Goa is getting warmer
The effects of global warming are being felt in Goa as the state is getting warmer. The average day temperatures have increased by 1.5 degrees Celsius in the last three years. The state has also received 181 cm of rainfall this month, which is 20 cm more than the normal quota of rains for July. This year, the state witnessed the hottest April in the last 39 years. The hottest April was last witnessed in 1971, which had recorded temperature of 34.5 degrees as against 36.4 degrees, this year. The warmest day was recorded way back in 1989 which recorded temperature of 39.9 degrees.

Goa to migrate to GST after detailed study
The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on Tuesday said that the state would prepare itself to migrate to goods and service tax (GST) regime proposed by the central government, after studying it in detail after the draft bill was received from the central authorities.

Replying to the queries raised by the members of the state legislative assembly during discussion on demands for commercial taxes, excise, finance etc departments held by him, Mr Kamat also said that he has called upon the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Confederation of Indian Industries (Goa chapter), and other bodies to organise a seminar on GST to clear the doubts of business and trading industry. The chairman of the central committee on GST, Mr Asim Das Gupta, has agreed to speak at the seminar, he added. He said that the commercial tax department has performed well and collected revenue to the tune of Rs 1,385 crore during the last financial year. [NT]

Bishop’s office under RTI*?
House committee asks Law department to study case
A legislative panel has asked the State law department to study the possibility of bringing the office of the Archbishop Patriarch of Goa and Daman within the ambit of the RTI Act. The ad hoc committee on law, chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Francis D’Souza, has asked the law department to reply within 15 days.

However, the department in written reply to the panel said: “The Vatican is recognised as a sovereign nation and the pope is the head of that nation. In that sense it is not known how its institution could be compelled to make their records open to public.” The committee’s decision to recommend the State law department to “make a comprehensive study” and “forward a detailed report to the committee within 15 days” follows a written suggestion by Antonia Michelle Abel. Abel said that while the State departments of law and the judiciary were covered under the RTI Act, the office of the Archbishop should also be treated in a similar manner. [H]

*Right to Information Act 2005 mandates timely response to citizen requests for government information. It is an initiative taken by Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions to provide a– RTI Portal Gateway to the citizens for quick search of information on the details of first Appellate Authorities,PIOs etc. amongst others, besides access to RTI related information / disclosures published on the web by various Public Authorities under the government of India as well as the State Governments.
See http://righttoinformation.gov.in/

Goa exhibition withdrawn due to controversial paintings
Sify

The paintings were sketched by artist Jose Pereira, who is of Goan origin. 'We had received a complaint from the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) against the ...

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Jose Philip assures action on black-marketing of kerosene
The Minister for Civil Supply and Consumer Affairs Jose Philip D’Souza told the House black-marketing of kerosene will be investigated into and, necessary action will be taken as Opposition members cornered him on the issue.

The question came to fore during “Question Hour” on Monday when Mandren MLA, Laxmikant Parsekar questioned why there is high concentration of kerosene vendors in Mormugao taluka. Of the total 715 vendors operating in the State, 315 alone are in Salcete, he said. Other talukas such as Pernem , Canacona and even Bardez has a fewer vendors but 45 per cent of the vendors are in Salcete. The Civil Supplies Minister said, vendors cater to floating population but Mandrekar countered whether 45 per cent of the floating population reside in Salcete? Supported by the Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrokar he said, kerosene supplied to vendors by the department is either sold in the open market at Rs 30 per litre or it is diverted for adulteration. [H]

Goa to get paperless court
The Union Law Minister, Mr Veerappa Moily on Sunday said that Goa has the potential to become the first state to be arrear free as regards to cases in the courts were concerned, even as he said that the state has been given the target of making at least one of the courts of the Goa bench of Bombay High Court and one of the sessions court paper free at the earliest. Addressing a press conference in the presence of the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, Chief Justices of various courts and Union Law Secretary at the end of regional review meeting as regards to implementation of 13th Finance Commission recommendations for improving justice delivery and other matters held here, Mr Moily also said that Goa could be a good centre for arbitration and a preferred destination for international mediation. [NT]

Efficient to deficient, Goa to buy power
Power Minister Aleixo Sequeira yesterday announced in the legislative assembly that the government would execute short-term and long-term power traders through tenders, indicating that Goa has now become power deficient. Replying to the Debate on the Demands for Grants, Sequeira said the government has initiated various measures to ensure sufficient availability of power as well as to adequately beef up the T&D network in the state. The government will purchase 100 MV of power for next four to five years through the short-term PPA, while 300 MW of power is proposed to be purchased through long-term PPAs to meet requirements of new industries, which are in teh pipline he said. [GT]

Release of 'Song of Goa' in Panjim

This book launched on FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010. Information from Fredrick Noronha.

