*** Sonia Gandhi to launch DTH for Goa village panchayats UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi would launch free Direct-to-Home TV scheme to benefit village panchayats, old age homes, registered social and cultural organisations, sports clubs, charitable organisations and orphanages in Goa on February 23. More at: http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=257063&n_date=200602 22&cat=India
*** Budget Session of Goa Legislative Assembly begins on March 20 Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane is likely to present a ''vote-on-account'' during the five-day Assembly session begining March 20. Governor S C Jamir has today summoned the Assemly to meet on March 20. The full budget session is likely to be held in July-August, according to official sources. More at: http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=255951&cat=India *** Chicken prices peak in Goa The fear of bird flu in Maharashtra has pushed prices of chicken and broilers to Rs 75 per kg from Rs 55 per kg in Goa. Prices of chicken rose sharply on Sunday after the state government imposed a ban on the import of live birds, broilers and eggs into the state from neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka. "It has become important to control the movement of poultry into Goa from outside. There is also need for mass vaccination to be carried out at all these farms as a preventive measure," said P G Bakhale, deputy directory, Animal Husbandry. More at: http://www.business-standard.com/smartinvestor/storypage.php?leftnm=lmnu 6&leftindx=6&lselect=10&chklogin=N&autono=216083 *** Goan Melody queen Lorna will not perform at this year's Margao Carnival festivities. The day when the carnival committee was formed, it was planned to invite Lorna to perform for the festival. But art and culture minister and a local MLA Digamber Kamat had opined that if Lorna performed at Anafonte Spring Garden, which is newly constructed in the heart of city, it could cause damage to landscaping with a large number of her fans thronging at the event. "It if for this reason that we have decided not to hold her programme," said Margao municipal chairperson Piedade Noronha, while addressing presspersons. More at: http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=18875&n_tit=Goa%3A+Mel ody+Queen+Lorna+will+not+Perform+at+Margao+Carnival *** GOA: TEACHERS' RETIREMENT AGE RAISED FROM 58 TO 60 YEARS Teachers in Goa can now serve for two more years before their retirement. Goa cabinet on Tuesday agreed to increase retirement age of all teachers from 58 years to 60 years, stated chief minister Pratapsingh Rane. The state cabinet, which met this afternoon, decided to increase the age limit. Till now only college and university teachers were superannuating at 60 years of age but now all teachers will get the benefit, chief minister said. More at: http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=18879&n_tit=Goa%3A+Tea chers'+Retirement+Age+Raised+from+58+to+60+Years *** Dabolim airport's lax vigilance exposed The nine Lankan nationals deported to Goa from Athens in Greece earlier this month seem to have helped prove that vigilance at the Dabolim international airport is indeed lax and can facilitate one's travel abroad with fake or forged documents. Though 10 Sri Lankan nationals left for Athens from Dabolim international airport via Kuwait by an Air India flight on February 8, nine of them could not enter Athens as their travel documents were found to be forged. More at: http://oheraldo.in/node/10144 *** Clash between Anjuna local bodies In what appears to be competition for credit, the construction of a bus-stop at Anjuna by its zilla panchayat member, Ms Amol Morajkar was allegedly stopped by the village panchayat sarpanch, Mr Savio Almeida on February 17. Mr Almeida has denied the charges. According to sources in the north Goa zilla panchayat (NGZP), Ms Morajkar had obtained sanction for the construction of two bus-stops at the cost of Rs 1.35 lakh. One was near the Starco junction in Anjuna and the other was near the DMC College in Assagao. The construction of the Anjuna bus-stop was scheduled to be inaugurated at the hands of senior citizens around 3.30 p.m. on Friday, February 17. More at: http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=022214 *** 'Goa clear of bird flu' Following the bird flu epidemic in Maharashtra, Goan poultry farmers have said there has been no case of bird flu in the State till date and have conveyed a message that consumption of poultry products is safe after proper cooking. Addressing the press, President of the Goa unit of the National Egg Co-ordination Committee (NECC), Philip Valladares appreciated the Government's decision to ban import of poultry products from across the border for the moment. More at: http://oheraldo.in/node/10151 *** Ortho implant racket at GMC booming The Goa Medical College authorities have initiated an inquiry into the orthopaedic implant sale racket in the hospital campus. Former Dean of GMC and head of department of ENT Dr C P Das has been asked to conduct the inquiry following complaints received by the GMC. Sale of implants to patients allegedly in connivance with a senior doctor and some other staff is not something new in the GMC. It started in the 90s and grew big during the BJP regime, insiders say adding that neither then Health Minister Dr Suresh Amonkar nor then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar broke the nexus, denials notwithstanding. More at: http://oheraldo.in/node/10152 *** GPYC demands apology from BJP Reacting to the blocking of National Highway on the Mondovi Bridges by the BJP causing inconvenience to thousands of commuters last week, Goa Pradesh Youth Congress has termed Goa Police as spineless and has demanded apology from BJP to the affected commuters. Youth Congress president Girish Chodankar has charged that Police are afraid of BJP specially former C.M. Manohar Parrikar. Elaborating his point, he cited incidents including handling of Filipe Neri Rodrigues signature forgery case, BJP MLAs attack on him at Assembly complex and non arresting of BJP MLAs and leaders for blocking National Highway on 14th February, 2006. More at: http://oheraldo.in/node/10157 *** Traffic arrangements for Sonia's visit on Feb 22, 23 In view of the visit of Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson, UPA and President, All India Congress Committee to Goa from February 22 to 23, the traffic will be stopped at various points in advance for short durations purely from security point of view. Members of the public are also requested not to park their vehicles along the following route: from Kala Academy to Raj Bhavan along D B Marg and Coastal Road; Raj Bhavan to CM's Residence, Altinho via St. Inez junction and Frotri Raj Bhavan to Airport via Goa University, NH-17, 4-lane Road along Meta Strip Industry (NH-17B). More at: http://oheraldo.in/node/10156 *** Hike in sale of fish, vegetable With the bird flu virus gripping the neighbouring Maharashtra, the sale of vegetables, fish and mutton has shot up in Panjim market. While sale of chicken has declined during the last two days, sale of vegetables has increased by at least 10 per cent, said sources in the Goa State Horticulture Corporation Ltd. Increase in sale of mutton and fish was observed on Tuesday. More at: http://oheraldo.in/node/10162 *** Fransa eager to rejoin NFL Fransa Pax football club, which was asked to tender an "unconditional apology" by All-India Football Federation (AIFF) by February 20, has today expressed their eagerness to return to the 10th National Football League. "The club, however, would like to continue from the fifth round against Air-India," the club's general secretary George Fernandes said in a letter to AIFF secretary Alberto Colaco. More at: http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=88359 *** Dempo, Mahindra to play AFC Cup home matches in Goa Federation Cup winners Mahindra United Mumbai will play their AFC Cup 2005 home matches alongside NFL holders Dempo Sports Club at Nehru Stadium Fatorda in Goa in April and May. More at: http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=256371&n_date=200602 21&cat=Sports Compiled by: Avelino D'Souza
