Fiona upset with CBI

Fiona upset with CBI 
Preetu Nair, TNN  

PANAJI: British teenager Scarlett Keeling's mother has said that she is "bitterly disappointed" and "in a state of shock" as she feels that the supplementary chargesheet filed by the CBI "has given far more breathing room" to the two men suspected of killing daughter in February last year.

"I am bitterly disappointed with the charges and I don't know what to think. I had hope in the CBI, but now that's shattered. Leave alone catch the real culprits, even murder charges against the two accused has been dropped," Fiona Mackeown told TOI from her home in UK.

Fiona believes that Scarlett's murderers may think that they have escaped from the long arms of law but "the souls of her murderers will never find peace".

The CBI in its supplementary chargesheet filed in the children's court on Wednesday against Samson D'Souza and Placido Carvalho charged the duo for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. It may be recalled that the Goa police in a chargesheet filed in May 2008 had charged the two accused with murder. "What does this say about India? It seems no one has the power to make the men guilty of killing my daughter accountable. I am not surprised though," said Fiona, who had been alleging that powerful people in Goa are involved in the murder of her daughter. The Goa police first said she had drowned. However, following a forceful campaign by Fiona, the police registered a case of rape and murder.

But unhappy with the investigations, she demanded a CBI inquiry. "I feel that Goa is an unsafe place to visit and it is unlikely that I will ever return, except probably for the trial," Fiona said.

She revealed that she doesn't completely blame the CBI. "I think they did the best they could do with what little evidence was left. Besides, they were instructed not to investigate the Goa police for the blatant lies they told me initially. The CBI weren't allowed to look at why the police tried to cover up the murder in the first place. The government in India obviously didn't want the CBI to succeed," she alleged.

However, she made it clear that her fight is far from over. "At the moment, I am not sure what to do next. But I will attend the trial in India and won't give up fighting for Scarlett," Fiona said.

Fiona also stated that "Scarlett awaits a decent burial". "The coroner in UK has told me that Scarlett's body will not be released to me until she has received the reports on the case from the Indian authorities. I hope at least they will send the reports so that we can have a decent funeral for Scarlett," she added.

 

October 23, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition

Special Investigation Team raids Sanatan offices in Goa

SIT raids Sanatan offices
TNN

PANAJI: The special investigation team probing Friday’s blast at Margao raided the offices of the Sanatan Sanstha on Thursday. The raid, which commenced in the afternoon, was on till late night. Sources said they SIT was looking through the computers at the offices for evidence to link the Sanstha with the blast. They are also searching for documents that could verify Malgonda Patil’s links with the Sanstha, and the possibility of any conspiracy being hatched in the Sanstha.

“Since Patil was a member of the Sanstha, it is important to check his records and that is why the search is being conducted,” DIG Ravindra Yadav said. Patil, who died in the blast, was one of the accused in the case. Patil’s body lies unclaimed at the GMC morgue. Sources said the police sent a wireless message to his family in Sangli to collect the body. Earlier, his uncle had come to claim the body, but the police were unable to hand it over as the post-mortem had not been conducted.

October 23, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition

Canacona Muncipal Corporation doesn't want more beach shacks

CMC doesn't want more beach shacks

TNN

PANAJI: Even as coastal villagers in the north have been striving to obtain permissions for an additional number of shacks on its beaches this season, those residing in Canacona prefer otherwise.

They fear that soil erosion along Canacona's beaches could cause a serious ecological imbalance if not tackled by the concerned authorities.

Information obtained under the Right To Information (RTI) reveals that on September 30, 2009, the chief officer of the Canacona Municipal Council wrote to the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) that the shacks allotted are in violation of the Environment Protection Act.

"There is no beach cleanliness system maintained by the tourism department. No lifeguards are available and no sweepers are visible throughout the tourist season (at Canacona), which are the basic requirements before offering the new shack policy. Beach shacks allotted are in total violation of the Environment Protection Act as there is no waste water disposal facility available on the beaches," the letter states.

It further notes, "There are more than 20 shacks allowed by the municipal council to private owners. The Palolem beach is very close to the high tide line (HTL) and the issuance of another 20 shacks by the tourism department on the beaches is not required at Palolem." In 2008, there were 8 shacks at Palolem.

The letter states that shacks could even be damaged during high tide. "There is soil erosion on beaches which is not taken care of by the tourism department and, as such, there is every possibility of causing imbalance of the ecology," the letter notes.

It further added that although the Palolem, Patnem and Rajbag beach stretch is more than 1km long, lifeguards are based only at the centre of the stretch, making it impossible to rescue people drowning elsewhere. It had been suggested that four-wheel drive vehicles and jet skis be provided to the lifeguards there.

In its meeting on October 1 to discuss the shack policy, the GCZMA has made it clear that the department of tourism is required to maintain all specific conditions pertaining to beach management, garbage management and eco sensitive conservation.

Meanwhile, Shack Owners' Welfare Society (SOWS) president Cruz Cardozo said, "We had asked for more shacks in a few places at Canacona. But our demand had not been met. We don't know the exact cause. We were fighting for more shacks in Calangute and Candolim and managed to get a few more allotted here. Next year, we will ensure that more shacks are allotted at other places, as there is scope for the business."

October 23,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition