'Attack was political, not personal'
Preetu Nair , TNN
PANAJI: "The attack on me is politically motivated and an attempt to scare me," alleged Reis Magos panch member Francisco Serrao, who was
attacked by three masked men on the morning of February 5.
The three-time elected panch member who works as a peon at St Teresa school in Candolim, and was attacked while on his way to work, told TOI, "The opposition members want to be in power in the panchayat at the moment as two casinos and two mega projects are coming up in the panchayat area and there is loads of money to be made. They wanted me to support them, but because I refused I was attacked."
Speaking candidly, Serrao said that till three months ago he belonged to the group that's presently in the opposition. Led by the former panch's husband Francis Colaco, the group enjoys the support of Calangute legislator Agnelo Fernandes, he explained. "I left when the group lost majority. I have no confidence in Colaco's judgment. Moreover, it is important to be in the ruling side in order to ensure that your work gets done. Your supporters or people are not bothered about whom you support, they only want to ensure that their work is done."
Alleging that his political opponents contacted him 15 days before the incident, asking him to switch sides, he said, "They had convinced one member from the ruling side to join them earlier thus taking their total to five. I was contacted and asked to support as they would then gain a majority. But I declined and the attack on my life appears to be an attempt to scare me," alleged Serrao.
The present panchayat has 11 members, seven on the ruling side, four in the opposition.
Recalling his attack, he said, "Three men came out. They had covered their faces with masks and started attacking me with iron rods. The attackers didn't utter a word and the attack on me lasted less than five minutes. They escaped because a person in the neighbourhood who heard my screams came out."
While he suspects that the Calangute legislator was part of the attack he's quick to say, "The attack on me is political and there is nothing personal about it. Agnelo even came to meet me and told me that he had come to meet me as I was injured."
For his part, Agnelo Fernandes denied any hand in the attack and also emphasized that the opposition group led by Colaco was also not involved. "I even went and meet him in the hospital. I am even willing to go for brain mapping but my critics should also come for brain mapping. Then the truth will be out," he Agnelo.
Meanwhile, on February 6, Serrao submitted a letter to the Calangute PI claiming that some sections have been omitted in the FIR to "protect the local MLA".
"Section 120 (b) is intentionally omitted in the present case to protect the local MLA Agnelo Fernandes, as the entire attack on my life was at a instant and the conspiracy (sic) of the local MLA. As the motive behind the attack is only connected and benefiting the said MLA. According to me you have missed out in charging the said accused under section 120 (b), 511, 307 and other such sections of the Indian Penal Code," Serrao alleged in the letter. The police have registered an offence under section 341, 326 read with 34 of IPC.
However, the police have refused to register it as a case of attempt to murder, till they have evidence. SP (north) Bosco George told TOI, "We are trying to gather evidence and check out who is involved in the assault. Initial investigations reveal that the attack was an attempt to create fear and not to kill as there were no dangerous weapons used nor any attack on his vital organs." In his police complaint, Serrao said that he "strongly suspected" that he was attacked by Colaco, Agnelo and one Pitush.
10 Feb 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Registration of biz by foreigners gets tougher
Registration of biz by foreigners gets tougher
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: Foreign nationals wanting to register a company in India will need to have their signatures and addresses on the memorandum of association, as well their proof of identity notarized by a notary of the country of their origin.
The registrar of companies, Goa in a circular sent to the association of chartered accounts and company secretaries, on December 19, 2008 said that for registration of foreign companies or of companies by foreign nationals it is now mandatory that "the signatures and alteration in the memorandum of association and proof of identity, wherever required, should be notarized before the notary of the country of their origin and be duly apostilised (registered)".
This is in accordance with the Hague Convention, 1961 and the ministry of corporate affairs notification of December 4, 2008 on the issue.
"This will ensure that foreigners who invest in businesses in India have proper documents for registering the company, and will also keep a check on people with a dubious record getting into business here. Even ambiguity regarding incorporation of companies will be done away with," said Sanjay Gupta, Registrar of Companies, Goa, Daman and Diu.
Advocate Vikram Varma, legal advisor to several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa said, "After the recent crisis in the international market, such additional checks and balances for companies being floated in India is absolutely essential," said Varma.
Before the enforcement of this notification, the memorandum of association was prepared by a chartered accountant, company secretary or lawyer in India and foreign investors filled up their personal details and signed the documents in presence of these, and the proof of identity (passport) was certified by the three, or a notary in India.
"We have been side-stepped by the government. The Indian government now wants the signatures of the foreign investors to be attested by a notary in their country, which would also be countersigned by the Indian embassy. This will delay the process," said chartered accountant Lalit Shah.
Several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa have come under the scanner as it was alleged that some with a dubious record had formed companies with the sole purpose of purchasing property in India. Gupta added, "We can't stop any foreigner from setting up a company in India. But now, in case of any discord, we can track down the foreigner and produce them before the law."
22 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: Foreign nationals wanting to register a company in India will need to have their signatures and addresses on the memorandum of association, as well their proof of identity notarized by a notary of the country of their origin.
The registrar of companies, Goa in a circular sent to the association of chartered accounts and company secretaries, on December 19, 2008 said that for registration of foreign companies or of companies by foreign nationals it is now mandatory that "the signatures and alteration in the memorandum of association and proof of identity, wherever required, should be notarized before the notary of the country of their origin and be duly apostilised (registered)".
This is in accordance with the Hague Convention, 1961 and the ministry of corporate affairs notification of December 4, 2008 on the issue.
"This will ensure that foreigners who invest in businesses in India have proper documents for registering the company, and will also keep a check on people with a dubious record getting into business here. Even ambiguity regarding incorporation of companies will be done away with," said Sanjay Gupta, Registrar of Companies, Goa, Daman and Diu.
Advocate Vikram Varma, legal advisor to several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa said, "After the recent crisis in the international market, such additional checks and balances for companies being floated in India is absolutely essential," said Varma.
Before the enforcement of this notification, the memorandum of association was prepared by a chartered accountant, company secretary or lawyer in India and foreign investors filled up their personal details and signed the documents in presence of these, and the proof of identity (passport) was certified by the three, or a notary in India.
"We have been side-stepped by the government. The Indian government now wants the signatures of the foreign investors to be attested by a notary in their country, which would also be countersigned by the Indian embassy. This will delay the process," said chartered accountant Lalit Shah.
Several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa have come under the scanner as it was alleged that some with a dubious record had formed companies with the sole purpose of purchasing property in India. Gupta added, "We can't stop any foreigner from setting up a company in India. But now, in case of any discord, we can track down the foreigner and produce them before the law."
22 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Antidepressant gives patient nightmares
Antidepressant gives patient nightmares
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: An article published in a medical journal by Goa Medical College and Hospital's
Dr Padmanabh V Rataboli, Dr Amit Dang and Dr Gaurav Garg
revealed a rare adverse reaction to an antidepressant drug.
After taking the drug mirtazapine (15 mg once daily at bed time), which was prescribed for his depressive symptoms for approximately two weeks, the patient, a 21-year-old medical student, went to GMC's psychiatry outpatient department with a history of severe nightmares almost every night. In addition, he complained of malaise, confusion and increased sedation during day time, while on therapy.
The nightmares included seeing an unknown person trying to stab him with a knife, seeing himself tied up to a pole over the bridge with gun shots hitting him from the sides and visualizing his girlfriend dead under a collapsed building.
After a night of horrible dreams, the medico would wake up confused with palpitations, sweating and fear. He was not suffering from some psychiatric illness, but his problems were due to a rare adverse drug reaction to the antidepressant drug.
Incidentally, the nightmares disappeared completely within a couple of days after mirtazapine was stopped, revealed the study Mirtazapine induced nightmares in an adult male' published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology on November 5, 2008.
So far, the most common adverse effects reported from mirtazapine, according to the paper, include drowsiness or sedation and malaise or lassitude but sleep disorders are extremely rare adverse events with mirtazapine as the drug has been documented to show sleep-promoting action by increasing total sleep time, sleep efficiency and slow wave sleep.
Later, he was put on fluoxetine and no such episodes were reported. On careful evaluation of past history, it was found by doctors that the patient had shown poor compliance to mirtazapine a few years back and had experienced similar nightmares.
"There was no history of concomitant use of other medications (including herbal medicines) or alcohol intake. The temporal relationship between the initiation of treatment with mirtazapine and onset of nightmares and their disappearance with discontinuation of the drug, and also their occurrence during a previous episode of mirtazapine treatment suggests a causal aetiology and puts this extremely rare adverse drug reaction (ADR) in a highly probable' category," the paper states.
31 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: An article published in a medical journal by Goa Medical College and Hospital's
Dr Padmanabh V Rataboli, Dr Amit Dang and Dr Gaurav Garg
revealed a rare adverse reaction to an antidepressant drug.
After taking the drug mirtazapine (15 mg once daily at bed time), which was prescribed for his depressive symptoms for approximately two weeks, the patient, a 21-year-old medical student, went to GMC's psychiatry outpatient department with a history of severe nightmares almost every night. In addition, he complained of malaise, confusion and increased sedation during day time, while on therapy.
The nightmares included seeing an unknown person trying to stab him with a knife, seeing himself tied up to a pole over the bridge with gun shots hitting him from the sides and visualizing his girlfriend dead under a collapsed building.
After a night of horrible dreams, the medico would wake up confused with palpitations, sweating and fear. He was not suffering from some psychiatric illness, but his problems were due to a rare adverse drug reaction to the antidepressant drug.
Incidentally, the nightmares disappeared completely within a couple of days after mirtazapine was stopped, revealed the study Mirtazapine induced nightmares in an adult male' published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology on November 5, 2008.
So far, the most common adverse effects reported from mirtazapine, according to the paper, include drowsiness or sedation and malaise or lassitude but sleep disorders are extremely rare adverse events with mirtazapine as the drug has been documented to show sleep-promoting action by increasing total sleep time, sleep efficiency and slow wave sleep.
Later, he was put on fluoxetine and no such episodes were reported. On careful evaluation of past history, it was found by doctors that the patient had shown poor compliance to mirtazapine a few years back and had experienced similar nightmares.
"There was no history of concomitant use of other medications (including herbal medicines) or alcohol intake. The temporal relationship between the initiation of treatment with mirtazapine and onset of nightmares and their disappearance with discontinuation of the drug, and also their occurrence during a previous episode of mirtazapine treatment suggests a causal aetiology and puts this extremely rare adverse drug reaction (ADR) in a highly probable' category," the paper states.
31 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Registration of biz by foreigners gets tougher
Registration of biz by foreigners gets tougher
Preetu Nair/ TNN
PANAJI: Foreign nationals wanting to register a company in India will need to have their signatures and addresses on the memorandum of association, as well their proof of identity notarized by a notary of the country of their origin.
The registrar of companies, Goa in a circular sent to the association of chartered accounts and company secretaries, on December 19, 2008 said that for registration of foreign companies or of companies by foreign nationals it is now mandatory that "the signatures and alteration in the memorandum of association and proof of identity, wherever required, should be notarized before the notary of the country of their origin and be duly apostilised (registered)".
This is in accordance with the Hague Convention, 1961 and the ministry of corporate affairs notification of December 4, 2008 on the issue.
"This will ensure that foreigners who invest in businesses in India have proper documents for registering the company, and will also keep a check on people with a dubious record getting into business here. Even ambiguity regarding incorporation of companies will be done away with," said Sanjay Gupta, Registrar of Companies, Goa, Daman and Diu.
Advocate Vikram Varma, legal advisor to several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa said, "After the recent crisis in the international market, such additional checks and balances for companies being floated in India is absolutely essential," said Varma.
Before the enforcement of this notification, the memorandum of association was prepared by a chartered accountant, company secretary or lawyer in India and foreign investors filled up their personal details and signed the documents in presence of these, and the proof of identity (passport) was certified by the three, or a notary in India.
"We have been side-stepped by the government. The Indian government now wants the signatures of the foreign investors to be attested by a notary in their country, which would also be countersigned by the Indian embassy. This will delay the process," said chartered accountant Lalit Shah.
Several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa have come under the scanner as it was alleged that some with a dubious record had formed companies with the sole purpose of purchasing property in India. Gupta added, "We can't stop any foreigner from setting up a company in India. But now, in case of any discord, we can track down the foreigner and produce them before the law."
22 January,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair/ TNN
PANAJI: Foreign nationals wanting to register a company in India will need to have their signatures and addresses on the memorandum of association, as well their proof of identity notarized by a notary of the country of their origin.
The registrar of companies, Goa in a circular sent to the association of chartered accounts and company secretaries, on December 19, 2008 said that for registration of foreign companies or of companies by foreign nationals it is now mandatory that "the signatures and alteration in the memorandum of association and proof of identity, wherever required, should be notarized before the notary of the country of their origin and be duly apostilised (registered)".
This is in accordance with the Hague Convention, 1961 and the ministry of corporate affairs notification of December 4, 2008 on the issue.
"This will ensure that foreigners who invest in businesses in India have proper documents for registering the company, and will also keep a check on people with a dubious record getting into business here. Even ambiguity regarding incorporation of companies will be done away with," said Sanjay Gupta, Registrar of Companies, Goa, Daman and Diu.
Advocate Vikram Varma, legal advisor to several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa said, "After the recent crisis in the international market, such additional checks and balances for companies being floated in India is absolutely essential," said Varma.
Before the enforcement of this notification, the memorandum of association was prepared by a chartered accountant, company secretary or lawyer in India and foreign investors filled up their personal details and signed the documents in presence of these, and the proof of identity (passport) was certified by the three, or a notary in India.
"We have been side-stepped by the government. The Indian government now wants the signatures of the foreign investors to be attested by a notary in their country, which would also be countersigned by the Indian embassy. This will delay the process," said chartered accountant Lalit Shah.
Several foreigners who have established businesses in Goa have come under the scanner as it was alleged that some with a dubious record had formed companies with the sole purpose of purchasing property in India. Gupta added, "We can't stop any foreigner from setting up a company in India. But now, in case of any discord, we can track down the foreigner and produce them before the law."