Details of book:
Authors: Jose Pereira, Micael Martins (†) & António da Costa
Pp 497 Hb Rs 450 | Size: 8.5 x 5.5 inches | July 2010
Co-publishers: Goa,1556 and Broadway Publishing House

The book contains the score and lyrics of a number of traditional Goan mandos, together with an overview explaining the context (history, politics, etc) of Goa. There are lists of various forms of Goan song. It is a must-read for anyone interested in a deeper understanding of Goa, Goan song and the forces that shaped both.

About the Authors:

]ose Pereira (1931) is Professor Emeritus of Theology of Fordham University, New York, where he lectured on History of Religions. He has taught and done research in various academic institutions in Lisbon, London and Varanasi, and has published 24 books and 145 articles on theology, history of art and architecture, and on Goan and Konkani culture, language, literature and music.

Micael Martins (1914-1999), Goa’s outstanding composer of classical music, first studied music in the parish school of his village, and then in Bombay with renowned music teachers. He performed for various societies in Bombay and Delhi, and led orchestras of films in Bombay. He began collecting traditional Goan songs, art and folk, in 1933, and collaborated with José Pereira in recording Konkani songs from 1954, compiling as many as 11,000 numbers. Martins incorporated several motifs from traditional Goan Song into his classical musical compositions.

António da Costa (1943), is a priest, psychotherapist, and musician. He received his musical training in Goa, and Bombay, and in the USA at the prestigious Julliard School of Music and Columbia University. Inspired by his parents’ love for traditional Goan music, he began his work for its preservation from the age of 16 and, for several years, broadcast over Radio Goa (later All India Radio) with the assistance of choral groups he himself founded.

Rethink on sea link project: panel
Posted: 27 Jul 2010 08:55 AM PDT

The Dona Paula-Vasco sea link project would be a white elephant for the state of Goa, a legislative panel has said in its report. The Adhoc Committee on Finance, which is chaired by Calangute legislator Agnelo Fernandes, in its report submitted to the Assembly today, has asked the government to rethink on the project. “The committee is of the opinion that the project would be a white elephant on the economy of the state,” the report stated urging the state to rethink on project.

The committee felt that such mindless project having provision of Rs 100 crores in the year 2009-10, has resulted in blocking of funds for no reasons which could have been put to use for other developmental activities.

“The committee is also of the opinion that the sea link project may not benefit for small state like Goa. The committee therefore recommends the government to avoid such huge unnecessary provisions in budget estimates in future,” the report says.

Courtesy: Herald

Vedanta's Sesa Goa sees Q2 profit declining on China slowdown
http://biz.zeenews.com/news/news_content.aspx?newscatid=3&newsid=9972
Updated on Tuesday, July 20, 2010,

New Delhi: Vedanta Group firm Sesa Goa Tuesday said its profit may fall in the second quarter due to slowing economic activity in China and prevalent monsoon.

"Historically in the second quarter, our profit has declined due to the monsoon. Now, Chinese economy is also slowing. On volume, we will be able to deliver to our long- term customers in China. But we have no control over the fluctuating prices. We are not in China out of choice," Sesa Goa managing director PK Mukherjee said.

China accounts for over 80 percent of its total sales.

The company saw its profit growing three-folds in the first quarter of the current fiscal to Rs 13.01 crore over the year-ago period on account of increased sales after the acquisition of Goa-based VS Dempo last year for Rs 1,750 crore. The mining firm sold about 5.4 million tonnes of iron ore in the first quarter. It had a profit of Rs 4.22 crore in the first quarter of the last fiscal. The company said it will try to contain input cost in the second quarter.

