16-08-2013 … In what could be said as a major set back for the state government over its idea of preparing a city draft master plan for the Panjim city mayor of the corporation city of Panjim Surendra Furtado on Saturday said that the people of Panjim city were taken for ride with so many consultants being appointed for the preparation of the Panjim city master plan in the past few years as he was not aware of any master plans being done by Spain-based consultants LKS India private limited who had no permission from the corporation …

Speaking exclusively to goanreporter CCP mayor Surendra Furtado said that he was not aware of any master plans done by LKS because as CCP earlier had appointed Groupe SCE a French company based in Bangalore to do the Comprehensive Mobility Plan in the last seven to eight years and lks had no permission from the Corporation and the same has been appointed by the Government of Goa and by GSIDC

Surendra said that eight years back Government of Goa through the CCP had appointed Hudco who have given entire Comprehensive City Plan to the government after than under UNNURM the other consultants appointed were Charles Correia Foundation and now I hear that some LKS has been appointed and therefore it is for the GSIDC and Government of Goa to tell you what exactly is going on

Surendra also stated that Comprehensive Mobility Plans prepared by groupe sce had taken in to consideration issues such as traffics, roads, parks, gardens, bridges, footpaths and flyovers prepared with an estimated cost of 800 crores rupees

15-08-2013 … The state bjp party would ask the present state government to act fast on those congress leaders who were found to be involved in illegal mining and other illegal acts of governance said vice president of the state bjp party dr Wilfred mesquita …

Addressing media persons at the party head office in Panjim bjp vice president and nri commissioner dr Wilfred mesquite said that certain statements made by the goa desk in charge of the congress party mr digvijay singh stating that bjp leaders supported illegal mining in mp and Karnataka mr singh was trying to cover up the sin of omission and commission of congress leaders in goa

Dr Mesquita said that his party would force the government to take criminal action no those congress leaders who had looted and plundered goa during their rule

Commenting over the issues of casinos operation in mandovi river dr mesquita said that his personnel opinion was that casinos were required for goa’s revenue in to the state

14-08-2013 … On the occasion of 50 years of goa vidhan sabha over 30 professional and non professional colleges from goa on Thursday took part in the all goa inter collegiate quiz competition on goa vidhan Sabha held at the goa legislative secretariat in porvorim …

The function was inaugurated by Deputy Speaker and mayem mla anant shet who was the chief guest of the function in the presence of secretary nilkhant subhedar, ex mla mohan amshekar moderator of the quiz competition nagesh sardessai and others …

The quiz competition topics were based on the different aspects of the goa vidhan Sabha since its establishments in 19645 till date and had various questions covering assembly bills, past and present mla’s, various developments and others issues related to goa vidhan Sabha …

Speaking to goanreporter moderator of the all goa inter collegiate quiz competition nagesh sardessai gave more details of the event and said that the even was a successful one

13-08-2013 … Chairman of Mandovi fishermen marketing cooperative society Menino Afonso on Thursday blamed the state government for having allowed fishing canoes to fish in goan waters during the fishing ban period due to which a number of fishing canoes were found submerged in to the goan waters in the past few days …

It may be noted that though the state government had allowed maintaining a strict order for trawlers owners to maintain the 61 days fishing ban in the state but had allowed traditional fisherman with canoes to fish during the ban period but due to the rough weather a number of fishing canoes in areas of south and north goa have been submerged in the past few days during the current rainy season

On July 30^th A 180-horse power fishing canoe capsized off the Cavelossim Mobor beach wire in 11-crew members aboard the ill-fated canoe swam to safety while the rest of the fishermen were rescued by the coast guard’s helicopter along with the lifeguards and a local villager. 

Even after the fishing ban came to an end on 4^th of august A canoe with 14 fishermen onboard capsized off the Colva shore where in 14 were rescued by fishermen onboard a trawler, R Malina.

While on 6^th of August a trawler tragedy was reported off the Betul coast, a small trawler returning after a fishing trip, hit the sand bar at the mouth of the rivulet and tilted to one side..

Speaking to goanreporter Chairman of Mandovi fishermen marketing cooperative society Menino Afonso blamed the state government stating that there was a need from the state government side to implement strict ban on fishing so that no fishing activities were totally allowed during the ban period

Menino said since the weather was also rough at the moment some of the labourers had not returned back to work on the fishing trawlers but was hopeful of starting the season in full swing within the next ten days

12-08-2013 … The state congress legislature party on Wednesday demanded to the state government to revert back to the old school timings in the state instead of extra school hours and also mentioned that they would approach the centre to keep a halt on the issue of mopa airport for time being ..

