goanet-digest Saturday, August 10 2002 Volume 01 : Number 4211
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In this issue:
[Goanet] NEWS: President to oversee post-violence measures in Gujarat
[Goanet] Panel to study functioning of Communidades.
[Goanet] 10 AUG: GOACOM NEWS CLIPPINGS
[Goanet] NOT TO BESTOW NATIONAL AWARD
[Goanet] FEATURE: Catching the rain...
See end of digest for information on subscribing/unsusbcribing.
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Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 00:34:37 +0530 (IST)
From: Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] NEWS: President to oversee post-violence measures in Gujarat
President to oversee post-violence measures in Gujarat
By P. Jayaram, Indo-Asian News Service
New Delhi, Aug 9 (IANS) Indian President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who voiced his
strong commitment to secular values while taking office, will visit Gujarat
on Monday to learn about rehabilitation of people hit by sectarian violence.
This will be the president's first trip outside the Indian capital after he
was sworn in the 11th head of state here on July 25.
In a decision that is likely to have political repercussions, the
presidential office said Abdul Kalam would "learn personally" about the
various steps taken by the Gujarat government to rehabilitate those hit by
the nearly three months of sectarian violence that left about 1,000 people
dead.
Hundreds were also injured, many seriously, while tens of thousands lost
their homes. Property worth billions of rupees was destroyed. An
overwhelming number of the victims were Muslims. It was the worst communal
violence in India in a decade.
A statement from Rashtrapati Bhavan, or presidential palace, said the
president would seek details about the measures taken both by the state
government and non-governmental organisations.
A Rashtrapati Bhavan official told IANS: "Abdul Kalam is the head of state
and he wants to know what measures are being taken in Gujarat. He is also
interested to know about post-quake measures.
"It has nothing to do with elections or the BJP (Gujarat's ruling Bharatiya
Janata Party)."
The BJP, which heads India's ruling coalition, appeared stunned by the
president's decision.
Said its general secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi: "The president is the first
citizen of the country and he has the independence to do whatever he thinks
is right. The BJP does not want to comment on this."
Congress secretary Anil Shastri praised the president for his decision.
"We welcome this visit. It shows the new president is seized of the problem
that Gujarat has faced after the communal violence perpetrated at the
instance of the Chief Minister Narendra Modi's government.
"The president's decision to check the rehabilitation is a stand that all
right-thinking people have taken - the opposition, the National Human Rights
Commission, the National Commission for Women, rights groups and the media.
"His decision clearly establishes that Abdul Kalam as president will act
independently and will not necessarily be guided by a particular political
party or, for that matter, by the ruling establishment."
The Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said Abdual Kalam's visit was primarily to
visit the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad that was set up by Mahatma Gandhi
and to "draw inspiration from the Father of the Nation".
It said the president wanted to undertake the trip before Independence Day
(August 15) "since from his school days Gandhiji was his inspiration as a
noble leader".
Besides touring Ahmedabad and Bhuj town in the Kutch region, which was very
badly hit by the 2001 quake that killed some 25,000 people, the president
would visit a school and interact with children.
He will also meet intellectuals, political leaders, technologists,
industrialists and others and visit the house of Vikram Sarabhai, considered
the father of India's nuclear programme and whom the president considers
"his guru and a great visionary".
The statement said the president had been closely associated with the
earthquake rehabilitation work right from the time the disaster struck.
Abdul Kalam was the presidential candidate of both Vajpayee's ruling
coalition and most opposition parties barring the leftists. He trounced
leftist nominee and veteran independent struggle heroine Lakshmi Sahgal to
win the presidential poll.
In his first speech as president, Abdul Kalam said: "I wish to emphasise my
unflinching commitment to the principle of secularism, which is the
cornerstone of our nationhood and which is the key feature of our
civilisational strength."
Abdul Kalam's comments came a day after outgoing president K.R. Narayanan,
in his last speech as head of state, called upon Hindus, the majority
community in India, "to speak out in the traditional spirit of the Hindu
religion".
- --Indo-Asian News Service
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Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 03:34:31 +0530
From: Goa Desc <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] Panel to study functioning of Communidades.