22 January,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Govt clinics not in pink of health
Govt clinics not in pink of health
Preetu Nair and Rajtilak Naik, TNN
PANAJI: On the face of it, Goa has excellent health facilities. Nineteen primary health centres (PHC) and more on the planning board. This includes a 10-bed PHC at Chinchinim and 40-bed PHCs at Bali, Canacona, Quepem and Sanquelim. Even the doctor-population ratio of 1:636 appears excellent when compared to the 1:2148 in the rest of the country.Indicators, however, can be misleading and the ground reality far different.
A check by TOI exposed the bitter truth -- the PHCs are short staffed, equipment like X-ray machines are available but there are no technicians to man them, operation theatres lie unused as there is no surgeon or anaesthetist and instead of serving a maximum of 30,000 people, in Goa the PHCs serve a population anywhere between 20,000 and 85,000.
Goa Medical Council member Dr Shekhar Salkar says, "Doctors at PHCs are not trained to handle emergencies. Also, there is a shortage of manpower and equipment to tackle emergencies. There is an urgent need to appoint more doctors and add equipment at the PHCs rather than focus on constructing new buildings."
Check this out: If residents of Sanquelim and Candolim are fortunate to have a doctor 24x7, this has been at the cost of residents of Surla in Pale and Keri and Guleli in Sattari, as the doctor from there has been temporarily posted at Sanquelim PHC. Similarly a doctor from the Pernem community health centre has been temporarily posted at Candolim PHC to tide over the tourism season rush.
On public demand, a new health centre was opened at Ribandar, but no doctor posted, and a doctor from Panaji is deputed to attend to patients there.
With 13 PHCs having just one doctor on night duty, patients are immediately transferred to the district hospitals or to the GMC. In most cases, in the absence of attendants, it is the security guard and the patient's relatives who struggle to lift patients from stretchers to the ambulance.
While health care is concentrated in and around Panaji, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa, rural Goa has been overlooked. It is, therefore, not surprising that rural patients still rush to Goa medical college and hospital even for minor ailments like coughs, colds and diarrhoea.
Dr Rajan Kuncolienkar, GMC medical superintendent explains this saying, "People find the facilities at the GMC better and have faith in the treatment provided there rather than at the PHC. Due to this there is huge rush at GMC."
Admitting that Goa's health indicators are heavily urban centric leading to the belief that everything is fine, Dr Gladstone D'Costa, president, Voluntary Health Association of Goa said, "Some of the PHCs are badly maintained and lack basic facilities like water and electricity 24x7. Very few PHCs can handle an emergency situation, either due to a lack of amenities, facilities or due to inadequate medical staff."
A patient, vomiting and complaining of chest pain, and rushed to Bicholim PHC at 1 am last Sunday was immediately transferred to Asilo hospital, Mapusa instead of the Valpoi community health centre, as it does not have enough staff. He was shifted in a DHS ambulance, but a patient from Betki PHC would have to wait for the 108 service ambulance as the DHS ambulance at this PHC has not been working for the last three months.
If PHCs are the cornerstone of rural health services -- a first port of call to a qualified government doctor in rural areas -- then about 3 lakh people living in the vicinity of a PHC are denied night-time care as there is no doctor on duty.
Loutolim, Cortalim, Colvale, Corlim, Chinchinim and Quepem PHCs have no doctor on duty at night. Interestingly, all six PHCs have a security officers guarding the premises at night.
Further, when the doctor at Loutolim PHC was asked to attend the National Family Health Survey meet at Panaji, last Friday, patients had to return home or seek the services of a private doctor as there was no doctor available at the PHC.
Of the 19 PHCs in the state, six PHCs don't have a doctor 24x7. Health services director, Dr Rajnanda Dessai said, "Only 13 PHCs work 24x7, while six others are daughter' PHCs and have no admission facilities. Therefore there is no doctor at night in these PHCs."
This, despite the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) of the directorate general of health services, ministry of health and family welfare as part of the national rural health mission stating that the minimum requirements (assured services) at PHCs, which cover a population of 30,000 should be, "4-6 indoor or observation beds and OPD services for four hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon or evening". It also states that PHCs should provide "24 hours emergency services and in-patient services with 6 beds".
However, PHCs in Goa cover a population between 21,000 and 83,000. "The load on the PHCs has increased over the years, but the number of doctors posted at them has either remained steady or declined. Though doctors have been absorbed on contract basis, it is a temporary solution as most of this is urban centric," said former Indian Medical Association, Goa branch president Dr Francisco Colaco.
Sources revealed that more than 30 posts of doctors and technicians in community health centres are still vacant. However, Dr Dessai maintained that the PHCs cater to routine cases. "The focus here is on the first line of treatment. Moreover, the staff position is as per norms prescribed and when a post falls vacant, we try to fill it on a priority basis."
22 Jan 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair and Rajtilak Naik, TNN
PANAJI: On the face of it, Goa has excellent health facilities. Nineteen primary health centres (PHC) and more on the planning board. This includes a 10-bed PHC at Chinchinim and 40-bed PHCs at Bali, Canacona, Quepem and Sanquelim. Even the doctor-population ratio of 1:636 appears excellent when compared to the 1:2148 in the rest of the country.Indicators, however, can be misleading and the ground reality far different.
A check by TOI exposed the bitter truth -- the PHCs are short staffed, equipment like X-ray machines are available but there are no technicians to man them, operation theatres lie unused as there is no surgeon or anaesthetist and instead of serving a maximum of 30,000 people, in Goa the PHCs serve a population anywhere between 20,000 and 85,000.
Goa Medical Council member Dr Shekhar Salkar says, "Doctors at PHCs are not trained to handle emergencies. Also, there is a shortage of manpower and equipment to tackle emergencies. There is an urgent need to appoint more doctors and add equipment at the PHCs rather than focus on constructing new buildings."
Check this out: If residents of Sanquelim and Candolim are fortunate to have a doctor 24x7, this has been at the cost of residents of Surla in Pale and Keri and Guleli in Sattari, as the doctor from there has been temporarily posted at Sanquelim PHC. Similarly a doctor from the Pernem community health centre has been temporarily posted at Candolim PHC to tide over the tourism season rush.
On public demand, a new health centre was opened at Ribandar, but no doctor posted, and a doctor from Panaji is deputed to attend to patients there.
With 13 PHCs having just one doctor on night duty, patients are immediately transferred to the district hospitals or to the GMC. In most cases, in the absence of attendants, it is the security guard and the patient's relatives who struggle to lift patients from stretchers to the ambulance.
While health care is concentrated in and around Panaji, Margao, Vasco and Mapusa, rural Goa has been overlooked. It is, therefore, not surprising that rural patients still rush to Goa medical college and hospital even for minor ailments like coughs, colds and diarrhoea.
Dr Rajan Kuncolienkar, GMC medical superintendent explains this saying, "People find the facilities at the GMC better and have faith in the treatment provided there rather than at the PHC. Due to this there is huge rush at GMC."
Admitting that Goa's health indicators are heavily urban centric leading to the belief that everything is fine, Dr Gladstone D'Costa, president, Voluntary Health Association of Goa said, "Some of the PHCs are badly maintained and lack basic facilities like water and electricity 24x7. Very few PHCs can handle an emergency situation, either due to a lack of amenities, facilities or due to inadequate medical staff."
A patient, vomiting and complaining of chest pain, and rushed to Bicholim PHC at 1 am last Sunday was immediately transferred to Asilo hospital, Mapusa instead of the Valpoi community health centre, as it does not have enough staff. He was shifted in a DHS ambulance, but a patient from Betki PHC would have to wait for the 108 service ambulance as the DHS ambulance at this PHC has not been working for the last three months.
If PHCs are the cornerstone of rural health services -- a first port of call to a qualified government doctor in rural areas -- then about 3 lakh people living in the vicinity of a PHC are denied night-time care as there is no doctor on duty.
Loutolim, Cortalim, Colvale, Corlim, Chinchinim and Quepem PHCs have no doctor on duty at night. Interestingly, all six PHCs have a security officers guarding the premises at night.
Further, when the doctor at Loutolim PHC was asked to attend the National Family Health Survey meet at Panaji, last Friday, patients had to return home or seek the services of a private doctor as there was no doctor available at the PHC.
Of the 19 PHCs in the state, six PHCs don't have a doctor 24x7. Health services director, Dr Rajnanda Dessai said, "Only 13 PHCs work 24x7, while six others are daughter' PHCs and have no admission facilities. Therefore there is no doctor at night in these PHCs."
This, despite the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS) of the directorate general of health services, ministry of health and family welfare as part of the national rural health mission stating that the minimum requirements (assured services) at PHCs, which cover a population of 30,000 should be, "4-6 indoor or observation beds and OPD services for four hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon or evening". It also states that PHCs should provide "24 hours emergency services and in-patient services with 6 beds".
However, PHCs in Goa cover a population between 21,000 and 83,000. "The load on the PHCs has increased over the years, but the number of doctors posted at them has either remained steady or declined. Though doctors have been absorbed on contract basis, it is a temporary solution as most of this is urban centric," said former Indian Medical Association, Goa branch president Dr Francisco Colaco.
Sources revealed that more than 30 posts of doctors and technicians in community health centres are still vacant. However, Dr Dessai maintained that the PHCs cater to routine cases. "The focus here is on the first line of treatment. Moreover, the staff position is as per norms prescribed and when a post falls vacant, we try to fill it on a priority basis."
22 Jan 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
'I felt safer with cops than at Apna Ghar'
'I felt safer with cops than at Apna Ghar'
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: The 17-year-old boy from Assam, who was arrested by the Mormugao police, said that he felt safer with the police than with staffers at Apna Ghar.
The minor was arrested for criminal trespass and intent to commit a criminal offence when he entered the Navy premises at Bogda near Sada. He was later sent to Apna Ghar from where he went missing on January 6, but later "surrendered himself to the police". He was released on bail last Saturday by the district sessions judge at Panaji.
"I escaped as I feared for my life. I was scared and felt unsafe at Apna Ghar as I was constantly beaten by three boys in conflict with law there. Even when I complained to the authorities, no one offered to help me. After some time I stopped complaining for the fear that they would beat me up badly," he said. There were six more children residing with him in the room at Apna Ghar, of which three used to bully him.
"If I was sleeping, they would lift the bed and shake it. If I sat in a corner and read a book, they would come suddenly and beat me up. I was helpless as most of the time I was kept locked in the room along with the boys " he said.
The minor said that he seized an opportunity to escape on the afternoon of January 6 while the rest of the boys were watching television. "The boys who used to bully me, had earlier broken the window grill to escape and had put a cloth over it to conceal their act. They threatened me not to open my mouth and said that they had plans to escape that night. When I was alone in the room, I thought that this was the only opportunity to escape. I then jumped from the window and climbed over the boundary wall and escaped. Someone screamed out while I was escaping, but I just ran away," said the minor.
He revealed that he later walked to Panaji bus stand from where he took a bus to Margao. From Margao he took a train to Vasco and was loitering near the Vasco police station when he was apprehended by police. He was sent back to the Apna Ghar. Once there, it was another tale of horror for the boy. "Although I was kept in a separate room this time, the three boys were upset and they threatened to kill me. They even hit me while I was going for lunch one afternoon. But this time the staff intervened, " he added.
"So far, I am not aware of this matter as it has not been brought to my notice," said the director of women and child development, Sanjiv Gadkar, when contacted by TOI.
January 21,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: The 17-year-old boy from Assam, who was arrested by the Mormugao police, said that he felt safer with the police than with staffers at Apna Ghar.
The minor was arrested for criminal trespass and intent to commit a criminal offence when he entered the Navy premises at Bogda near Sada. He was later sent to Apna Ghar from where he went missing on January 6, but later "surrendered himself to the police". He was released on bail last Saturday by the district sessions judge at Panaji.
"I escaped as I feared for my life. I was scared and felt unsafe at Apna Ghar as I was constantly beaten by three boys in conflict with law there. Even when I complained to the authorities, no one offered to help me. After some time I stopped complaining for the fear that they would beat me up badly," he said. There were six more children residing with him in the room at Apna Ghar, of which three used to bully him.
"If I was sleeping, they would lift the bed and shake it. If I sat in a corner and read a book, they would come suddenly and beat me up. I was helpless as most of the time I was kept locked in the room along with the boys " he said.
The minor said that he seized an opportunity to escape on the afternoon of January 6 while the rest of the boys were watching television. "The boys who used to bully me, had earlier broken the window grill to escape and had put a cloth over it to conceal their act. They threatened me not to open my mouth and said that they had plans to escape that night. When I was alone in the room, I thought that this was the only opportunity to escape. I then jumped from the window and climbed over the boundary wall and escaped. Someone screamed out while I was escaping, but I just ran away," said the minor.
He revealed that he later walked to Panaji bus stand from where he took a bus to Margao. From Margao he took a train to Vasco and was loitering near the Vasco police station when he was apprehended by police. He was sent back to the Apna Ghar. Once there, it was another tale of horror for the boy. "Although I was kept in a separate room this time, the three boys were upset and they threatened to kill me. They even hit me while I was going for lunch one afternoon. But this time the staff intervened, " he added.
"So far, I am not aware of this matter as it has not been brought to my notice," said the director of women and child development, Sanjiv Gadkar, when contacted by TOI.
January 21,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Drug makes man eat in sleep
Drug makes man eat in sleep
Preetu Nair/TNN
PANAJI: Imagine a situation where you eat throughout the night and are not even aware of it. That's what happened to a 45-year-old businessman in
Goa, whose "unexpected and bizarre" eating behaviour while sleep walking (somnambulistic state) has been reported in a medical journal.
Harish (name changed), at 100 kgs was obese and on short-term treatment for insomnia. On the tenth day of the treatment, two hours after taking his bedtime dose, his wife found him missing. A search in the house and neighbourhood ensued, and he was found in his shop, almost 2 km away, eating sweets.
Reprimanded, Harish did not seem aware of where he was nor recollect how he came to be there. Interestingly, he opened the shop's shutter in his sleep. The facts of the case were published in the International Medical Journal of Eating Disorders, published on October 29, 2008 by doctors of the pharmacology department of Goa Medical College and Hospital.
Three doctors of the pharmacology department of Goa Medical College and Hospital—Dr Padmanabh Rataboli, Dr Amit Dang and Dr Gaurav Garg—have published a rare case of drug-induced (zolpidem) "nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder" (NSRED) in a middle-aged man in the October 2008 issue of the International Medical Journal of Eating Disorders. Doctors say such behaviour is usually reported among women, which makes this case rare.
The report states that the patient was prescribed zolpidem tartrate (10 mg) once a day at bedtime for insomnia and was not on any other concomitant medication. Further, he was not alcoholic and had no recent history of weight gain and somnambulism.
The physician did not link the first episode to the “drug” and the medication was continued. However, after a repeat four nights later, the link was established and once the drug was stopped, no further episodes were reported.
"In case of suspected drug induced NSRED, the first and the foremost intervention should be to stop the offending drug. Psychiatrists and general practitioners should consider the possibility of drug-induced NSRED as one of the differential diagnosis, when they examine patients with sleeping and eating disorders," doctors state.
The pharmacologists note that Zolpidem’s ability to stimulate the frontal lobe of the brain, particularly in the semicomatose state, may be responsible for its adverse effects like sleep-walking or other activity while asleep, such as driving, making phone calls or having sex, with no memory of doing any of it.
However, such behaviour on a long-term can lead to health complications, including depression. Explaining this further, the paper states that the food consumed during such episodes is usually rich in fat and sugar content like ketchup, sweets, or canola oil, and even bizarre meals like raw chicken, sandwiches made with fistfuls of salt or sugar, dog food, soap, hand creams, buttered cigarettes or ammonia.
"When clues of their behaviour become evident, patients often feel ashamed, guilty and may develop self hatred at times. Some of them undergo psychological disruption due to unknown weight gain and a feeling of embarrassment on awakening. This may subsequently lead to depression. They are also exposed to food allergies and have increased risk of injuries (especially during preparation of food)," the report added.
20 Jan 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair/TNN
PANAJI: Imagine a situation where you eat throughout the night and are not even aware of it. That's what happened to a 45-year-old businessman in
Goa, whose "unexpected and bizarre" eating behaviour while sleep walking (somnambulistic state) has been reported in a medical journal.
Harish (name changed), at 100 kgs was obese and on short-term treatment for insomnia. On the tenth day of the treatment, two hours after taking his bedtime dose, his wife found him missing. A search in the house and neighbourhood ensued, and he was found in his shop, almost 2 km away, eating sweets.
Reprimanded, Harish did not seem aware of where he was nor recollect how he came to be there. Interestingly, he opened the shop's shutter in his sleep. The facts of the case were published in the International Medical Journal of Eating Disorders, published on October 29, 2008 by doctors of the pharmacology department of Goa Medical College and Hospital.
Three doctors of the pharmacology department of Goa Medical College and Hospital—Dr Padmanabh Rataboli, Dr Amit Dang and Dr Gaurav Garg—have published a rare case of drug-induced (zolpidem) "nocturnal sleep-related eating disorder" (NSRED) in a middle-aged man in the October 2008 issue of the International Medical Journal of Eating Disorders. Doctors say such behaviour is usually reported among women, which makes this case rare.
The report states that the patient was prescribed zolpidem tartrate (10 mg) once a day at bedtime for insomnia and was not on any other concomitant medication. Further, he was not alcoholic and had no recent history of weight gain and somnambulism.
The physician did not link the first episode to the “drug” and the medication was continued. However, after a repeat four nights later, the link was established and once the drug was stopped, no further episodes were reported.
"In case of suspected drug induced NSRED, the first and the foremost intervention should be to stop the offending drug. Psychiatrists and general practitioners should consider the possibility of drug-induced NSRED as one of the differential diagnosis, when they examine patients with sleeping and eating disorders," doctors state.
The pharmacologists note that Zolpidem’s ability to stimulate the frontal lobe of the brain, particularly in the semicomatose state, may be responsible for its adverse effects like sleep-walking or other activity while asleep, such as driving, making phone calls or having sex, with no memory of doing any of it.
However, such behaviour on a long-term can lead to health complications, including depression. Explaining this further, the paper states that the food consumed during such episodes is usually rich in fat and sugar content like ketchup, sweets, or canola oil, and even bizarre meals like raw chicken, sandwiches made with fistfuls of salt or sugar, dog food, soap, hand creams, buttered cigarettes or ammonia.
"When clues of their behaviour become evident, patients often feel ashamed, guilty and may develop self hatred at times. Some of them undergo psychological disruption due to unknown weight gain and a feeling of embarrassment on awakening. This may subsequently lead to depression. They are also exposed to food allergies and have increased risk of injuries (especially during preparation of food)," the report added.
20 Jan 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition
Monday, January 19, 2009
15% kids in state live with only one parent
15% kids in state live with only one parent
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: Goa ranks high among the states when it comes to children living with a single parent, a recent study has shown. The National Family Health Survey - 3 reveals that about 15% of children in the state live with one parent, mostly with the mother. Goa ranks fourth on the list, which is headed by Bihar (26%).About 3% children in Goa live with neither parent and 4% have experienced the death of one or both parents.
Though the survey doesn't explain why 15% of the children in the state live with only one parent, sociologists say there could be two major reasons. "It could be either due to one parent working abroad or on ships or simply because the parents are not staying together after having a child," said Ganesha Somayaji, head of department of sociology, Goa University.
Living with only one parent could have a psychological impact on children, say psychologists. Explained Dr Ajoy Estibeiro, "If a child is brought up in an independent grove from an early age, they do tend to cope up. But some children do have temper tantrums and as they grow older they have behaviour equivalent to depression. Such children can evolve in two fashions - either become mature or spoilt due to over compensation by a single parent."
The report - based on an analysis of samples collected from 3,231 households in 2005-06 to obtain information on population, health and nutrition in the state - reveals the nuclear household structure is more prevent in urban areas (65.3%) as compared to 60.9% in rural areas. But contrary to popular belief, a majority of children living alone with the mother is high in rural areas (13.7%) as compared to 12.8% in urban areas.
While about 10% children below the age of 5 live with the mother, it increases to about 12% in the age group of 5-9. As the child grows older, the chances of his staying with the mother alone increases. About 15.3% children in the age group of 10-14 and 17.3% children in the age group of 15-17 live alone with the mother. In contrast, only about 2% children live alone with the father.
The report reveals that the state has 24% of the population under the age of 15 and about 82% below 18 years living with both parents.
18 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: Goa ranks high among the states when it comes to children living with a single parent, a recent study has shown. The National Family Health Survey - 3 reveals that about 15% of children in the state live with one parent, mostly with the mother. Goa ranks fourth on the list, which is headed by Bihar (26%).About 3% children in Goa live with neither parent and 4% have experienced the death of one or both parents.
Though the survey doesn't explain why 15% of the children in the state live with only one parent, sociologists say there could be two major reasons. "It could be either due to one parent working abroad or on ships or simply because the parents are not staying together after having a child," said Ganesha Somayaji, head of department of sociology, Goa University.
Living with only one parent could have a psychological impact on children, say psychologists. Explained Dr Ajoy Estibeiro, "If a child is brought up in an independent grove from an early age, they do tend to cope up. But some children do have temper tantrums and as they grow older they have behaviour equivalent to depression. Such children can evolve in two fashions - either become mature or spoilt due to over compensation by a single parent."
The report - based on an analysis of samples collected from 3,231 households in 2005-06 to obtain information on population, health and nutrition in the state - reveals the nuclear household structure is more prevent in urban areas (65.3%) as compared to 60.9% in rural areas. But contrary to popular belief, a majority of children living alone with the mother is high in rural areas (13.7%) as compared to 12.8% in urban areas.
While about 10% children below the age of 5 live with the mother, it increases to about 12% in the age group of 5-9. As the child grows older, the chances of his staying with the mother alone increases. About 15.3% children in the age group of 10-14 and 17.3% children in the age group of 15-17 live alone with the mother. In contrast, only about 2% children live alone with the father.
The report reveals that the state has 24% of the population under the age of 15 and about 82% below 18 years living with both parents.
18 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Saturday, January 17, 2009
‘Illegal’ Bangladeshi national still in Goa
‘Illegal’ Bangladeshi national still in Goa
Has No Valid Travel Documents, Say Cops
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Even as home minister P Chidambaram has indicated the need to enforce stricter measures to check illegal immigration from Bangladesh, as nationals from that country have “no business” to be in India without permission, the Goa government has been struggling for over a month to deport a Bangladeshi national who has been staying “illegally” in Goa for the last eight years.
Clueless about what to do with a Bangladeshi national in Goa and with no response from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and with no place to keep him except the foreigner’s registration office (FRO), the Goa police have sent an urgent reminder on January 14 to the MEA to take up the case of the Bangladeshi national Ali Khan, 23, on top priority with the Bangladeshi embassy in New Delhi so that he can be deported at the earliest.
“Ali is a foreign national who has infiltrated into our country in 2001 from Bangladesh and claims to be a Bangladeshi. He has been staying in Goa since 2002. He doesn’t have a passport or any valid documents or a travel document. Without a valid travel document, we are finding it difficult to do away with this “illegal” migrant,” said SP (FRO) Tony Fernandes.
SP Fernandes added, “We have written to the MEA to take up the matter with the Bangladesh high commission to establish whether he is a Bangladeshi and if so, issue travel documents, so that he can be deported.”
Meanwhile, Ali is spending anxious moments at the FRO, which has become his home since last month. “I am tired of staying here without any work. I hope a decision is soon taken as this uncertainty is exasperating,” said Ali.
Ali was arrested by the Verna police on December 4, 2008, for overstaying in the country without valid documents. Since then, he has been staying at the FRO at Panaji as he can’t be sent to jail, as he has already served the seven-month term for overstaying without valid documents in 2007. He was arrested by the crime branch in September 2007, a few days before he married a local girl here. He was released on March 31, 2008, and since then was staying at Verna.
As the law does not permit one to be punished for the same offence twice, instead of sending him to prison the police sent him to the FRO so that he can be deported. But with no travel document or any other document to establish that he is a Bangladeshi, the police having a tough time trying to deport him. So he sleeps on the ground in a corner of the FRO and eats in the police canteen. All his expenses and needs are being taken care of by the FRO officials.
“Ali claims that he is from Bangladesh. But he doesn’t have any documents to confirm the same,” said FRO officials.
Ali, who smuggled into West Bengal from Satkhira, Bangladesh, in 2001, said, “I have not seen my father. I lost my mother when I was a kid. My house was destroyed in 2001 and then along with hundreds of people from my village, I walked for more than 4 hours to India. I was 15 then. I don’t have any papers or relatives to establish that I am a Bangladeshi.”
He added, “I want to stay in Goa. But if I am sent back to Bangladesh, I don’t know whether I will be able to return as I don’t have valid documents required to return.”
January 15,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Has No Valid Travel Documents, Say Cops
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Even as home minister P Chidambaram has indicated the need to enforce stricter measures to check illegal immigration from Bangladesh, as nationals from that country have “no business” to be in India without permission, the Goa government has been struggling for over a month to deport a Bangladeshi national who has been staying “illegally” in Goa for the last eight years.
Clueless about what to do with a Bangladeshi national in Goa and with no response from the ministry of external affairs (MEA) and with no place to keep him except the foreigner’s registration office (FRO), the Goa police have sent an urgent reminder on January 14 to the MEA to take up the case of the Bangladeshi national Ali Khan, 23, on top priority with the Bangladeshi embassy in New Delhi so that he can be deported at the earliest.
“Ali is a foreign national who has infiltrated into our country in 2001 from Bangladesh and claims to be a Bangladeshi. He has been staying in Goa since 2002. He doesn’t have a passport or any valid documents or a travel document. Without a valid travel document, we are finding it difficult to do away with this “illegal” migrant,” said SP (FRO) Tony Fernandes.
SP Fernandes added, “We have written to the MEA to take up the matter with the Bangladesh high commission to establish whether he is a Bangladeshi and if so, issue travel documents, so that he can be deported.”
Meanwhile, Ali is spending anxious moments at the FRO, which has become his home since last month. “I am tired of staying here without any work. I hope a decision is soon taken as this uncertainty is exasperating,” said Ali.
Ali was arrested by the Verna police on December 4, 2008, for overstaying in the country without valid documents. Since then, he has been staying at the FRO at Panaji as he can’t be sent to jail, as he has already served the seven-month term for overstaying without valid documents in 2007. He was arrested by the crime branch in September 2007, a few days before he married a local girl here. He was released on March 31, 2008, and since then was staying at Verna.
As the law does not permit one to be punished for the same offence twice, instead of sending him to prison the police sent him to the FRO so that he can be deported. But with no travel document or any other document to establish that he is a Bangladeshi, the police having a tough time trying to deport him. So he sleeps on the ground in a corner of the FRO and eats in the police canteen. All his expenses and needs are being taken care of by the FRO officials.
“Ali claims that he is from Bangladesh. But he doesn’t have any documents to confirm the same,” said FRO officials.
Ali, who smuggled into West Bengal from Satkhira, Bangladesh, in 2001, said, “I have not seen my father. I lost my mother when I was a kid. My house was destroyed in 2001 and then along with hundreds of people from my village, I walked for more than 4 hours to India. I was 15 then. I don’t have any papers or relatives to establish that I am a Bangladeshi.”
He added, “I want to stay in Goa. But if I am sent back to Bangladesh, I don’t know whether I will be able to return as I don’t have valid documents required to return.”
January 15,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Laxity at nakabandis in North Goa irks SP
Laxity at nakabandis in North Goa irks SP
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Within seconds of a nakabandi being declared, the Goa police throws in a security dragnet all over the place, with policemen rushing to fixed points to frisk people in vehicles and to check and round up any offender on the run.
However, a few hours later as the city sleeps, the policemen also discard their naka, living it open to unscrupulous elements and fleeing offenders, despite orders to be on guard.
Alarmed with the stark reality at check points across the state, the SP (North), who personally visited nakabandis on early January 10 and found the staff deployed at all points in Panaji, Porvorim and Mapusa missing, has issued a memo to the concerned sub-divisional police officers (SDPO) to take action against the defaulting officers. He has also asked them to forward a report to his office for the purpose of initiating necessary action.
