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Panjim I March, 19, 2011 I Postal Reg. No. Goa 101 I Price Rs. 3.00 I Air Surcharge Rs 2 I Pages 16+8

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Herald Pic

TEAM HERALD

PANJIM, MARCH 18: The gov-

ernment will take policy de-

cision on medium of

instruction before end of this

session, the House was told

on Friday.

Education Minister

Babush Monserrate made

the statement during Zero

Hour in Goa Assembly, on

Friday.

He said the government is

seized of the matter of

>Continued on pg 10

Babush blinks, decision now

Parrikar backs mother tongueTEAM HERALD

PANJIM, MARCH 18: Mak-

ing his stand clear on the

medium of instruction,

Leader of Opposition

Manohar Parrikar has sup-

ported the primary educa-

tion in the mother tongue.

Quoting the guidelines

>Continued on pg 10High Tide: 1024; 2238Low Tide: 0429; 1623

t i D e S t o D a Y

MeDiUM of inStrUction roWheralD exclUSive

SUraJ nanDreKar

PANJIM, MARCH 18: After

Heralds expose, last Sunday

of how Chief Minister

Digambar Kamat threw pro-

priety to the winds by deno-

tifying 36,800 square metres

of land adjoining the

Dabolim airport back to a

CM sacrifices Dabolim at altar of politicsn Kamat bypassed Governors suggestion not to denotify land for parkingn Earmarked alternate land which belongs to Navyn Asks AAI to acquire land in Sancoale, 3 kms away

private owner Bernard

Costa, more secrets of this

dirty deal are tumbling out.

Clearly influenced by Rev-

enue Minister Jose Philip D-

Souza and backed by Deputy

Speaker Mauvin Godinho,

the Kamat-led team an-

nounced that 70,000 square

metres of alternate land

would now be acquired for

parking as part of the expan-

sion plan. This land, airport

officials confirm is a defence

land and there is no guaran-

tee that this would be avail-

able.

So from a situation of eas-

ily available prime land

which was returned to an in-

fluential private individual,

for considerations that clearly

are not above board, the gov-

ernment has no land. At least

not in hand.

What is more, even the

head of the state Governor S

S Sidhu had advised the

Chief Minister against deno-

tifying this land, only to be

told by Digambar Kamat that

the political compulsions of

having Jose Philip and God-

inho on his side were heavy.

Moreover, in the meeting

chaired by the Chief Minister

on February 14 when the de-

notification decision was

made, the PWD was directed

to initiate action to acquire

vacant land (70,000 sq mt

pointed by Mauvin & Jose)

under emergency clause of

Land Acquisition Act.

Officials speaking to this

paper on condition of

anonymity wondered if the

>Continued on pg 10

Defence lanD for private lanD? This area now ear-

marked for parking belongs to the defence.

2 www.herald-goa.com

xaxtiamchi

Our workers at Sonsodo had come across bio-medical waste mixed with bio-degradablegarbage. Under the MSW rules, bio-medical wastecannot find its way at garbage sites. Our workersare facing a health hazard, posed by untreatedused syringes -- Sridhar Kamat

We fail to understand why the promise madeto hike the monthly ex-gratia relief has notbeen fulfilled till date. Our seamen brethrenwould have lived a dignified life with happi-ness if the monthly assistance was increasedto minimum Rs 1500 -- Ifrona Dias

Goa I Saturday 19, March 2011

For a daily labourer sorting

out pieces of garbage in the

ever growing and over grow-

ing Sonsodo waste management

site, picking up pieces of broken sy-

ringes and other medical equip-

ment, blood soaked cotton and

other medical trash is a daily occur-

rence.

This is here where the needle

meets the fish bone and pricks one

more hole in the hazy belief that all

the fifty odd tonnes of garbage that

is dumped at Sonsodo on a daily

basis, is according to the all impor-

tant Municipal Solid Waste (Man-

agement and Handling Rules)

2000.

In the absence of any mechanism

for the collection and scientific dis-

posal, tonnes of bio-medical waste

from the 300-odd hospitals, nursing

homes and clinics dotting the city,

finds its way in the garbage bins

every day.

Neither the Margao Municipal

Council nor agencies such as the

Goa State Pollution Control Board

have put a system in place to tackle

the waste.

Otherwise, just consider this: Its

now more than three months since

the Margao civic body issued a pub-

lic notice to the establishments gen-

erating bio-medical waste to stop

disposing off the waste within the

municipal jurisdiction with immedi-

ate effect.

Three months down the line and

the disposal of bio-medical waste in

the municipal bins has not stopped

till date. In fact, if one goes by the

correspondence from Fomento

Green and Waste Management

Services Ltd, responsible for segre-

gating and disposing off the existing

garbage and constructing a waste

management plant, to the Margao

civic body, its abundantly clear that

bio-medical waste continues to find

its way in the bins and then to Son-

sodo.

Neither has the Margao civic

body initiated action against the un-

scrupulous establishment owners

nor has the civic body the where-

withal to maintain vigil against the

erring establishments.

Says MMC Chief Officer, Prasanna

Acharya: We have to ensure that no

bio-medical waste generated by any

hospital, nursing home, clinic, dis-

pensary, veterinary institutions, ani-

mal houses, pathological laboratories,

blood bank is disposed off either in

bins or anywhere else except accord-

ing to the Bio-Medical Waste (man-

agement and handling) Rules, 1998 &

MSW (management and handling)

Rules, 2000.

He however says that the disposal

of bio-medical waste does not come

within the ambit of the MMC and

passes it on to the Goa State Pollu-

tion Control Board to deal with the

issue. But he warns I want to make

clear to the owners that stern action

will be initiated against those units

responsible for disposing off the un-

treated waste in the bins, he

warned.

The CEO of Fomento Green

Sridhar Kamat says: Our workers

at Sonsodo had come across bio-

medical waste mixed with bio-

degradable garbage. Under the

MSW rules, bio-medical waste can-

not find its way at garbage sites.

Our workers are facing a health

hazard, posed by untreated used

syringes.

A medical disaster bomb ticks at Sonsodo

The bio-medical waste that is regularly finding its way at the Sonsodo dumping yard.

Santosh Mirajkar

Hazardous bio medical waste continues to be duped at Sonsodo on a daily basis, throwing caution and the waste management rules to the winds. Fomento Green, which is handling the waste

segregation and construction of the Sonsodo plant is not supposed to accept any medical waste and will hopefully put its foot down soon. Meanwhile the MMC still continues to allow bio med-

ical waste from clinics and hospitals to be sent to Sonodo. Guilherme Almeida reports

These retired seamen

and the widows of

seamen have been

knocking the doors of all and

sundry over the last two

years. They have been plead-

ing and petitioning with

everyone -- right from Chief

Minister Digambar Kamat to

the MLAs and MPs and the

management of National

Union of Seafarers of India

(NUSI) in support of their

one-point just demand to

enhance the monthly ex-gra-

tia monetary assistance of Rs

200 to a modest amount of Rs

1500 per month to live a dig-

nified life after retirement.

It was exactly four years

ago, that NUSI general secre-

tary Abdulgani Y Serang

promised the retired seafar-

ers and widows at the NUSI

Maritime Academy, Assolna

to suitably increase the

monthly ex-gratia monetary

assistance. Much water has

flown down the River Sal

since then and the promised

hike in the assistance made

by the NUSI chief stands un-

fulfilled till date.

Since then, the retired sea-

men and widows under the

banner of Goan Retired Sea-

men Welfare Association had

been waging a sustained

campaign across Salcetes

countryside and beyond for

the fulfillment of their gen-

uine demands.

Says Ifrona Dias, President

of Goan Retired Seafarers

Welfare Association: We fail to

understand why the promise

made to hike the monthly ex-

gratia relief has not been ful-

filled till date. Our seamen

brethren would have lived a

dignified life with happiness if

the monthly assistance was in-

creased to minimum Rs 1500.

Even this meager amount

of Rs 200 is not disbursed to

the retired seamen and the

widows on a monthly basis. If

the retired seafarers are to be

believed, the monetary assis-

tance is disbursed to them

once every six months.

The issue had its echo in

Parliament during the ongo-

ing budget session when

Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram

Naik drew attention of the

House to the meager post re-

tirement paid to the retired

seafarers and widows. Thats

not all. A delegation of the

Goan Retired Seamen Wel-

fare Association along with

South Goa MP Francisco

Sardinha called on Union

Shipping Minister G K Vasan

with a request to enhance the

monetary assistance to a min-

imum Rs 1500 per month.

