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Goa tells MinesMin it won’t issue fresh mining leases

March 14, 2010 – 10:40 am

With concerns mounting on the adverse impact of mining on the environment, the Goa government has decided not to grant any fresh mining leases in the near future. The move comes after environment and forests minister Jairam Ramesh endorsed the Digamber Kamat government’s proposal not to give environmental clearance to any new mine. “We have received a letter from the Goa chief minister saying that his government was not going to issue fresh mining leases. He has expressed serious concern on the adverse impact of mining on the environment and we share the state’s concerns. Kamat said his administration would not allocate the mining lease for one proposal, where we have given our prior approval,” mines minister B K Handique told The Indian Express.

Kamat has found support in his initiative from Ramesh. Replying to the chief minister’s letters, Ramesh said his ministry has decided to impose a moratorium on consideration of mining proposals for environmental clearance till the coastal state finalised its mineral policy and his ministry is apprised of the same. “I am advising the officer concerned to return all proposals to the proponents, which are pending for consideration and not to accept any new proposals from the state of Goa,” Ramesh said in his communiqué to the chief minister. Ramesh also asked the state to initiate a comprehensive environmental impact assessment of all mining activities through the National Environment and Energy Research Institute (NEERI) and identify remedial measures.

In a meeting on February 22 at the Planning Commission, chaired by Plan panel secretary Sudha Pillai, senior Goa government officials echoed the chief minister’s concerns and ruled out granting of any fresh mining leases. the meeting was also attended by mines secretary Santha Sheela Nair. However, Goa was open to considering renewal of applications of those applicants, who held mining concessions during the Portuguese regime.

The opposition and anti-mining activists have often criticised the Kamat government for being unable to streamline the state’s Rs 5,000 crore mining industry. There have been allegations that open cast mining of iron ore was wreaking the environment in the coastal state by destroying forests and reducing ground water levels primarily due to faulty drilling for iron ore.

Courtesy: indianexpress

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Goa Sporting face Lajong FC

March 13, 2010 – 9:57 pm

Sporting Clube De Goa will face an uphill task on Sunday when they clash with Shillong Lajong FC in a round 16 I-League encounter. Sporting managed to avoid defeat in the last round against Mumbai FC but have not won a match this season and coach Vishwas Gaonkar’s side are running out of time. The Goan club remains at the bottom with only seven points from 15 matches and they have 11 more rounds left. ”It’s true that Sporting have been the worst team this season but in some matches we have had chances to take all the three points. We will not remain winless,” Gaonkar said. ”Tomorrow’s match would be a close contest. I know the ground will not favour us as the crowd will support Lajong. My boys are ready to take up Lajong FC,” Gaonkar added.

Buoyed by home crowd, Shillong Lajong registered a massive win in the last round over East Bengal. Lajong coach Stanley Rosario says his boys cannot be complacent. “They cannot afford to be over-confident. It is an important match for us. The boys have to keep the tempo of the last match going,” Rosario said. The new-found forward trio of Daniel Bidemi, James Gibilee and newly recruited Emmanuel Okoro of Lajong had made frequent forays during the last encounter with East Bengal, though they managed to romp home with 1-0 win.

Courtesy: TOI

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Goa: Maharashtra CM for tie-ups to boost development

March 13, 2010 – 6:09 pm

Maharashtra government will work hand in hand with Goa government for development in various fields, said the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Ashok Chavan. Goa is ahead in tourism while Maharashtra in industrial investment, said Mr Chavan expressing his readiness to work together for further development in these states. The Maharashtra Chief Minister was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of birth centenary celebrations of first chief minister of Goa, Late Dayanand alias Bhausaheb Bandodkar at D B Bandodkar ground, Campal, organized by the Directorate of Art and Culture.

Bhausaheb Bandodkar

The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr Ashok Chavan and Chief Minister of Goa, Mr Digambar Kamat garlanding the statue of Bhausaheb Bandodkar on the occasion of the inaugural ceremony of his birth centenary celebration at Campal in the presence of Leader of Opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar, former chief minister, Ms Shashikala Kakodkar, Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik, Transport Minister, Mr Ramkrishna Dhavalikar, and the ex-minister for social welfare, Mr Luis Alex Cardoz.

