GOACOM DAILY NEWS CLIPPINGS 25 January, 2005 THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: "Hanso ek upai khontik ani niraxek. To koronddaiechea otmeank dhadosponn haddta ani luksanni kallzank sori korta." (Laughter is a remedy for sorrow and despair. It brings joy to troubled souls, to damaged hearts - repair.) "domnic fernandes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
"RIVER PRINCESS" TO GO: Tourism Minister Matanhy Saldanha announced on January 24 that the UK-based company Cross-Chem International Limited had been awarded the tender for the removal of "MV River Princess". Saldanha noted, "It was the mandate of the people that the River Princess must go and we have worked in that direction". CrossChem had been awarded the contract and is required to remove the stranded vessel within 110 days staring 24 January. "The main clause of the contract is that the ship must go and it has to be floated and taken. The contract is on a 'no cure, no pay' basis," Saldanha said. CrossChem has deposited a sum of Rs.1 crore as a bank guarantee and would stand to lose the same if they failed to complete the task. If the vessel is successfully salvaged, the company will pay a sum of Rs.85.41 to the owner, he said.The Chief Minister said that the salvagers would first have to patch up the holes, refloat the ship and then dredge a channel to remove it from its present location. (GT) SALGAOCAR FILES PLEA IN HC: Salgaocar Mining Industries Private Limited, the original charterer of "River Princess" was quick to react to the government' s move to award the tender by filing a writ petition before the Bombay High Court at Panaji. The petition prayed for a stay on the removal of the vessel in the wake of the Gomantak Times reported dated 19 January. It termed the government decision as malafide, a well-guarded secret and lacking in transparency. (GT) GOA IS THE BEST: Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on January 24 claimed that the financial position of the State was sound and that it had been able to reduce its debt by an impressive 9 percentage points of Gross State Domestic Product between 1997 and 2002. Parrikar produced copies of 'A study of debt sustainability' by the Reserve Bank of India to substantiate his claim. (GT) COP SHOOTS SELF: A 24-year-old police constable, Sajan Dasu Vaghurmekar, committed suicide by shooting himself with his service rifle near the All India Radio transmitter centre, Bambolim, on January 24 morning. A suicide note found in his trousers stated that he was taking the drastic step since he was disillusioned with lire and that nobody should be held responsible for his death. He also stated that all his property should go to his mother, and in the event of her death, to his uncle Tulshidas Naik. (GT) FOG IN THE 'LAND OF THE SUN': Dense fog created havoc at Dabolim International Airport where flights waiting to take off were grounded and those wanting to land were kept in holding, over the past two days. According to reliable sources, at least two early morning charter flights had their take-off delayed by at least two hours due to poor visibility. (GT) NUVEM OPPOSES INCLUSION IN MPDA: Tucked away on the Margao-Panaji highway and witness to frequent traffic jams, Nuvem village has been in the news for steadfastly opposing its inclusion in the Margao Planning and Development Authority. It forms a part of those panchayats in Salcette, 18 in number, who have formed a united front to maintain their identity - and, in effect, withstand all efforts to dissolve them into the MPDA. (GT) ONE ARRESTED: Maina Curtorim police arrested a labourer, Jose Borges (27), from Nuvem, for allegedly outraging the modesty of a young lass by trespassing her house at Anos in Nuvem. (H) REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATIONS: Goa will join the rest of the country in celebrating India's Republic Day on 26 January. The main function will be held at Parade Ground, Campal, Panaji, when the Governor, SC Jamir, will unfurl the National Flag and give the National salute. He will review the parade and present President Medals to outstanding personalities at 8.45 am. Functions will also be organized at Fatorda and Kranti Maidan, Ponda. (GT) INOX PROVES SUCCESSFUL: The INOX draws an average of 3,000 viewers daily which goes upto 3,500 on weekends. For Goans, 24 shows are screened daily in the multiplex which has a capacity of 1,200 plus seats.At any given time, only 4 per cent of the total crowd comprises of tourists while the balance is overwhelmingly Goan. "Judging the response so far, we are on the right track and our efforts will definitely turn successful," says Rajan Singh, the marketing manager. The daily collection at the multiplex is a whopping Rs.2 lakh. (GT) HAZARDOUS WASTES: One year after it was set up, India's Supreme Court monitoring committee on hazardous wastes, set up in November 2003, by the apex court to monitor the disposal of hazardous wastes in this country, said it had been "pursuing certain serious and chronic situations" relating to the management of hazardous wastes...In the case of several hundred tones of arsenic-contaminated wastes in the State of Goa, the Committee directed the owner of these wastes (Zuari Industries) to have them mixed with concrete and safely entombed (hermit storage) within the premises of the unit.The hermit storage has now been completed. (Frederick Noronha in GT) MOIRA CEMETERY EXTENDED: The newly extended cemetery of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Moira, will be blessed on January 25 by the Archbishop of Goa and Daman and Patriarch of the East Indies, Reverend Filipe Neri Ferrao. The existing cemetery is almost four hundred years old. FEAST OF ST JOHN BOSCO: The feast of St John Bosco will be celebrated on January 31, with a celebratory mass at 6 pm at Don Bosco, Panaji. The entire Salesian family will be participating in this celebration. Later at 8.30 pm onwards, the Don Bosco Past Pupils, Panaji unit, will be having their annual get together dance which is organised for all the students, past pupils, their families and well-wishers. This year the dance will be held at Princesa de Goa, with top band Purple Rain and DJ Remy. NT) FORGOTTEN HERO: Eleven years ago, on 23 January 1933, a young Nilesh Naik fell to the bullets fired by a police officer at Savoi-Verem. It was the result of his sacrifice that this entire belt comprising of spice plantations and natural greenery was saved from near extinction sine the proposed Nylon 6.6 project at Savoi-Verem had the potential of causing untold destruction to the environment here. (Oswald Soares in GT) MRI REPUBLIC EVE BALL: The traditional Mormugao Port Institute Eve ball 2005 will be held on 25 January from 9 pm onwards at the Port Institute, Vasco. Top ranking bands - Forefront and Lynx - will vibe together to provide the best in contemporary music. Two prominent citizens of Vasco - Dr Gerald Rodricks, ex-headmaster of St Andrew Institute, and Dr NM Jambhagi, ex-Principal of Mormugao Education Society Higher Secondary School - would be honoured for their enormous services in the port town. (GT) PUNAJI TO REPRESENT KONKANI: Shashikant Punaji, well-known poet, has been selected to represent Konkani at the National Symposium of poets to be broadcast on the eve of Republic Day on January 25 at 10 am by All India Radio along with other 22 Indian languages. Punaji presented his original Konkani poem "Utar" before an invited audience at Sarva Bhasha Kavi Sammelan held recently at the National Museum, New Delhi, which was followed by Hindi translation by well-known Hindi poet Harish Bhadhani from Rajasthan. Shashikant Punaji has to his credit two poetry collections "Gaj" and "Umaj". He is handling creative writing section of the Bal Bhavan. (H) S P O R T S VASCO HOLD SBT: Arlem Breweries sponsored Vasco SC held SBT, Kerala, to a goalless draw to split points in the NFL at Fatorda on January 24. (GT) DEMPO PUNCTURE MAHINDRA: Striker Ranty Martin's brace helped Federation Cup winners Dempo Football Club beat Mumbai outfit Mahindra United, 2-1 in the National Football League at Cooperage on January 24. (GT) IDEA GOA GAMES: Don Bosco College of Physical Education, in association with the Sports Authority of Goa, will organize Goa's first ever Idea Goa State Games, from January 31 to February 7. All events will be staged inside the sprawling Don Bosco campus in Panjim. The events include football, basketball, volleyball, handball, hockey, kabaddi, kho-kho, table tennis, badminton, carom, judo, boxing, taekwondo, best physique and athletics. D E A T H S 24 Jan: Vasco-Mangor Hill: ISDIDORO SEQUEIRA; husband of Ivetta, father of Eison/Jacqueline, Elvy/Orlando (MPT), Edward/Electra (Bahrain), Evan/Vinita (Bahrain). 21 Jan: Benaulim: EMILIANO FERNANDES: husband of Ida, father of Melwyn, Albert and Alwyn. Nachinola: MARIA AIDA SOBRINHO: wife of late Francisco Joao Filipe, mother of Linda/Venceslau, Emy/Inacinho. Ambelim: JOAO CARDOZO; husband of Cruzinha, father of Rosalina/Vincent, Prethio/Celestina, Aurelio, Pedrina/Theodosio, Martha/Martris, Manuel/Estefania, Socorina/Marshal. 24 Jan: Aquem: LUCY PEREIRA; relict of late Marshall, mother of Anthony/Antonette, Saluzinho/Jacklina, Joe/Marcela, Gabriel/Filu. 24 Jan: Navelim: JOAO PAULO FERNANDES: husband of Martha, father of Avila/Vijay, Alancy/Phillip, Cookie/Jessico, Hazel/Elio, Pomeena. 23 Jan: Curtorim: MINGUEL FRANCIS FERNANDES: father of Milagres/Josefina, Rafael/Sarita, Aleicinha/John, Annasencrina/Andrew, Rosy/Nelson. Caetana/Alex, Joanita/Appolean. G O A W E A T H E R Max Temp: 30.2 degC; Min Temp: 19.6 degC; Relative Humidity: 94%. Weather: The sky is a slightly cloudy this morning in Goa. Courtesy: NT = The Navhind Times; GT = Gomantak Times; H = Herald; WE = Weekender Joel D'Souza Assagao, Goa, India.