Says MP Sardinha: After

the meeting with the Union

Shipping Minister, I am hope-

ful that some solution would

be worked out vis--vis the

pension for the retired seafar-

ers. The existing monthly re-

lief of Rs 200 is unacceptable.

Moved by the plight of the

seafarers, the Council for So-

cial Justice and Peace has

now stepped in to lend a

helping hand to the suffering

seamen. The situation is un-

just and hence unacceptable.

All efforts must be made to

ensure that these retired men

get reasonable benefits of

their hard toil at sea, away

from their families, re-

marked CSJP Executive

Secretary, Fr Maverick Fer-

nandes in his communication

to the Parish Priests, Arch-

diocese of Goa on the issue.

Says Peter Crasto, secre-

tary of the retired seafarers

Association: When the sea-

men were active in service,

they helped to earn foreign

exchange for our country and

boosted the countrys foreign

exchange reserves. Our In-

dian seafarers had worked

actively at the risk of their

lives during world wars, dur-

ing Iran-Iraq war and the

conflict in Sri Lanka.

Asks Augustine Fernan-

des, Association treasurer:

Doesnt the retired seamen

and widows deserve a sub-

stantial increase in the

monthly assistance to live a

decent life. Even the Goa gov-

ernment pays its senior citi-

zens Rs 1000 per month

under the DSS schem.

Enhancement was prom-

ised in 1998

Incumbent NUSI general

Abdulgani Serang had been

pushing the blame on the

management committee of

the Seafarers Welfare Fund

Society (SWFS) for not en-

hancing the ex-gratia relief

since 1991.

But, the Diwali message of

Serangs predecessor, late Dr

Leo Barnes in NUSI letter

dated November 1998 clearly

states that two important

benefits, namely pension and

family medical assistance are

under consideration.

In fact, Dr Barnes in his

message had categorically

stated that seamen will start

getting pension amounting to

Rs 1000-1500 per month.

Dr Leos successor and in-

cumbent NUSI general sec-

retary, Serang says that NUSI

had been consistently de-

manded with SWFS for an

enhancement of the monthly

ex-gratia monetary assistance

and their families on grounds

that the amount has not been

increased since 1991.

But, president of Goan Re-

tired Seafarers Welfare Asso-

ciation Ifrona Dias begged to

differ. NUSI has done noth-

ing to solve their problem of

increasing the monthly ex-

gratia relief for the last 11

years. The Union now says a

Task Force has been ap-

pointed to discuss the de-

mand with the National

Shipping Board. Why was

the Task Force not consti-

tuted 11 years ago when the

Union was very well aware of

the plight of the seafarers,

Dias questioned.

STILL AT SEA, AFTER A LIFE ON SEAFor the better part of their working lives, they rode the waves. Now retired seamen and their families are negotiating the labyrinths in the corridors of power to increase their miserly pension from

two hundred rupees a month to just fifteen hundred. Guilherme Almeida reports

A delegation of Goan Retired Seafarers Welfare Association Ifrona Dias and Melson Luis with

South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha when they called on Union Shipping Minister, G K Vasan to

discuss the pensionbenefits for retired seamen and widows.

n Long standing demand of retired seamen and their

families to raise ex gratia amount paid to retiredseamen and their families from Rs 200 to Rs 1500.

n NUSI General Secretary had promised monetary as-

sistance four years ago.n NUSI and the Seafarers Welfare Fund Society

(SWFS) state that the other should be held responsi-ble for not enhancing the ex-gratia amount.

n Both Congress MPs Fransisco Sardinha and Shan-

taram Naik have raised the issue in parliament andwith the union shipping minister.

A LOAD OFF THEIR BACKS Many Goan Traditional Occupations (GTOs) are under threat and in the fiftieth year of Goas

liberation Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has recognized one such community, bhadels. They

have long been silent foot soldiers, carrying loads to and from shops and other places. The one

time compensation of Rs 25,000 for their honesty and integrity has not come a day too soon.

TEAM HERALD reports

Their honesty, integrity

and trustworthiness

has finally received

due recognition from the gov-

ernment. At long last, the

Bhadels (women load carri-

ers) part and parcel of the

business activity in the states

commercial capital has

been recognized by the

Digambar Kamat govern-

ment for the virtues of hon-

esty and integrity.

In his budget speech, the

Chief Minister has an-

nounced a one-time compen-

sation package of Rs 25,000

for each of the bhadels

whose numbers have been

on the decline over the years.

Herald had highlighted the

plight of these bhadels a

month ago, having toiled

hard over the decades in the

states commercial hub,

many of whom have retired

long ago without any social

security benefits.

Coincidentally, it was Chief

Minister Digambar Kamat

who had presided over a

function to recognize the

services and virtues of the

bhadels over a decade ago at

the initiative of freedom

fighter Gurunath Kelekar

and convenor of womens

rights NGO Auda Viegas.

Says Auda Viegas: I con-

gratulate the government for

thinking about the bhadels

community. The bhadels cer-

tainly deserves praise and fi-

nancial package. They have

toiled hard over the years and

faced adversities.

Freedom fighter Gurunath

Kelekar echoed similar senti-

ments: I am extremely

happy that the government

has recognized the bhadels. I

have no doubt that not only

the bhadels, but even the

business community will also

be happy when they come to

know about the govern-

ments financial package for

this community.

Kelekar made it quite clear

that the government is not just

recognizing the hard work

and toil of the bhadels, but the

recognition is more for their

honesty and integrity. These

bhadels are Niz Goenkars, the

original Goans. The virtues of

sincerity, trustworthiness

needs to be emulated from the

bhadels, he added.

A group of bhadels taking an afternoon

siesta at the New Market area of the

commercial capital.

Santosh Mirajkar

gilus xaxti masala

Raising the Brar

The new AICC General Secretary in charge of Goa,

Jagmeet Brar is a close friend of Luizinho Faleiro.

Since then, worried Faleiros detractors, sensing a

possible change in power equations, have not lost

a single opportunity to find out Brars political

background. It is an open secret that Chief Minister

Digambar Kamat, the Alemao Brothers and their

aides enjoyed a close rapport with Brars predeces-

sor Hariprasad, in the political scheme of things.

The anti-Luizinho brigade is now working the phones

and have a man called Sudhakar Reddy on their

speed dials. Reddy, a congress secretary is Brars un-

derstudy and knows all about him. So the Alemaos

are getting Reddy to have long chat sessions with

him.

Quit Pro QuoWhy did the two NCP rebel Ministers Jose Philip

DSouza and Nilkhant Halarnkar suddenly make

peace with the party leadership.

This had all to do with the exit of Hariparsad. It is an

open secret that Hariprasad opposed the re-induc-

tion of Mickky Pacheco into the Kamat cabinet. And,

it is an open secret that the G-10 group had Haris

blessings when they threatened to revolt if Pacheco

was re-inducted into the Ministry.

But, with Hari no more an incharge of Goa Congress,

things came a full circle for the two rebel Ministry.

The duo had to face the ire of party leadership after

the famous dinner meeting with Congress bigwigs at

the residence of Congress general secretary Vijay

Sardessai. Well, if sources are to be believed, a plan

was hatched by the well wishers of the two Ministers

from Salcete again in Fatorda to ensure that

both Jose Philip and Nilkant continue to hold their

ministerial positions and at the same time soothe

the ruffled ego of the NCP supremo. So the resigna-

tions were nothing more than a drama knowing well

that they would score during the Pawar play and

be asked by their boss to continue being ministers.

Here comes MonicaThe GPCC General Secretary Vijay Sardesai loves old

Hindi film songs. But he may not quite like the popu-

lar number from the classic film Caravan, Monica

Oh My Darling. The Pradesh Mahila Congress Chief

Monica Dias has made a strong pitch for the Fatorda

Congress ticket for which Vijay is a strong claimant.

Vijay knows that Monica is no novice in Fatorda poli-

tics, having been three time Councilor and a ticket

aspirant for many years.

Monica has another trump card up her sleeve. She

has said that all other aspirants for the ticket - Vijay

Sardessai, Luis Alex Cardozo, Girish Chodankar and

M K Shaikh have lost elections in the past. For that

matter, so has heavyweight Luizinho Faleiro.

Englishman ChurchillWhen demands in support of English as the medium

of instruction came to the fore in Salcetes country-

side, Congressmen admitted in private that the issue

would put the party in an awkward situation in an

election year.

Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has tried to wriggle

out of the situation by repeatedly saying nothing

would be implemented without taking the stakehold-

ers into confidence.

But, his Ministerial colleagues and party MLAs, espe-

cially from Salcete, know for sure that they can ill af-

ford to take a stand contrary to the popular demand.

