news pop – up

CALANGUTE: Bringing much relief to the motorists and others, the JICA Team carried out re-filling of the potholes that were opened up due to continuous rains for the last couple of days. The potholes were posing danger to motorists especially the domestic tourists riding a rent-a-bike on roads dug up for the sewerage works. One found it difficult to identify a pothole due to water logging on the main roads in Calangute.  The JICA team filled up the potholes on the road leading to St Alex Church from St Anthony’s Chapel besides the main road leading to Calangute market. However, a few roads especially the one from St Josephs’ School to Poriat football grounds needs urgent attention as it has become a death trap. A couple of hours of downpour makes it difficult for motorists and others to negotiate the road.

PANJIM: Special Judge under the Prevention of Corruption B P Deshpande today adjourned to August 17, the Serula Comunidade land grab case against Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar while directing Adv Aires Rodrigues to file an appropriate application on his demand for a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the case as the Crime Branch was going out of the way to shield the accused Dilip Parulekar. When the matter came up for hearing today, Crime Branch Inspector Rajendra Prabhudessai sought eight weeks time to complete the probe into the land grab case against Parulekar. Strongly opposing the plea of the Crime Branch, Adv Rodrigues submitted that the High Court be requested to set up a SIT to probe the case, as the Crime Branch, from the date of registering an FIR on January 17, 2014, has been doing everything possible to shield Parulekar. On an complaint filed by Adv Rodrigues under Section 156(3) of the Criminal Procedure Code, the Mapusa JMFC on January 16last year had directed the Porvorim Police to register an FIR for offences under sections 119, 120, 420 read with 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, against Parulekar, Peter Martins, then attorney of Comunidade of Serula and Mrs Irene Sequeira, then Administrator of Comunidades, North Zone.

Cuncolim Ganesh mandal launches donation coupons 

CUNCOLIM: Cuncolim Balli Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal donation coupons were inaugurated on Sunday at by Velim MLA Benjamin Silva. Mandal President and Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik was also present on the occasion. Appreciating the work of the mandal Cuncolim, Silva said “it is a unique place where one can see the ideal example of communal harmony.” He was referring to the composition of Cuncolim Mandal as people belonging to various faiths are its member. He also appealed to the mandal members to organise awareness programme on government schemes in locality. Rajan Naik gave an account of the various activities organised by the mandal. 

MARGAO: The Chinchinim Citizens Committee had strongly disapproved and condemned the steep hike in the electricity charges by the Government of Goa and has requested the chief minister to roll back the hike in power tariffs. The committee had threatened to get down to the streets and agitate if the hike is not rolled back soon. “There has been increasing number of robberies, murders and road accidents. The village internal roads are still in darkness. Several complaints are made to the electricity department. But the problems of the villagers are completely ignored. This has created a threat to the villagers and needs to be given utmost attention,” said General Secretary Neves Rebello. The CCC has also demanded improvement of the infrastructure of the Electricity supply before raising power fares.

MARGAO: At a tree plantation drive was held at Praca de Rachol organised by the Rachol biodiversity management committee. Rachol Sarpanch and chairman of the committee Joseph Vaz said that they were committed to preserve the ecology of the village. Plants with medicinal values and fruit bearing trees were planted alongside the road and gardens in the village. The sarpanch appealed to the people to cooperate with the committee while senior citizens, students, and pancahayat members participated in the porgramme.  

MARGAO: At a function organised by the Cortalim Farmers Club that has donated a mobile mortuary for the residents of Cortalim, Quellosim and Sancoale, the Cortalim Parish Priest Fr Diogo Fernandes blessed the mortuary unit. Fr Fernandes said that the mobile mortuary would go a long way to help the people especially during times of distress and acknowledged the contribution of the Farmers club and its president and Cortalim ZP member Anthony Vaz.

PANJIM: A day after Sports Minister Ramesh Tawadkar assured to reinstate 75 workmen who were terminated by Directorate Sports and Youth Affairs, Xavirito D’Souza, a member of Sports and Youth Affairs Employees Union, broke his fast after having been on an indefinite hunger strike for last three days. 

Speaking to the media at Azad Maidan, Union leader Ajisingh Rane said, “Based on the assurance given by Tawadkar, we have decided to defer the strike. However, if the file is not passed in the next cabinet meet which is likely to be held after 12 days, we will come out again and stage an indefinite hunger strike.”

The union has been demanding the reinstatement of all 145 workmen of the Directorate of Sports and Youth Affairs who were terminated last year, with the reason given excess staff in the department. The union has been demonstrating for last eight months.