I was drugged, robbed, says Dutch woman
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: Acting on a complaint by a Dutch woman, the Anjuna police has registered a case of theft and drugging against unknown persons, suspected to be Nigerians.
Police sources said that a 24-year-old Dutch woman complained that she was escorted by six Nigerian men to a party on new year’s night. Thereafter, she alleged that she was drugged by the Nigerians, who then robbed her of her belongings. As she suspected sexual abuse, she was sent for medical examination by the police. The report, however, didn’t indicate any sort of sexual abuse.
Incidentally, though the incident occured on December 31, the woman approached the police only on January 2. Another major setback, the police explained, is that the woman is not aware where she was taken by the Nigerians for the party on new year’s night.
January 05,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Monday, January 05, 2009
Yemeni partners in local institute alarm police
VISA TROUBLE
Yemeni partners in local institute alarm police
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Security agencies in the state are alarmed on discovering that a private teaching institute in Panaji is being funded by two Yemeni nationals on a student visa in India to study in Hyderabad. The matter has been reported to the union ministries of Home affairs and External affairs by the Goa Police and their intervention sought.
Drawing the attention of the ministries to the functioning of “The Nobel English Centre” located in a residential building opposite Don Bosco school, Panaji, the Goa police’s special branch in its latest report submitted that the institute’s Indian proprietor has admitted that he has two Yemeni partners and “there appears to be gross violation of visas by the students and in the documentation of the institute”.
However, Sunil Malvankar, owner of The Nobel English Centre, on December 29 2008, submitted to the police that his two Yemeni partners now desired to withdraw their partnership.
“A foreigner in India on a student visa can’t do business or be a partner in a business enterprise. Since this is in violation of visa rules, we have reported the matter to the ministry of Home Affairs to take appropriate action,” said SP (Foreigner’s Registration Office) Tony Fernandes.
“The Yemeni partners resident permits issued by FRO, Hyderabad, indicate that they have entered India via Hyderabad on the strength of student visas,” states the police report.
During police verification it was also found that most of the foreign students enrolled at The Nobel English Centre didn’t have student visas to study there.
“There are 16 students in the institute, of which, 13 are registered with us. Eleven of them have student visas to study in other English teaching institutes. Besides, one student is on a six month provisional student visa and no institute or state is mentioned, one has a student visa to study BCom at Pune University and another to study spoken English in Pune,” said sources. Foreign students enrolled with incorrect visas
Panaji: A case of Yemeni nationals being partners in a local teaching institute has alarmed Goa police. The duo were apparently on a student visa in India to study in Hyderabad. It has also come to light that most foreign students enrolled at the The Nobel English Centre did not have correct student visas.
Police sources said that though the Central government is clear that when a foreign student moves from a recognised institute to another within or outside the state they have to seek the state Home department’s permission, so far there are no rules to monitor movement of students in private institutes.
However, FRO Goa has decided to take up the matter with the FROs at Hyderabad and Pune. “We will take up the matter with the concerned FROs as foreign students can’t study in Goa without a student visa for a Goan institute,” said Fernandes.
The cops are also concerned about the issue of visas to foreigners to study in non registered institutes.
“We have sent reports to the Central ministries about the issue of grant of student visa to foreign nationals to study in private institutes, which are not recognized by the government and asked them to verify the authenticity of the institutions from the FRO, Goa or the Goa state government before issuing a student visa,” said Fernandes. The issue of foreign students is of concern as two months before the Mumbai attacks, a reconnaissance team under the guise of being Malaysian students had stayed in Colaba.
“There is a need to ensure that unauthorized migration of foreign students is not permitted and unscrupulous institutes which admit such students should be strictly dealt with. We are keeping a watch on such institutes, especially after the Mumbai terror attacks,” said SP (Special branch) Atmaram Deshpande. Police sources reveal that most Arabs on student visas arrive to study in institutes not recognized by any government or university. Even as the number of such institutes has increased in the last year, there is still no mechanism to keep a check on them. Many institutes are run in residential buildings without proper permissions or even an NOC from the society.
January 5, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Yemeni partners in local institute alarm police
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Security agencies in the state are alarmed on discovering that a private teaching institute in Panaji is being funded by two Yemeni nationals on a student visa in India to study in Hyderabad. The matter has been reported to the union ministries of Home affairs and External affairs by the Goa Police and their intervention sought.
Drawing the attention of the ministries to the functioning of “The Nobel English Centre” located in a residential building opposite Don Bosco school, Panaji, the Goa police’s special branch in its latest report submitted that the institute’s Indian proprietor has admitted that he has two Yemeni partners and “there appears to be gross violation of visas by the students and in the documentation of the institute”.
However, Sunil Malvankar, owner of The Nobel English Centre, on December 29 2008, submitted to the police that his two Yemeni partners now desired to withdraw their partnership.
“A foreigner in India on a student visa can’t do business or be a partner in a business enterprise. Since this is in violation of visa rules, we have reported the matter to the ministry of Home Affairs to take appropriate action,” said SP (Foreigner’s Registration Office) Tony Fernandes.
“The Yemeni partners resident permits issued by FRO, Hyderabad, indicate that they have entered India via Hyderabad on the strength of student visas,” states the police report.
During police verification it was also found that most of the foreign students enrolled at The Nobel English Centre didn’t have student visas to study there.
“There are 16 students in the institute, of which, 13 are registered with us. Eleven of them have student visas to study in other English teaching institutes. Besides, one student is on a six month provisional student visa and no institute or state is mentioned, one has a student visa to study BCom at Pune University and another to study spoken English in Pune,” said sources. Foreign students enrolled with incorrect visas
Panaji: A case of Yemeni nationals being partners in a local teaching institute has alarmed Goa police. The duo were apparently on a student visa in India to study in Hyderabad. It has also come to light that most foreign students enrolled at the The Nobel English Centre did not have correct student visas.
Police sources said that though the Central government is clear that when a foreign student moves from a recognised institute to another within or outside the state they have to seek the state Home department’s permission, so far there are no rules to monitor movement of students in private institutes.
However, FRO Goa has decided to take up the matter with the FROs at Hyderabad and Pune. “We will take up the matter with the concerned FROs as foreign students can’t study in Goa without a student visa for a Goan institute,” said Fernandes.
The cops are also concerned about the issue of visas to foreigners to study in non registered institutes.
“We have sent reports to the Central ministries about the issue of grant of student visa to foreign nationals to study in private institutes, which are not recognized by the government and asked them to verify the authenticity of the institutions from the FRO, Goa or the Goa state government before issuing a student visa,” said Fernandes. The issue of foreign students is of concern as two months before the Mumbai attacks, a reconnaissance team under the guise of being Malaysian students had stayed in Colaba.
“There is a need to ensure that unauthorized migration of foreign students is not permitted and unscrupulous institutes which admit such students should be strictly dealt with. We are keeping a watch on such institutes, especially after the Mumbai terror attacks,” said SP (Special branch) Atmaram Deshpande. Police sources reveal that most Arabs on student visas arrive to study in institutes not recognized by any government or university. Even as the number of such institutes has increased in the last year, there is still no mechanism to keep a check on them. Many institutes are run in residential buildings without proper permissions or even an NOC from the society.
January 5, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Spousal feuds affect women’s health: Study
EMOTIONAL DISQUIET
Spousal feuds affect women’s health: Study
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Spousal violence is an independent risk factor for two adverse health problems – sexually transmitted infections and attempted suicide – in Goan women, reveals a latest study on the effect of spousal violence on women’s health.
Besides, there is also an association between violence and a range of self-reported gynaecological complaints, low Body Mass Index and depressive disorders in women.
The study, “Effect of spousal violence on women’s health: Findings from the Stree Arogya Shodh in Goa,” which was conducted by an NGO Sangath and published recently in a medical journal, is based on a population-based longitudinal study of women’s health in Goa and aimed at exploring the relationship between psychosocial factors and reproductive and sexual health.
The study, which is a population-based cohort study of women living in the catchment area of a primary health center in north Goa, is a community-based study of common health problems affecting women aged between 18 to 50 years, conducted over a period of four years.
The overall aim of the study was to describe the burden and determinants of common health problems in women of reproductive age and in doing so to test the hypothesis that social and psychological factors increased the risk of reproductive and sexual health problems.
About 2494 of 3000 randomly selected women were recruited, of whom 1750 married women were included for the study. While out of the 1750 married women, 290 (16.6%) women reported lifetime spousal violence; recent violence was reported by 230 (13%) and the cross-sectional data showed an association between violence and a range of self-reported gynaecological complaints, low Body Mass Index, depressive disorder and attempted suicide. The longitudinal analyses confirmed these associations only for STI and attempted suicide. Majority of them were literate homemakers.
Each participant was assessed at baseline with a structured interview for the assessment of exposure to spousal violence (verbal, p hy s i c a l , sexual) over two time periods: lifetime and recent in the past three months. The interview collected data on gynaecological complaints and the revised clinical interview schedule was used for the diagnosis of depressive disorder. Laboratory tests for anemia and sexually transmitted infections (STI) were carried out.
Longitudinal data was collected after six and 12 months on these outcomes. In addition, baseline measures for nutritional status and menstrual health were also obtained.
Lifetime exposure to any type of violence was associated with increased risk of a range of self-reported gynaecological complaints at baseline, though associations were not consistent with all outcomes. Thus, for example, dysmenorrhea was only associated with lifetime sexual violence and verbal and sexual violence (lifetime and recent) were associated with non-menstrual lower abdominal pain and abnormal vaginal discharge, the report states.
January 5, 2009, The Times of India,Goa edition
Spousal feuds affect women’s health: Study
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Spousal violence is an independent risk factor for two adverse health problems – sexually transmitted infections and attempted suicide – in Goan women, reveals a latest study on the effect of spousal violence on women’s health.
Besides, there is also an association between violence and a range of self-reported gynaecological complaints, low Body Mass Index and depressive disorders in women.
The study, “Effect of spousal violence on women’s health: Findings from the Stree Arogya Shodh in Goa,” which was conducted by an NGO Sangath and published recently in a medical journal, is based on a population-based longitudinal study of women’s health in Goa and aimed at exploring the relationship between psychosocial factors and reproductive and sexual health.
The study, which is a population-based cohort study of women living in the catchment area of a primary health center in north Goa, is a community-based study of common health problems affecting women aged between 18 to 50 years, conducted over a period of four years.
The overall aim of the study was to describe the burden and determinants of common health problems in women of reproductive age and in doing so to test the hypothesis that social and psychological factors increased the risk of reproductive and sexual health problems.
About 2494 of 3000 randomly selected women were recruited, of whom 1750 married women were included for the study. While out of the 1750 married women, 290 (16.6%) women reported lifetime spousal violence; recent violence was reported by 230 (13%) and the cross-sectional data showed an association between violence and a range of self-reported gynaecological complaints, low Body Mass Index, depressive disorder and attempted suicide. The longitudinal analyses confirmed these associations only for STI and attempted suicide. Majority of them were literate homemakers.
Each participant was assessed at baseline with a structured interview for the assessment of exposure to spousal violence (verbal, p hy s i c a l , sexual) over two time periods: lifetime and recent in the past three months. The interview collected data on gynaecological complaints and the revised clinical interview schedule was used for the diagnosis of depressive disorder. Laboratory tests for anemia and sexually transmitted infections (STI) were carried out.
Longitudinal data was collected after six and 12 months on these outcomes. In addition, baseline measures for nutritional status and menstrual health were also obtained.
Lifetime exposure to any type of violence was associated with increased risk of a range of self-reported gynaecological complaints at baseline, though associations were not consistent with all outcomes. Thus, for example, dysmenorrhea was only associated with lifetime sexual violence and verbal and sexual violence (lifetime and recent) were associated with non-menstrual lower abdominal pain and abnormal vaginal discharge, the report states.
January 5, 2009, The Times of India,Goa edition
Why drive when you can fly?
Why drive when you can fly?
Some people simply refuse to tread the beaten path. They make their own road, live life their own way. As we step into the New Year, TOI catches up with a couple of them
Preetu Nair | TNN
Anjuna: It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Goa’s winged Austrian.
Meet Gerhart Lechner, whose fear of drunken drivers on Goa’s narrow roads has forced him to take to the skies.
“There is too much of traffic on Goan roads. If I have to go to a beach I just fly,” says the 44-year-old mechanical engineer who has been coming to Goa for the last 20 years for “sports and yoga”. A few years back, he purchased a house in Assagao, in North Goa.
“I need just three things: roti and dal to live, and petrol to fly,” he says. His 210 cc powered hang glider does about 40 kms an hour. “If the wind is good, the journey is much faster and more fun,” says Gerhart.
