Police land in hands of pvt developer
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Police on Thursday registered a complaint of fraud and cheating against a Panaji based builder and employees of the directorate of settlement and land records and the PWD, for fraudulently selling land that had been acquired for the police in 1968.
The land, prime property worth crores of rupees at Dona Paula, had been acquired to construct an office building and quarters for the police, but “private parties encroached or trespassed into the land in connivance with certain officials of the government”, says the complaint.
Crime branch sleuths on Thursday registered an FIR against builder Joao Mathias, one Clotilda Fernandes and certain employees of the directorate of settlement and land records and PWD, under Section 420 (cheating), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of Rs 50 or upwards), 447 (criminal trespass), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (using as genuine a forged document) and 120 (b) of IPC and Section 13 (1) (d) and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The police acted after inquiring into a complaint filed by Nelson Cabral, who alleged that Fernandes, Mathias and others had occupied government land at Dona Paula and that Mathias had undertaken construction activities on the land.
On March 28, 1969, the sub-divisional officer, Panaji, had awarded 5,40,784.95 sq m of land at Dona Paula to the police department vide order no LQN/SR-21.
Police investigations show that, “the PWD prepared a survey plan in the year, 1987 without considering the survey plan prepared under section four of the land acquisition act as base. Therefore, it is clear that this document was also prepared to help the accused for taking possession of the land.”
The report further states, “Joe Mathias, one of the partners (Empire Builder Pvt Ltd) directly or indirectly connived with Clotilda Fernandes (who had a house in the land acquired by the government and was compensated) and others and prepared documents to get occupancy of the land acquired by the government for an office building and police quarters as there was an agreement of assignment executed on May 18, 1998 between Empire builders.”
LAND SCAM Builder, govt staff accused of graft
Panaji: A complaint of fraud and cheating was registered against a Panaji-based builder, employees of the directorate of settlement and land records and the PWD for fraudulently selling land that had been acquired for the police in 1968.
Police investigations state that the mutation file in respect of the matter is missing from the mamlatdar’s office and the file for construction of office buildings and police quarters is missing from the concerned offices.
Incidentally, investigations have revealed that while builder Joao Mathias took possession of about 89,045.43 sq m of land earmarked for the police, some portion of the land was sold to a private hotel owner and private roads were constructed by private parties without obtaining a “no objection” from the government or the police department.
“There is a possibility that private parties might have encroached on government land and executed sale deeds in
favour of other parties by creating forged documents which has to be probed into,” police investigations reveal.
Besides this, about 75,000 sq m of land were allotted to the National Institute of Oceanography for staff quarters and about two lakh sq m were allotted to the IT Park by the government, the report reveals.
November 21, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Friday, November 21, 2008
Deaths in two-wheeler crashes on the rise in Goa
Deaths in two-wheeler crashes on the rise in Goa
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Helmetless riding is taking an enormous toll on the lives of youth in the state. On Sunday, about 10 persons with head injuries were admitted to the neurosurgery ward of the Goa medical college and hospital, Bambolim, with head injuries from head-on collisions. Two of those admitted continue to be critical.
Of the 322 persons who died in road accidents in 2007, over 52% were two-wheeler drivers with head injuries and majority of them were not wearing a helmet at the time of the mishap.
“Statistics tell the truth. Two-wheelers are unsafe and accident prone, yet riders aren’t willing to wear helmets. They wear it only when the police insist. Things won’t change until people realize that it is their responsibility to wear helmets when on road to reduce the risk of their own death,” said SP (traffic) Arvind Gawas.
Data collected by the state’s traffic department on two wheeler riders killed reveals that in 2007, of the 186 persons who died from head injuries, 39 were pillion riders. Many of the accidents had occurred on national and state highways, where wearing a helmet is compulsory. On inner roads, which accounted for about 100 head injury related deaths, the number of two-wheelers involved was 817.
“The rider as well as the pillion are vulnerable when involved in a high velocity headon collision. Wearing a helmet provides protection against the impact and impulse head injuries,” said Dr Ponraj Sundaram, neurosurgeon, GMC. While an impact head injury may lead to a fracture of the skull and direct injury to the brain, an impulse head injury affects the whole brain.