To reduce its dependence on China, the company is actively looking at supplying iron ore to customers in other parts of the world. It is negotiating higher prices for its iron ore supplied to Japanese and South Korean mills in the first quarter of the fiscal.

"We had also recently made a trial-supply to Tata Steel Thailand. Indian steel firms mostly do not use fines to produce steel," he added.

On iron ore prices, which had touched a peak of USD150 a tonne in the first quarter, he said, could hover in the range of USD100-110 a tonne in the next few months. The company operates mines in Goa, Karnataka and Orissa. Supplies from Goa will be affected due to the ongoing monsoon in the second quarter, Mukherjee said.

The Vedanta Group firm saw its sales increasing to Rs 24.13 crore in the first quarter, as against Rs 10.11 crore in the corresponding period a year ago. Sesa Goa produced about 21 million tonnes of iron ore in the last fiscal and expects the output to grow in the current financial year, as it targets the 50 million tonnes mark in next 2-3 years.

The company is actively scouting for properties in India and overseas. (PTI)

Forget fish curry, Goa serves up a delectable variety of street food
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6173919.cms?prtpage=1
16 Jul 2010, ,Smitha Venkateswaran,ET Bureau

We all love the Goan fish curry rice. Gulp it with chilled beer and that’s our mantra for an ideal holiday! The pot bellies not withstanding, guzzling beer, fried fish and good prawns gravy has become a synonym for a typical Goan meal.

But not many are aware that Goa has an enviable variety of evening snacks that are both tasty and healthy. Hugely popular among locals but hardly relished by tourists, Goa’s street food is probably the best-kept secret in this
resort state.

A regular favourite is potato chops, filled with minced beef and shallow fried. Today, a ‘vegetarian’ specialty is available wherein potato is filled with egg and shallow fried. There is the beef chilli fry, a semi-dry preparation with lots of onion rings and thin-brown spicy gravy. But an all-time hot favourite has been the Raos Omelette, which is plain omelette dipped in spicy coconut-based gravy and garnished with lime and onions. The snack, normally had with bread, is considered to be one of the most sumptuous and cost-effective meals for the common man. Having been under the Portuguese regime for over 400 years, Goa is known primarily for its distinctive meat specialties.

In fact, the story goes like this. Kashmiri chillies and pork were brought into the state by the Portuguese, who used to pickle pork as a meal for their long voyage back home. Chouricos or pickled pork sausages, are well salted and spiced. Once they have been prepared, the strings of sausages are dried in the sun and then hung above the fire where they are slowly and gradually smoked. Soon, tired of eating the same pickled meat, the local cooks on board tempered it with some spices to create the Pork Sorpatel, a rich stew made from the shoulders, neck, kidneys and ears of the pig. This one is absolute bliss.

Earlier, pork was prohibited by Muslims, but made a comeback under the Portuguese and now forms an integral part of the Goan diet, particularly on a festive occasion like Christmas, when Christian families prepare Pork Vindalhoo - flavoured with coconut oil and milk, blended with onions and a long list of spices, including Kashmiri red chillies.

According to historians, forced conversions carried out about 400 years ago are also responsible for making pork and beef an integral part of the local menu. Back then, a new convert was forced to eat meat, remove the Tulsi plant from his front yard - customs meant to separate him from the predominantly Hindu community. While this may have helped people accept Christianity, it also embodied a western lifestyle, changed eating habits, points out Mario Cabral e Sa, co-author of GOA: Aparanta, Land Beyond the End, which covers Goan life, culture and history from prehistoric times.

But the most popular Goan dish is Pork Vindaloo. The dish evolved from a Portuguese pork stew that was originally seasoned with wine (vinho) vinegar and garlic (alho). To this vihdalho sauce, the Goans added palm sap (toddi) vinegar and their characteristic sprinkling of spices. The result is a piquant curry, spicy hot and very tasty.

Veteran journalist Cyril D’Cunha feels that a cultural mix through inter-religious marriages paved the way for some unique dishes. “Indian women started to marry foreigners, they had to cater to their meat-eating habits; this led to a lot of experimentation,” says D’Cunha. The result is some wonderful lip smacking recipes like the Chicken Xacuti; an original Goan dish made for those wary of eating pork or beef.