So, when a delegation of anxious parents called on

the PWD Minister at Varca, Alemao extended his all

out support to the movement.

Thats not all. The Varca strongman conveyed a mes-

sage loud and clear to the parents that he would not

hesitate to dislodge the Digambar Kamat government

if the demand does not find favour with the ruling dis-

pensation. For Alemao, the issue may have come as

a blessing in disguise, more so when he is keeping

his options open on the question of contesting the

coming Assembly polls on the Congress ticket.

Mickky enters Nuvem - panch bypanch

That former tourism minister Mickky Pacheco has

firmly set his eyes on Nuvem constituency and is

bracing to cross swords against Congress heavy-

weight Alexio Sequeira is an open secret.

That explains his anxiety to establish his hold over

the Panchayat bodies falling in Nuvem constituency.

He had his men presiding over the Panchayat affairs

in Betalbatim, Majorda, Nuem and now established

his foothold over Loutolim as well by ousting the for-

mer Sarpanch a close aide of his bete noire and

Power Minister Alexio Sequeira.

Remember that the flamboyant Benaulim MLA went

all out to capture the Zilla Panchayat seats coming

under Nuvem constituency.

Many would tend to question whether this would

have any bearing on the Assembly polls. But, this

appears Pachecos ways of testing the political wa-

ters before taking the big plunge. This was how he

had exactly gone about before crossing swords

against the Varca strongman Churchill Alemao in

Benaulim nearly a decade ago and succeeded.

(Xaxti Masala is a weekly offering of anecdotes

and chats from our beloved Salcete.)

3 www.oheraldo.in

goaMickky Pacheco alleged a South Goapanch was being protected by police afterhe was involved in death of a girl at Aquem-Baixo. The accused was booked under thesame sections that of his after her fathercomplained, but he was not arrested.

We will introduce Bill on public cremato-rium in the ongoing assembly session.also the issue of electric crematorium willalso be examined by the state govern-ment.

-- Chief Minister Digambar Kamat

Goa I Saturday 19, March 2011

Bill on crematorium

this session: GovtHERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18 : Goa

government will introduce a

Bill during the ongoing state

Legislative Assembly session

on the public crematorium

for each and every commu-

nity across the state.

The Assembly today

unanimously passed the res-

olution tabled by Leader of

Opposition Manohar Par-

rikar demanding legal provi-

sion for proper burial

grounds and crematorium to

each and every community

within the reasonable distance.

Speaking on the floor of

the house, Kamat said that

people from certain commu-

nities are demanding such

public spaces as there are

often issues regarding cre-

matorium or burial grounds.

We will introduce Bill in

this regard in the ongoing as-

sembly session, Kamat as-

sured. The Chief Minister

also assured that the issue of

electric crematorium will

also be examined by the

state government.

Introducing the resolu-

tion, Parrikar had de-

manded that electric

crematorium be set up as

many people are conscious

about environment.

The leader of opposition

said that electric cremato-

rium can be set up in Panjim,

if there is opposition in other

parts of the state.

4 www.oheraldo.in

goaa detail survey identifying number of bogusbeneficiaries will be carried out before renew-ing the scheme. More then one lakh peoplehave benefited through this scheme till now.

-- Chief Minister Digambar Kamat

The budget placed by the Chief Minister has com-pletely neglected declining milk and fish produc-tion in the state, Mandrekar said adding thatthere has been no provision towards enhancing theproductivity of these two commodities.

Goa I Saturday 19, March 2011

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18 :

Chief Minister Digambar

Kamat told Goa Assembly

on Friday that the govern-

ment was on the verge of fi-

nalising policy for land

acquisition and under which

it would consider giving jobs

to persons affected by land

acquisition.

The Chief Minister made

the statement after Opposi-

tion Leader Manohar Par-

rikar pointed out that jobs

were promised to locals

when land was acquired for

building Mapusa district

hospital.

The locals had opposed

the land acquisition being it

a play ground but gave in

after they were promised

jobs in the hospital, said op-

position leader when the

issue came up before House

during Question Hour on

Friday.

I had promised jobs o lo-

cals when land was acquired

during my regime however

subsequent government did

not bother to keep the prom-

ise, he said.

The original question was

raised by Fatorda MLA

Damu Naik pertaining to

South Goa District Hospi-

tal.

Earlier, responding to a

query raised by Fatorda

MLA Damu Naik, the Chief

Minister had informed the

House that he has promised

to give jobs to farmers fami-

lies whose land was acquired

for building hospital.

Upon which Parrikar as

well as Narvekar urged the

chief minister similar benefit

be extended to people af-

fected in Mapusa.

They felt that similar yard-

stick be applied when gov-

ernment buys land from

public for projects.

Earlier Chief Minister told

the House that the hospital

will be completed by the end

of this year. While initial

value of work order was Rs

92 crore , it has increased to

Rs 192 crore.

He also clarified that the

government has not taken

any decision to operate it on

Public Private Project (PPP)

mode.

Mapusa District Hospi-

tal: The Chief Minister

Digambar Kamat said he

would work out modalities

upon consulting with Health

Minister Vishwajit Rane to

start new district hospital in

Mapusa as Opposition

Leader Manohar Parrikar

warned the government

that they will not allow

Mapusa hospital to run

on PPP mode.

Parrikar questioned the

purpose of having PPP

mode for Mapusa when

more than half of the staff

had been recruited

Currently, seven types of

services are offered in old

Asilo hospital, Parrikar said

as he demanded that the

government should immedi-

ately shift these facilities in

the new hospital.

The Opposition Leader

urged the Chief Minister

Digambar Kamat to visit the

old hospital to see pathetic

condition of the hospital.

Land acquisition policy in final stages, says CM

GSHC has not done enough to promote local vegetables: Rane

Suspend MD, demands Parrikar

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18: The Opposition today came down

heavily on the Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC) Ltd,

alleging corruption in purchase of vegetables.

Raising the issue during Question Hour on Friday,

Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar demanded that

managing director of GSHC be suspended.

He said GSHC charged 21 per cent more on its sale of

vegetables even as it received subsidy of 53 per cent on

purchases in the last two years.

Quoting figures from the written reply submitted by

Agriculture Minister Vishwajit Rane, Parrikar pointed

out a difference of Rs 1.5 crore, in purchases and sale of

onions. He sought to know where the difference has gone.

Referring to the Chief Ministers statement in the

House earlier, wherein he was reported to have said

onion was sold at Rs 25 per kg when onion prices esca-

lated, Opposition Leader pointed out that during

that period GSHC figures indicate that sale price

was high.

Quoting figures from ministers reply, Opposition

Leader sought to know whether the Goa assembly is

being taken for a ride and demanded action against the

concerned officer.

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18:

Agriculture Minister Vish-

wajit Rane on Friday said

seven to eight more outlets

for selling locally grown veg-

etables will be opened by

April 30 even as he acknowl-

edged that Goa State Horti-

culture Corporation

(GSHC) Ltd, has not done

enough in promoting local veg-

etable production in the State.

He made the statement

while replying to a question

tabled by Canacona MLA,

Vijay Pai Khot during Ques-

tion Hour on Friday.

Canacona MLA high-

lighted that GSHC Ltd,

buys very little vegetables

from local vegetable farmers

and also there are no

enough outlets catering

local farmers.

Since 2009-2010 GSHC

has been purchasing veg-

etables from farmers at

Tonca Caranzalem whereas

two centers were specially

open in September 2010 for

the purpose, Minister told

the House. However, he also

pointed out that response to its

schemes has not been good.

But Opposition MLAs in-

cluding Poinguinim MLA

Ramesh Tawadkar pointed

out that the problem lies

with GSHC and not with

farmers. The GSHC is al-

ready running a scheme

where in it offers subsidy of

Rs 40000 per hecter for

farmers growing vegetables.

The Opposition MLAs also

wondered why the vegetable

production has not increased

in correspondence to intro-

duction of the scheme.

Canacona MLA insisted

that the scheme has to be

properly implemented

which he said, is not hap-

pening now. The CM in its

budget speech on Thursday

had announced a fresh

scheme targeting women

and self-help-groups, who

will receive subsidy of 80000

for two hectares.

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18:

The Transport minister

Ramakrisna Dhavlikar be-

lieves even pictures lie.

No wonder he took ob-

jection to photos published

in the Herald on Friday,

which portrayed boredom

of MLAs and ministers as

Chief Minister Digambar

Kamat made his lengthy

budget speech. He claimed

that he was not sleeping --

just resting, closing his eyes

so also may be other MLAs

were seen in poor light.