“Any brain tissue damage lasts for life. If the person is young, the area around the tissue may compensate to a certain extent and the person may pull along, but many suffer from hidden handicaps,” said Sundaram. “We found that the working male population within the age group of 20 to 40 is most vulnerable to head injuries. We also found an increase in the number of high velocity head injuries among teenagers riding two-wheelers,” he said.
“If one avoids driving under the influence of alcohol, drives carefully and wears a helmet, the risk of accidents is drastically reduced,” said senior resident at GMC’s neurosurgery department Dr Jorson D’Costa.
Year 2006 saw 37% of the two-wheeler accident victims dying of head injuries. Of the 303 persons killed in 2006, about 102 were helmetless, and 18 were riding pillion. In the year 2005, 270 persons were killed in road accidents and 117 riders and pillion riders, were killed from head injuries. The year 2004 saw 306 deaths — 90 riders and 30 pillion riders — due to head injuries.
November 21, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Helmetless riding is taking an enormous toll on the lives of youth in the state. On Sunday, about 10 persons with head injuries were admitted to the neurosurgery ward of the Goa medical college and hospital, Bambolim, with head injuries from head-on collisions. Two of those admitted continue to be critical.
Of the 322 persons who died in road accidents in 2007, over 52% were two-wheeler drivers with head injuries and majority of them were not wearing a helmet at the time of the mishap.
“Statistics tell the truth. Two-wheelers are unsafe and accident prone, yet riders aren’t willing to wear helmets. They wear it only when the police insist. Things won’t change until people realize that it is their responsibility to wear helmets when on road to reduce the risk of their own death,” said SP (traffic) Arvind Gawas.
Data collected by the state’s traffic department on two wheeler riders killed reveals that in 2007, of the 186 persons who died from head injuries, 39 were pillion riders. Many of the accidents had occurred on national and state highways, where wearing a helmet is compulsory. On inner roads, which accounted for about 100 head injury related deaths, the number of two-wheelers involved was 817.
“The rider as well as the pillion are vulnerable when involved in a high velocity headon collision. Wearing a helmet provides protection against the impact and impulse head injuries,” said Dr Ponraj Sundaram, neurosurgeon, GMC. While an impact head injury may lead to a fracture of the skull and direct injury to the brain, an impulse head injury affects the whole brain.
“Any brain tissue damage lasts for life. If the person is young, the area around the tissue may compensate to a certain extent and the person may pull along, but many suffer from hidden handicaps,” said Sundaram. “We found that the working male population within the age group of 20 to 40 is most vulnerable to head injuries. We also found an increase in the number of high velocity head injuries among teenagers riding two-wheelers,” he said.
“If one avoids driving under the influence of alcohol, drives carefully and wears a helmet, the risk of accidents is drastically reduced,” said senior resident at GMC’s neurosurgery department Dr Jorson D’Costa.
Year 2006 saw 37% of the two-wheeler accident victims dying of head injuries. Of the 303 persons killed in 2006, about 102 were helmetless, and 18 were riding pillion. In the year 2005, 270 persons were killed in road accidents and 117 riders and pillion riders, were killed from head injuries. The year 2004 saw 306 deaths — 90 riders and 30 pillion riders — due to head injuries.
November 21, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
GLOBAL RECESSION Decline in tourist arrivals spells bad news for Goa
GLOBAL RECESSION Decline in tourist arrivals spells bad news for Goa
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Apart from British tourists, there has also been a decline in the number of Russian tourists arriving in the state this year.
Sources at Dabolim airport revealed that Ural airlines, a charter flight operating from Russia, has discontinued its operations to the state.
The first Ural charter landed in Goa on November 9 with just 28 passengers, though it had a seating capacity of about 200 passengers. They were slotted to arrive again on November 23, but have cancelled the flight.
“Global recession and a decrease in people’s spending power has affected the Russian market and led to a drop in 25% to 30% Russian tourists this season,” said Goa advocate for the consul general of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, Vikram Varma.
The trend doesn’t spell good news for the state of Goa, which had seen a steady increase in foreign tourists from 2.5 lakh in 1997 to about 4 lakh in 2007, a majority of who travel to Goa on charter flights.
