WEBSITE BONDS KONKANI PEOPLE
On January 14, 2001, a web portal www.daijidubai.com was launched to keep the Konkani-speaking people in Dubai, abreast of happenings in their district, especially Mangalore. Two years hence, the Konkani-speaking community, from different parts-be it from Mangalore, Goa, Maharashtra, Gulf, Europe, USA-have found a convenient meeting place on the web portal (brainchild of Walter D'Souza from Karkala and employed in Dubai) to exchange views, read news of the district and the world-transgressing regional boundaries. (Stanley G Pinto in The Times of India, Bangalore).

SPLINTER GROUPS TO MERGE WITH BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party yesterday decided to admit the two splinter groups - Mr. Pandurang Madkaikar of MGP (Nationalist), and Mr. Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate and Francisco (Micky) Pacheco of UGDP (Secular) - into the party on 5 August in the presence of top party leader Pramod Mahajan. (GT)

PAY CLINIC AT GMC
Following the proposal made to setup a private clinic at the GMC, the Health Minister, Dr Suresh Amonkar, denied that any such proposal was made and added that a suggestion in this regard was made by the GMC doctors. Dr Amonkar said that the government was studying the GMC doctor's suggestions before taking a formal decision. According to the proposal, the GMC would run Pay Clinics at its Bambolim complex in the evening hours where its doctors would conduct private practice and the fees accrued would be distributed between the doctors, GMC, the nurses and support staff.

PARRIKAR COMPLETES 1000 DAYS IN OFFICE
The state BJP spokesman, Mr Govind Parwatkar, yesterday in a statement issued on the occasion of the Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar, completing 1000 days in office during the two tenures, said that the Congress, after Goa stained statehood, gave birth to 13 chief ministers in the first 12 years and spoiled the image of Goa in the country. (NT)

DEAD PRAWNS IN QUELOSSIM
Quelossim residents are up in arms against a prawn farming company for allegedly releasing polluted water into the Zuari river. The residents informed that on Sunday they noticed eagles hovering over the lakh-and-a-half sq mt farm. A visit revealed dead tiger-prawns floating on the water surface. Yesterday morning, the residents alleged that the sluice gates were opened and contaminated water along with dead prawns was released into the Zuari river. (GT)

GOA'S IRON ORE EXPORTS JUMP
Iron ore exports from the State have reached new heights last season with total exports touching 23.72 million tones in 2002-2003 up from 19.56 million tones in the previous season, a growth of 21.27 per cent. A major factor contributing to the growth, has been attributed to the increase in iron ore demand from China whose infrastructure development is growing at a phenomenal place. However, Japan still remains the major importer with a share of 45 per cent. (H)

GAYS COMING OUT OF GOAN CLOSET
Arun Tomar (24), a gay since the age of 14, is the Project Co-ordinator of the Non-Governmental Organisation Hamsafar Trust, which is fighting for the cause of (over 7,700) homosexuals in the State. Long ridiculed and disapproved by conservative and tradition-bound Goan society, Goa's middle-class gays are slowly coming out of the closet, to the puzzlement and consternation of their relatives and friends. (H)

FOR NARROWER 4-LANE PLAN
A group of Miramar resident have opposed the project of four-laning of the DB Bandodkar road in its present form and suggested an alternative without the parking facility. In a meeting yesterday at Miramar, the citizens said they were not opposed to the project per se but wanted the expansion to be restricted between the fences on either side of the present road. (WE-GT)

IMA OPPOSES PRIVATE PRACTICE
The Goa chapter of the Indian Medical Association opposed any move to permit private practice by government doctors. A delegation of the IMA told the Chief Minister and Health Minister that they vehemently oppose any move to allow doctors from government run hospitals, particularly the Goa Medical College, to undertake private practice in any form. (NT)

Note
In our previous issue of Goan voice Canada we inadvertently mixed up the video clip of the article on 11 feet king cobra. We regret the error.