It takes Gerhart just about a litre of petrol and 30 minutes to fly from Anjuna to Tiracol—-a distance of about 30 km by road which takes at least an hour to cover, that too if you get the ferry across the Tiracol river immediately when you reach the jetty. “The cost of flying is almost similar to the cost of driving,” he says, adding that it is much safer. “There are too many harsh drivers and the risk of accidents is high. I am scared of drunken drivers,” he says.
For the past few years, he has been lugging his glider along on his annual winter visit. While the glider’s motor is from Germany, the rest of it is from Switzerland.
Though the glider helps him go from place to place as the crow flies, he is not free as a bird. Gerhart can neither fly everywhere, nor can he fly anytime. He can take to the skies only within a designated area and during designated periods.
“I have a six-month permission for para gliding and para motors in Goa from the Flag Officer, Naval Aviation, Vasco,” says Gerhart. The permission allows him to hand glide from Tiracol river in the north to Chapora river in the south, while the Maneri to Banda road acts as the eastern limit and NH-17 as the western limit.
“Within the designated area, my operations are restricted to 1,000 feet above mean sea level and I am permitted to fly only from 5 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. However, before I take off, I have to inform the air traffic control at INS Hansa to ensure that there is no collision with any flying object,” he said.
Though he would like to fly further south, the airport at Dabolim does not permit him to. “I try to be as legal as possible and remain within the designated area of operation, avoid climbing above 1,000 feet above mean sea level and remain clear of clouds.”
January 1, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Some people simply refuse to tread the beaten path. They make their own road, live life their own way. As we step into the New Year, TOI catches up with a couple of them
Preetu Nair | TNN
Anjuna: It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Goa’s winged Austrian.
Meet Gerhart Lechner, whose fear of drunken drivers on Goa’s narrow roads has forced him to take to the skies.
“There is too much of traffic on Goan roads. If I have to go to a beach I just fly,” says the 44-year-old mechanical engineer who has been coming to Goa for the last 20 years for “sports and yoga”. A few years back, he purchased a house in Assagao, in North Goa.
“I need just three things: roti and dal to live, and petrol to fly,” he says. His 210 cc powered hang glider does about 40 kms an hour. “If the wind is good, the journey is much faster and more fun,” says Gerhart.
It takes Gerhart just about a litre of petrol and 30 minutes to fly from Anjuna to Tiracol—-a distance of about 30 km by road which takes at least an hour to cover, that too if you get the ferry across the Tiracol river immediately when you reach the jetty. “The cost of flying is almost similar to the cost of driving,” he says, adding that it is much safer. “There are too many harsh drivers and the risk of accidents is high. I am scared of drunken drivers,” he says.
For the past few years, he has been lugging his glider along on his annual winter visit. While the glider’s motor is from Germany, the rest of it is from Switzerland.
Though the glider helps him go from place to place as the crow flies, he is not free as a bird. Gerhart can neither fly everywhere, nor can he fly anytime. He can take to the skies only within a designated area and during designated periods.
“I have a six-month permission for para gliding and para motors in Goa from the Flag Officer, Naval Aviation, Vasco,” says Gerhart. The permission allows him to hand glide from Tiracol river in the north to Chapora river in the south, while the Maneri to Banda road acts as the eastern limit and NH-17 as the western limit.
“Within the designated area, my operations are restricted to 1,000 feet above mean sea level and I am permitted to fly only from 5 am to 10 am and 5 pm to 7 pm. However, before I take off, I have to inform the air traffic control at INS Hansa to ensure that there is no collision with any flying object,” he said.
Though he would like to fly further south, the airport at Dabolim does not permit him to. “I try to be as legal as possible and remain within the designated area of operation, avoid climbing above 1,000 feet above mean sea level and remain clear of clouds.”
January 1, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
24x7 ‘operation centre’ set up to counter terror
24x7 ‘operation centre’ set up to counter terror
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: With the lack of co-ordination between the police and state machinery exposed during the terror attacks in Mumbai, the Goa police has set up a 24x7 ‘operation room’ or ‘operation centre’ during the peak tourist season to coordinate and disseminate information in the event of any terror attack.
The operation room, which was set up a day before the Union minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal arrived in the state on December 24 to take stock of the security arrangements in the state, will be manned by a young PI and in several ways replicates a control room. However, it would be a centre to receive and disseminate intelligence, information pertaining to terrorism and other forms of organised violence police sources said.
