Thursday, May 6, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa Blog

Congress patronage of Goa’s casino industry worrying: Seva Dal

Posted: 06 May 2010 07:15 AM PDT

The patronage of the Congress-led coalition government to the casino industry in Goa is an issue of concern and will be taken up with the party’s state and central leadership, a senior Seva Dal functionary said Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference in Panaji, Seva Dal chief national organizer Mahendra Joshi also said that Seva Dal, a grassroots organizational outfit of the Congress party, was also taking stock of the environmental scenario in Goa.

‘Gambling does not fit into the principles of Seva Dal. We will speak to the Congress leaders in Goa about the issue,’ Joshi, who was in Goa to take stock of Seva Dal activities in the state, said.

There are presently more than a dozen land-based casinos in the various five star hotels spread throughout Goa, in addition to the seven offshore casinos licenced to operate off the coast of the tourism state.

The casino industry in Goa, has prospered in recent times under the Congress-led coalition government much to the chagrin of civil society groups, who have repeatedly protested against endorsement of the casino industry by the state government.

Joshi also said that his organization would also take stock of the environmental degradation in the state.

‘I am here to meet my cadre in Goa. We will study the environment issue,’ Joshi, who is the head of the Seva Dal throughout the country, said.

Known by their trademark Gandhi ‘topi’ and a white attire, the Seva Dal has nearly 3,000 members in Goa and nearly 7,000 branches throughout India.

Earlier he was welcomed at the airport by J.T. Vaz,Chief of Goa Pradesh Congress Seva Dal.

Courtesy:Mynews.in

Instruments worth 12.30 crores are proposed to be installed at Meteorological Centre, Goa

Posted: 06 May 2010 05:18 AM PDT

Union Minister of Earth Sciences, Shri Prithviraj Chavan informed Mr. Shantaram Naik, MP in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha that instruments worth 12.30 crores are going to be installed at Meteorological Centre, Goa.

Shri Chavan further told Mr. Naik that a Doppler Weather Radar costing Rs.11 crores, Global Positioning System based Upper Air System costing Rs.84 lakhs, Automatic Weather Systems costing Rs.15 lakhs, Automatic Rain Gauges costing Rs.15 lakhs and Radiation Equipment costing Rs.16 lakhs form part of the equipments.

The Meteorological Centre of Goa was earlier designated as Goa Observatory, Panjim, and it was upgraded to Meteorological Centre, Goa, Mr. Chavan said in his reply.

In another written reply of Mr. Naik whether the Government proposes to enact a separate legislation to govern CBI, Mr. Chavan has stated in his written reply, “The Government has not taken any decision to enact a separate legislation to govern CBI.”
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