News Clips from Goa
 

Goa gets ready for St. Francis Xavier’s feast http://www.indiancatholic.in/news/storydetails.php/13842-Goa-gets-ready-for-Xavier-feast An inter-religious prayer meeting for peace and special Masses for the youth and the sick would be among highlights of this year’s St. Francis Xavier’s feast in Goa. Preparations for the feast will start with a novena, or a nine-day prayer, on Nov. 26, and end on Dec. 2, the eve of the feast. The feast day programs would be centered on Basilica of Bom Jesu that holds the Spanish missioner’s relics. The Jesuit missioner worked across Asia based in Goa. He died on Dec. 3, 1552 in China’s Shangchuan Island. His uncorrupt body was later moved to Goa. The saint known as “Goencho Saib” attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims to Goa every year, especially during the week of feast. This year’s feast will include a prayer meeting for religious harmony on Nov. 26. Leaders of various religions are expected to attend it. The Universal Church’s declaration of 2009-10 as the Year for Priests will also find expression in the feast programs. On Nov. 30 Archbishop Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa will celebrate a Mass for priests and vocations. Similarly, this year’s celebrations will also reflect the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman’s focus on the youth. A Mass for the youth and the sick will be celebrated in the afternoons of Nov. 26 and Nov. 27. Special Masses are planned for couples for Christ on Nov. 29 and for volunteers on Dec. 1. According to the information received from the basilica, nine Masses would be offered daily during the feast days. Organizers expect some 10,000 people for each day’s program. Archbishop Ferrao and his predecessor Archbishop Patriarch Raul Nicolau Gonsalves will concelebrate the Dec. 3 feast day Mass along with several priests from the state. Courtesy : CathNewsIndia

Enemy property in Goa comes under scanner http://www1.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5234264,prtpage-1.cms TNN 16 November 2009, 07:11am IST PANAJI: Over a century after many Goans migrated to Pakistan, a tussle appears imminent between the Indian government and descendants of these Pakistani Goans over their properties, today known in government circles as "enemy properties". Letters from the custodian of enemy properties to the revenue authorities in Goa to include the custodian name in form I and XIV (record of survey number, type of land, ownership and tenancy) of land records has sent revenue officials into a tizzy. A major problem they face is that many of these properties are now held by family members of Pakistani nationals. For instance, senior citizen Antonio Sebastian Luis lives with his family in his ancestral house at Nachinola, Bardez. The property survey number is, however, registered in the name of his paternal uncle who migrated to Pakistan. Revenue officials are puzzled over how to include the custodian of enemy property in that form I and XIV. Efforts are, however, on to identify such properties in the state. North Goa additional collector Narayan Sawant said that all Mamlatdar's have been asked to prepare a list of enemy properties in their talukas. The collector will then forward the details to the law department for further action. Enemy properties are those whose survey numbers are registered in the names of Goans who migrated to Pakistan decades ago. After these Goans accepted Pakistani citizenship and India declared Pakistan an enemy state around 1965, these properties were declared enemy properties. On September 11, 1965, a central government notification stated that all immoveable properties in India belonging to or held or managed on behalf of Pakistani nationals are to be treated as enemy properties and that control of these properties vested in the custodian of enemy property. With the help of details provided by the custodian of enemy property for India, Mumbai, the Bardez Mamlatdar has tentatively identified 69 such enemy properties in Bardez. The Tiswadi Mamlatdar has identified another 12 such properties in Ela and St Cruz villages of Tiswadi.

Phyan leaves trail of destruction in Galgibaga The Galgibaga coast has had to bear the brunt of a natural calamity yet again, as the cyclone ‘Phyan’ left its mark of trail by uprooting trees and causing heavy sand erosion. The waves hitting the coast during the cyclonic winds have uprooted several casuarinas while the entire coastline is a battered lot, with wide tracts of sand disappearing into the sea. Incidentally, Galgibaga, which presently provides shelter to turtle nests, is one coast unlike Talpona, Colomb, Patnem, Palolem or Agonda, where habitations are not in close proximity to the beach. The Galgibaga coast has been constantly battered during the monsoon period and this is perhaps the first time that such rampage was caused in November. [H]