****************************************************************
Documented by Goa Desc Documentation Service
& circulated by Goa Civic & Consumer Action Network
(GOA CAN)<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
*****************************************************************
- -----------------------------------------------------------
Panel to study functioning of Communidades.
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The state legislative assembly today okayed the constitution
of the House committee headed by the Revenue Minister,
Mr Pandurang Madkaikar for going into various matters pertaining
to the functioning and bunglings of Communidades in the state.
The Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar proposed a House panel,
which was later adopted by the House. The members on the panel are,
Mr Rajendra Arlekar, Mr Karl Vaz, Mr Vijay Pai Khot and Mr Mathany Saldanha.
The committee will also go through various aspect of Communidades
and also study the bunglings alleged to have taken place in various
Communidades and suggest remedial measures for the same
- --------------------------------------------------------
The Navhind Times 9/8/02 page No 3
- --------------------------------------------------------
=======================================
GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE
Documentation + Education + Solidarity
11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507
Tel: 252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy
=======================================
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Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 10:51:02 +0500
From: "Joel D'Souza" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] 10 AUG: GOACOM NEWS CLIPPINGS
GOACOM NEWS CLIPPINGS
August 10, 2002
MAJOR NAPTHA SCARE IN VASCO: Panic gripped parts of port town Vasco on
August 9 evening, following a major leakage at the liquid naptha pipeline,
belonging to the Zuari Industries Limited at Dabolim. This is the second
leakage in less than two months. Efforts to plug the leakage became
difficult due to the heavy showers in Goa. (H)
ADVICE TO PARTY FUNCTIONARIES: While addressing a press conference in
Panaji yesterday, the Bharatiya Janata Party president, Mr Venkaiah Naidu,
strongly favoured that the "highest party functionaries" should avoid
appointments on government committees and observed he was trying to evolve
a system within his own party on this line. (NT)
REVIEW OF I.T. PROJECTS: Minister for Information Technology, Francis
D'Souza, on Friday informed the Goa assembly that all the IT projects
cleared haphazardly in the past would be reviewed and that the government's
IT policy would be ready by this month end. Leader of the Opposition,
Pratapsing Rane, during Question Hour raised serious concerns over the
Hi-Tech IT projects taken up in the State and the indiscriminate usage of
the world "hi-tech" for most IT projects undertaken. "Everything is
Hi-Tech? Hi-Tech Habitat, Hi-Tech Park. This work started with the hi-tech
KTC buses and is now being used everywhere very freely," Mr Rane queried.=
(H)
CARANZALEM WATER SPORTS PROJECT: The Goa Assembly resolved to urge the
Central government to expedite the setting up of a water sports facility on
the 18-acre plot of land offered by the State in 1986 at Caranzalem. A
resolution tabled by MLA Jeetendra Deshprabhu to request the Centre to set
up the required infrastructure and facilities was adopted by the House. (GT)
AMENDMENT TO SUCCESSION LAW LIKELY: Following a statement from Opposition
Leader Pratapsing Rane on the necessity to amend the Portuguese law of
succession for the benefit of the Catholic community in Goa, the Minister
for Law, Francis D'Souza, on August 9 told the Goa Assembly that the
government would consider studying the aspect of amending the Succession
Law. (H)
AWARDS TO EMINENT GOANS: Following a private member's resolution move by Ms
Victoria Fernandes, Chief Minister Mr Manohar Parrikar yesterday assured
the State legislative assembly that the government will institute awards to
honour eminent Goans who have excelled in various fields like science,
arts, economics, business, etc. (NT)
UNIFORM BUILDING NORMS: Urban Development Minister Digamber Kamat told the
Assembly yesterday that the State would soon have uniform building
regulations that will be followed by the various licencing
authorities-panchayats, municipalities and PDAs. (H)
LPG, PUMP CONNECTIONS IN GOA: More than 21 persons were allotted
distributorship for LPG by the Union Minister for Petroleum while around 15
were sanctioned dealership for setting up petrol pumps in Goa since 2000,
the year from when the allocations have been cancelled by the prime
minister following expose of nepotism. (H)
COMPUTER STUDENTS: Exasperated final year computer engineering students
(diploma) of Fr Agnel Polytechnic, Verna, supported by the All Goa Students
Union, yesterday gheraoed the curriculum in-charge at the Directorate of
technical Education, Porvorim, to protest against the abrupt change in the
procedure of allocation of seats for the second year computer engineering
degree course. (NT)
FISHING BAN IN KARWAR TOO? Fishing activities by trawlers in Karwar have
come to a standstill from August 1, following initiatives by the Karwar
Deputy Commission to enforce Theban. Trawlers owners in Karwar, however,
have decided to resume fishing activities from August 10. (H)
PETROL PILFERAGE CASE: The case involving petrol pilferage from the
pipeline of Indian oil Company in Vasco, which was being investigated by
the Harbour police, has been transferred to the crime branch, Panaji. (NT)
TRAWLER OWNERS in the State have now decided to adopt the policy of
eliminating the services of middlemen when conducting their business.
