Goa 123 updates: May 2010

Monday, May 31, 2010

Goa Blog

Posted: 30 May 2010 10:39 AM PDT

Although the state government had urged the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to restrict the widening of the Goa stretch of NH-17 to 45 metres throughout, NHAI has agreed to this width only in densely populated areas. The highway width will be kept 60 metres where there are open spaces.

The state had made the request in view of the huge number of residential and commercial structures along the 139-km-long highway in Goa and the perceived fear of their demolition. Some stretches of NH-17 in Goa are hemmed in by dense population of homes and commercial structures, especially at places like Chinchinim, Nuvem and Chinchinim.

Sources said that at a recent meeting around May 17 at the secretariat, chief minister Digambar Kamat, PWD minister Churchill Alemao and chief secretary Sanjay Srivastava met NHAI chairman Brijeshwar Singh and his fellow officials.

All discussions at the meeting were centred around national highway 4A (Panaji to Anmod), wherein NHAI proposed a land acquisition of 60 metres. But the chief minister requested that the land acquisition be restricted to 45 metres as has been done with NH-17. To that the NHAI officials replied that they would restrict the width to 45 metres only in those areas that are thickly populated. But in areas that have open spaces, they would go for a 60-metre width.

When the Goa government received the minutes of the meeting, they were disappointed to see that NHAI had not agreed to keep the widening of NH-17 uniformly at 45 metres. NHAI has agreed for 45 metres only in thickly populated areas and 60 metres at all other stretches.

Courtesy:TOI

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Goa Blog

The final word for shoot in Goa

Posted: 29 May 2010 10:07 AM PDT

For all those talking nasty about Kareena Kapoor holding up the final schedule of "Milenge Milenge", here’s some news. But before that, the background. "Milenge Milenge"is a Boney Kapoor film that ran into trouble when the lead pair Bebo and Shahid split.

So, this year, when talks of it being revived started, speculation was rife on which of the stars will give Boney more trouble. Shahid readily agreed to doing the promotional song and publicity shoot, and it seemed like Kareena was playing truant.

But, clearing the air on this, Boney himself has said that Bebo has readily given him time, and it’s only because of her "Golmaal 3"shoot in Goa that the unit is waiting.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Goa Blog

Julia loves Goa & Ash!: Rushita

Posted: 28 May 2010 10:10 AM PDT

Meet Rushita Singh, 20, of Mumbai, co-star of Hollywood beauty Julia Roberts in the film Eat Love Pray that was shot in Pataudi last year. She's been in hiding because she didn't know what hit her after being selected to play Tulsi, the young girl Julia befriends in an Indian ashram, though the two bonded beautifully on the sets.

"How much do you know about me," asks Rushita breathlessly. Apart from the fact that she did small roles in Samir Karnik's Nanhe Jaisalmer and Raj Kumar Santoshi's Halla Bol, she lives in Cuffe Parade with her mother and brother, came from Bhopal, has always wanted to be an actress though her family was strictly against this — nothing actually.

Taking a deep breath, Rushita says, "Last year I auditioned for an ad film by Saher Latif. The ad didn't happen. But Saher invited me to audition for an international project. She said it was an important role in a big film set in India. I gave it a try although I was quite sceptical. My idea of an Indian girl in an international project is someone tall, skinny and with flawless skin. Which I am not and don't have. I'm pretty short and I don't have the perfect body. Yet I got the role!"

But Rushita had no idea she had to co-star with the Julia Roberts. "I was asked to read the Indian portion of the novel Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. But I didn't. Then I was told whom I was working with… and I was zapped!" Shooting took place in September. "I just kept rehearsing my lines and got familiar with my character. Once we started shooting, it was a life-changing experience. Julia Roberts? What can I say?

Hollywood director Ryan Murphy helped Rushita get over her awe of Julia. "I was bound to make mistakes. Half the time I just kept admiring her beauty. The other half I kept admiring how effectively she did her scenes," reveals Rushita. She swamped the Hollywood diva with questions on her personal life. "She knew so much about India and Indian cinema. She's very fond of Aishwarya Rai-Bachchan and finds her beautiful. She also spoke to me about her visit to Goa with her cinematographer-husband. She liked the Goan beaches and so did her kids who were very excited about her shooting in India."