He further said that the Maharashtrians are proud of Dayanand Bandodkar’s good deeds. “It is a matter of sheer coincidence that the birth anniversary of the first chief minister of Maharashtra, Mr Yashwantrao Chavan and that of Dayanand Bandodkar are on the same day,” he remarked. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief of Minister of Goa, Mr Digambar Kamat said if Goa becomes a super state by 2020, it will only be because of the education sector. It was due to the efforts of late Dayanand that basic education was introduced in the state considering the future, Mr Kamat said and hailed the sports scenario during Dayanand Bandodkar’s reign. The Chief Minister also declared that technical college at Farmagudi will be named after Dayanand Bandodkar.

The ex-minister for social welfare, Mr Luis Alex Cardoz said that Dayanand Bandodkar encouraged minorities in all fields. The chairman of State Law Commission, Goa, Mr Ramakant Khalap through examples expressed the greatness in Dayanand. Mr Khalap said that Dayanand Bandodkar favoured those who questioned the wrongdoings. “I want to inform youth to live life the way Dayanand Bandodkar lived without discriminating caste, religion and creed,” said the ex-chief minister of Goa, Ms Shashikala Kakodkar.

Also addressing the gathering, the Leader of Opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar said he was so moved by Dayanand Bandodkar’s social work that “I once had thought of naming a file passed in the assembly related to social issues after him.” Thanking Bandodkar for the network of schools in the state, Parrikar said that his largest contribution was promoting mother tongue in the schools. The Minister for Home and Co-operation, Mr Ravi Naik also spoke on the occasion.

Mr Naik said that Mr Kamat should learn from the reign of Ms Kakodkar. The chief secretary of the state, Mr Sanjay Srivastava was also present for the function. This was followed by the cultural programme ‘Swarsumananjali’, a musical extravaganza. The noted artistes hailing from Maharashtra, Padmashree Padmaja Fenani Joglekar, Manjusha Kulkarni, Ravindra Sathe and Vijay Koparkar performed during the programme.

Courtesy: Navhind Times

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Some foreigners using dirty money to buy Goa property

March 12, 2010 – 6:03 pm

Several controversial real estate deals by foreigners in Goa could well have been funded by proceeds from crime and narcotics trade, an Enforcement Directorate official Friday said. ”We are probing the possibility of money sourced from proceeds of crime and through sale of narcotics being used to purchase of properties,” the department’s Assistant Director Jyoti Sharma told media persons here. She said it has also been found that large volumes of money were being illegally routed by several foreign-run companies from tax havens abroad to purchase properties in coastal resort villages in the state.

However, she did not name the countries or financial institutions from where the money was being sourced. Sharma was referring to the 350-odd cases being probed by the ED concerning properties purchased mainly in coastal Goa, by individual foreigners or by companies owned by foreign nationals in violation of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and violation of Reserve Bank of India guidelines.

“Out of the 350 cases, we have put 45 to 50 cases involving companies on fast track. We will be submitting our report within a few months,” Sharma said. The official said that in several cases where land, which was purchased for setting up hospitality industry units by companies headed by foreigners, was being used for “other purposes”. ”In several other cases we have found that no stated business is conducted. And at times no IT returns are filed at all, which is in contravention of FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management Act) norms,” she said.

The state government 2007 had asked the ED to probe the properties bought by foreigners in the period between 2003 and 2007, after public outcry that large chunks of land were being illegally purchased by foreigners, especially in coastal Goa. Sharma also cited several cases where land graded as “agricultural holding” was fraudulently converted to non agricultural used after it was bought by foriegners or companies owned by them.

“We have already completed investigation involving a Swiss national, August Thommen, in February last month. He had violated FEMA norms while purchasing 1,000 sq metre land at Anjuna (beach village in north Goa). The government has confiscated the property,” Sharma said, adding that Thommen had been fined Rs.2 lakh for violating the forex law.

She further said that a lot of properties were bought by foreigners, while visiting India on a tourist visa, while FEMA stipulated that a foreigner should be a “resident of India” (residing in the country for more than 182 days) at the time of carrying out a real estate transaction.

Courtesy:IN

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Don’t ride bike top-less in Goa

March 12, 2010 – 3:51 pm

The Goa government has asked foreign tourists visiting the coastal state to be dressed appropriately, especially while driving a two wheeler. ”Never ride a two-wheeler without clothes on the upper part of the body” says an advisory issued by the state tourism department.