The room was set up in the police headquarters, Panaji amidst reports that Goa’s beaches were on top of the terrorist attack list due to which security has been strengthened till January 5. There are 2 companies of CISF, 2 of CRPF and 1 of RAF patrolling in the state. While 3 are posted in the South, the rest are in North Goa.
The operation room is linked by internet, telephone, mobile telephone and fax to the offices of the collector and superintendent of police at the two district headquarters.
“Four PIs have been given charge of the operation room and they will be in-charge of the room in shifts. At any given time, there will be one PI at the room to take stock of the situation,” confirmed SP (intelligence) Atmaram Deshpande.
Sources reveal that the centre was set up after Union home minister P Chidambaram suggested, in a letter to chief ministers of all states and union territories, to immediately establish 24x7 control rooms to be manned by a young and energetic officer.
Meanwhile, the police control room which was so far run by police sub-inspectors will now be manned by 4 deputy superintendents of police in shifts.
Besides this, a three-member analysis group has been formed and the group will receive, collate, analyze and link up with previous inputs and disseminate intelligence inputs to the Central agencies and central government. This group is headed by SSP (security) V V Chaudhary, SP Deshpande and SP Omprakash Kurtarkar.
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: With the lack of co-ordination between the police and state machinery exposed during the terror attacks in Mumbai, the Goa police has set up a 24x7 ‘operation room’ or ‘operation centre’ during the peak tourist season to coordinate and disseminate information in the event of any terror attack.
The operation room, which was set up a day before the Union minister of state for home Sriprakash Jaiswal arrived in the state on December 24 to take stock of the security arrangements in the state, will be manned by a young PI and in several ways replicates a control room. However, it would be a centre to receive and disseminate intelligence, information pertaining to terrorism and other forms of organised violence police sources said.
The room was set up in the police headquarters, Panaji amidst reports that Goa’s beaches were on top of the terrorist attack list due to which security has been strengthened till January 5. There are 2 companies of CISF, 2 of CRPF and 1 of RAF patrolling in the state. While 3 are posted in the South, the rest are in North Goa.
The operation room is linked by internet, telephone, mobile telephone and fax to the offices of the collector and superintendent of police at the two district headquarters.
“Four PIs have been given charge of the operation room and they will be in-charge of the room in shifts. At any given time, there will be one PI at the room to take stock of the situation,” confirmed SP (intelligence) Atmaram Deshpande.
Sources reveal that the centre was set up after Union home minister P Chidambaram suggested, in a letter to chief ministers of all states and union territories, to immediately establish 24x7 control rooms to be manned by a young and energetic officer.
Meanwhile, the police control room which was so far run by police sub-inspectors will now be manned by 4 deputy superintendents of police in shifts.
Besides this, a three-member analysis group has been formed and the group will receive, collate, analyze and link up with previous inputs and disseminate intelligence inputs to the Central agencies and central government. This group is headed by SSP (security) V V Chaudhary, SP Deshpande and SP Omprakash Kurtarkar.
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
One in 100 women attempted suicide this year in Goa: Study
One in 100 women attempted suicide this year in Goa: Study
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: A study has found that nearly one in every 100 women, aged between 18 and 50 years, attempted suicide in the last 12 months in Goa. The frequency of suicide attempts is higher in young adults aged between 16 and 24 years.
The study on suicidal behaviour in the state was conducted by Sangath, an NGO working in health care. It was recently published in leading international medical journals.
“There are more suicide deaths every year in Goa than due to injuries or health-related problems,” said Dr Vikram Patel, professor of International Mental Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the Goan study.
The study found that almost one in 150 young people in Goa attempted suicide during a three month period. If these rates were applied to the state’s population, this would mean that between 1500 and 4000 women aged between 18 and 50 years will attempt suicide over a year’s period, while about 1000 to 2600 young adults will attempt it during any given three month period.
The findings also confirmed those of the National Crime Records Bureau’s latest figures of suicides in the country that reveal that Goa has a reported suicide rate of 16.9, much above the n at i o n a l average of 10.8.
Official f i g u re s available with the Goa police too show that in 2007 about 250 people committed suicide, but the number of people attempting suicide in the state is much higher, said police sources.
“Suicide is the leading cause of unnatural death in the country. Community studies of the cause of death show that actual suicide rates may be five to 10 times higher than reported by the police,” said Patel.