This gravy made up of coconut paste and loads of spices is an all-time favourite. Such is the demand that today we have a vegetarian variation now made out of mushrooms and potatoes.

But the love for meat continues. So, when fish became scarce during monsoon, pickled pork came to the rescue. This fixation for meat was probably also the reason why bread became an integral part of Goan palate. And unlike neighbouring Maharashtra and Karnataka, where chapati is the staple home food, soft bun fermented in toddy is the
ideal Goan food.

No buffet or wedding meal is considered complete without the soft bun. “Bread is an integral part of our daily food, I think, it’s the Portuguese regime that made bread so much a part of our diet,” says food expert Odette Mascarenhas. Soon, bread became a staple diet even for the non-meat eaters.

In fact, the Hindu housewives, known to be wary of wasting food, have a common breakfast lingo Kalchi Kadi which means yesterday’s curry that is eaten with bread for breakfast.

There are different buns - hard and soft - meant to be eaten at different times - either with breakfast or an evening cup of tea. And unlike most places, the local podder (baker) continues to use cashew toddy instead of yeast for fermenting his bread. This is meant to enhance the taste. While breakfast is usually vegetable gravy to be had with the hard-grained polee, there are also sweet buns filled with raisins for those having a sweet-tooth. And then, with the soft regular bun, there is also the ring shaped toast kankan and Quatro bow - the butterfly-shaped toast, both meant to be dipped into tea.

Another thing unique about Goa is the system of selling pav. Perceval Noronha, noted historian and an expert in Goa’s past, elaborates how during the Portuguese regime, every morning, bakers lined up on a particular street to ring their bells, announcing that bread is ready. Aptly named ‘Bakers Road’,this lane in Panjim now houses many important buildings like the Goa bench of Mumbai High Court.

Even today like earlier, bread continues to be served at home every morning. So, you will find pav wala - a baker boy riding the bicycle, bringing fresh bakes right to your doorstep. And if his constant hooting of the horn doesn’t get you off the slumber, then the aroma of farm-fresh supplies is surely a welcome way to bring in the day.

The scene is better during the monsoons when the torrent showers will bring raincoat-clad baker boys serving piping hot bakes.

“Bread here is made up of cashew toddy, brought in by the Portuguese. It was easily available and went better with meat, better than chapatti,” points out chef Peter who recently won the Best Chef award given by the tourism ministry for his Goan-Portuguese cuisines at O’Coqueiro restaurant.

O’Coqueiro, which became famous after the sensational arrest of smuggler Charles Shobraj in 1986, is credited with bringing to Goa the absolutely divine chicken cafreal. Made up of green chillies, coriander and other spices, this dish was inspired by Africa where many Goans travelled for work. But the Goan version with fiery little green piri-piri chillies and ground with black pepper is piping hot, making you pant as you continue licking your fingers with utter greed.

Goans loved their street food much before bhajias and samosas came to dominate the road. So, we have the delicious chicken cutlet pav where tender chicken legs are fried and served with a cabbage salad. A recent variation, ‘fish cutlets’, serves fried fish with cabbage and onion salad coated with a hint of vinegar.

So, the next time you visit Goa, if you see a Mercedes parked near a street vendor huddled with people, then be sure to sample the food a bit. It could be the beginning of another discovery into Goa’s myriad delicacies. Goan street food has a distinct Portuguese influence; it is hot, made with red chillies and other local spices.

Today, to cater to the urbane lifestyle, many Goan dishes are packed differently, like the ‘Xacuti Burger’ made of shredded chicken in thick gravy, sandwiched into the polee. Quick and healthy, this doubles up as an office snack - easy to eat, filling and, most importantly, does not spill over while eating on the desk.

This new packing will probably garner more attention, who knows soon the polee with its health benefits as a whole-grain bread will make it as a global health food - tasty and totally wholesome.