Further, to avoid such instances where staff abandon nakabandi points before the stipulated time, the SP said, “Henceforth, a night gazetted officer (who is a police officer of the rank of DySP and above) should take responsibility to call off the nakabandi at the given time and during the period, he should personally visit all points and supervise the alertness and effectiveness of the staff in the future”.
When contacted, SP (north) Bosco George said, “A nakabandi is organized to ensure that an accused is confined within a small area and is easily apprehended. A lack of proper manning at nakabandi points indicates a breach in the security system. One poorly manned nakabandi could adversely affect the state’s entire security set-up.”
However, he refused to comment on the memo issued to the SDPOs stating, “It is a departmental matter”.
Sources said that police officials, in view of the Mandir Suraksha Samelan which had been scheduled to be held on January 10, 2009, had directed, via a wireless message on January 9, all those officers in charge of police stations in the North Goa district to organize nakabandis on the intervening night of January 9 and 10 between 1 am and 5 am. The objective of the task was to avoid any incidents of temple desecration on the eve of such a major occasion.
“The SP (North) personally checked all nakabandi points and found that the staff deployed at points falling within the jurisdiction of the Panaji, Porvorim and Mapusa police stations abandoned their points at 4.30 am instead of 5 am,” said sources. The SP, visibly upset with the lackadaisical attitude of the policemen, issued a memo to the SDPOs on January 10 stating, “This shows that those in charge of the police stations have not properly monitored the nakabandi points.
A nakabandi point needs to be manned by at least a police sub inspector (PSI) and three or four constables with at least one firearm — an AK47 or SLR. But a majority of the nakabandi points wore an isolated look after 3.30 am, police sources added.
When questioned, a police officer who had been manning a nakabandi admitted to TOI that after checking thoroughly for the initial few hours of nakabandi, they left their checkpoints late in the night as there was no one on the road.
January 14,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Within seconds of a nakabandi being declared, the Goa police throws in a security dragnet all over the place, with policemen rushing to fixed points to frisk people in vehicles and to check and round up any offender on the run.
However, a few hours later as the city sleeps, the policemen also discard their naka, living it open to unscrupulous elements and fleeing offenders, despite orders to be on guard.
Alarmed with the stark reality at check points across the state, the SP (North), who personally visited nakabandis on early January 10 and found the staff deployed at all points in Panaji, Porvorim and Mapusa missing, has issued a memo to the concerned sub-divisional police officers (SDPO) to take action against the defaulting officers. He has also asked them to forward a report to his office for the purpose of initiating necessary action.
Further, to avoid such instances where staff abandon nakabandi points before the stipulated time, the SP said, “Henceforth, a night gazetted officer (who is a police officer of the rank of DySP and above) should take responsibility to call off the nakabandi at the given time and during the period, he should personally visit all points and supervise the alertness and effectiveness of the staff in the future”.
When contacted, SP (north) Bosco George said, “A nakabandi is organized to ensure that an accused is confined within a small area and is easily apprehended. A lack of proper manning at nakabandi points indicates a breach in the security system. One poorly manned nakabandi could adversely affect the state’s entire security set-up.”
However, he refused to comment on the memo issued to the SDPOs stating, “It is a departmental matter”.
Sources said that police officials, in view of the Mandir Suraksha Samelan which had been scheduled to be held on January 10, 2009, had directed, via a wireless message on January 9, all those officers in charge of police stations in the North Goa district to organize nakabandis on the intervening night of January 9 and 10 between 1 am and 5 am. The objective of the task was to avoid any incidents of temple desecration on the eve of such a major occasion.
“The SP (North) personally checked all nakabandi points and found that the staff deployed at points falling within the jurisdiction of the Panaji, Porvorim and Mapusa police stations abandoned their points at 4.30 am instead of 5 am,” said sources. The SP, visibly upset with the lackadaisical attitude of the policemen, issued a memo to the SDPOs on January 10 stating, “This shows that those in charge of the police stations have not properly monitored the nakabandi points.
A nakabandi point needs to be manned by at least a police sub inspector (PSI) and three or four constables with at least one firearm — an AK47 or SLR. But a majority of the nakabandi points wore an isolated look after 3.30 am, police sources added.
When questioned, a police officer who had been manning a nakabandi admitted to TOI that after checking thoroughly for the initial few hours of nakabandi, they left their checkpoints late in the night as there was no one on the road.
January 14,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Violence at home: Mum's the word
Violence at home: Mum's the word
PANAJI: Strange but true. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 3, reveals that only 25% of women in Goa who have ever experienced domestic
violence have sought help to end it, while more than three out of five women in the state have neither sought help nor told anyone about incidents of domestic violence that they might have experienced.
The study reveals that abused women most often seek help from their own family, while a meagre five per cent prefer police intervention. Incidentally, this rating is higher than the national average of two per cent.
Among women aged between 15 to 49 years of age, 14 % have ever experienced physical violence and two per cent have ever experienced sexual violence. About 12% of women have reported experiencing spousal emotional violence. It would be interesting to note that the prevalence of physical and sexual violence is lower in Goa than in any other state in India, except Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
The survey also reveals that while the incidence of men abusing women is high, two per cent of married women are also reported to have initiated violence against their husbands. Data obtained suggests that most women who are victims of domestic violence are those with no education (36%) and with low wealth (33 to 39%).
Further, more than one-fifth (54%) of women whose husbands consume alcohol experience spousal violence, compared to the eight per cent of those whose husbands don't drink. The irony is that 39% of women, as compared to 35 % men, believe that it is justifiable for a husband to beat his wife under some circumstances. What is most ironical however, is that around 26% of women believe that wife beating is justified if she neglects the house or children, while 22% of the fairer sex accept beating if they show disrespect to their in-laws.
Data also indicates that one in three women and one in two men don't agree that a woman has the right to refuse sex to her husband.
17 Jan 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition
PANAJI: Strange but true. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) 3, reveals that only 25% of women in Goa who have ever experienced domestic
violence have sought help to end it, while more than three out of five women in the state have neither sought help nor told anyone about incidents of domestic violence that they might have experienced.
The study reveals that abused women most often seek help from their own family, while a meagre five per cent prefer police intervention. Incidentally, this rating is higher than the national average of two per cent.
Among women aged between 15 to 49 years of age, 14 % have ever experienced physical violence and two per cent have ever experienced sexual violence. About 12% of women have reported experiencing spousal emotional violence. It would be interesting to note that the prevalence of physical and sexual violence is lower in Goa than in any other state in India, except Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
The survey also reveals that while the incidence of men abusing women is high, two per cent of married women are also reported to have initiated violence against their husbands. Data obtained suggests that most women who are victims of domestic violence are those with no education (36%) and with low wealth (33 to 39%).
Further, more than one-fifth (54%) of women whose husbands consume alcohol experience spousal violence, compared to the eight per cent of those whose husbands don't drink. The irony is that 39% of women, as compared to 35 % men, believe that it is justifiable for a husband to beat his wife under some circumstances. What is most ironical however, is that around 26% of women believe that wife beating is justified if she neglects the house or children, while 22% of the fairer sex accept beating if they show disrespect to their in-laws.
Data also indicates that one in three women and one in two men don't agree that a woman has the right to refuse sex to her husband.
17 Jan 2009,The Times of India, Goa edition
Goans richer than other Indians
Goans richer than other Indians
PANAJI: Goans have more wealth than their counterparts in other states. This was discovered by the National Family Health Survey 3, which reveals that the state handsomely meets the three essential requirements of roti, kapda aur makaan.
The report states that over 55% of Goan households are in the highest wealth quintile (a fifth of a given amount). Only 23% of Goa's households are in the three lowest wealth quintiles as compared to about 60% in the rest of the country. In Goa only 3% of the households fall in the lowest wealth quintile, of which 1% are in urban areas and 5% in rural areas.
Among all states, Goa along with Punjab is third, behind Delhi and Himachal Pradesh in terms of electrification, as 85% urban households and 59% rural households live in pucca house and more than 96% have electricity.
The NFHS-3, conducted in 2005-06, is based on a sample of 3231 households to obtain information on population, health and nutrition in the state and reveals that two-third households in state (82% in urban and 44% in rural areas) have piped water, while 24% of households have no toilet facilities. Of these, 14% are in urban areas.
The report also states that a majority of the people go to the private medical sector for treatment, either due to lack of a government facility in the vicinity, poor quality of government health care and long waiting periods in government health facilities.
Education is also a priority in the state and only 13% of women and 6% of men have never gone to school. About 49% of the people in the age group of 15 to 49 have completed 10 or more years of education. However, NFHS-3 figures show that Goa has yet to attain 100% literacy. According to the survey, a person is literate if they have either completed at least standard VI or passed a simple literacy test conducted as part of the survey. The results showed that 84% women and 90% of men in the age of 15 to 49 are literate.
The survey goes on to say that adults in Goa suffer from a dual burden of malnutrition, as about one-fourth of adults are too thin, while on the other hand 20% of the women and 15% of the men are overweight or obese.
The report also states that 52% of women and 60% of men have a healthy weight for their height. In comparison, about one-fourth (26%) of the children under the age of five years are stunted or too short for their age, which indicates that they are undernourished for some time.
Incidentally, the prevalence of anaemia in children in the state has declined over the years, but that among married women this has increased by 3%. About 38% of women and children and 10% of men in the state are anaemic. Yet the nutritional status of children in Goa is better than in most other states, the report noted.
17 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
PANAJI: Goans have more wealth than their counterparts in other states. This was discovered by the National Family Health Survey 3, which reveals that the state handsomely meets the three essential requirements of roti, kapda aur makaan.
The report states that over 55% of Goan households are in the highest wealth quintile (a fifth of a given amount). Only 23% of Goa's households are in the three lowest wealth quintiles as compared to about 60% in the rest of the country. In Goa only 3% of the households fall in the lowest wealth quintile, of which 1% are in urban areas and 5% in rural areas.
Among all states, Goa along with Punjab is third, behind Delhi and Himachal Pradesh in terms of electrification, as 85% urban households and 59% rural households live in pucca house and more than 96% have electricity.
The NFHS-3, conducted in 2005-06, is based on a sample of 3231 households to obtain information on population, health and nutrition in the state and reveals that two-third households in state (82% in urban and 44% in rural areas) have piped water, while 24% of households have no toilet facilities. Of these, 14% are in urban areas.
The report also states that a majority of the people go to the private medical sector for treatment, either due to lack of a government facility in the vicinity, poor quality of government health care and long waiting periods in government health facilities.
Education is also a priority in the state and only 13% of women and 6% of men have never gone to school. About 49% of the people in the age group of 15 to 49 have completed 10 or more years of education. However, NFHS-3 figures show that Goa has yet to attain 100% literacy. According to the survey, a person is literate if they have either completed at least standard VI or passed a simple literacy test conducted as part of the survey. The results showed that 84% women and 90% of men in the age of 15 to 49 are literate.
The survey goes on to say that adults in Goa suffer from a dual burden of malnutrition, as about one-fourth of adults are too thin, while on the other hand 20% of the women and 15% of the men are overweight or obese.
The report also states that 52% of women and 60% of men have a healthy weight for their height. In comparison, about one-fourth (26%) of the children under the age of five years are stunted or too short for their age, which indicates that they are undernourished for some time.
Incidentally, the prevalence of anaemia in children in the state has declined over the years, but that among married women this has increased by 3%. About 38% of women and children and 10% of men in the state are anaemic. Yet the nutritional status of children in Goa is better than in most other states, the report noted.
17 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Minors in love go missing
Minors in love go missing
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: In December 2008, six persons were reported missing in the capital city. Of these, three were minor girls and police investigations
revealed they had eloped with their respective lovers.
The Panaji police traced two of them and lodged cases of kidnapping against the boyfriends for wrongful confinement of the minors.
In a state where 780 people went missing in 2008, and where on an average over 65 missing complaints were lodged in police stations across the state every month, a third of those missing were youth.
Data available with the Goa police from 2005 to October 2008 shows that more girls than boys (below 18 years) are reported missing.
Arun Pandey of Arz, an NGO said, "A majority of the minors run away due to a conflict in the family or a love affair objected to by family members."
The police confirm this. "The moment a minor girl goes missing, we try to find out if she was 'friendly' with any male. In a majority of cases, we found that the girl was friendly and around the same time when the girl had gone missing, her friend also went missing. Our efforts are then to trace either of them. Once the girl is traced, a majority of parents insist on registering a case of kidnapping, while some try to hush up the matter," said SP (South) Allen D'Sa.
Between 2005 and October 2008, data for which is available with the police, about 500 minor girls went missing. Of these 414 were traced and in a majority of the cases it was established that they had eloped with their boyfriends, admit police sources.
16 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair, TNN
PANAJI: In December 2008, six persons were reported missing in the capital city. Of these, three were minor girls and police investigations
revealed they had eloped with their respective lovers.
The Panaji police traced two of them and lodged cases of kidnapping against the boyfriends for wrongful confinement of the minors.
In a state where 780 people went missing in 2008, and where on an average over 65 missing complaints were lodged in police stations across the state every month, a third of those missing were youth.
Data available with the Goa police from 2005 to October 2008 shows that more girls than boys (below 18 years) are reported missing.
Arun Pandey of Arz, an NGO said, "A majority of the minors run away due to a conflict in the family or a love affair objected to by family members."
The police confirm this. "The moment a minor girl goes missing, we try to find out if she was 'friendly' with any male. In a majority of cases, we found that the girl was friendly and around the same time when the girl had gone missing, her friend also went missing. Our efforts are then to trace either of them. Once the girl is traced, a majority of parents insist on registering a case of kidnapping, while some try to hush up the matter," said SP (South) Allen D'Sa.
Between 2005 and October 2008, data for which is available with the police, about 500 minor girls went missing. Of these 414 were traced and in a majority of the cases it was established that they had eloped with their boyfriends, admit police sources.
16 Jan 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Monday, January 12, 2009
‘Kids not given chance to reform’
‘Kids not given chance to reform’
Panaji: Apna Ghar was started to ensure development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, however, past inquiries have revealed complaints of abuse by inmates.