In what seems to be a fall out of recent statements by local politicians condemning skimpy dressing by foreigners, the tourism department has come out with ‘Dos’ and Don’ts for the visitors. The booklet is printed in English and Russian. Of the four lakh foreigners visiting Goa annually, the British and Russians top the chart followed by Germans. Recommending a dress code, the department has said that while the Goan attitude to informal European styles of dress is generally tolerant, local religious or other sensibilities should be borne in mind.

Goa MP Shantaram Naik recently had alleged that scantily clad Russians were corrupting the locals. State Tourism Director Swapnil Naik said that the pocket booklet aims at educating the tourists.

“In America, even if you apply for visa they give you such booklets,” he said. The booklet, distributed free of cost, also mentions that riding without helmet is an offence.

Courtesy:IP

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Russians Face Flak in Goa

March 11, 2010 – 8:20 pm

Russians are facing a backlash in Goa with allegations of organised crime, illegal land deals and even claims that they are “corrupting the minds” of locals in India’s popular resort state.

There have been a number of outspoken attacks against them since the start of the year, when a Russian businessman was blamed for killing a taxi driver in Morjim village, in north Goa, sparking public protests.

Others have voiced concerns about a rise in crime, against a backdrop of long-standing fears that the Russian mafia is using the former Portuguese colony as a base for money-laundering, vice rings and arms and drug-running. On the main approach road to Morjim — dubbed “Little Russia” by locals because of the high number of Russians now living there — it’s not hard to see the extent to which the new arrivals have left their mark.

A giant advertising hoarding for holiday properties is written entirely in the Cyrillic alphabet. A short scooter ride away down narrow lanes, Russian is a familiar sound on the sandy beaches and in the popular bars and restaurants, where menus are also in the language. ”For us, English is a major problem, as most Russians hardly speak it. It’s really good to see a Russian around,” said Morjim bar owner Andrei Medvedev.

Courtesy:MD

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Nepali held for selling drugs to Goa students

March 11, 2010 – 4:20 pm

A Nepali national working as a security guard at an educational institution here was arrested on Thursday for selling drugs to college students, police said. Bahadur Bhagat Singh, 50, was arrested by the Goa Police anti narcotics cell at St Xavier’s college in Mapusa, 15 km from here, with 850 gm of hashish (charas).

“He has been working at the college for 20 years. We repeatedly received complaints that he was selling drugs to students,” a police official told IANS.

Courtesy:TOI

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Goa notified SEZs are Sub-Judiced

March 10, 2010 – 7:08 pm

Union Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia informed Mr. Shantaram Naik, M.P. in the Rajya Sabha today, in a written reply that the three notified SEZ proposals, which the government of Goa has requested to be denotified are presently sub-judice, and that no SEZ has been denotified.

Mr. Scindia informed Mr. Naik that the Government of Goa had recommended 15 proposals for setting up of SEZs. Out of these, seven proposals were accorded formal approval by the Board of Approval and notifications were issued in respect of three cases. Subsequently, a request was received from the Government of Goa withdrawing the recommendations of the State Government. In respect of three notified SEZs, it was noted that the earlier approvals were granted only after the recommendation and allotment of land by the State Government.

Minister further said that now, if at this stage, the State Government requests to de-notify these SEZs, the State Government may have to compensate the Developers. Moreover, the question of refund of duties/exemptions, already availed by the Developers for authorized activities, would also arise.

Mr. Scindia further informed Mr. Naik that in addition to seven Central Government Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and 12 State/Private Sector SEZs set up prior to the enactment of SEZ Act, 2005, formal approval has been accorded to 575 proposals out of which 348 SEZs have been notified. A total of 105 SEZs have commenced export.

He further informed Mr. Naik that Requests for de-notification by the developers have been received from 13 SEZs located in the States/UT of Delhi, Orissa, Gujarat, West Bengal, Haryana, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh out of which 12 have been approved by the Board of Approval. The final denotification is allowd only on refund of duties/benefits, if any, availed by the Developer.

In reply to another question, Union Minister of State for Environment and Forests Shri Jairam Ramesh informed Mr. Naik that the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification, 1991 has been amended 26 times, so far.

He further informed Mr. Naik that the amendments to the CRZ Notification, 1991 were carried out based on the inputs from various stakeholders, including the State Governments and Union territory Administrations. The major objectives of the amendments to the CRZ Notification, 1991 included providing basic facilities to local communities, developing infrastructure facilities keeping in view the public interest and promoting sustainable development.