November 20, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Apart from British tourists, there has also been a decline in the number of Russian tourists arriving in the state this year.
Sources at Dabolim airport revealed that Ural airlines, a charter flight operating from Russia, has discontinued its operations to the state.
The first Ural charter landed in Goa on November 9 with just 28 passengers, though it had a seating capacity of about 200 passengers. They were slotted to arrive again on November 23, but have cancelled the flight.
“Global recession and a decrease in people’s spending power has affected the Russian market and led to a drop in 25% to 30% Russian tourists this season,” said Goa advocate for the consul general of the Russian Federation in Mumbai, Vikram Varma.
The trend doesn’t spell good news for the state of Goa, which had seen a steady increase in foreign tourists from 2.5 lakh in 1997 to about 4 lakh in 2007, a majority of who travel to Goa on charter flights.
November 20, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Whopping 25% cut in charter rates from UK
Whopping 25% cut in charter rates from UK
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: A Delhi-Goa air ticket on November 29 may cost you anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 12,000. But a charter tourist arriving from Manchester, UK, on the same day with a return ticket and 21 nights stay thrown in will have to shell out only Rs 17,000.
“As there has been a drop in the number of tourists from the UK, we have cut down the charter flight rates by 25%. This discount will start immediately and continue till the end of the season,” said Ernest Dias, vice president, Sita travels.
The discounted rates, which includes a return ticket and stay, being offered by charter operators range between £214 (Rs 15,836) and £400 (Rs 29,600) for travel up to December 20 for flights originating in Manchester, East Midlands and Gatwick. “The rates in 2007 were between £400 (Rs 29,600) and £1,000 (Rs 74,000) for charter flights from the UK,” said Dias.
Rates during the peak season—from December 25, 2008 to January 2009—have been fixed between £556 (Rs 41,144) and £1,700 (Rs 1,25,800). To these a fuel surcharge of £20 (Rs 1,480) is added. The packages are for a stay ranging from a week to three weeks in Goa.
Data available with the foreigner’s registration office reveals that the state receives tourists from nearly 125 nations, with the majority coming from the UK (60%), followed by Russia (20% to 25%), Sweden and Germany. Not more than 500 Israelis visit the state annually. However, till date 27 charter flights from UK to Goa have brought in just 7,680 British tourists.
“Due to the recession people are not spending on travel. There has been a dip, but the market will recover,” said Aloo Gomes Periera, chief operating officer, charters, Thomas Cook India Ltd.
November 20, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: A Delhi-Goa air ticket on November 29 may cost you anything between Rs 5,000 and Rs 12,000. But a charter tourist arriving from Manchester, UK, on the same day with a return ticket and 21 nights stay thrown in will have to shell out only Rs 17,000.
“As there has been a drop in the number of tourists from the UK, we have cut down the charter flight rates by 25%. This discount will start immediately and continue till the end of the season,” said Ernest Dias, vice president, Sita travels.
The discounted rates, which includes a return ticket and stay, being offered by charter operators range between £214 (Rs 15,836) and £400 (Rs 29,600) for travel up to December 20 for flights originating in Manchester, East Midlands and Gatwick. “The rates in 2007 were between £400 (Rs 29,600) and £1,000 (Rs 74,000) for charter flights from the UK,” said Dias.
Rates during the peak season—from December 25, 2008 to January 2009—have been fixed between £556 (Rs 41,144) and £1,700 (Rs 1,25,800). To these a fuel surcharge of £20 (Rs 1,480) is added. The packages are for a stay ranging from a week to three weeks in Goa.
Data available with the foreigner’s registration office reveals that the state receives tourists from nearly 125 nations, with the majority coming from the UK (60%), followed by Russia (20% to 25%), Sweden and Germany. Not more than 500 Israelis visit the state annually. However, till date 27 charter flights from UK to Goa have brought in just 7,680 British tourists.
“Due to the recession people are not spending on travel. There has been a dip, but the market will recover,” said Aloo Gomes Periera, chief operating officer, charters, Thomas Cook India Ltd.
November 20, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
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