Snehlata Bhatikar, a member of the juvenile justice board said, “The approach towards children at Apna Ghar is punitive, as if they are in prison. They are treated like thieves and never given an opportunity to improve. The staff often beat the children, misbehave with them and use abusive language, due to which children turn aggressive, beat up others or create a ruckus.”
An inquiry conducted by the JJB in 2007 on a previous complaint of assault by fellow mates at Apna Ghar, revealed that the juvenile was “sodomized by an inmate of the observation home and subjected to oral sex by other inmates”.
The report also stated that “the safety of the child has not been looked into inspite of his repeated complaints about the abuse to the staff of observation home”. Says Bhatikar, “At present kids abuse others at Apna Ghar and if this continues it won’t be long before we hear of juvenile delinquents killing others, or committing suicide. In the last few months several children either escaped from the home or were sent to IPHB for treatment. This needs to be investigated as it defeats the purpose of having a state run home to protect and correct children.”
Women and Child director Sanjiv Gadkar, however, pleads ignorance of such incidents at Apna Ghar. He said, “I have not received any report of any assault by any child at Apna Ghar.”
Staff of Apna Ghar too have been accused of abusing minors. Recently, Children’s Rights in Goa, an NGO working with children in the state moved an application for a magisterial inquiry before the JJB.
The complaint says that during their visit to Apna Ghar on October 4, 2008, they were informed that one of the inmates was admitted at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim after being assaulted.
“On probing the incident it was revealed that two juveniles were assaulted by the care taker of Apna Ghar with a cricket stump. One was hit on the head and his hands and sustained grievous injuries,” says the complaint.
The NGO’s application states that this happened because the juveniles insisted they wanted to watch TV. So far, no order has been passed.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Panaji: Apna Ghar was started to ensure development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, however, past inquiries have revealed complaints of abuse by inmates.
Snehlata Bhatikar, a member of the juvenile justice board said, “The approach towards children at Apna Ghar is punitive, as if they are in prison. They are treated like thieves and never given an opportunity to improve. The staff often beat the children, misbehave with them and use abusive language, due to which children turn aggressive, beat up others or create a ruckus.”
An inquiry conducted by the JJB in 2007 on a previous complaint of assault by fellow mates at Apna Ghar, revealed that the juvenile was “sodomized by an inmate of the observation home and subjected to oral sex by other inmates”.
The report also stated that “the safety of the child has not been looked into inspite of his repeated complaints about the abuse to the staff of observation home”. Says Bhatikar, “At present kids abuse others at Apna Ghar and if this continues it won’t be long before we hear of juvenile delinquents killing others, or committing suicide. In the last few months several children either escaped from the home or were sent to IPHB for treatment. This needs to be investigated as it defeats the purpose of having a state run home to protect and correct children.”
Women and Child director Sanjiv Gadkar, however, pleads ignorance of such incidents at Apna Ghar. He said, “I have not received any report of any assault by any child at Apna Ghar.”
Staff of Apna Ghar too have been accused of abusing minors. Recently, Children’s Rights in Goa, an NGO working with children in the state moved an application for a magisterial inquiry before the JJB.
The complaint says that during their visit to Apna Ghar on October 4, 2008, they were informed that one of the inmates was admitted at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim after being assaulted.
“On probing the incident it was revealed that two juveniles were assaulted by the care taker of Apna Ghar with a cricket stump. One was hit on the head and his hands and sustained grievous injuries,” says the complaint.
The NGO’s application states that this happened because the juveniles insisted they wanted to watch TV. So far, no order has been passed.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Inmates’ safety an issue at Apna Ghar
Inmates’ safety an issue at Apna Ghar
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: The minor Assamese boy who ran away from Apna Ghar last week claimed he was “assaulted” at the observation home. He is not the first to make such an allegation, and past inquiries have found evidence to confirm such complaints.
The boy had been sent to Apna Ghar for criminal trespass at the naval premises in Bogda, Vasco and intent to commit a criminal offence. The bail application filed by before the juvenile justice board (JJB) on Friday after his rearrest, at the Vasco railway station, states that he was “assaulted” at Apna Ghar. The principal magistrate orally instructed the Apna Ghar staff to ensure that the boy was “given protection”.
Apna Ghar was established with the objective of providing care, protection, treatment, development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, and for the adjudication of matters relating to children in conflict with the law, but it seems that the goal has not been achieved. ‘Kids not given chance to reform’
Panaji: Apna Ghar was started to ensure development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, however, past inquiries have revealed complaints of abuse by inmates.
Snehlata Bhatikar, a member of the juvenile justice board said, “The approach towards children at Apna Ghar is punitive, as if they are in prison. They are treated like thieves and never given an opportunity to improve. The staff often beat the children, misbehave with them and use abusive language, due to which children turn aggressive, beat up others or create a ruckus.”
An inquiry conducted by the JJB in 2007 on a previous complaint of assault by fellow mates at Apna Ghar, revealed that the juvenile was “sodomized by an inmate of the observation home and subjected to oral sex by other inmates”.
The report also stated that “the safety of the child has not been looked into inspite of his repeated complaints about the abuse to the staff of observation home”. Says Bhatikar, “At present kids abuse others at Apna Ghar and if this continues it won’t be long before we hear of juvenile delinquents killing others, or committing suicide. In the last few months several children either escaped from the home or were sent to IPHB for treatment. This needs to be investigated as it defeats the purpose of having a state run home to protect and correct children.”
Women and Child director Sanjiv Gadkar, however, pleads ignorance of such incidents at Apna Ghar. He said, “I have not received any report of any assault by any child at Apna Ghar.”
Staff of Apna Ghar too have been accused of abusing minors. Recently, Children’s Rights in Goa, an NGO working with children in the state moved an application for a magisterial inquiry before the JJB.
The complaint says that during their visit to Apna Ghar on October 4, 2008, they were informed that one of the inmates was admitted at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim after being assaulted.
“On probing the incident it was revealed that two juveniles were assaulted by the care taker of Apna Ghar with a cricket stump. One was hit on the head and his hands and sustained grievous injuries,” says the complaint.
The NGO’s application states that this happened because the juveniles insisted they wanted to watch TV. So far, no order has been passed.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: The minor Assamese boy who ran away from Apna Ghar last week claimed he was “assaulted” at the observation home. He is not the first to make such an allegation, and past inquiries have found evidence to confirm such complaints.
The boy had been sent to Apna Ghar for criminal trespass at the naval premises in Bogda, Vasco and intent to commit a criminal offence. The bail application filed by before the juvenile justice board (JJB) on Friday after his rearrest, at the Vasco railway station, states that he was “assaulted” at Apna Ghar. The principal magistrate orally instructed the Apna Ghar staff to ensure that the boy was “given protection”.
Apna Ghar was established with the objective of providing care, protection, treatment, development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, and for the adjudication of matters relating to children in conflict with the law, but it seems that the goal has not been achieved. ‘Kids not given chance to reform’
Panaji: Apna Ghar was started to ensure development and rehabilitation of neglected or delinquent juveniles, however, past inquiries have revealed complaints of abuse by inmates.
Snehlata Bhatikar, a member of the juvenile justice board said, “The approach towards children at Apna Ghar is punitive, as if they are in prison. They are treated like thieves and never given an opportunity to improve. The staff often beat the children, misbehave with them and use abusive language, due to which children turn aggressive, beat up others or create a ruckus.”
An inquiry conducted by the JJB in 2007 on a previous complaint of assault by fellow mates at Apna Ghar, revealed that the juvenile was “sodomized by an inmate of the observation home and subjected to oral sex by other inmates”.
The report also stated that “the safety of the child has not been looked into inspite of his repeated complaints about the abuse to the staff of observation home”. Says Bhatikar, “At present kids abuse others at Apna Ghar and if this continues it won’t be long before we hear of juvenile delinquents killing others, or committing suicide. In the last few months several children either escaped from the home or were sent to IPHB for treatment. This needs to be investigated as it defeats the purpose of having a state run home to protect and correct children.”
Women and Child director Sanjiv Gadkar, however, pleads ignorance of such incidents at Apna Ghar. He said, “I have not received any report of any assault by any child at Apna Ghar.”
Staff of Apna Ghar too have been accused of abusing minors. Recently, Children’s Rights in Goa, an NGO working with children in the state moved an application for a magisterial inquiry before the JJB.
The complaint says that during their visit to Apna Ghar on October 4, 2008, they were informed that one of the inmates was admitted at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour, Bambolim after being assaulted.
“On probing the incident it was revealed that two juveniles were assaulted by the care taker of Apna Ghar with a cricket stump. One was hit on the head and his hands and sustained grievous injuries,” says the complaint.
The NGO’s application states that this happened because the juveniles insisted they wanted to watch TV. So far, no order has been passed.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Fiona to visit Goa to take Scarlett’s organs
SCARLETT MURDER CASE
Fiona to visit Goa to take Scarlett’s organs
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: British teenager Scarlett Keeling’s mother Fiona Mackeown will be coming to Goa to collect her daughter’s organs.
Speaking to TOI over the phone from her home in Devon, UK, Fiona said “I will be coming back in February to collect my daughter’s organs. I hope to be in India for the anniversary of Scarlett’s death.”
Scarlett’s body had been found on February 19, 2008 at Anjuna beach, and a case of rape and murder was registered. Fiona had taken her daughter’s body to the UK for a third autopsy after two forensic autopsies at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim. The autopsy at the coroner’s court in Devon had revealed that Scarlett’s kidneys, stomach and uterus were missing. Doctors at GMC’s forensic department had stated that the organs had been preserved for tests.
While Scarlett’s liver and pieces of her lungs were deposited in a sealed envelope by the Goa police with the children’s court, half of the uterus and slides containing tissues were collected from the Goa Medical College and Hospital by the CBI for examination. Some of the organs utilized by the Forensic Science Laboratory, Mumbai, for chemical analysis were preserved for a period of three weeks and thereafter destroyed as per the existing protocol, it being “hazardous” to preserve them.
Fiona, who was initially skeptical of returning to India as a case of negligence was filed against her before the Women and Child department, now aspires to return home with her daughter’s organs to give a decent burial to Scarlett. “The coroner won’t release Scarlett’s body until the investigations are over in India,” she said.
Meanwhile, the CBI is yet to meet Fiona to record her statement. “I haven’t spoken to the CBI yet in person but they have agreed via email to meet them in the second week of January,” she said.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Fiona to visit Goa to take Scarlett’s organs
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: British teenager Scarlett Keeling’s mother Fiona Mackeown will be coming to Goa to collect her daughter’s organs.
Speaking to TOI over the phone from her home in Devon, UK, Fiona said “I will be coming back in February to collect my daughter’s organs. I hope to be in India for the anniversary of Scarlett’s death.”
Scarlett’s body had been found on February 19, 2008 at Anjuna beach, and a case of rape and murder was registered. Fiona had taken her daughter’s body to the UK for a third autopsy after two forensic autopsies at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim. The autopsy at the coroner’s court in Devon had revealed that Scarlett’s kidneys, stomach and uterus were missing. Doctors at GMC’s forensic department had stated that the organs had been preserved for tests.
While Scarlett’s liver and pieces of her lungs were deposited in a sealed envelope by the Goa police with the children’s court, half of the uterus and slides containing tissues were collected from the Goa Medical College and Hospital by the CBI for examination. Some of the organs utilized by the Forensic Science Laboratory, Mumbai, for chemical analysis were preserved for a period of three weeks and thereafter destroyed as per the existing protocol, it being “hazardous” to preserve them.
Fiona, who was initially skeptical of returning to India as a case of negligence was filed against her before the Women and Child department, now aspires to return home with her daughter’s organs to give a decent burial to Scarlett. “The coroner won’t release Scarlett’s body until the investigations are over in India,” she said.
Meanwhile, the CBI is yet to meet Fiona to record her statement. “I haven’t spoken to the CBI yet in person but they have agreed via email to meet them in the second week of January,” she said.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
German girl leaves India for home
German girl leaves India for home
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: The minor German girl, at the centre of a controversial rape case, left for Germany with her mother. The girl’s mother had alleged that education minister Atanasio Monserrate’s son, Rohit, had sexually abused her daughter.
Highly placed sources said the mother and daughter returned to Germany for “personal” reasons, but will return to answer queries vital for the collection of evidence in the alleged rape.
It may be recalled that on December 5, 2008, the foreigner’s registration office (FRO), Mumbai had written to the FRO, Goa asking whether the latter had any objection to an “exit permit” being issued to the girl. Since the matter was sub judice, the Goa police had replied asking the FRO, Mumbai to seek the high court’s permission.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: The minor German girl, at the centre of a controversial rape case, left for Germany with her mother. The girl’s mother had alleged that education minister Atanasio Monserrate’s son, Rohit, had sexually abused her daughter.
Highly placed sources said the mother and daughter returned to Germany for “personal” reasons, but will return to answer queries vital for the collection of evidence in the alleged rape.
It may be recalled that on December 5, 2008, the foreigner’s registration office (FRO), Mumbai had written to the FRO, Goa asking whether the latter had any objection to an “exit permit” being issued to the girl. Since the matter was sub judice, the Goa police had replied asking the FRO, Mumbai to seek the high court’s permission.
January 12,2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Family role vital for mental health of young: Study
Family role vital for mental health of young: Study
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: A study has found that strong family support is a critical factor associated with low prevalence of mental disorders among adolescents. Similarly, factors that indicate adoption of a non-traditional lifestyle are associated with increased prevalence of mental disorders among youngsters.
Called “Non-traditional lifestyles and prevalence of mental disorders in adolescents in Goa”, the study was conducted by NGO Sangath and published recently in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
While there is an independent association of mental disorders with an outgoing ‘non-traditional’ lifestyle (frequent partying, going to the cinema, shopping for fun and having a boyfriend or girlfriend), difficulties with studies, lack of safety in the neighbourhood, a history of physical or verbal abuse and tobacco use, having one’s family as the primary source of social support was associated with lower prevalence of mental disorders, revealed the study.