The study revealed that gender disadvantages experienced by women and interpersonal violence are the major social determinants that drive young people and women to commit suicide in Goa. Apart from these social factors, depressive disorders and chronic physical health conditions or disabilities increase the risk of suicidal beh av i o u r, the study noted.
Divided into two segments, the Stree A ro g ya S h o d h study was a longitudinal study of 2494 women aged 18 to 50 years, randomly selected from the catchment area of Aldona primary health centre, while the Yuva Mitr study was a cross-sectional survey of 3664 young adults aged between 16 and 24 years in rural and urban communities in South Goa.
The two studies researched the health of populations who are disadvantaged or who are the focus of national health programs and they addressed a wide range of suicidal behaviours from thinking about ending one’s life to attempting suicide, besides examining roles of indicators of socio-economic disadvantage such as poverty, minority or migrant status, gender violence, mental illness and physical ill-health.
“Our study points to specific actions that should be taken to reduce suicides,” Patel said. Stating that the best way to prevent suicides would be by effective implementation of policies and programs to counter interpersonal violence, the study added, “Individual level interventions for reducing interpersonal violence and treating depression, especially in high-risk groups such as married women and young adults, delivered through health programs targeting young people and women is essential; in addition, services for depression management and crisis intervention should be made available in all primary health centres and other community based agencies in the state.”
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: A study has found that nearly one in every 100 women, aged between 18 and 50 years, attempted suicide in the last 12 months in Goa. The frequency of suicide attempts is higher in young adults aged between 16 and 24 years.
The study on suicidal behaviour in the state was conducted by Sangath, an NGO working in health care. It was recently published in leading international medical journals.
“There are more suicide deaths every year in Goa than due to injuries or health-related problems,” said Dr Vikram Patel, professor of International Mental Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who led the Goan study.
The study found that almost one in 150 young people in Goa attempted suicide during a three month period. If these rates were applied to the state’s population, this would mean that between 1500 and 4000 women aged between 18 and 50 years will attempt suicide over a year’s period, while about 1000 to 2600 young adults will attempt it during any given three month period.
The findings also confirmed those of the National Crime Records Bureau’s latest figures of suicides in the country that reveal that Goa has a reported suicide rate of 16.9, much above the n at i o n a l average of 10.8.
Official f i g u re s available with the Goa police too show that in 2007 about 250 people committed suicide, but the number of people attempting suicide in the state is much higher, said police sources.
“Suicide is the leading cause of unnatural death in the country. Community studies of the cause of death show that actual suicide rates may be five to 10 times higher than reported by the police,” said Patel.
The study revealed that gender disadvantages experienced by women and interpersonal violence are the major social determinants that drive young people and women to commit suicide in Goa. Apart from these social factors, depressive disorders and chronic physical health conditions or disabilities increase the risk of suicidal beh av i o u r, the study noted.
Divided into two segments, the Stree A ro g ya S h o d h study was a longitudinal study of 2494 women aged 18 to 50 years, randomly selected from the catchment area of Aldona primary health centre, while the Yuva Mitr study was a cross-sectional survey of 3664 young adults aged between 16 and 24 years in rural and urban communities in South Goa.
The two studies researched the health of populations who are disadvantaged or who are the focus of national health programs and they addressed a wide range of suicidal behaviours from thinking about ending one’s life to attempting suicide, besides examining roles of indicators of socio-economic disadvantage such as poverty, minority or migrant status, gender violence, mental illness and physical ill-health.
“Our study points to specific actions that should be taken to reduce suicides,” Patel said. Stating that the best way to prevent suicides would be by effective implementation of policies and programs to counter interpersonal violence, the study added, “Individual level interventions for reducing interpersonal violence and treating depression, especially in high-risk groups such as married women and young adults, delivered through health programs targeting young people and women is essential; in addition, services for depression management and crisis intervention should be made available in all primary health centres and other community based agencies in the state.”
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Goa-Tourists will party on beach
Tourists will party on beach
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Sonia Kail (29) has come to Goa from wintry Switzerland keen to soak up the sun on the state’s long, sandy beaches and party hard during the year end beach parties.
“In Switzerland, you don’t get to see the sea. I always wanted to welcome the New Year on a beach with music,” says Sonia.
The Goa government ban on “open beach parties” put a damper on her enthusiasm, but Sonia has found a way out. “Though parties are banned, there is no restriction on me going out with my friends to a beach, having a drink and welcoming the New Year by playing music and dancing on the beach by ourselves,” she says.