It was not right on the

part of the newspaper to

publish such pictures, he

told the House as he made

his point after Question

Hour on Friday with a

hope that Speaker Prataps-

ing Rane reprimands the

Newspaper photographer.

But alas! The Speaker

advised the members to be

careful and sit properly in

the House.

I have got installed two

screens in the House show-

ing you, so take care how to

sit, said Rane as he re-

buffed Transport Minister.

Are pictures lying?

Picture tHiS: Even as legislators go in sleep mode during the budget speech, here

is Cumbarjua MLA Pandurang Madkaikar going on a 'shooting' spree before taking a

break on Thursday.

Rosario Estibeiro

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18 :

Aldona MLA Dayanand

Narvekar demanded ar-

rest of the mine owners,

who are in-

volved in the

illegal mining

activity in the

state.

Participat-

ing in the dis-

cussion on the

general budget, Narvekar

said that if state govern-

ment wants, it can stop 60

per cent of the mines

within a day.

Almost 60 percent of

mines are below water table.

If state government wants, it

can stop these mines imme-

diately, Narvekar said.

In his 40-minute-long

speech, Narvekar termed

Congress-led government as

government for the mine

owners and by the mine

owners.

I cannot say this govern-

ment is of the mine owners

because there are people like

me who are fighting against

illegal mines in the assem-

bly, he quipped.

Narvekar said that when

export duty was increased in

the union budget, there was

immediate reaction by the

mine owners.

But the actual thing is

that state government is sub-

sidizing the mining indus-

try, he alleged.

The company like Sesa

Goa has Rs 6980 crore

turnover from their mining

activity in Goa. Why should

they be bothered with the 15

percent hike in the export

duty? Narvekar ques-

tioned.

Pointing out to the reply

on the floor of the house, he

said that 19 mine owners are

protected although they are

mining in the forest areas.

If they are involved in il-

legal mining, why is that

none of them are ar-

rested? Rs 1000 crore worth

illegal mining

exists but no

one is ar-

rested, he

pointed out.

In his speech,

Narvekar fur-

ther said that

the state government should

bring accountability bill

which will put a deadline for

the file movement in the

government offices.

I had requested to bring

the bill of accountability. All

the files will be cleared

within stipulated time, he

said adding that the account-

ability starts right from the

top.

If minister does not clear

file within seven days, fine of

Rs

1,000 per day should be

imposed on the minister,

Narvekar demanded.

Arrest mine owners involvedin illegal mining : Narvekar

Revision of DSSYdoles after scrutiny HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18:

Chief Minister Digambar

Kamat today assured the

house that the revision of the

remuneration paid to the

beneficiaries under

Dayanand Samajik Surak-

sha Yojna (DSSY) would be

done only after survey iden-

tifying bogus beneficiaries is

over.

Kamat said a detail survey

identifying number of bogus

beneficiaries will be carried

out before renewing the

scheme.

More then one lakh peo-

ple have benefited through

this scheme till now, Kamat

said.

Kamat was replying to a

private member resolution

over hike in DSSY pension

moved by Mapusa MLA

Francis DSouza.

The DSSY pension

should be doubled from Rs

1000 to Rs 2000 along with

Kala Sanman and artists

pension, the resolution

reads.

DSouza also demanded

that there should be an in-

built mechanism for auto-

matic increase in pension

after every three years con-

sidering the inflation and

rise of price index.

Even after chief ministers

assurance, DSouza re-

fused to withdraw the res-

olution.

The opposition benches

sought division of house

after it was noticed that ma-

jority of legislators from rul-

ing benches were not in their

seat.

The speaker allowed divi-

sion after ringing the bell

calling the members in the

house.

The resolution was still

defeated by 15 versus 14

votes although two legisla-

tors Mickky Pacheco and

Dayanand Narvekar stood

up in favour of the resolu-

tion.

Earlier, the house also

passed the resolution over

upgradation of Bicholim po-

lice station building on prior-

ity basis, which was moved

by Bicholim MLA Rajesh

Patnekar.

Mickky blasts police for harassing tourists HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18 :

Tongue lashing the state

government on the floor of

the House, former tourism

minister Mickky Pacheco

said that tourists are worried

to visit Goa as they are ha-

rassed by the police.

Pacheco said that Indian

domestic tourists and for-

eigners are afraid to visit Goa be-

cause of the harassment meted

out to them by the state police.

The former tourism min-

ister, participating in the dis-

cussion on the general

budget, accused tourism de-

partment of not providing basic

amenities on the beaches.

The beaches are shabby.

They are littered with the

garbage. Moreover, there are

no basic facilities like roads,

taps, showers and changing

rooms on the beaches,

Pacheco said.

Benaulim MLA said that

the number of tourists arriv-

ing in the state will go down fur-

ther, if government does not fix

these problems. I dont know

where the tourism will head

now, he commented.

Recalling the trauma he

faced after being indicted in

Nadia Torrado death case,

Pacheco alleged a South Goa

based panch member was

being protected by police

after he was involved in

death of a girl at Aquem-

Baixo.

The girl committed sui-

cide by hanging herself. The

accused was booked under

the same sections that of

mine after her father com-

plained to the police. But he

was not arrested by police

bowing to the pressures of

his godfather, the former

tourism minister said.

Pacheco had spent 16 days

in police and judicial custody

after being arrested in Tor-

rado death case.

He said that there will be

law and order issue in South

Goa, if police continues dilly dal-

lying on arrest of the accused.

Pacheco, who has moved a

notice to the speaker seeking

time to deliberate in the

house on crucial issue of

Right To Education (RTE),

said that Konkani and

Marathi as medium of in-

struction will hinder the em-

ployment opportunities for

the youths in the state.

Goan youths are getting

the edge outside state in jobs

because of their English

speaking skills. We will be

stemming their job

prospects outside Goa, he

said clarifying that he is not

against Marathi or Konkani

languages.

Budget has not taken into account ground reality, feels Parrikar HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18:

Leader of Opposition

Manohar Parrikar said that

the growth projected in

the recent state budget is

largely in the tertiary sec-

tor, is leading Goa to a

dark hole.

Discussing on the general

budget on the floor of the

house, Parrikar said that

budget has a feel good fac-

tor as it is filled with good

concepts. But it has not

taken into consideration the

ground reality that the

growth is only in the tertiary

and mining sectors, he said.

Tertiary sector comprises

of financial institutes, insur-

ance companies, hotel indus-

try, construction and

building activity, he said

adding that there is 20

percent growth in this sec-

tor.

This growth comes at the

cost of destruction, Parrikar

quipped.

Analyzing the financial

parameters, Parrikar said

that the loan liability has

crossed the danger mark. He

said that in last five years, the

loan liability has gone upto

Rs 6,650 crore.

Making allegations in the

process to appoint consult-

ant for Mopa Greenfield

airport, the leader of op-

position pointed out that

for last six months, the

state government has not

been able to reveal who is

the lowest bidder.

We had asked the ques-

tion in the session but they

have not been able to give us

name of the lowest bidder,

he said.

Parrikar also criticized

state government for failing

to declare its land acquisition

policy, which was supposed

to be out by December.

I have cutting of the

newspapers in which gov-

ernment had said that the

policy would be announced

by December and later in

January, he said.

The former chief minister

claimed that the budget is

error-ridden.

They claim that 1,000 ha

land was brought under hor-

ticulture but if you look at

replies tabled today, they are

still purchasing the veg-

etables from outside the

state in large number,

he said.

With 1,000 ha land under

cultivation, Rs 15 crores

worth vegetables should

have been grown, he ob-

served. The milk produc-

tion which was 1.87

thousand litres earlier has

now come down to 1.27 lakh

thousand litres daily, he said.

Parrikar said that the agri-

cultural growth is directly re-

lated to the mining

industry.

Mining is killing agricul-

ture. Excessive mining

should be capped. 30 million

metric tones is our capac-

ity we are exporting 45

million metric tones, he

said.

Milk, fish neglected in Budget: MLAHERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18 :

Mandrem MLA Dayanand

Mandrekar accused state

government of failing to address

issues of dwindling milk and fish

production in the state in the re-

cently placed budget.

The budget placed by the

Chief Minister has com-

pletely neglected declining

milk and fish production in

the state, Mandrekar said

adding that there has been

no provision towards en-

hancing the productivity of

these two commodities.

BJP legislator was talking

while participating in the

discussion on general

budget. The MLA pointed

out that as per the available

statistics; the total milk pro-

duction has decreased by al-

most 20,000 litres in last five

years while fisheries saw a

drop of 15.8 percent.