Its results showed that the most common diagnoses were anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, behavioural disorders and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders. It also noted that adolescents from urban areas and girls who faced gender discrimination had a higher prevalence of mental disorders. Similarly, physical or verbal abuse from parents or other family members and peers were independently associated with mental disorders.
Most of the adolescents — 75% — in the study spoke Konkani at homeme and lived with both parents (83.6%). A small proportion (3.7%) livedwith neither parent. Majority (91.6%) were full-time students at the time of the interview, 7.9% had dropped out of school and 0.5% had never had any formal education. Overall, 39.4% of adolescents reported experiencing difficulties with their studies. A total of 157 adolescents reported having worked for pay and among these 53.2% started working before the age of 14.
Sangath conducted the epidemiological study to describe the current prevalence of mental disorders and its correlates among 2,000 plus adolescents aged between 12 and 16 years.
The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of mental disorders in adolescents. For the same, a population-based survey of all eligible adolescents from six urban wards and four rural communities was randomly selected to diagnose current emotional and behavioural disorders. All adolescents were also interviewed
on socio-economic factors, education, neighbourhood, parental relations, peer and sexual relationships, violence and substance abuse.
The sample for the study was enumerated through two sources: the family registers maintained by the health centres and eligible adolescents residing in the area who were identified during the door-to-door survey.
While in the rural areas,most adolescents were identified from the family health register, in the urban areas, the family registers maintained by the health centre had not been updated for several years and thus they carried out a door-to-door survey to enumerate the adolescents.
January 10, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: A study has found that strong family support is a critical factor associated with low prevalence of mental disorders among adolescents. Similarly, factors that indicate adoption of a non-traditional lifestyle are associated with increased prevalence of mental disorders among youngsters.
Called “Non-traditional lifestyles and prevalence of mental disorders in adolescents in Goa”, the study was conducted by NGO Sangath and published recently in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
While there is an independent association of mental disorders with an outgoing ‘non-traditional’ lifestyle (frequent partying, going to the cinema, shopping for fun and having a boyfriend or girlfriend), difficulties with studies, lack of safety in the neighbourhood, a history of physical or verbal abuse and tobacco use, having one’s family as the primary source of social support was associated with lower prevalence of mental disorders, revealed the study.
Its results showed that the most common diagnoses were anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, behavioural disorders and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorders. It also noted that adolescents from urban areas and girls who faced gender discrimination had a higher prevalence of mental disorders. Similarly, physical or verbal abuse from parents or other family members and peers were independently associated with mental disorders.
Most of the adolescents — 75% — in the study spoke Konkani at homeme and lived with both parents (83.6%). A small proportion (3.7%) livedwith neither parent. Majority (91.6%) were full-time students at the time of the interview, 7.9% had dropped out of school and 0.5% had never had any formal education. Overall, 39.4% of adolescents reported experiencing difficulties with their studies. A total of 157 adolescents reported having worked for pay and among these 53.2% started working before the age of 14.
Sangath conducted the epidemiological study to describe the current prevalence of mental disorders and its correlates among 2,000 plus adolescents aged between 12 and 16 years.
The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of mental disorders in adolescents. For the same, a population-based survey of all eligible adolescents from six urban wards and four rural communities was randomly selected to diagnose current emotional and behavioural disorders. All adolescents were also interviewed
on socio-economic factors, education, neighbourhood, parental relations, peer and sexual relationships, violence and substance abuse.
The sample for the study was enumerated through two sources: the family registers maintained by the health centres and eligible adolescents residing in the area who were identified during the door-to-door survey.
While in the rural areas,most adolescents were identified from the family health register, in the urban areas, the family registers maintained by the health centre had not been updated for several years and thus they carried out a door-to-door survey to enumerate the adolescents.
January 10, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Goa-More cops for netas than coast
More cops for netas than coast
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: There are 74 policemen manning the sandy stretch from Majorda to Mobor at Colva police station. The number of police personnel posted at the sensitive Calangute and Anjuna police stations are 85 and 77 respectively. The number of police personnel guarding the state’s 12 ministers, speaker and deputy speaker touches 164, much more than the number of policemen posted at any single police station in Goa.
Policemen handling the district Police Control Rooms in North and South Goa are 13 and 14 respectively, just above the number of men—12 — guarding home minister Ravi Naik. There are 37 cops manning the state PCR, which is still lower than the number of policemen protecting CM Digambar Kamat.
Goa’s CM and speaker have more police security than the state’s three coastal police stations. While the CM has 38 policemen guarding him, speaker Pratapsingh Rane is guarded by 33 policemen. Incidentally, the number of policemen manning the coastline from Benaulim to Pollem at the Mobor coastal police station is 22, lower than the number of policemen — 23 — guarding health minister Vishwajit Rane.
In other words, the police strength at sensitive police stations in Calangute (85), Anjuna (77), Pernem (82), Colva (74) and Canacona (64), all popular destinations with Israeli, British and American tourists or at the PCR or coastal police stations, important after the Mumbai attacks, is less compared to that given to ministers, former ministers and even parliamentary secretaries. Strength at police stations is just on paper, says ex-SP
Panaji: There are more policemen guarding the politicians in the state than the number of those manning the sensitive stretches of Goa coastal areas.
“The strength at police stations is just on paper. Many policemen from police stations are deployed at other places, including the houses of ruling party leaders. In the last few years it has become a trend amongst politicians, especially from the ruling party, to demand more security personnel than they are entitled to or require,” said former SP Alex Rasquinha.
Incidentally, while most police stations still have vintage .303 rifles, policemen guarding the homes of ministers are armed with 7.62 SLRs.
While the CM has a pilot vehicle and an escort vehicle with men armed with 9mm carbines and pistols or revolvers, the speaker has a flying squad and escort vehicle with policemen armed with pistols and 9mm carbines. The speaker’s son, who is the health minister has two escort vehicles and men armed with pistols and carbines. All ministers have two personal security officers, besides a sentry to guard their home, consisting of one hawaldar and four police constables. Even as politicians in the state continue to ask for, and get, security cover although they face no security threat, the ratio of police to population in the state in July 2008 was 1:339.
“Here security cover is not a matter of threat perception, but of prestige. The more security men you have, the more powerful you appear before the public. Mere cabinet status does not entitle anyone to security and there has to be a genuine threat perception,” said a top police official.
Former ministers Luizinho Faleiro, Wilfred de Souza and Francisco Sardinha (even before he became an MP) continued with their personal security officers long after they ceased to be ministers. MLAs Agnelo Fernandes, Francis Silveira, Nilkanth Halarnkar have managed to get personal security officers. Only education minister Atanasio Monserrate doesn’t have police protection. Incidentally, though the security review panel of the Goa police examines threat perception to politicians with the help of the Intelligence Bureau, most polticians manage to get protection merely on the strength of their political clout and influence.
January 9, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: There are 74 policemen manning the sandy stretch from Majorda to Mobor at Colva police station. The number of police personnel posted at the sensitive Calangute and Anjuna police stations are 85 and 77 respectively. The number of police personnel guarding the state’s 12 ministers, speaker and deputy speaker touches 164, much more than the number of policemen posted at any single police station in Goa.
Policemen handling the district Police Control Rooms in North and South Goa are 13 and 14 respectively, just above the number of men—12 — guarding home minister Ravi Naik. There are 37 cops manning the state PCR, which is still lower than the number of policemen protecting CM Digambar Kamat.
Goa’s CM and speaker have more police security than the state’s three coastal police stations. While the CM has 38 policemen guarding him, speaker Pratapsingh Rane is guarded by 33 policemen. Incidentally, the number of policemen manning the coastline from Benaulim to Pollem at the Mobor coastal police station is 22, lower than the number of policemen — 23 — guarding health minister Vishwajit Rane.
In other words, the police strength at sensitive police stations in Calangute (85), Anjuna (77), Pernem (82), Colva (74) and Canacona (64), all popular destinations with Israeli, British and American tourists or at the PCR or coastal police stations, important after the Mumbai attacks, is less compared to that given to ministers, former ministers and even parliamentary secretaries. Strength at police stations is just on paper, says ex-SP
Panaji: There are more policemen guarding the politicians in the state than the number of those manning the sensitive stretches of Goa coastal areas.
“The strength at police stations is just on paper. Many policemen from police stations are deployed at other places, including the houses of ruling party leaders. In the last few years it has become a trend amongst politicians, especially from the ruling party, to demand more security personnel than they are entitled to or require,” said former SP Alex Rasquinha.
Incidentally, while most police stations still have vintage .303 rifles, policemen guarding the homes of ministers are armed with 7.62 SLRs.
While the CM has a pilot vehicle and an escort vehicle with men armed with 9mm carbines and pistols or revolvers, the speaker has a flying squad and escort vehicle with policemen armed with pistols and 9mm carbines. The speaker’s son, who is the health minister has two escort vehicles and men armed with pistols and carbines. All ministers have two personal security officers, besides a sentry to guard their home, consisting of one hawaldar and four police constables. Even as politicians in the state continue to ask for, and get, security cover although they face no security threat, the ratio of police to population in the state in July 2008 was 1:339.
“Here security cover is not a matter of threat perception, but of prestige. The more security men you have, the more powerful you appear before the public. Mere cabinet status does not entitle anyone to security and there has to be a genuine threat perception,” said a top police official.
Former ministers Luizinho Faleiro, Wilfred de Souza and Francisco Sardinha (even before he became an MP) continued with their personal security officers long after they ceased to be ministers. MLAs Agnelo Fernandes, Francis Silveira, Nilkanth Halarnkar have managed to get personal security officers. Only education minister Atanasio Monserrate doesn’t have police protection. Incidentally, though the security review panel of the Goa police examines threat perception to politicians with the help of the Intelligence Bureau, most polticians manage to get protection merely on the strength of their political clout and influence.
January 9, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Britons seek help from commission
Britons seek help from commission
Foreigners In Goa Unnerved By ED Action, Fear Eviction
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: The two British nationals, against whom the Mumbai enforcement directorate (ED) acted for “illegally” purchasing property in Goa, have written to the British high commission for help. The ED action has unnerved other foreigners who fear confiscation of their home or even eviction.
“For the last six months we have been worried about our home being confiscated and us being rendered homeless and bankrupt. We are living a nightmare and the situation is mentally destructive, nerve wrecking and emotionally disturbing,” said 53-year-old British national Jean (name changed), who was issued summons by the ED to present her home registration documents.
Jean bought a 162 sq m apartment in Arpora in 2002 after selling her UK property and “after fulfilling all requirements under law to purchase property in India”.
Another Dutch national, who purchased an apartment in Kevim in 2004, is still awaiting clearance from the investigators. “The impression we get is that the Goa government may like to have us as tourists but not as residents. If that’s the case then I am willing to sell off my property in Goa and I promise never to return here. But it would be wrong to snatch everything away from us when we have spent money on lawyers and paper work to ensure that everything is done legally.”
The Dutch national says she spent time researching local property laws and talking to people who had already bought in Goa. “We have always tried to do what is legal. If our house is snatched and we are wrongfully fined for illegalities we never committed, then we will be literally in the gutter,” she added. They are on a five year X visa.
Meanwhile, the two British nationals — Nicholas Joseph Papa and his friend Michael Denis Cooper — who have a house in Corona, North Goa, have written to the British high commission, Mumbai, seeking intervention and help. “We feel that our government should investigate and intervene to help us as we have not done anything illegal. They should take up the matter with the Indian government as we wouldn’t be investing our life’s savings in something that is illegal,” said Papa.
Papa said that they were on a business visa when they purchased their first house on May 25, 2001, after a stay of 231 days, which they later sold. “We purchased the second house in September 2006 when we were on a five year X visa (permission to reside in a country without employment or business for a longer period) after staying in the country for 339 days. We never purchased property while on a tourist visa,” said Cooper.
Incidentally, even though North Goa additional collector in his letter to the ED on September 23 said that “unless a conversion sanad is obtained, the property continues to be agricultural though it falls under ‘R-zone/settlement zone’ as per zoning under the town and country planning department,” the fact remains that several sale deeds were done by sub-registrars and foreigners were given house number, house tax and provided electricity.
Advocate Vikram Varma dealing with cases of foreigners who have invested in property in Goa said, “The government has misinterpreted the provisions of FEMA. I have examined the documents and find no violation of FEMA in letter or spirit.”
Joint secretary of the state government Anupam Kishore said, “There has been no misinterpretation of FEMA and action has been initiated against foreign nationals who have contravened FEMA regulations. They also have a right to defend themselves. Most of them have given an affidavit before sub-registrars’ that they were residents in India, which was false.”
January 8, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Foreigners In Goa Unnerved By ED Action, Fear Eviction
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: The two British nationals, against whom the Mumbai enforcement directorate (ED) acted for “illegally” purchasing property in Goa, have written to the British high commission for help. The ED action has unnerved other foreigners who fear confiscation of their home or even eviction.
“For the last six months we have been worried about our home being confiscated and us being rendered homeless and bankrupt. We are living a nightmare and the situation is mentally destructive, nerve wrecking and emotionally disturbing,” said 53-year-old British national Jean (name changed), who was issued summons by the ED to present her home registration documents.
Jean bought a 162 sq m apartment in Arpora in 2002 after selling her UK property and “after fulfilling all requirements under law to purchase property in India”.
Another Dutch national, who purchased an apartment in Kevim in 2004, is still awaiting clearance from the investigators. “The impression we get is that the Goa government may like to have us as tourists but not as residents. If that’s the case then I am willing to sell off my property in Goa and I promise never to return here. But it would be wrong to snatch everything away from us when we have spent money on lawyers and paper work to ensure that everything is done legally.”
The Dutch national says she spent time researching local property laws and talking to people who had already bought in Goa. “We have always tried to do what is legal. If our house is snatched and we are wrongfully fined for illegalities we never committed, then we will be literally in the gutter,” she added. They are on a five year X visa.
Meanwhile, the two British nationals — Nicholas Joseph Papa and his friend Michael Denis Cooper — who have a house in Corona, North Goa, have written to the British high commission, Mumbai, seeking intervention and help. “We feel that our government should investigate and intervene to help us as we have not done anything illegal. They should take up the matter with the Indian government as we wouldn’t be investing our life’s savings in something that is illegal,” said Papa.
