APRIL 12,2011

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Government is a contrivance of human wisdom to provide for human wants.

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Business: Govt to issue biometric PAN cards Pg 11

Review concession to students: bus owners Hunger strike from today, bus stir to follow HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

The private bus owners have decided to hold indefinite hunger strike in the city from April 12, pressing for their various long-pending demands including review of half ticket scheme to students.

All Goa Private Bus Owners Association (AGPBOA) General Secretary Sudip Tamankar said that the seven-day notice served to Government, lapsed on Monday and as decided the Association members will go on a hunger strike from Tuesday.

Tamankar will be going on an indefinite hunger strike, while the other members would be on a chain hunger strike in front of the transport director’s office in Panjim.

The three-day hunger strike would be followed by an indef-

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demaNd… Govt stamp on students Identity Cards Transfer Transport Director, 2 others Hike bus subsidy to Rs 3.50 lakh Withdraw advance passenger tax collection for April Grant sanction for displaying ads on buses

inite bus strike, if Government fails to accept their demands by April 14, he said. The Association had issued a notice to the Government on April 5.

Of its fifteen demands, the Association has demanded that the 50 per cent concession granted to students in the State should be reviewed with certain riders to curb its misuse.

A d d re s s i n g t h e m e d i a , Tamankar stated that several bogus Identity Cards had cropped up affecting their ticket collections.

“We have found that many youths carry bogus I-cards and avail the 50 per cent concession”, he said.

The general secretary said the scheme should be reviewed and concession should be granted only on school routes within a specific time period. “Either the Government should stamp identity cards or AGBOA should be given the right to certify them as genuine”, Tamankar said.

(Continued on page 8)

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Powerful quake jolts Japan again PTI TOKYO/FUKUSHIMA, APRIL 11

A powerful magnitude-7.1 quake rattled Japan’s northeast today amid sombre ceremonies to mark a month since the monster tsunami claimed thousands of lives, forcing evacuation of workers from a radiation-leaking atomic plant around which the exclusion zone was also widened.

The latest tremor, which struck at 5.16 pm local time, shook buildings in Tokyo as well, hours after people across the country fell silent in the memory of nearly 30,000 people killed or missing in the March 11 mega quake and tsunami.

The US Geological Survey put the magnitude of today’s onshore quake at 7.1 and said it struck at a depth of just 13 km.

Its epicentre was 81 km south of Fukushima city near the crippled nuclear plant.

J a p a n’ s M e t e o ro l o g i c a l Agency, however, said the quake measured 7.0 on the Richter Scale.

Thousands of faithfuls from across the State and outside take part in the world famous Procession of Saints at Goa-Velha. 26 life-sized statues are taken in a solemn procession on the fifth Monday of the Lent season.

Photo by Rozario Estibeiro.

Fugitive Michael back behind bars

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Policemen escorting Michael Fernandes and his accomplice Deepak Kerkar after they were nabbed in the forest at Khola, Canacona on Monday.

Photo by Sachin Ambadoskar.

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

Notorious goon Michael Fernandes, who escaped from the moving police van while under judicial custody in February this year, has landed behind bars again.

Addressing a media briefing at police headquarters, Deputy Superintendent of Police Deu Benaulikar said that Michael along with his partner-in-crime Deepak Kerkar were nabbed in the thick forest area of Khola in Canacona, on Monday evening.

Police have recovered a local made pistol loaded with six live rounds from him and his accomplice, who was the part of his newly found gang of five people.

Michael, 23, had taken shelter in the forest almost one kilometer away from the main road which leads to Palolem and Agonda beaches. DySP Benaulikar who led the operation comprising of 26 armed policemen drawn from Panjim, Agassaim and Betul coastal police stations laid a trap after tracking him for 15 days.

Police acted on a tip-off that the Michael gang was hiding in the jungle. “The team members in civil clothes proceeded to Khola soon after Agassaim police inspector Vishwesh Karpe received reliable information about their whereabouts. We hired a private tempo to execute the arrest operation”, he said.

Three policemen including

Karpe were injured during the operation.

Michael had escaped at Chicalim junction while being transported from Vasco sub jail to Goa Medical College, Bambolim for regular medical check-up, on February 22.

“The escape plan between Michael and his associate Deepak transpired in the Court, when he (Michael) was produced before a Judge for a case trial.

They had made full proof plan that Deepak would chase the police van when Michael would be escorted back to the jail”, Benaulikar stated.

“When the van slowed down at Chicalim junction, Michael jumped off the vehicle and got onto the bike and fled”. Two police constables attached to Escorts Cell — Gaurish Pednekar and Sadanand Malik — were suspended for dereliction of duty.

Soon after fleeing, Michael got back to his criminal acts with three cases – including one in Maharashtra booked against him. Barely few hours after his escape, Michael looted a foreigner and the rickshaw driver at knife point in Canacona.

The DySP said that Michael was on the prowl in almost half of Karnataka and Maharashtra after he escaped from here.

In the latest case, Michael gang robbed Manisha Patil at gunpoint in Maharashtra’s (Continued on page 8)

Hazare wants Sibal to quit PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

Controversy dogged the Joint Committee set up to draft an effective Lokpal even before it starts its work with Gandhian Anna Hazare today asking HRD Minister Kapil Sibal to resign from it “if he feels nothing will come” out of this institution.

His colleagues in the campaign for a strong Lokpal Bill, Kiran Bedi and Arvind Kejriwal, also slammed Sibal, who, however, denied having made any such statement and that he was with Hazare for drafting a strong anti-corruption legislation.

Draft education policy rolls out Policy maps State’s future plans from KG to higher education HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

After the end of four-year long exhaustive exercise, Goa Government’s draft Education policy has finally seen the light of the day.

Director of Higher Education Bhaskar Nayak on Monday submitted the draft education policy titled ‘ The Goa State Integrated Education Policy 2011’, to the Government.

The details of policy, however, are kept under wraps awaiting formal sanction from the Education Ministry.

The 30-page document to map out future plans for education in the State right from Kindergarten to Higher Education level, is likely to be kept for further suggestions and objections before it is finally notified.

Nayak said that the ground work for this policy began a long time back, was later submitted to various sub-committees for their feedbacks.

The draft policy was even referred to all the 40 MLAs of the State. “Of the 40, two MLAs Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar and Congress ML A Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, reverted back with their suggestions”, Nayak said.

He said that the financial implications of the policy were also taken into consideration before it was given a final shape.

Involving a consultative process, the policy was also cir-

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The policy was also circulated to various stakeholders – Education Department, Goa Headmasters Association, Diocesan Society, Higher Secondary Principals Association, College Principals Association and Teachers’ Union.

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culated to various stakeholders – Education Department, Goa Headmasters Association, Diocesan Society, Higher Secondary Principals Association, College Principals Association and Teachers’ Union.

“We had solicited comments from them and majority of their suggestions are included in the policy”, Nayak said.

A fortnight back, Education Minister Babush Monserrate had told the State Legislative Assembly that the Education Policy for Goa has been already designed by the group of experts and would be announced on April 11.

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BJP ups ante for Babush’s ouster Holds demonstrations in Vasco, Quepem

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

HERALD REPORTER VASCO, APRIL 11

BJP workers from Vasco, Mormugao and Dabolim constituencies on Monday staged demonstrations to demand the resignation of Education Minister Babush Monserrate.

As part of state-wide agitation, BJP workers from Vasco, Mormugao and Dabolim consistencies were seen sitting outside Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) building on Monday demanding resignation of Babush.

Former Vasco MLA Rajendra Arlekar along with former minister Dr Wilfred Misquita, Councillor Krishna Salkar, Sarita Palkar, former MMC chairperson Deepak Niak and other BJP workers took part in the agitation. BJP MLA from Mormugao Milind Naik joined the agitation in the afternoon.

BJP workers were seen distributing leaflets and booklets exposing the present Congress government and its scams.

Babush was at the receiving end as almost all the leaders in their speeches reiterated that Babush should resign as he cannot be the education minister of Goa

Satish to hold additional charge of GSHC HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

The State government has entrusted Agriculture director Satish Tendulkar with the additional charge of the Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC).

Secretariat sources told Herald that the Government issued an order earlier this month shifting GSHC Managing Director Orlando Rodrigues’ following allegations by the opposition leader and other members of the house regarding alleged irregularities in the Corporation.

Tendulkar took over the charge of the Corporation on April 7. The Corporation has come under severe criticism over the alleged irregularities on various schemes.

Responding to the allegations, Agriculture Minister Vishwajeet Rane on March 25 told the State Legislative Assembly that government would conduct a special audit of the horticultural corporation and table the audit report before the assembly.

BJP workers from Vasco, Mormugao and Dabolim constituencies demand resignation of Education Minister Babush Monserrate.

Photo by M Prabhav

after being involved in smuggling and other crimes.

“Despite enough evidence and clear-cut proof of Babush’s involvement in smuggling case of foreigner currency, the government is least concerned about it,” stated Arlekar.

BJP workers started their agitation in the morning, which continued till evening. Most of the workers were seen on their

toes to make sure that each and very citizen are made aware about the issue.

QUEPEM CORRESPONDENT ADDS: BJP members from Quepem and Curchorem constituencies on Monday staged a ‘Dharna’ at Quepem Municipal Council square demanding the sacking of Education Minister Babush Monserrate from the cabinet.

The ‘Dharna’ that started at

10 am, ended at 5 pm. BJP workers carrying placards shouted slogans against the Congress government. The workers burnt the effigy of the education minister.

Prominent among those who participated in the day-long ‘Dharna’ include BJP Vice President Prakash Velip, Adv Narendra Savoikar, former CCMC chairperson Maruti Naik and others.

1.25 cr metres diverted for mining in last 3 yrs: Minister HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

A whopping area admeasuring 1.25 crore square metres have been diverted for mining purpose in the state during last three years, the state legislative assembly was told on Wednesday.

The reply tabled by Minister for Forest Filipe Neri Rodrigues stated that the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) is the authority for giving the approvals and the conditions are as stipulated in the approval.

“The diversion of forest land for non-forestry purpose has been done as per the provisions under section 2 of Forest (Conservation) Act 1980,” the reply given to the starred question raised by Sanguem MLA Vasudev Gaonkar, reads.

As per the details tabled on the floor of the house, the diversion has mostly taken place in four major talukas -Bicholim, Sanguem, Qupeme and Sattari.

The land has been diverted to major mining firms like Salgaocar private limited, V S D e m p o a n d c o m p a n y, Pa i

Palondicar, R P Timblo, Elray Minerals and company and others, who are currently identified as lease holders of the area.

The renewal period for these leases of mining companies will expire in the year 2027, the reply reads.

The Minister in his reply has said that the diversion has been done after proper demarcation and periodic inspections are carried out to ensure that the working is restricted to diverted area only.

The mining firms, at time of diversion of forest land, were bound with certain conditions like depositing the amount towards Compensatory Afforestation (CAMPA) and Net Present Value (NPV) of forest area diverted.

“Conditions like tree planting in blank areas are to be carried out during the course of the renewal period,” the reply reads adding that the regular visits are undertaken by the state and central officials to monitor the implementation of the conditions laid down in the diversions approvals.

Benaulim garbage panel members left fuming as panchas skip meet HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 11

The absence of Panchayat members at a meeting of the Benaulim garbage committee evoked ire and condemnation of the committee members on Monday, with members demanding a special gram sabha to address the burning issue of garbage collection and disposal in the coastal village.

Agitated members demanded to know from the Sarpanch Carmelina Fernandes over the absence of the Panchas for the meeting and refused to take part in the proceedings, demanding the presence of the Panchayat members.

The impasse continued for quite some time as committee members and villagers under the banner of Benaulim Villagers Action Committee demanded that the Sarpanch call the Panchayat members for the meeting. They contended that the Panchayat members are members of the 30 member garbage committee and maintained that no fruitful discussions can be taken sans their participation.

The members also demanded to know why the garbage committee has not met till date since its constitution in 2007.

Sarpanch Carmelina said she cannot explain the absence of the panchayat members for today’s meeting, adding that the members were informed about the meeting.

Environmentalist Clinton Vaz reminded all the parties that nothing will happen in the village if the people fight amongst themselves. Vaz told the members that he has been given the task to create the necessary infrastructure vis-à-vis the composting unit, adding that the Panchayat will have to decide on the running and operation of the unit. “The composting unit will be finally in place in

Sirigao communidade targets mining firms for encroaching on land

In yet another reply, the minister has placed that in last three years the government collected Rs 46.39 crores through CAMPA and NPV. While in last five years Rs 126 crores have been collected.

As per the condition, the department through CAMP funding has undertaken afforestation in the areas of 150 ha in last three years, planting around 3 lakhs seedlings, in the diverted areas.

The Minister said that the plantations are done on degraded forest land only having a canopy density of less than 0.4.

The areas are afforested with various local forestry species like Mahagony, saton, khair, teak, Hassan, nano, apto, etc.

Meanwhile, last week, Rodrigues has assured the State Legislative assembly that all the pending proposals to divert the forest land for mining purpose would be put on hold and the officers would be instructed not to process any such proposals till the Mining policy is finalized.

the next one week. This unit will cater to the waste of 50 households in the vicinity. Additional composting units will be set up by the committee after the success of this unit”, he said, adding that a plastic recycling bin will be set up to tackle plastic menace.

Meanwhile, with no sign of the Panchayat members turning up for today’s meeting, the garbage committee adopted a host of resolutions, including the decision to adopt Goa government’s plastic garbage menace scheme 2007.

It was further decided to bring about awareness amongst

the villagers on the plastic waste before bringing a ban on the use of plastic bags below 40 microns.

The meeting further resolved to spread awareness on the composting unit to allay apprehensions of the people on these units in their vicinity.

Meanwhile, Sarpanch Carmelina informed that the resolutions adopted at today’s meeting will be placed before the Panchayat meeting for ratification, adding that the Panchayat would convene a meeting of the garbage committee before a special gram sabha to address the burning issue.

Dr Joaquim Goes, Professor, Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, USA said that climate change would impact coastal communities of Goa through rising sea levels, coastal erosion and shoreline loss, dwindling fisheries as well as agriculture.

Participating in a discussion on ‘Confronting Reality: Climate and Human-Induced issues facing Goa’ hosted by Goa Chitra Ethnographic museum, Benaulim, Dr Goes used data from climate models and satellites to show that climate change is happening on a global scale, adding that the ecological impacts would be most severe for population living in the tropics. “For us in India, the effects range from disturbed and anomalous monsoons, rising sea levels, changing biodiversity in the Arabian Sea and a short circuited food chain”, he added.

Dr Joseph Rauto De Souza, Senior Scientist, Science and Environment Council, Goa Department of Science and Technology explained how the global phenomenon of Climate Change which is impacting the developing world severely and disproportionately, is producing dire consequences for the costal

Fire breaks out in Sangolda flat, goods destroyed HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, APRIL 11

Household goods were gutted in a fire that broke out in a flat in Sangolda bazaar on Monday.

According to fire station officials at Mapusa, fire broke out in the flat, located on the second floor, belonging to Norman Azavedo at Sangolda.

After the fire station re-

ceived information about the fire, the team of 10 fire personnel led by Sub Officer A N Malik rushed to the site with the fire tender.

The fire personnel managed to extinguish the fire within 2 hours with the help of two fire tenders. However, by the time the fire was extinguished, household goods like computer, TV, mobile phone, cup-

‘Supari’ of Ravi Naik’s son: police yet to register case

HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, APRIL 11

The confession made by the notorious history-sheeter Michael Fernandes, some four months back, for having accepted ‘contract’ to kill Home Minister Ravi Naik’s son Roy, is apparently not being taken seriously by the Goa police as a case is yet not registered.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Deu Benaulikar admitted that they have not registered First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the alleged conspiracy. “ There is no FIR against Michael in this case… His interrogation regarding the ‘supari’ killing had concluded before he fled from the judicial custody in February 2011,” Benaulikar told reporters while add re s s i n g a b r i e f i n g a f t e r re-arresting the notorious criminal, on Monday evening.

Michael, 23, accused of 30odd criminal cases in Goa, Maharashtra and other parts of the country, had in September 2010 confessed to accepting contract from one Joe Boy to kill Roy and harm his family.

Goa police had beefed up security to Naik’s family thereafter in which personal security officer was provided to his Roy.

Two persons posing as policemen stole gold ornaments worth about Rs 1 lakh in two separate incidents in Mapusa on Monday morning.

According to Mapusa Police, two unknown persons posing as cops stopped one Shantabai Chari of Dange Colony, who was walking along the road at 10.30 am. They advised her to remove her gold ornaments as there are incidents of thefts in the town.

Believing them, Chari removed her Mangalsutra worth

boards, wooden furniture, etc, were destroyed in the fire.

The flat inmates were on the ground floor when the fire broke out and since they did not notice the fire in the beginning, the damage was more.

The exact cause of the fire is not known. However, a fault in the air condition unit is suspected to be the cause of the fire, said fire station officials.

regions of Goa. He showcased Canacona which saw ten times the rainfall from one day to the next and disastrous floods and mudslides, a consequence of anomalous rainfall, high tides and poor river management and waste disposal practices.

A packed audience listened in rapt attention to Hector Fernandes, geologist and former president of the Aldona Communidade who delivered an informative talk on the Gaunkari system. He presented several examples to demonstrate to the large and varied audience that the forefathers were a highly responsible people who managed our lands and waters with great awareness and sensibility. In the discussion that followed many listeners regretted that we no longer paid heed to their collective wisdom and the strong and resilient system that they had produced.

The highly animated discussion that followed on aspects such as creating awareness of these issues among the youth of Goa, the responsibility of government and religious institutions, and the recent and controversial problem of Khariwado, was moderated by Dr Helga Gomes. Many in the audience lamented that despite the adequate rainfall that Goa receives each year, we face severe water shortages. The forum ascribed this on the faulty policy of concretization of the drainage system adopted all over Goa, which prevented recharging of the ground water table and resulted in a large loss of rain water into the Arabian Sea. The forum strongly recommended that the government should work together with local experts to de-silt, restore and revive catchment areas, a practice followed every year during the Gaunkari system.

“The properties coming under mining leases are house property, agriculture property, water bodies, temple property and the maximum property belongs to Sirigao communidade,” it adds.

“It would be more precise to state that the villagers are living in the mining instead of mentioning that mining companies exist in the village,” the letter lamented.

“Since 2006, all the farming land in Sirigao village remained uncultivated. The people here are basically agricultural families, who are now deprived of their source of income and the entire village has been reduced to poverty due to mining activities,” the letter lamented.

The communidade officials have said that inspite of placing their grievances to the government and requesting for closure of mining activity, the government has failed to curtail the issue. “But the government is keen to run the mining in the village at the cost of the villagers,” the letter alleges.

When asked, the Mines Director Arvind Lolienkar said that they have not received any formal complaint from communidade.

“If they have genuine grievances, then we will surely look into it,” he added.

‘Policemen’ con 2 women of ornaments worth Rs 1 lakh

HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

Climate change impact: Professor paints gloomy picture HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 11

Members of the Benaulim garbage committee discussing ways and means to address the burning garbage problem.

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar

Sirigao villagers’ struggle against the mining firms in their village has now got a shot in the arm after local communidade claimed that their land has been illegally encroached by three mining firms.

Sirigao communidade members in their letter to the Chief Secretary, has claimed that the mining firms have acquired more property than what they were allotted in the village by bribing the government officials some years back.

The members have said, “In recent years, the mining companies misguided the government or officials in collusion with mining companies through money and political power and has entered into various properties comprising almost 75 percent of the village into mining leases.”

The members in their letter have alleged three mining firms - M/s Chowgule & Company Pvt Ltd, M/s Rajaram Bandekar (Sirigao) mines Pvt Ltd and M/s Dempo Mining Corp.

Pvt Ltd, have devastated this village.

The memorandum submitted to CS has demanded to file First Information Report (FIR) against three mining companies and

initiate criminal proceedings for illegal encroachment and destruction of communidade property.

“Rehabilitation of the destructed villages of Sirigao at the cost of mining companies and 25 percent should be compensated to each component or village towards damaged caused to their property,” it demands further.

In the letter it has been stated that the mining concession to these companies were granted during Portuguese regime, which needs to be cancelled.

The communidade body in their letter has said that all these mining firms attract contempt of Supreme Court, which has recently given a landmark ruling in a similar case.

“Recent judgment dated January 28, 2011

by Supreme Court in Jaypal Singh and others versus State of Punjab and others has said that the land belonging to communidade or gramsabha land must be kept for the common use of the villagers and village, and such land is actually being used for Public Purpose of the village,” the letter reads.

Sirigao Communidade has said that they own vast land to the eastern and southern side of the village.

Rs 20,000, gold chain (Rs 10,000) and gold bangles (15,000), all worth Rs 45,000.

The thieves, on the pretext of giving her the same ornaments wrapped in cloth, took the ornaments and in return gave her a stone and a metal plate and fled from the site.

Chari later realized that she had been duped and rushed to the Mapusa Police station to file the complaint.

The accused then went to Khorlim Xim at about 11.15 am and stopped one Urmila N a i k f ro m K h o r l i m n e a r Kavlekar Towers.

Using the same modus operandi, the thieves stole her mangalsutra, gold chain and bangles, valued at Rs 55,000 and fled from the site. PSI Sandeep Kesarkar is investigating the case.

Meanwhile, PI Rajeshkumar has urged women not to fall prey to such impersonators and give their gold ornaments.

“Despite issuing warnings, such incidents continue to occur in the town,” said PI Rajeshkumar, advising the women to be cautious and behave wisely.

JE assault case: Mickky tells court it’s a political conspiracy HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 11

Former tourism minister Mickky Pacheco on Monday submitted to the court in the electricity junior assault case that certain South Goa Ministers were involved in hatching a conspiracy to lodge a false complaint against him in a bid to mar his political career.

The Benaulim MLA is an accused in the Kapil Natekar assault case and is facing trial for the assault on the junior engineer.

In his statement to the court made under section 313 of the CrPC, Pacheco flatly denied the charges of assault and threat made by the electricity junior engineer against him. In fact, he firmly denied that any such incident had taken place in his office on July 26, 2006 as alleged by the junior engineer.

In his submission, the former tourism minister

submitted that certain South Goa Ministers conspired to tarnish his image and mar his political career by raking up the assault incident without any basis.

Junior Engineer Natekar had alleged that he was assaulted by the MLA at his Betalbatim residence on July 26, 2006 while on official duty.

Accordingly, the police had registered a case against the Benaulim MLA under section 353 of the IPC for assaulting the junior engineer while discharging his official duties.

Pacheco, in his statement under section 313 of the IPC, however, firmly denied the incident.

Meanwhile, the prosecution is believed to have examined around 6-8 witnesses in support of its case. Arguments in the case are expected to take place on April 20, informed Pacheco’s lawyer, Adv Srikant Nayak.

Colva activists upset over waste dumping in fields, water bodies

Waste finds its way into paddy fields at Colva.

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 11

Social activists from Colva on Monday cried foul over the rampant disposal of waste in the paddy fields and water bodies by unscrupulous hotels and residential apartments.

Monday saw tonnes of waste and litter scattered in the fields at Vanelim ward of the coastal village, with the activists demanding that the local village Panchayat tackle the burning issue head on.

Colva Civic and Consumer member Terezinha told Herald that garbage found its way in the fields of Vanelim, apparently from the newly-built residential apartments in the ward.

If Terezinha is to be believed, the garbage collection pits within the residential complexes have failed to meet the objective, adding that waste now flows out of the housing complexes into the neighbouring paddy fields.

“Many buildings and bungalows have come up in the ward in recent times without adequate provision for waste disposal”, she said, adding that disposal of waste into the adjoining fields have come in the way of cultivation of the fields by the farmers.

“Many locals have evinced keen interest in cultivating the fields. But now, they grapple with the problem of waste disposal in the fields”, she said, while calling upon the village Panchayat to address the burning issue.

Colva Panchayat is grapping with the collection and disposal of garbage in the village in recent times. The Panchayat has set up a recycling station near the Panchayat ghar and has set up composting units, but these measures have failed to yield the desired results.

Besides, this coastal village is facing the menace of sewage discharge into the storm water drains

Photo by Santosh Mirajkar

and the Colva creek in the absence of any effluent treatment plant.

Unidentified male body found at Usgao HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARCEL, APRIL 11

Ponda Police on Monday recovered an unidentified male body near Tilve Petrol Pump, TiskUsgao.

According to Ponda Police, the deceased aged between 55 and 60 years was found in an unconscious state and was declared when admitted to ID Hospital in Ponda.

Police further informed that the deceased was wearing a blue-coloured long sleeves shirt and black jeans. The body has been preserved for identification at GMC Hospital at Bambolim.

Ponda Police have appealed to the public to come forward and identify the deceased.

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Govt to amend Act to regulate mining transportation HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

The State government is contemplating to amend the ‘Goa Prevention of Illegal Mining and Transportation and Storage of Mineral Rules, 2004’, which would be in force by next mining season.

The amendment of the act is likely to regulate the mining transportation in the state.

Director of Mining and Geology department Arvind Lolienkar said that the government is in process to amend the rules and expect that everything will be in place by next season.

“All the rules regulating mining transportation will be in place by next season as the process to formulate them has started in the state,” Lolienkar told Herald.

The mining season starts from October month, soon after the rains in the state.

The mines department is considering several recommendations made by state legislative assembly’s ad hoc committee and also by chief minister

Digambar Kamat himself.

The officials stated that once rules are formed, it will automatically gag the illegal mining activity in the state. “There are several amendments that would be executed. The rules will make everybody responsible including mine owners,” Lolienkar said.

The rules which were originally meant to register the traders in the mining sector will now cover all the stakeholders.

In one of the recommenda-

tion, all the barges and trucks which are working for the mines will be registered with the mines department, so as to have a proper regulation and control over them.

The mines department has been drawing flak for their failure to regulate the mining traffic, which has created mess in the mining belt of the state.

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, who chairs the ad hoc committee on min-

HC admits plea challenging Mahanand’s acquittal HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

The Bombay High Court (BHC) at Goa on Monday accepted the criminal petition challenging serial killer Mahanand Naik’s first acquittal in the Bhagu Upaskar death case.

A bench comprising of Chief Justice of BHC Mohit Shah and Justice S C Dharmadhikari has scheduled the first hearing on April 18.

The State, after 16 months filed the criminal appeal before the High Court challenging the North Goa District and Sessions Court verdict acquitting Mahanand for ‘want of evidence’.

According to the police chargesheet, the victim Bhagu was taken from Tambdi Surla to Quepem and killed by Mahanand in 2007. Quepem police had recovered her body and an unnat-

ural death had been registered.

Mahanand has a string of seven acquittals out of 18 rape, murder and robber y cases booked against him. His crime epidemic unfolded one by one after he was called for questioning in the rape charge by the

lone surviving victim. He is serving seven years rigorous imprisonment for raping a 23-year-old victim in 2009. The rickshaw driver, through his legal counsel has challenged his conviction in the High Court, which is being regularly heard.

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ing, had said that the regulation of the trucks would curb the illegal mining in the state.

During the recently held Budget session, Parrikar had recommended that state mines department should be made the authorized body for the registration of mining trucks, henceforth.

Parrikar had also urged the state, to come out with the policy declaring the maximum quantum of ore that could be transported.

Lolienkar said that the act will also take care of capacity capping on extraction of ore considering the potential of the area.

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UPCOMING EVENTS SCAN India programme PANJIM (HND): The closing ceremony to mark the culmination of three-month vocational courses conducted for children by SCAN India (A project of El Shaddai) in collaboration with Directorate of Women and Child development will be held at Kala Academy (Black Box) on April 12. The courses were conducted at Apna Ghar, by the Govt Polytechnic Institute, Altinho, Panjim. Secretary of Women and Child Development and Director of Women and Child Development will be present for the closing ceremony. There would also be an exhibition of items made by children during the course.

Summer courses at St Xavier’s

PANJIM (HNB): St Xavier’s College, Mapusa, will conduct summer courses in basic digital photography, computer networking, film making, creative design using Photoshop and basic courses in spoken Konkani, French and Portuguese. The courses will be conducted from April 15 to 30 and open for all. The purpose is to make available to the general public and to the holidaying students an opportunity to upgrade their knowledge. For details, contact co-ordinators Brian D’Souza (9923065454) and Gajanan Parab (9764923648).

Mission Action course at Margao

PANJIM (HNB): The school members of CLAPS India (Club Leadership and Personality for Students) will organise a two-day activity-based event ‘Mission Action’ for all school students in Vasco, Margao, Panjim, Ponda and Mapusa.

The event will be held at BPS Club Margao on April 14 and 15 from 10 am to 12 noon, at IMA Hall Ponda from 5.30 pm to 7.30 pm. On April 16 and 17 April at SAG Conference Hall, Panjim, from 8.30 am to 10.30 am, at Mapusa Residency from 11.15 am to 1 pm and at Rotary Hall, near ICICI Bank, Vasco, from 5.15 pm to 7.15 pm. The participants will be divided in two groups, group I - LKG to Std IV and group II - Std V to Std X. Registration will be on the spot with fees of Rs 250. The programmes will be co-ordinated and conducted by the CLAPS school members.