Regarding the characteristic desi suspicion of Hollywood films on Indian spirituality, Rushita is confident this time there would be no hullabaloo. "Religion and spirituality are sensitive issues but our film doesn't trivialize these issues. A lot of research has gone into the theme. After watching the film I think westerners will understand Indian spirituality better." She hasn't seen the film herself, but is hopeful her role will be long. "I shot for an entire month. The fact that they thought I fitted into the role is a great feeling." Now Rushita is looking forward to attending the premiere with Julia Roberts in the LA. "Not many people in India know I've done this film… but I'm sure they will now," she says wistfully.

Friday, May 28, 2010

Goa Blog

Interceptor boat commissioned in Indian Coast Guard
Goa Congress legislator for CBI probe into drug mafia nexus
Cypress and BITS, Pilani - K.K. Birla Goa Campus Team Up on New PSoCÂ® 3 Lab

Interceptor boat commissioned in Indian Coast Guard

Posted: 28 May 2010 07:39 AM PDT

Strengthening surveillance capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard, Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar today commissioned an Interceptor boat in Goa for responding to urgent calls at sea.

The boat, C-147, is the fifth of its class and designed and built indigenously by the ABG Shipyard. It is fitted with modern navigational and communication equipment, officials said here.

The interceptor boat is commanded by Commandant S R Nagendran and will be deployed for enhancing the close-coast surveillance capability of the Coast Guard.

The 90-tonne boat will be based in Goa under the operational and administrative control of the Coast Guard’s western region.

The boat has an endurance of 500 nautical miles and can achieve a maximum speed of 45 knots.

Courtesy:PTI

Goa Congress legislator for CBI probe into drug mafia nexus

Posted: 28 May 2010 07:11 AM PDT

The Goa government Friday ruled out a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the drug mafia nexus but a ruling Congress legislator has said that the federal agency alone can clean up the narcotics mess in the state.

Agnelo Fernandes, who represents the constituency of Calangute, a popular beach village known for easy availability of drugs, told IANS Thursday that incidents of policemen being beaten up by the narcotics mafia were quite common in his area.

‘The local police will not be able to investigate their own officers who are linked to the narcotics mafia. Only the CBI will be able to do justice to the nexus probe,’ Fernandes said, adding that he had asked Chief Minister Digambar Kamat to hand over the probe to the CBI.

On Friday, the Goa government told the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court that it was not willing to hand over the probe into the police-politician-drug mafia nexus to the CBI. The government’s stand is against the recommendations of police and the state home ministry.

Fernandes earlier said on the floor of the house that if the drug dealers in Goa were not reined in, they would not hesitate even to shoot the chief minister.

Referring to Tuesday’s incident in which a police constable attached to the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) was beaten up by suspected drug dealers in Calangute, Fernandes said that drug dealers often beat up policemen in the area.

The legislator said that when constable Mahabaleshwar Sawant was beaten up by drug dealers, he called for help from the Calangute police station but no police officer was forthcoming to help him.

‘One police officer from the Calangute police station was beaten up by a gang of Nigerian drug dealers. But no complaint was filed because these officers have dealings with them,’ Fernandes said.

Courtesy:Sify

Cypress and BITS, Pilani - K.K. Birla Goa Campus Team Up on New PSoCÂ® 3 Lab

Posted: 27 May 2010 10:12 AM PDT

Cypress Semiconductor Corp. (Nasdaq: CY) and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani - K.K. Birla Goa Campus (BPKKBGC) signed a memorandum of understanding for collaborative research and funded lab development based on the PSoCÂ® 3 programmable system-on-chip. The MoU was signed by Professor K.E. Raman, Director, BPKKBGC and Patrick Kane, Director of Cypress University Alliance.

Patrick Kane visited the campus where he inaugurated a state-of-the-art PSoC 3 lab-the first of its kind in India. The lab will expose students to the PSoC platform, a flexible family of devices with programmable analog and digital blocks integrated with a microcontroller. With its unique architecture, PSoC provides an unrivaled learning platform for embedded design students and will enable them to create projects and solutions for embedded systems.

“Our focus is to excite students about new technologies and hence grow the pool of budding, talented engineers from India. The PSoC lab will allow students to innovate and work on high-tech projects,” said Patrick Kane. He and his team interacted extensively with both students and faculty at BPKKBGC. They also conducted a workshop for the Electrical, Electronics and Instrumentation Group.

“The lab has added an extra dimension to the student learning experience and has resulted in a unique learning platform where students now receive real-world, hands-on experience in developing applications,” said Professor Raman.

