News Clips from Goa

560 structures to make way for NH17 Its official! Almost 40 structures between the Mahindra showroom and the Sai Service station at Porvorim will face the axe when the widening of the NH17 is undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India. The four-lanning of the NH17 from Patradevi to Polem — around 139 km stretch — will be taken up on BOOT basis at a cost of approximately Rs 2000 crore. Inquiries by Herald have revealed that according to the new alignment sent by the NHAI around 560 structures across the State will have to make way for the project. “These 560 structures include around 280 houses”, sources in the PWD told Herald. Sources also informed that the NHAI has also decided to reduce the width of the road to 45 meters in the densely populated areas and wherever possible to go ahead with 60-m widening. “Most of the structures would face demolitions in Porvorim and Siridao areas”, sources informed. While in Porvorim 40 structures including houses as well as buildings will be acquired by NHAI, in Siridao area almost 30 houses and other structures will be demolished for widening, sources said. [H]

Bonanza for Goan fishing industry Curtains may have come down on the season this year but Goa's mechanised fishing community is in for a pleasant surprise - four 'fishing harbours'.The state governmant has decided to upgrade the four existing fishlanding jetties at Cutbona, Cortalim, Malim, Chapora into full-fledged 'fishing harbours' replete with modern cold storage facilities and other infrastructural support systems. The government has almost finalised the West Bengal Fisheries Corporation Limited as the consultant for developing these 'fishing harbours' and to prepare the techno-economic feasibility report. According to Director of Fisheries S C Verenkar, the 'fishing harbours' will have all the required shore amenities like net mending, auction hall, cold storage, ice plant, etc. The project will be implemented under a Centrally sponsored scheme. [GT]

GSHDC to have own ripening chamber The Goa State Horticultural Development Corporation will soon be able to boast of its own 'modern fruit ripening chamber'. The corporation last month issued tenders inviting consultants to prepare a report on the estimate for the project. According to Corporation chairman Deepak Dhavlikar, the corporation already has the space and a shed at Chimbel but only technical help is found waiting. "We have all necessary material to ripen fruit," said the chairman. Every year the 'king of fruits' mango makes its way into the Goan market despite the fact the high rates dig holes in the common man's pocket. This despite the common knowledge that the fruits in the market are often chemically ripened. Not just mangoes but also bananas are chemically ripened possibly affecting the health of the people, who consume it. [GT]

Raincoats, exercise books to students coupons provided to schools The process of providing coupons for procuring raincoats to students of class I and III besides exercise books to the students of class II, III and IV studying in the government primary as well as private aided schools, has started. The coupons have been made available at the ADEI office, Margao. Sources from the office of education department at Margao said that schools are being provided coupons as per the requirements of the students so that they can approach the notified shops and get the raincoats, exercise books etc. [NT]

Rampaging sea threatens beaches, coastal houses in Canacona Monsoons may be yet to fully hit the State, but the Arabian Sea has certainly blown to its abnormality at this time of the year, threatening the existence of beaches and some coastal houses in Canacona taluka. For the last four days, rains have eluded Canacona taluka, but this has not averted the sea rampage on the entire sea coast, almost threatening the very survival of beaches. Arabian Sea has gone wild enough and exceptionally violent in Canacona, as huge waves have already begun to pound the shore causing extensive sand erosion, especially during high tide on most of the beaches, informed sources. According to reports, beaches at Agonda, Colomb, Patnem, Gagibaga and Talpona are threatened with anticipation of severe sand erosions. [H]

Mangoes Ripened Using Harmful Chemical widely sold in Goan Markets Mangoes treated with the hazardous chemicals enter the Goan market on a large scale without hindrance or check. The food and drugs officials are in a deep slumber while the mangoes ripened artificially with harmful chemical Calcium carbide are openly sold in Vasco and other Goan markets. Click to view YouTube Video

