Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa Blog

Indigo coach hits Jet aircraft in freak accident at Goa Airport

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 09:31 AM PDT

In a freak accident, a passenger coach of Indigo airlines rammed into a Bangalore-bound Jet airways aircraft Tuesday evening at the Dabolim airport in Goa. All the 140 passengers onboard were safe. According to Airports Authority of India (AAI) officials, the coach hit the left wing of the Jet aircraft at about 5 p.m., after smashing into a mounted ladder nearby.

“We are medically examining the driver of the coach. As of now, he has said that he lost concentration,” an AAI official said, adding that the coach was travelling at the speed of 50 km per hour against the prescribed speed limit of 20 km per hour.

Courtesy:HT

Inspect Palolem-Goa shore, directs HC

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 07:25 AM PDT

The high court of Bombay at Goa on Monday directed the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) to inspect the Palolem beach to ascertain the exact number of shacks constructed within the No Development Zone (NDZ) and file a report on November 15.

A division bench comprising Justice D G Karnik and Justice F M Reis passed the order in a petition filed by one Vikas Bhagat, a shack owner. The petitioner has alleged that beach shacks were blocking access to the Palolem beach. An intervention application was also filed by the Goa Shack Owners Association opposing the petition.

During the hearing, the petitioner’s advocate, Mahesh Sonak, produced photographs to point out that the shacks had been directly built in the NDZ area. There is no access to the beach whatsoever as a result of the erection of the shacks, he said.

Advocate general Subodh Kantak told the court that the GCZMA will monitor the constructions of new shacks along the Palolem beach and would take effective steps to monitor any violation of law.

However, the court was of the view that the exact number of shacks in the NDZ should be ascertained.

Subsequently, the court directed the GCZMA to carry out the inspection by the end of October, and file the report before the court on November 15.

The court also made it clear that the order of September 6, directing the GCZMA not to grant permissions for new shacks along Palolem beach will remain in force

In its earlier order, the court had earlier order observed that it is apparent that the shacks have been erected not only on the beach but ‘even appear to have been erected beyond the high tide line and some shacks appear to be in the water’.

Courtesy:TOI

Goa Pradesh Congress Seva Dal Appoints New Block Presidents

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 06:01 AM PDT

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti day we have appointed Shri. Shrikant Naik, Block Chief of Congress Seva Dal of Sanguem Block and Smt. Graciana Fernandes and Radha G Naik appointed Block Mahila Organiser, Sanguem & Tivim Block of Congress Seva Dal.

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The appointment letters given by the Hon. Chief Minister Shri. Digambar Kamat at Congress House in the presence of Shri. Subash Shirodkar, Shri. J. T. Vaz, Shri. Altinho Gomes, Shri. Luis Alex Cardozo, Shri. Ramakant Kalap, Smt. Ezilda Sapeco, Dr. Ulhas Parab, Dyneswar Kamble and others.

Russian company urges Goa govt not to confiscate its property

Posted: 05 Oct 2010 02:47 AM PDT

A Russian-owned company in Goa has requested the state government not go ahead with the confiscation of their properties as the matter is sub-judice.

The state cabinet decided to confiscate four land plots owned by True Axis Pvt Ltd , as per the directives of the Directorate of Enforcement (DE) for violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Following this, the company, in a letter written to the Goa Chief Secretary, said it has already filed a case against the DE order at the Appellate Tribunal For Foreign Exchange.

Company’s lawyer Vikram Varma said the state through various authorities under it had ratified the purchase of the said properties by executing the deeds of sale as well as by providing various permissions and certifications for repair of buildings, their lawful occupancy and other tourism related activities.

The company has plans to construct a hotel project on these properties valued at Rs 1.26 crore located at Mandrem village, 60 kms away from here.

True Axis’ property was one among around 400 properties that came under the scanner of DE for violating FEMA.

Varma said the equity for his client has been provided under the 100 percent Foreign Direct Investment policy of the Government of India .

He said the DE in past had directed the company to pay a penalty of Rs 7 lakh along with additional penalty (on its director) of Rs two lakh for violation of various sections of FEMA 1999. Besides, it ordered confiscation of the said properties.

Courtesy:ET

Goa:Relocating casinos shocks Narvekar

Posted: 04 Oct 2010 09:31 PM PDT

Aldona legislator Dayanand Narvekar has expressed shock and dismay over the State Cabinet's decision to relocate three off-shore casinos towards Britonna and Salvador do Mondo side of Mandovi river.

In a letter shot to the Chief Minister Digamabar Kamat, Narvekar reminded that during the debate in last assembly he had asked the government to shift the casinos to the high seas as per the off-shore casino policy.

"I had pointed out that the High Court had not stayed the order of the government for shifting casinos in high seas. In fact the consensus of house was for shifting casinos from River Mandovi," he said.

Further Narvekar expressed surprise that casinos are shifted in his constituency against the wishes of the people.

"The government is also aware that many casinos are not sea worthy and do not have proper permission," he stated.

He also expressed dismay at the support being given to casinos by government for reasons best known to them.

"I request the government not to carry out such arbitary decision against the feeling of local representative and failing which people will agitate against the government decision," Narvekar said.

Courtesy:Oheraldo

No. 1 draw for Indian tourists? Not Goa,It’s Andhra

Posted: 04 Oct 2010 09:20 PM PDT

Where do Indians travel when they have the time, money and inclination to explore their own country? No, not to Goa; not even to ‘god’s own country’ Kerala. The number one domestic travel destination for Indians, believe it or not, is Andhra Pradesh.

