02-05-2013 … The gram sabha of corlim village panchayat has now decided to appoint village volunteers to keep an eye of those people trying to throw garbage along the side of the village roads and also to act strict on on sand trucks entering inside the village jurisdiction

 The decision which was taken at the recent held gram sabha meet where in the gram sabha members were of the opinion that locals were facing a threat to their life due to sand trucks passing from the village jurisdiction to other places and therefore demanded to immediately stop sand trucks from passing inside the village areas

Addressing the gram sabha members acting sarpanch victor Pereira said that the garbage collection drive which was started by the village panchayat was running successfully and were now in the process of putting up pits in all the seven wards of the village panchayats if the villagers permitted to do so

 Victor asked the gram sabha members to form a village level monitoring committee so as to keep a check on sand trucks entering inside the village as well as on those outsiders trying to thow garbage in plastic bags inside the village roads

 Meanwhile Secretary of corlim village panchayat oswin mascarenhas said that since there was a major power problem in the village area the panchayat had resolved to write to the electricity department for allotting more transformers for the village panchayat

01-05-13 … Stating that the church at old goa as well its surrounding locals were kept in dark over the nh4a expansion work Church authorities of the basilica of bom jesus church at old goa on Tuesday raised concerns over the state government proposal of expansion of the nh4a from panaji to old goa road alleging that the expansion plan was done for the purpose of builder’s lobby so to open up the jungles located on both sides of the old goa-kadamba highway road …

It may be noted that the pwd minister sudhin dhavlikar had recently informed the state legislative assembly that the state government was in the process of preparing a detailed project report on the widening of the Old Goa-Panaji road with a dedicated lane for two wheelers after which the government were to float a tenders mentioning that the work on NH4A widening was to start in start in small stretches.

Speaking to goanreproter rector of basilica of bom jesus fr savio baretto said “the main problem today here is that a lot of secrecy is going on the issue of the nh4a highway expansion as everyone want to know as from which side the highway is coming but for a sure we do not know till date as what are the plans of the state government on the nh4a highway expansion along the old goa side road and since old goa is a world heritage site there are certain rules which the state government has to follow as one cannot have a highway coming within the 300 meters of the world heritage monument due to which I feel that the government should take in such consideration but presently there are certain things which are being done here so that areas which are not accessible now specially the jungles along the old goa-kadamba highway are being opened up for the builders in the pretext of the highway expansion due to which I feel that it is the building lobby which are interested in making this highway road so that the whole area along the kadamba side in old goa could be an urban paradise and this is the secretive motive behind all this

Fr baretto said “ we have to know as what is going on and therefore the state government should put up the complete information on the internet, conduct meetings with the locals, take the panchayat, gram sabha, the church, asi, people in general ig to confidence as old goa is not only of gram sabhas of old goa but it’s the concern of whole goa and inform them as what is going on here as we want old goa to be like panjim city or should we maintain the separate identity of old goa and therefore I do feel that we do require a master plan for old goa which is a necessity at the moment

Fr baretto also stated that “there had to be more transparency on what is happening in old goa as  the main problem is here that I myself is not sure of what is happening here and my problem with this highway expansion is who would benefit from this and the main problem here is that people come to me and keep on asking me as father what is going on and then I myself tell them that I only don’t know as what is going on and why this highway is passing through old goa side and therefore I fell that the public can take a decision only when we know things and things are put up in open

30-04-13 … Facing a huge shortage of drinking water for the past ten years Locals from keri priol on Tuesday met the chief minister manohar parrikar asking to lay a water pipe line to their keri village in ponda constituency …

 More than forty locals from keri area on Tuesday assembles in front of the assembly gate at porvorim and later met the chief minister with their grievances and asking to lay a water pipeline from pachme to keri village from opa water treatment plant …

 Speaking to goanreporter former sarpanch of keri village panchayat rohidas kerkar said the issue of keri village has been going on for the past ten years where in locals from his village have been facing a major problem of drinking water and therefore had come in front of the chief minister asking to lay a water pipe line for drinking purpose in their village

29-04-13 …. The strike called on by the Goa Hotel and Restaurant Association received a good response with over 90 percent of establishment remaining close in support of the one day strike called on by Hotel and Restaurant Associations across India for shutting down the establishments in protest against service tax imposed on the hospitality industry.

