Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Goa Blog

Goa Blog

Shanraram And Sardinha met Defence Minister on Goa islands issue

Posted: 01 Dec 2010 08:04 AM PST

Both the Goa MPs Mr Shantaram Naik and Shri Francisco Sardinha called on Shri A.K.Anthony , Union Minister for Defence in his office in South Block, New Delhi  and demanded that the Defence Ministry should withdraw the permission given, if any, to Indian Navy to approach Goa Government two islands near Vasco-Da-Gama.

shantaram

In a memorandum signed by both the MPs , they have contended the Indian Navy has proposed to acquire two islands known as "St George Islands" and the Bimmvel beach, off the western coast of Goa,  consisting of over 30 lakh sq meters  of land in Mormugao taluka in South Goa District .

MPs said that although Navy has  put forth a proposal before the Government of Goa for land acquisition, the Government of Goa has not consented to the proposal in view of their past bad experience with the Navy and in view of the opposition of the people at large ,particularly villagers of Chicolna and Bambolim.

People in Goa strongly opposed to this acquisition and they feel that Government of India should not encourage the Navy in getting the land from the Government in the name of security, MPs said.

Civilians feel helpless when a ground like security is put forth and, defence forces should not be allowed to take advantage of the situation, memorandum adds.

Memorandum recalled  that  Navy got recorded in the land survey records, vast land to establish a Naval base in the State, without the acquisition of land from the State Government and when Airport Authority required the land for expansion of Dabolim Airport, it refused to part away even a few acres,  when the land in fact, belongs to Goa Government.

When an island known as Anjadiv island of the South Goa Coast ,  was handed over  by the Goa Government to Navy upon their similar request , a few years back, Navy despite signing a Mou is refusing to permit Christian community  to visit the church situated on the island, MPs said.

In case of Anjadiv also, MPs told the minister that Navy  put forward security reason for not allowing Christian community to visit the church there. The suggestion made to them  that the community people be taken under tight security and brought back similarly, was unheeded.

However,  people are taken to the island on the Navy Day under security , but Navy is not willing to follow the same procedure in case of the visit of Christian community.

The two  islands, if acquired,  are likely to be utilized by Navy for purposes other than the national security as, it is learnt,  a few years back,  some ex-Navy men were inquiring  with the owners of the islands about  purchasing the  of land .

There is a cross, as well as a tulsi , at one of the islands, and that a ladainha (litany) is held at the cross once every year. Besides, there are several boatmen who earn their living offering boat rides to tourists and conducting scuba diving activities. If the islands are taken possession of by the Navy, it will put an end to a part of their tradition and culture, MPs told the minister.

The Defence Minister was positive in his approach and he assured Shri Naik and Sardinha to do the needful in the matter.

Environment clearance for 156 projects in Goa

Posted: 30 Nov 2010 11:00 PM PST

Union Minister for Environment Shri Jairam Ramesh informed Mr Shantaram Naik M.P. in the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to his question that 156 projects from Goa have been given environment clearance  by his ministry in the last five years.

Out of this 111 were  in non-coal mining category, 31 in construction category, 4 in infrastructure category and 10 in industrial category.

Mr Ramesh further informed Mr Naik that at present,  two projects, one iron ore project and one construction project from the State are pending environment clearance but no proposal from the State of Goa has been rejected environmental clearance.

A moratorium has been imposed by the ministry on  consideration of the mining projects from the State of Goa until the Mineral Policy of the State is finalized, he said.

Meanwhile,  Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs informed Mr Shantaram Naik M.P . in a written reply to his question in the Rajya Sabha that  the Government of Goa  have not conducted a survey in Goa  for identifying the beneficiaries under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act, or of the forest land over which the forest rights are to be recognized and vested under the Act.

When the claims for forest rights under the Act are filed, the same are verified by the Forest Rights Committees and findings are submitted to concerned Gram Sabhas to facilitate their resolution, Minister said.

As per the provisions of the Act and the Rules framed thereunder, the responsibility for implementing the Act lies with the State/Union Territories Governments, minister further said.

However the minister informed Mr Naik that the Government of Goa has appointed a Nodal Officer, taken steps for creating awareness about the provisions of the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Rules, 2008, translated the Act and the Rules in Devnagri local languages.

The Goa government has also  conducted a training programme for Village Panchayat Secretaries and wherever the forests exist, constituted 90 Forests Rights Committees for implementing the provisions of the Act and the Rules framed thereunder in the State.

Spanish Documentary Wins Golden Lamp at IFFI in Goa

Posted: 30 Nov 2010 10:13 PM PST

Spanish short film “Extinction II” won the Golden Lamp award at the 41st International Film Festival of India’s Short Film Centre (SFC).

“Extinction II” is made by Spanish documentary filmmaker Fernando Uson Fornies, who won the Rs.500,000 award.

“Niyamgiri, you are still alive”, a docu-drama showcasing the struggle of Niyamgiri’s tribals versus a mighty mining multinational firm, shared the Vasudha award along with another green documentary “Kaippad” in the SFC’s environment section at a formal function at the IFFI complex Tuesday.

Chairman of the UB group Vijay Mallya seen presenting the the ” Golden Lamp Tree Award” to Fernando Uson Fornies during the awards ceremony at the Maqueniz Palace on the ninth day of the ongoing 41st International Film Festival of India in Panaji on Tuesday.

Chairman of the UB group Vijay Mallya along with Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, DFF director S.M. Khan seen with the winners of the Vasudha Award and the International competition for Short film during the awards ceremony at the Maqueniz Palace on the ninth day of the ongoing 41st IFFI.

Noted bollywood character actor Nana Patekar seen during the press conference addressed by Mira Nair on her film ‘Salaam Bombay’ at the media centre on the ninth day of the ongoing 41st IFFI.

Noted film maker Mira Nair seen interacting with the media on her film ‘Salaam Bombay’ at the media centre on the ninth day of the ongoing 41st IFFI.

Noted cosmetic personality Shehnaz Hussain seen along with her husband R. K. Puri during the Red Carpet welcome at the Old GMC complex on the ninth day of the ongoing 41st International Film Festival of India in Panaji on Tuesday.

Courtesy:DW
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