Ambedkar statue to be opened

MAYEM (HC): Councillor of Bicholim Municipal Council (BMC) Narayan Betkikar was elected president of the programme committee of the inaugural function of the statue of Bharatratna Babasaheb Ambedkar at Harijanwada-Bicholim to be held on April 14.

Addressing a press conference here, Secretary Raju Parwar informed that their motive has been fulfilled after awaiting several years.

Other office bearers are Govind Parwar (programme president), Santosh, Ankush, Khushali, Krishna and Pandurang Parwar ((vice presidents), Sachin Parwar (joint secretary), Jagganath Parwar (treasurer) and Prasad Parwar (joint treasurer).

Members elected are Navso, Dhaktu, Dnyaneshwar, Anil, Gunaji, Tukaram, Shyam, Bhiku, Prakash, Prasad, Harichandra, Prashant, Keshav, Vasudev, Mangesh, Vijay, Srikant, Avinash, Ishwar, Krishna, Girish, Suresh, Sushanti, Kavita, Rukmini, Deepawali and Geeta (all Parwar’s) and Vanita Harwalkar, Keshav Kaskar, Vasudev Kaskar.

Moira civic forum meet

PANJIM (HND): The Moira Civic and Consumer Forum (MCCF) will have its monthly meeting on January 14 at 4 pm at the residence of Monica Xavier Povoacao Moira. The meeting will focus on service related issues like issue of rice and kerosene for ration card holders, senior citizen cards, home delivery of LPG cylinders, post office, PWD water supply, Goa Dairy milk, banking, BSNL telephones & cable TV, road safety and traffic management will also be discussed.

Lenten retreat at Baga

PANJIM (HND): Baga Retreat House will conduct a Tridum Lenten Retreat (residential) by Fr Vijayanand SJ from April 18 to 20 at 9 am followed by Holy Week services in English by Fr Hector Almeida SJ on Maundy Thursday at 5 pm and Easter Vigil at 10 pm. For details call Retreat House on 2276048.

Theatre workshop for children

PANJIM (HND): A theatre workshop for children of 8 to 16 years will be conducted at Bal Bhavan, Panjim, daily from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm, till April 26, under the guidance of past student of School of Drama, Kala Academy, Shantaram Pawar. Those interested may register at Bal Bhavan, Campal, Panjim by April 13 in the afternoon. Admissions will be on first-come-firstserve basis.

Konkani quiz telecast

PANJIM (HND): The final round of the Konkani quiz, Kaleidoscope for the students of higher secondary schools, organised

by Communicare Cultural Centre will be aired on April 15 at 2 pm with repeat telecasts at 4 pm and 10.30 pm on Prudent.

Creative science workshops

PANJIM (HND): Goa Science Centre will as organise creative Science workshop for students from April 20 to 30 and from May 11 to 21, from 10.30 am to 3.30 pm, in disciplines of Creative Science, Computer and Multimedia, Electronics and Aero modelling. Nominal fees will be charged towards course material. There are limited seats and admission will be on first come first serve basis. For further information and registration, contact Goa Science Centre, Miramar, Panjim, by April 18.

Customs questioned me only for two hours: Babush HERALD CORRESPONDENT OLD GOA, APRIL 11

Dismissing media rumours that he was questioned by customs officials for six hours in Mumbai, Education Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate on Saturday said custom officials had questioned him for not more than two hours on Saturday.

He claimed had produced all his evidence in regard to the case.

“Well, I was called by custom officials in Mumbai on Friday and it was at around 2.30 pm.

But as the assembly proceedings were going on in the State, I had faxed to the Mumbai customs officials that I would be a bit late as it was the last day of assembly session,” Monserrate told Herald.

“So I went to Mumbai and reached the customs office at 4.30 pm and then I produced all my documents required to prove the travellers cheques and the cash withdrawal, which was given to them and that was it,”

he said.

“It is totally wrong that I was there for six hours as I was at the Customs office for one-andhalf to two hours,” Monserrate said.

When asked if he would be summoned again for further questioning, the minister said: “No, I have not been called again. They said my presence was not required and that, my lawyer could appear on my behalf.”

“I am ready to pay the fine

HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 11

Gram sabha members of the Velim village panchayat on Sunday picked holes in the budget estimates prepared by the panchayat body for the financial year 2011-12.

When the budget estimates was placed before the gram sabha at the meeting held on Sunday, members raised a host of questions to the Sarpanch Renie Caeiro based on the observations made in the audit report.

Pedestrian killed

HERALD CORRESPONDENT BICHOLIM, APRIL 11

A pedestrian was crushed to death by a truck at VathadevBicholim on Saturday night.

According to reports, Pradeep Mathu, originally from Jharkhand, was crushed to death by a truck (GA-04-T-1110). His body was found lying along the roadside near the mill at Vathadev on Sunday morning.

Bicholim Police have arrested truck driver Rampal RamKhilwan Karnadhar (33) from Uttar Pradesh. Bicholim PSI Ditendra Naik is investigating the case.

DA hike

PANJIM (HND): The Government of Goa has sanctioned dearness relief to Government Pensioners/Family Pensioners in view of rise in the cost of living @51% with effect from January 1, 2011 based on grant of dearness relief to Central Govt Pensioners and Pensioners of All India Services.

Members demanded to know from the chair why funds are just kept in the bank without fixed deposits, thus loosing valuable revenue. The members also pointed out the reasons behind the delay in revising the rent on shops and the outstanding amount due to the panchayat on this head.

The sluice gate issue also figured at today ’s meeting, wherein the Sarpanch informed the members about the meeting held to address the problem. The members were

Dr Vijayendra P Kamat, a Professor from Goa University’s Chemistry Department will take over as the Registrar of Goa University (GU) on April 12. Earlier Prof Kamat has held the post of the Controller of Examination in GU and was largely responsible for streamlining the examination activities of the University.

Prof Kamat has a distinguished academic and administrative career spread over a period of over 25 years. After completing his Post-doctoral Research work at Tohoku University in Japan, Prof Kamat joined the GU as a lecturer. He has been a recipient of several prestigious scholarships and fellowships from various scientific bodies like CSIR-New Delhi and Monbusho-Japan.

Prof Kamat has also published several research papers in journals published by American Chemical Society and Royal Society of Chemistry - England, .

informed that the Salcete Mamlatdar will call a joint meeting of the stake holders comprising of the Communidade, PWD, Panchayat body to solve the problem.

Agitated members questioned the chair over the delay in making correspondence with various agencies by the Panchayat body. When the sarpanch attributed the delay to the requisition of the two clerical staff members for the government work, members demanded to know whether the Panchayat

staff members are paid by the government or by the Panchayat.

Members questioned the Chair over the waster testing kits, demanding that the Panchayat collect the kits and take up the water sample testing on a priority basis before the onset of monsoons.

The meeting also discussed a hotel construction in the village, with members demanding revocation of the NOC if the construction is carried out without any clearances.

Loutolim sarpanch told to comply with all resolutions HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, APRIL 11

A g i t a t e d me m b e r s o f t h e Loutolim gram sabha on Sunday directed the Sarpanch Sergio Fernandes to comply with all the resolutions adopted at the previous meetings and submit compliance before the next gram sabha meeting.

Members expressed their ire over the delay in implementing the resolutions adopted at the last gram sabha on the excuse that the sarpanch was newly-elected.

Gram Sabha member, Sydney Fernandes proposed a resolution directing the Secretary to file an FIR at the Maina Curtorim Police Station in the next ten days against the ex-Sarpanch, Jose C Fernandes in connection with the fake draft regional plan 2021 submitted to the Chief

Town Planner on July 14, 2009.

Sydney explained that the police need to investigate how the panchayat letter head and panchayat seal had been used on such forged document. “The people needed accountability from the persons involved for creating and submitting a document in the name of the Village panchayat without even placing the same before the body meeting and maintaining a copy for panchayat records. These actions amounts to cheating the entire village and submitting an illegal document of this nature without authority defeats the very purposes of democracy”, he added.

The illegal shipyards operating on the banks of River Zuari also took the centre stage with members directing the newly-

elected Sarpanch to stop all illegally operating shipyards immediately and allow the repair yards with approvals from competent authorities to do repair and chipping work only between 3 to 6 pm and that also below noise levels of 75DB as per the Magistrate’s order dated September 1, 2005.

The Gram Sabha also unanimously proposed a resolution demanding that the Govt. give grants to all aided schools even if the medium of instruction is English and allow the parents to make a choice for themselves the medium of instruction to be studied by their children.

The Gram Sabha also unanimously resolved to support to the nationwide movement against corruption under the leadership of Anna Hazare.

S H O RT TA K E S Passion of Christ enacted CALANGUTE (HC): Parishioners of Nagoa-Arpora-Baga enacted the sufferings of Jesus Christ through the Santos Passos on Sunday. A large number of parishioners took part in the religious service. In his Homily, Fr Cyprian called upon the parishioners to live an exemplary life in tune with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

After the Holy Eucharist, Parish Priest Fr Simao Rodrigues led the parishioners in the procession depicting the sufferings of Jesus Christ. Savia Mendes sung the song of Veronica. Fr Seby Vaz (assistant parish priest) provided the music, while Joe led the choir of junior youth members for the religious ceremony.

Canacona ground to upgraded

POINGUINIM (HC): The upgrading of the playground work at Devbag-Canacona will commence from April 13.

This project of upgrading the stadium, construction of dressing rooms is sponsored by Lalit Suri Grand Inter Continental Grand Resort, Canacona. According to Lalit Suri Hotel Project Manager J Guilherme Martins, the work is estimated at around Rs 2 crore.

It is learnt that Chief Minister Digambar Kamat will inaugurate the work on Wednesday at 4.30 pm in the presence of Sports Minister Manohar Azgaonkar, Director of Sports and Youth Affairs Dr Susana de Sousa and other leaders.

Shirpad urges reading habits

MAYEM (HC): North Goa MP Shirpad Naik has called upon villagers to inculcate the habit of reading as the prime motto to make living ideal. He was addressing the gathering after laying the foundation stone for extension work of the library at Sarvan-Bicholim recently. The library will be constructed from the MP’s fund at a cost of Rs 8.5 lakh. MLA Anant Shet, Sarpanch Santosh Talkar, library President Umakant Sawant, engineer Kurya Kos and Shankar Chodankar were present on the occasion.

Naik informed about undertaking about 400 different development projects under MP fund during his tenure. Devanand Sawant compered the function, while Deepak Dhawaskar proposed the vote of thanks.

Mother Theresa’s coins

PANJIM (HND): Set of Rs 100 and Rs 5 coins of Mother Theresa (birth centenary) along with Rabindranath Tagore (150th birth anniversary), XIX Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi and Louis Braille, are open for booking at India Government Mint, Kolkata upto April 30. Details are available at website: igmkolkata.spmcil.com.

Programme held for Autistic kids

PANJIM (HND): JCI Salcette Coastal conducted a special programme on World Autism Day for 20 Autistic Children of Jyot School at Margao.

Various activities such as vegetable printing with poster colours using different of vegetables was taught to autistic children. A free hand drawing competition was also held for the autistic children to show their skills of drawing. Birthday of Ryan Gomes was celebrated with games such as musical chairs and distribution of gifts to all the children. The Headmistress of Jyot School, Varsha Desai hailed the work carried out by JCI Salcette Coastal for the autistic children and hoped for more such programmes in future.

Dedicated work of teachers and the support staff Varsha Desai, in-charge, Euphrasia, Assistant Teachers Gomes, Aneka Gomes, Pooja Naik, Sandhya Pagi, LDC Cabral and Ms Gaonkar was recognised with certificates of appreciation presented to them by Executive Vice President JCI India M Vasudevan, Dr Hubert Gomes and Roussel Miranda of Hype Entertainment.

Vasudevan complimented Wyn Coutinho, President of JCI Salcete Coastal, Patricia Mendonca, Manager of project for the autistic children and teachers Euphrasia Gomes, Aneka Gomes and Sandhya Pagi for their efforts. Patricia Mendonca proposed the Vote of Thanks.

Anti-corruption rally at Margao

NRG uses Facebook to garner support against Dum HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

Even as the State launched a crusade protesting release of the upcoming flick ‘Dum Maro Dum’, a non-resident Goan (NRG) through social networking site has endeavoured to pressurise government to ban the movie.

Nawaz Sheikh, living in Tanzania, has launched a Facebook

profile to reach out to the people expressing grave concern over the wrong portrayal of Goa in the movie, which is further sabotaging the State’s image.

Sheikh’s Facebook group page titled ‘BAN DUM MARO DUM -SAVE GOAN DIGNITY’ has gathered 39 supporters so far.

The Goan says in his post, “Ap(p)eal to all Goans to STAND UNITED against the ‘Defamatory

HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, APRIL 11

and obscene depiction of Goa in general and women in particular in the trailor/clippings that are being released of the film’. We Goans can’t bear these insults anymore.”

Dr Shekhar Salkar, who has supported the campaign, hopes that Goan politicians wake up to the call against drugs in the state, after this controversy. He strongly criticised the Censor

Villagers at the Reis Magos Gram Sabha on Sunday.

The secretary said that they will issue show cause notice to the builder seeking clarification as to why his license should not be revoked.

Later, Panchayat Secretary Cliffton Azavedo read the minutes of the Gram Sabha held on October 31, 2010 and later presented the Budget for 2011-12.

In the Rs 1.89 crore budget, the panchayat has shown Special Grants (RDA, GIA, sports, NREGS) from the government as Rs 33 lakh and General Grants (matching grants, etc,) as Rs 48 lakh.

Income for 2011-12 by way of taxes and fees has been pro-

Photos by Anil Shankhwalker

jected as Rs 18.70 lakh and through construction license fees, sanitation fees and market fees as Rs 22.30 lakh.

On the expenditure front, Rs 59.60 lakh has been earmarked for public works which includes construction of drains and roads, purchase of garbage bins, repairs of crematorium, etc, administration expenses (Rs 21.75 lakh), sanitation and public health provision of Rs 17.30 lakh has been made in the Budget.

Rs 2.80 lakh has been earmarked for social welfare and Rs 3.25 lakh for education and cultural activities.

board for having allowed dialogues and movie scenes offending Goa and Goan women.

Goa is however divided on the issue. While a media professional filed a PIL in the High Court and women’s commission filed a police complaint against the makers of the movie, the State’s intellectuals, creative minds and thinkers have expressed diverse opinions.

Illegal construction at Malim in full speed despite stop order HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, APRIL 11

sued permission for the tower and that they have sent necessary papers to the demolition squad to remove the tower.

Agnel D’Sousa sought to know whether the panchayat has revoked the construction license to a builder who had not constructed two buildings as per the plan approved by Town and Country Planning Department.

Agnel stated that during joint inspection, TCP had pointed out that the height of the buildings is more than approved and also that the builder constructed flat roof instead of sloppy roof.

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, APRIL 11

Velim locals demand clarification on budget

Reis Magos reviews development works The Reis Magos Gram Sabha on Sunday deliberated on various issues concerning the village.

Initiating the discussion, Edwin Fernandes sought to know whether the panchayat has issued construction licenses without the conversion sanad, to which Sarpanch Sushmita Pednekar replied that they have not issued construction license to anybody without the conversion sanad.

With regard to a query regarding supply of potable water to Reis Magos Panchayat, Deputy Sarpanch Colaso clarified that there has been considerable improvement in the water supply to Reis Magos.

“Construction of overhead water tanks and laying of water pipeline is in progress and the work is expected to be completed within the next 4 months.

On completion of these works, the water supply to Reis Magos will improve further,” said Colaso.

The villagers brought to the notice of the panchayat that the mobile phone tower erected at Aframent Ward has still not been removed. The panchayat secretary replied that they never is-

whatever was required as per the law though the officials had not specified as how much fine I have to pay.”

“I have already given my statement even to the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat along with the report of what is the evidence and the amount of money that was found and rest is that the law will take its own course,” he added.

When asked to comment on BJP ’s proposed statewide protest to demand his resignation, Monserrate said: “The BJP is frustrated and the person most frustrate is Manohar Parrikar as he knows that I am a threat to Parrikar.”

“I would like to tell everyone once again that I will contest from Panjim constituency and my fate will be decided by my High Command. I have full faith in Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, State Congress President Subash Shirodkar and in my party's leadership,” said the minister.

Prof Kamat to take over as GU registrar

An illegal construction at Malim is going on in full speed despite stop order notice issued by the Penha-de-Franca Panchayat.

The Penha-de-Franca Panchayat had issued a stop order notice to the house owner on April 1, 2011, to stop the construction activity.

It may be recalled that on November 25, 2000, the panchayat had issued a license to the house owner for ‘renovation and repairs to the existing room only’.

The house owner on January 31, 2011, applied to the panchayat requesting to renew the license.

Even though the building rules in force do not permit renovation of the license after 10 years, the panchayat reportedly granted renewal permission to the house owner in a letter dated March 1, 2011.

When the issue was raised by some villagers in the Gram Sabha on April 3, the sarpanch agreed to issue stop order to the house owner.

Panchayat Secretary M S Mar-

dolker also confirmed that he has received instructions over phone from Block Development Officer, Mapusa, to revoke the license, as it is utter violation of the excising building rules.

Accordingly, the panchayat issued stop order notice on April 1, directing the house owner ‘to stop ongoing wok of RCC Pillars at Malim and produce relevant documents/NOC form the concerned authority within 7 days’.

On April 8, the panchayat issued another letter directing the owner to remain present at the site along with all the relevant documents, failing which site inspection will be carried out in her absence.

Despite the letter, the house owner is reportedly carrying out construction of the house.

The residents of Malim are annoyed over the illegal construction and hence have written a letter to the Deputy Collector and SDO Mapusa bringing to his notice the illegality and demanded take necessary action.

PANJIM (HND): Art of Living, Goa Centre, recently organised a Candle light rally in Margao to support the crusade taken up by Anna Hazare against the corruption. Around 200 persons of life participated in the rally. Under guidance of Sri Sri Ravishankar, Art of Living volunteers all over India are conducting rallies, fasts and other activities to make the people aware of the corruption prevailing in today’s India and measure to be taken by people to stop the same.

Guv, CM greet on Ram Navami

PANJIM (HND): Governor of Goa, Dr S S Sidhu and the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat have extended warm greetings to people of Goa on the occasion of Ram Navami. The Governor has stated that Ram Navami is celebrated throughout the country with great fervour and enthusiasm. Lord Ram is ardently worshipped as the epitome of virtues, the symbol of truth, embodiment of righteousness and morality and as the valiant destroyer of evil forces. He has wished that peace, righteousness and mutual understanding may prevail among the people.

The Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat while extending his greetings to the people of the state has said that Ram Navami festival, celebrated all over the country is a joyous occasion.

Lord Ram who is known for his virtues like truth, integrity, valour, righteousness and love for people is worshipped all over country. His message concludes by stating, “Let us on this occasion rededicate ourselves to imbibe virtues of Lord Ram and make Goa an ideal welfare State in the country to bring Ram Rajya”.

POWER SHUTDOWN APRIL 13

PALE: From 10 am to 2 pm at Pale-Cothambi, Velge and Surla Village Panchayats.

MANDREM: From 9 am to 3 pm at VP Mandrem.

PORVORIM: From 9 am to 5 pm at Nova Cidade, Catering college, Police quarters, Part of Housing board P&T Colony, Defence colony, PWD water tank, Housing Board, Kranti Nagar, Maruthi Temple, Journalist colony, Pundalik Nagar, Sanjay School and surrounding areas.

MANDREM: From 9 am 2 pm at Pethechawada, Bhaidwada in VP Korgao.

CORLIM: From 10 am to 12. 30 pm at Belsur, Amboi, Goddar, Santerbhat, Fetorim and Vinthogen of Diwar village.

PANAJI: From 9 am to 5.30 pm at Regal Chamber, Consumers along step and behind Manoshanti hotel, Keni office and surrounding areas.

APRIL 15, 18 AND 20

KERIM: From 9 am to 2 pm at Bhatwadi, Deulwada in VP Korgao, Banolwada, Parastem Kharebandh in Pernem Municipal Council, Konadi Devsu, Main-Manshiwada in VP Korgao.

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Agriculture Department expects good Rabi harvest The Department of Agriculture has reported that Rabi rice crop is quite healthy and no outbreak of pests/diseases have been reported or observed during the pest surveillance inspections. This year 50 % more farmers were assisted under paddy Support price during the current year as compared to 2009-10, which is indicative of

shift from subsistence paddy cultivation to a more commercial one, according to the Department.

Mango and cashew crop is in fruiting stage and crop production has just started. The area under vegetables has shown a marginal increase, especially in crops like watermelon, brinjal, chillies and radish.

Nine farmers were assisted for 6.621 kms of solar powered battery fencing, five of whom were provided subsidy at source through registered dealer. Three more dealers of irrigation infrastructure and bio fertilizers have been registered under subsidy

at source scheme of Agriculture Department. (HND)

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O HERALD O

Nuclear Power Plants: Risky business

Vol No CXI No: 101 Goa, Tuesday, 12 April, 2011

T

The bomb on our border

hat a major nuclear disaster had to happen in Japan before the Goa government started to take an interest in the Kaiga Atomic Power Station, just 22km from the border, tells a story all by itself. Goa is in the unenviable position of being directly in Kaiga’s potential disaster zone when it gets absolutely no benefit from the nuclear power plant.

This state is heavily power deficient. It generates practically no electricity of its own. But Goa does not get a single unit of power from Kaiga. All it will get is a lethal dose of radiation, should disaster overtake. In that event, villages in Goa that fall within a 25-km radius of the plant will have to evacuate immediately. If it is a full-blown catastrophe, the whole of South Goa, including Margao and Vasco, will also have to be evacuated.

That past governments of this state have neglected the safety of Goa’s people is seen in the Kaiga story. Here, villagers fight even to prevent scrap iron being stored in their village.

But our government allowed a nuclear reactor to come up on our border, accepting enormous risks without any benefit whatsoever. What kind of leader(s) would agree to a heads-Ilose-tails-you-win deal like that?

The Fukushima disaster in Japan has brought the perils of nuclear catastrophe much closer to home. So, it seems, two representatives of the South Goa district administration attended a meeting convened at Kaiga to discuss a mock evacuation drill as part of safety preparedness in case of a nuclear accident.

The South Goa district administration must be commended for its sense of timing. For, the very next day, there was a fire in the control room of Kaiga’s third unit. Every one of us knows the old adage that there is no smoke without fire. But the authorities at Kaiga would like us to believe that it was only smoke and that there was no fire!

But try as they might, they are not able to explain how or why a fire (smoke?) appeared in a sensitive area like the control room. Site Director J P Gupta was only willing to say is that ‘aal is well’, that there is no damage, and that the unit will be online again on 17 April.

All the technical tall talk of nuclear scientists suffers from one vital weakness. They are simply not accountable. Safety audits of India’s nuclear facilities are not carried out by independent regulators, but by the very same Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) that controls all nuclear power generation in the country. It cannot be independently verified.

Had the department’s record been good and consistent, one might have been able to take their assurances in good faith. But this is simply not the case. Take the example of Kaiga alone. It has been in trouble right from the inception.

In 1994, the under-surface of the pre-stressed concrete dome of Unit 1 collapsed during construction. This delayed its commissioning by three years and increased costs from Rs750 crore to Rs2,275 crore. In January 2009, technician Ravi Molay disappeared under mysterious circumstances. In June that same year, another technician, Lokanath Mahalingam, was found dead in the Kali River. In November 2009, tritium contamination detected in some workers was traced to a water cooler in which six vials of tritium had been dumped, probably by someone who did not want to get caught smuggling it out of the plant.

Every time such incidents take place, the Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) disallows local administrative authorities and police access to the site for investigations. What is the need for such paranoid secrecy in a civilian nuclear facility used only for power generation? Or do they have something to hide? In either case, Goa has much to worry about.

OPINION

I

Hazardous operations at nuclear installations are handled by itinerant labour, says AntHony SiMoeS

n a recent issue of ‘Outlook’, magazine, Praful Bidwani wrote, ‘The colossal hubris, ignorance and smugness of India’s nuclear czars take one’s breath away. The day Japan’s crisis took a decisive turn for the worse, with an explosion in a third Fukushima reactor and fresh radiation leaks, Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) Secretary, Sreekumar Banerjee declared that the nuclear crisis “was purely a chemical reaction and not a nuclear emergency as described by some section(s) of media.” Nuclear Power Corporation chairman S K Jain went one better: “there is no nuclear accident or incident. It is a well-planned emergency preparedness program which the nuclear operators…are carrying out to contain the residual heat after…an automatic shutdown.”

This is proof, if proof were at all needed, that our nuclear power program is in the hands of men who are totally cut-off from reality and have a default conviction in their own omniscience and infallibility. Their denials are as despicable as their pathetic parroting of the virtues of India’s nuclear installations and their safety.’

The human scum that floats to the top of our Atomic Energy Establishment are acknowledged masters of deceit, duplicity, dissimilation, equivocation, prevarication and knavery. They feather their own nests in cahoots with the industrial, financial, business and political elites by disinformation, misinformation and using esoteric knowledge to fool the ordinary citizens. Since 99 per cent of the population is ignorant of nuclear-power related matters, they blindly accept the Judas-like betrayal of the scientists. From Bhabha to Sethna down to the Srinivasans and Kakodkars, the people of India have been lied to regarding the cost-effectiveness, environmentalfriendliness and safety of Nuclear Power Plants.

Generally, in the Atomic Energy Establishment, the people at the top have reached there by sacrificing integrity at the altar of political patronage.

The truth about nuclear power is effectively hidden behind a multi-layered, multi-level filtration system that makes sure that the truth is always hidden behind a phalanx of lies. The elites follow

The Accidental Activist

T

PolitiCAlly inCorreCt the system that was used so effectively by Joseph Goebbels to sell Nazism to millions of Germans.

The principle is simple! If you repeat a lie often enough, it becomes the truth. Especially if the propaganda has the backing of a corrupt, selfserving state hierarchy – politicians, bureaucrats, technocrats, lobbyists, media-moguls chamchas…

As ‘Wilfred D’Costa, one of the coordinators of the Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace, says, “Nuclear power-plants in India are not subject to the Environment Protection Act that covers other energy generation plants. The RTI Act doesn’t apply to them; worse, the Official Secrets Act does.”’ Praful Bidwai and Wilfred D’Costa read together makes my blood feel like ice-water. One does not even need to imagine a doomsday worst-case scenario at Jaitapur 9,900 MW Nuclear Power Park.

Let’s forget about catastrophic failures (by accident, design/manufacturing/construction limitations or acts of sabotage and terrorism) of pressurevessels, containment vessels, Calandrias, End-Shields, containment reactor-buildings and what have you.

What about fugitive emissions of radiation in the normal course of operation, maintenance, repairs, overhauls, replacement of spent fuel-rods and storage

of spent fuel-rods? At Fukushima, we are now told, that spent rods within the installation are six times more than what was in the active reactors when the earthquake/tsunami struck on 12 March 2011.

They were not even stored according to design/engineering specifications for want of sufficient space.

And all of this information was not known to the authorities. Believe it or not!!! I would say NOT!!!

Unfortunately, radiation can be harmful in small doses since it remains active for years. It can damage internal organs without leaving external signs. Like a microwave-oven which cooks food from the inside unlike other ovens which cook food from outside, nuclear radiation can neither be felt nor seen or touched. It is colourless and odourless and therefore, an insidious operator – like the protagonists of nuclear power, some of whom are genuinely ignorant.

That’s why hazardous operations at nuclear installations are handled by itinerant labour. By the time they are affected, they have moved on.

This displacement in time and space is then used to doctor statistical studies that show a very low incidence of health hazards for the industry as a whole. The management and advertising gurus take it from here and fool the unsuspecting public through their media groupies.

‘Among the nuclear power plants on the anvil is the one at Jaitapur, coastal Maharashtra. It will house reactors from the French firm Areva and shall have a combined capacity of 10,000 MW. But in 20 years, as many as 92 quakes have been recorded here, with the severest of them in 1993 measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale. The region is officially seismically marked as Zone III – Zone IV being the worst category. And despite the elevation of the site on a plateau, concerns about a tsunami refuse to fade.

It is perhaps keeping this in mind that Commerz Bank, the German bank backing the project, pulled out even before the Japanese crisis, citing the “sustainability and reputation risk” involved.’ After Fukushima, the German decision seems prescient.

Interestingly, most of France’s nuclear power plants are located on their borders with Germany. Like the peace-time equivalent of the war-time Maginot Line.

Surprisingly, everyone keeps referring to earthquake damage only in terms of their intensity as measured on the logarithmic Richter scale. What about the duration of the tremors which will decide the impulse (force multiplied by time) that is a better measure of destructive power? What about the location of the epicenter and focus? What about the peak ground acceleration and the dip of the earthquake? These are all important factors that can only be ignored if we have an ostrich-like mentality.