The clp meet which was held at the residence of leader of opposition pratapsingh rane at altinho was attended by vishwajeet rane, babush monsoratte, reginaldo lourenco, pandurang madkaikar, digambar kamat and mauvin godinho …

Addressing media persons after the clp meet opposition leader pratapsingh rane said that clp strongly felt that the state government should reconsider on the school timings issue and go back to old school timings and mentioned that there was no hurry as far as mopa airport issue was concerned

Rane said that the law and order situation was detoriating in the state day by day

Meanwhile former education minister babush monsoratte also spoke over the school timings issues

11-08-2013 … Everything seems to be not going between the mayor of the corporation city of Panjim surendra furtado and ccp commissioner sanjit rodrigues  on wednesay said that it was difficult to shift each and every government offices from the city which could deprive ccp from generating its revenue from people entering Panjim doing shopping and trading if every offices were moved out of the capital city

It may be noted that the Corporation of the City of Panaji last Wednesday had resolved to shift all the government offices in the city to EDC Patto Plaza area or in Porvorim in view of the rising congestion and traffic jams in the city.

The resolution was passed at the recent monthly meeting of the CCP after which CCP mayor Surendra Furtado had said that shifting of the government offices would decrease 70 per cent of traffic in the city.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Draft Master Plan for the holistic development of Panjim city ccp commissioner sanjit rodrigues said everything like schools and government officers were required in the city while preparing the master plan

Sanjit said The Draft Master Plan for the holistic development of Panjim could take as many as 15 years to be implemented in all respects, if accepted by the government and consistently followed up,

Meanwhile ccp mayor surendra furtado said that ccp commissioner was a bureaucrat who did not had to bother about the citizens of Panjim while he was a social worker and a politician who was thinking for the development of the capital city and its citizens

10-08-2013 … Even though the state bjp led government is confident of hosting the 3^rd lusofonia games in to the state of goa giving a jolt to its own bjp led government st andre mla Vishnu surya wagh on Tuesday said that he was confident that the 3^rd lusofonia games would not be held in goa at any cost …

It may be noted that the st andre mla has been in the forefront against goa participating in the lusofonia games and has event went on opposing of goa participating in it while wagh has said that he had not problem over the state government setting up infrastructure facilities in his constituency for the same

Speaking to goanreporter exclusively over the issue st andre mla Vishnu surya wagh said though he was against goa participating in the lusofonia games looking at the present scenario he was sure that lusofonia games would not be held in the state

Meanwhile commenting over the issue president of goa Pradesh congress committee subash shirodkar said though the state government had to host the games in proper manner it was sad to know that the government own mla’s had expressed its dissatisfaction over the preparation of the lusofonia games

09-08-2013 … The state congress party on Tuesday urged the state bjp led government not to give any more licenses to any upcoming casinos in mandovi river and in turn asked to take out the present casinos from mandovi river in to deep sea …

Addressing media person gpcc president subash shirodkar said casinos were bad for goa and no more licenses should be given for any new casinos …

Commenting over the youth congress elections Shirodkar said that her daughter gauri shirodkar had not stood for youth congress president ship elections but had stood for obc general category

Shirodkar also stated that the goa desk in-charge digvijay singh and general secretary a chellakumar would visit goa and interact with block and booth level members discussing the issue of food security bill

08-08-2013 … South goa mp Francisco sardinha on Monday urged the directorate of education and officials of food and drug administration to work hand in hand in tackling the mid day meal issue and to see that proper quality of food was maintained while the same was being served in state schools

Addressing media persons at the party head office in Panjim sardinha said it was the duty of those people to check the food first who were supplying mid day meals in the schools and the state government had to bear whatever additional cost was required to be given for better mid day meal ….

Sardinha said there was a need from the state government side to increase the number of horticulture outlets from 2-3-4 in every village of the state so as to get vegetables at a reasonable price…

Commenting over the issue of mining and sand extraction issue in the state Sardinha also stated that the state government had to come to the rescue of the mining affected people while certain areas for sand extraction should be immediately demarcated by the state government

07-08-2013 … With the road safety week in force from 1^st of august the state transport department has till date fined over 200-250 motorists found using vehicles with tinted films beyond permissible limits …

The motorists were asked to remove the film on-the-spot besides payment of a fine of rupees one hundred while some of the motorists were asked to remove the tinted films and then to show their vehicle after which concerned documents were returned back to the motorists.

 It may be noted that the Transport Department and traffic cell of the Goa Police are jointly conducting an enforcement drive against vehicles with tinted glasses as a part of its road safety week.

as per the Supreme Court order, passed in September 2012, there is a complete ban on use of tinted glasses irrespective of the degree of visibility. Even zero percent filming is not allowed.

 As per the motor vehicle rule, 70 percent visibility was necessary, which has now been ruled out by the Court sad director of transport arun Desai and any violation done would be considered as contempt of Apex Court order’.

 Desai also stated that his department would also try to keep a watch on those motorists who had tried to put up the films back again