'THE FORCES DESTROYING GOA ARE MUCH STRONGER THAN I AM'
From: Goanet Reader: (Gerard D'Souza, Gomantak Times)‏

One of Goa's foremost intellectuals, Dr Jose Pereira, also known as Goa's Da Vinci, inaugurated his painting exhibition at Porvorim last week. In an exclusive interview, this polymath (who has published 24 books on theology, history of art, architecture, Goan culture, language, literature and music) speaks to GERARD D'SOUZA about his varied interests.

Click here to see Frederick Noronha’s comments

Q: Your interests span a wide range of issues from Islamic architecture in India to teaching Theology of World Religions at the Fordham University, to the Goan mando. How did you come to span such a wide range of interests and specialisations?
I see myself as a product of two traditions: one is the Latin-Christian tradition and the other is the Indian Hindu tradition. So, in order to bring to expression these traditions, I had to do extensive research.

Q: You spent a majority of your life outside Goa. How did it feel to be separated from your motherland?
Like a rat, I have run away from the sinking ship, which is Goa.

Q: How did you manage to keep in touch with Goa despite being based in far off places, even before the internet came into the picture?
When I was in London, I used to travel by land to Goa. That meant travelling across Europe and then to the border of Iran. From there, I would hitchhike by truck on the border of Pakistan and then make my way into India. Nobody does that anymore.

Q: You have done extensive work on the mando. How do you look at the mando today?
As I said, I am a product of two cultures. In the mando, I find a concrete symbol of the synthesis of two cultures. I needed a concrete argument to bring out the synthesis of the Latin Christian and the Indian Hindu and I find this in the mando. The mando is beloved but betrayed. It was the work of the aristocratic minority to create a fragment of Europe surrounded by the waters of the Arabian sea and the hills of the Sahyadris... an attempt to create a little Vienna with a fantastic spirit and dance.

It is amazing to see a file of men dressed in purely Western outfits and a file of women in Indian costumes holding ostrich fans gently swaying back and forth to a melancholic tune. It was a fantasy world. It couldn't have lasted very long. It lasted about a hundred and fifty years. I like the fantasy world of the mando.

Q: What about the tiatrs?
In my time, there were folk plays, beautiful plays. But they published nothing. It was only when Joao Agostinho arrived on the scene that he began publishing. They were lucky I arrived on the scene and took notes of what was happening.

These folk playwrights were ahead of their time. They were already attacking social evils like landlords sexually exploiting their tenants and drunken behaviour and all this pushed them much ahead of their contemporaries.

Q: Even today, the tiatr is a very vibrant industry, don't you think?
Yes, that is because the Catholics are afraid that their entity is being dissolved and this is their way of asserting their identity.

Q: What do you feel about the future of Konkani?
I'm no longer optimistic about the future of Konkani. It has to fight too many forces that are too great for it to take on. What will we do?

Look at Marathi. It is spoken over such a wide territory, almost 80 times the size of Goa, and they all have one standard that they can look up to.

How can Konkani survive? They claim there is a standard: the Devanagari Konkani, but does it inspire loyalty among a Bardezkar or Saxttikar? Take for example the mando 'Adeu Korcho Vellu Paulo'. Tem Ponddekar-ak poddlam? Amchem nu mhonntelem te.

If we have the zeal of the Jews, then maybe. They have revived the buried Hebrew language. It's plastered everywhere, on their walls, they speak it to their children and they speak it on the radio. Do you think we are capable of this?

Q: You are primarily known as a scholar and intellectual. Where does painting come into the picture?
I look at myself as a painter. It's just that my primary source of income was not from paintings. Besides, nobody noticed my work so I went into scholarly studies. People were perhaps... equally confused as I was about myself. My painting was otherwise sporadic.

Q: You were based in Benares for awhile. Tell us what you did there?
I was centered in Benares as I had a project to research the history of Indian art with the American Academy of Benares. I was working on producing photographs of Indian monuments across India.

We were supposed to take pictures and store them there and then study them. That was our plan. I was doing Indian Baroque art. I travelled a lot in India then, especially visiting Daman and Diu, Bombay and Kerala, not to mention Goa where Baroque art is popular.

Q: Tell us about your encounters with D.D. Kosambi?
My encounters with him were very brief. He was being driven somewhere and he allowed us to enter his car. But I was friends with Manoharrai Sardessai and still remember his poems.

