, India's task would get more onerous in the crucial game. If India don't get over their first hurdle in Australia, the journey to the semi-finals will become will get all the more difficult.

Despite the wealth of talent in their ranks, to beat West Indies in their own backyard will not be a walk in the park.

Chris Gayle's Windies are a bunch of exciting cricketers who could turn the match on its head, if they gel as a team.

Though Sri Lanka made the finals in the 2009 edition the islanders have been struggling to get their combination right and haven't been in sublime form over the last few months. So they are not much of a bother.

But India would do well to conquer Australia and West Indies at the Kensington Oval, than wait for their final foray against the Lankans. If they succumb to title-hungry Australians and the West Indians, they could be on their way back to the Indian sub-continent.

Govt hardens stand, to send official to IOC PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 5

Unfazed by the strong reaction to its controversial guideline on tenure limitation of sports bosses, the Government today sought to clear the roadblocks on its implementation by sending a senior official to deal with the IOC even as worried administrators met the Prime Minister to seek his intervention on the issue.

A day after the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) warned that government interference may invite an international ban on the country, the Sports Ministry hit back by deciding to directly interact with the International Olympic Committee on the issue, a move which is being interpreted as hardening of stance.

The government said it would send a detailed response and offered to send an official to IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the matter.

England England qualify after after washout washout

Ireland wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien runs out Craig Kieswetter of England in Guyana, on Tuesday.

PTI PROVIDENCE (Guyana), MAY 5

England progressed to the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 cricket World Cup after their Group D match against Ireland was washed out on Tuesday.

As the match ended without any result, both the teams got one point each but England qualified for the next stage due to their superior net run-rate.

Both England, who have a net run-rate of -0.452, and Ireland's (3.500) had lost to hosts West Indies before coming into this rubber.

The game was abandoned as heavy rains forced suspension of play before the mandatory five overs could be bowled in the second innings to declare a result ap-

Riya, Rishubh win; Ivana held PANJIM: (HSD) -- Ivana Maria Furtado , Riya Savant and Rishubh Naik collected 7.5 points each after 10 rounds at U-11 national chess in Chennai.

Ivana and Riya are in joint second position among the Goan players. Ivana drew with Priyanmada Kamcheti 1615 of AP. Riya Savant beat Tarini Goyal 1581 of Chandigarh. Rishubh Naik

Gambhir keen to contribute with bat PTI BRIDGETOWN (Barbados), MAY 5

India vice captain Gautam Gambhir today made himself available for the team's first Super Eight stage match of the Twenty20 World Cup on Friday and said he was eager to contribute with the bat.

Gambhir missed the group match against South Africa because of a groin injury but the left-hander said he has recover from it and was raring to go.

"I am fit and feeling strong. I am looking forward to the big games. These are really important matches and I am looking forward to play a big role in that," said Gambhir, after a long hit at the nets at the Three Ws Oval here.

"You have seen how one player can change the course of the game when Suresh Raina scored a hundred against South Africa. I want to contribute,"

plying Duckworth-Lewis method.

Chasing 121 to win, Ireland were 14 for one in 3.3 overs when heavy rains lashed the ground for the second time.

Sent in to bat, England were off to a dismal start but Eoin Morgan's determined 37-ball 45 helped them post a modest 120 for eight.

Morgan, who struck five fours, found good support from Luke Wright (20 off 24). The duo came together when the team was struggling at 49 for four and added 41 runs for the fifth wicket to repair the innings.

Rain halted the match soon after Ireland began its reply.

They were four for no loss in 1.2 overs when the match was

beat Karthik V 1589 of AP. Gauri Hadkonkar 6.5 drew with Priyanka S 1626. of WB. Ritviz Parab, Saeesh Bandodkar, Nitish Belurkar and Urvi Bandekar are on 6 points each after 10 rounds.

Saeesh Bandodkar (6) beat Manthan Chittora 1534 of Rajhastan. He completed his rating from this tournament with a rating performance of 1562.

