Churchill & Shripad to represent Goa in the lok sabha
	South Goa Congress candidate Churchill Alemao defeated his nearest rival BJP candidate Ramakant Angle by a margin of 50,524, to emerge victorious in South Goa, while former Union Minister of State for Finance Shripad Naik created history by winning the North Goa seat for the second time by polling 1,44,842 votes to defeat NCP’s Dr Wilfred de Souza by a margin of 56,213 votes.
Dr de Souza polled, 88,629 votes. With the BJP having lost one of the two parliamentary seat and the Congress combine about to establish their rule at the Centre, a change in the local government in Goa cannot be ruled out. NCP candidate for North Goa, Dr Wilfred de Souza, and others have already sounded the likelihood of the repercussions on local politics now that the NDA has been shunted out of power in New Delhi.

St Francis Xavier’s exposition
The committee constituted to prepare for exposition of the relics of St Francis Xavier met on 10 May and constituted several key committees to make the event safe and successful for devotees. The Chief Minister is learnt to discussed in detail the relevant issues and facilities to be provided to devotees as well as thousands of visitors, national and international, who will gather at the venue for 45 days in view of the Exposition. The government had would sanction Rs.one crore for all the preparatory work and for providing various facilities on the site at Old Goa. It was also decided to make known about the Exposition worldwide in view of the hosting of the International Film Festival of India in Goa at the same time.

NRI Goans to complain
Residents from Sanguem, Curchorem and Sanvordem, currently working in the Gulf, have complained of the ever increasing menace of dust pollution and environment damage caused in the twin constituencies of Sanguem and Sanvordem. In a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, over 130 residents, reemployed in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, state that pollution caused by iron ore trucks plying from Barazan, Bhati, Villian and Chiraband has made life miserable for people residing in Sanguem taluka.

Konkan fruit fest
	The second annual 'Konkan Fruit Fest' attracted crowds of Panjimites and other for three days from May 7 at Campal. Organised by the Botanical Society of Goa along with the Corporation of the City of Panaji, Directorate of Agriculture, ICAR-Goa, University of Agricultural Sciences-Dharwad, RFRS-Vengurla, Ravi-Mangal Agro Pro-combine and others, the festival focused on jackfruit [kapo]. Of course, mango, the king of fruits was there in a wide variety of colours, shapes and sizes.
A large number of fruits grown in the Konkan were on display and there were fruit-eating competitions. Fruit shakes, fruit juices, mocktails, wines, syrups, jams, pickles and fresh fruits of different varieties were available at reasonable prices.

Award for Rodney
Dr Rodney Fernandes has been awarded the INSA Young Scientists (2004) Award ( Chemical Sciences) by the Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi. The award is in recognition of his significant contribution to organic synthesis of bioactive molecules and newer synthetic reactions. He has 16 international publications, 4 US and Japan patents. Dr Fernandes is a resident of Agonda, Canacona.

Nuke power alone can last
	Delivering the VM Salgaocar Memorial Lecture ‘Securing our Energy Needs: Role of Nuclear Power’, at Goa Marriott Resort in Panjim on May 12, renowned scientist and Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, Dr Anil Kakodkar, opined that ‘radiation is a friend of society provided one understands and uses it correctly’.
Dr Kakodkar, a renowned scientist of Goan origin, elaborated on the various strides taken by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in making advances in the field of medicine, sanitation, agriculture and power by using nuclear science. He said that nuclear research and development could also help find solutions to problems other areas like environment protection, agriculture, supply of potable water and even sewage treatment and management. Dr Anil Kakodkar expressed the confidence that in less than four years the country will raise its nuclear power to two-and-a-half times and reach 6700 mw, thus increasing the nuclear energy share of the country from 3 to 20 per cent. He spoke about a sludge hygienation plant which is now helping treat almost one-third of Vadodara city’s sewage.

Goan iron ore exports touch a new high
The iron ore exports from Goa have touched an all time high, in terms of quantity, during the financial year 2003-2004, to 30.7 million tonne, a net increase of over 50 per cent of the total iron ore exported from the country amounting to 60 million tonne. A Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association source pointed out that the rise in iron ore exports was mainly due to the increase in demand from China…India is the third largest exporter of iron ore after Australia and Brazil, who together constitute almost 70 per cent of the total iron ore exports in the global market.

Foreign investors’ interest in Mopa airport
Foreign-based private parties visited Goa recently showing keen interest in the proposed Rs.800 crore Mopa International Airport. Representatives from five different companies and consortiums from France, UK, Netherlands, Australia and Canada visited Mopa in Pernem taluka and toured the area to be acquired for the mega project.

Hema to ‘sell’ Goa at Cannes
	Noted pop singer Hema Sardesai will belt out famous numbers from ‘Dil Chata Hai’, ‘Bobby’ and other box-office hits at Cannes in France later this month where the State government intents to market Goa as the permanent venue for International Film Festival of India. The Goa-born singer will be part of the Goa delegation likely to be in Cannes from May 16 to 18.