 Most of the hotels and restaurants in the capital city were noticed close throughout the day the hotel and Restaurant Associations across India and Goa, decided to close down their Establishments to protest against the newly imposed levy of Service Tax on sale of Food in all air -conditioned restaurants including partly air-conditioned.

 Goa presently has more than 4000 restaurants and hotels located with various places of the state

 Service Tax was first imposed on banquets, thereafter on air-conditioned restaurants serving liquor and now proposed to be imposed on all restaurants with air- conditioning including partly air-conditioned.

Speaking to media reporters president of Hotels and Restaurants Association, Goa gaurish dhond said that the central government imposed service tax specially on the smaller hotels would put up an additional burden of five percent tax which would be put on a guest entering the hotel or a restaurant when there is already a vat of the state government

 Dhond said if the service tax was implemented by the central government then every customer would have to shell out five percent more from his pocket

29-04-2013 … The state ncp party has accused the state bjp party of trying to divide secular votes over the pretext of dabolim airport issue ahead of the forthcoming parliament elections …

 Addressing press media ncp spokesperson trojano dmello said that it was the ncp central leaders who had been able to get funds for the extension of dabolim airport so that the airport could exist while there were certain groups in the state which had emerged in political horizon demanding for the existence of dabolim airport due to the forth coming parliament elections

 Trojano said that there was a need for some of the state cabinet minister’s to resign as well as mla’s supporting the state bjp led government to withdraw their support from the government over the dabolim airport issues or else it would prove that the same minister and mla’s were the agents of the communal forces

 Commenting over the mopa airport issue Trojano also stated that the state ncp party felt that goa should be developed as a whole and in that process mopa should evolve by having stringent safe guards to see that dabolim airport continues ….

28-04-13 … North goa Member of Parliament shirpad naik on Saturday said that there was a need from the state government side to specify as what type of ultra modern mixed waste treatment plant was to be set up baigunim before it was implemented taking in to confidence people from all sections of the society at large …

 mr naik was speaking to goanreporter on the sidelines of the state chief minister Manohar Parrikar announcement in the recent assembly session stating that an ultra modern mixed waste treatment plant will be set up in Bainguinim to cater to the waste generated in Tiswadi and central parts of Goa

 it may be noted that the proposed plant in Baiguinim for the corporation of the city of Panaji has been delayed due to opposition from locals along with cumbarjua mla pandurang madkaikar opposing it tooth and nail and with the recent statements coming out from present ccp mayor surendra furtado appraising the state government for looking out for an alternate site for setting up a garbage treatment plant

 even st cruz mla babush monsoratte has said that the corporation could have a scientific garbage treatment plant in Taleigao itself instead of baigunim at old goa since there have been a lot of people opposing to it but there was no will from the state government side specially from the urban development minister due to the commission issue on setting up of a garbage treatment plant due to which the issue has been lying idle for years

 naik said “though right from beginning i have opposed the garbage treatment plant coming up at baiguinm, i would ask my party to give a complete report on the issue of setting up of an ultra modern mixed waste treatment plant and then would make a statement on it as if the state government has taught of making any changes in the setting up of the treatment plant and the same is accepted to the all sections of the society then only I would not have a problem on it”

 shirpad said “I want an expert to explain me or everyone on this subject as in what way it would work, how it would be good and not harmful so that everyone is satisfied and the issue is also solved once and for all as I believed that development has to take place but it should be a healthy one not creating a problem out of it”

 meanwhile as the old goa village Panchayat is about hold its gram sabha on Sunday siddesh naik son of shirpad naik has put up a query in front of the old goa village Panchayat desiring to know as what ass been the old goa village Panchayat stand over the baigunim issue after chief minister Manohar Parrikar statement in the assembly

 siddesh said “since old goa is a world heritage site, personally I am opposing the set up of a garbage treatment plant at baigunim and if as the chief minister has said that the treatment plant is an ultra modern mixed waste treatment plant with no stench even within in a distance then it could be taught off” .

27-04-2013 … Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday launched the re designed website of the nri commission titled www.nri.goa.gov.in at the secretariat hall at porvorim …

 Also present on the occasion were nri commissioner dr Wilfred mesquite, goa InfoTech chairman subash faldesai, chairman of law commission advocate narendra swaikar and others …

 The website which was launched six years back by the state government nri department has been redesigned once again and has various state governments information such as property records of goans who have settled in India or in foreign countries and would also have information on banks, airlines, railway schedules which would helps goans in India and abroad to get informed about..