If Jaitapur has seen 92 quakes in 20 years, then surely its seismicity is a cause for concern. Surely all these tremors over the years will have a cumulative weakening effect on any structure built in the area!

How can we ignore all this? The only answer I can think of is the fact that these decisions are being made by a political gerontocracy that knows they will not be around 20 years down the road when Apocalypse arrives. The backing of the nuclear clubs gerontocracy makes them accessories before, during and after the fact to what can only be called ‘Planned Mass Murder.’ In India, whenever big projects are taken up, we have a nasty habit of paying lip-service to technical feasibility, economic viability and environmental sustainability.

Then we always go and do what is politically expedient.

Anatomy of A Candle lit Vigil

hursday 8th April: I wake up with a single thought already in my head ‘I want to support Anna’. The rest of India is out there in the streets in huge numbers, showing that they won’t stand for corruption any longer. What the hell am I doing?

I decide I want to keep it non-political and non activist. This is me, as an ordinary citizen, wanting very hard to put my weight behind a man who has finally had the moral courage to stand up.

I finally decide that I will organise a candle lit vigil of ‘Artists for Anna’. I have recently been part of an art auction for charity. Surely artists who were generous enough to give away their work to charity will be willing to give some time to a cause like this?

I consult with friends and start sending out mails and SMS messages. As always, the worry is about numbers. It is always difficult to get people out of the house and on the roads, for any cause.

Will they turn up for this? I decide I don’t care. I want to stand up and if no one else does – so be it.

Artist Rajendra Usapkar calls me. He can’t not bear to be part of this. He is cancelling an out of town trip to be there. I am relieved. At least Rajendra and I will be there!

It turns out a lot of people want to stand up. All the artists and writers I call are very supportive and come on board. Maria Aurora Couto, Margaret Mascarenhas, Damodar Mauzo, Subodh Kerkar, Suhas Shilker, Harshada Kerker… the list gets longer and longer.

Then others say they want to join in too. Suddenly, the vigil is not just ‘Artists for Anna’. Dean D’Cruz, Sabina Martins, Reboni Saha,

Divya Kapur lend full support. Wow! This is gathering steam.

Saturday 9th April: Woken up by the phone pinging crazily with messages. Blearily read the headlines – Anna is calling off his fast.

The government has caved in to his demands.

Everyone wants to know if the vigil is on. I wonder what to do.

Then it becomes obvious to me that everyone wants it to be on.

So many people are eager to show that they stand up against corruption and none of them have got a space to show it. I decide we will go ahead and say ‘Thank you Anna’ instead.

The day degenerates into frantically messaging and calling people. I do this while at the vet, while shopping, while painting a giant banner.

The most telling moment of how this is affecting people comes to me, when a prominent businessman messages asking ‘Do I have a right to be part of this demonstration? In my business I have always betted on the corrupt system that Anna is fighting.

For the first time, people are questioning themselves.

Everyone pitches in to help with the banner. My daughter is the most excited, and runs around passing brushes and paints and longs to be let loose. I hope no one will notice the paw prints that decorate the edges.

At seven, there are only three people at Azad Maidan. And then suddenly, half an hour later, there is a two hundred strong crowd!

Alexyz has brought his cartoons. Apurva has designed a poster.

And people have brought hundreds of candles. Also present are

By Venita Coelho

Miki (Valmik) and his two friends who have fasted along with Anna. They too organised a vigil the previous day. In my four years as an activist, this is the first time that I have seen the youth spontaneously come forward to support a cause.

We begin to light candles and people step up to speak. Subodh Kerker points out that Goa has its own battle ahead with the Lokayukta bill that the government has just thrown out. People share their own experience of corruption. Everyone overwhelmingly agrees ‘We have to stop handing out the bribes. We are also the root cause of corruption.’

It feels so good to be surrounded by people genuinely concerned about where India is headed. We ask all those who have turned out to leave their email ID’s and their phone numbers. We will form an online group and keep them in touch with all efforts to take the fight against corruption forward.

I understand that this is a cause that the whole of Goa cares deeply about. If, even after Anna has broken his fast and the issue is effectively over, two hundred people chose to turn up and be counted, then there are thousands out there who really care.

If I was the government, I would be very worried. It is very obvious that India will no longer tolerate any delay in dealing with corruption.

And it is obvious that people are willing to do much more than light candles. Give us our Lokayukt bill Mr Chief Minister! We are more than willing to sit down to fast to death for it.

Letters to the Editor Stop this burning, please!

Jude Fernandes, Vasco Burning garbage is a common sight in Goa. Burning garbage has several disadvantages.

It produces harmful gases. Inhaling such air is dangerous. Besides, many recyclable objects are burnt. Sometimes, burning causes holes in the bin. Many times the legs of the bin get burnt. This tilts the bin.

The smoke may sometimes come on to the road like fog, and may cause accidents.

Could someone please do something about this?

Be careful parents Ashlon A Fernandes, Nuvem It is the time of the year when the heartbeat of students is at its highest as in a few

100 Years Ago PRIMEIRO DIARIO NAS COLONIAS PORTUGEZAS

12 April 1911 Prison term for constable

The Bombay High Court lately sentenced a native constable to undergo three months of rigorous imprisonment from extorting money from a poor villager of Surat.

Rain storms batters Madras

Madras was visited on the mid-night of 14th of the last month by rain storms and cyclonic winds which continued until late next morning.

Bankers arrange loan

A syndicate of American Bankers has arranged a loan of 12 million dollars to Russia to purchase war materials from USA.

Papal Nuncio visits hospital

The Papal Nuncio paid a visit to Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon where the injured were hospitalised and treated from the latest earthquake which took place some days back.

weeks’ time; their report cards will be delivered to their doorsteps. It is a well known fact that teenagers are more vulnerable to commit suicides. Parents must realise that failure is part and parcel of life, and it is very difficult to constantly achieve success.

I, therefore, request them not to scold or punish their children as this will encourage them to take drastic steps, which could lead to suicide.

The main issue Hasiba Amin, by email There is a lot of noise being made about the problems migrants are causing in our beautiful Goa. Lots of issues are being raised. There are articles in newspapers and letters have been written to the editors of newspapers. But is the fact that migrants coming into Goa, the real issue?

I feel the main concern is not the migrants, it is the education. There are many educated, successful migrants living in Goa and are accepted as responsible members of society. The problem lies in uneducated migrants. If the same migrants are given proper education will they also not contribute towards betterment of our society?

Many Goans are educated in Goa but work abroad. In most families, it has become an expected pattern of future planning: Study in India and work abroad. Why this double standard?

As far as migrants go, are they the problem or is it the fact that they are uneducated and therefore not productive? Think about it.

Politics & history sheeters Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco Criminalisation of politics has always been a bane of Indian politics and a matter of grave concern. But the sad part is that political parties choose politicians with criminal background as party candidates and the voters elect them knowingly or unknowingly. It is understood that one out of every two candidates who will be contesting the forthcoming assembly elections in Kerala is a history-sheeter. According to an analysis carried out by the National Election Watch (NEW), 153 out of 355 candidates analysed have criminal cases pending

Letter of the Day

Nuclear power generation Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim It is true that nuclear energy is crucial renewable source of energy to fuel growth and development and provide national security. Our old safety methods must be improved, modified and redesigned to meet the challenges and exigencies of nature’s fury. We in India, cannot dispense with nuclear energy and depend on fossil fuels, which drain our resources heavily.

The catastrophe in Japan must be a constant reminder of the enormous dangers of leakages and its long term effects on humanity as well as on nature. The safety measures have to be doubled ignoring initial cost escalations. The future threats by terrorists must also be factored in their capacity to inflict a body blow more effectively.

The nuclear plants, for all practical purposes, are ticking bombs in our backyards.

The cost of decontaminations, rehabilitation, medical and health care have a multiplying effect beyond expectations and computations. against them, as declared by them under oath. Candidates who have been given party tickets for elections are accused of grave crimes like culpable homicide, extortion, kidnapping and even murder. In Goa too we have time and again elected the same faces who have a criminal trackrecord. Decriminalisation of politics is the need of the hour.

Churchill for English Alvaro Colaco, Sancoale PWD Minister Churchill Alemao has woken up from deep slumber to come out in support for English as a Medium of Instruction.Why has Churchill begun to threaten Congress Party against ignoring English?

Is it because his arch rival Mickky Pacheco had come out in support of English much before, and had given support to the massive rally held in Panjim.Churchill should understand that Goans no longer require his support, as his assurances on Romi Konkani, his stand on Congress, support for Dabolim airport … at the time of elections, has failed the test of time.

Voluminous charge sheet Mathew Oommen, Pune Finally a voluminous charge sheet of 80,000

pages has been framed against A Raja and others by CBI under compulsion. The 2G scam, by the nature of its magnitude is the biggest financial cheating of the nation by any government that ruled this country. A matter of such large revenue from a technical source should not have been left in the hands of a minister from the coalition partner.

It is well known that a regional party like DMK, notorious of parochialism and regionalism has the least consideration and regards for the interest of the nation as a whole. It is for the reason of filling their coffers that these regional parties are bargaining for revenue centered departments. Now under the weight of expediency and truth, the national investigating agency, the CBI has been directed to frame a charge sheet which is notorious for its verbosity.

Instead of matters of evidence to be adduced in the trial court, the CBI has averred all those irrelevant details to make a charge sheet of 80,000 pages.

CBI throws up its hands S Kamat, Alto Betim The drug mafia and police nexus case was to have been handed by the Goa government to the CBI for investigation. It has

been reported that Mumbai office of the CBI have come back and told the High Court in Goa that they are overloaded with cases and do not have the necessary manpower for this case. This is rather surprising.

Instead of throwing up their hands, why are they not planning to add more staff?

Or is it that the UPA – 2 government at the centre is not up to allocating resources to investigate crime and corruption since they have an inherent interest in not having these cases tackled?

Mining trucks in disorder Michael Vaz, Merces The mining trucks have been such a source of disorder along the mining belt of the state that it needs little to emphasise further. Time and again, there have been a number of accidents mainly caused by the recklessness of the egoistic truckers. The accident that occurred at Khatodem on Saturday morning wherein a motorcyclist was knocked down and dragged for some 20 metres, is another case in point.

It would be fitting to draw the attention of the government on the move that was contemplated somewhere in February to streamline the activities of the mining trucks. It was stated therein that any two mining trucks would be required to maintain a minimum distance of 100 metres between them and that they would not overtake each other.

No one is bothered to follow the rules meticulously. Unless the government does a serious re-think, the lives of pedestrians and commuters will always be at risk.

GFA secretary Lucas D’Souza, Qatar/Verna It is over six months now since the GFA elections were held but the association is still to have a secretary. By trying to bring the ex-AIFF secretary through the backdoor, it makes a mockery of advertising and subsequent interviews for the post.

With the elevation of Mr Dempo to the top post, we thought that boardroom politics had vanished, but it looks like it still goes on by remote control. Proper procedures are to be followed to avoid costly litigations, later on.

Paths of Wisdom Parenting and childhood

By Kalidas Sawkar The boy came to the teacher a bit disturbed. He asked with frustration “Why my father does not teach me, when he is supposed to have been a good student.

The teacher first solved the boy’s difficulty and then said,“Your father has had his own childhood disturbed by a variety of problems that occur in a family system. He was typically an individualistic boy.

Such children should be guided and encouraged in honing their talents rather than ignoring or trying to divert their natural paths somewhere else.

For a growing child, its life is too precious and when desired strongly their learning should be channelled even if they may possibly fail to achieve their goal. Failures become worst when they are not allowed to be experienced.

Contrarily, they turn in positive results on child’s life.

At best, they do not blame their parents nor become sadists when dealing with their own children.

When this attitude propagates across generations, the society itself suffers and turns highly conservative and corrosive.

What was good for my father and me, is good for you, is the worst approach in dealing with new generations especially one which wants to branch out.

This would make the family tree grow stronger and more robust like a banyan tree.

In this age, with multiple opportunities old trades, careers and concepts change with changing environment.

The world is accepting individualism in a pragmatic way without the bond between a father and his son being cut.

Sometimes, the inheritance of family trade and ideological concepts has to be cut to liberate the society from shackles of conservatism which happens to be a bane of this nation.

(Source: Kaliyug ki kahania)

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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‘Unseasonal rains have not affected crops’ HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

The Agriculture department today claimed that unseasonal rains that lashed Goa on Sunday evening have not affected the crops in the State.

“There are no complaints of crop loss as of now. But if the rains persist, then crops are likely to suffer damages,” agriculture director Satish Tendulkar said.

The State experienced unexpected heavy showers along the Western Ghats and its foothills in Sattari, Sanguem and Canacona, apart from other places. Interestingly, paddy cultivation which is largely carried out in these areas is not af-

fected a bit.

Tendulkar confirmed that paddy cultivation in Quepem, Sanguem, Ponda and Valpoi are almost getting ready for harvesting.

“Neither rains nor pest or disease outbreak has been reported during the pest surveillance inspection. The crop is healthy,” the director said.

Similarly, vegetables, and fruit bearing trees including mango and cashew also escaped rain damage. Agriculture experts say that mango and cashew crop is in fruiting stage and crop production has just started.

It may be recalled that the rains witnessed in October 2009

Met office predicts more rain HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, APRIL 11

The thundershowers that took everyone by surprise on Sunday evening are likely to reoccur during next couple of days, officials said on Monday.

Indian Meteorological Observatory Goa in-charge K V Singh said that the thundershowers that hit the State were due to upper air circulation in Marathwada to Karnataka region.

He said that the phenomenon continues and now it is between Lakshadweep to Konkan region.

As per the data on IMD’s website, Goa reported one cm rain

on Sunday evening.

Singh said that for next two to three days it might rain in the State. “It may not be continuous and may rain alternate days”, he added.

For next 24 hours, the Department has predicted light rain or thundershowers in some parts of the State.

The minimum and maximum temperatures which were 34 and 25 degree Celsius have now dropped a little to 33 and 24 degrees Celsius in the State.

Singh said that the humidity has also increased resulting in uneasiness.

34-yr-old seriously hurt in Chicalim mishap

The damaged taxi at Chicalim.

HERALD REPORTER VASCO, APRIL 11

A 34-year-old man from Chicalim was seriously injured in a headon collision between two vehicles near Chicalim slope on Monday afternoon.

According to Vasco Police, the victim has been identified as Damodar Redkar.

The accident occurred when Redkar, who was proceeding towards Chicalim on his Pulsar motorcycle (GA-06-11-1758), collided against black and yellow taxi (GA-03-K-3058), which was proceeding from the opposite direction.

Photo by M Prabhav

The taxi driver claimed that he was slightly outside middle of the road but he was very slow when the accident occurred.

“The oncoming motorcycle rammed against the taxi. The victim sustained grievous head injury,” said taxi driver Mohan Mavlankar (59) from Mapusa.

Vasco Police informed that the victim, who sustained grievous head injuries, was rushed to a nearby private hospital, where he is undergoing treatment.

Vasco Police have registered a case of accident and detained the taxi driver.

Barcem VP to oppose ashram project HERALD CORRESPONDENT QUEPEM, APRIL 11

The special Gram Sabha of Barcem-Khedem Panchayat on Sunday resolved to oppose the proposed ashram project at Nadalle-Gokuldem in Quepem taluka.

Claiming that all the activities at the project site are suspicious, the Gram Sabha unanimously passed a resolution stating that they “don’t want the ashram in the village”.

The villagers stated that except for applications requesting for NOC to construct road and temporary bamboo huts, bathrooms, farm houses and digging of well and supply of electricity till Sunday, the ashram officials had not submitted any plans or documents to the panchayat.

“Further, the caretaker of the ashram property has been threatening the locals and filing bogus police complaints against the villagers. The ashram officials had also made allegation against the sarpanch for demanding bribe of Rs 60 lakh. The villagers don’t want the ashram in our village,” voiced the villagers.

The panchayat secretary informed the villagers that the Gram Sabha held on February 27, 2011, had taken a resolution that till detailed project report and plan are placed before the Gram Sabha, panchayat should not issue any NOC to construction of the ashram.

“Till Sunday, no plans and other documents are submitted to the panchayat by the ashram officials,” informed the panchayat secretary.

“The property caretakers are

threatening the villagers, who visit there for their day-to-day agricultural activity. Besides, his agents are filing bogus cases against the villagers,” claimed Soiru Velip, a resident.

Velip also showed the diagrams and plan about the project, which was uploaded on the internet.

Prabhakar Velip said: “Activities are going on at the site without taking permissions from the panchayat. We suspect that it may be some kind of terrorist activities. Therefore, police should keep a watch on these activities.”

had hit the cashew cultivation.

Cashew trees began flowering in September 2009 when the month was dry, but, ceaseless rainfall in the later month damaged the flower before it could mature.

While cashew plantation is more in hilly areas like Sanguem, Canacona, Quepem and Sattari, mango plantation is more seen in Tiswadi, Ponda and some parts of Salcette talukas.

Meanwhile, the area under vegetables cultivation, according to the Information Department, has shown a marginal increase especially in crops like watermelon, brinjal, chillies, radish, etc.

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India is sitting on powder keg of corruption, says Nitish PTI PATNA, APRIL 11

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said India was sitting

on the powder keg of corruption and stressed that the country needs a spark to ignite a revolution as witnessed from the

huge public response to social activist Anna Hazare's demands for a strong anti-graft bill.

"India is sitting on the powder keg of corruption. The people have united against corruption and now people in power should read and understand the writing on the wall. People are not going to tolerate corruption any more," Kumar said at a function after laying foundation of the 'Satyagraha Bhavan' on the premises of Gandhi Museum here yesterday.

"The country only needs a spark to ignite a revolution, as was evident from the massive public response to anti-corruption effort of Gandhian Anna Hazare," he said.

Turning to his initiative to fight corruption, Kumar said members of his cabinet and officials from Grade III to Grade I have given details of assets on

the website.

"We have enacted a law and have started sending corrupt public servants not only behind the bars, but have also taken legal steps to confiscate their properties," he said.

"We have launched a campaign to open schools in the houses of the corrupt," he said.

Kumar said Satyagraha Bhavan here would soon be constructed and would house things associated with the 1917 Champaran Satyagraha of Mahatma Gandhi to serve as inspiration for the youths.

"The legacies of both Gandhi and Jaiprakash Narayan were eternal," Kumar said adding that the replica of the spectacles of Mahatma, crafted by Sanjay Sinha of Munger, would be in a unique possession of the proposed bhawan.

Filing of criminal case by wife no ground for divorce: HC PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 12

The Delhi High Court has said filing of criminal cases by the wife would not constitute "mental cruelty" and declined to grant divorce to a man on the ground that his wife filed such cases to harass him and his family members following a matrimonial

dispute.

Justice Kailash Gambhir allowed an appeal filed by a woman challenging the trial court's order granting divorce on her husband's plea that he and his family members were facing criminal cases lodged by his wife, which constituted harassment and cruelty.

Blank firing at Rangiya to stop rampaging mob PTI GUWAHATI, APRIL 11

At least 22 people were injured and one of them hospitalised, as forces baton charged voters and fired in air twice to scare away a rampaging mob which torched a police vehicle in Rangiya constituency in the final and last phase of polling at 64 of the 126 Assam assembly seats today.

Sporadic incidents of violence were also reported from Mazbat, Sipajhar, Dhubri, Jagiroad and Samoguri seats, official sources said.

In the biggest incident at Rangiya constituency of Kamrup (Rural) district, seven persons including three women, were initially injured as BSF men started beating up some people at polling stations 53 to 56 in 72 Udayana L P School centre following rumour that rigging was taking place.

This infuriated people as a mob soon gathered, pelted stones, ransacked the polling booths, set ablaze one parked police vehicle and damaged three others, the sources said.

Police then baton charged the crowd and fired in the air but people refused to budge demanding that the BSF men remove their uniform and apologise to the public, sources said.

As the police fired in the air for the second time to scare away the protesters, 15 persons tripped while running away from the spot with one referred to the G M C Hospital.

Polling was stopped in the voting centre and election officials left with the EVMs and polling materials, they said.

The three BSF personnel were seen taken away by district Superintendent of Police Apurba Jiban Barua with their hands tied with a cloth.

At Mazbat constituency in Udalaguri district a police man allegedly touched a woman voter while trying to maintain the queue triggering protests.

According to SP Debajit Deuri, the policeman accidentally touched the woman voter.

Deuri said there was 'aggression' on the part of the police but on apologising to the people the situation was brought under control and voting continued uninterrupted.

Assam Minorities Students Union alleged police had physically manhandled as the voters protested.

In the same district's Bamunpargaon of Sipajhar and Samoguri, several persons received minor injuries in a clash between supporters of rival parties.

‘Nuclear families violate human rights of elderly’ PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

Increasing popularity of nuclear families is violating the human rights of senior citizens in India who end up living a lonely life, which in turn has a negative impact on their emotional and physical well being, says a recent study.

There is lack of awareness among older persons about their human rights and they face

discrimination due to old age, adds the pan India study conducted by Delhi-based NGO Agewell Foundation, which works for the welfare of the senior citizens.

It is based on a representative sample of 50,000 senior citizens (29000 from rural areas and 21000 from urban areas) spread across 300 districts covering 25 states and Union Territories.

From Page 1 Review concession

MONTH’S MIND In Loving Memory of

NAZARENO FERNANDES (Ex - Beira) Mozambique There will be an Eucharistic Celebration for the soul of our beloved late Nazareno Fernandes (Tomorrow) Wednesday,13th April 2011, at 7.00 am at St. Michael’s Church, Taleigao followed by prayers and blessing of the grave offered by his loving family.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We, the bereaved family of late Nazareno Fernandes express our deep gratitude and sincere thanks to all Priests, Neighbours, Relatives and Friends and all those who attended the funeral, offered prayers, floral tributes, condolences, rendered help and shared in our grief.

We regret our inability to thank each one individually. goanrites@gmail.com 9822122003 / 9822136397

The Government had granted 50 per cent concession in tickets to the student fraternity in 1978 after massive agitation by the students’ union in the State.

Tamankar said that the issue was also put forth before the Education and the Transport Department but there was no response.

“The bus owners have no issues in giving concession to genuine students on school or college routes but the misuse of the scheme should be banned”, he said.

The Association has also demanded that the bus operators be compensated towards the 50 per cent concession to students, through the Social Welfare Department.

In yet another demand, the Association has said that the Transport Director Arun Desai and two Assistant Directors who look after enforcement in both the districts should be transferred from their current posting.

The increased expenditure has also forced the Association to demand a hike in bus subsidy from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 3.50 lakh for purchase of new buses.

AGPBOA has also urged the Government to withdraw the collection of passenger tax in advance for the month of April. They have also sought permission for displaying advertisements on buses like those of Kadamba Transport Corporation Limited.

Michael back behind bars Kankavli area. “After the robbery, Maharashtra police had arrested two of the gang members before they could cross the border”, the officer said.

On March 30, one Nilesh Gauns had filed a complaint against the notorious gangster at Agassaim police station of threatening him at gun point.

Michael has a track record of jail breaks and in past he had managed to flee thrice.

He had confessed of accepting ‘supari’ to kill Home Minister Ravi Naik’s son Roy, has nearly 30 cases booked against him in Goa, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat and other parts of the country, which also includes three cases after his recent escape.

Meanwhile Goa police may move the Court seeking permission to handcuff Michael, following a spate of crimes registered against him. “Based on his crime record, we may move the Court seeking permission to handcuff him”, DySP Benaulikar said while replying to a question.

He said that Michael is guarded by six to seven policemen whenever he is taken out of the jail.

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India to grow at 8.5% despite poor IIP: Montek PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

Pinning hopes on smart recovery in the farm output, the Planning Commission today exuded confidence that the country would clock over 8.5 per cent economic expansion in 2010-11 despite moderation in industrial growth.

According to Planning Commission Dy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, more than the anticipated growth in the farm sector will make up for the shortfall in the industrial output.

"Yes, it will be because I think agriculture growth will be higher than the earlier forecast (of 5.4 per cent). I don't think that (industrial growth below 8 per cent level) will make a difference," he said when asked if the current level of industrial growth will be sufficient to achieve the projected 8.5 per cent GDP growth for 2010-11.

The Central Statistical Organization's advance estimates indicate that agriculture and

allied sectors are expected to grow at 5.4 per cent in 2010-11 compared to 0.4 per cent in the previous fiscal. It has also pegged the economic expansion at 8.6 per cent in 2010-11.

Earlier, Ahluwalia had said that an annual industrial growth of 8-9 per cent was necessary to achieve the targeted economy growth.

As per the provisional data released here, index of industrial production (IIP) has grown by 7.8 per cent during AprilFebruary period in 2010-11 compared to 10 per cent in the same period in the previous fiscal.

The industrial growth has been showing a steady declining trend since it peaked at 15.08 per cent in July.

The IIP number slipped to 6.9 per cent in August and 4.4 per cent in September. Some ray of hope was seen when the IIP growth crossed 11 per cent in the month of October. But after that it has declined significantly.

The industry grew by 3.6 per cent in November and 2.53 per cent in December. Despite the marginal recovery in January and February with IIP growth at 3.9 and 3.7 per cent, respectively, there have been fears that annual industrial growth may lag behind the target and drag the economic growth.

But now the unexpected spurt in farm production may fill for the gap created by slow industrial activity.

Meanwhile, Ahluwalia has expressed hope that industry would record a robust growth of 9 per cent during the current fiscal.

"In 2011-12 we can get growth rate of industry, which is something of the order of 9 per cent or so," he added.

On farm sector growth, Ahluwalia said, "It is not possible to repeat the agriculture growth rate (of 5.4 per cent of last fiscal) in 2011-12, as you will be seeing a base level effect also."

FDDI to be functional

by Sept PTI JODHPUR, APRIL 11

The seventh Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI) of the country, to be set up here, will be functional by September this year.

The national level admission test for the limited courses of the institute has already begun, FDDI Executive Director Deepak Mittal said.

This institute is yet another landmark addition to the array of the premier institutes, which have already started their functioning in Jodhpur, he said.

To be set up at a cost of Rs 100 crore by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, this premier design institute will provide a range of professional courses in the field of footwear design, leather goods and accessories designing, retail management, technology, fashion merchandising, visual merchandising, marketing, creative designing and computer added designing, he said.

Govt to issue biometric PAN cards PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

The government has decided to issue biometric PAN cards to taxpayers across the country to weed out the problem of duplicate and fake ones.

The decision was taken recently by the Finance Ministry and it comes in the wake of a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report that asked the Income Tax department to ensure that a single tax payer is not issued multiple cards.

The proposed new biometric Permanent Account Number (PAN) cards would bear the I-T assessee' fingerprints (two from each hand) and the face.

There could be an option to existing PAN card holders to opt for the biometric cards, but it may not be mandatory, a senior official in the I-T department said.

The Finance Ministry and the I-T department had put on hold the biometric PAN card project last year to avoid duplication with the UID numbers to be issued by Nandan Nilekani's Unique Identity Authority of India (UIDAI).

"The bioemetric PAN card project is on again. The step will be very important when it comes to stopping the misuse of this vital identity document," top sources in the Finance Ministry said.

The biometric PAN card was proposed by the then Finance Minister P Chidambaram in 2006 to counter the problem of duplicate PAN cards which were uncovered during I-T searches and raids by police and other enforcement agencies.

The CAG report for 2010-11 on direct taxes, tabled in Parliament recently, has revealed that 958 lakh (95.8 million) PANs were issued up to March 2010 but I-T returns filed in the last fiscal were only 340.9 lakh (34.09 million).

The gap between PAN holders and the number of returns filed was 617.1 lakh (61.7 million), the CAG has said.

Suggesting the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to identify the reasons for the gap and use the information to enhance the assessee base, the CAG has said it may be due to issuance of multiple PAN cards and death of some PAN card holders.

"The (I-T) department needs to put in place appropriate controls to weed out the duplicate PANs and also update the position in respect of deceased assessees," the report has said.

The plan has been set rolling for issuance of biometric PAN cards, according to sources. It is expected that the first such cards could be issued by late this year, they said.

Tata Power bags Rs 1,000 cr order PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

In one of the biggest private sector engagement in the defence sector, Tata Power has bagged an over Rs 1,000 crorecontract from the Indian Air Force for modernisation of its 30 airfields.

Tata Power has received the order to modernise the Airfield Infrastructure of Indian Air Force from the Ministry of De-

A port worker cycles past a ship transporting new gantry cranes, imported by the port authority for expansion work, in Colombo on Monday. The Sri Lanka Ports Authority imported 19 new gantry cranes at the cost of $65 million USD. Sri Lanka's economy expanded by 8% in 2010, off a low-based of 3.5% in 2009, following the end of decades long ethnic conflict.

Banana fibre for lasting currency notes PTI AHMEDABAD, APRIL 11

The Navsari Agriculture University (NAU) in Gujarat has standardised a process of manufacturing high value paper from Banana fibre, which it claims has the property of making currency notes lasting for about a century.

