NEW If you receive this more than once, please endure with me (Goanspirit, remember!). I am dangerously understaffed, and seriously underpaid. That’s the reason why.
*Lionroars – 15* July 22-28, 2013 *Hospet-Vasco: no double track; or double talk?/No Hospet-Vasco double track; or is it double talk?* ………… But, Parrikar was right in so far as the point he wanted to make when he said the proposal to double the track was at the behest of industries who want to transport coal from Mormugao Port Trust. And, there lies the road ahead for Goa. But, the foundation for the project first made public in 2011 has already been laid in Londa in Karnataka and could well be the keystone for what is to come after the general elections are held next year, when the dust dies down and the coal consumer lobby will want its pound of flesh. Because that is how it works in India…………… *Ample land at Sancoale for Dabolim car park* There is ample land available at Sancoale for a car park and whatever else the Airports Authority of India wants to do with scarce land. That’s the good news. The bad news is it is owned by Zuari Agro Chemicals, which it bought from the Communidade of Sancoale in 1971 for a niggardly twenty-five paise per square metre through a certain obliging office bearer in the communidade, a certain resident of Nagao (now deceased), the then sarpanch of the Sancoale village panchayat, Bhagwan Naik (now deceased) and last but not least, the then chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar……………… Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/lion-roars/lion-roars-2013/330-lionroars-15 July 22-28, 2013 *Nutritional bang for your buck* *Lionel Messias* At 65, David Gower (“not to be confused with the cricketer, I was born before him”) might have “been a foreigner wherever I lived” – but in the 17 straight years that he has spent in Goa, he appears to have found his mission, possibly, even his passion in life - organic foods. When we met at his residence cum packaging unit in Vaddy, Siolim, he showed me a list of 44 organic cereals, rice, honey etc he had finalized for 2013-14 including several he had hitherto not sold; which he was about to distribute to vendors in Pune. The list also included four pastas (wheat, spinach, carrot, beetroot) he is going to introduce. Their list included not easily found items too like amaranth popped (like in popping of popcorn). Considered to be the fruit of a plant and not a grain; say hello to daily protein needs with complex carbohydrates, as a substitute to animal protein, which often comes packaged with fat and cholesterol. “The interesting thing about the organic business in Goa is that over the past three years, Goans have shown an interest in it,” he says. “Till then it was only the settlers – the moneyed, sophisticated, second-home owners living in Goa who were earnest about organic.” Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/travel/331-nutritional-bang-for-your-buck July 22-28, 2013 *Runaway failures: a tale of failed airport projects -8* *Neemrana no more* In 2010 came the first admission that the Rs 3,000 crore Greenfield international airport at Shahpura (a.k.a Neemrana) in Rajasthan was stuck with the state government (Congress) despite having all the regulatory clearances from the ministry of defence, ministry of environment and forest, ministry of home affairs, director general of civil aviation and airports authority of India. In fact, a steering committee, comprising representatives from the ministries of civil aviation, defence, home affairs, economic affairs and revenue, as well as those from the meteorological department, Airports Authority of India (AAI), directorate general of civil aviation, and the state government, had approved the airport on May 28, 2009, after it had got the necessary approvals. The promoter Rajasthan Aviation Infrastructure India (RAIPL) had signed a MoU with the earlier BJP government to build the project on 4,500 acres in Rajasthan. Not even the offer of five per cent (it was willing to hike that to 13 per cent) sweat equity to the state government could serve as an enticement. The firm claimed to have the financial backing of Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation Japan, ING Bank, Netherlands, ABN Amro Bank and BMR Advisors including a strategic partnership with Fraport (Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide, Germany). Fraport is a full service provider in the airport management field and owns the Frankfurt airport in Germany and also has operations in Delhi International airport. Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/lead/329-runaway-failures-a-tale-of-failed-airport-projects-8 *The World This Week* July 22-28, 2013 *Promises, promises* To be fair, Parrikar is doing what other ministers and CMs, including his role model, Gujarat’s Narendra Modi, does. Politicans promise the sun, moon and stars. Obviously, politicians feel that people’s memories are very short and they can heap promise upon promise with no means/intention to execute it. By the way, Parrikar has been named in the 12-member national election campaign committee constituted by Modi. So hopefully, with the general elections due anytime soon, he will be too busy to make promises. But, many of Parrikar’s to-do list is for south Goa residents. And why? Because of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, stupid! If constituents had not ganged up on the Congress, the BJP would not have come to power. And now, the voters are disillusioned with the CM. Something Parrikar is well aware of and hence he is bending over backwards……………………………. Full story: http://goanspirit.com/index.php/contact-us/letters/111-the-week-that-was/332-promises-promises *A letter bombshell hits the Congress* July 22-28, 2013 “I have not approached. I have not been approached,” says former minister Aleixo Sequeira, about media reports that he is a front runner for the post of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president to replace Subhash Shirodkar, who resigned after the Congress received a drubbing in the assembly elections last March, but was asked to continue till a new candidate was found. Goanspirit understands from a senior Congress leader, to whom one of the signatory MLAs confessed, that the mastermind behind the letter is Luizinho Faleiro, who was recently named as AICC general secretary. The leader hints that Luizinho’s motive is to stymie Aleixo’s candidature because of an old and running feud that had its genesis in Sequeira “toppling” Faleiro as CM. The other protagonist in this drama, Agnelo, who is currently in Norway, told Goanspirit, “I like to say thank you to them (those who recommended him). But I would like to say that I am not after anybody or lobbying for the position. In fact I had no idea that such a letter was in the works.” Full story: *http://www.goanspirit.com/index.php/news-summary* -- Lionel Messias Editor, *Goan Spirit*, *Goa's Spirited Online Weekly Magazine.* ** Website:www.goanspirit.com Worked for the best: Goa Today, Gomantak Times, Herald, Mid-Day, The Pioneer, Indian Express (Bangalore), Economic Times (Chennai, Hyderabad), Newstime (Hyderabad), Gulf News (Hyderabad) 125-E, Bellem, Velsao, P.O. Cansaulim, Goa 403712 Tel: 0832-2884484 Mob:9822152164