Cutbona Trawler Owners Union president, Mr JB Ferrao, said, "We are trying
to do away with the sea food commission agents and wholesale fish vendors,
who raise fish prices." (NT)
HORTICULTURE: While speaking at a function in Pale, the Health Minister Dr
Amonkar advised farmers to take up farming activities in vegetable,
horticulture lines and in a big way to make Goa self-sufficient in farm
products and raise their monetary gains. (GT)
GOVT E-PORTAL: Minister for Information technology Francis D'Souza informed
the house, that the State government was planning an e-portal, which would
render information to the users on most non-confidential matters of
governance. (H)
INTERNET ACCESS: The Goa State Consumer Commission in a decision has
directed the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd to grant to Adv Bernard F D'Souza 63
hours of access to e-mail and Internet services, which he could not avail
of due to deficiencies in service by the telecom department. (H)
E-MAIL HACKING CASE: Manguesh Yadav, a resident of Bhatulem in Panjim has
complained that he received three threatening e-mails from one Prakash
Sharma asking the complainant not to interfere with his girl-friend. The
accused hacked the password of Manguesh's fianc=E9e and blocked her e-mail
account. (H)
BUS RUNS OVER LECTURER: Carmel College Botany lecturer Nirmala Mendonca
succumbed to grievous injuries after she was run over by a Kadamba
Transport Corporation bus at Nuvem yesterday afternoon. Nirmala was
returning to Margao from work on a scooter when the but hit her from
behind. (GT)
LADY COPS FOR BAINA OUT-POST: Close on the heels of the suspension of a
"sexy" cop for alleged harassment of a woman at Baina in Vasco, South Goa
SP ID Shukla posted six lady constables at the Baina outpost to protect the
interest of women at the red light area. (GT)
NEW SP FOR GOA: SS Garewal, an IPS officer, has taken over as senior
Superintendent of Police. (GT)
"AMBADE": I don't know whether you have discovered the refreshing green
sourness of the hog plum, wild mango or "ambade" as it's called in local
Konkani parlance, but I'm discovering it this monsoon in Goa and am quite
taken up with it. They're selling "ambade" in the Panjim market these days,
little green ones or big green ones at Rs.10 per 15, 20 or 215 if you
bargain hard. (Tara Narayan in Herald Insight)
FR TONY, SUPERIOR GENERAL OF PILAR: Fr Tony Lopes was elected the new
Superior General of the Society of Pilar in a close and secret conclave of
33 delegates yesterday at the Pilar Seminary Annexe during the 16th General
Chapter of the Society. Fr Lopes, who hails from Chinchinim and ordained in
1984, is well known for his austere and exemplary lifestyle. (GT)
S P O R T S
DERECK, REMY SHARE HONOURS: Goa's Remy Fernandes and Dereck Menezes were
neck and neck, having collected 10 points each after discarding one race,
as the windsurfers yesterday battled the elements as much as each other in
the National Windsurfing Championship off Mandovi in Panjim. (NT)
CHATUNNY'S LAMENT: TK Chathunny voiced his dejection over the undue
interference from the team management when he coached Churchill Brothers in
the last season. Chathunny disclosed this while speaking exclusively to
"The Navhind Times" from Kerala, citing reasons for parting away with
Churchill this season. (NT)
D E A T H S
09: Margao: NIRMALA MENDONCA (Lecturer in Botany, Carmel College), wife
of Derrick.
09 Aug: Neura: LAZARUS FERNANDES (Musician), husband of Charlotte,
father of Edwin.