Students from BPKKBGC have implemented a number of projects using PSoC 1 technology. Some of these include a BLDC motor driver, a pH meter, an accelerometer based tilt sensor, a PWM driven hexapod etc. These projects are currently being developed using the new PSoC 3 platform, which uses an 8051 core as well a programmable analog and digital modules.

Students have also been involved in research based projects such as study of battery charging algorithms using the PSoC. They have also assisted Cypress in development of the Power Line Communication solution. A PSoC 3 manual by BITS Goa is also in the pipeline.

Courtesy:IT News

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa banks on Poles and Russians for tourism revival

Posted: 27 May 2010 07:18 AM PDT

After losing tourists from Western Europe, Goa is now banking on travellers from Russia and Poland to revive the sagging tourism industry in the state.

Travel Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has said the scene was disappointing on the Western Europe tourist front, but the loss is, to some extent, compensated by Russians’ attraction towards the state.

Also, arrivals from Poland went up, giving a fillip to the foreign exchange earning sector reeling under the impact of a global economic slowdown and the Mumbai terror attacks.

“Around 2,000 Polish tourists arrived in the state, which was a new feature this season,” Ernest Dias, a TTAG official, told PTI.

The tourism industry was expecting a 25 to 30 per cent drop in tourist arrivals from English-speaking countries. But arrival of 40,000-odd Russians made up for the loss.

Courtesy:PTI

Court asks Goa if drug probe being given to CBI

Posted: 26 May 2010 09:25 AM PDT

The Bombay High Court Wednesday asked the state government to spell out whether it was handing over the police-drug mafia nexus probe over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Justice N.A. Britto of the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court also asked the state prosecutor to inform the court formally about the government’s intent by May 28.

The bench was hearing the bail application of a senior police inspector, who is one of the seven policemen to have been arrested for their links to the drugs mafia.

The Crime Branch is at present probing the police-politician-drug mafia nexus, which was exposed after Swedish model Lucky Farmhouse uploaded on the internet the spycamera videos of her ex-boyfriend and dreaded Israeli drug dealer Yaniv Benaim alias Atala, boasting of his links to the police and politicians in Goa.

Lucky has also claimed that she has video footage of a leading politician’s son dealing with drug dealers in Goa.

Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar has already demanded that the nexus probe be handed over to the CBI for an impartial enquiry.

Courtesy:Mynews

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Goa Blog

BSNL To Launch 3G Mobile Services in Maharashtra & Goa Circle by June
Another IHM at Farmagudi
First Look at Kareena Kapoor’s ‘Golmaal 3′in Goa.

BSNL To Launch 3G Mobile Services in Maharashtra & Goa Circle by June

Posted: 26 May 2010 08:29 AM PDT

After a long delay finally Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) announced that it will launch much awaited 3G mobile and data services in Maharashtra and Goa telecom circle in the second week of June.

Mr.V K Mahendra, General Manager, BSNL Maharashtra circle said "There would be no postponement this time. The testing of the 3G/UMTS instrument is going on and we are sure that we can launch the 3G service in Maharashtra circle by June."

He also quoted "BSNL 3G Services will provide High quality multimedia features like video calling, high speed Internet browsing through Mobile phone/Data Cards and also subscribers can enjoy Live Mobile TV, Video SMS, & VoIP services on our 3G Compatible mobile phone. One can call in the US and see the other person on mobile screen while talking to him/her. However, the other person should also have 3G enabled handset."

Recently BSNL crosses One Million 3G GSM Mobile and Data service subscriber mark and offers it next generation 3G services in more than 434 cities across India except Western Zone

Courtesy:TT

Another IHM at Farmagudi

Posted: 25 May 2010 07:24 PM PDT

Land admeasuring around 5 acres has been transferred to a Society set up for the purpose. The IHM Society has already been registered and is headed by Secretary, Tourism, Dr M Modassir.
In the picturesque location of Farmagudi, IHM is expected to come up in less than two years. The building plans are being prepared, Dr Modassir told this paper. The modalities of setting up the institute were discussed at the meeting of the Society recently for which a representative of the central Government was also present.
Goa, apparently, has the distinction of getting sanction from the Centre for a second IHM. Goa's first IHM which is in Porvorim was established many years ago. As there is a high demand from local students for hotel management and catering studies, the Goa Government had requested the Centre for another catering college in the State.
The Farmagudi college is a Rs 12 crore project. Part of the funds has been released to the State Government by the Centre.
Dr Modassir said the IHM Society intends to start the first batch from next academic year (2011-12) before the building is completed.
Meanwhile, the work on the proposed convention centre will kick-start soon. As reported earlier, the project will come up adjacent to Bal Bhavan, Campal, here. The Centre has just disbursed Rs 5 crore to Goa Government for the centre. This will be a small convention centre compared to the mega one which was earlier proposed in Dona Paula and has since been shelved.