Q: How did you end up lecturing Theology?
I'm a self-taught theologian. It is one of my greatest fascinations, especially Latin scholastic theologies. I've written articles on theology. But then, how does one expect people who are into theology to be interested in a painter?

Q: If you were to get a chance to live again, what would you like to come back as?
I supposed I could be a computer graphics expert. But then, a meditative existence would not be possible. I would not be able to have the vivid experiences that I have had. I am happy to have lived in the time I have lived and have been living.

Q: What are your views on today's young generation?
I know nothing of the young of today. I am nearly eighty years old. The world that I knew is very different from the world of today.

We used to read books and classics. I read all of Shakespeare, Dickens... but today's youth know computers. We had an opening to Portuguese culture which today's youth don't have. The Portuguese have died out and with that the Goa I knew has also died out. We no longer create new songs. In our time, the songs were being composed by the dozen.

Q: Do you think Goa is a good place to nurture scholars of your caliber?
We don't have the institutions. It will take time. Where can one do meditative research? Definitely not at Goa University! In any case I don't live here so I don't know the scene.

Q: Do you ever regret leaving your home behind?
What they cannot control, the wise do not grieve. The forces that are destroying Goa are much stronger than I am, why should I grieve?

SOURCE: Gomantak Times.

Dr Jose Pereira's forthcoming programmes in Goa:

• July 30, 2010 (Wednesday): 5.30 pm,  Folk Plays of Salcete, talk at XCHR-Alto Porvorim.

• July 30, 2010 (Friday): 4.30 pm,  Release of the book Song of Goa, Hotel Mandovi.

Both functions are open to the public.

FILM: Tum Kitem Kortolo Aslo?
Granted censor certificate for release
By: Wilson Wilmix | Posted on goanet.org | Sun, 25 Jul 2010
Ekta Kapoor can, Wilmix-Sharon cannot

Renowned Goan entertainers Wilmix and Sharon have finally been granted the censor certificate for their upcoming Konkani film, ‘Tum Kitem Kortolo Aslo ?” but not without amendments. Having completed the shooting of this film by the beginning of this year itself, this much awaited film apparently ran into some minor trouble for referring to T.V- screen stars from the Ekta Kapoor’s popular saas-bahu-serial, in a particular scene, by their names “Parvati” and “Tulsi’. Although no such exclusion happened in these soap operas inspite of some extremist protesting the use of these names as they are names of Goddesses within Hindu mythology, our Goan film had to replace these specifications as mentioned overleaf on this certificate.

Click here to see photos of Tum Kitem Kortolo Aslo.

“We were shocked to find out that our film, that has absolutely nothing obscene or anything like that, was stalled by the censor board,” for such a reason, commented screen play writer-director and lead artiste in this film, Sharon Mazarello.

“We do not want to hurt anybody’s sentiments; it was never our intention anyways,” quotes Wilmix who just arrived yesterday after doing the changes in this film as prescribed by the censor board.

Apparently, in this scene, the salesman played by Fermeeno Goes mentions ‘Parvati’ and ‘Tulsi’ denoting popular stars from Ekta Kapoor’s soap operas, in his attempt to convince the customer saying that these silver screen celebrities too, use the products he is selling. As per Fermeeno’s character on the script, he is a salesman who sells almost anything and everything to anyone and everyone.

Insistently disagreeing with the stance of the censor board, assistant director Claron Mazarello felt that while the movie is ‘thought provoking’ and meant to open people’s minds towards things they are otherwise very conservative about, this move by the censors was uncalled for as there was absolutely nothing derogatory with the mentioned salesman’s scene, he opined.

The audio release of this movie slated at August 15, the date of Film release is yet to be decided. “It is due, somewhere around the first week of November and the film is also offered for screening at IFFI this year, besides the Konkani convention in Mangalore organized by the Mandd Shobann starting November 25,” revealed Sharon.

Finally, however, it’s an “all clear” signal finally, for the movie - “TUM KITEM KORTOLO ASLO ?”.

Wilmix Wilson Mazarello (Co-Producer)
Shamaz Films (Goa) | Margao, Goa
wilsonwil@rediffmail.com | Cell: 9822386579