09 Aug: Benaulim: ALCINA FURTADO E GOMES, wife of Cornelio,
sister/sister-in-law of Jose Vaz/Alba, late Bosco/late Lydia, late
Proto/Alba (Portugal).
09 Aug: Chicalim-Vasco: ALBERTINA EREMITA JOSEFA REBELLO COSTA
(Ex-Salgaocars), relict of Ivo dos Milagres, mother of Felix/Maria,
Philip/Susanna, Alvaro/Avita.
09 Aug: Panjim-Mala: AL-HAJI SHAIKH SHAMSHUDDIN CHANDSAB, husband of
Al-Hajieh Khutbunnisa, father of Rasida/Bi/Hussein, Ka4imi,
Moinoddin/Chamshad, Iqbal/Nassem, Nassem/Abdul Salam, Bilkees/Dawood Khan,
Guinar/Shaikh Dawood, Chandsab/Arifa, Salim/Shabnam, Shaina/Nasir Saikh.=20
G O A W E A T H E R
Temp: 25.7 deg C (76.5 deg F) at Assagao at 7.30 am today.
Max temp: 27.6 deg C, Humidity: 100%, Rainfall 1719.2 mm (Yesterday)
Weather: Heavy rains continued to lash Goa during the last 24 hours. The
morning session today, however, is a bit relaxed though the skies are
overcast.
Courtesy: H=3DHerald, NT=3DThe Navhind Times, GT=3DGomantak Times
Daily Goacom News Clippings also at: http://www.goacom.com/news
Website: http://www.goacom.com
Webzine: http://www.goacom.com/goanow
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 10:57:54 +0500
From: "Joel D'Souza" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] NOT TO BESTOW NATIONAL AWARD
GOVERNMENT URGED NOT TO BESTOW NATIONAL AWARD TO FRAUDULENT TEACHER
The Government of Goa has been urged to withdraw the recommendation made of
Mr. Dnyneshwar Pundalik Pednekar, present Principal of Smt. Chandrabaga
Tukobha Naik Higher Secondary School, Curchorem, for the National award for
teachers.
The award is scheduled to be conferred on Mr. Pednekar on 5th Sept by the
President of India Mr. A. P. J Abdul Kalam at New Delhi.
It may be recalled that the Goa Public Service Commission had also
recommended the name of Mr. Dnyneshwar Pundalik Pednekar for the Post of
Director of Education but the Government has kept the matter in abeyance
after a Public Interest Litigation was filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues before
the Panaji Bench of the High Court challenging the recommendation on the
grounds that Mr. Dnyneshwar Pundalik Pednekar had committed gross fraudulent
or criminal acts by changing his and his daughter�s birth records.
In a letter sent to the Chief Minister today Adv. Aires Rodrigues has
stated that teachers who are nominated for the highest awards should be
persons whose integrity is not in doubt and who do not commit any
unscrupulous, fraudulent or criminal acts, otherwise the confidence of the
public in the education system in Goa will itself be eroded.
Adv., Rodrigues has stated that Teachers receiving the highest awards for
excellence in education should not be persons who are tainted or lack
integrity as otherwise the education system itself will be tainted and this
will effect the students and the teaching faculty and the people in general.
Adv. Rodrigues has further stated that the conduct of the said Dnyneshwar
Pednekar in not only changing and causing his own date of birth to be
changed but more importantly, also changing the date of birth of his
daughter by fraudulent and unscrupulous acts (and making false declarations)
to derive advantage thereby, shows that he is a person whose integrity is
not only doubtful but who also is capable of changing or falsifying records
to suit his purpose and to derive advantages therefrom.
Adv. Rodrigues has also stated that such a person whose integrity is
doubtful cannot be considered for the award as Best teacher of the Year as a
person receiving a national award for teachers has to set an example for the
education community and if he himself is tainted or lacks integrity, he
cannot be a person who can be considered remotely fit for receiving such an
award and that by giving an award to such a person will result in a complete
erosion of public faith in the system of education itself.
Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Dnyneshwar Pednekar enjoys an immense
political clout with the present BJP Government in Goa so much so that he
has even been appointed as Government Nominee on the Executive Council of
the Goa University and that the Government is turning a Nelson�s eye to the
misdeeds of the said Dnyneshwar and is rewarding a person who only merits
criminal prosecution for his fraudulent and criminal acts.