Courtesy:Herald

First Look at Kareena Kapoor’s ‘Golmaal 3′in Goa.

Posted: 25 May 2010 09:36 AM PDT

The movie is not slated for release until November 5, but you can already now get a sneak peek of Kareena Kapoor’s upcoming comedy “Golmaal 3.” After starring in the box-office hit “3 Idiots” Kareena Kapoor takes on another ‘3′ and is hard at work shooting her new movie “Golmaal 3″ in Goa and Hyderabad. The Rohit Shetty directed comedy co-stars Ajay Devgan and Arshad Warsi.

Bebo’s role has been described as a ‘tomboy’ and will be far from some of the more glam parts she has taken on in the past: “My look in Golmaal 3 is not glamorous. He’s young and grunge and maintenance of the weather and the appearance of Goa in mind. I play a tomboy, but with a feminine touch. Although to use language Tapori not be too abusive or vulgar. I will agree with my personality,” Kareena told reporters when asked about her role.

This is not the first time the “Kurbaan” star has had to take the glamour level down a notch. For her role in Karan Johar’s remake of the 1998 Julia Roberts movie “Stepmom,” the Bollywood beauty will portray an ordinary working woman, a stepmom. “I walk, talk and dress like an ordinary working girl. I’ll be using no makeup,” she revealed, adding “I’m going for a new hairstyle,” said about this part.

Sounds like everyone wants to take Kareena from glam to gloomy! “The last time I rehearsed for a part it was for Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Omkara.” However, that was a more unconventional film and role where I had to get into a milieu and character I knew nothing about. But Stepmom is urban and very contemporary. I play a very normal metro-centric working girl. It should’ve been easier,” Bebo added.

So take a look at Kareena Kapoor’s look in “Golmaal 3″ and tell us what you think; are you looking forward to seeing the movie? Drop us a line.

Courtesy:Desi Hits

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Goa Blog

Air Arabia adds two weekly flights to Goa

Posted: 25 May 2010 08:51 AM PDT

Low cost air carrier, Air Arabia, announced it will offer two additional weekly flights between Sharjah and Goa, India, during the months of June through October, Zawya.com reported Tuesday.

"The coastal city of Goa continues to attract more and more visitors from the UAE," said AK Nizar, Head of Commercial Department, Air Arabia. The carrier cited increased seasonal demand on the popular route between the two cities.

The two additional flights will operate on Mondays and Fridays, the airline said, Dabolim International Airport in Goa .
Courtesy:K

Engineering student gave tech know-how for Goa blast

Posted: 25 May 2010 05:10 AM PDT

The National Investigation Agency chargesheet in the Margao serial blasts has alleged that a 20-year-old engineering student was the technical mind behind the incident on Diwali eve last year.

Dhananjay Ashtekar from Konkan belt of Maharashtra provided technical know-how and collected devices for preparing IEDs, which were successfully tested twice in two different states before October 16, 2009 when the blasts took place.

During the probe, the state police and NIA had zeroed in on Ashtekar and had found different electronic items required for assembling IEDs from his rented room.

Ashtekar is a student of DKTE Engineering College at Ichalkaranji and had downloaded the circuit diagram and later gave it for printing at a shop in Kolhapur.

The chargesheet, filed on May 17, mentions that Ashtekar, during July to September 2009, had contacted the owner of the shop, Rajesh Sonar, for preparation of printed circuit boards as per the diagram provided to him.

Courtesy:EP

Monday, May 24, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa blast main accused lived in Sanatan saint’s quarter

Posted: 24 May 2010 08:03 AM PDT

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that the prime accused in Margao blast, Malgonda Patil stayed in the saints quarter, ‘Sant Kakshay’, at Sanatan Sanstha’s Ramnathi Ashram in Goa.

Patil, who died in the blast, stayed next to the Sanstha founder Jayant Balaji Athwale, the NIA said.