Adarsh, Nagoa in semis

PANJIM (HSD) -- Nagoa Sporting sailed into the semi-finals of 17th Pilerne Panchayat Cup inter-village soccer tournament organized by Pilerne Sports Club beating Candolim Sports Club 10 at Maddanim ground, Pilerne.

Pradip Chopdekar was the hero for Nagoa scoring the winner in the 47th minute.

In another quarter-final, hosts Pilerne Sports Club went down fighting 1-2 to Adarsh Yuvak Sangh, Saligao. Adarsh led the first session 2-0 with goals from Paresh Morje in the 14th minute and Rohidas Mhaloji in the 20th minute.

Pilerne fought back in the second session and succeeded in pulling one back through Clyde Dias in the 66th minute but the equalizer eluded them. There will be no match tomorrow.

The next match which is the last quarter-final between Calangute Association and Saligao United is scheduled for May 8.

said the Delhi player.

Gambhir said he wanted an encore of his performance in the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup which India won.

"It is always good that you have been scoring in the last one year.

The team wants you to score more and more. This is one tournament where you want to really step up and show good form.”

Gambhir had no issue if the Kensington Oval deck generated pace and bounce on Friday.

"We haven't played on this wicket so we don't know how it will play. Obviously, we have heard from people that it has a got a lot more bounce in it than at St Lucia.”

"You cannot go into the match with set ideas just because the wicket is sluggish or fast. Sometimes it works the other way," said Gambhir.

Navelim rout Curtorcares, lift Kuwait’s NYC Trophy

The players of Navelim Youth Centre receiving the NYC Trophy from Churchill Alemao in Kuwait in the presence of Agnello A S Fernandes.

HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, MAY 5

Hosts Navelim Youth Centre (NYC) claimed the coveted NYC Trophy for the 7th time beating Curtorcares United 4-0 in the football tournamwent finals under floodlights at Sabah Hospital ground, Kuwait recently.

The tournament, played under the auspices of Kuwait Indian Football Federation (KIFF) was sponsored by international corporate houses Gulf Custody

Company, Axis Bank and My Money Mart.

PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao, who was the chief guest was given a rousing welcome by the spectators. Churchill complimented Navelim for their activities in Kuwait and inculcating friendship among the community through sports. He announced that Navelim would hold Churchill Brothers’ sponsored late Alvernaz-Lalush Alemao football tournament during

the next Ramadan.

Earlier, Alisha Fernandes, daughter of the NYC president welcomed President of Navelim, Agnello A.S. Fernandes introduced the chief guest .

In a statement Agnello said, “I am overjoyed to note that NYC has created a sort of a hattrick of coincidences and a unique one too, having amidst us a Navelim constituency MLA for a Navelim-run tournament in which Navelim played the fi-

nals.”

Navelim displayed an attacking game, tremendous stamina and fire-power scoring at regular intervals.

Fo r m e r Salgaocars/East Bengal/Churchill Brothers player Bernard Pires scored Navelim’s first goal with a solo effort finishing off with a volley to the far right of Curtorcares goalkeeper Olavo (1-0).

Bernard was later declared manof-the match.

Left wing back Godfrey Aguiar increased the lead while midfield maestro and top scorer of the tournament Duarte Ferrao scored another before striker Cruzedio Rodrigues, one of the most consistent scorers in Kuwait, finished off with a brilliant goal.

The final match was officiated

by P.A. Tony and supported by Jerr y D’Mello and Derrick Gomendes on the line.

The champion team – Navelim Youth Centre comprises Britto Pereira, Adrian Goes, Godfrey Aguiar, Christi Pires, Joaquim Rodrigues, Wilson Pires John Furtado, Alfred Pires, Nilesh Parmar, Bernard Pires, Americo

Fernandes, Simao Gaonkar, Duarte Ferrao, Cruzedio Rodrigues, Seby Barbosa, Ivo D’Costa, Sydney Rodrigues, Inacio Fernandes, Savio Furtado, Gasper Crasto. Manager Avelino Dias. Coach Johny Luis.

Former Dempo Sports Club player and Navelim captain Americo Fernandes, hailing from Taleigao was awarded the NYC Icon Player Award.