A copy of the letter has been also sent to the President and Prime Minister
of India as well as to the Governor of Goa.
- ---
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Date: Sat, 10 Aug 2002 12:42:00 +0530 (IST)
From: Frederick Noronha <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: [Goanet] FEATURE: Catching the rain...
http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mag/stories/2002071400120800.htm
The Hindu : Catching the rain
NARAYANA is a poor radio mechanic who lives in Vittal, Karnataka, and has a
four-member family. They live in Punacha, a village 12 km away. Their
three-room house was built five years ago on five cents of land allotted by
the Government. Though 22 such sites were allotted in this locality, only
two families went ahead with constructing their houses. As there is no water
connection nearby, water had to be fetched from far-off.
Fortunately for Narayana, his neighbour had permitted him to draw water from
his well. But there was a hitch. The well is nearly a furlong away. During
the rainy season, the steep path turned slippery. Narayana's wife, Baby, was
unable to fetch water.
It is then that the radio mechanic had a brain-wave. As rain is bountiful
here, why not hold a funnel to the sky? The next day, Narayana bought a
polythene sheet from the town and built a pandal. Whenever it rained, the
water collected on the sheet. Through a hole pierced in the centre of the
sheet, water would trickle into the vessel kept beneath it.
A polythene sheet of the size eight feet by four feet costs Rs. 30. But it
doesn't last even for a season as the sun destroys it. Because of this, two
sets of sheets were required for a monsoon season. This year, Narayana
decided to get a GI sheet instead of a polythene sheet. (If oil is applied
on it as a coating, he hopes it can be used for a few more years.) But all
the Rs. 404 got him was a smaller sheet -- five feet by four feet. The
family's "catchment area" had thus decreased.
A coastal district, Dakshina Kannada receives the highest amount -- 3,500 mm
- -- of rainfall in the State. "In a normal season," points out Baby proudly,
"we get three kodas of water in an hour." The first three kodas are reserved
for drinking and cooking.
The couple has two daughters, Priyanka (13) and Swathy (11). The family's
daily requirement of water for other uses is about 15 kodas -- 225 litres.
Anything in excess of three 'kodas' is stored for purposes such as washing
clothes, bathing or cleaning the toilet. Their house has a tiled roof. A
portion of the roof water is collected in a barrel. This comes in handy for
non-potable uses.
"On some days, after our daily quota is filled, we let out the rain water,"
says Baby. A few buckets, vessels and a barrel provide them a storage
capacity of around 300 litres. In an average year, they have got their full
or partial requirement of water this way for 80 to 120 days.
The poor couple's dream of an independent water source is still unrealised.
They have spent Rs. 3000 and many man hours to sink a well. By the time it
reached 13 ft, all their resources were exhausted. Elders say that to get
water, the well has to reach at least 30 feet. Narayana has submitted
representations to the 'panchayat' to provide them some arrangement for
water. And the response has been: "If and when houses that occupy around
five cents of area are built, you will get the water."
Responding to the suggestion given by the Maitri Trust, an NGO based near
Mangalore that is creating an awareness on rain harvesting, Narayana now
diverts all the excess roof water and run-off from his house-site into the
half-finished well. "Let somebody get the benefit, if not me," he says with
a smile.
Another farm labourer, Narayana in Kepulakodi, about 20 km away, also
follows the same system to help tide over his water problem. It's his wife
Janaki's idea. They use an old sari in lieu of a polythene sheet.
(Silpaulin, an ultra-violet stabilised tarpaulin sheet is available in the
market in various grades of thickness. Though initially expensive when
compared to a polythene sheet, it might last longer.)
This low-cost rain harvesting arrangement is ideal for poor families and
those who have no other alternative but to use hard and contaminated water.
An added advantage is that this system doesn't require water-filtering. It
can be dismantled and stored during summer. As such, there is no wastage of
space. These poor families might not be aware of the by now popular phrase
and concept called "rainwater harvesting".
Nor did anybody teach them the technique. It's sheer common-sense
that they have used.
The writer is a freelance journalist based in Karnataka.
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End of goanet-digest V1 #4211
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