Over the past three years, most Indians have headed to Andhra, especially to Tirupati. Uttar Pradesh comes a formidable second, thanks to Agra’s Taj Mahal.

In recently released data, the market research division of the Union tourism ministry said: “During 2009, the number of domestic tourist visits to various states was 650 million (65 crore), as compared to 563 million (56.3 crore) in 2008 and 527 million (52.7 crore) in 2007.” With the young and the middle class getting more mobile, the ministry predicts that the domestic market will grow at a healthy clip of 20% in 2010.

The ministry added, “The top 10 states in terms of number of domestic tourist visits during 2009 were Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and Gujarat.” Put together, these states accounted for 88% of the total number of domestic tourist visits in 2009.

While 15.75 crore Indian tourists visited Andhra in 2009, UP and Tamil Nadu received 13.48 crore and 11.57 crore visitors respectively. In distant fourth, fifth and sixth place were Karnataka (3.27 crore), Rajasthan (2.55 crore) and Maharashtra (2.37 crore), respectively. Maharashtra’s domestic tourist base has steadily grown, from 1.92 crore in 2007. Interestingly, while most states saw a steady increase in tourists, Karnataka saw a huge dip — from 3.78 crore in 2007 to 1.28 crore in 2008 — but bounced back in 2009. Rajasthan has had a see-saw ride, going from 2.59 crore to 2.83 crore and 2.55 crore in 2007, 2008 and 2009 respectively.

These figures contrast starkly with states known for being popular tourist haunts. Himachal Pradesh, with attractions like Shimla, Kullu and Manali, had just 1.1 crore Indian tourists in 2009. Kashmir had 92.35 lakh, Kerala 77.89 lakh and Goa 21.27 lakh. Goa bucked the trend by not seeing a steady rise in domestic tourists — 22.09 lakh (2007) and 20.2 lakh (2008).

Jayesh Ranjan, tourism secretary of Andhra Pradesh, said, “The maximum number of visitors come to bow in front of Lord Balaji in Tirupati, and they are followed by those who come for a holiday and mostly head to Visakhapatnam, one of the few cities that has the sea and hills in close proximity. The third most-visited city is Hyderabad, which mostly sees corporate tourists because of the presence of so many Fortune 500 companies.”

All this catapulted Andhra to the first rung 14 years ago, said Ranjan. And the state has stayed there ever since. In 2009 alone, Andhra raked in Rs 400 crore from tourism.

Religious tourism or work-related visits have pulled domestic tourists to places like Andhra and Tamil Nadu, or for that matter, even Rajasthan or Maharashtra as tourism packages now offer a range of experiences — from traditional health spas to local cuisine — an essence of India, so to speak.

A C Mohandoss, director of the Tamil Nadu tourism department, said that while his tourism corporation had several attractions lined up for visitors, most travellers from the north, particularly from Gujarat, came to visit Rameshwaram. “We now have direct trains from north India to several important destinations. Moreover, we are also the first in medical tourism. An equal number of domestic (mostly from the north-east) and international visitors come to our mission hospitals,” he said.

With TN realizing the economic potential of tourism, it is now planning to start winter festivals to boost numbers. “For instance, this December, we are showcasing the dances of India in Mahabalipuram,” said Mohandoss.

In Maharashtra, too, most tourists head to Shirdi, followed by Pandharpur, which sees a lot of visitors from south India, said Kiran Kurundkar, managing director of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation. “Then we also see lakhs of visitors heading for the Ajanta and Ellora caves. A recent phenomenon is that a lot of tourists land up in Goa and travel north to spend time on our beaches in Sindhudurg and Ratnagiri,” he added.

Rajasthan, a dyed-in-the-wool tourist destination, has witnessed a slight drop in domestic as well as international footfalls. The number of foreign visitors fell from 14.78 lakh (2008) to 10.73 lakh (2009). “But the fall was in line with the overall trend that the country witnessed in case of international tourists. We realize the potential of domestic tourism, and now we are portraying Rajasthan as a hub for holding marriages that have a touch of royalty. Religious and desert tourism, too, are popular on the domestic visitors’ itinerary,” said a senior officer in the state’s tourism office.

Courtey:TOI

Congress-BJP in a straight fight for Goa by-poll

Posted: 04 Oct 2010 11:27 AM PDT

Congress and BJP are in a straight fight in Valpoi by-elections which are scheduled on October 18. Congress’ Vishwajit Rane, who is also a sitting MLA, will contest against BJP’s Santosh Haldankar in this constituency located 50 kms away North-East of Panaji. Dipaji Rane, a BJP office bearer, had flung surprise by filing his form as an Independent candidate. Returning officer for bypoll, Raju Gawas, told PTI that Rane has withdrawn his nomination today, the last day for withdrawal. The by-election is necessitated here after Rane, who had got elected as an Independent candidate, had resigned as MLA to join Congress last month. Rane is a Health Minister in Digamber Kamat cabinet. On the other hand, BJP was left in the lurch after its leader Puti Gaonkar, who had contested against Rane during 2007 general polls joined hands with him. BJP has now fielded Santosh Haldankar, a businessman whose elder brother Narahari Haldankar had represented this constituency before Rane won it. The constituency has 17,824 voters and for 2007 polls, 79.25 per cent voters had exercised their right.

Courtesy:IBN
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