"We have standardised the process of making high value paper from the Banana fibre.

The paper has been tested in the Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology," Dr B N Kolambe, a scientist at Navsari Agriculture University (NAU) said.

"During the research it was found that paper made out of this fibre has shelf life of over 100 years as it is the strongest of the long fibres ever found amidst natural fibres. It can be folded for as many as 3,000 times," he said.

"This fibre has the potential to find application in making of the paper required for the

printing of currency notes," Kolambe said.

According to references in few leading journals we found that Japan uses Banana fibre to manufacture the paper required to print its currency Yen, he said.

Seconding his views, a RBI official said, "Banana fibre as an input raw material could be the secret behind the lasting currency of Japan, whereas the Indian currency is quite prone to getting soiled during transactions and has lower shelf life."

In the present set up, Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPCMIL) imports very high grade quality cotton rags and pulp to manufacture the paper required for currency, the official said on the condition of anonymity.

"If there is an indigenous alternative available which can reduce nation's dependence on imports of cotton rags, then possibility of its introduction

should be explored," the RBI official said.

SPCMIL, manufactures the paper on which the printing of Indian currency notes takes place and then circulates it amongst the various secured printing units across the country.

"The commercial application of Banana fibre is viable as its availability is not a constraint.

It is generated from stem of the plant which usually goes as waste and has no other application", Kolambe said.

"We estimate that from one hectare of Banana cultivation about 600 to 800 kilogram of fibre shall be available," he added.

The university has filed five different patents from various usage of Banana plant, which includes making of yarn for textiles, paper and candy.

The NAU has submitted the findings of its research on Banana plant to the National Agriculture Innovation Project

IndiaFirst Life crosses Rs 900 cr in new business PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

IndiaFirst Life Insurance, a joint venture between Bank of Baroda and Andhra Bank along with UK's leading risk, wealth and investment company Legal & General, today announced that the company had crossed Rs 900 crore in new business premium in the first 500 days of operations.

"With Rs 703-crore of new business in 2010-11 and Rs 200-crore in the 4.5 months of 2009-10, IndiaFirst crossed Rs 900 crore of total new business in exactly 500 days of commencement of business operations on November 16, 2009. This is the fastest run rate by any life insurance company in the country," IndiaFirst Life Insurance Managing Director & CEO, P Nandagopal told reporters here.

IndiaFirst is the fastest to achieve Rs 100 crore in just 100 days of operations, Rs 200 crore in 4.5 months of operations, and over Rs 300 crore in under 9 months from incep-

tion, resulting in the highest ever start-up phase productivity in the industry.

The company has covered 1.2 million lives during this period. The Total Assets Under Management (AUM) with the

company at the close of 500 days was Rs 1,000 crore, Nandagopal said.

The company plans to launch health insurance plan and pension plan shortly.

"We had pension plan till September. Now we intend to launch new pension plan in Q2 FY 12 subject to new guidelines in place, Nandagopal said.

The company is also looking at launching health insurance plan shortly, he said.

The company aims to double

its business in FY 12 through increase in number of agents and branch network.

IndiaFirst has 350 licensed agents which will be increased to 1,000 agents. The company has further extended its distribution reach to all 4,800 branches of its partner banks to leverage the banks' existing database of over 50 million customers across 1000 cities/ towns.

The company launched Ask Apply Get (AAG) – an innovative and customer friendly over-the-counter process to buy life insurance in the most hassle free manner over the counter in 3 minutes across its partner bank branches of Bank of Baroda and Andhra Bank.

It also plans to launch its alternate distribution channel to further strengthen its reach.

Bank of Baroda holds a 44 per cent stake in IndiaFirst, while Andhra Bank and Legal & General hold a 30 per cent and 26 per cent stake respectively.

(NAIP), quoting the reference from journals on Japan using Banana fibre to manufacture its currency Yen. The project on Banana was funded by Indian Council of Agriculture Research. NAU was the lead university and CIRCOT, J K Paper Mills, Mantra Textile Institute, Surat were partners in the project with specific roles.

fence.

Sources said the contract is worth over Rs 1,000 crore and would be implemented in a two-phases over a period of around four years. It would cover about 30 air fields.

This would probably be the largest defence contract awarded through a global tender process, another source said.

APPOINTMENTS

While PAN is a 10-digit alphanumeric number allotted by the I-T department to taxpay-

ers, biometrics uses biological method to identify physical features of an individual.

APPOINTMENTS

Biz10_Pg12 4/11/2011 10:18 PM Page 1

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Govt steps likely to bring down inflation: Pranab PTI KOLKATA, APRIL 11

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that while food inflation has come down, it still remained a matter of grave concern and steps are being taken to bring it down.

"Food inflation has come down from 20 per cent in February 2010 to 8.9 per cent in March 2011. But still it is very high," Mukherjee said here today.

He said that all the neces-

sary economic measures had been taken to bring down inflation. "We have taken both demand and supply side measures to bring inflation down."

He said that while there is a short supply in food production, "measures have been taken to improve the supply position."

Besides, to curb the excessive demand, spurred by rise in disposable income at middle class level, the RBI has been

mopping up excess liquidity by varying the repo and reverse repo rates from time to time.

"I hope these two measures will have a sobering effect on inflation", he said.

The government has revised its inflation forecast for the period ending March 31 to 7.5 per cent from 7 per cent due to a host of problems, including high crude prices. This, however, is still lower than the RBI estimates of inflation at 8 per cent for the given period.

Sun-Merck form JV PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Indian pharma major Sun Pharmaceutical Industries today announced a 50:50 strategic joint venture partnership with global drugmaker Merck and Co Inc to develop, manufacture and commercialise new innovative drugs in emerging markets (EMs) over the next 2-3 years.

The JV evaluating a name for the proposed entity that will develop new combinations and formulations in Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Eastern Europe, West Asia and Africa.

JSW Steel posts record prod in Q4 PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Steel major, JSW Steel, today said that it has recorded its highest-ever quarterly crude steel production of 1.72-million tonnes in Q4 FY 11.

The company also said that it has clocked its highest-ever quarterly production of 1.32million tonnes of rolled flat products. Its crude steel production stood at 1.72-million tonnes in Q4 FY 11, up 8% as against the year-ago period.

Production of its rolled products flat grew 36 per cent at 1.32-million tonnes as compared to the year-ago period while its rolled products long production stood at 0.28-million tonnes, the release said.

In FY 11, the company's crude steel production stood at 6.51-million tonnes, up nine per cent over the year-ago period. Its rolled products flat production grew 33% at 4.94million tonnes as compared to the year-ago period while its rolled products long production expanded 18% at 1.13-million tonnes.

Rajasthan Tourism department will promote rural tourism sites in the 4th edition of the Great Indian Travel Bazaar (GITB), which is slated to be held here from April 17, an official said today.

"During the three-day GITB, the department will promote rural tourism sites, its eco parks, and sanctuaries, temple towns besides, the traditionally popular places, products, fairs and festivals and luxury trains. We will also

highlight our initiative on promotion of adventurebased activities during the meetings," Principal Secretary and Commissioner Department of Tourism Usha Sharma said.

"To ensure committed Business to Business meetings, photo identity cards and security deposits from foreign tour operators will also be introduced from this year. The event will be a congregation of around 237 FTOs from across 55 countries. The event will showcase as many as 1,200

tourism products of India," she said.

Over 500 key tourism product servers have confirmed their participation in the event.

Furthermore, the structured interactive sessions during the mart will give an opportunity for brainstorming on potential of India as a tourist destination, she added.

The objective of the event is to reinforce the country as a world class tourism destination, opportunity to interact with the foreign buyers, registered Indian servers, policy

NPCIL records 200% jump in profit after tax PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Nuclear Power Corporation of India today reported a massive 200 per cent jump in its Profit After Tax at Rs 1248-crore in FY 11 against 416.41-crore in the year-ago period primarily on the back of easing of Uranium supply from both imported and domestic sources to the nuclear plants.

Its net sales from operations jumped 56.77 per cent at Rs 5966-crore in FY 11 as against Rs 3806crore in the year-ago period, Jagdeep Ghai, director, Finance of NPCIL told media.

The total revenue (including other income) vaulted 52 per cent at Rs 6820-crore as against Rs 4479-crore, Ghai said.

During the year ending March 31, the Company has achieved its highest ever generation of 26472 million units of electrical energy, which was about 40 per cent higher than the previous year, Ghai said.

"There is not much constraint about fuel availability (uranium), which had resulted

PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

Poor performance of manufacturing and mining sectors pulled down the industrial growth rate to 3.6 per cent in February, but experts do not see any softening of monetary policy by the Reserve Bank as inflation is still above the comfort level.

The factory output, measured in terms of the index of industrial production (IIP), dipped to 3.6 per cent in February from 15.1 per cent a year ago.

This was due to slippages in performance of capital goods and basic goods sector, though consumer goods sector continued to post good results.

The deceleration in IIP, according to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, will not impact the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate, estimated at 8.6 per cent during 2010-11, as the shortfall will be made up by robust farm sector growth.

"Annual inflation remains...well in excess of the central bank’s medium term target of 4-5 per cent. Further interest rate increases later this year remain likely. Despite subdued industrial production results, hawkish rhetoric from senior RBI representatives in the past month suggests the next interest rate increase could come as early as 3 May," Moody's Analytics senior economist Matt Robinson said.

He, however, said that the country's growth prospects remain solid though the continuous rate hikes since the past one year will ensure industrial

Hero Cycles enters into retail tie-up

Raj Tourism eyes rural tourism PTI JAIPUR, APRIL 11

IIP dips to 3.6% in Feb

in lower utilisation during the last several years, thereby resulting in sharp rise in generation," he said.

"Further, during the year, the commercialisation of the 220 MW capacity Unit 4 at Kaiga in Karnataka and completion of Enmass coolant channel activities at Narora Atomic power station also contributed to the increased production," he said.

The capacity factor also in-

creased to 71 per cent for the year, as compared to 61 per cent for the previous financial year.

Other contributing factors for higher production include , Unit 2 of Tarapur Atomic Power station established a new record of continuous operation , by running for 590 days and the Units 2 of Madras Atomic

Sensex falls 189 points PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

The BSE Sensex fell 189 points to 19,262.54 today, declining for the fifth day in a row as industrial growth showed a sharp dip amid weak global markets and high oil prices.

There was heavy selling in realty, auto, consumer durables and refinery counters.

The government data today showed that growth in Index of Industrial Production (IIP) dipped to 3.6 per cent, from 15.1 per cent in the same period a year ago.

The decline, coupled with high food inflation and soaring high crude oil prices, worried investors who are already expecting a further hike in RBI's policy rates next month.

Power Station, Units 1 and 2 of Kakrapar Power station and units 3 and 4 of Rajasthan power plants and units 1 and 2 of Kaiga plants clocked more than a year continuous operation, Ghai said.

Ghai also pointed out that efficient treasury management has resulted in lower borrowing cost and higher return on investments.

Other income for the year has increased to Rs 853 crore as compared Rs 672 crore for the previous year.

On the liquidity and investment, Ghai said the company follows a conservative investment policy and invests in high quality Debt instruments in Fixed Deposits with banks.

"As on March 31, an amount of Rs 8833 crore was invested in fixed deposits, he added.

The company supplies power to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Utter Pradesh.

The company's tariff works out to an average of Rs 2.52 per unit.

Aban Offshor, 697, 697, 676, 679.8 Abb Ltd., 803.95, 803.95, 790, 801 Abg Shipyard, 394.45, 395, 385.25, 389.9 Acc Limited, 1120.85, 1120.85, 1093.1, 1097.1 Adani Enterp, 653.9, 653.9, 643.15, 649.3 Aditya Birla, 889.1, 896.25, 870.4, 882.55 Allahabad Ba, 221, 223.95, 218.1, 221.9 Alstom Proje, 608.5, 614, 590.5, 592 Ambuja Cemen, 148.05, 151, 147.2, 149 Andhra Bank, 148.95, 149.3, 146, 146.45 Ashok Leylan, 55.1, 56, 51.5, 55.05 Asian Paints, 2555, 2579.05, 2540.25, 2566.5 Axis Bank Li, 1437.2, 1439.9, 1403.95, 1409.85 Bajaj Hindus, 80.35, 81.75, 78.2, 79.4 Bank Of Baro, 960.15, 973.15, 957.25, 964.1 Bank Of Indi, 478.1, 485, 474.5, 477.2 Beml Limited, 734.95, 746.45, 720.55, 722.85 Bharat Elect, 1824.95, 1864, 1803.05, 1835.15 Bharat Forge, 357.85, 357.9, 350.5, 352.25

makers and investors, the commissioner said.

The event is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Tourism government of India, Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).

National and regional associations like Hotel and Restaurant Association (HRAR), Indian Heritage Hotels Association (IHRA) and Rajasthan Association of Tour Operators (RATO) are supporting the event.

Denny's to open outlet in India PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Leading US restaurant brand Denny's, part of EGS Group, is looking at opening its outlet in India in mid-2012, a top company executive today said.

"We have already done our market entry study for Denny's and are in advance stage of talks with several companies for entering into franchise partnership. We are hoping to finalise our deal soon and open first outlet by mid 2012," EGS Chief Executive William Edwards, who is part of US Franchising Trade Mission to India, told reporters here.

The company, which has done away with pork and beef from its menu, will customise its menu for India.

Denny's, which has 2,100 outlets across the world, grants licence for a minimum of 10 units that requires an investment of about USD 5 million.

EGS, which has 15 international brands, is also planning to bring two other brands Molly Maids and Rita's Italian Ice - to India.

Edwards said the company has done market study for organised maid service and found that there is a market for it in India.

Bharat Petro, 589.5, 592.7, 586.15, 587.5 Bharti Airte, 361.9, 366.3, 359, 362.45 Bhel, 2201.25, 2237, 2186, 2197.05 Bhushan Stee, 477, 497, 476.05, 493.65 Biocon Limit, 370.5, 377.8, 365.25, 372.85 Bombay Dyein, 400, 400, 385.9, 388.2 Bosch Limite, 6525.1, 6675, 6470, 6500.7 Brigade Ente, 98.3, 100.2, 98.3, 99 Cairn India, 347, 349.8, 345.1, 346.25 Canara Bank, 633.2, 642.95, 626.35, 641.8 Central Bank, 144.5, 144.95, 141.5, 142.95 Century Text, 371, 371, 360.3, 364.8 Cesc Ltd, 307.75, 316, 305.95, 313.35 Chambal Fert, 84.75, 87.15, 83.1, 84.8 Chennai Petr, 241, 242.6, 230.6, 233.4 Cipla Ltd, 318, 321.9, 317.5, 319.45 Colgate Palm, 849.95, 854, 840.25, 848.7 Container Co, 1220, 1228.8, 1207, 1216.3 Crompton Gre, 280.95, 282.6, 274, 275.85 Cummins Indi, 685, 688.5, 671.1, 673.5 Dabur India, 101, 103.85, 101, 102.6 Deccan Chron, 84.05, 84.4, 78.7, 80.95 Dish Tv Indi, 68.9, 68.9, 66.5, 67.95 Divi’s Labor, 688.95, 721.65, 686.4, 706.6 Dlf Limited, 258, 258.85, 249.65, 250.4

PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Bicycle-maker, Hero Cycles, today announced a strategic tie-up with Pantaloon Retail India's sports division to market and sell its new range of high- quality premium bicycles.

This association would enable Hero Cycles to display their merchandise and make their new range of premium bicycles available across Planet Sports and its Shop-in-Shop formats within Central, Pantaloons, Brand Factory and Sports Warehouse across all metros and Tier I cities.

"The tie-up is aligned with Hero Cycles strategy to address the premium bicycle market, while continuing to be the market leader in the mass segment through its brand loyalty," Hero Cycles' MD, S K Rai, said.

production remains subdued in the first half of 2011.

The Reserve bank has already hiked policy rates eight times since March 2010 to tame inflationary pressure. The overall inflation in February was 8.31 per cent.

It has remained above the 8 per cent mark since February 2010 and renewed concerns have been expressed over rising crude prices on account of the conflict in Libya. Global crude prices passed the USD 112 per barrel rate during the weekend as the unrest in Libya, an OPEC member, continued.

RBI's next quarterly meeting is to take place on May 3.

Meanwhile, the IIP for January 2011, has been revised upwards to 3.95 per cent, from 3.7 per cent.

During April-February period of current fiscal, industrial growth slowed to 7.8 per cent, from 10 per cent in the same period of the previous financial year.

Asked whether the below 8 per cent industrial growth would be sufficient to clock 8.5 per cent GDP growth this fiscal, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia replied, "Yes, it will because I think agriculture growth will be higher than the earlier forecast (of 5.4 per cent)."

Crisil chief economist D K Joshi said that industrial production would remain subdued for another month or two.

"The slower growth is due to a combination of factors -higher base and slowing of investments. However, we expect industrial growth to average around 7.7 per cent

Aquatech bags re-cycle project PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Aquatech today said that it has been awarded a complete turnkey EPC contract for a 10,000 cubic metres/day waste and sewage treatment and recycle project for the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai.

Aquatech is a global leader in water purification technology for industrial and infrastructure markets with a focus on desalination, water re-use and zero liquid discharge.

To meet the demands of a rapid growth in international flight operations and passenger traffic, a new terminal building--the Common User Terminal (CUT)--is being planned as a part of the expansion and modernisation of the airport facility, a press release

L&T electric eyes Rs 4.5k cr Rev PTI

MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Engineering major, Larsen & Toubro (L&T), is eyeing a revenue of Rs 4,500-crore this fiscal from its electrical and automation division business which manufactures switchgears, metering systems, petrol dispensing pumps and medical equipment, among others.

"If we add (the turnover of) all our foreign subsidiaries, then by end-this fiscal (FY 12), we will touch consolidated revenues of Rs 4,500-crore," L&T's Senior Vice-President (Electrical and Automation), Sharat C Bhargava, told PTI here.

The company which clocked a Rs 3,675-crore revenue in FY 10 is yet to declare its FY 11 result.

The Indian market contributes 70 per cent to the company's revenue while the balance comes from overseas, he said.

L&T owns a 30 per cent share in the Indian electrical and automation market. It has manufacturing units in Navi Mumbai, Ahmednagar, Mysore, Powai and Coimbatore.

Dr. reddy’s, 1631, 1633.05, 1600.5, 1614.15 Edelweiss Ca, 39.75, 39.95, 38.7, 38.9 Educomp Solu, 466.4, 466.4, 440, 444.55 Eih Limited, 86.1, 88.85, 86.1, 88 Engineers In, 303.1, 308, 295.45, 306.5 Essar Oil Lt, 140, 143.9, 134.25, 135.75 Essar Shippi, 113.65, 116.3, 108.2, 108.2 Exide Indust, 143, 145.75, 140.25, 142 Federal Bank, 425.05, 426, 413.15, 418.8 Financial Te, 885.05, 885.05, 868.1, 871.85 Gail (india), 471.9, 473.4, 461.1, 464.2 Gammon India, 124.15, 124.55, 119.5, 120.8 Glaxosmithkl, 2185, 2192.1, 2132.25, 2147.75 Glenmark Pha, 298, 298.9, 290.9, 293.85 Gmr Infrastr, 42, 42, 41.05, 41.65 Godrej Indus, 185.95, 186.8, 181.25, 182.55 Grasim Indus, 2537, 2559, 2512.2, 2533.75 Great Offsho, 280, 285, 277.2, 279.25 Gtl Infra.Lt, 37.8, 38.85, 37.05, 37.8 Gujarat Mine, 137.8, 141.9, 137.2, 139.55

Gujarat N R, 53.2, 55.7, 52.4, 55.1 Gujarat Stat, 100.9, 100.9, 99.65, 100.1 Gvk Pow. & I, 28.85, 28.85, 27.8, 27.9 Hcl Technolo, 484.05, 494.4, 480.05, 491.3 Hdfc Bank Lt, 2325.2, 2337.55, 2288.6, 2296.05 Hdfc Ltd, 698.3, 706.35, 688.3, 690.15 Hero Honda M, 1645, 1657.5, 1624.05, 1638.3 Hindalco in, 207.95, 210.6, 205.9, 207.4 Hindustan Co, 39.5, 39.65, 38.2, 38.35 Hindustan Ma, 61.15, 63.8, 61.15, 62.1 Hindustan Pe, 348.95, 351, 342.2, 345.35 Hindustan Un, 275.9, 278.8, 272.4, 273.65 Hindustan Zi, 144, 149, 144, 146.25 Housing Dev, 187, 187, 180.1, 182.55 Icici Bank L, 1085, 1108.4, 1085, 1100.6 Idea Cellula, 65.1, 65.65, 63, 65.3 Ifci Ltd, 55.4, 55.4, 54.2, 54.4 India Cement, 99.95, 100.85, 98.8, 99.3 India Infoli, 79, 79, 75.95, 76.3 Indiabulls F, 163.45, 166.7, 159, 162.7 Indiabulls R, 140, 143.7, 137.25, 140.15 Indian Bank, 228.65, 232.85, 225, 229.2 Indian Hotel, 88.95, 90.25, 86.3, 87.9

for the whole fiscal," he said.

Joshi said industrial growth may pick up by April or May but added that he do not foresee any halt by the Reserve Bank in its monetary tightening policy.

"Inflation is still at an uncomfortable level. So RBI will continue its current policy and we can expect another round of rate hikes in May," he said.

Yes Bank chief economist Shubhada Rao said: "For sustained growth, we need to see stronger traction in investment cycle.

"Higher input costs as well as tightening interest rates are expected to moderate the industrial growth going forward.

However, we expect IIP figures to pick up in the second half of the current fiscal," she said.

Rao added that low IIP numbers are the result of a high base.

"We expect an average IIP between 7 and 7.5 per cent in the current fiscal," she said, adding that RBI is likely to hike the repo and reverse repo rates by 25 basis points each in its next two reviews.

Factory output was low in February as capital goods contracted by 18.4 per cent. The sector had expanded by a robust growth of 46.7 per cent in February, 2010.

In February, manufacturing growth plummeted to 3.5 per cent from 16.1 per cent during the same period a year ago.

However, production in the consumer non-durables segment went up by 6.1 per cent during the month under review. It had contracted by 0.8 per cent in the same period of 2010.

Its overseas business comprises manufacturing units in China and Dubai as well as a joint venture in Saudi Arabia for manufacture and marketing of switchboards and motor control centres. Besides, L&T has switchgear-making units in Malaysia, Indonesia, China and Australia.

"We expect to grow around 15-20 per cent this fiscal as there is an improvement in the power, agriculture and infrastructure sectors," Bhargava said.

"The real estate and agriculture sectors are improving, which brings demand for switchgear for homes, circuitbreakers and wiring accessories," he said, adding the average investment of E&A every year for the next fiveyears is Rs 200-crore.

L&T plans to ramp-up its existing units at Coimbatore and Ahmednagar to cater to growing demand.

"As of today, none of our capacities are under-utilised and if you look at future demand, naturally we need to plan for more capacities. We will increase the capacity of our

Indian Oil C, 330, 331, 325, 325.25 Indian Overs, 150.4, 154.4, 150.25, 151 Indus Dev Ba, 144.9, 146.1, 142.4, 144.65 Indusind Ban, 269.25, 276.6, 268.95, 274.3 Infosys Tech, 3195.3, 3261.8, 3181, 3241.6 Infra. dev., 159, 159, 152.75, 153.4 Ispat Indust, 23.75, 24.1, 23.6, 23.75 Itc Ltd, 184.1, 188, 183.65, 185 Ivrcl Infras, 90.5, 90.8, 86.2, 86.55 Jai Corp Lim, 189.05, 189.4, 182.15, 183.5 Jaiprakash A, 93.75, 93.85, 91.4, 91.75 Jet Airways, 465.1, 465.1, 455.5, 462.05 Jindal Saw L, 204.5, 204.55, 202, 202.75 Jindal Steel, 692.5, 699.1, 675.6, 679.35 Jsw Steel Li, 975, 976, 952.35, 956.85 Kotak Mahind, 440.2, 447, 440.2, 442.7 Lakshmi Mach, 2342, 2450, 2342, 2407.25 Lanco Infrat, 44.15, 44.15, 42.1, 42.45 Larsen & Tou, 1657.3, 1689.9, 1657.3, 1668.1 Lic Housing, 228.2, 228.4, 220.9, 221.75 Lupin Limite, 413.95, 413.95, 407.2, 408.95 Mahanagar Te, 48, 48.2, 46.75, 47.5 Mahindra & M, 725.25, 725.25, 707.65, 710

issued here stated.

In view of the scarcity of fresh water and to cater to the requirements of the expanding airport facilities, Aquatech's wastewater re-cycle system, based on their state-of-the-art technologies, will treat the raw sewage for the purpose of recycle and re-use.

Aquatech will also subsequently operate and maintain the facility, the release said.

Complete implementation of the plant from design to commissioning will be executed in a 14-month period.

A key challenge for Aquatech is to accommodate the facility within a very limited space available and the completion of the turnkey project within a limited time without disturbing airport operations.

...March numbers to be low: Basu PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

The government today said it expects the country's industrial output growth to remain low in March, continuing the trend of the previous few months, but looked forward to a sharp recovery in factory output numbers during April.

"Our expectation is that the next month (March) will not be a good month. So there is one more difficult month ahead for us which is the month of March...we will see no growth in the industrial sector. But I do expect a big turnaround in the month of April," Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu told reporters here.

He said "a big rebound" is expected in the April numbers, the results for which will be out in June.

Basu's comment came following release of the latest data which showed the factory output, measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), dipping to 3.6 per cent in February as against 15.1 per cent in the same month of last year.

Poor performance of manufacturing and mining sectors pulled down the industrial growth rate in February.

During April-February period of 2010-11 fiscal, industrial growth slowed to 7.8 per cent, from 10 per cent in the same period of the previous financial year.

The government also revised the IIP for January to 3.95 per cent from the earlier estimate of 3.7 per cent.

These figures follow similar kind of low growth in factory output witnessed in November 2010 when it rose by 2.7 per cent and December (2.53 per cent).

BOARD MEETINGS Adinath Bio Compact Disc Automotive Axle Geojit BNP Beckons Inds Gujarat Terce S&S Power Source: Indiainfoline.com

MF FUNDA TATA MUTUAL FUND has declared dividend under Tata Equity P/E Fund for both the options A and B. The quantum of dividend for distribution will be Rs 1.50 and Rs 3 per unit under option A and option B respectively. Tata Equity P/E Fund is an open ended equity fund with an investment objective to generate reasonable and regular income along with possible capital appreciation to its unit holders. The record date for dividend distribution is April 13, 2011.

ICICI PRUDENTIAL MUTUAL FUND has launched a new open ended scheme named ICICI Prudential MIP 5. The new fund offer period is open from April 14 to 27, 2011, with the offer price of Rs 10 per unit. The investment objective of the scheme is to generate regular income through investments in fixed income securities. An exit load of 1 per cent will be charged if the units are redeemed or switched out within 1 year from the date of allotment. The performance of the scheme will be benchmarked against Crisil MIP Blended Index and it will be managed by Chaitanya Pande and Mrinal Singh.

EDELWEISS MUTUAL FUND has announced the revision of the name of Edelweiss Income Advantage Fund. The scheme is now to be renamed as Edelweiss Monthly Income Plan. Along with the change in the name, there will be change in the features of the fund. The scheme plans to allocate 70 to 100 per cent of its assets in debt and money market instruments and up to 30 per cent of its assets in equity and equity related instruments. An exit load of 1 per cent will be chargeable if the units are redeemed within 365 days from the date of allotment. The change will be in effect from May 6, 2011.

ICICI PRUDENTIAL MUTUAL FUND has announced the revision of the exit load structure under ICICI Prudential Top 100 Fund.

As per the revised structure, an exit load of 1 per cent will be chargeable if the units are redeemed or switched out within one year from the date of allotment. ICICI Prudential Top 100 Fund is an open ended fund with an investment objective to generate long-term capital appreciation from a portfolio that is invested predominantly in equity and equity related securities. The revised structure will be effective from April 11, 2011.