Papa said that they were on a business visa when they purchased their first house on May 25, 2001, after a stay of 231 days, which they later sold. “We purchased the second house in September 2006 when we were on a five year X visa (permission to reside in a country without employment or business for a longer period) after staying in the country for 339 days. We never purchased property while on a tourist visa,” said Cooper.
Incidentally, even though North Goa additional collector in his letter to the ED on September 23 said that “unless a conversion sanad is obtained, the property continues to be agricultural though it falls under ‘R-zone/settlement zone’ as per zoning under the town and country planning department,” the fact remains that several sale deeds were done by sub-registrars and foreigners were given house number, house tax and provided electricity.
Advocate Vikram Varma dealing with cases of foreigners who have invested in property in Goa said, “The government has misinterpreted the provisions of FEMA. I have examined the documents and find no violation of FEMA in letter or spirit.”
Joint secretary of the state government Anupam Kishore said, “There has been no misinterpretation of FEMA and action has been initiated against foreign nationals who have contravened FEMA regulations. They also have a right to defend themselves. Most of them have given an affidavit before sub-registrars’ that they were residents in India, which was false.”
January 8, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Britons get ED notice on Goa property
Britons get ED notice on Goa property
Asked To Explain Why Govt Should Not Confiscate It
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Acting against foreigners “illegally” purchasing property in Goa, the Enforcement Directorate has slapped show a cause notice on two British nationals seeking to know why their property in Corona, North Goa, should not be confiscated.
The notice was based on a complaint filed by the assistant director of DoE under section 16 (3) of FEMA as the duo had failed to establish their status as “persons resident in India” and yet had purchased and sold property in India without obtaining RBI permission.
The notice, issued by K Nageshwar Rao, special director, DoE, on December 11, 2008, asks “why the property which is involved in the contravention of the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (1999) should not be confiscated to the Central government account”.
This is the first time a foreign national who had “illegally” invested in property in Goa has been issued a show cause notice for confiscation of the property by the ED. The state government has sent a list of 482 transactions by foreigners for the ED to investigate.
TOI had reported in June that the ED had come across reports that foreigners have purchased properties in excess of 100-acres in Goa and that of the 400 cases of FEMA violations in Goa referred to RBI, 74 had been forwarded to the ED. Earlier in May, the ED had served notices to foreigners asking them to appear for hearings.
In his complaint, the ED assistant director said he had received information from RBI about the purchase of immovable and agricultural property by foreign nationals, Nicholas Joseph Papa and his friend Michael Dennis Cooper, who “on tourist visa had purchased immovable properties in Goa in contravention of FEMA regulations”.
The complaint states that Nicholas declared that he had stayed in India for a period of more than 182 days, had residential permit visas and funds from abroad to purchase an old house of about 1,125 sq m in 2001 at Aldona, which he sold in 2006. In September 2006, he purchased another property of 928 sq m at Corona. “He had not taken RBI permission to purchase and sell the said properties,” the complaint notes. The value of the land is estimated at Rs 77, 25,000.
The complaint also notes that documents forwarded by the Britishers, including authenticated copies of their passports, visas, certificate of registration, residential permits describe the duo as “retired” and the purpose of their residing in India as “holiday”. However, they had purchased agricultural land in Aldona and declared themselves as “persons resident in India” in the sale deed dated September 7, 2006.
The complaint says that the Britishers had falsely declared themselves as persons “resident in India” and so are “prohibited from the acquisition of any immovable property in the form of agriculture or plantation farm house”.
January 7, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Asked To Explain Why Govt Should Not Confiscate It
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: Acting against foreigners “illegally” purchasing property in Goa, the Enforcement Directorate has slapped show a cause notice on two British nationals seeking to know why their property in Corona, North Goa, should not be confiscated.
The notice was based on a complaint filed by the assistant director of DoE under section 16 (3) of FEMA as the duo had failed to establish their status as “persons resident in India” and yet had purchased and sold property in India without obtaining RBI permission.
The notice, issued by K Nageshwar Rao, special director, DoE, on December 11, 2008, asks “why the property which is involved in the contravention of the provisions of Foreign Exchange Management Act (1999) should not be confiscated to the Central government account”.
This is the first time a foreign national who had “illegally” invested in property in Goa has been issued a show cause notice for confiscation of the property by the ED. The state government has sent a list of 482 transactions by foreigners for the ED to investigate.
TOI had reported in June that the ED had come across reports that foreigners have purchased properties in excess of 100-acres in Goa and that of the 400 cases of FEMA violations in Goa referred to RBI, 74 had been forwarded to the ED. Earlier in May, the ED had served notices to foreigners asking them to appear for hearings.
In his complaint, the ED assistant director said he had received information from RBI about the purchase of immovable and agricultural property by foreign nationals, Nicholas Joseph Papa and his friend Michael Dennis Cooper, who “on tourist visa had purchased immovable properties in Goa in contravention of FEMA regulations”.
The complaint states that Nicholas declared that he had stayed in India for a period of more than 182 days, had residential permit visas and funds from abroad to purchase an old house of about 1,125 sq m in 2001 at Aldona, which he sold in 2006. In September 2006, he purchased another property of 928 sq m at Corona. “He had not taken RBI permission to purchase and sell the said properties,” the complaint notes. The value of the land is estimated at Rs 77, 25,000.
The complaint also notes that documents forwarded by the Britishers, including authenticated copies of their passports, visas, certificate of registration, residential permits describe the duo as “retired” and the purpose of their residing in India as “holiday”. However, they had purchased agricultural land in Aldona and declared themselves as “persons resident in India” in the sale deed dated September 7, 2006.
The complaint says that the Britishers had falsely declared themselves as persons “resident in India” and so are “prohibited from the acquisition of any immovable property in the form of agriculture or plantation farm house”.
January 7, 2009, The Times of India, Goa edition
Monday, January 05, 2009
I was drugged, robbed, says Dutch woman
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
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
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
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Sunburn weathers storm, Rs 1 lakh surety paid
Sunburn weathers storm, Rs 1 lakh surety paid
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: Even as the Calangute police lodged a complaint against the organizers of the Sunburn festival at Candolim for playing loud music, the government granted fresh conditional permission to the organizers to carry on with the beach music festival after they paid a surety of Rs 1 lakh.
Chief secretary JP Singh said, “The organizers have made a petition to the collector and they have given a guarantee of Rs 1 lakh and an undertaking that they will not violate the sound levels. As their sound levels on the second day were within the norms, the deputy collector gave them permission to continue the festival. This is conditional. Moreover, the Goa State Pollution Control Board will monitor the sound levels.”
When asked if this is an exception and if others who violate the Noise Pollution Act will be allowed to carry on operations by giving a guarantee amount, Singh said, “This can’t become a trend.”
The 3-day festival which started on Saturday was stopped by the Calangute police on Sunday after Mapusa sub divisional magistrate issued an order cancelling its conditional NOC.
Sources said that due to political pressure from a ruling MLA, the government asked the organizers to apply again for permission. They were then asked to give a surety of Rs 1 lakh and an undertaking that they would strictly abide by the law and if it is violated, penal action would be taken against them, besides them having to forfeit the Rs 1 lakh.
Mapusa SDM Mahesh Khorjuenkar said, “It is a government decision to give fresh permission as the organizers have applied again on Monday. We have given permission with certain conditions.”
Reacting to the conditional permission granted by the government, former additional advocate general Vilas Thali told TOI that the guarantee should not have been accepted at all. “The decision is discriminatory,” he said.
Environmentalist Claude Alvares said the decision of granting permission after taking a guarantee of Rs 1 lakh is “wrong and illegal”. “Goa Foundation will approach the court and see that nobody is allowed to have parties like this in the future,” he said.
Pointing to the amount being “hardly anything” for the organizers to shell out, he said, “Considering the amount, every organizer will be willing to give such a guarantee to organize such parties.”
The police in their complaint said that on December 27, between 12.45pm and 10pm, the organizers of the festival played music ranging from 67.2db to 89.3db. The permitted decibel level is up to 55db. A case had accordingly been registered against the organizer Lyndon Alves from Dona Paula under section 3 and 4 of the Noise Pollution Act.
When contacted, Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes said, “I was fighting to get permissions for Sunburn. Because of this, 48 more shacks have got permission to play music. If you don’t have such parties and music for Christmas, then what is the fun of being in Goa? For the sake of tourism, people need to bear some music that anyway stops by 10pm. Everyone in Calangute and Candolim is happy except people who complain perenially.”
December 30, 2008, The Times of India, Goa Edition
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: Even as the Calangute police lodged a complaint against the organizers of the Sunburn festival at Candolim for playing loud music, the government granted fresh conditional permission to the organizers to carry on with the beach music festival after they paid a surety of Rs 1 lakh.
Chief secretary JP Singh said, “The organizers have made a petition to the collector and they have given a guarantee of Rs 1 lakh and an undertaking that they will not violate the sound levels. As their sound levels on the second day were within the norms, the deputy collector gave them permission to continue the festival. This is conditional. Moreover, the Goa State Pollution Control Board will monitor the sound levels.”
When asked if this is an exception and if others who violate the Noise Pollution Act will be allowed to carry on operations by giving a guarantee amount, Singh said, “This can’t become a trend.”
The 3-day festival which started on Saturday was stopped by the Calangute police on Sunday after Mapusa sub divisional magistrate issued an order cancelling its conditional NOC.
Sources said that due to political pressure from a ruling MLA, the government asked the organizers to apply again for permission. They were then asked to give a surety of Rs 1 lakh and an undertaking that they would strictly abide by the law and if it is violated, penal action would be taken against them, besides them having to forfeit the Rs 1 lakh.
Mapusa SDM Mahesh Khorjuenkar said, “It is a government decision to give fresh permission as the organizers have applied again on Monday. We have given permission with certain conditions.”
Reacting to the conditional permission granted by the government, former additional advocate general Vilas Thali told TOI that the guarantee should not have been accepted at all. “The decision is discriminatory,” he said.
Environmentalist Claude Alvares said the decision of granting permission after taking a guarantee of Rs 1 lakh is “wrong and illegal”. “Goa Foundation will approach the court and see that nobody is allowed to have parties like this in the future,” he said.
Pointing to the amount being “hardly anything” for the organizers to shell out, he said, “Considering the amount, every organizer will be willing to give such a guarantee to organize such parties.”
The police in their complaint said that on December 27, between 12.45pm and 10pm, the organizers of the festival played music ranging from 67.2db to 89.3db. The permitted decibel level is up to 55db. A case had accordingly been registered against the organizer Lyndon Alves from Dona Paula under section 3 and 4 of the Noise Pollution Act.
When contacted, Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes said, “I was fighting to get permissions for Sunburn. Because of this, 48 more shacks have got permission to play music. If you don’t have such parties and music for Christmas, then what is the fun of being in Goa? For the sake of tourism, people need to bear some music that anyway stops by 10pm. Everyone in Calangute and Candolim is happy except people who complain perenially.”
December 30, 2008, The Times of India, Goa Edition
SUNBURN 2008 Sun sets early on fest as organizers goof up
SUNBURN 2008
Sun sets early on fest as organizers goof up
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: The three-day Sunburn 2008 beach festival that had started on Saturday with conditional permission at Candolim, was stopped by the Calangute police after Mapusa sub-divisional magistrate issued an order cancelling the conditional NOC issued to the organizers.
The SDM in his order to the police said that the Goa Pollution Control Board in its report to him had clearly stated that the organizers had violated the sound decibel level and since it was in violation of the conditional NOC, the premission stands cancelled.
SP (North) Bosco George, confirming that the festival has been stopped said, “Acting on the SDMs order we stopped the festival between 7 and 7.30 pm on Sunday.”
Mapusa SDM Mahesh Khorjuenkar said, “Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) submitted a report on Sunday in which they have stated that the organizers have failed to comply with permissible sound levels and therefore the North Goa collector issued directions to me to ask the police to take action.”
Sources said that GSPCB in its report has said that the organizers were exceeding the music limit and playing at 83 sound decibels on Saturday.
While the permission granted by the SDM was for 55 decibels, the GSPCB maintained that the music could be played upto 65 decibels in Calangute and Candolim as it is a commercial area and this can be extended up to 75 decibels. However, even that was violated.
While in the morning the music remained at 60 decibels, by 3.30 pm the decibel level peaked to 83 near the entrance of the festival which was much above the permissible level.
Meanwhile, highly placed sources said that Central intelligence agencies having examined the arrangements made by the organizers have opined to the Goa police that it is not a secure arrangement, especially from the beach side to prevent any entry of any terror attacks.
While issuing the conditional NOC to the organizers, the SDM and the police had clearly stated that they would have to comply with 22 conditions and if any condition was violated then the order issuing the conditional NOC will be deemed to be revoked.
Meanwhile, villagers said that soon after the cops left, music could be heard.
However, police personnel intervened once again to stop the festival.
December 27, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Sun sets early on fest as organizers goof up
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: The three-day Sunburn 2008 beach festival that had started on Saturday with conditional permission at Candolim, was stopped by the Calangute police after Mapusa sub-divisional magistrate issued an order cancelling the conditional NOC issued to the organizers.
The SDM in his order to the police said that the Goa Pollution Control Board in its report to him had clearly stated that the organizers had violated the sound decibel level and since it was in violation of the conditional NOC, the premission stands cancelled.
SP (North) Bosco George, confirming that the festival has been stopped said, “Acting on the SDMs order we stopped the festival between 7 and 7.30 pm on Sunday.”
Mapusa SDM Mahesh Khorjuenkar said, “Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) submitted a report on Sunday in which they have stated that the organizers have failed to comply with permissible sound levels and therefore the North Goa collector issued directions to me to ask the police to take action.”
Sources said that GSPCB in its report has said that the organizers were exceeding the music limit and playing at 83 sound decibels on Saturday.
While the permission granted by the SDM was for 55 decibels, the GSPCB maintained that the music could be played upto 65 decibels in Calangute and Candolim as it is a commercial area and this can be extended up to 75 decibels. However, even that was violated.
While in the morning the music remained at 60 decibels, by 3.30 pm the decibel level peaked to 83 near the entrance of the festival which was much above the permissible level.