Fishing ban in Goa set to kick in from June 15 Posted: 11 Jun 2010 09:15 AM PDT | http://www.goablog.org/ The 45-day monsoon fishing ban will come into force along the entire western coast of India from June 15. It will last till July 31. Goa fisheries director S C Verenkar told TOI that all the four major fishing jetties in Goa - Chapora, Malim, Cutbona and Vasco - will be sealed, thus grounding about 850 fishing trawlers across the state. Fuel pumps at the jetties will also be sealed and oil companies have been asked not to supply diesel to these pumps during the period. Verenkar said the coastal police has been asked to keep vigil on major fish landing centres in Goa and that the coast guard has also been requested to assist in the enforcement of the ban. The fishing ban applies to all mechanized fishing vessels or trawlers and also to canoes fitted with outboard motors of over 10 horsepower. Canoes fitted with motors having 10 horsepower or less and the traditional “ramponn” operators will not be included in the ban. Although there are 1,100 trawlers registered with the fisheries department in Goa, only about 850 fishing trawlers are functional. In addition, there are about 2,000 canoes of which about 1,000 are fitted with outboard motors below 10 horsepower. The others are non-motorized. The purpose of the ban is two-fold. It helps conserve fish during their breeding period and also helps to protect the lives of fishermen during the monsoons when the seas tend to get rough. When asked about the fishing scenario in Goa, Verenkar said it was not too encouraging. The fish production in Goa from January to December 2009 had slipped to 80,000 tons in comparison to the 88,000 tons production during the same period in the previous year. No study has been done to explain the reduction, he said. Verenkar also said that the government is on the verge of finalizing a consultant for the development and upgrading of the four major landing centres in Goa. The chosen consultant will prepare and submit to the government the techno-economic feasibility report, the detailed project report and the environmental impact assessment study for the four fishing jetties in Goa.

Goa gets 2nd airport; Greater Noida next? 11 Jun 2010, ET Bureau | From: goanet-news-bounces@lists.goanet.org NEW DELHI: The government has approved setting up of a greenfield international airport in Goa, relaxing the 150 km minimum separation norms. The move would pave the way for similar airports projects near cities, such as Delhi, that are beginning to face air congestion. The decision on second airport at Goa was taken by the Cabinet that met on Thursday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. As per the decision, the international airport would come up in Mopa area of Goa through private participation. The new airport will not come at the cost of suspending air operations at the existing Dabolim airport, information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni told reporters after announcing the Cabinet's decisions. "The cabinet reviewed its earlier decision to close down the existing airport at Goa once the commercial operations started from Mopa," she said. There was apprehensions among the locals about the possibility of the Dabolim airport being closed down once the new one started operations. In 2000, the civil aviation ministry had proposed that Dabolim airport should be closed down once an airport starts operations in Mopa. The existing airports at Hyderabad and Bangalore have been closed after the private greenfield airports started operations there. The government's decision assumes importance as it could pave the way for similar projects coming up in cities like Delhi where the 150 km norm is being hotly debated. In fact, the Uttar Pradesh government has proposed international airport in Jhevar at Greater Noida, which falls within the 150 km range of Delhi's existing IGI airport. "A group of ministers (GoM) is evaluating the proposal and likely to take decision soon," said an official of the civil aviation ministry, asking not to be named. "There is no binding regulation to follow 150 km norm. The government can relax provisions considering the need for a second airport in any other Indian city," the official said. The government has already proposed two such airports at Navi Mumbai (near Mumbai) and Kannur in Kerala. The Delhi International Airport (DIAL), led by Bangalore headquartered global Infrastructure major GMR Group, has taken over operation and modernisation international airport of Delhi. The company had expressed concern over second airport in the vicinity of Delhi as it would have impacted its revenues.

Spanish wines now in Goa http://oheraldo.in/news/Business News/Spanish-wines-now-in-Goa/33006.html HERALD BUSINESS DESK Stockholm Distillers and Vinters Pvt Ltd has launched a new range of wines at the hands of Remo Fernandes at Solar dos Colacos, Ribandar on Sunday. Also present were Gabriel Ruiz Lopez, wine maker from Spain; D K Raju, CEO, Wine Legend India Pvt Ltd and Julio Cruz, CEO Stockholm Distillers and Vinters Pvt Ltd. The wines directly imported from California and Spain have genuine 24 carat gold flakes and are one of its kind in India. The idea for Gold came from drinking too many wines that were over exposed to oak and were too buttery, too old and had too much sulphur. Gold, a noble metal is unique and eternal and the use of Gold with wine and food is a long standing tradition. It not only creates contrast and celebration but is also just meant to be fun. Mukesh Jain, MD and spokesperson for Stockholm Distillers and Vinters Pvt Ltd Associated with Wine Legend India Pvt Ltd comments, “The market is ready for something new and exciting and our Gold wines are here to fill that niche. The wines can be used to celebrate and an additional sparkle.” Mukesh is a long standing industrialist and MD to Pramukh Closures Pvt. Ltd.