“Malgonda Patil was an active member of Sanatan Sanstha involved in the publicity of Sanstha and used to hold satsang (meetings) at various places and stayed in Abhyasika/Sant Kakshay of Sanatan Sanstha Ashram building in Ponda,” the NIA said in its chargesheet.

The right wing Hindu organisation, Sanatan Sanstha, had initially distanced itself from all the accused in the Margao blast. NIA filed the chargesheet on May 17 in south Goa district court, a copy of which is with PTI.

Malgonda Patil, who died while ferrying the explosives in Margao, was Managing Trustee of Dharma Prachar Sabha, a trust of Sanatan Sanstha.

NIA has also found that Malgonda Patil and another accused Dhananjay Ashtekar hatched the blast conspiracy at former’s room close to the room of Jayant Balaji Athawle, on the first floor of the Ashram, during June 2009, four months before the blast.

Investigators have found that Margao blast was just a loop in the serial blast planned at five different places across Goa on October 16, 2009.

Courtesy:Hindustan Times

Promised marine jobs, lost money & passports

Posted: 23 May 2010 07:37 PM PDT

Over 40 marine job aspirants from Goa have filed a police complaint against a Kandivli-based man who promised them jobs aboard cruise line and allegedly made away with their money and passports. The accused had charged some where between Rs 30,000 and Rs 60,000 from each job applicant to process their visas and tickets.

According to the police, a complaint has been registered against Pankaj Mistry of Arpita Tradelink Private Ltd.

On April 11, Goa resident Yoginder Naithani (22) came across an advertisement in a local newspaper which mentioned urgent requirement of candidates to fill several posts aboard Singaporean supply and cruise vessels.

"The advertisement stated that interested candidates should mail their CVs to info@ arpitatradelink.com and I had accordingly mailed mine. I immediately received an SMS for an interview and went to Mumbai on April 13 to meet Mistry. He asked me for photocopies of my educational certificates, passport and my CDC and then sent me for a medical check-up. Mistry then asked me to go back to Goa assuring me that he will keep in touch and summon me when my contract is ready," said Naithani, one of the complainants.

Courtesy:IP

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Charm of Goa keeps calling me

Posted: 23 May 2010 08:21 AM PDT

As a traveller I am completely adventurous. Rather than sitting and enjoying at leisure, I always go out to explore the sights around me. So, whenever I am deciding a destination for a holiday, I choose a country that I have never been to earlier, as I always like to see new sights and places.

And even more so, it's meeting new people, discovering the history of that place and tasting different types of food that really excite me. Even if I am visiting a destination for work, I try and keep a few days aside to absorb the novel experience of the place.

That is one reason why I have no favourites when it comes to a holiday destination, since each place has its unique sights, culture, food and history, which is completely different from anywhere else.

I always carry a camera and document each holiday in photographs, as I love clicking the places I go to. So, each of my travel experiences always stay with me in the form of beautiful memories forever.
However, if I had to choose a place that I could visit again and some more, then it would have to be Kerala and Goa. They have a certain charm that keeps calling me back. Plus, there is always something new to see there.

Courtesy:DC

It was a casual remark of Goa CM

Posted: 23 May 2010 06:43 AM PDT

A women organisation has expressed shock over the Goa Chief Minister Digamber Kamat’s statement asking fairer sex to stay away from politics and not fall for the proposed quota for them in Parliament and state Assemblies.

“I did not expect this statement from the head of this state (Goa), especially because he is representing a political party (Congress) which is headed by a woman, who is trying to push this bill,” Sabina Martins, President Bailancho Saad, told PTI today.

Kamat had told a women’s convention here yesterday that “If womenfolk start running after politics then it will have a negative impact on the society.

“Don’t fall for 33 per cent reservation. Politics makes you mad. Women play an important role in transforming the society. We should look after our next generation,” he had said.

Martins said she was present among the audience when Kamat made the controversial statement. “One of the obstacles in the bill is the mindset of men because it decreases their power.”

She said it was because of many elected representatives that the Women Reservation Bill was stuck.

“Politics is most important decision making body. Right now, there is no proper representation of women in Goa Assembly. There is one woman legislator against 39 male legislators,” she said.

Congress women leaders, however, stood by their leader, terming it a ‘casual’ remark.

“We were taken aback with his remarks, but later we realised that he said it casually,” president of Mapusa Congress Block Pramod Salgaonkar said.