State PSUslose Rs 200 crHERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18:

Even though Public Sector

Undertakings (PSUs) are

playing a major role in Goas

economy, it has incurred

losses to the tune of Rs 200

crore, approximately due to

various deficiencies.

The latest report of the

Comptroller and Auditor

General Report tabled on

the floor of the House of the

Legislative Assembly for the

year ending March 2010, re-

veals that even as the invest-

ments (capital and long

term loans) in 17 PSUs was

Rs 527.56 crore, it has in-

curred losses to the tune of

Rs 200.67 crore.

The State PSU losses

were controllable with bet-

ter management. This there

was tremendous scope to

improve the functioning and

minimize/eliminate loses,

CAG says.

It has even advised that

the PSUs can discharge

their role effectively only if

they are financially self re-

liant.

Almost 60 percent of mines are belowwater table. If the state governmentwants, it can stop these mines immedi-ately, Dayanand Narvekar said.

mining effect!

Making allegations in the process to appoint

consultant for Mopa Greenfield airport,

the leader of opposition pointed out that

for last six months, the state government

has not been able to reveal who is the

lowest bidder.

budget tirade

goa

5 www.oheraldo.in

If North Goa people have voted for thegovernment then why there is no repre-sentation to them? Is this South Goaleaders government?

Dayanand Narvekar

The CAG report says that due to procedurallapses by the Civil Supplies department,cardholders were delayed in receiving foodgrains.

Goa I Saturday 19, March 2011

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18 : The

Comptroller and Auditor

General of India (CAG) re-

port has come down heavily

on the State Government on

inefficient handling of Public

Distribution System (PDS).

The audit report tabled in

the legislative assembly for

the year ending March 2010

highlights the delay in distri-

bution of food grains, short

supply of open market rice, ir-

regularities in distribution of

kerosene and even non-test-

ing of quality of food grains.

The CAG report says that

due to procedural lapses by

the Civil Supplies depart-

ment, cardholders were de-

layed in receiving food

grains.

The scrutiny revealed that

since payments to FCI were

made much late, talukas was

unable to issue permits to

Fair Price Shops who were

hence unable to lift the food

grains in time.

The government had ad-

mitted the delay after which

payments were made well in

advance from September

2010 so that quota could

reach cardholders in time,

CAG says.

In an alleged scam, the

CAG pointed out that the de-

partment in October 2007

roped in Goa Co-operative

Marketing and Supply Fed-

eration Limited (GCMSFL)

to supply rice to people

above poverty level (APL).

However, the GCMSFL

failed to provide the pre-

scribed quota, depriving

more than one-lakh benefi-

ciaries from availing the ben-

efit. Action however could

not be taken against the cor-

poration for short supply as

the government had not en-

tered into any agreement.

Similarly, the Government

did not enter into any agree-

ment with the agency sup-

plying and distributing

sugar, as a result of which

2,027 cardholders from Sal-

cete and Sanguem talukas

were deprived of sugar

under the PDS between

2005 and 2010. So also,

records were not maintained

to ensure proper monitoring

of sugar distribution.

The audit scrutiny also re-

veals that in Ponda taluka it-

self, five retailers were

supplied 16,480 liters of

kerosene per month as

against the entitlement of

14,128 liters per month

based on the number of

cards attached. The Civil

Supplies department though

failed to give reasons for the

excess supply of 2,352 litres

per month.

Coming to bad quality of

foodgrains, in the beneficiar-

ies survey conducted by

Audit jointly with the Food &

Drugs department, it was

found that 26 percent bene-

ficiaries complained of poor

quality of foodgrains.

Improper maintenance

of records for issue of ration

cards and stock of blank ra-

tion cards have come to fore

as Rs 27-lakh collected by

Talathis in 2008 against the

issue of new ration cards are

not remitted to the govern-

ment account, CAG adds.

CAG pulls up government for inefficient handling of PDS

Russian rape case: accused moves for bailHERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, MARCH 18: The

accused in the Russian

women rape case, John Fer-

nandes has moved the

South Goa Sessions court for

bail.

His lawyer Adv Amit Pa-

lyekar moved the bail appli-

cation before the court of

Additional Sessions Judge,

Vijaya Pol on Friday on

grounds that the examina-

tion of the victim girl and her

Russian female friend stands

completed.

Moreover, Adv Palyekar

pointed out in the bail plea

that the Supreme Court di-

rections to dispose off the

trial within six months has

expired on March 17, and

hence prayed for bail to his

client.

Hearing on the bail plea

will come up before the Ses-

sions court on March 24.

Adv Palyekar said the vic-

tim girl and her female

friend has been examined by

the court, adding that only

the investigation officers

now remain to be examined

by the court.

HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, MARCH 18: Maina

Curtorim police swooped

down on a flat at Rumdamol-

Davorlim housing board on

Friday evening and busted a

betting syndicate accepting

bets vis--vis the ongoing

World Cup cricket matches.

Acting on a tip off that bets

are accepted over the phone,

a team of Maina Curtorim

Police station incharge, PI

Sidhant Shirodkar, PSIs

Paresh Naik and Suraj

Samant and policemen Kr-

ishna, Damu Gawde and

Gorakhal raided the flat and

arrested two persons Deepak

Mehta and Imtiaz Kiledar

under the Goa Gambling Act.

The team also seized five

mobile phones, cash of Rs

11,380, a TV set, BSNL

modem, keyboard and CPU.

PI Shirodkar said the ac-

cused used to accept bets via

a website. The duo operated

from a rented apartment.

They have been arrested

under sections 3 & 4 of the

Goa Gambling Act and for

criminal conspiracy under

section 120-B of the IPC. The

police are investigating.

Curtorim police bust

betting racket, arrest two

The raiding police team along with the accused arrested in

gambling at Rumdamol.

Santosh Mirajkar

HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18: Senior

Congress legislator

Dayanand Narvekar today

alleged that state govern-

ment has harbouring a re-

gional bias by giving more

priority to South Goa than

the North counterpart.

There is no regional rep-

resentation in the cabinet.

There are 8 ministers from

South Goa while only three

are from North, Narvekar

said on the floor of the House

participating in the general

discussion on budget.

Aldona MLA criticizing

the state governments func-

tioning questioned why pref-

erential treatment is given to

South Goa when even North

Goans have voted for the

government during last elec-

tion.

If North Goa people have

voted for the government

then why there is no repre-

sentation to them? Is this

South Goa leaders govern-

ment? Narvekar, who had

to step down from the cabi-

net in 2008, said.

Narvekar said that there

are several Congress leaders

like Agnelo Fernandes, Vic-

toria Fernandes, Pandurang

Madkaikar and others who

are eligible to get inducted in

the state cabinet.

He claimed that with such

bias, entire development

process gets affected.

Demanding that there

should be ban on the govern-

ment jobs in the year 2012,

Narvekar demanded that all

the recruitments should be

done by Goa Public Service

Commission (GPSC).

Former Law Minister said

that maximum jobs are

gifted to the people from

S Goa leaders make up most of Cabinet: Narvekar

South Goa.

Educated Goan youths

are not getting the jobs but

those who come with the po-

litical favours do get it, he

said.

Government giving pay-

ment to unemployed is good

thing but at the same time it

should give proper employ-

ment to the youths,

Narvekar said pointing out

the scheme announced in

the latest state budget.

He demanded that the

state government should

stop subsidizing higher edu-

cation to the creamy layer.

Why is government still

subsidizing professional ed-

ucation? See that right from

12th standard creamy layer

people should pay for the ed-

ucation, Narvekar added.

HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, MARCH 18: A tragic

accident involving a Dio

scooter and a truck on the

NH-17 at Karmal ghat on Fri-

day evening left two young-

sters from Manipur dead.

The accident occurred at

around 6.30 pm when the

duo travelling on a Dio

scooter were heading to-

wards Margao when the

two-wheeler collided with an

oncoming Rajasthan regis-

tered truck.

Cuncolim PSI Gautam in-

formed that while the pillion

rider died on the spot, the

rider succumbed to his in-

juries on the way to hospital.

Replying to a question, he

said the Cuncolim police

have registered a case of un-

natural death following the

2 Manipur youths die in mishap

death of the two youngsters,

aged between 19-20 years.

PSI Gautam said the duo

had come from Canacona

and were headed towards

Margao. They were report-

edly working as security per-

sonnel, he added. The police

were awaiting the relatives of

the two deceased persons to

complete the formalities. Fur-

ther investigations are on.