Speaking at the function chief minister Manohar Parrikar praised the efforts of the nri commissioner dr wlifred mesquite and also raised apprehensions on certain vested interests sometimes who pretended to be NGOs and were creating problems in the state thus defaming the name of his government

Nri commissioner dr Wilfred mesquita also spoke on the occasion

26-04-2013 … With lack of facilities available for sewerage system in an around porvorim area Porvorim mla rohan khaunte on Saturday hoped of using night soil tankers in his constituency for maintaining proper sewerage system

It may be noted that The lack of a sewerage and drainage system in an area of Porvorim dotted with high-rise buildings has put the residents there to a great inconvenience as they have to bear the foul stench emanating from the sewage flowing from these buildings into the open drains and also in open spaces.

Speaking to goanreporter porvorim mla rohan khaunte said that the sewerage system in porvorim area was a problem in porvorim constituency being it a rocky area and hoped to solve the problem by using night soil tankers with the help of the state government

Khaunte said since the porvorim constituency was growing very fast he expected from the state government to take up the work on the sewerage part for his constituency as soon as possible

26-04-13 … While the state chief minister Manohar Parrikar has been saying that his over one year government has been able to provide one of the best medical facilities to patients entering in to the goa medical hospital at bambolim presently the oldest medical college hospital in Asia is lacking of proper basic needs of drinking water where in only one water purifier serves drinking water to the whole of goa medical college hospital daily

it was unbelievable to believe that the goa Medical College which has been striving to achieve excellence in patient care has only one water purifier for the usage of gmc patients and its relatives for the past many years who have to stand in a que to collect drinking water in plastic bottles daily in front of the water purifies which is situated close to the office of gmc medical superintendent sunanda amonkar

according to gmc reports there are three water purifiers used for water drinking purpose situated inside gmc complex from which two are situated inside the operation theatre where in patients relatives are not allowed to enter without permission while only one water purifies is allowed to be used for patient relatives or for a common man who visits the hospital daily

At present the hospital receives 1200 patients in opd while 1500 patients walk in for check ups daily

when goareporter spoke to the higher authorities it was surprising was to note that the present health minister laxmikhant parsekar, st andre mla vishnu surya wagh and the dean of the goa medical college dr v n jindal were till date unaware of the current problem where in only one water purifier was available for common people for drinking purpose in the whole of gmc complex.

Speaking to goanreporter the concerned higher authorities said that as they were unaware of the situation and that they would try and put more water purifiers in and around gmc hospital soon as possible if required..

Meanwhile the hospital has even been running of acute water shortage for the past few days due to which hygiene conditions of the hospital seems to be in a neglected condition

even the water which the gmc hospital get on regular basis is also low as per its daily usage due to which even patients and its relatives are forced to survive daily on water filled in plastic bottles kept under neat the patients ward beds while the canteen inside gmc complex are also forced to collect daily usage water in drums for its use

but when this issue was brought to the notice of the higher authorities health minister laxmikhant parsekar, st andre mla Vishnu surya wagh and gmc dean dr v n jindal has various versions over the water issue

26-04-2013 … Stating that there was no need for Goans to get panic over vegetable shortage in to the state of goa transport minister sudhin dhavlikar on Wednesday said that the state government was firm on implementing entry tax on outside vehicles entering goa …

 Dhavlikar was speaking to on the sidelines of the inauguration of the 99 addition eicher mini buses being given to kadamba Transport Corporation limited …

 It may be noted that though the problem seemed to be officially resolved after talks between Goa government and traders from Maharashtra and Karnataka arrived at an amicable solution on Tuesday evening the members of the all India motor transporters congress criticised the chambers of commerce and industry from Belgaum, Hubli and Kolhapur for agreeing to withdraw the eight-day strike against the levying of entry tax by Goa government, without their approval.

 Speaking to media reporters transport minister sudhin dhavlikar said the state government had implemented the entry tax in the good interest of goans and the same was coming up to a 4 paise per kilo on vegetable commodities …

 A total of 46 buses would be used for existing shuttle service routes, forty buses would be utilized on village potential routes in goa and thirteen buses would be utilized on interstate routes.

 Ktcl chairman carlos almeida als informed about the funds of 1.5 crore for computerization of kadamba transport corporation depo’s under the Jawaharlal urban renewal mission scheme