Salgaonkar, a former president of state women’s commission, said it was off the cuff remark. “He just meant that women should work hard and their involvement will help the society transform.

Courtesy:IT

Nakabandis staged across Goa

Posted: 22 May 2010 07:48 PM PDT

In a bid to check the preparedness of its force, Goa police on Saturday staged widespread nakabandis and checking of vehicles all over the state.

Police sources said that the nakabandis were organized in an effort to test police alertness. All the entry and exit points of major cities and tourist spots were sealed and extensive vehicular checking was done.

Since Goa continues to feature on the hit list of terror organizations, this security drill was undertaken, said police sources.

“We checked the vehicles as part of a state of preparedness,” sources said. Unaware of the exercise, motorists were taken aback, but the police reassured them that everything was alright and the checks were part of a mock drill.

Courtesy:TOI

Friday, May 21, 2010

Goa Blog

Sushmita Sen wants biological child, using ‘male’ order, not marriage.Tells press in Goa.
South Maharashtra beaches no threat to Goa yet
2,000 Poles visited Goa: TTAG

Sushmita Sen wants biological child, using ‘male’ order, not marriage.Tells press in Goa.

Posted: 21 May 2010 09:01 AM PDT

“I will go for biological baby because the clock is ticking for me,” Sushmita told reporters in Goa on Thursday, May 20, reports IANS.

Sushmita’s remarks inevitably triggered questions on her marriage plans.

“I said the clock is ticking… I never said anything about marriage,” Sushmita snapped.

“Every girl wants her prince charming. I have stopped thinking about it long back but still I want it,” said the actress.

Sushmita’s production company Tantra Entertainment has the franchise to select Miss Universe participants from India and the 34-year-old Miss Universe (1994) was in the city for a preparatory workshop for the 2010 Miss Universe pageant.

Sushmita Sen has two adopted daughters: Renee, adopted in 2000, and Alisah adopted in 2010.

Courtesy:SN

South Maharashtra beaches no threat to Goa yet

Posted: 21 May 2010 06:33 AM PDT

The relatively virgin beaches of southern coastal Maharashtra are no threat to beach tourism in Goa, at least not in the immediate future, a top tourism trade official said Friday.

Beaches like Malvan and Tarkarli in south Maharashtra’s Sindhudurg district have a long way to go before they can be seen as a threat to Goa’s tourism pie, said Ralph de Souza, president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa.

“Good tourism does not mean scenic beauty alone. The place also has to have the right atmosphere and infrastructure, which presently south Maharashtra does not have,” de Souza said.

“They also do not have any major project (hospitality) in the area. Even in terms of infrastructure, the roads are very small in that area,” de Souza said.

South Maharashtra, with its clean, coconut palm-fringed beaches, has been positioning itself as a rival beach destination to Goa.

However, de Souza admits that Goa may feel the competitive heat from its neighbour after a few years.

“After sometime, when Goa gets saturated and people begin to move out… maybe,” he said.

Goa, a major beach tourism destination in the world, attracts nearly 2.4 million tourists annually, nearly 500,000 of them being foreigners. BRIC countries fuel Dell’s growth; posts 52 pc jump in Q1.

Courtesy:HT

2,000 Poles visited Goa: TTAG

Posted: 20 May 2010 07:15 PM PDT

As the tourist season draws to a close, industry professionals claim that there was nothing much to cheer about, save the tapping of a new market – Poland. “We received around 2,000 new guests from Poland,” said outgoing president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa Ralph de Sousa at a press conference Thursday evening.

The effects of the global recession were felt during this tourism season as the bookings were done at the start of 2009 when most of western Europe was in the midst of the meltdown, he said. The volcanic ash that spread over the skies of Europe also brought an abrupt end to the tourism season, said the TTAG president. De Sousa said that there was a 30% drop in charters from the United Kingdom, which once enjoyed the status of number one tourist market for Goa.

“However, there was an increase in Russian tourists, and we expect a further rise of 25-30% of Russian visitors,” he said. Meanwhile, hotels across the state are continuing adding security features to keep terror at bay, said the TTAG. “Hotels are putting in place systems to check details of guests, luggage scanners and CCTV cameras.

However, more importance has been given to staff sensitization through training sessions. We cannot expect the police to be everywhere and this will lift up some of their burden,” de Sousa said.