HERALD REPORTER

MARGAO, MARCH 18: Resi-

dents of Sao Jose de Areal

village stormed into the vil-

lage Panchayat on Friday

and stopped the proposed

inspection of the mega hous-

ing project of Om Sai Devel-

opers scheduled this

morning.

Residents marched to the

Panchayat ghar in a morcha

to question acting Sarpanch

Vincy Mascarenhas why the

panchayat has fixed inspec-

tion of the housing complex

without intimating the in-

spection committee consti-

tuted by the gram sabha.

They demanded post-

ponement of the inspection

and place the matter before

the gram sabha meeting

scheduled on Sunday.

A villager Freddy

Travasso charged the Pan-

chayat body for trying to

hold the inspection of the

housing project without the

knowledge of the residents.

He said the villagers have

been opposing the project on

account of a host of glaring

irregularities, including the

fact that the area in question

falls within the command

area of the Selaulim irriga-

tion project.

Travasso said the resi-

dents have been opposing

the project compromising of

180 flats and four bungalows.

The Acting Sarpanch in-

formed that the inspection

fixed today has been post-

poned bowing to the wishes

of the villagers, who de-

manded that the inspection

should be done along with

the inspection committee.

Meanwhile, the Sao Jose

de Areal Villagers Union has

asked the village Panchayat

and the Town and Country

Planning department to re-

voke all licenses issued to

Om Sai developers for con-

struction of residential com-

plex at Nessai.

In a notice, the Union

maintained that the con-

struction has been allegedly

done in an area falling under

the command area of the Se-

laulim Irrigation project as

per letter dated May 17, 2006

issued by the Superinten-

ding Engineer, Margao to

Additional Collector-II,

South.

Quoting relevant provi-

sions of Goa Command De-

velopment Act, 1997, the

Union said that the project

does not have the approval

of the CAD Board therefore

illegal.

Areal locals force VP to postponeinspection of housing project

Mandur healthcentre will beupgraded: Rane HERALD REPORTER

PANJIM, MARCH 18: Health

Minister Vishwajit Rane

today assured the state As-

sembly that the department

will send the proposal for

renovate and upgrade the

rural health centre at Man-

dur by Monday, next week.

Replying to the private

member resolution moved

by St Andre legislator Fran-

sisco Silveira, Rane said that

the upgradation of hospitals

and health centers are taken

up in phases.

I consider this (Mandur

health centre) as a part of

GMC, the Health Minister

said adding that Goa Infra-

structure Development Cor-

poration has been asked to

take up the work.

The resolution was with-

drawn after the Health Min-

ister assurance on the floor of

the house. Rane said that

Government of India has as-

sured to provide Rs 50 crore

under National Health Mis-

sion (NHM) for the upgrad-

tion of health facilities in Goa.

There is no regionalrepresentation inthe cabinet. Thereare 8 ministersfrom South Goawhile only three arefrom North

-- Narvekar

The Small and Medium Enter-

prises (SMEs) occupy an impor-

tant position in any developing

economy. The SME sector is the back-

bone of Indian economy in terms of gen-

erating employment opportunities,

boosting exports, attaining widespread

growth and making innovative value ad-

ditions to the manufacturing and serv-

ices sector. Fast changing global

economic scenario has thrown up many

opportunities and challenges to Small

and Medium Enterprises in India.

For the SME sector, credit ratings can

provide an important impetus in raising

standards through better financial disci-

pline, disclosure and governance prac-

tices.

Feedback from larger enterprises

show that managements feel credit rat-

ings provide value that goes well beyond

the credit rating symbol. In the SME

sector too, ratings can be an important

feedback tool for managements. A rating

exercise can help SMEs understand bet-

ter what initiatives they need to take to

improve their operating and financial

positions.

As a step in this direction, the Ministry

of Micro, Small and Medium Enter-

prises, Government of India has intro-

duced a Credit Rating Subsidy Scheme

for the SMEs.

The Scheme is implemented through

National Small Industries Corporation

(NSIC) and a subsidy upto a maximum

of 75per cent of the fee charged by the

rating agency, subject to a certain ceiling,

is reimbursed under the scheme. The

Small Scale units are at liberty to select

any of the rating agencies empanelled

under the rating scheme with NSIC.

With the Government exploring ways

to facilitate easier credit to Small and

Medium Enterprises, SMEs too should

make some effort so that they are able to

get loans easily without running from

pillar to post. And one such initiative

which they can take up is getting them-

selves rated.

In spite of all the advantages and ef-

forts from the Ministry of MSME, very

few SMEs go for credit rating. It is per-

haps lack of awareness or fear on the

part of SMEs to reveal and share reliable

financial and operational information of

their business with the credit rating

agency. Goa State Industries Association

(GSIA) in collaboration with Small In-

dustries Development Bank of India

(SIDBI) and SME Rating Agency of

India Ltd., (SMERA) has conducted

workshops on credit rating for the ben-

efit of SMEs in Goa. Around 60 SMEs

have been covered in these workshops.

So undertaking credit and perform-

ance rating from a reputed and accred-

ited independent rating agency, is

energy rightly spent.

SMEs should do away with the fear

that they may not get a good rating and

come out and be counted. They need to

understand that with a rating, bank and

other financial organizations will be

more comfortable while dealing with

them and it will also reduce the interest

rates payable by a couple of points.

SMEs also need to look from the point

of view of the bank. For banks, lending

to a rated SME would reduce their cap-

ital charge as against lending to an un-

rated SME. In addition, banks need to

have a benchmark to compare their own

credit assessment.

So credit rating seems to be the only

possible route. And whats more, 75 per

cent of the cost as subsidy through the

National Small Industries Corporation

is being given by the government for get-

ting a credit rating for the first time. The

Government of Goa have announced in

the 2011 budget, a subsidy scheme for

obtaining credit rating to SMEs. So let

us hope that more and more SMEs go

for credit rating now.

Atul P Naik hails from a business family

of textile merchants from Margao. He is

the CEO of Precitech Components,

Honda and the immediate past Presi-

dent of Goa State Industries Association

(GSIA)

Last month I was introduced to a

lady living in a village close to

Panjim. Patricia enjoys talking

garbage said my friend. The lady

laughed Me too, she said and went on

to add, people have absolutely no civic

sense. They chuck their garbage out on

the streets. Why cant they be like me? I

collect all my waste in a plastic bag and

everyday on my way to work I put it in

the Panjim bins. But, wait a minute ,

Panjim is a bin free city. I said, and all

garbage bins have been removed. No

yaar, not the big garbage bins, she said,

I use those coloured litter bins fixed on

poles along the streets.

Its no wonder that Sachin Ambe,

head of the Corporation of the City of

Panjim (CCP) Waste Management Cell,

decided to remove all the litter bins from

the streets of Panjim. In fact, its only

after Mandi Watson, Destination Man-

ager of Thomas Cook mentioned at one

of our Chaka Chak Goa presentations,

that tourists walking along Panjim

streets were facing a problem disposing

of their litter like wrappers, tissues etc, I

requested Mr Ambe to consider rein-

stalling the litter bins.

I explained to the lady that Panjims

litter bins are not meant for household

garbage but only small litter and her

waste ought to be collected by her pan-

chayat. But what do I do if they do not

bother to collect our garbage? She said.

I immediately gave her my cell number,

asked her to arrange for a meeting with

her sarpanch and get back at the earli-

est. Im still waiting for her call.

The Chaka Chak Goa team is working

towards putting a system of waste collec-

tion in place in every village, through the

Garbage Management Committee set

up by the local panchayat. This Commit-

tee is required to be formed under the

Goa Non-biodegradable Garbage (Con-

trol)Act, 1996, which comprises citizens,

panch members, Sanitary Inspector and

the local MLA as ex-officio member.

We explain to the committee, the sys-

tem that can be put in place by availing

of the schemes offered by the Govern-

ment, as well as the rules in force on

plastic waste.

Its rather unfortunate that until now,

except for Parra, none of the panchayats,

have availed of these schemes. The an-

nual fund budgeted for the purpose

therefore goes unutilized.

Since the launching of our campaign

on January 26, 2011, we have interacted

with various Panchayats, and the results

have been encouraging from the Village

Panchayats of Socorro, Merces and St

Cruz. Arch K D Sadhale, Viswas Kor-

gaonkar and Clinton Vaz are working

tirelessly in areas around Ponda,

Pernem and South Goa.

It was encouraging to receive a call

last Monday from an active garbage

committee member of Chorao Village

Panchayat, who has set her mind to free

the beautiful island of Chorao from

garbage litter. She has already spoken to

her sarpanch who seemed very positive

and is calling for a garbage management

committee meeting very shortly.