Mr. Ramesh informed Mr. Naik that the CRZ Notification, 1991 provides for construction and reconstruction of dwelling units of local communities in the CRZ area. He also informed Mr. Naik that the State specific amendments inter-alia include, the construction of basic facilities in Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve in West Bengal, the construction of airstrip and associated facilities in the Islands of Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar and the inclusion of green field airport in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra as permissible activity.

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BJP takes a beating at Zilla polls in Goa

March 10, 2010 – 9:39 am

Politically speaking, the results of the Zilla Panchayat elections in North Goa on Tuesday didn’t go in favour of any single political party or grouping even as the opposition BJP seems to have taken a beating. As if the last month’s political rumblings reflected on ZP elections, the Group of 7 MLAs, put up a fairly good show on their own. Health Minsiter Vishwajeet Rane-backed Sattari Yuva Morcha fielded seven candidates of which six won in Sattari and Bicholim taluka. They wrested Mayem from BJP and Usgao-Curti from Ravi Naik. Their candidates emerged victorious and that too with huge margins in Pale, Kudnem, Nagargao and Honda.

MGP’s Dhavlikar brothers - Sudin and Deepak- also managed to get their nominees elected from their respective constituencies. Besides, one candidate of the MGP won in Pernem taluka.

Unattached MLA and Education Minsiter Babush Monserrate saw to it that his nominee Janu had a smooth sailing in Taleigao while reportedly he had backed one candidate in Santa Cruz who defeated MLA Victoria Fernandes’ candidate.

In Tivim, NCP MLA Nilkant Halarnkar proved his popularity by getting his nominee Diana Braganza elected in a triangular contest from Tivim where even a candidate was strongly supported by Dayanand Narvekar. Former BJP legislator Sadanand Tanavde’s candidate failed to do well. Apparently, only four candidates supported by BJP were successful in North Goa. Vishwajeet Rane has said that considering the response of the voters in the ZP polls, the non-Congress, non-BJP groupings would have their president in the new NGZP.

COUNTER CLAIMS: While President of Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Subhash Shirodkar claimed victory in 13 constituencies out of 30, the BJP reacted defensively saying polls were not held on political lines. Party President Laxmikant Parsekar tried to rubbish the claim of the Congress. Shirodkar said excluding those won by Sattari Yuva Morcha, the Congress has done well. “We’ll be able to wrest power,” he said.

Parsekar said their workers or well-wisher had contested on their own. Nonetheless, he said 7-8 office bearers have won – in both the districts.

CONGRESS: Congress MLAs more-or-less succeeded in holding on to their fort as most of the candidates backed by them have won. This was seen in Bardez where both the Dayanand Narvekar-backed candidates Kunda Bagkar (Aldona) and Gupesh Naik (Penha-de-Franca) won the seats while Agnel Fernandes-supported Abelina Menezes retained her seat in Calangute and Jayesh Salgaocar in Reis Magos.

Similarly, former transport minister Pandurang Madkaikar got his brother Dhaku elected from Cumbarjua and Vrunda Naik from Chorao. St Andre MLA Francis Silveira worked hard to get his brother Antonio re-elected from St Lawrence constituency.

In Pernem, Sports Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar succeeded in warding off the opposition from the BJP and got his nominees elected. Only two candidates supported by their MLAs in the taluka did well. Party President Laxmikant Parsekar represents Mandrem and Dayanand Sopte Pernem.

In Siolim, it was partial success for the opposition party as only one candidate nominated by local MLA Dayanand Mandrekar won while the other lost. Bicholim MLA Rajesh Patnekar with his nominee managed to hold on to Latarbarcem. The big success for the BJP in North was in Saligao. As analysed earlier, the Sunday polls turned out to be an interesting battle of ballots. Dilip Parulekar’s candidate Michael Lobo, despite I-T raid less than a month before the poll, eventually, got the better of architect Tulio D’Souza – the son-in-law of former CM Dr Willy in Saligao constituency. Tulio lost by around 700 votes.

Apparently, for the second time, Trajano D’Mello and Salim Shaikh contributed to the defeat of the de Souzas. Former Saligao sarpanch Daya Mandrekar supported by the duo polled around 1500 votes. Meanwhile, sources said in quite a few constituencies (mainly in Bardez and one or two in Tiswadi) money power played an important role to win over voters.

Courtesy:Herald