Goa News Clips
 

Outsiders should respect pride of Goa: Wendell http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=5078&cid=26 HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, JUNE 4 — Goa has become a fashionable destination with rich Indians and foreigners wanting to buy houses and land here, today everyone boasts about owning a third home in Goa, but it is important that these outsiders respect the pride of Goa said renowned international fashion designer Wendell Rodricks while speaking on a debate titled ‘Is Goa for sale and who is responsible?’ organized by HCN news and entertainment channel. When asked if large-scale selling of land in Goa is going to dilute Goan identity, he said if a Goan wants to sell his land, no one can stop him and I am not against people buying properties, but it is disturbing that the migrants try to switch identities and we have the indigenous right to control. We cannot stop development, but two things that need to be preserved, is the quality and life of Goans. The construction that is being undertaken is very silent and we have vast migration into Goa and it is essential that we preserve our topography and culture. Regarding tourism he said that we need to build infrastructure and certain level and quality of tourist should not be stopped, however we must preserve the goan cultural thought, he stated. Architect Bryan Soares said that if a Goan wants to sell his land, then why should other goans who don’t even own that land have a problem? After liberation we have lost our identity and we don’t know whether we are Indians or Goans. Nobody comes and grabs our land; it is the Mundkarial laws that have led to land grabbing, he claimed. The construction boom will continue and concrete is here to stay, but in terms of tourism the government has not done anything and even the roads along the costal belt of Calangute and Candolim are pathetic and lamented that Goa’s beauty is being sold. When asked if five-star hotels, mega housing colonies and multistoried constructions should be allowed to come up in village panchayat areas, he said that if the current FAR of 80 is brought down to 50 and below, then it will make a big difference in maintaining the existing villages. Freedom fighter and senior journalist, Flaviano Dias said that people are opposing anything and everything with ‘maka naka’ and we ourselves are responsible for the damage. Goa is a tiny dot and can be compared to a small district and yet we are aspiring for bigger development. We Goans have become a minority in our own land and in Porvorim it is difficult to find a Goan speak in Konkani, he said. Independent journalist, Fredrick Noronha said that everything is on sale including ourselves and we are getting caught up as the only victims. We don’t have a vision for Goa and this word globalization is a big sledge hammer. Before 1974 nobody constructed in the fields and now mega projects are coming up. The issue is corruption and we need to build and enhance people’s capabilities.

New Goa Mopa Airport Layout See Video clip http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=_dt-h3HCMC0&feature=related See Also " BLACK " KONKANI FILM 2008 clip http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=-jXmU_x5mKk&feature=related Forwarded by Thomas D’Souza