The good news is that, its not only me

who is talking garbage, but of late many

others are also using the G word.

opinion6 www.oheraldo.in

Most politicians, especially the ones fromSalcette, including those who have raisedthe banner of Konkani as a medium of in-struction have allowed their children tostudy in posh all-English schools.

Edit

Its rather unfortunate that until now, ex-cept for Parra, none of the panchayats,have availed of these schemes. The an-nual fund budgeted for the purpose there-fore goes unutilized.

Patricia Pinto

WEEKENDEDIT

Vol. No CXI No. 077 I Goa I Saturday 19, March 2011

PEOPLESEDIT

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Credit Rating for SMEs

atul P naik

Talking Garbage

The time has come and come now to stop language protag-

onists from deciding the faith of our children. The issue of

which medium of instruction should be imparted to our

children, as they grow up to face the world, should rest with par-

ents and parents alone. Have the custodians of Konkani assumed

the roles of fathers and mothers of thousands of children, who

are at the crossroads of confusion, with Konkani the medium of

instruction till class four and then the switch to English?

The inherent and false insecurities of language protagonists

should not jeopardise careers and futures. Is Konkani preserved

and protected in a nice silver casing and covered with mothballs

for posterity, if students are forced to learn it till class four?

Parents in the year 2011 are looking for their children to grow

up and compete in a real world. They are looking to their children

competing in exams, responding to interviews, applying to col-

leges around the country and abroad and then embarking on

professional careers. And all this happens in English and the

whole country realizes this.

Keep this simple and leave it to the parents. Parents who save

money and make sacrifices. Allow them to chose one medium of

instruction and go with it from class one to ten with Konkani as

a compulsory language. And it will be no surprise what that

choice will be English. Just check these facts from schools in

Margao. In the Fatima school the strength of the students in class

is 117 and goes up to 163 in class five. So there are 46 extra seats

in class five. In the Loyola school, the strength in class four goes

up from 100 to 189 in class five an increase of 89 seats. These

additional seats, according to the management of both schools

are filled by students from expensive English medium schools

like Manovikas and Vidya Vikas Academy etc.

So this is the reality check. Parents enroll their students in ex-

pense private English medium schools to avoid forcing them to

learn Konkani till class four and then transfer them to cheaper

aided schools like Fatima and Loyola in class five when the

medium of instruction is English. There is a clear writing on the

wall, on the blackboard, on text books and everywhere else. Eng-

lish is the preferred medium of instruction with no offence or af-

fect to the mother tongue which will continue to be taught and

preserved.

Underlying all this is a tinge of hypocrisy as well. Politicians

across Goa have not even spared education as a tool for political

mileage, rising up in support of the mother tongue when it suits

the only to become English babus when delegations from Parent

Teacher Associations threaten mass agitations. Most politicians,

especially the ones from Salcette, including those who have

raised the banner of Konkani as a medium of instruction have al-

lowed their children to study in posh all-English schools. They

have all made these choices as parents. If they have done so as

parents, why are playing with the futures of children of countless

other parents?

It is this otherisation which is despicable. Politicians keep their

children out of the debate by sending them to a private universe

of education, untouched by their political compulsions, leaving

other humble fathers and mothers in a take it or leave it situation.

There are countless stories of children of drivers, guards, domes-

tic helps who save up money to give their children English edu-

cation. Its a choice they make. Why should that choice not be

given to them?Let us also make no mistake that the government

is making conciliatory noises and getting pushed to taking a de-

cision favouring the PTAs and even the sections of the church

because this is election year and this is a huge emotive issue. You

can arguably play around by not giving power or water or have

a shoddy public distribution system, you can take kickbacks for

government projects, but try playing with a parent who sees his

childs future getting stymied year after year and you are in trou-

ble. This trouble will come to the doorstep of every minister and

MLA and will refuse to go away till you give them the only com-

pensation they crave, for the troubles inflicted on them choice.

Dont give them this and they will make another choice. To throw

this government out.

Stopping messingwith Goas parents

Self oriented budgetThe budget proposed by the Finance

Minister not other than Chief Minister is

self oriented and not growth oriented. A

huge amount of commission awaits the

Chief Minister and the Education Min-

ister through the proposed scheme of

supply of laptops to students of Std XI.

The cost of petrol and diesel has already

reached the highest peak under the

Congress government at the Centre and

the 2 per cent increase of the existing

cost of petrol and diesel by the Goa Fi-

nance Minister is too much for the com-

mon man. The budget speech of the

Chief Minister was boring, as evidenced

in the pictures of sleeping MLAs and

ministers during the budget session.

(Herald, 18 Mar).

Marcos Alemao, by email

Panjim is getting

cleaner

We can already see Panjim getting

cleaner, the gutters in the city are being

cleanedand on enquiry, the supervisor

said they will be going all around. Drop-

ping of the alleged scamsters was a huge

step towards cleaning up Panjim. The

heat generated by prominent citizens of

Panjim has made elected leaders con-

scious of the fact that that corruption will

not to be tolerated.

The very news of induction of Ms. Pa-

tricia with no strings of interference at-

tached, is making us breathe easier. I am

sure most of us citizens will rush to her

call and participate in the clean-up

process. Babush has promised clean

governance, and a clean city. We all look

forward to this. Transparency in the

functioning of the CCP, with regular up-

dates on the website of the decisions,

and works proposed and carried out,

will make things cleaner. We also pray

that politics and politicians will become

clear, because that is where conscience

ultimately leads all to, some day.

Raj Vaidya, Panaji

Tipping the scalesThis writer is teaching at the +2 level for

the past 21 years.

Is English an unknown or foreign lan-

guage to Goa? Is English not the lan-

guage used for all purposes in the entire

country? Is Konkani equipped with the

vocabulary to explain even simple con-

cepts in mathematics and science? Can

a student is who is suddenly introduced

to English medium as late as in the 5th

standard, attain command over good

English which is required to enable him

to study in higher classes?

Now if the RTE is adopted then con-

stitutionally under the Grant in Aid

Code a school with any medium of in-

struction should be entitled for full gov-

ernment aid.

Anthony Alvares, Navelim

LOO misses the busWith the CCP elections going the

Babush way, it is now time for the winds

of change to sweep Goas capital city,

Panjim. On his election rally, Babush

clearly and cleverly chanted his slogan

Chalo Panjim and with the CCP results

now out, political pundits have retorted

that the doors to Panjim are now open

for change.

My heart goes out to the Leader of Op-

position (LOO), Manohar Parrikar that

despite floating fly by night NGOs and

roping in people of credit and repute, he

didnt manage to get a stronghold in his

very own constituency.

But at the eve of every election, Par-

rikar targets the casinosone wonders

whether it is an extortion gimmick or a

pressure tactic. After the elections, casi-

nos can breathe easy.

Parrikar is well known to be putting

his foot in his mouth every time as he

praises his opponents now and would

not hesitate to denounce them later.

The LOO has also gone soft on the

non-performing and corrupt Kamat

government and the one who had ex-

pressed apprehensions on Naxalites in

Goa in the past, has stopped short on

commenting on illegal mines.

I think the time is come for Parrikar to

seek political asylum away from Goa.

Cedric Da Costa, Margao

Revamp Goas education system

Referring to English medium issue

comes knocking (Herald, 17 March) it

is time our politicians realise that one

needs to study in English like every

where else. Besides, the curriculum

must include the study of Portuguese,

and law. The performance at the tenth

standard will enable the students to gain

entry at the college level (XI and XII) for

Arts, Science or Commerce.

Anthony Fernandes, Mapusa

For let ters to the edi tor contact us at edi tor weekend@herald-goa.com

The Jaitapur nuclear plantJoaquim correia-afonso

The supposedly people-friendly

Congress government at the

centre is moving ahead with

plans to build the worlds largest nu-

clear power project on an earthquake

hotspot, putting millions of Indians at

risk. Jaitapur, near Ratnagiri in the

Konkan region of Maharashtra,

where the project will come up, is said

to be located bang in a seismic zone

susceptible to very strong seismic ac-

tivity.

The Union Environment Minister

Jairam Ramesh says that the Centre

was open to putting additional envi-

ronmental safeguards in place to pro-

tect the proposed nuclear reactors in

Jaitapur. Didnt Japan, a technologi-

cally advanced country, put sufficient

safeguards in place to prevent a catas-

trophe?

There were 92 earthquakes in 20

years in Jaitapur, which is an average

of over four per year. According to sci-

entists, the ground there is unstable.