Maruti Suzuk, 1250, 1254.1, 1231, 1237.6 Max India Lt, 166, 169.2, 163.45, 167.05 Moser-baer (, 44.1, 46.15, 44, 44.45 Mrpl, 72.5, 72.6, 69.5, 69.85 Nagarjuna Fe, 30.9, 30.95, 30.05, 30.2 National Alu, 97, 97.5, 96.1, 96.7 Neyveli Lign, 110.9, 116.2, 109.4, 112.5 Ntpc Ltd, 184.1, 186.35, 182.75, 183.8 Oil And Natu, 288.9, 289, 279.1, 282.9 Omaxe Limite, 138.8, 139.95, 136.4, 136.65 Oriental Ban, 377, 383, 371.05, 380.15 Pantaloon Re, 285, 286.9, 278.3, 281.8 Parsvnath De, 46.1, 47, 45.5, 46.05 Petronet Lng, 127.8, 130.65, 127, 128.85 Power Fin Co, 256.7, 256.7, 246.1, 250.35 Power Grid C, 104.05, 104.95, 103.6, 104.25 Praj Industr, 81.8, 82.9, 79, 79.25 Punj Lloyd L, 74.15, 74.85, 72, 72.3 Punjab Natio, 1190, 1203.1, 1180.65, 1188.9 Rajesh Expor, 103.75, 104.9, 101, 101.9 Ranbaxy Labs, 465.55, 469.5, 456.75, 459.2

Rashtriya Ch, 85.5, 87.1, 83.4, 83.9 Reliance Cap, 607.2, 616, 598.75, 608.85 Reliance Com, 109.35, 109.35, 106.55, 107.05 Reliance Ene, 1139, 1139, 1110, 1110 Reliance Ind, 679.3, 691.4, 664.65, 673.25 Reliance Ind, 1013, 1019.45, 1003.65, 1005.3 Reliance Pow, 131.8, 132.35, 129.55, 130.1 Rolta India, 149, 151.9, 147.05, 148.2 Satyam Compu, 77.8, 78.9, 76.3, 76.8 Sesa Goa Ltd, 312, 322.7, 310.65, 319.4 Shipping Cor, 114, 115.5, 113.45, 113.85 Siemens Ltd, 890, 890, 834.1, 840.35 Sintex Indus, 164, 168, 162, 162.65 Sobha Develo, 310.45, 310.95, 296.2, 297.7 State Bank O, 2779.7, 2798, 2762.5, 2784.2 Steel Author, 170.2, 170.5, 167.1, 167.55 Sterlite Ind, 173.15, 176.85, 173.15, 173.65 Sun Pharmace, 452.5, 454.9, 445.1, 450.4 Sun Tv Netwo, 440, 442, 430.05, 432.7 Suzlon Energ, 54.8, 56.7, 54.1, 54.4

Tata Communi, 243.35, 253.7, 243.35, 250.35 Tata Consult, 1180.15, 1195, 1175.3, 1178.4 Tata Motors, 1238, 1249.9, 1210.75, 1219.55 Tata Power C, 1330, 1343.65, 1305.35, 1318 Tata Steel L, 629, 634.9, 623.1, 624.95 Tata Teleser, 15.3, 18.2, 15.3, 17.85 Tech Mahindr, 736.1, 746.5, 729, 729.6 The Ge Shpg., 283, 285, 274, 276.9 The Phoenix, 195, 205, 195, 200.25 Thermax Ltd, 690, 718, 690, 705.2 Titan Indust, 3912.5, 3912.5, 3784.1, 3796.55 Torrent Powe, 264, 264, 257.55, 260.5 Triveni Engg, 102, 103, 99, 99.3 Tv18 India L, 80.5, 82.85, 80.5, 81.05 Uco Bank, 113.45, 116.25, 111.1, 114.05 Ultratech Ce, 1090, 1099.9, 1072.95, 1079.5 Union Bank O, 342.85, 344.2, 337.2, 341.25 Unitech Ltd, 46, 46.5, 44.65, 44.85

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Encroachments narrow down Betim road HERALD CORRESPONDENT PORVORIM, APRIL 11

The road from Ramnagarwada to Ram Temple at Betim has become narrow due to encroachment by residents.

The road has become so narrow that two small cars are unable to pass through the road at the same time. The road was initially wide, but with the passage of time the residents built their compound walls touching The narrow road at Ramnagarwada-Betim. Photo by Anil Shankhwalker the road.

Some businessmen have re- ing inaccessible for the bigger in the Gram Sabha on Sunday. portedly encroached upon the vehicles.

They are of the view that if fire road by dumping their goods The issue was raised by Vish- breaks out in the residential with the result the road becom- wasrao Vengurlekar and others colony located alongside the

Aguiar’s books released

Solar power project opened at Cotigao HERALD CORRESPONDENT CANACONA, APRIL 11

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat releasing the books of John Aguiar at Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry hall, Panjim.

HERALD NEWS DESK PANJIM, APRIL 11

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat released two books by John Aguiar at a function on Saturday at Goa Chamber of Commerce Hall, Panjim. Gulmohar is a collection of Konkani poems while Offside is a collection of English essays and miscellaneous writings.

Poet Madhav Borkar, Journalist Fredrick Noronha and Publisher Goa 1556 Manguerish Pai Raikar and Konkani poet Sanjeev Verekar, Mukesh Thali, Publisher Deepanjali Prakashan, Navdeep Aguiar were present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Kamat congratulated Shri Aguiar for his efforts in penning down two books despite of his busy schedule in the Government service. He appreciated his work in different fields and said, that he was a multifaceted personality and therefore his services needs to be utilized by the State. Shri Kamat urged Shri Aguiar to continue his committed service.

Poet Madhavbab Borkar said book “Gulmohar” is a beautiful manifestation of the poet’s feeling towards life and the realities around him. Aguiar’s poetry is

positive in nature, he said.

Poet Sanjeev Verekar and Mukesh Thali narrated their experiences with John Aguiar during the Konkani movement and literary programmes during the youth days.

Manguerish Raikar said that a mechanism should be worked out so that the books reach maximum readership. Fredrick Noronha felt that books should reach more and more readers.

Writer and Poet Aguiar in his welcome address thanked all the well wishers and friends for standing with him during his days of sorrows and success and hoped for continued support from them. He said the second poetry book comes after a gap of 15 years.

Aguiar said that he wrote poems while he was still in the school and his first poem “Tin Rongi Bavtto” was published in “Uzvadd” edited by Late Evagrio Jorge and thus his journey into the literary world began. Thereafter he wrote articles and poems for Rashtramat, Vauradeancho Ixtt, Novem Goem, Gulab, Sunaparant and others.

Navdeep Aguiar proposed a vote of thanks while Mukesh Thali and Shri Sanjeev Zarmekar compered the function.

road, then due to lack of accessibility the fire brigade tender will not be able reach the spot.

“It will very difficult for the fire brigade staff to extinguish the fire. The road is not even accessible to bigger ambulances such as 108,” stated the residents.

Hence, they urged the panchayat to remove the encroachments so that the road of at least 3 mtrs width is made available for vehicular traffic.

Sarpanch Sushmita Pednekar agreed for joint inspection with the residents and then act accordingly in the matter.

“We are finally independent in the Golden Jubilee year of Goa’s Liberation.”

This was the reaction of Bhairo Janu Gaonkar, a village elder at Nadkem-Cotigao, when Power Minister Alex Sequeira inaugurated a hybrid solar project providing electricity for the first time in their village on Friday night.

It may sound strange, but forest dwellers from the 15odd houses have been living without electricity in Nadkem till Friday night. Power Minister Alex Sequeira inaugurated the Rs 8 lakh hybrid solar project, equipped with twin mechanisms to generate electricity on windmill as well as on solar, providing relief to the 15 households of Nadkem.

Nadkem is situated approximately 25 kms from the commercial town of Chaudi. The village is surrounded by dense forest area beyond the Cotigao wildlife sanctuary, making it impossible to pull conventional electricity alignments to the locals.

Each of the 15 households has been provided with 3-point free electricity connection in the area.

Immediately after the inauguration, Sequeira requested the people to make most use of the non-conventional power-supply that the government had made available for the use of residents.

A jubilant Nadkem community Budhvont, Bhairo Janu Gaonkar, reacted by saying: “Today in the golden jubilee year of Goa’s liberation, we feel that we are fi-

nally independent,” amidst loud applause from the villagers.

Poinguinim ML A Ramesh Tawadkar, Canacona MLA Vijay Poi Khot, former minister Isidore Fernandes and Chief Engineer (Electricity) Nirmal Braganza also spoke on the occasion.

Executive Engineer Peter Fernandes later proposed vote of thanks, while the function was compered by Shirish Pai. Canacona Deputy Collector L S Pereira, AE (Electricity) Vinayak Mhalshekar, South District Congress Committee President Subhash Faldessai, Cotigao Sarpanch Rajesh Gaonkar and local panch Anand Gaonkar were some of the other people present on the occasion.

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Govt created hurdles in compliance with orders: Lokayukta PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

While activists are demanding a Lokpal with stringent powers to probe corruption cases, the Delhi Lokayukta has slammed the state government for creating legal hurdles in compliance with its directions in ongoing inquiries, stating that such moves make a "dent" in the government's claims of transparency and openness.

"Any institution which is created to check and contain corruption has to face opposition from those upon whom it exercises jurisdiction. Our experience has been no different," Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin said in the annual report for the year 2009-10.

Sarin cited the case of a complaint filed by former BJP MLA Vijay Jolly against Chief Minister S h e i l a D i k s h i t w h e re t h e Lokayukta had "merely" asked the Government to produce records of the decision-making process, which was challenged

n Any institution which is created to check and contain corruption has to face opposition from those upon whom it exercises jurisdiction. Our experience has been no different. by the Government before the Delhi High Court.

"Instead of producing the records, they challenged the order of this forum before the Honourable High Court wherein a learned single judge, interalia, directed that the Lokayukta could summon the records only after notice had been issued to the Respondent 'Public Functionary'" the report said.

The order was set aside by a Division Bench of the High Court after the office of Lokayukta filed an appeal.

"It said in this era of transparency and Right to Information, where any ordinar y citizen can seek information, the stand taken by Govern-

ment of NCT of Delhi of not to produce records before this forum not only makes deep dent into Government's claim of transparency and openness but its reluctance and resistance to produce records raises doubts regarding the motive and intentions of public functionaries and public servants holding key positions in the Government," the report provided under RTI to activist S C Agrawal said.

It cited three cases where direction of the office of Lokayukta to produce records were challenged by the government departments in courts just because the head of corporation or department was an IAS officer.

Lokayukta is a state version

of Lokpal -- the anti-corruption ombudsman, yet to be constituted at the Centre --which can probe allegations of irregularities against the state government.

Activists led by Anna Hazare have proposed a Jan Lokpal Bill for creation of the position of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayukta at state level with stringent powers to take action on allegations of corruption.

While there is no Lokpal at the Centre, about 18 states including Delhi have Lokayukta.

"Public functionaries are yet to reconcile to the fact that this Institution has a statutory mandate to inquire into allegations against them.

"Therefore, challenges to an inquiry or investigation questioning the jurisdiction can be expected from public functionaries, but the approach of the Government and Government corporation as manifested in few case has left much to be desired," the Lokayukta has said.

Hazare may face vilification campaign for praising me: Modi PTI AHMEDABAD, APRIL 11

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who came in for praise

by Anna Hazare, today said the social activist may now be subjected to a "vilification" camp a i g n b y a c e r t a i n g ro u p "inimical" to Gujarat.

"Yesterday I heard about your blessings for me and my state.

I fear that you will be subjected to vilification. A certain group inimical to Gujarat will not let go this opportunity to malign your love, sacrifice, penance and commitment to truth. They will try to tarnish your name because you spoke well of me and my state," Modi said in an open letter to Hazare.

Hazare, who led a successful campaign for the Lokpal bill had said yesterday that "the way the Chief Ministers of Gujarat and Bihar have worked in their states, this should be emulated by other Chief Ministers".

Listing various examples, Modi said "you may be aware that whosoever talks good of Gujarat, he or she will be subjected to the vilification campaign".

Earlier, a senior Muslim parliamentarian from Kerala belonging to CPI(M) P Abdulla Kutty was ostracised from the party after he praised Gujarat’s development, he recalled.

Superstar Amitabh was also attacked by this same group when he had worked for a video promoting Gujarat tourism.

Maulana Ghulam Vastanavi of Gujarat, who was elected as head of the Darul Uloom of Deoband, had also come in for criticism when he praised Gujarat's development, Modi pointed out.

Recently, Major General I S Sinha of Golden Katara Division of Indian Army, too was flayed by the same forces when he praised the development of Gujarat and there was even a demand for disciplinary action against him, Modi said.

"Gujarat’s developmental journey is an anathema to this group bent upon heaping calumny on my state. Whenever the name of Gujarat is mentioned, these forces immediately swing into action to spread canards and falsehoods", Modi alleged.

"I am still afraid that this group will put you in trouble.

May God give you strength," Modi said adding, "Gujarat’s six crore people do not want that the same group should sadden you".

UPA favours placing Lokpal bill in monsoon session PTI KOLKATA, APRIL 11

A man reads newspaper outside a closed shop during a strike call given by hard line faction of Hurriyat Conference in Srinagar on Monday.

Nuclear energy inevitable for India's needs: PSA PTI CHENNAI, APRIL 11

India's energy needs cannot be fulfilled without using nuclear energy but it has to learn positively from the incidents in Japan, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India R Chidambaram said today.

The former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman said India has to worry about its needs and has to learn positively from the incidents in Japan, (where an earthquake and resultant tsunami triggered a nuclear crisis) when asked about the recent anti-nuclear protests in Germany.

The per capita electricity consumption was an important parameter of Human Development Index and for India to become a developed country, per capita electricity consumption has to increase six to eight times, he told PTI on the sidelines of a function here.

The country's electricity needs cannot be fulfilled without nuclear reactors, he said.

Inaugurating 7th Indo-Australian Conference on IT Security on 'Emerging Security Technologies,' Chidambaram said India has to collaborate with countries as an equal partner to explore new ideas.

Belgaum lad sets new Guinness World Record

EC notice issued ‘without proper application of mind’: TMC PTI NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

Blaming the Election Commission of giving out a "knee-jerk reaction", Trinamool Congress has said the election watchdog's notice to the party to explain the role of its MP who was intercepted at IGI Airport here while carrying about Rs 45 lakh to poll-bound Assam recently was issued "without proper application of mind" Both the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Income Tax department have reported back to the EC's earlier notices to explain the end use of the cash being carried by MP K D Singh, saying that the money was brought back without being used.

"We are constrained to reiterate that the letter is a kneejerk reaction from the Election Commission and has been issued without proper application of mind and has the effect of tarnishing the image of our party," TMC MP and Minister of State for Shipping in Union Cabinet Mukul Roy wrote in a strongly-worded letter to the EC. "We are constrained to say that the complaint, if any, has a malafide intent of maligning the good reputation and image of our party. We are extremely shocked that the Election Com-

AFP NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

Rohan Ajit Kokane, a 10-yearold boy from Belgaum, has set a new Guinness World Record in the Limbo skating category.

This record was set on February 17 in Mumbai in front of the officials of Guinness World Record – Ab India Todega, the event that was live telecast by some of the national TV channels.

His attempt has been recognized as the ‘Fastest Distance

Nearly 500,000 Indian students battled for just 10,000 places at the country's elite universities over the weekend, data showed Monday, underlining the ferocious competition in further education.

The figures amounted to almost 50 students completing entrance exams for every place offered at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) and their partner institutes.

Exam organisers IIT Kanpur said 485,262 students had registered.

The IIT institutes are India's top universities, which began in 1950 to offer high quality degrees in mostly science and engineering.

Limbo Skating’ under cars covering a distance of 38.68 mtrs (121 ft 11 inches.)

According to Rohan’s coach Suryakant Hindalgekar, this is the first time any such record is set, that too from a lad from Karnataka. He is the student of Belgaum Roller Skating Academy, Belgaum.

A Std 5 student of St Xavier’s High School, here, Rohan since last 2 years has many other prestigious records to his name — World Record Academy India, India Book of Records, Limca Book of Records, Asia Book of Record. He is also the first skater to do blind fold limbo skating.

Rohan has also taken part in

skating rallies which include 50th Karnataka Rajyotsava Rally in 2007 from Belgaum to Bangalore covering a distance of 561 kms. He also took part in the skating rally from Belgaum to Mumbai in November 2010, on the occasion of the second anniversary of terrorist attacks on Mumbai covering a distance of 560 kms.

Academy President Umesh Kalghatgi said that an appeal will be made to the Karnataka government to consider Rohan's achievement and extend him certain scholarships so that he can excel in limbo skating and bring more honours to Karnataka.

n We are constrained to reiterate that the letter is a knee-jerk reaction from the Election Commission and has been issued without proper application of mind and has the effect of tarnishing the image of our party. mission of India has been taken for a ride by the complainant and it is a matter of grave concern that the letter has been issued...playing into the hands of mischievous complainant. "...we would like to categorically state that the MP was not carrying any cash with him. Infact, it is with great anguish and dismay we would like to mention that the Election Commission, without proper inquiry, has fallen into the trap of interested parties whose sole motive is to damage the image of All India Trinamool Congress Party," Roy said in his three-page letter.

"The MP, K D Singh was not even questioned by the concerned authorities as he was not carrying any cash with him," he said, adding, "there were six senior officials of Alchemist Group (Singh's firm) who were carrying some cash as they were in the midst of negotiations to purchase a tea garden in Assam.

The cash was not even used and was brought back and this has

also been verified by the authorities."

The I-T department, whose Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at IGI Airport was transferred on the orders of the EC after the March 22 incident, also reported back to the EC saying the cash has been "accounted for" and the "end use" of the money has not been made.

Roy also said, "All documents of these six officials were thoroughly checked by the airport officials and they were allowed to go as there was nothing illegal or unlawful."

Roy, who said he has been authorised by TMC President Mamata Banerjee to reply to the EC notice, said his party has the "highest regards" for the EC and would "never even think of violating or subverting any of EC's guidelines."

"In view of the facts stated above, we therefore request you to kindly withdraw the letter, reliving us from this agony," Roy's letter said.

50 Indians apply for every top university place

HERALD CORRESPONDENT BELGAUM, APRIL 11

Rohan Kokane with the Guinness World Record certificate.

Welcoming BJP leader L K Advani's statement of pledging support to the Lokpal bill, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that the UPA government was in favour of placing the Bill in the monsoon session of Parliament.

"The drafting committee will discuss the bill and the government will see that it is placed in the monsoon session of Parliament," Mukherjee told a meetthe-press programme here.

Mukherjee, who is the chairman of the joint committee that will draft the Lokpal bill said, "We will complete the work of the committee quickly, so that we can place the bill in the monsoon session."

Mukherjee welcomed Advani's statement expressing support for the bill: "I welcome his support. I have kept him informed. His party has to support the bill in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha by pressing the button in its favour when it will be put to vote, only after which it will be passed."

IIT alumni include top business and political figures, including N.R. Narayana Murthy, co-founder of outsourcing giant Infosys, and Vinod Khosla, founding CEO o f s o f t w a re f i r m S u n M i crosystems.

The entrance exams are among the world's most competitive. The acceptance rate of about 2.0 percent compares with a 7.0-8.0 percent at America's elite Ivy League universities, according to their application figures.

According to the government, India will need up to 1,000 new universities by 2020 if the number of students going into higher education is to rise from the current 12 percent to its 30 percent target.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government proposed a draft law last year to allow foreign universities to set up branches in India as part of a plan to open up the country's education system.

The law is awaiting approval in the Indian parliament.

Nearly one in three of India's 1.21 billion people is under 14, and Singh has said high educational standards are crucial if rapid economic development is to continue.

The importance of education in Indian sees children put under constant pressure to attain good marks in exams to earn a prized place at overstretched universities.

The IIT entrance exam results will be declared on 25 May 2011.

Poonam Pandey to be part of ‘Khatron Ke Khiladi 4’ PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

Model Poonam Pandey, who grabbed headlines after declaring that she will strip in public if the Indian cricket team won the World Cup, will be among the 13 celebrity contestants in 'Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi -Torchar'.

Apart from Pandey, actresses Aarti Chhabria and Kashmira Shah, Sambhavna Seth, former national women cricket team skipper Anjum Chopra, TV stars Aashka Goradiya and Smita Bansal, are the other prominent names who will be seen in the fourth season of the reality show.

Models Diandra Soares and

Aliesia Raut, Dina Singh, wife of Vindoo Dara Singh, VJ Bani, VJ Mia Uyeda and singer Mauli

Dave will take part in the show, along with 13 men from various walks of life.

Actor Akshay Kumar, who had hosted the first two editions of the action-based programme, will return as the host for the fourth edition which will be shot in Cape Town in South Africa.

Actress Priyanka Chopra had hosted the previous season of 'Fear Factor Khatron Ke Khiladi'.

The show will be aired on Colors from May. Making the announcement here this evening, Ashvini Yardy, head of programming Colors, said, "The fourth season is going to be more torturous and dangerous than the earlier ones.

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Pg 13 GOA, TUESDAY 12 APRIL, 2011

Israeli press skeptical of Gaza ceasefire duration AFP JERUSALEM, APRIL 11

The Israeli press was on Monday pessimistic about the durability of an unwritten ceasefire between Israel and Gaza militants which appeared to have taken hold.

“Until the next time...” was the headline of a commentary piece in the liberal Haaretz newspaper which saw the situation as still volatile, compared with the truce that followed Israel's bloody 22-day offensive on Gaza which began at the end of December 2008.

“Calm may be restored gradually since mutual deterrence appears to be working, at least partially,” wrote Amos Harel.

“However an informal ceasefire, even if it is achieved, will be less stable than the situation that dominated relations between the two sides after Operation Cast Lead in early 2009.”

A ceasefire was floated by both sides on Sunday and by the end of the day, the situation had calmed significantly for the first time since Thursday, when an anti-tank missile slammed

into an Israeli school bus prompting a wave of retaliatory air strikes.

During the flareup 18 Palestinians were killed, half of them civilians, and more than 150 rockets and mortar rounds fired into southern Israel in the deadliest confrontation since Operation Cast Lead.

“Both sides still hold a few aces,” Harel wrote.

“Israel can reoccupy the Gaza Strip if it chooses to do so and Hamas has rockets that can reach Tel Aviv. But neither side is eager to use its ace because of the heavy price it will have to pay.”

Quoting a senior security official, the top-selling Yediot Aharonot said Israel and Hamas had returned to the rules which existed before the flareup, according to which “calm is maintained and there are no attacks except against (Palestinian) rocket-launching squads or (militant) squads approaching the border fence.”

“In the south, they are hoping for quiet,” read the headline on the rival Maariv daily, referring

to the towns and villages in southern Israel.

“Hamas wants to turn down the heat,” it said.

The papers lauded the initial successes of the newly-deployed Iron Dome anti-rocket system, which on Thursday brought down its first missile in a reallife combat scenario and which has since torpedoed several projectiles fired at the southern cities of Ashkelon and Beersheva.

But as the English-language Jerusalem Post pointed out, the system provides only a “partial answer.”

“Iron Dome's greatest weakness is that it cannot provide a solution for rockets or mortar shells with a range of about 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) or less,” it said.

Yediot likened the Iron Dome system to a “simple painkiller to fight a serious illness,” noting that the army has only two batteries so far and it will take another two years to obtain four more, while Hamas and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia have “thousands of rockets” ready for use against Israel.

Members of the Ground Self-Defense Forces search relics from a wreck in Kesennuma, Miyagi prefecture on Monday a month after the earthquake and tsunami strike. Japan fell silent at 2:46 pm to mark exactly one month since a massive earthquake hit, spawning a devastating tsunami.

Berlusconi returns to court to face fraud charges AFP MILAN, APRIL 11

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi attacked Italian prosecutors on Monday as he returned to court in Milan to defend himself against charges of fraud involving his business empire Mediaset.

“The prosecutors are working against the country,” Berlusconi told reporters in the courtroom, as a handful of supporters outside held up placards reading “Silvio Resist!” and held blue balloons from his People of Freedom party.

He said there should be an overhaul of Italy's justice system to prevent it becoming “a weapon of political struggle" -after his government earlier this year proposed reforms seen as

curbing the power of investigating magistrates.

The prime minister also condemned his trial on charges of sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of power which began last week.

The accusations were “laughable, unfounded and crazy,” he said.

Berlusconi admitted he had given money to the woman in question -- then 17-year-old nightclub dancer Karima El Mahroug, better known as “Ruby the Heart Stealer” -- but said it was in order “to allow her not to prostitute herself ”.

“The girl told me and everyone else present her painful story and I was moved,” Berlusconi said, adding that he had given her tens of thousands of

Afghan elders to decide on US ties AFP KABUL, APRIL 11,

The Afghan government hopes to hold a traditional gathering of elders from around the country to make a decision on its long-term ties with the United States, President Hamid Karzai said Monday.

Karzai said Afghanistan's national security council had agreed on a vision for a strategic partnership to combat terrorism after the scheduled withdrawal of foreign combat troops in 2014.

This will be presented to the United States, Karzai added, while stressing that a loya jirga or grand assembly of Afghan elders would make the final decision on the matter.

“We wish to hold a loya jirga in the coming two to three months,” Karzai told a press conference in Kabul.

He added that conditions to be discussed between the two countries included "the amount of money we shall get, the form of their assistance, the conditions for their operation here, legalising the presence of foreigners (foreign forces) and regional issues".

During a visit to Kabul last month, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates called for a “long-

There are currently around 130,000 US-led international troops in Afghanistan working with pro-government forces to combat the Taliban, but foreign forces are due to stop their combat operations in 2014. term security partnership with the Afghan people” in the years ahead, stressing the specifics of any deal are still to be hammered out.

He said the United States had “no interest” in having permanent bases in Afghanistan although it was "open" to the idea of retaining a “training and assistance” role .

There are currently around 130,000 US-led international troops in Afghanistan working with pro-government forces to combat the Taliban, but foreign forces are due to stop their combat operations in 2014.

Poverty-stricken Afghanistan has been hit hard by three decades of war. A 2001 US-led invasion ousted the militant Islamist Taliban regime.

euros (dollars) to allow her to buy equipment to set up a beauty salon.

Twice-divorced Berlusconi, 74, is accused of paying for sex on several occasions last year with El Mahroug and then abus-

ing his status to get her released from police custody in a later incident to cover up his alleged crime.

The underage sex charge carries a maximum sentence of three years, while the abuse of

power accusation is punishable by up to 12 years in prison.

He also repeated his assertion that he intervened in El Mahroug's arrest because he thought she was an Egyptian president’s niece.

Pg 14

SPORTS

GOA, Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Vasco rout Eagles, stay in contention HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, APRIL 11

Vasco Sports Club edged their way closer to qualifying for the next round after defeating Eagles Football Club 5-1 in Group C of AIFF’s Second Division ILeague at Race Course Stadium, Madurai, Tamil Nadu on Monday.

Joy Ferrao netted a brace with goals in the 3rd and 57th minute. Sachin Gawas also scored a brace with goals in the 16th and 29th minutes. Koko Sakibo scored in the 23rd.

Satwinter Singh pulled a consolation goal back for Eagles in the 69th.

Joy Ferrao was adjudged manof-the-match and was awarded a new mobile phone from the local sponsors. “It was pure hard work from the boys and I salute them. We just need one win from our remaining two matches to qualify,” summed up Vasco coach, Gavin Araujo.

Vasco have collected nine points from four matches after three wins and a loss.

Oratory ahead HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, APRIL 11

Don Bosco Oratory defeated strong contenders Parish Youth, Nuvem 1-0 in Cavelossim Panchayat Cup soccer organised

by Santa Cruz Club of Cavelossim at Fr Druston and Wellington ground, Cavelossim on Monday.

Don Bosco Oratory shot into the lead when hardworking medio Ashley Araujo gave a long through pass to Rozer Azavedo, who deftly fired a rasping drive to the left corner of the net.

Chicalim Youth up HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, APRIL 11

Chicalim Youth Club scored a solitary goal victory against Navelim Villagers Union to sail into the quarter-finals of All-Goa Conceicao Colaco memorial inter-village football tournament

organised by Shooting Stars of Colleavaddo at Assolna ground, on Monday. There was no score at the break.

The all-important goal came when Moses Cardozo punished the rival keeper with a snap shot.

Fr Agnel pip Curtorim HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, APRIL 11

Fr Agnel Youth Club, Paroda prevailed over hosts Curtorim Gymkhana 4-2 via the tiebreaker to march into the semifinals of All-Goa Curtorim Panchayat Cup inter-village football tournament organised by

Curtorim Gymkhana at Curtorim ground, on Monday. The teams wee locked goalless at full time.

In the tie-breaker, Manus Oliveira, Anthony Dias, Brijesh Dessai and Soccorro Colaco converted for Fr Agnel while Roy Albuquerque and Savio Fernandes netted for Curtorim.

GFA North U-14 finals: Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim v. Dunes SC, Mandrem, Duler Stadium, Mapusa, 3.45 p.m.

GFA South U-14 semi-finals: Va s c o S C v. S a l c e t e F C , Cansaulim ground; Salgaocar SC v. Betalbatim SC, Curtorim ground. Kick off 3.45 p.m.

GFA U-16: Don Bosco Oratory, Panjim v. Dempo SC (Juniors) Don Bosco ground, Panjim; Brasil Futebol Academ i a v. S a i S TC , A g a c a i m ground. Kick off 3.45 p.m.

Aldona Panchayat Cup soccer: Rossman Cruz SC v. FC Siolim, Calvim, Aldona, 4.45 p.m.

Rusi Daver soccer quarterfinals: Nuvem SC v. Sodiem SCA, Saligao Sporting ground, 4.30 p.m.