Earlier, in an exhibition match, Indian Public School (IPS), Salmiya defeated Navelim Juniors 6-0. Captain Ihab Khairy scored 4 while Shawn Braganza and Ibrahim Diab scored a goal each.

Earlier, a minute’s silence was observed as a mark of respect to Peter Colaco, founder member and ex-footballer of NYC, who died on April 13 onboard a Kuwait Airways flight whilst returning from India.

Present on the occasion were KIFF president Fidelis Fernandes, UFC president Cajetan Pereira, Rising Stars president Lawry Pinto, UG president Tony Gonsalves, Santos FC president Tony Dias, GWS president Wilson

Coelho, GCC president Carmo Santos.

Gasper Crasto compered and proposed a vote of thanks. Brian enlivened the event with some hyped-up music including konkani dulpods.

The awards were presented

by Churchill, Agnello, Luis D’Silva (vice-president NYC), Norman Noronha, Eusebio Fernandes, Avelino Dias, Mario Carneiro, Neeta Fernandes and Cleema Carneiro.

Fo l l o w i n g p r i z e s w e r e awarded: Fair Play Indian Strikers, Kerala. Best goalkeeper of the tournament (sponsor Wendy Gomes in memory of her late husband Flobert Gomes) Melvin of United Goans Centre. Best defender of the tournament John Furtado of Navelim YC. Best midfielder of the tournament Zico Fernandes of Curtorcares United.

Best striker of the tournament Cruzedio Rodrigues of Navelim YC. Highest scorer of the tournament Duarte Ferrao of Navelim YC. Man- of-the match (sponsor Succor Colaco) Bernard Pires of Navelim YC.

halted due to heavy downpour.

The proceedings resumed after almost half-an-hour but Ireland had added only 10 runs in 13 balls that heavens opened up again.

Ireland lost opener Paul Stirling (0) off Ryan Sidebottom in the second over.

Earlier, Ireland bowlers exploited the conditions well and

made life tough for English batsmen, with Boyd Rankin (2/25) and Kevin O'Brien (2/22) scalping two wickets each.

Opener Michael Lumb (14 off 11) began in an aggressive fashion by dispatching paceman B Rankin's first ball to boundary but Kevin O'Brien dismissed him in the fifth over.

England innings:M Lumb c Rankin b K O'Brien 14, C Kieswetter run out (Mooney/N O'Brien) 13, K Pietersen c Mooney b K O'Brien 9, P Collingwood c Botha b Johnston 0, E Morgan c Wilson b Botha 45, E Wright c Porterfield b Rankin 20, T Bresnan c Mooney b Rankin 5, G Swann not out 7, M Yardy run out 0, S Broad not out 0. Extras: 7.

Total: 120 for 8. Fall of wickets: 1-24, 2-32, 3-32, 4-49, 5-90, 6-109, 7-115, 8-118. Bowling: W Rankin 4-0-25-2 (1w), D Johnston 4-0-14-1, K O'Brien 3-0-22-2 (1nb), G Dockrell 4-0-19-0, A Botha 4-0-29-1 (1w), A Cusack 1-0-7-0.

Ireland innings: W Porterfield not out 4, P Stirling c Lumb b Sidebottom 0, N O'Brien not out 9. Extras: 1.Total: 14 for 1. Overs: 3.3. Fall of wickets: 1-4. Bowling: TT Bresnan 2-0-5-0 (1w), RJ Sidebottom 1.3-0-9-1.

Betalbatim in last four

PANJIM (HSD) -- Betalbatim Sporting Club moved into the semi-finals of St Anthony Super soccer organised by St Anthony’s Club of Colva beating United Club of Nerul 5-4 via the tie-breaker at Colva ground on Wednesday. There was no score at full time.

Betalbatim were unl;ucky as a f u l l b l o o d e d s h o t f ro m desmond in the 18th minute hit the crossbar.

Nerul had a chance subsequently, but Michael Monteiro’s shot was saved on the goalline by defender Fraxier Rodrigues with goalkeeper Jeremy beaten.