There is no guarantee that the gov-

ernments safeguards will protect the

people and the ecologically sensitive

Konkan coast from a nuclear disaster.

One of the residents of a village 20

Km from Jaitapur remembers that

the earth shook and the road outside

his house just vanished, forming a

gorge. What if the earth shakes again

and the ground below the nuclear

plant caves in?

Even with the additional safe-

guards that will be put in place, will

the Jaitapur Nuclear Power Plant

withstand the impact of large natural

disasters, such as tsunamis and earth-

quakes? The proposed energy park is

particularly dangerous as the gigantic

nuclear development will rely on a

brand new type of mega-reactor that

has not been approved for use any-

where in the world. The plant would,

moreover, be an environmental disas-

ter, destroying one of Indias greatest

natural landscapes, destroying the

habitats of tigers, elephants and thou-

sands of other species.

Isnt the government being irre-

sponsible and insensitive to the inter-

ests of the local people by persisting

with the project, despite knowing very

well the problems that it may create,

the ecological destruction that it will

bring about, as against its advan-

tages? Why should this controversial

project continue? Why not give it up?

Even an advanced country like

Germany has already decided to de-

commission almost half of its nuclear

plants, reversing a controversial deci-

sion to expand its nuclear pro-

gramme. Isnt it time for India to make

the same decision? Or are there some

kickbacks that prevent kicking out the

project?

Patricia Pinto

CHAKACHAK

BUSINESSINCORPORATED

7 www.oheraldo.in

goa Ekvott consists of about 20 Musicians,singers and dancers. They will perform inPanjim on June 3, Margao on June 4, Ban-galore on June 7, Mumbai on June 9 andDelhi on June 11.

-- Eduardo Faleiro

All should pray for those victims and forthe souls who have departed in the Japanearthquake and tsunami waves.

--- Parwadeshwar Maharaj

Goa I Saturday 19, March 2011

AppoIntmEnts

AppoIntmEnts

appointments

SNAPSHOT

PWD Minister Churchill Alemao felicitated at the hands of

Governor S S Sidhu for his immense contribution in the

development of sports in the state.

CRG wants judges reinstated

Panjim:Childrens Rights in Goa in a press release

says in spite of the unanimous demand of the Bar As-

sociation of Goa and the resolution passed at public

meetings attended by respected citizens from all over

Goa demanding the withdrawal of the suspension of

judges Anuja Prabhudesai and Desmond DCosta, no

positive action has been taken to date.

The press release further states, what do we tell our

children? that conscientious and honest professionals

are rewarded with suspensions? A child watching the

news about Judge Desmonds suspension asks did this

uncle do something wrong? his mother has a tough

time explaining that such bad things can happen to good

people she has an even tougher time explaining that

upright judges can be treated unjustly. CRG urges the

powers that be to stop making a mockery of our justice

system and to immediately reinstate Judge Desmond

DCosta and Judge Anuja Prabhudesai, adds the press

release.

Lenten drama at SanguemPanjim:Sacred Heart of Jesus Art and Cultural

group of Vaddem, Sanguem will be presenting its first

Lenten drama Mogan Seva Korunk in collaboration

with Tiatr Academy of Goa, directed by Parish Priest

Fr Tadeo DSilva, SFX and written by Rozario Leitao,

which will be staged on March 20 at 7 pm at Sacred

Heart of Jesus, Vaddem, Sanguem.

HERALD NEWS DESK

PANJIM, MARCH 18: Commis-

sioner for NRI Affairs, Ed-

uardo Faleiro said that the

office of Commissioner NRI

Affairs has invited Ekvott a

group of Goan artistes based

in Portugal formed more

than two decades ago to visit

India in the month of June

next and perform in associa-

tion with the Indian Centre

for Cultural relations.

Faleiro said, the group con-

sists of about 20 Musicians,

singers and dancers. They

will perform in Panjim on

June 3, Margao on June 4,

Bangalore on June 7, Mum-

bai on June 9 and Delhi on

June 11.

Elaborating further to the

media at Porvorim, Faleiro

Ekvott to perform in India: Faleiro

said, the purpose of this

group is to make traditional

music and dance of Goa such

as Dekhni, Dulpod, Dhalo

and Mando know to wider

audiences and to motivate

young generation of Goans

born abroad to identify them-

selves with their ancestral

roots and culture.

Faleiro also introduced

Prof Euginio Viassa Monteiro

a Goan settled in Lisbon. He

is the President of Portugal

India Friendship Society in

Lisbon and is Head of the De-

partment at the Portuguese

Business School. Prof Mon-

teiro is an eminent economist

who has written extensively

on economic developments

and authored several articles,

essays and books in Portugal

and Spain. His latest book is

O Despertar da India(The

Rise of India). It has been

published in Portuguese and

Spanish languages. Its Eng-

lish edition will be published

soon, Faleiro added.

Commissioner for NRI Affairs, Eduardo Faleiro briefing the

media on Ekvott a group of Goan artistes based in Portugal.

Interview at GUPanjim:A walkin-interview will be held on March

25 at 2.30 pm in the Department of Physics, Goa Uni-

versity, for the post of temporary Research Assistant, to

work on research project titled Non-Invasive Glu-

cometer (Phase II) funded by ICMR. The candidates

should be M.Sc in Electronics/BE Electronics with

minimum 55% marks.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

MARCEL, MARCH 18: Shree

Parwadeshwar Maharaj and

Shree Bahu Maharaj along

with their disciples at the

Bethora Muth in Ponda paid

homage to the people killed in

the natural disaster in Japan.

Shree Parwadeshwar Ma-

haraj said all should pray to

those victims and for the

souls who have departed in

the Japan earthquake and

tsunami waves.

A prayer was said and can-

dles were lit in memory of

those departed and for early

recovery of the injured.

We have progressed in

every field, but controlling

earthquake or Tsunami is be-

yond our reach. We are as-

sembled here to pray for those

who have suffered in this nat-

ural calamity in Japan. I hope

our prayers will give strength

to the people of Japan, said

Shree Parwadeshwar Ma-

haraj while addressing the

condolence meeting.

Parwadeshwar Maharaj

was concerned over growing

use of nuclear power and

urged people to seriously

think over it.

He said that nuclear radia-

tions now posed danger to

human life in Japan. We cre-

ated nuclear energy. It has

got both negative as well pos-

itive aspects, the time has

come for thinkers to seriously

deliberate on this issue, said

Shree Parwadeshwar Ma-

haraj.

Homage paid

to victims of

Japan quake

HERALD NEWS DESK

PANJIM, MARCH 18: By an

amendment to Representation

of the People Act, 1950, which

has come into effect w.e.f. Feb-

ruary 10, 2011, an Indian Citi-

zen who is not residing at

his/her place of ordinary resi-

dence in India owing to em-

ployment, education or

otherwise, and has not ac-

NRI can register in electoral rollquired citizenship of any other

country and who is not in-

cluded in the electoral roll, is

entitled to have his/her name

registered in the electoral roll of

the constituency of residence

as mentioned in the passport.

Goans who have com-

pleted 18 years of age as of on

January 1, 2011 can register

their names after completing

the formalities.

Panjim: Government of

Goa has constituted the State

Executive Committee consist-

ing under the Disaster Man-

agement Act, 2005. The

Committee will be headed by

Chief Secretary as Chairper-

son, Ex-Officio, Secretary

(Public Work Department),

Secretary (Transport) and Sec-

Disaster panel constitutedretary (Finance) are Members

Ex-Officio, Secretary (Rev-

enue) is the Member Secretary,

Ex-Officio of the Committee.

The Government has also

established the State Disaster

Response Fund under the

Disaster Management Act.

HERALD CORRESPONDENT

CANACONA, MARCH 18: With

Shigmo festival around the

corner, elders in Canacona

taluka feel that the traditional

celebration has now become

a subdued affair.

Traditional Shigmo festiv-

ities are presently observed

all over the State in a long-es-

tablished manner and they

have their own customary

practices.

While Pagis (ordinarily

known as fishermen commu-

nity) have their own set of cus-

toms, its no different with

Velips-Gaonkars, Komarpant,

Bandekars, Dessais and

other smaller sects, who too

have their own individual

roots of celebrations and sep-

arate mands to observe tra-

ditional Shigmo festival.

But in most sects, festivi-

ties which are almost interre-

lated with other groups and

going through certain indi-

vidual rituals are now con-

cerned about the poor

participation or lack of

knowledge of folk dances

practiced by respective com-

munity members.

In few localities of Cana-

cona taluka, the customary

Shigmo observation by few

sects taking out Mel has or-

dinarily commenced begin-

ning last