She’s not the only one who has hit upon this idea. Richard (40) from England has similar plans. “Some 30 or 40 of us have decided to pour in money for drinks, food and firecrackers. We will go and sit on the beach in Vagator, have fun and burst firecrackers at midnight. If we are caught bursting firecrackers, we will either go to a party at a night club or just go home and sleep,” said Richard.
Some 2.6 million tourists visit Goa annually, including about 4 lakh foreigners. “Why come to Goa if you can’t party on the beach. If there are no beach parties to bring in the New Year I will never come back here,” said Sonia.
Tali Levy from Israel came to Goa for its beach parties, but is now bored and plans to leave the state this week, but not before celebrating New Year in Goa. “I am planning to go to a night club for some music and fun. I had heard a lot about Goa and I expected the party scene to be much better but I am really disappointed,” she said.
With no fun in Goa, Levy visited Gokarna in Karnataka for a beach party that was all “music and fun”. “I really enjoyed it. If given a chance I would love to go to Gokarna for a New Year beach party,” said Tali.
Incidentally, a few foreign tourists have left the state for other destinations. Said a Japanese tourist, “We work hard, earn money to come and enjoy on the beaches but now there is a restriction on parties, music and even smoking. This is not our idea of a holiday in Goa.”
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Sonia Kail (29) has come to Goa from wintry Switzerland keen to soak up the sun on the state’s long, sandy beaches and party hard during the year end beach parties.
“In Switzerland, you don’t get to see the sea. I always wanted to welcome the New Year on a beach with music,” says Sonia.
The Goa government ban on “open beach parties” put a damper on her enthusiasm, but Sonia has found a way out. “Though parties are banned, there is no restriction on me going out with my friends to a beach, having a drink and welcoming the New Year by playing music and dancing on the beach by ourselves,” she says.
She’s not the only one who has hit upon this idea. Richard (40) from England has similar plans. “Some 30 or 40 of us have decided to pour in money for drinks, food and firecrackers. We will go and sit on the beach in Vagator, have fun and burst firecrackers at midnight. If we are caught bursting firecrackers, we will either go to a party at a night club or just go home and sleep,” said Richard.
Some 2.6 million tourists visit Goa annually, including about 4 lakh foreigners. “Why come to Goa if you can’t party on the beach. If there are no beach parties to bring in the New Year I will never come back here,” said Sonia.
Tali Levy from Israel came to Goa for its beach parties, but is now bored and plans to leave the state this week, but not before celebrating New Year in Goa. “I am planning to go to a night club for some music and fun. I had heard a lot about Goa and I expected the party scene to be much better but I am really disappointed,” she said.
With no fun in Goa, Levy visited Gokarna in Karnataka for a beach party that was all “music and fun”. “I really enjoyed it. If given a chance I would love to go to Gokarna for a New Year beach party,” said Tali.
Incidentally, a few foreign tourists have left the state for other destinations. Said a Japanese tourist, “We work hard, earn money to come and enjoy on the beaches but now there is a restriction on parties, music and even smoking. This is not our idea of a holiday in Goa.”
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Ban or no ban, they are set to party on the beach
Ban or no ban, they are set to party on the beach
Preetu Nair | TNN
Where there’s a will, there’s always a way for party animals. The government’s ban on “open beach parties” may have come as a dampener, but will not prevent many a foreigner from ushering in the New Year with beach parties. Says Sonia Kail, “Though parties are banned, there is no restriction on me going out with my friends to a beach, having a drink and welcoming the New Year by playing music and dancing there by ourselves.” The 29-year-old from Switzerland says, “In my homeland, you don’t get to see the sea. I had always wanted to welcome the New Year on a beach with music.” And she is not alone in this resolve
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Where there’s a will, there’s always a way for party animals. The government’s ban on “open beach parties” may have come as a dampener, but will not prevent many a foreigner from ushering in the New Year with beach parties. Says Sonia Kail, “Though parties are banned, there is no restriction on me going out with my friends to a beach, having a drink and welcoming the New Year by playing music and dancing there by ourselves.” The 29-year-old from Switzerland says, “In my homeland, you don’t get to see the sea. I had always wanted to welcome the New Year on a beach with music.” And she is not alone in this resolve
December 31, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
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