Goa's Feni Shows Sharp Decline In Production http://www.samachaar.in/Goa/ Panjim: Feni, that uniquely Goa drink distilled from the cashew apple, is showing a sharp decline in production. This despite the fact that it is one of the best-known local liquors in India. An unorganised as well as complex manufacturing and sale process, which has failed to improve with time, has led to a steep decline in the production of feni. Although feni has gone from being the poor man's liquor to a popular drink that every tourist visiting the coastal state must have, production has gown down from 1,089,000 litres in 1971 to 875,000 litres in 2004. In contrast, the production of Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) - or distilled spirits - climbed from 202,000 litres to 18.99 million litres in the same period, says a new baseline study led by Pranab Mukhopadhyay of Goa University and the South Asian Network for Development and Environmental Economics. According to the study, the bulk of feni production is done in a semi-traditional manner and the process hasn't kept up with the times. There are 19 bottlers, 94 wholesalers and 6,589 retailers of feni in Goa. There are 1,532 cashew zones and 2,656 licensed units are allowed to produce the liquor. The northeastern sub-district of Sattari is the feni capital of Goa and has the largest number of cashew zones. It accounts for nearly 20 percent of the state's total area under cashew cultivation. Researchers found that bottlers in the field are usually educated - 85 percent are graduates - while distillers are poorly educated and nearly 50 percent haven't studied beyond Class 8. Nearly 30 percent of the distillers surveyed said their fathers had started the business while 12 percent said it was their grandfathers who ventured into the trade. On the other hand, over 81 percent of wholesalers were first generation businessmen. For distillers, it was mostly a form of barefoot capitalism and small players dominated the field. Seventy-three percent of the distillers surveyed were running just one unit. "Most of the people involved in the feni industry said they are first generation producers. A large majority claimed to have only one still," said Mukhopadhyay. The study found that 77.5 percent of stills were semi-traditional. They used copper pots with a barrel filled with water for condensation. Modern stills accounted for just 2.6 percent of those surveyed. The researchers found that feni is "not a homogeneous product". Due to differences in production technique, the quality, especially concentration levels, varies. Taste based methods and traditional ways (pouring the liquor in a glass and stirring to see if bubbles are formed) are used to determine quality. "There is a lack of uniform product testing mechanism. Feni is largely sold unbranded, but some brands have emerged due to private initiatives," said Mukhopadhyay. Unbranded sales dominate the feni market in Goa. But there are reports that even Urak - the lighter grade of cashew liquor - is being bottled now. Significantly, since feni is classified as country liquor it cannot be sold outside the state. "Seventy-five percent of the distillers sell to bars directly, while bottlers route their sales through wholesalers," said Mukhopadhyay. "This is largely an unorganised industry. There was no group found among distillers, retailers or wholesalers. Only the bottlers claim to have an association and this is affecting production." (IANS)

Goan doctors overcharging foreigners MARGAO: Goan doctors command a lot of respect of patients not only from Goans but from the world over. However, recent trends in the industry in the name of medical tourism have changed. Doctors, realising that there is quick and big money, have started openly practising unethical procedures to improve their 'business'. [Joao Souza M, NT]

Israeli realtor has $500 million plan PANJIM, June 13: Already besieged with issue of land availability, Goa could have more trouble on it plate as an Israeli real estate outfit has plans to build luxury apartments at three different picturesque locations including Dona Paula. Israeli news agency Globes Online, was quoted as saying that Yaakov Engel of EngelInvest, along with another partner, Hezi Hermoni, has purchased land for building three residential projects in the State. [H]

Going natural What's a coconut shell? Waste would you say, but school teacher Vijaydatta Lotlikar has turned this ordinary waste item into valuable, decorative pieces. No wonder he holds the Limca Book of World Records for the tallest oil lamp made from coconut shells in 2003. He was also awarded the Goa Sudharop Award in 2008. Vijaydatta has truly given the coconut shell a total facelift by making pens, crosses, penholders, artificial jewellery, decorative and kitchen item out of it. He feels the coconut is our answer to plastic and has conducted a workshop on the same to educate people of its benefits. Recently, he exhibited 400 different crosses made from coconut shells at the Museum of Christian Art, Old Goa. [TOI]

Goan beach plays host to a rare turtle specie A Loggerhead turtle was saved on June 14 by Aaron Fernandes of Green Cross Society. The Loggerheads turtle is usually found in the Atlantic Ocean and sometimes in the Indian Ocean near Sri lanka and Mauritius. This olive or reddish brown turtle has already found a place in the list of world's most endangered species. Pravesh, who works at a shack on the Anjuna beach said that he saw this turtle lying ont he sand. The guest from the Atlantic is resting peacefully at the International Animal Rescue at Assagao. [Shruti Pandit, Goa Times, TOI]

Plaint against man for demanding dowry PANJIM, June 12: Colva police on Thursday registered an offence against 34-year-old Frank Salvador Fernandes and his mother Helen Fernandes from Per Seraulim for asking dowry, harassment and assault. Complainant Maria Daisy Fernandes has accused her husband and mother-in-law of assault and making a demand for dowry. The marriage was strained and both are fighting over the custody of their two-year-old child. [H]