The TTAG also thanked the World Travel and Tourism Council for providing logistical support to Goa’s soon-to-be-commissioned Tourist Security Force (TSF). The TSF has been given a fleet of 15 four-wheelers and seven two-wheelers which are equipped with state-ofart tracking and monitoring devices as well as transmission services. They will be used for the purpose of patrolling the coastal belt by the TSF from the next tourism season onwards.

Courtesy:TOI

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa MP moots for Degitalisation of old documents

Posted: 20 May 2010 07:51 AM PDT

Task of keeping in electronic format of old documents of title and the deeds registered before Sub-Registrars should be undertaken by the government on war footings, said Mr. Shantaram Naik M.P. today.

Mr. Shantaram Naik who was inaugurating a meeting of South Goa District Level Review Meeting of Banks organized by State Bank of India as LEAD Bank, further said that records of title deeds in electronic forms will help, both the banks and the customers in the matter of loan transactions.

Mr. Naik said that Form I & XIV in the Survey Record do not constitute a title, and therefore, scrutiny of titles becomes essential for the banks, and that, it is easy access to the title documents alone which can make banking system run smoothly.

Mr. Naik said that banks also should guide the customers on the tax implications while obtaining loans and also while making deposits.Mr. Naik said, a few years back, a private bank was found using"Gundas" for recovery of loan, and said that even if one such instance is proved in case of any banking institution, their license should be
cancelled, he said.

Mr. Naik suggested that SBI should hold two District Level Conferences jointly under auspicious of banks and the government to guide the people on the availability of banking facilities.

Mr. Prasanna Acharya, Additional Collector of South Goa, who presided over the meeting said that every order of rejection of loan must be a speaking order, explaining in details, reasons for rejecting a loan.

Mr. Uday Kamat, Deputy General Manager, of NABARD said that areas in Goa , not covered by banking system have been identified and that banking facilities will soon be made available in those areas. He also said that NABARD will be organizing a training camp for the state government officials, so that, they become more familiar with the
banking system and the facilities available.

Earlier ,Shri Arvind Velingkar, LEAD District Manager of SBI,welcomed.

Rechristening of Goa

Posted: 19 May 2010 09:27 PM PDT

The names they are a changin'. In a reflection of the demographic changes the state is undergoing,
new colonies and wards being carved out in Goa's towns and villages are more likely to call themselves some nagar or the other instead of the traditional vaddo.

“Nagar is not a native word. It is a suffix given to the name of a settlement in other parts of India, mostly North India,” says horticulturist Miguel Braganza who is passionate about local history.

Forgive a Saxttikar if he looks askance at hearing of the existence of a Kargil in Sao Jose de Areal, or a Bardezkar of being asked to look for a Shanti Nagar in Socorro. A few years ago, locals in Sao Jose de Areal did wake up to find that a part of their village was named Kargil by migrants living there. The name was even displayed on local buses, serving the migrant population in the area, until the south Goa district administration put an end to it.

In Mapusa, a young student at St Xavier’s college was amused to see the address of his rented house on his electricity bill. Situated behind the college premises, the house address on the bill read Fukat Nagar.

Trust the politicians not to be behind in their quest to leave a legacy. A field in Margao, locally known as Calgonda, was given away for a slum settlement and christened Babu Nagar. Subsequently, the migrants changed it to Azad Nagar.

On Betim's hills north of the River Mandovi exists a Ram Nagar, while every second new colony in Porvorim is being termed as a nagar. Says history lecturer Prajal Sakhardande, “Ram Nagar is a village in Belgaum.”

On Porvorim plateau, the new colonies that have sprung up are Jai Nagar, Vidya Nagar and Shanti Nagar. Recently, a landscape contractor said he was executing a project at a Patel Nagar in Porvorim.

The village of Socorro has been given a Shanti Nagar and a Sai Nagar, courtesy a government scheme to convert comunidade land for housing plots. Another government scheme, ostensibly to give land to Goans from the lower income group, but which was lapped up by migrants, was named Indira Nagar in Chimbel.

There's another Fukat Nagar created in Sancoale and existing for years. “The migrants have constructed illegal huts on comunidade land and are not paying a single paisa for it. Neither are they contributing anything by way of government taxes. Hence, the name Fukat Nagar which has been accepted by those concerned,” says social activist Simon Carvalho.

“After Zuari industries came in and called the land Zuari Nagar, the trend was followed by others. Today, besides our vaddos, we have a Shanti Nagar, a Upas Nagar and a Queeny Nagar,” Carvalho says.