XIII Immaculate soccer: Don Bosco Oratory, Fatorda v. Deao SC, Quepem, panchayat ground, Avedem, Paroda, 4.30 p.m.

Cavelossim Panchayat Cup soccer: Union of Chinchinim Villagers v. San Jose De Areal SC, Fr Druston and Wellington ground, Cavelossim, 4.30 p.m.

Bardez Cup soccer: Navelim Villagers v. Nagoa SC, Dr Gustavo Monteiro Stadium, Candolim, 4.30 p.m.

Conceicao Colaco memorial soccer: Davorlim SC v. Ambelim SC, Assolna ground, 4.45 p.m.

Curtorim Panchayat Cup soccer: Maina SC v. Betalbatim SC, Curtorim ground, 4.45 p.m.

Air India fly past Salgaocar R E S U LT Air India 1 Salgaocar 0 Man-of-the match: Manjit Singh (Air India) HERALD CORRESPONDENT MARGAO, APRIL 11

Relegation threatened Air India pulled a shocking 1-0 win over Salgaocar Sports Club in 4th ILeague at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Monday. There was no score at half time.

Striker Manjit Singh’s lone strike late in the second half paved the way for Air India to register a deserving victory and collect the full three points.

Air India showed better application and played to a plan to take the match away from the rivals.

In the absence of striker Samson Singh, out with injury, Manjit Singh alongwith Nigerian Okorogbor Prraise put up a stellar performance. Both strikers made a number of darting runs to keep the Salgaocar defenders on their toes. Midfielders Darren Caldeira, Santosh Koli and Allan Dias did not permit Salgaocar’s strikers the space and the opportunity to get into their territory.

Air India set a fast pace as they went on the offensive from the start and there was plenty of action at the Salgaocar goal.

Air India’s striker Manjit Singh sent an early warning when he unleashed a volley but Salgaocar’s goalkeeper Karanjit Singh

came to his side’s rescue fisting away for an abortive flag kick.

They came close to forging ahead in the 10th minute but striker Allan Dias’ feeble header went to the rival goalkeeper off a flag kick taken by Nepoleon Singh.

On the other hand, Salgaocar started off cautiously and took time to settle down. But, once they found the rhythm they called the shots against the Mumbai side. Salgaocar nearly found success in the 25th minute but Ghanaian striker Yakubu Yusif was thwarted by Air India defenders in the nick of time.

At the other end, Air India came close in surging ahead when striker Manjit outpaced a rival defender and unleashed a stiff shot which deflected off rival defenders and went for an abortive flag kick.

Salgaocar had a couple of chances to break the deadlock when midfielder Rocus Lamare sent a well measured pass for Yakubu who turned around and unleashed a stiff shot but Air India defender Dhanachandra Singh was alert to thwart him from scoring with a neat tackle.

Salgaocar, desperate to find the match-winner, showed greater urgency in the second half and had chances at the rival goal. First midfielder Rocus’ volley was well taken care of by Air India goalkeeper Avijit.

Salgaocar went all out and played aerial balls and came

Salgaocar Churchill East Bengal Dempo Mumbai FC Mohun Bagan Chirag Pune FC Indian Arrows HAL Viva Kerala JCT Air India ONGC

43 43 41 38 28 26 24 23 23 20 19 17 17 15

(19) (21) (19) (19) (19) (20) (20) (20) (20) (21) (21) (19) (21) (21)

close to scoring soon after resumption. Following this, Rino Anto sent a floater inside the rival penalty area and striker Ryuji Sueoka laid a well measured through pass but substitute Cajetan Fernandes’ bicycle shot missed the target narrowly.

Air India nearly found the mark when midfielder Darren’s cross from the right saw both Salgaocar goalkeeper and stopper back Luciano Sarbosa caught in a confusion and Nigerian striker Praise headed the ball in between the two rival players but he slotted the ball which went wide.

Air India who had a lion share of exchanges throughout, saw their efforts bearing fruit when man-of-the-match striker Manjit Singh stamped his class unleashing a right footer off a pass from Napolean Singh to keep the rival goalkeeper dazed in the 88th

Salgaocar and Air India players in a keen tussle at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda on Monday.

Photo Third Eye

minute.

Salgaocar tried their level best the score but found it difficult to break the Air India defence with Dhanchandra Singh and Yusif Ibrahim showing solidity at the back to keep the rivals at bay.

Air India coach Santosh Kashyap was satisfied with the display of the team. “I congratulate each and every player for the commitment and dedication they displayed in the match. We were a better team than our opponents in every aspect. The result was quite expected as the boys had the potential to beat the best in business. I am now looking to take the momentum

Dempo aim to stop Nasaf’s unbeaten run

Dempo coach Armando Colaco, captain Ranty Martins with Nasaf’s coach Anatoliy and a player in Pune on Monday.

AGENCIES PUNE, APRIL 11

A late afternoon downpour came as a blessing in disguise to home side Dempo SC who expect to use this weather to advantage and stall the visiting FC Nasaf ’s (Uzbekistan) unbeaten run in the AFC Cup when they meet on Tuesday at 6.30 p.m.

The Uzbeks arrived on Monday for the Group A tie and their coach Anatoliy Demyanenko was quick to point out that the team will have a hard time coping with the heat and humid condi-

tions.

Back home the Uzbeks have thrived in temperatures hovering around 15 degrees, which they described as ‘pleasant and normal.’

Nasaf, who finished third in the Uzbek League last year, currently occupy the top spot in the Group with six points from two wins, while Indian champions Dempo have three points from two outings and are tied second with Al-Ansar, Lebanon.

Dempo beat Al Tilal, Yemen 2-1 at home, while they lost to Al-Ansar 0-2 in an away game.

The Nasaf coach at a prematch briefing said, “Playing Dempo will be tough as they are a good opponent and whatever our think-tank could gather through their match CDs against Al-Ansar of Lebanon, we expect a hard match.”

The visiting coach added, “We want full points. All games we play hard, it does not matter which tournament.”

Demyanenko, a former player of the year in the former USSR and former manager of Dinamo (Kiev), through translator Alisher confirmed that his team was all fit and eager to go.

The Uzbeks got down to business and had a session at the venue on a slippery surface.

Speaking on Nasaf, Dempo coach, Armando Colaco said, “They are a strong team and we have to play a strong game. Nasaf looks to be the strongest in the group as they have won at home and away in the first two games.

They are the team to beat.”

Colaco spoke high of his opponents by saying, “They possess a strong character, which was evident when they reversed a 0-2 deficit to win 3-2 against Al-Tilal, Yeman in an away match.

We know what we are up against.”

“We have to play well to stay in the race,” he went on to add.

The Dempo coach praised his wards for responding to the call of a hectic schedule. “It’s been a difficult season so far alternating between the Goa League, I-League and the AFC Cup, but all credit to the boys for standing up to the challenge and therefore I admire them for having given their best so far.”

Skipper Ranty Martins said, “ Three points are vital to strengthen our chances and progress beyond the Group.

Nasaf in their first two outings have proved their might of being the toughest team in our Group so far, therefore it is vital to cut short their winning streak.”

in the remaining matches to avoid the drop zone,” Kashyap said.

Salg a o c a r c o a c h K a r i m Bencherifa, although disappointed, was satisfied with the performance of his boys.

“The boys did their best, but certain things did not go in our favour. The title race is wide open and we will try our best and wil l c o me go od against our opponents in the next game. We can also win the race if we can win the remaining matches and I know together we can do it. And, surely, that will be a very good end to the season,” Bencherifa pointed out.

Candolim in quarters bardez cup

HERALD CORRESPONDENT CALANGUTE, APRIL 11

Candolim Sports Club trounced Football Club of Siolim 4-1 to move into the quarter-finals of Bardez Cup inter-village football tournament organised by United Club of Nerul at Dr Gustavo Monteiro Stadium, Candolim, on Monday.

After failing to score at the breather, Candolim forged ahead in the 50th minute through Samir Naik who headed in a Maxson Vaz cross.

Roy Das doubled the lead in the 55th minute. Bradley Lobo reduced the margin for Siolim in the 60th minute off Clauddio Rodrigues.

Harish made it 3-1 for Candolim while Roy Das completed the rout for Siolim making it 41 off Gaurish Shirodker.

Davorlim Racial abuse charge baseless: Bob Maina down SC at full time.

AGENCIES NEW DELHI, APRIL 11

India football coach Bob Houghton denied the racial abuse charges leveled against him by All India Football Federation, terming them "baseless", in a written submission made before a 3-member panel of the national federation.

Bob appeared before the panel, comprising AIFF vice-presidents Subrata Dutta, Ankur Dutta and senior executive committee member C R Viswanathan, and made a written submission to charges levelled against him, including that of allegedly abusing an Indian referee last year.

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das, as ex-offico member, was also present.

Bob’s hearing lasted less than

30 minutes.

Houghton made a written submission to the charges in a show-cause notice issued on him on March 26. The panel said it will resume proceedings at a later date, as its members needed time to study his reply.

Bob who was accompanied at the hearing by Delhi-based advocate Anish Dayal, denied the racial abuse charge. The panel asked him to appear again later, April 20 being the tentative date.

"The panel will have to study Bob's reply and they have asked him to appear at a later date.

He has denied the racial abuse charges in his submissions," a top source said.

Dayal said his client has a strong case and has submitted that all the charges against him

are "baseless". "We have denied all the charges levelled against the coach. We are expecting a fair decision.”

"We have not mentioned anything about giving evidence against the charges. We will wait what the panel says in further proceedings," said Dayal, who is also counsel for Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals.

Early last month, the executive committee decided to initiate the process to sack Bob on charges including remarks against referee Dinesh Nair during India's friendly against Yemen in Pune last October and "derogatory" comments against Indian football.

The Englishman is accused by Nair of calling him 'b****** Indian referee'.

Niraj, Aishwarya, Gauri top HERALD SPORTS DESK PANJIM, APRIL 11

Niraj Saripalli emerged U-15 boys champ while Aishwarya Thorat and Gauri Hadkonkar shared points to emerge joint U-15 champs in All-Goa U-15 Chess selection tournament at Vasco.

Results: Boys U-15 - Niraj Saripalli beat Cyrus Pereira (7.5 points), Rohan Ahuja bt Suyan

Belurkar (7), Shubham Savaikar, Rishubh Naik, Kapil Pawse, Anirudh Bhat and Deepak Gopalan (6.5 each).

U-7: Viraj Porob. U-9: Sahil Shetty. U-11: Nitish Belurkar.

Girls U-15: Aishwarya Thorat and Gauri Hadkonkar scored 6 points each defeating Swera Braganza and Urvi Bandekar. Riddhi Zantye (5.5), Sakshi Naik Gaonkar (4.5). Deepika Giridhar,

Swera Braganza, Urvi Bandekar, Sayani Kerkar and Aditee Prabhugaonkar scored 5 points each.

U-7: Gunjal Chopdekar. U-9: Akansha Naik. U-11: Aditee Prabhugaonkar.

Consolation prizes – boys: U7: Sanjay Thorat. U-9: Kshaunish Naik.

Girls – U-7: Vrunda Naik. U9: Sejal Tari. U-11: Taniya Tari.

St Savio hammer Benny HERALD SPORTS REPORTER MAPUSA, APRIL 11

St Savio Sports Club came out all guns blazing to hammer Benny XI Sports Club 6-0 in GFA’s Second Division Bardez Zone relegation decider at Duler Stadium, here on Monday. St Savio were two goals up at the lemon break.

This result means that Benny XI is relegated to GFA’s next season Third Division. St Savio will have to wait and see their fate at the next GFA annual general body meeting.

Neves Noronha opened the scoring for St Savio in the 11th minute, placing into the corner neatly after receiving a cross.

Within two minutes, Neves was on the score sheet again to double St Savio’s lead with a fierce shot from close range.

Just before the breather, Denzil Rogtao hit the crossbar for St Savio.

After the change of ends, St Savio made three substitutions within 15 minutes as they looked hungrier for goals.

Sagar Bathkande increased

the lead in the 64th minute, by lifting the ball over the Benny custodian, after receiving a long free kick from Alber Gonsalves.

Thirteen minutes from time, Sagar made the most of a poor clearance to tap home his second for St Savio.

In the 81st minute, Menin Fernandes netted after receiving a pass from Sagar for St Savio’s fifth.

Four minutes from time, Denzil Rogtao joined in on the celebrations as he scored after receiving the ball at the backpost from a corner.

PANJIM, APRIL 11

Maina Sports Club downed Sporting Club of Davorlim 5-3 via the tie-breaker to move into the quarter-finals of 13th Immaculate soccer at village panchayat ground, Avedem, Paroda, on Monday. There was no score

In the tie-breaker, Peter Pereira, Primo Fernandes, Rio Mascarenhas, Nevil Fernandes and Vicky Cardoso scored for the winners while Remo Colaco, Agnelo Colaco and Jose Colaco netted for the losers.

GOA DIARY

Soccer camp at Cansaulim

PANJIM (HSD) – CAC Sports and Social Club, Cansaulim will organise a football camp for 7 to 14 years boys and girls from April 18 to 30. Children from Cansaulim, Velsao, Utorda, Verna, Nagoa and Sancoale are eligible. Details may be obtained from Delip Barretto on 9604482262.

Frank Pires memorial soccer

PANJIM (HSD) -- Siridao Sports Club will organise their All-Goa inter-village Frank Pires memorial football tournament from April 15 onwards at Siridao ground (near the church). In all, Rs 50,000 will be awarded with the winners taking home Rs 15,000 and the runners-up getting Rs 10,000. Details may be obtained from Assmisao on 9881844707 or Edwin D’Mello on 9764539647.

Venceslau volleyball at St Cruz

PANJIM – The all-Goa Venceslau memorial floodlit volleyball tournament organized by Crown Club of Santa Cruz will start on May 1 with the finals slated for May 8. The winners will get Rs 20,000 and the runners-up Rs 12,000. Clubs may contact Fortunato Braganza on 9422453284 or Ladislau Gonsalves on 9420141551 or Felix Fernandes on 9823353553.

Tennis ball cricket trials

PANJIM – The Goa Tennis Ball Cricket Association will conduct the 3rd stage selection trials to select the State team probables (boys and girls) for 19th Junior National Tennis Ball Cricket Championship. The trials will be held at Konika ground, near Bits Pillani, Zuarinagar Birla, Vasco on April 14 at 3.30 p.m. (Santosh Chauvan, 9960089746); SAG sports complex ground, Curchorem on April 14 at 3.30 p.m. (Sujay Naik, 9404453347); Valpoi Municipal ground, Valpoi at 10.30 a.m. on April 15 (Dharmendra Salunke, 9423308644); Kashima ground, Ponda at 10.30 a.m. on April 15 (Devanand Naik, 9823119015); Near ONGC ,Betul, at 10.30 a.m. on April 16 (Prashant Tari, 8007651353); Dapat ground, Mashem, Canacona, on April 16 at 3.30 p.m. (Astida Fenandes, 9764381379). Juniors (U-19, boys and girls) may report at the venue with full kit.

Lawn tennis in Margao

PANJIM – The BPS Club, Margao will organise their annual allGoa BPS open lawn tennis tournament from April 16 to 26 at BPS Club’s tennis courts, Margao. The tournament will be held in men ( singles and doubles), ladies (singles and doubles), boys under-6 (singles and doubles), veterans above-45 (singles and doubles).

Entry forms may be obtained from the Club office and at Angleys, Margao, Panjim; Clube Tennis Gaspar Dias, Mira Mar, Panjim.

Entries close on April 14. The draw will be held on April 15.The finals will be held on April 26. Details may be obtained on 2714690.

SPORTS GOA, Tuesday, 12 April 2011

Watson hits record 15 sixes in Aussie win n Watson's

innings was also the highest by an Australian in ODIs AFP DHAKA, APRIL 11

Shane Watson smashed a record 15 sixes in a career-best 185 not out as Australia clinched a threematch series against Bangladesh with a nine-wicket win in the second one-dayer on Monday.

The explosive opener gave a superb display of power-hitting as he also cracked 15 fours in his 96-ball knock to help Australia achieve a 230-run target with 24 overs to spare for an unbeatable 2-0 lead.

West Indies' Xavier Marshall was the previous record-holder with 12 sixes against Canada in 2008.

Watson also scored the most runs (150) in boundaries in a one-day innings, breaking South African Herschelle Gibbs's record of 126.

Watson's innings was also the highest by an Australian in oneday internationals, the previous best being 181 not out by Matthew Hayden.

He completed his sixth oneday hundred off 69 balls, the third-fastest by an Australian

after Hayden (66 balls) and Adam Gilchrist (67).

The final one-dayer will be played in Dhaka on Wednesday.

Bangladesh were earlier struggling at 88-5 before crossing the 200 mark, thanks to wicketkeeper-batsman Mushfiqur Rahim's unbeaten 81 off 80 balls which contained one six and nine fours.

Rahim's best came in the closing stages of the innings when he smashed two fours and a six off successive deliveries from paceman Brett Lee before hitting two boundaries in seamer Mitchell Johnson's last over.

He played a major role in steadying the innings after Johnson (3-54) and leg-spinner Steven Smith (2-34) had put the hosts in trouble, adding 79 for the sixth wicket with Mohammad Mahmudullah (38).

Shahriar Nafees was the only top-order batsman to offer resistance, scoring 56 off 73 balls with six fours. He fell after completing his 12th half-century in one-dayers, offering a simple return catch to Smith.

Kroenke takes controlling stake in Arsenal AFP LONDON, APRIL 11

Arsenal became the latest English football giant to fall into foreign hands on Monday when US sports tycoon Stan Kroenke took a controlling stake in the club after a protracted ownership tussle.

The deal announced by the north London club, English champions on 13 occasions, values the outfit at about ÂŁ731 million (825 million euros, $1.2 billion), according to a statement issued to the London Stock Exchange.

The secretive Kroenke, who has been building up his holding for the last four years, finally took control by acquiring those of two of the largest private shareholders -- effectively locking a rival Russian businessman out of the club.

"We are excited about the opportunity to increase our involvement with and commitment to Arsenal," Kroenke said in a statement issued by the club.

"Arsenal is a fantastic club with a special history and tradition and a wonderful manager in Arsene Wenger. We intend to build on this rich heritage and take the club to new success."

Kroenke first bought 9.9 percent of shares in the Gunners in

Valencia trounce Villarreal la liga

AFP MADRID, APRIL 11

Valencia staked their claim for third place in La Liga with a stylish 5-0 win in Sunday's head-tohead clash with local rivals Villarreal.

Neither side tried to play down the importance of the match with both teams comfortably clear of the chasing pack, with the victory pushing Valencia six points ahead of Villarreal.

Roberto Soldado (2), Juan Mata (2) and Ever Banega were the goal scorers.

Atletico Madrid moved onto the verges of the European places with a comprehensive 30 victory over Real Sociedad who have now lost five games on the trot.

Milan down Fiorentina serie a AFP

ROME, APRIL 11

AC Milan earned a crucial 2-1 win at Fiorentina on Sunday to maintain their three point lead over Napoli, 2-0 winners at Bologna, at the top of Serie A. Napoli had put the pressure on Milan with their victory earlier in the day but goals from Clarence Seedorf and Pato before half-time ensured Milan always had their destiny in their own hands before Juan Vargas's late reply.

With just six games left, Massimiliano Allegri's team are one step closer to a first title since 2004.

2007 and he increased his stake last month to within 10 shares of the threshold that forces him to make a takeover bid.

A full takeover was triggered after his Kroenke Sports Enterprises (KSE) company bought the stakes of Danny Fiszman (16.1 percent) and Lady Nina BracewellSmith (15.9 percent), valuing their shares at 11,750 each.

The majority of the remaining shares are held by Russian businessman Alisher Usmanov, whose holding company currently owns around 27 percent.

Kroenke's company also cont ro l s b a s ke t b a l l ' s D e n v e r Nuggets, American football team the St Louis Rams, ice hockey franchise Colorado Avalanche and the Colarado Rapids Major League Soccer club.

FIXTURES TUESDAY

Man Utd v. Chelsea Shakhtar v. Barcelona WEDNESDAY

Tottenham v. Real Madrid Schalke 04 v. Inter Milan

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GOA, TUESDAY, 12 APRIL, 2011 www.oheraldo.in

SPORTS Kallis shines in KKR victory Contact us on: sports@herald-goa.com

AFP KOLKATA, APRIL 11

Jacques Kallis hit his second halfcentury in a row to set up a nine-run win for Kolkata Knight Riders against Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League on Monday.

Kallis, 35, hit seven fours and a six in his 45-ball 53 as Kolkata piled on 163-4 before restricting Deccan to 154-8 off 20 overs on a slow Eden Gardens track.

This was the first victory for Kolkata in the Twenty20 tournament after having lost to Chennai by two runs in their opening match last week.

Kallis also picked up four catches to cap a fine day in the middle.

Kolkata Knight Riders’ Jacques Kallis plays a shot during the IPL match against Deccan Chargers in Kolkata on Monday.

Watson hits record 15 sixes in Aussie win Pg 15

Air India fly past Salgaocar Pg 14

Kolkata Knight Ride rs : J K a l l i s c Dhawan b Duminy 53, M Bisla lbw b Mishra 19, G Gambhir b Mishra 29, Manoj Tiwary not out 30, Y Pathan c Jaggi b Steyn 22. Total: 163 for 4. Extras: 10. Fall of wickets: 51-1, 90-2, 1333, 163-4. Bowling: D Steyn 4-0-331, I Sharma 3-0-27-0, D Christian 2-0-19-0, A Mishra 4-0-19-2, P Ojha 4-0-26-0, Ravi Teja 1-0-9-0, JP Duminy 2-0-23-1.

Deccan Chargers: S Dhawan run out (Morgan) 7, I Jaggi b Abdulla 3, B Chipli c Kallis b Bhatia 48, K Sangakkara c Kallis b Bhatia 16, JP Duminy c Kallis b Abdulla 6, D Christian c Doeschate b Abdulla 25, Ravi Teja c Kallis b Unadkat 15, D Steyn b Unadkat 13, A Mishra not out 12, I Sharma not out 1. Extras: 8. Total: 154 for 8. Fall of wickets: 10-1, 152, 53-3, 81-4, 88-5, 124-6, 127-7, 146-8. Bowling: I Abdulla 4-0-243, L Balaji 4-0-31-0, Y Pathan 3-022-0, Jaydev Unadkat 4-0-37-2, R Bhatia 4-0-29-2, R ten Doeschate 1-0-7-0.

Man-of-the-match: Jacques Kallis

Left-arm spinner Iqbal Abdullah gave Kolkata an early breakthrough, removing Ishank Jaggi in the third over before Rajat Bhatia grabbed the key wicket of skipper Kumar Sangakkara (16) to reduce Deccan to 53-3 in the ninth over.

Deccan could never really recover from the early setbacks, succumbing to their second de-

feat in as many matches despite a fighting 48 by Bharat Chipli.

Abdullah finished with 324 while Bhatia and Jaidev Unadkat took two wickets each.

Kallis, opening the innings, gave a flying start to Kolkata after captain Gautam Gambhir won the toss and elected to bat.

Deccan Chargers cheerleader performs during the IPL match against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on Monday.

Keen battle on cards as Demolished Delhi aim Challengers face Mumbai revival against Royals

If Malinga's yorkers could be dealt with, RCB could look to score Royal Challengers Bangalore will their second successive win in the not just have to address Sachin fourth edition of the tournament Tendulkar's unsatiated hunger for here at the M Chinnaswamy staruns and Kieron Pollard's blistering dium tomorrow. powerplay, but will also have to They had defeated Kochi Tuskers be wary of Lasith Malinga's seering Kerala by six wickets last weekend yorkers when they take on Mumin their opening match. bai Indians in the IPL match here And it is expected to be an intertomorrow. esting battle tomorrow between Although Mumbai's bowling arSachin Tendulkar and pacer Zaheer mory is trifle weak, they have a Khan. They are good buddies and destructive bowler in Malinga who are fierce competitors, always striving decimated Delhi Daredevil's batto get on top of their opponents. ting might yesterday at the FerIt will interesting to see how ozeshah Kotla.

Zaheer, who has the uncanny abilThe Lankan pace-bowling spear- Today’s fixTures ity to produce wickets when his head returned with inspiring figRajasthan Royals v. team desperately needs a breakures of 5 for 13, which was through, braces up against TenDelhi Dare Devils instrumental in bowling out Virendulkar batting prowess. der Sehwag's outfit for a niggardly We often see them plot the de4 p.m.

95. mise of an opponent batsman toRoyal Challengers v. g e t h e r, t h e i c o n i c b a t s m a n Malinga's fiery, toe-crushing yorkers would be something that sauntering across to the bowlers' Mumbai Indians the Royal Challengers (RCB) thinkrun-up and having a quick work tank, chaired by Anil Kumble, 8 p.m. with the wily left-arm seamer. Wonwould have discussed in detail der who will get the better of each during the team meeting. other tomorrow.

PTI BANGALORE, APRIL 11

Sania & Co lift 2nd WTA title

Sania Mirza and Elena Vesnina hold their trophies at the Family Circle Cup tournament on Monday.

The second set followed a similar script as Sania and Vesnina let a 4-0 lead close to 4-4.

But Vesnina fired a forehand winner to seal it for the pair.

This was Sania and Vesnina's fifth event together.

They began with back-to-back

quarterfinals at Dubai and Doha before winning the Indian Wells but fell early in Miami. In Sania Mirza and her Russian Charleston, Sania won her 11th partner Elena Vesnina clinched WTA doubles title, while Vesnina their second WTA title together, lifted her fifth. lifting the Family Circle Cup dou"It helps we get along so well. bles trophy with a straight-set If either one of us isn't playing triumph over Americans well, you don't get angry Bethanie Mattek-Sands and at your friends. We've Meghann Shaughnessy known each other for rehere. ally long. We play better The unseeded Indo every day and understand Russian pair beat the each other's games better.

AGENCIES fourth seeds 6-4, 6-4 in CHARLESTON, APRIL 11 When the other one isn't what was a repeat of the Indian Wells final three World number one Caroline Wozniacki cap- playing as well, the other weeks ago in which Sania tured her third title of 2011 Sunday, launching picks it up," Sania said.

"I think Sania has the and Vesnina had come out her clay court season with a victory over Elena best forehand on the tour.

Vesnina in the Family Circle Cup final. victors.

The top-seeded Dane defeated Vesnina 6- I see the eyes of the net Sania and Vesnina held off late surges from the 2, 6-3 to add the title to those she won at player who's guarding the Americans, managing to Dubai and Indian Wells, California, and ad- ball from her forehand. grab the first set after let- mitted the triumph on Charleston's green clay They're thinking, 'Oh my ting a 5-1 lead close to 5- had her looking ahead to the red clay of Roland God, no, the Mirza forehand!'" added Vesnina.

Garros.

4.

PTI

CHARLESTON (USA), APRIL 11

Wozniacki wins third title of 2011

PTI JAIPUR, APRIL 11

Clobbered in their lung-opener, Delhi Daredevils will have to get their act together pretty quickly as they take on a determined Rajasthan Royals in their second match of the Indian Premier League here tomorrow.

Led by wily spin legend Shane Warne, Rajasthan, who were the inaugural IPL champions, have made a good start to their campaign beating Deccan Chargers in their opening match.

All set for their first home game of the event at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Rajasthan would undoubtedly be on a high after the comprehensive sevenwicket win in their tournamentopener.

From the inaugural edition itself, Rajasthan have never quite had the star-power to be rated among the favourites but in Warne, they have the master strategist to get the most out

of the limited talent at their disposal.

This time, Rajasthan also have the experience of veteran Indian batsman Rahul Dravid, who may not be the most sought after of Twenty20 players, but lends the line-up the kind of stability that is essential in the face of any sudden collapse.

Not to mention, his experience of having captained the Indian national team makes Dravid the ideal go-to man for Warne when things get too difficult to handle for the Aussie.

In New Zealand swashbuckler Ross Taylor, Rajasthan have the game-changer, who at his destructive best, can simply bat the opposition out of the match.

Imposing Kiwi all-rounder Jacob Oram is another player, who has the ability the turn the game on its head both with the bat and ball, not to forget the athleticism he brings to the team's ground fielding.

South African Johan Botha adds more weight to their batting, making Rajasthan a team to be feared given how Warne manages to get the best out of the domestic talent that he has.

On the bowling front, Warne himself remains quite a force despite being out of international cricket for quite some time now.

The fast bowling attack may not seem too impressive but Siddharth Trivedi and Amit Singh's medium pace came in handy in the match against Deccan in which they shared five wickets between them.

Delhi, on the other hand, crashed rather badly in their opening match against Mumbai Indians.

Without the likes of Gautam Gambhir and Paul Collingwood this season, Delhi's batting relies heavily on skipper Virender Sehwag and the destructive-butinconsistent Aussie David Warner.

The all-rounder raced to the 50-run mark with a six off his South Africa teammate JP Duminy but was out the next ball as he attempted to clear midwicket again.

Gambhir, who batted at an unusual number six against Chennai, promoted himself up the order and shared 43 runs off just 26 balls with Manoj Ti-

wary (30 not out) for the third wicket.

Gambhir (29) was bowled by legspinner Amit Mishra, the most impressive among Deccan bowlers with two wickets for 19 runs off his fours overs.

Big-hitting Yusuf Pathan hit a typically aggressive 22 off 15 balls in a late assault to prop up Kolkata's total.

roman-III_Layout 1 4/11/2011 9:50 PM Page 1

Pg III

OHERALDO

INDIA

GOA, TUESDAY 12 APRIL, 2011

Pranab rubbishes allegation of Mamata’s non-performance PTI KOLKATA, APRIL 11

Senior Congress leader and Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday dismissed allegation by Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee that Mamata Banerjee had failed to perform as a rail-

PTI MUMBAI, APRIL 11

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King of Pop Micheal Jackson died nearly two years ago but his concert performed 15 years back continues to be embroiled in a controversy with the Bombay High Court Monday observing that the then Shiv Sena-BJP government had not "applied its mind" before granting Entertainment Tax exemption to the concert.

A division bench of Justices D K Deshmukh and Anoop Mohta was hearing a petition filed by Mumbai Grahak Panchayat alleging that there had been irregularities in granting exemption on Entertainment Tax on a show performed by Michael Jackson in 1996 in

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he was prepared to get even suspended from the party for backing the rebels against Trinamool Congress candidates in four constituencies in Murshidabad.

"People are yearning for a change of the LF government and those who are contesting as Independents should respect people's emotions," he said and warned of expulsion from the party if they contested against official candidates, as per the party constitution.

Mukherjee felt that the rebels, including some sitting legislators, might have grievances for being denied tickets or over the alliance with the Trinamool Congress, but they should honour people's aspirations for a change.

"Not a single vote against the Left Front should be wasted.

Anybody contesting as an inde-

pendent cannot be a nominee of the party," he said.

"I will not reply to a question about any individual," Mukherjee said when he was reminded about MP Adhir Chowdhury from Behrampore in Murshidaband district who remained firm in backing the rebels against the Trinamool nominees.

Referring to the Left Front's declining electoral curve, he said the undivided Congress in West Bengal before the birth of Trinamool Congress in 1998 used to get 38 to 40 per cent votes, but still could not dislodge the Left Front from power.

"But for the first time, success was achieved against the Left Front in the Lok Sabha election in 2009 when both the parties fought together. It saw the Left's strength in the Lok Sabha come down to 15 MPs from 35 while the combined strength of Tri-

namool and Congress went up to 26 MPs from seven," he said.

He said that the Left Front, which had enough opportunity to ensure all-round development of the state for 35 years, failed to fulfill the demands of the people.

"I would not say no work had been done in the past 35 years.

But it could not take the state to the path of development given the opportunity it had," the finance minister said.

On the attacks on Opposition candidates in some places, he said the Election Commission should look into them and 'as per the constitutional provisions, it is the duty of the Election Commission to ensure a violence-free election'.

He said that Centre was providing adequate security forces to the Election Commission for the coming polls.

Mumbai.

"Prima facie we (court) think that there has been no application of mind by the then state government while granting tax exemption to the concert. The only reason given by the government for exemption was that the concert was for charitable cause which it clearly was not," Justice Deshmukh said.

According to the petition, the event management company Wizcraft along with a trust Shiv Udyog Samiti founded by Raj Thackeray had misrepresented facts to the state government following which the then Minister for Cultural Affairs Pramod Navalkar had granted exemption.

Social activists hold placards and candles during a protest against nuclear power in Bangalore on Monday. A month after a deadly quake-tsunami hit a Japanese nuclear plant, the risk of a huge radiation leak has fallen but the danger is far from over.

Clash of the titans in Tenkasi K Pandian verses Sarath Kumar

PG/CC/Notice-03/Advt-06/11 Sobhagya

4. Authority which has approved the Capital Cost: MoP, Govt. of India

seats, he said, "We think an opportunity has come to downsize the strength of the Left Front to a minority."

He said that Left Front was losing people's support which was evident in a series of electoral debacles it suffered including the 2009 Lok Sabha elections and the subsequent Assembly bye-elections.

In a message to Congress rebels whom he had threatened to expel for six years for contesting against Trinamool Congress candidates in Malda, North Dinajpur and Murshidabad districts, he said, "People want a change and the voters were polarized between the Left and the Congress-Trinamool alliance.

The rebels will lose their security deposits."

Mukherjee's dire comments followed assertion of a party MP from Murshidabad district that

Michael Jackson show was not for charitable cause: HC

POWER GRID CORPORATION OF INDIA LIMITED

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way minister and predicted she would run the state well if she became the chief minister.

"She is running the Railways well. She will also run the state well if she becomes the chief minister," Mukherjee said at a meet-the-press programme here.

Mukherjee's support of the key UPA ally came at a time when Bhattacharjee and other Marxist leaders focused on the alleged non-performance by the railway minister and the poor financial position of her ministry without taking her name at campaign rallies.

Describing her as the leader of the Congress-Trinamool alliance, Mukherjee predicted a 'comfortable' majority for the alliance.

Justifying his party's decision to ally with Trinamool despite being given only 65 out of 294

PTI TENKASI, APRIL 11

A political veteran, who has rubbed shoulders with the likes of late matinee idol M G Ramachandran, and his rival a popular film actor-politician banking on his community votes.

The electoral contest in this constituency in Tirunelveli district in southern Tamil Nadu is a political blockbuster with former AIADMK 'strong man' Karuppasamy Pandian locking horns with Samathuva Makkal Katchi President Sarath Kumar.

Caste equations are likely to play a major role in deciding the victory with both candidates of the two major combines hoping that people of their communities will vote for them.

While Pandian belongs to Thevar community, Kumar is a Nadar and is contesting on the AIADMK’s 'two leaves' symbol.

After the delimitation exercise, the constituency which has undergone a major change has an electorate of 2.11 lakh and Nadars constitute the single largest electorate in this segment, followed by Thevars, Scheduled Castes, Muslims and Yadavas.

Besides, the developmental projects he executed in his five-

year-term and the policies of the DMK government, Pandian is banking on the votes of Thevar community.

AIADMK-backed Kumar, who has acted in over 100 films, is testing his electoral fortunes for the second time with the hope of getting the Nadar community votes. He had unsuccessfully contested for Lok Sabha in 1998 from Tirunelveli constituency on a DMK ticket.

Besides Nadars, Dalits in this constituency may go the Kumar way, thanks to his alliance with M Krishnasamy-led Puthiya Tamizhagam, which has considerable influence among the community.

Kumar has been taking active participation in agitations and rallies organised by the Nadar community in the recent past and his wife and actor Raadhika is touring the constituency seeking votes for her husband.

Pandian, known for his organising capabilities and oratorical skills, is the DMK’s Tirunelveli District Secretary, a powerful post in the organisational structure of the party. Though flyovers, roads and a government college were constructed in the past 5 years in Tenkasi and near-

by areas, people point out the unfulfilled promises of bringing industries and establishing a perfume factory here.

Floriculture is one of the major occupations in Tenkasi and Sankarankovil areas and in the past elections, Pandian had promised to establish a factory.

And another complaint which people point out is the non-establishment of a vegetable cold storage in Tenkasi, where vegetable cultivation is the major occupation.

Pandian was the right hand man of MGR and was a member of the AIADMK from 1972 till 2000, when he was expelled by J Jayalalithaa for indulging in "anti-party" activities.

Pandian then joined the DMK and unsuccessfully contested the 2001 Assembly elections from the same constituency.

However, he emerged victorious from this seat in the 2006 elections, defeating the MDMK candidate by a margin of 18,658 votes.

According to rough estimates, the constituency has around 60,000 Nadar votes, 40,000 Thevar and 30,000 from the Scheduled Castes. The segment also has a considerable Muslim population with 30,000 votes.

Kanyakumari: Will AIADMK regain its lost ground this time?

PTI KANYAKUMARI, APRIL 11

After it supported the ruling DMK and its allies overwhelmingly in the 2006 Assembly elections, this southern-most district in Tamil Nadu is witnessing a triangular contest in many constituencies with the BJP candidates giving a tough fight to the DMK and AIADMK nominees.

In the last elections, the AIADMK-MDMK combine drew a blank in this district and this time the party is contesting in four constituencies and leaving one each to allies CPI (M) and DMDK. While AIADMK to trying to regain its lost ground, DMK is worki n g h a rd t o c o n t i n u e t h e momentum it got in the last polls.

This district, which has a history of long-held rivalry between Hindu Nadars and Christian Nadars, now has six constituencies after the delimitation process during which one segment was abolished.

In all six constituencies – Kanyakumari, Nagercoil, Colachal, Padmanabhapuram, Vilavancode and Kiliyoor – in the district, the ruling and the opposition combines are facing an

uphill task in the presence of BJP candidates. The BJP has considerable presence in this district and BJP's Pon Radhakrishnan emerged second in the 2009 Lok Sabha polls pushing AIADMK combine's nominee to the third slot.

If caste is the major factor in Tirunelveli district, it is religion in this district which boasts of high-level literacy rates. Christian Nadars and the fishermen community hold the key to the victory of candidates in all the six constituencies.

Nagercoil, which now has more Hindu-dominated areas, is witnessing an interesting contest between BJP’s Radhakrishnan, Mahesh of DMK and AIADMK’s Nanjil Murugesan.

Radhakrishnan is walking the extra mile to win the confidence of the people by wooing Christians and Muslims.

But, the church plays a major role. Majority of the Christians, especially women, go by what the church says. This time, both DMK and AIADMK have been making efforts to get the support of the church but in vain. The church has not come out in the

open on its preference this time.

Locals say the church has been backing DMK in the previous elections. Radhakrishnan is hoping for a magic, thanks to his "Mr Clean" image and the efforts "he took to solve several problems faced by fishermen" when he was a minister in the Vajpayee Government.

In the district, BJP is harping on the Hindu and other 'neutral' votes to open its account in the state assembly on its own. Earlier, BJP MLAs have won with DMK’s support.

In Kanyakumari, Tourism Minister N Suresh Rajan, a close confidant of Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin, appears to be on a sticky wicket with people complaining about his not being accessible to them.

AIADMK’s K T Pachaimal, a former Colachal MLA, is giving a tough fight to Rajan accusing him of "ignoring" the constituencies. BJP nominee M R Gandhi is also in the fray.

After delimitation, the constituency has Hindu Nadars and fishermen in equal measures. Fishermen votes play a major role in deciding the victory of the candidates.

OHERALDO

IV

GOA, TUESDAY, 12 APRIL 2011

WORLD

New Gaza flotilla must be stopped: Israel AFP JERUSALEM, APRIL 11

The planned dispatch of a flotilla of ships attempting to break the blockade on Gaza “must be stopped,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a group of European representatives on Monday.

Speaking at a lunch with EU heads of mission in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said stopping the flotilla from heading to the coastal territory was a “common interest” for Israel and Europe.

“We are aware that there is an attempted provocation in May, possibly early June of a another so-called flotilla, not a peace flotilla but a provocation, a deliberate provocation to seek to ignite this part of the Middle East,” he said.

“I think it’s in your and our common interest, and I think it’s something that you should... transmit to your governments, that this flotilla must be stopped.”

Activists from 25 countries plan to sail around 15 ships to Gaza in May to mark the first anniversary of a smaller flotilla that attempted to sail to the territory last year but was intercepted by Israeli troops.

Israeli commandos raided the boats in a controversial operation that left nine Turkish activists dead and drew international condemnation.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu called on UN chief Ban Ki-moon to stop the ships seeking to break the Gaza blockade.

He said that organisers of the flotilla include “extremist Islamic elements whose aim is to create a provocation and bring about a conflagration.”

Israel imposed its blockade on Gaza in June 2006 after militants captured conscript Gilad Shalit in deadly cross-border raid from the territory, where he remains in captivity.

Israeli restrictions on imports and exports were tightened a

year later when Hamas seized power in the territory of 1.5 million people, ousting loyalists of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas.

In the face of international condemnation of its raid on the flotilla, Israel eased some of its restrictions on goods entering and leaving Gaza.

But it maintains tight restrictions on items it says could be used by Hamas, including some building materials, and continues to control Gaza’s airspace and sea access.

During Netanyahu’s meeting Monday, EU ambassador to Israel Andrew Standley expressed the bloc’s concern “at the lack of progress in the Middle East peace process.”

He urged both sides to move towards renewing talks and expressed hope that a tentative calm between Israel and Hamas, reached after a flare-up of violence around the Gaza Strip, would be maintained.

Activists of Labour Party Pakistan shout slogans during a protest in Lahore on Sunday, against the NATO military operation in Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq. NATO launched air strikes against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s troops in the stricken port city of Misrata after regime forces killed at least 11 people there over the weekend.

Syrian students rally for slain protesters AFP DAMASCUS, APRIL 11

Syrian students rallied in Damascus on Monday to express solidarity with protesters killed over the weekend, as the army moved in on the flashpoint town of Banias.

France and Germany, meanwhile, slammed the deadly assaults by security forces on anti-regime protesters and called on President Bashar alAssad to make good on his promises of reform.

“Students rallied in solidarity with the victims of Daraa and Banias, chanting ‘We will sacrifice our soul and blood for you martyrs’,” a human rights activist told AFP. He was referring to the southern town of Daraa, a protest hub where rights groups say 26 people were killed on Friday,

and the northern coastal town of Banias, where a bloody weekend crackdown left four civilians dead, according to witnesses.

A YouTube video of the Damascus rally showed students chanting “Allah, Freedom and Syria, only!”, a recurring slogan of anti-regime protests demanding political reforms and more freedom.

They also chanted “One, one one... the Syrian people are one!”, in an apparent bid to exorcise the ghost of sectarian strife raised by authorities as the protests death toll rises.

Abdel-Karim Rihawi, president of the Syrian League for the Defence of Human Rights, told AFP some demonstrators chanted pro-regime slogans before security forces intervened and made arrests.

Political unrest erupted in

Syria in mid-March, but antigovernment demonstrations, challenging Assad to introduce major reforms, have been largely confined to the provinces.

Syrian troops surrounded Banias with up to 30 tanks on Monday as residents buried their dead and as electricity in the town was cut off, witnesses, activists and residents told AFP. “The army is shooting sporadically to provoke people, but not a single demonstrator has fired,” an activist said, adding that calls were made from minarets of the mosque urging the army to hold fire.

“Bashar al-Assad is sending us a message: punish those who dare demand freedom with death,” a university professor told AFP by telephone.

Government forces on Sunday killed at least four civilians and

wounded 17 when they strafed a residential area of Banias with gunfire for hours, witnesses said.

Nine soldiers, including two officers, were later killed and several wounded when their patrol was ambushed outside the town, the official SANA news agency said.

Anas al-Shuhri, one of the leaders of the protest movement, said three of the civilian casualties were “killed by sniper fire” and blamed “regime henchmen” for the violence.

He said they “had fired on the army to push them to respond” against peaceful demonstrators and accused them of “seeking to stir sectarian unrest.”

Residents of Banias on Monday buried the four civilians killed over the weekend, Rihawi said.

He said there were several ar-

rests in Banias overnight, including associates of former vice president Abdel-Halim Khaddam, a dissident living in exile in Paris since 2006.

Meanwhile, Syrian human rights organisations demanded an investigation into the Sunday clashes in Banias.

They called for the creation of a “neutral, transparent and independent investigative committee” in order to “sanction the perpetrators of the violence” which they wanted to end immediately.

Meanwhile, France on Monday condemned deadly assaults

by Syrian security forces against anti-government protesters and urged Damascus not to resort to deadly force.

“Reform and repression are not compatible,” a foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

Gagarin could have died on glitch-prone flight: scientist AFP MOSCOW, APRIL 11

Yuri Gagarin’s first space flight was plagued with technical problems and his ship would never have left the ground if it had been subject to today’s safety standards, a top rocket scientist said Friday.

“During Gagarin’s flight there were around 11 criticisms made and abnormal situations of various levels of complexity,” said veteran Soviet rocket scientist Boris Chertok, the Interfax news agency reported.

Problems began when it turned out Gagarin weighed 14 kilograms (30 pouds) too much in his spacesuit, said Chertok, 99, who worked with the ship’s brilliant designer, Sergei Korolev,

at the design bureau that created the Vostok ship.

To lighten the load, they decided to cut off some of the cables, but accidentally cut connections to pressure and temperature sensors, Chertok said, speaking at a meeting of the state-owned spaceship constructors, Energia.

In a potentially fatal error, the launch rocket sent Gagarin’s ship into marginally the wrong orbit, with the minimum and maximum distances from Earth being a few kilometres out.

The difference meant that if the engines had failed and if Gagarin had needed to land using atmospheric braking, his ship would have taken not a week, as calculated, but a

month, while he only had food for 10 days, Chertok said.

The first manned space flight 50 years ago came after animals died on two flights after being sent into orbit in the Vostok ships and after just two successful unmanned launches of the new modified model in March 1961.

“The council of chief designers and the state commission decided it was possible to send the ship into space with a man on board after just two normal unmanned flights,” Chertok said.

“If we had thought then about calculating the reliability of the ship according to modern norms, we would never have sent a man up.”

Art

Pottery Creating a vessel from clay is an ancient art; in fact it is quite probable that pottery may well be the oldest human art form. Over the course of thousands of years, pottery items became a dominant ware in people's daily lives. It was used for cooking, for storing items, and for holding food and water.

So What is Pottery?

Pottery is clay that is modeled, dried, and fired, usually with a glaze or finish, into a vessel or decorative object. Clay is a natural product dug from the earth, which has decomposed from rock within the earth's crust for millions of years. Decomposition occurs when water erodes the rock, breaks it down, and deposits it.

It is important to note that a clay body is not the same thing as clay.

Clay bodies are clay mixed with additives that give the clay different properties when worked and fired; thus pottery is not made from raw clay but a mixture of clay and other materials.

The potter can create his product many ways. Clay may be modeled by hand or with the assistance of a potter's wheel. It may be jiggered using a tool that copies the form of a master model onto a production piece, poured into a mold and

dried, or cut or stamped into squares or slabs. It all depends on the fancy of the potter – and what he intends to build. The methods for forming pottery are as varied as the artisans who create them.

Pottery must be fired to a temperature high enough to mature the clay, meaning that the high temperature hardens the piece to enable it to hold water. An integral part of this firing is the addition of liquid glaze (it may be painted on or dipped in the glaze) to the surface of the unfired pot, which changes chemical composition and fuses to the surface of the fired pot.

Then, the pottery is said to have a vitreous enamel, meaning it resembles glass. This is usually done for vessels and earthen pots used for cooking purposes.

Raw Materials

Primary clay is found in the same place as the rock from which it is derived—it has not been transported by water or glacier and thus has not mixed with other forms of sediment.

Primary clay is heavy, dense, and pure.

Secondary or sedimentary clay is formed of lighter sediment that is carried farther in water and deposited.

This secondary clay, a mixture of sediment, is finer and lighter than primary clay. Varying additives give the clay different characteristics.

Clay comes to a production potter in one of two forms—as a powder to which water must be added, or with water already added. Large factories purchase the clays in huge quantities as dry materials, making up the clay batch as needed each day.

The primary mineral found in clay is kaolinite. The chemical composition of clay may be loosely said to have 40% aluminum oxide, 46% silicon oxide, and 14% water.

There are two types of clays: primary and secondary.

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A Sri Lankan vendor sorts clay pots in Colombo on Monday, ahead of the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year. Sri Lanka marks the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year this April 13 and 14.

Egypt blogger gets 3 yrs for criticising military

Myanmar detains 146 boat people

concern to Egypt’s large network of bloggers who had hoped the overthrow of Mubarak in a popular uprising would usher in a new era of freedom of expression.

Last week, Human Rights Watch called for the charges to be dropped.

It said Egypt’s armed forces “should drop all charges against (Nabil) for his Internet posts critical of the military.”

“This trial sets a dangerous precedent at a time when Egypt is trying to transition away from the abuses of the Mubarak era,” said HRW’s Middle East and North Africa director Sarah Leah Whitson.

This is the first trial of a blogger by a military court since the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces assumed control after Mubarak resigned on February 11 following 18 straight days of anti-regime protests.

Military police arrested Nabil, a campaigner against conscription, on March 28 after he wrote

Myanmar has detained 146 boat people from Bangladesh after they were dumped on a beach by traffickers who told them they were in Thailand, an official said Monday.

“They are in the Irrawaddy region under investigation,” said the Myanmar government official, who asked not to be named.

He said more than 80 of the detainees were Rohingyas, a Muslim group living primarily in Myanmar’s western Rakhine state who are described by the United Nations as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities.

The group, found on a beach in late March, said they had paid to be taken from Bangladesh by boat to Bangkok and were told they had arrived in the Thai capital, he said.

“They will be charged under the immigration act. For the Rohingya they will be sent back to Maungdaw in Rakhine State. The others will be sent back to Bangladesh,” the official said.

AFP CAIRO, APRIL 11

An Egyptian military court on Monday jailed a blogger for three years for criticising the armed forces, the country’s rulers since president Hosni Mubarak’s ouster in February, his lawyer told AFP. “Regrettably, the Nasr City military court sentenced Maikel Nabil to three years in prison,” Gamal Eid said. “The lawyers were not present, the verdict was handed out almost in secret.”

The verdict had initially been set for Wednesday and was postponed to Sunday.

The lawyers went on Sunday but were told to leave because there would be no verdict, Eid said.

“We were then very suprised to hear that he (Maikel Nabil) was sentenced to three years,” said Eid, who heads the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI).

The verdict is likely to cause

blogs criticising the military, HRW said.

His posts and comments on social networking website Facebook were used as evidence against him in the trial, HRW quoted his lawyers as saying.

Last year, a military court sentenced another blogger to six months in prison for publishing “militar y secrets” after he posted instructions on Facebook on how to enlist in the armed forces, his lawyers said at the time.

Another blogger was acquitted after he published a post on alleged patronage in a military academy.

The militar y, which has pledged to hand power to a civilian government once parliamentary and presidential elections are held, has tried and sentenced dozens of people in recent weeks for crimes such as robbery and assault.

The trials are speedy and can result in harsh sentences, rights groups say.

AFP YANGON, APRIL 11

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BY CHRISTINA VIEGAS HERALD FEATURES t is holiday time once again. And everyone is waiting to go for that long summer holiday; a well-deserved one after all the hard work we have put in throughout the last 12 months, whether studies or career. In fact, it is the parents who are more keen on holidays as you do not have to go through the painful gamut of rousing sleepy heads from their beds, and entering into a manic frenzy of bathing, dressing, feeding and dropping them off at school.

But ironically, holiday time is an even demanding challenge as the little demons refuse to wake up in time, thereby encumbering every other chore and you are rushed for work, churning out meals, immersed in laundry etc – all this while simultaneously catering to their ever demanding needs.

As kids we grew up playing ‘mama’ and ‘dada’, with those adorable dolls. Whoever dreamed what the reality of parenting was!

So, nothing but a getaway from the daily routine seems the only option to stop the creeping insanity that is lurking at the borders of your mind. But, then again you have a kid or a gaggle of them and the very thought of travelling suffices to ensure you stay put. Besides, it always seems that you end up expending more time and energy on planning than you actually spend during the vacation.

“It doesn’t have to be,” say the travel experts, who affirm, that with a little efficient planning and a lot of patience, you can enjoy your journey and the holiday to the fullest. You are well adv i s e d t o t a ke a n y shortcuts, tricks and travel wisdom that comes your way.

The journey seems to be the biggest challenge.

Never underestimate the value of a new loot for the road, on rail or for the flight. A new bag of toys is a must for toddlers and kids younger than six years of age. You will be surprised to learn that toys that were stacked away in some corner of your kids’ room will seem as good a new to your little ones.

And then, no matter how hale and hearty everyone looks, it is an ab-

Travelling with kids? You can have a smooth journey with proper planning and a little more patience.

Herald details… solute must to carry that all important kit of medication. It will save you from clutching your racing heart in exasperation, at three in the morning wondering where to procure paracetamol or cough syrup.

Parents swear that if you are hitting the road or taking off by air, a pram is of utmost necessity.

While seeming a pain during the journey, it will save many warring moments between couples during your vacation, as slogging it out on a stepper in the gym is any day simpler, than carrying a 15 kg bundle of pain and pleasure.

For the little older ones there is no substitute for books, though if you are travelling by road or rail, reading is a strict no-no as it is harmful for their eyes. So, music is second best and without a whimper, lots of snacks and drinks. This is no time to don the role of ‘Brigadier’ and scream at your spouse that packaged snacks are bad.

Besides, it is of utmost importance to involve your kids for part of your plans at least and get to know what activities interest them rather than planning stuff just because it works for your neighour’s kids. Getting their views on whether they like action, adventure, historical attractions etc is advisable.

Armed with a better sense of what everyone’s likes and dislikes are, you can craft a travel agenda that works for all.

It is also courteous when you take breaks for meals to make sure your kid does not run around probing at fellow diners as nothing can be more annoying. Getting them involved with a lot of books and colouring works for most.

While the above advice is welcome from the travel experts, it sure does not seem very enticing for the parents. While your flight takes off, if you want to close your eyes, and slip on those headphones as you soar into your world of dreams or if you want to jump off your vehicle at a breathtaking spot and sashay to the tune of the whispering green fields, it does not work with a baby who needs nonstop amusement. So, get real and follow rules, the journey will be a smooth one. Take heed, take off and have a great journey!

Knowledge on Law in Simple Terms It is said that having a stable civil code is a sign of a stable legal system. Aiming at achieving just this is Advocate Dr F E through his new book, Outline Goa Civil Code. Herald speaks to the legal professional to find out more

BY JANICE RODRIGUES HERALD FEATURES or a layman, understanding the legal system can be quite complicated; if you have to get things done, it almost always warrants a lot of running from pillar to post to make it happen. It is pretty exhausting to fight a court case especially if one has to refer to all the possible law books for finding the right laws. And in Goa, a place which still follows the Portuguese civil laws and has its laws in the Portuguese language, things can get even more tedious. Translating the civil code into English and trying to put all the necessary civil laws in one place is advocate Dr F E Noronha who has been practising in the state for the past 24 years. His new book on the Civil Code of Goa, titled, Outline Goa Civil Code, aims at bringing the law to the common man.

True to its title, the book has provided an outline for the lawmakers on which the civil code for Goa can be built.

“The book is a complete consolidation of the laws of Goa in one place, it is my proposal for a complete civil code for Goa,” says Dr Noronha. The Goa Civil Code is different from that of the rest of the country in the sense that it is based on the code of Portugal, and also that the court follows a common code for all its residents regardless of the community they belong to. Noronha explains, “The rest of the country has different civil codes for different communities, Hindus, Muslims and Christians, but Goa has a uniform civil code and I thought we should preserve

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Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind - Seneca

Ram Navmi: Celebrating the Birth of Lord Ram HERALD FEATURES ord Ram, the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian Puranas is one of the most revered figures of Hindu mythology. Ram Navami or Rama Jayanti is the birthday of Lord Ram and is observed on Chaitra Shukla Navami, the ninth day in Shukla Paksha during Chaitra month. Ram Navami marks the end of Ram Navratras, a nine-day worship dedicated to Lord Ram which starts on Chaitra Shukla Prathami and ends on Chaitra Shukla Navami, which is Ram Navami.

According to Indian mythological legends, King Dasaratha performed a putrakamesti yajna, a sacrifice to obtain offspring by pleasing the gods. He gives the sacred, sacrificial nectar to his three wives according to their seniority, Kousalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi. On the night of the ninth day after Amavasya, Ram was born in the city of Ayodhya, which was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Kosala which now lies in the modern state of Uttar Pradesh in India. In the Ramayana, Ram is referred to as Aryaputra, son of an Aryan. Ram was the prince of the Suryavamsha (Sun Dynasty) and is the eldest brother to Bharata.

The celebrations of Ram Navami start with the worship of the Sun God. People wake up early in the morning, bathe and pray to the Sun God followed by chanting mantras of Lord Ram. As a part of the celebrations, people keep their homes clean and decorate it beautifully. Every member of the family takes part in the puja, which is conducted by the oldest member of the family. When the puja is over, prasad is distributed among all the people gathered for the worship of Lord Ram. Ram Navami is a grand event in three Ram Temples in India – Ayodhya Ram Temple in Uttar Pradesh, Bhadrachalam Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh, and Rameshwaram Temple in Tamil Nadu.

In Goa, there are various temples of Lord Ram. An idol of the infant Ram will be placed in a well-decorated cradle and lullabies praising the infant will be sung by the folk artistes. Some of the temples that celebrate Ram Navami are the temple of Ramchandra and Sita in Pilgao, Bicholim and Shri Ram temple in Colvale.