Goa Pavillion projects state as entertainment hub The state of Goa is well projected as an entertainment hub and destination of festivals at the India International Trade Fair (IITF), inaugurated by the President, Ms Pratibha Devisingh Patil, at New Delhi. The Goa Pavilion, is located at hall No 6 at Pragati Maidan, and is receiving a large number of visitors including foreigners. Even though the Exhibition Ground is restricted to the business class, during the first five days of IITF, a large number of people were seen viewing the exhibition displayed at the Goa Pavillion. [NT]

Volunteers to form part of security for Old Goa feast Over a hundred volunteers will take part in round-the-clock security within the Bom Jesus Basilica, while police and CRPF teams will patrol the area outside the famed site for the forthcoming feast of St Francis Xavier. Speaking to Herald, Rector of Bom Jesus Basilica Fr Savio Barretto justified the involvement of volunteers to provide security inside the Basilica. [H]

Navelim-the largest parish in Goa The Church of Our Lady of Rosary, Navelim has witnessed numerous rounds of renovation since the past decades. From a house of worship made of mud to a huge structure of today. And along with the structure, the members within its folds have also increased manifold to become the largest parish in Goa. The feast of the patron is a time when all the members who stay in Navelim and who have migrated away from this village return back for a grand reunion with family. [NT]

Govt to seek opinion on loud music With night music coming under the High Court scanner and the police cracking a whip on loud music after 10 pm, the government has decided to seek the opinion of the Law Commission to work out a solution to the impasse created by the Madhya Pradesh Act over restrictions on loud music. Affected parties have decided to call on State Environment Minister Alexio Sequeira with a plea to take up the matter with Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh to grant at least two hour relaxation in playing loud music given that tourism is the main stay of Goan industry. Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat told Herald that he would discuss the matter with the Chairman of Goa Law Commission, Ramakant Khalap and other members and seek a report on how to go about the matter. [H]

Honda’s new Aviator unveiled in Goa Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt Ltd (HMSI), the wholly-owned 2-wheeler subsidiary of Honda Motor Company, Japan, on Tuesday unveiled the New Aviator with Euro III in Goa. Powered with an 110cc engine, the new model will deliver a power of 8bhp. New Aviator features the Combi-brake and adheres to even the BS-III norms. Among the other attractive features of the new Aviator includes the front Disc brake with 3 piston calipers and the alloy wheels (in Dlx Variant). [NT]

ESG announces red carpet event The Entertainment Society of Goa on Monday announced its red carpet event to be organized throughout the 40th edition of the International Film Festival of India, which opens in the city on November 23, daily between 6 pm and 7.30 pm. The chairman of the red carpet committee, Mr. Chandrakant Kavlekar, addressing a press conference at the Maquinez Palace hall said that film premieres would be arranged during the evening hours so that at least 3 to 4 leading film personalities walk on the red carpet, with people in general getting an opportunity to watch their favorite actors and actresses in person. [NT]

Machine to clean up two beach tracks The Department of Tourism has decided to launch a mechanized beach cleaning project on pilot basis on two out of nine beach stretches in the State. According to a tender floated by the department for the beach cleaning, seven stretches will have manual cleaning while two would be mechanized. [H]

Demand for land huge in coastal areas: TCP There’s a huge demand for land in the coastal areas of the State for development purposes, according to the Town and Country Planning Department which is in the process of preparing final draft of the Regional Plan 2021 by incorporating suggestions received from individuals and panchayats. Citing an example, Senior Town Planner T Puttaraju said at Mandrem in Pernem taluka there was a request for 79 lakh square metres of land for development as per suggestions received from individuals and panchayats. “The problem before the TCP is how to cut down on this requirement,” he stated .[H]

Outlets to sell cheaper rice Considering the rising price of some essential commodities, the government has decided to provide rice and wheat at reduced rates through marketing federation outlets. Goa will get an allocation of 1601 metric tonnes of wheat and 1406 tonnes of rice from the Centre through Food Corporation. The two commodities will be sold in the open market upto December 31 this year. [H]

Largest Naval offshore vessel launched ‘INS Sunayna’, the largest Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV) designed in-house and built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) was ceremoniously launched on Saturday at GSL by Rajni Bhasin, wife of Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. Flag Officer commanding-in-chief, Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjeev Bhasin, Flag Officer Commanding Goa Area, Rear Admiral Sudhir Pillai, GSL Chairman and Managing Director S Ananthasaynam and other dignitaries were present on the occasion. [H]