“Travel to Assonora by bus, and you will hear the conductors calling it Alsanwadi,” says Braganza, adding, “The migrant labourers living in the village call it by that name, and the bus conductors have already adapted to it for their customers.”

Courtesy:TOI

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Goa Blog

Saif follows Bebo to Goa but gets busy with trainer
Goa industry mulls conveyor belts to transport ore
Shantaram Naik ,MP,Goa inaugurats community hall

Saif follows Bebo to Goa but gets busy with trainer

Posted: 19 May 2010 07:13 AM PDT

Saif Ali Khan is working really hard on getting his physique right for the character of a spy in Agent Vinod. He has been in Goa for two weeks, accompanying girlfriend Kareena Kapoor, who is shooting for Golmaal 3. But instead of making it a pleasure trip, Saif has decided to spend some quality time at the gym. He doesn’t want to waste time and has even brought his personal trainer along. We wonder how Bebo feels about it.

Saif, who is looking forward to shooting his second production Agent Vinod from next month, is already planning its release date.

“It is a big movie and we want to shoot it properly without any hurry. I guess our plan to release Agent Vinod next summer is perfect,” he says.

The thriller will be directed by Sriram Raghavan, and shot in Europe, Delhi, Morocco and probably Pakistan.

Courtesy:IT

Goa industry mulls conveyor belts to transport ore

Posted: 19 May 2010 06:14 AM PDT

Mining industries in Goa are mulling the possibility of setting up a network of conveyor belts to transport ore from the mining pits to the port from where it is exported, an industry insider said Wednesday.

Secretary of the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association (GMOEA) Glen Kalavampara said a string of conveyor belts may be the answer to increasing pollution and accidents, which occur as a result of transporting ore by trucks from extraction sites in the hinterland to shipping points along the coast.

“Although a bit expensive, the industry may look at conveyor belts to transport ore in the future,” Kalavampara said in a presentation to senior officials of the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF).

“Conveyor belts, especially in congested areas will cut down pollution and ease the traffic scenario,” the GMOEA secretary said.

The GMOEA, which has a representation of nearly all the mining industries on its board, is the spokesperson for the industry on matters related to the Rs.6,000 crore mining industry in Goa, which includes big names such as the Vedanta Resources-owned Sesa Goa Ltd.

An increasing number of fatal vehicular accidents involving mining trucks had led to an impasse in various mining towns spread across Goa’s hinterland.

In March this year, after a local was crushed under the wheels of a mining truck, protesting residents of mining towns of Quepem and Curchorem had barred movement of mining ore-laden trucks, which had in turn forced the state administration to intervene and forge an amicable situation.

Nearly 40 million tonnes of iron ore is exported out of Goa annually.

Courtesy:ET

Shantaram Naik ,MP,Goa inaugurats community hall

Posted: 18 May 2010 10:25 AM PDT

Mr. Shantaram Naik M.P. inaugurating a community hall at Balli, buitat the cost of 47 lakhs, under MPLAD Scheme, said that since the commencement of the scheme in 1993, projects worth 1310 crores have been commissioned through the country, and that, credit goes to the Congress government at the centre which started the scheme.

Mr. Naik said that the land for the project was gifted by Shri Shantadurga Ballikaran Saunsthan to the V.P. Balli-Adnem, so that the people of Balli, Adnem and surrounding areas could take benefit of the hall.

Mr. Naik said peoples' participation in democracy is not now restricted to sending their representatives but people expect that the be consulted by their elected representatives from time to time.

Mr. Naik said that at Panchayat level, this is possible through the institutions of Gram Sabha but at Parliament and Assembly level,elected representatives can undertake the exercise of consultation
only to a limited extent.

MLA of Quepem Shri Babu Kavlekar praised Mr. Naik for giving a huge hall to the Panchayat for which people will remember Mr. Naik for generations together, he said. Shri Govind Phal Desai, Sarpanch of Village Panchayat of Adnem, Balli

welcomed the gathering.Shri Subhash Phal Desai compared the proceedings of the meeting.

Shri Sandeep Phal Desai said that the people of Adnem-Balli, were fortunate that Mr. Shantaram Naik was elected to the Rajya Sabha , as otherwise, he said, they would never have got such a marvelous hall.

Shri Mohandas Phaldesai, President of Shri Shantadurga Ballikaran Saunsthan proposed a vote of thanks.