Colvale in Bardez is famous for its Shri Ram temple and for the annual festival of Ram Navami. The Ram Navami celebrations at Colvale start from Gudi Pawda, the Hindu new year and continue till Ram Navami. The temple is beautifully decorated with lights and the evenings are always reverberating with bhajans, kirtans and dramas that are sung and acted by noted singers and the various cultural groups from and around Colvale.

L

that identity of the civil code.”

The civil code is the embodiment of one of the most important legacies that the Portuguese rule has left behind, which is based on the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867. Apart from the universal code and a few differences in the laws of property in India, the code is similar to that of the rest of India. “The spirit behind the Portuguese Civil Code of 1867 and that of the Indian Constitution is the same, and we follow the same principles of equality, liberty and justice. Both the countries took the principles form the French law, and the only difference is that it came to India only after the independence of the country,” explains Noronha This is not this first time a law professional has attempted to translate the civil codes into English; among other translations are advocate Usgaonkar’s translation of the laws governing family and marriages and advocate Bruto Da Costa’s translation of the laws of succession.

“The laws have been translated as separate parts, but this time I have translated the whole Civil Code of Goa, giving my suggestions too,” states Noronha who was invited by the Law Faculty of the University of Lisbon to deliver a talk on the state of the Civil Code in Goa. According to Noronha, it is high time the state of Goa and the country also has a civil code, the preface of the book states that ‘A Civil Code is the foundation of an orderly law abiding society which is essential for the success of democracy and orderly economic development.’ The author adds, “Formulating a civil code is a sign of progress in a country; all the western countries have their own civil codes which the public can refer to. In fact the public is even educated about the various laws,” he says.

Giving guidelines on which the lawmakers can formulate a code is what this lawyer has tried to do, and as it is for the benefit of the whole state, he has kept his doors open to any suggestions. “Judges, lawyers and the public have to put in their suggestions, corrections and criticisms so that we can formulate a code that will suit the whole state, and thus we can make Goa the first to have a proper code in the whole country,” he concludes.

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Tuesday, 12 Apr 2011

WHAT’S UP IN GOA??

‘Children’s Theatre Workshop’ for boys and girls between the age group of 7 to 13 years, organised by Abhivyaktis underway till April 17 from 9am to 1pm at the Club House, Government Colony, Patto-Panjim. Call 2423951 and 9422448494.

Salsa and Jive Classes, organised

by Dance Illusions will start a new batch of dance classes. It will be held on April 12 at 7pm at Vasco and April 13 at 7:30pm at Panjim. Call 9823014397.

A summer camp, organised

by Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the Arts will be held from May 2 to 7 from 10am to 4pm at Sunaparanta, AltinhoPanjim. Call 2421311.

A summer workshop for children and teenagers will be held from April 12 onwards at Simply Ballroom Dance Studio, Alto-Dabolim.

Registration closes on April 10. Call 9923323611, 9423057191 or 9822150348.

‘CARZ’, a one-day workshop on cars for kids by Rohan Coelho will be held on April 16 from 9am to 6pm at Sunaparanta - Goa Centre for the Arts, AltinhoPanjim.

E-mail info@sgcfa.org. Call 2421311.

Learn rock climbing on an artificial rock climbing wall. Classes will be held in batches in the month of April and May as follows; April 11 to 15 and 18 to 22 and May 2 to 6, 9 to 13 and 16 to 20 from 3:30pm to 4:30pm at Zoswaddo, Soccoro. Email kimsabir@gmail.com or oliviacolaso@yahoo.com.

Call 8975841178 or 9823128184.

COCO’JU, the Coconut and Cashew Fest ‘11, organised by Ancestral Goa, Big Foot, Lotoulim will be held from April 30 to May 2 from 9am to 5:30pm at Ancestral Goa, Big Foot, Lotoulim. Call 2777034.

The Certification-cum-

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HOROSCOPE Exhibition of art work of the children of Apna Ghar, organised by SCAN-India in collaboration with the Directorate of Women and Child Development, Goa will be held on April 12 at 3.30pm at the Kala Academy, Campal-Panjim.

Call 2420452.

‘Right To Information (RTI)’, is the topic of a workshop organised by Asha Family Responsibilities and Rights Association, to be held on April 16 from 10am to 12.30pm at Grace Church Complex Hall, First floor, Margao. It will be conducted in Konkani and English. Email trustasha@yahoo.co.in Call 2256445 or 9822166876.

‘The Mango Tree Art Camp’, organised by Sunaparanta – Goa Centre for the Arts will be held from May 2 to 7 from 10am to 4pm at Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, Altinho-Panjim.

Call 2421311.

‘Summer Dance Camp 2011’, organised by Snaden Shawn Dance Academy will be held for the months of April and May at Kala Academy, Panjim, Alto-Porvorim Sports and Cultural Club, Porvorim and the Comunidade Hall, Mapusa. Admissions are open for kids and adults. Call 9890163433 or 7798609859.

‘Tuberculosis’, is the topic of the interactive session on the upcoming series on health co-organised by the International Centre Goa and Manipal Hospital Goa, to be held on April 16 from 4pm to 5pm at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula. The speaker is Dr Haradatta Karande, Consultant Chest Physician, Manipal Hospital Goa. Call 2452805 to 2452810.

Karate classes, conducted by Sensei Joseph Rodrigues, 4th Dan Black Belt will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 6pm at Pharmacy College, Panjim and at 6:15am at Basilios Gym, St Inez.

It's your turn in a game of phone tag -- get back in touch 21 Mar - 19 Apr with someone f a r a w a y. I f you're seeing someone, drop what you're doing and get in touch with them -- your romantic energy is off the charts! If you're somehow single, you can make some progress toward leaving that state behind.

Taurus Things are well on their way to solidifying -- be confident in what 20 Apr - 20 May you've done.

Something bad is brewing between you and your mate, boss or best friend -- and you might need to let it keep heating up for a bit! The alternative (for now, anyway) is to give up some of your power.

Loud, brash or Gemini obnoxious energies will distract you now -you must act 21 May - 20 Jun quickly. Your brainy energy is just right for solving tough problems -- or for sorting through big ideas.

It's best if you can manage it with a colleague or friend, but you can do just fine on your own.

You may face a major choice.

Focus on what's important, and it's an easy one.

22 Jun - 23 Jul Play hard or stay home today -- you've got to impress whomever is watching!

If it seems too extravagant, that means you're doing something right. You may want to leave at least one credit card untouched, though.

Use any and all help you can get now. There's just no point in going it alone.

24 Jul - 23 Aug You need to embrace the crowds today -- just as they are sure to embrace you! No matter what the reason, or how silly it all seems to you, their adulation means a lot to them and you may as well accept it.

Getting things done won't give you the sense of accomplish23 Aug - 22 Sep ment you're expecting. Your first instinct is to resist change today -- but it's inevitable, and if you can just adapt a bit, you should do fine. Better that you avoid all the stress that comes with fighting the rising tide!

When you catch a glimpse of your potential future, 23 Sept - 22 Oct don't fret. Just embrace it.

Your social energy is perfect for hanging with friends -- so seek them out! At least one of them is in dire need of a talking-to, and you are the only person who can do so with the right attitude.

Scorpio The ever-precarious balance between good and bad will be 23 Oct - 22 Nov easy to achieve now. A major challenge crosses your path today -- though you don't have to take it up if you don't feel like it. If you're up for it, though, you can make a solid impression on someone who turns out to be quite important.

Sagittarius Big changes

Capricorn It's a good day to think things over -- your mental clarity 22 Dec - 20 Jan i s s t r o n g e r than ever. If you start to feel frustrated with how the day is going, just remember that you're not the only one having problems -- in fact, if you trade problems with someone else, you both might be better off!

Aquarius You're in the thick of things, so realize that your actions 21 Jan - 19 Feb have major consequences.

There's no way out but through today -- and you need to go through with someone you're not all that crazy about. The good news is that they are as open to compromise as you are, so ask them what they need.

Where's the fire? Slow down now and let the world 20 Feb - 20 Mar rush around while you relax.

Your health is much on your mind today -- or at least it should be! That's not to say that you need to descend into hypochondria, merely that your energy is perfect for taking positive, healthy steps.

Aries

Libra

are afoot, so get ready for physical and emotional 23 Nov - 20 Dec transformations.

Travel is at least on your mind, if not on today's agenda -- and your energy is perfect for getting out there and seeing new things. If you can hit the road or even just plan for a later trip, you should feel great.

Cancer

Leo

Virgo

Pisces

DID YOU KNOW? Massive structures called Ziggurats

tenterhooks Pronunciation TEN-ter-hooks Function Noun Meaning 1: one of the bent nails that hold cloth stretched on a tenter 2: on tenterhooks, in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety Example Sentence Erwin was on tenterhooks about the judge’s decision as this was his first case as lawyer.

LAFFS

Ziggurats were massive structures built in the ancient Mesopotamian valley and western Iranian plateau, having the form of a terraced step pyramid of successively receding stories or levels. Ziggurats were built by the Sumerians, Babylonians, Elamites, Akkadians, and Assyrians for local religions.

Each ziggurat was part of a temple complex which included other buildings. Sun-baked bricks made up the core of the ziggurat with facings of fired bricks on the outside. The facings were often glazed in different colours and may have had astrological significance. Kings sometimes had their names engraved on these glazed bricks. The number of tiers ranged from two to seven.

One of the best-preserved ziggurats is Choqa Zanbil in western Iran. The Sialk ziggurat, in Kashan, Iran, is the oldest known ziggurat, dating to the early 3rd millennium BC. An example of an extensive and massive ziggurat is the Marduk ziggurat, or Etemenanki, of ancient Babylon.

WIZARD OF ID

Funny Quote

“If I knew I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself.”

– Mickey Mantle DAILY GROOK LOWER EXPLORER

by Francis Rodrigues the early pioneer gynaec facing a female interior, once past below the neck went on to explore'her!

GARFIELD

MIND BENDERS

SUN MOON TIDES

Tongue Twister Tuesday 32° C | 24° C Dawn 06:01

Hot heat hit hatted hairy Henry’s head

Clear

Sunrise 06:23

Sunset Dark 18:49 19:11

Moon rise 13:12 Moon set

01:26

TIDES Low High Low 10:35 18:00 —

High —

High 03:47

D Tide timings are for Mormugao Harbour. For Panjim/Calangute add 20 mins. For Colva add 30 mins

21:00 Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karen 10:25 12:25 14:35 16:40 18:55 21:00 23:20

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Fired Up! Father of the Bride Part II Command Performance Mirrors Race to Witch Mountain Gone in 60 Seconds Tomorrow Never Dies

Honey G.I. Joe Bloodsport The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 Richie Rich The King of Fighters Star Trek

08:30 11:30 15:00 19:00 22:30

09:55 11:40 13:45 15:45

Riddle Me This Why is there a fence around the cemetery?

Hint: The answer is an example of a pun Last ‘Riddle Me This’ Answer: She wanted to see the butter fly (butterfly)

18:35 Drunken Master 21:00 Jesse Stone 23:15 Did You Hear About the Morgans?

Anjaane: The Unknown Tamacha Aulad Main Aisa Hi Hoon Mission to Mars

Look Who's Talking Too Charlie's Angels America's Sweethearts Van Wilder 2

09:55 Bardaasht 14:05 Kunwara 17:30 Farishtay

10:00 10:30 15:00 16:00 20:00 23:30

IPL 4 H/ls Jai Vikraanta IPL 4 Extraaa Innings Indian Premier League 4 Indian Premier League 4 IPL 4 Extraaa Innings

12:00 Phool Aur Kaante 16:00 Phool Bane Angarey 20:00 Ek Joshila

12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

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Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Mrs. Tendulkar Papad Pol Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo Lapataganj FIR Ring Wrong Ring Mrs. Tendulkar Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Gutar Gu Ring Wrong Ring Papad Pol Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Sajan Re Jhoot Mat Bolo Mrs. Tendulkar Lapataganj FIR

Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Rang Badalti Odhni

IDIOT BOX 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

Navya Saath Nibhana Saathiya Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya Maayke Se Bandhi Dor Gulaal Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Tere Mere Sapne Hamari Devrani Sapno Se Bhare Naina Maryaada ... Lekin Kab Tak? Navya Maayke Se Bandhi Dor Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya Sasural Genda Phool Saath Nibhana Saathiya Behenein Navya Saath Nibhana Saathiya Sasural Genda Phool Chaand Chupa Badal Mein Maayke Se Bandhi Dor Gulaal Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai Navya Mann Kee Awaaz Pratigya

11:00 12:00 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 16:00 17:00 18:00 19:00 20:00 20:30 21:00 22:00 22:30

Adaalat Surya: The Super Cop Chhajje Chhajje Ka Pyaar Krishnaben Khakhrawala Saas Bina Sasural CID Super Cases C.I.D CID Super Cases CID Super Cases CID Super Cases Krishnaben Khakhrawala Chhajje Chhajje Ka Pyaar Surya: The Super Cop Saas Bina Sasural Kismat

12:00 Chhoti Si Zindagi 12:30 Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli 13:00 Choti Bahu

SUDOKU 831

13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

Pavitra Rishta Sanskaar Laxmi Chhoti Si Zindagi Ram Milaayi Jodi Sanjog Se Bani Sangini Shabaash India Pavitra Rishta Bhagonwali Apno ke liye Geeta ka Chhoti Si Zindagi Choti Bahu Jhansi Ki Rani Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli Pavitra Rishta Ram Milaayi Jodi Sanjog Se Bani Sangini Sanskaar Laxmi

11:30 Mrs. Tendulkar 12:00 Lapataganj

15:00 15:30 16:00 16:30 17:00 17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30

Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Rang Badalti Odhni Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Rang Badalti Odhni Geet Yeh Ishq Haaye!!

Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani Dhoond Legi Manzil Humein Geet Rang Badalti Odhni Pyaar Kii Ye Ek Kahaani

12:20 13:15 14:10 15:05 16:00 16:55 17:50

Top Chef House Criss Angel Mindfreak Fear Factor The Amazing Race Top 20 Countdown Criss Angel Mindfreak

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Fear Factor Wipeout House Top Chef Wipeout

Dexter The Bold and The Beautiful Friends Las Vegas Desperate Housewives Community Family Guy Dexter Las Vegas Koffee With Karan How I Met Your Mother The Simpsons Las Vegas Dexter Community

11:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series Chhota Bheem Marathon Pokemon M.A.D Chhota Bheem Anpanman Breadman The Pink Panther Show Just for Laugh Gags Takeshi's Castle Takeshi's Castle Just for Laugh Gags Bam Bam Bam Gir Pade Hum

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12:00 FIM Motocross World Championship 2011 14:00 Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters 22:00 Full Throttle 2010/2011 22:30 Golf Focus 2011 23:00 Score Tonight 23:30 TNA Impact

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Barclays Premier League MLB Regular Season 2011 The Monday Night Verdict Asian Tour H/ls Premier League Highlights Sportscenter India Sportscenter Asia Bpl Express

22:00 Sportscenter India 22:30 Sportscenter Asia 23:00 Premier League Highlights

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WWE: After Burn Football League Show NBA 2010/11 Real NBA FIM X Trial World Championship 2010/11 22:00 Motorsport Mundial 22:30 WWE: After Burn 23:30 UEFA Champions League

09:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 19:00 2007 India Tour of England H/ls 21:00 ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 H/ls 22:00 India Edition 23:00 2011 Commonwealth Bank Series H/ls

06:00 Art of Living 06:30 Hymn Singing 07:00Namah 07:30Kids Club 08:00 English News 09:00 Grace Abounds 09:30Grape Escapade 10:00 English News 11:00 Varun 11:30 Concert of Classical music 12:00 Sunset Symphony 12:30Goa Fashion Week 13:00 English News 14:00Konkani Play 15:00C D’Silva Musical Nite 15:30Success Mantra 16:00 English News 17:00 Angos Musical Show 17:30Kids Club 18:00 English News 19:00 Grace Abounds 19:30Sunset Symphony 20:00English News 21:00When Christ was crucified 22:00English News 23:00Concert of Classical music 23:30Success Mantra 00:00Goa Fashion Week 00:30Varun 01:00Sunset Symphony Note: Subject to change

Instructions for Sudoku 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

SUDOKU SOL 830

HERALD CROSSWORD - 831 Across 1- Art ___; 5- Elapse; 9- Capital of Ghana; 14- A party to; 15Banned apple spray; 16- It's ground; 17- Lacking nationality; 19- Chopper topper; 20- Unit of energy; 21- Ark builder; 22- Catlike Asian carnivore; 23- Elementary particle; 25- Tempo; 26Small galley; 27- Wildly enthusiastic; 30- In the least; 31- Russian revolutionary leader; 32Explosive sound; 34- Deride; 35Like a rock; 36- Civil disturbance; 37- Conger; 38- Room at the top; 39- Mazda model; 40- Give off; 42- Against a proposition; 43Capital of Norway; 44- Feeling of vexation; 48- Carousal; 50- Frijole; 51- Summer drink; 52- Wading; 47- Food and water; 48- Actress Ward; 49ing bird; 53- Wicket; 55- Actress Verdugo; 56Get ready; 50- Male of a bovine mammal; 52Designer Cassini; 57- Not new; 58- Pertaining to With it; 53- Digit of the foot; 54- Boy king; Benedict XVI; 59- Additional; 60- Actress Harper; Down SOLUTION - 830 1- Detach; 2- Supplications; 3- Capable of coagulating; 4- Thunder Bay's prov.; 5- Foolish person; 6- New York city; 7- Beat up; 8- Decade divs.; 9- Kenyan, Nigerian, or Congolese; 10Cleft; 11- Pigeon coop; 12- Dig like a pig; 13Sheet music abbr.; 18- Sign up; 22- Member of the dog family; 24- Mosaic piece; 25- Overwhelming fear; 27- Contradict; 28- Capital city of Western Samoa; 29- Smoke deposit; 31- Numbers game; 33- Mom-and-pop org.; 35- Inscribed pillar; 36- Circular band; 38- Collection of weaponry; 39- Haunted house sounds; 41Crownlike object; 42- Alter; 44- Goddess of tillage; 45- Bluffer's ploy; 46- Runs without mov-

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GOA’S h DKA’s Annual Awards to be held soon

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Tuesday, 12 Apr 2011

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HERALD FEATURES he Dalgado Konknni Akademi has announced its annual awards to personalities who have contributed to the development of Konknni in Roman script. The awards will be presented in a special function to be held on April 15, 2011, at 4:15 pm at Ravindra Bhavan’s Conference Hall, Margao.

Fr Manuel Gomes, who has 15 books to his credit, will be honoured with the Dalgado Literary Award 2010 for his lifetime contribution to Konknni literature in Roman script.

Antonio Rosario Fernandes, popularly known as Roseferns in the tiatr field, will be conferred with the Dalgado Cultural Award 2010 for his lifetime contribution to Konknni culture. Roseferns has had his finger on the pulse of the audience from the very beginning, drawing people – from priests to politicians – cheering and applauding every production. Both these awards carry a Romano Rodrigues shawl, a memento, a citation and a

cash prize of Rs 25,000 each.

The Dalgado Konknni Akademi’s Fr Freddy J da Costa Award 2010 for journalism in Konknni in Roman script will be presented to Vincy Quadros, a regular contributor to many of the periodicals in Konknni in Roman script.

He also has over 7 books to his credit.

The Dalgado Puroskar 2010 for youth contribution to Konknni in Roman script will be conferred on Romano Rodrigues who writes essays, stories and poems in his inimitable style.

Both these awards carry a shawl, a memento, a citation and a cash prize of Rs 10,000 each.

Premanand Lotlikar, President Vincy Quadros of Dalgado Konknni Akademi has congratulated all the awardees and hoped that their example of love and sacrifice in the development of Konknni in Roman script will inspire the youth of today to work with dedication for the progress of our mother tongue, Konkani.

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Subodh Kerkar to deliver Talk in New Delhi Roseferns

Fr. Manuel Gomes

The Unique Rituals of Mulgao Zatra

Photos by Samir Umarye

BY SAMIR UMARYE he famous Zatra of Mulgao attracted thousands of people from Mulgao, Mayem, Bicholim and surrounding area who paid tribute to Goddess Kelbai on Sunday, April 10, 2011.

The feature that stands out most and is unique to this Zatra are the masks of four gods which are placed in a peth (box) and taken by the dhonds (devotees) to Mayem where the peth is kept for three days and after the Zatra, it is again carried back to Mulgao.

“There are four masks of the Goddess which are taken in the peth and only after it reaches Mayem can the people there celebrate their zatra,” informed an organiser, adding, “It is only in Mulgao that the Goddess is taken in a peth; in most of the other places, it is in taken either in a kalash or palki (palanquin).”

The Zatra began at midnight and the peth then proceeded through Bicholim to Mayem. On the entire way, the people paid tribute by offering coconut and flowers.

As per the available information, the famous Zatra of Shirgao where the dhonds perform Agnidivya – walking over burning coal – is held exactly one month after this Zatra.

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HERALD FEATURES oted Goan installation artist Subodh Kerkar has been invited to deliver a talk on art and the city on April 11, 2011 at 11:30am at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi for the India@100 : Festival of Urbanity which is being organised by Millennium Spire India Management Pvt Ltd. Other speakers for the event include T T Chatterjee, Secretary Environment and Forest – Government of India; Pradeep Sachdea, Architect; Alka Pande, Art Consultant and Curator; Dinesh Singh, Vice Chancellor – Delhi University, Aniket Bhagwat, Landscape Architect and many other well known architects and city planners.

Millennium Spire Management is a fund which specialises in infrastructure development in cities and gives a stress on ecologically responsive city buildings.

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Photos by: Rosario Estibeiro and Chiquitita D’Souza

Designs by Ranji Kelekar

Goa Fashion Week Glamour Day 2 and 3 HERALD FEATURES he Goa Fashion Week saw a lot of glitz and glamour over the three days that it was being held at the Vivanta by Taj Holiday Village. Models walked the ramp in designs from some of Goa’s best as well as upcoming designers. Day two of the GSW saw the artwork of Pune based body painter, Sabby and the designs of Jyotsna Bhat. This was followed by the designs of Philu Martins while the day closed with the designs of Sri-Lankan designer Senaka De Silva.

The final day of the Goa Fashion Week opened with the designs of Andrea Dias, followed by that of Ranji Kelekar and James Ferreira. The GFW came to a close with the designs of Swapnil Shinde, amidst a heavy shower of rain.

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Designs by Jyotsna Bhat

Body Art by Sabby

Designs by James Ferreira Designs by Swapnil Shinde

Designs by Andrea Dias

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Tuesday 12 Apr 2011

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Ben Affleck in The Great Gatsby?

Kylie Minogue wants to direct

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ctor Ben Affleck is in talks to play the lead in Director Baz Luhrmann’s big screen adaptation of Francis Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel The Great Gatsby. The star cast also includes Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire.

DiCaprio is pegged to play the wealthy and mysterious Jay Gatsby, while Tobey Maguire is playing Nick Carraway, who in the novel is the narrator. Carey Mulligan is playing Gatsby’s love, Daisy Buchanan, who is married to a wealthy chap named Tom Buchanan.

Affleck is interested in tackling the role of Buchanan, Daisy’s spoilt husband in the movie, which is the seventh adaptation of the book. The actor is also planning to begin work on his next directorial effort, Iranian hostage film Argo, which will begin in September.

Fitzgerald’s story takes place soon after the First World War and depicts the ‘roaring 1920s’ through the ill-fated love story of Jay Gatsby, who turns bootlegger to win the heart of his lady love, a superficial society woman married to a rich man.

This book adaptation, the seventh so far, is set to begin filming in August in 3D.

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inger-actress Kylie Minogue, who shot to fame with soap opera Neighbours, admits she would love to be behind the camera and be a director. “Professionally, I’d love to be behind the camera more. I think there’s a director in me somewhere as I get older and bossier. I don’t know how I ended up with a music career that has lasted that long when I thought I’d just be an actress,” said the 42-year-old star.

“I love the community spirit of doing a film with other people around, rather than having your own trailer when you’re a pop star,” she added.

Preeti Desai wants to keep mum about Personal Life

Zeenat Aman supports the New Laila O Laila

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eenat Aman might not be happy with the new version of her cult song Dum maaro dum, but the veteran actress is quite satisfied with the neo-age version of Laila o laila and is going all out to lend her support to it. The famous song from the 1980 film Qurbani has been re-arranged for the film Chalo Dilli, which is actress Lara Dutta’s first home production.

“I liked the song when I heard it. They have retained the original version and at the same time have given the song a new flavour. It’s got a rustic, ethnic feel and I liked it a lot. So I’m supporting it,” said Zeenat.

The new version has been picturised on Yana Gupta and the 31-year-old is extremely happy to be a part of such a cult song. “I was extremely excited to do this song because it’s fantastic. I’m just honoured to do Zeenatji’s song. I think people will like it,” she said.

er first film is yet to hit the screens, but Preeti Desai is making news owing to her alleged affair with Bollywood actor Abhay Deol. Now the modelturned-actress has found a perfect mantra to deal with it – take it with a pinch of salt.

“I have been kind of preparing myself.

I’ve been taking the stories with a pinch of salt. I find it quite amusing reading some stories which are just made up from thin air. So I just kind of let it be,” said Preeti.

The actress’ debut film Shor In The City is slated for an April 28 release. “I’m still learning to deal with controversies, gossips and rumours. When I decided to enter the industry, a lot of people told me that this is part of it. So I kind of

knew in the beginning that stuff will come out and people will make up things,” said Preeti, who was Miss Great Britain 2006.

A lot has been written about her relationship with Abhay, but Preeti prefers to keep mum.

“Your personal life is personal.

I don’t think I need to clarify anything. I don’t usually comment on my personal life. Let people say or write what they want to,” she specified.

In the upcoming dark comedy, Preeti will play the love interest of Sendhil Ramamurthy. The film has been produced by Ekta Kapoor and also stars her brother Tusshar.

Obese Kids have Greater Risk of Bone-related Problems

Why Female Bosses wreck other Women’s Promotion Hopes

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study has found that a female boss is more likely to wreck a woman’s promotion prospects in male-dominated environment. Instead, women who do break through the glass ceiling are more likely to help out their male subordinates than female ones. The research showed that men who report to a female manager get much more mentoring and support than their female colleagues.

The findings add to previous evidence that so-called Queen Bee syndrome can be a major obstacle to women climbing the managerial ladder.

Far from encouraging other ambitious women, psychologists at the University of Cincinnati found female bosses are more inclined to obstruct them.

As well as the unwanted competition, researchers think this may partly be due to the fact that women occupying senior posts want to blend in as much as possible with their male counterparts. As a result they tend to overcompensate by giving more support and advice to male workers, rather than female ones.

“The popular press and many studies contend that women make better managers than men because they

are more supportive leaders, delegate more responsibility and foster the careers of their subordinates, especially the women who work under them,” said researcher David Maume. “But in this study, men exceeded women in receiving job-related support from female supervisors and were more optimistic about their promotion chances as a result.

“The results are consistent with the notion that female managers have little or no effect on the career prospects of female subordinates and instead foster men’s career prospects,” Maume added.

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new study has revealed that obese children are vulnerable to bone fractures and more likely to develop osteoporosis in old age. Overweight children develop bigger skeletons in order to carry their extra weight..

The Medical Research Council (MRC) study involving 499 healthy six-year-old children found their bigger bones have five to six per cent lower bone density, because they lack enough minerals to make them strong.

It suggested childhood obesity will increase the risk of osteoporosis, and debilitating hip and back

fractures in old age, as 90 per cent of bone mass is acquired in childhood, directly affecting how strong bones are in later life.

The children are part of a much larger cohort being studied by MRC scientists at the Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit in Southampton, in an attempt to understand how lifestyle, diet and other environmental factors in pregnancy and childhood influence diseases of ageing, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

Zoe Cole, rheumatologist and researcher, said the findings made tackling childhood obesity even more urgent as the costs of osteoporosis are unaffordable.

Twitter, Facebook will soon be Available on Cars!

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ar owners could soon upgrade the software systems on their car, upload apps and even interact with social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. The basis for the cutting-edge technology has just arrived in the updated, Australian-made Ford Territory.

The Territory’s advanced hardware is the latest in an electronics-led revolution of cars that will increasingly bring smartphone interaction, vehiclespecific apps, cloud computing and even the potential to use tablets such as the iPad as a colour screen for the car.

The updated Territory comes standard with a USB input that the brand says, has “upgradeable architecture” and the ability to “provide updates for customers”.

Ford Australia electrical integration manager Con Papadomanolakis said the system, which will be introduced to the Falcon large car by the Editor –in-chief: R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat. Chief Editor-Features: Christina Viegas.

end of this year, will more closely mimic the speed of software development in portable electronic devices, such as the iPhone and smartphones from other brands.

He said that there is scope to introduce customised on-board apps as well as internet connectivity and even interactivity with social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.

“Certainly, the capability is there and it’s something we’ll look at in future,” Papadomanolakis said of social media interactivity and on-board apps, adding, “Using software, you can deploy future functions as they become available. You’ll be able to download updates through the in the car,” he added.

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