Meanwhile, highly placed sources said that Central intelligence agencies having examined the arrangements made by the organizers have opined to the Goa police that it is not a secure arrangement, especially from the beach side to prevent any entry of any terror attacks.
While issuing the conditional NOC to the organizers, the SDM and the police had clearly stated that they would have to comply with 22 conditions and if any condition was violated then the order issuing the conditional NOC will be deemed to be revoked.
Meanwhile, villagers said that soon after the cops left, music could be heard.
However, police personnel intervened once again to stop the festival.
December 27, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Sunburn 2008 gets green signal
THE PARTY IS ON
Sunburn 2008 gets green signal
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: Despite the government declaring that “open” beach festivals are banned, the organizers of the Sunburn 2008 music beach festival managed to get permission to hold the festival at Candolim beach by enclosing the premises with metal sheets.
“The SP (north) and SP (traffic) have both issued a conditional NOC and if any condition is breached, the NOC will be cancelled,” said SP (intelligence) Atmaram Deshpande.
Highly placed sources said that there was immense pressure on the organizers to issue the NOC, due to which the police issued a conditional NOC after the organizers promised to comply with several directions. Sources revealed that the NOC will hold only if the organizers comply with the condition of having armed private guards in uniform, traffic marshals to man vehicles, security men in plain clothes, hand metal detectors, frame metal detectors, sniffer dogs and the entire area enclosed with metal sheets. It is also said that no minor should be allowed and everyone’s I-cards should be checked. “There are about 22 conditions the organizers have to comply with,” sources said
“The NOC also states that there should be no parking in the lane and a separate parking provision should be made. Penal action will be initiated in case the organizers fail to comply with the undertaking they have given us,” said police sources. The police have also asked the organizers to stop all activity by 10 pm.
Incidentally, even when the police were refusing to grant an NOC, Manuj Agarwal, chief operating officer of Percept D’- Mark had declared that the festival is on. “They have been given permission on the technical ground that the festival is going to be held on private property behind the sand dunes at Candolim and not on the beach,” said sources in the government.
The Sunburn festival, dedicated to the promotion of peace and global harmony, aims to attract more than 3000 people and will be held from December 27 to December 29. More than 35 music artists from around the
world will play across 4 stages on the beach, and will have food stalls, fire jugglers, stilt walkers, a flea market and will also promote environmental awareness and education.
Deputy Collector (Mapusa) MV Khorjuenkar said, “Earlier the report was that the festival was on the beach, but as they said that it is being held on private property, the police verified it and gave a report to us that the music permission should be granted as the organizers have given an undertaking.”
“We discussed the matter with the collector and after examining the case granted permission as the festival doesn’t violate the government order banning open beach parties,” he added.
December 27, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Sunburn 2008 gets green signal
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Panaji: Despite the government declaring that “open” beach festivals are banned, the organizers of the Sunburn 2008 music beach festival managed to get permission to hold the festival at Candolim beach by enclosing the premises with metal sheets.
“The SP (north) and SP (traffic) have both issued a conditional NOC and if any condition is breached, the NOC will be cancelled,” said SP (intelligence) Atmaram Deshpande.
Highly placed sources said that there was immense pressure on the organizers to issue the NOC, due to which the police issued a conditional NOC after the organizers promised to comply with several directions. Sources revealed that the NOC will hold only if the organizers comply with the condition of having armed private guards in uniform, traffic marshals to man vehicles, security men in plain clothes, hand metal detectors, frame metal detectors, sniffer dogs and the entire area enclosed with metal sheets. It is also said that no minor should be allowed and everyone’s I-cards should be checked. “There are about 22 conditions the organizers have to comply with,” sources said
“The NOC also states that there should be no parking in the lane and a separate parking provision should be made. Penal action will be initiated in case the organizers fail to comply with the undertaking they have given us,” said police sources. The police have also asked the organizers to stop all activity by 10 pm.
Incidentally, even when the police were refusing to grant an NOC, Manuj Agarwal, chief operating officer of Percept D’- Mark had declared that the festival is on. “They have been given permission on the technical ground that the festival is going to be held on private property behind the sand dunes at Candolim and not on the beach,” said sources in the government.
The Sunburn festival, dedicated to the promotion of peace and global harmony, aims to attract more than 3000 people and will be held from December 27 to December 29. More than 35 music artists from around the
world will play across 4 stages on the beach, and will have food stalls, fire jugglers, stilt walkers, a flea market and will also promote environmental awareness and education.
Deputy Collector (Mapusa) MV Khorjuenkar said, “Earlier the report was that the festival was on the beach, but as they said that it is being held on private property, the police verified it and gave a report to us that the music permission should be granted as the organizers have given an undertaking.”
“We discussed the matter with the collector and after examining the case granted permission as the festival doesn’t violate the government order banning open beach parties,” he added.
December 27, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Goan cops send arms wish list to Centre
Goan cops send arms wish list to Centre
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: The Goa government has asked the Centre for advanced arms and ammunition to fight terrorists, better infrastructure and equipment for coastal police, modern surveillance tools and advanced communication technology for the Goa police.
The estimated cost of the equipment sought has been pegged at approximately Rs 100 crore, and would strengthen the Goa police force. The proposal was sent after Union minister of state for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal, at a meeting with the Goa chief minister, Home minister and police officials on December 24 had asked for a list of requirements.
The state government has requested the Centre to provide the infrastructure and equipment during the financial year 2009-10.
IGP Kishan Kumar confirmed that a proposal to improve the police infrastructure and equipment was sent to the Central government. “Through the state government we have moved a proposal to the Centre for more arms and ammunition, better facilities for the coastal police, vehicles for beat constables and improved communication systems,” said Kumar.
Sources said that the list of demands includes guns, 200 each of hybrid weapon Insas and AK-56s, besides more AK-47s and 7.62 SLRs. Most of the weapons the Goa police possesses today are vintage quality .303 rifles. The police have also sought more vehicles — jeeps for the coastal and traffic police, as well as for the police control room staff and about 320 motorcycles for the beat constables, so that each beat will have its own vehicle, sources said.
The police have also proposed the introduction of an advanced communication technology system. Currently, most police communication is done through the wireless.
GUNNING FOR MORE
The list of demands includes guns, 200 each of hybrid weapon Insas and AK-56s, besides more AK-47s and 7.62 SLR
The police have also sought more vehicles —jeeps and about 320 motorcycles Goa police propose better radio network
Panaji: The Goa police propose to introduce TETRA communication and Cipa system in all police stations in the state, sources said.
While Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) communication is a combined version of the modern digital private mobile radio (PMR) and public access mobile radio (PAMR) technology, which heightens security over air for police, the Cipa system will enable police stations to access data and information from other police stations in the country.
The proposal also focuses on improving the coastal police stations by making them better equipped with ammunition, communication systems and speed boats.
At the moment there are three coastal police stations,
but the proposal suggests more of these at the one major and five minor ports, besides creating new sea check posts, to keep an eye on vessels entering the state through the sea.
Currently the coastal police have no high-tech speed boats. While the Central government has promised nine speed boats, the police require about fifteen more to man the 125 km long coastline.
While the necessary equipment and infrastructure would be provided by the Centre, the state government would have to provide the manpower for the new coastal police stations, said sources.
At present the coastal police stations located at Siolim, Betul and harbour are functioning either from existing outposts or police station buildings.
December 29, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: The Goa government has asked the Centre for advanced arms and ammunition to fight terrorists, better infrastructure and equipment for coastal police, modern surveillance tools and advanced communication technology for the Goa police.
The estimated cost of the equipment sought has been pegged at approximately Rs 100 crore, and would strengthen the Goa police force. The proposal was sent after Union minister of state for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal, at a meeting with the Goa chief minister, Home minister and police officials on December 24 had asked for a list of requirements.
The state government has requested the Centre to provide the infrastructure and equipment during the financial year 2009-10.
IGP Kishan Kumar confirmed that a proposal to improve the police infrastructure and equipment was sent to the Central government. “Through the state government we have moved a proposal to the Centre for more arms and ammunition, better facilities for the coastal police, vehicles for beat constables and improved communication systems,” said Kumar.
Sources said that the list of demands includes guns, 200 each of hybrid weapon Insas and AK-56s, besides more AK-47s and 7.62 SLRs. Most of the weapons the Goa police possesses today are vintage quality .303 rifles. The police have also sought more vehicles — jeeps for the coastal and traffic police, as well as for the police control room staff and about 320 motorcycles for the beat constables, so that each beat will have its own vehicle, sources said.
The police have also proposed the introduction of an advanced communication technology system. Currently, most police communication is done through the wireless.
GUNNING FOR MORE
The list of demands includes guns, 200 each of hybrid weapon Insas and AK-56s, besides more AK-47s and 7.62 SLR
The police have also sought more vehicles —jeeps and about 320 motorcycles Goa police propose better radio network
Panaji: The Goa police propose to introduce TETRA communication and Cipa system in all police stations in the state, sources said.
While Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA) communication is a combined version of the modern digital private mobile radio (PMR) and public access mobile radio (PAMR) technology, which heightens security over air for police, the Cipa system will enable police stations to access data and information from other police stations in the country.
The proposal also focuses on improving the coastal police stations by making them better equipped with ammunition, communication systems and speed boats.
At the moment there are three coastal police stations,
but the proposal suggests more of these at the one major and five minor ports, besides creating new sea check posts, to keep an eye on vessels entering the state through the sea.
Currently the coastal police have no high-tech speed boats. While the Central government has promised nine speed boats, the police require about fifteen more to man the 125 km long coastline.
While the necessary equipment and infrastructure would be provided by the Centre, the state government would have to provide the manpower for the new coastal police stations, said sources.
At present the coastal police stations located at Siolim, Betul and harbour are functioning either from existing outposts or police station buildings.
December 29, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Police stations double up as homes for cops this Xmas
TERROR EFFECT
Police stations double up as homes for cops this Xmas
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: For probably the first time during their tenure in the police force, Catholic police officers won’t be able to go home for their traditional Christmas lunch. They will have to spend their time either at their respective police station or their area of posting, as the Goa police has decided that its men will work 24x7 from December 23 to January 5 due to a terror threat looming over Goa during Christmas and New Year.
However, despite the tension and high pressures, such as an almost unlimited amount of demand versus a limited amount of resources, a desire to respond quickly and thoroughly to incidents that have already occurred versus a need to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place, a majority of the police stations have planned a quiet Christmas for their staff to help lift the spirit and spread some cheer.
SP (North) Bosco George said, “No police personnel can go home. They have to either be at the place they are posted or at their respective police station 24x7 from December 23, 2008 to January 5, 2009”.
In fact, for the first time the Panaji police station has put in an extra effort to make Christmas cribs, while Vasco is continuing with their tradition of setting up cribs, though there is only one Catholic PSI at the station. “Christmas and New Year are special to one and all. It means something different to everybody, and whether it’s familyrelated or not, whether you are Catholic or not, it fills you with a lot of emotions and feelings,” said a police officer.
Majority of police stations supervisors have decided to purchase cakes and sweets to be distributed to the staff on Christmas as they are all going to be “together on duty”. Some police staff have decided to burst firecrackers to welcome the New Year, “if things go on peacefully”.
There are about 4000-odd police personnel and the ratio of police to the state’s population is 1:339. Of these, about 15 to 20 % of the staff comprise Catholics. But they will have to sacrifice their personal celebrations to ensure that we celebrate the festival without any fear or uncertainty.
While some Catholic police officials said, “I would have loved to be at home for Christmas but then extraordinary situations call for extraordinary caution. We don’t want to take any chances”, few others said that they have decided not to celebrate this year as a mark of respect for those policemen who lost their lives in Mumbai terror attacks.
Some policemen added, “The police force is one big family and this season also we will celebrate with our family members”.
December 24, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Police stations double up as homes for cops this Xmas
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: For probably the first time during their tenure in the police force, Catholic police officers won’t be able to go home for their traditional Christmas lunch. They will have to spend their time either at their respective police station or their area of posting, as the Goa police has decided that its men will work 24x7 from December 23 to January 5 due to a terror threat looming over Goa during Christmas and New Year.
However, despite the tension and high pressures, such as an almost unlimited amount of demand versus a limited amount of resources, a desire to respond quickly and thoroughly to incidents that have already occurred versus a need to prevent such incidents from occurring in the first place, a majority of the police stations have planned a quiet Christmas for their staff to help lift the spirit and spread some cheer.
SP (North) Bosco George said, “No police personnel can go home. They have to either be at the place they are posted or at their respective police station 24x7 from December 23, 2008 to January 5, 2009”.
In fact, for the first time the Panaji police station has put in an extra effort to make Christmas cribs, while Vasco is continuing with their tradition of setting up cribs, though there is only one Catholic PSI at the station. “Christmas and New Year are special to one and all. It means something different to everybody, and whether it’s familyrelated or not, whether you are Catholic or not, it fills you with a lot of emotions and feelings,” said a police officer.
Majority of police stations supervisors have decided to purchase cakes and sweets to be distributed to the staff on Christmas as they are all going to be “together on duty”. Some police staff have decided to burst firecrackers to welcome the New Year, “if things go on peacefully”.
There are about 4000-odd police personnel and the ratio of police to the state’s population is 1:339. Of these, about 15 to 20 % of the staff comprise Catholics. But they will have to sacrifice their personal celebrations to ensure that we celebrate the festival without any fear or uncertainty.
While some Catholic police officials said, “I would have loved to be at home for Christmas but then extraordinary situations call for extraordinary caution. We don’t want to take any chances”, few others said that they have decided not to celebrate this year as a mark of respect for those policemen who lost their lives in Mumbai terror attacks.
Some policemen added, “The police force is one big family and this season also we will celebrate with our family members”.
December 24, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
Medico-legal cases: Docs draft guidelines
Medico-legal cases: Docs draft guidelines
To Be Added To Existing Medical Norms
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: When around three months back, an asthma patient in her late twenties, collapsed, hit her head against the edge of a hospital bed and died soon after she was given an injection at a hospital, there was confusion as to whether the case should be treated as a medico legal case (MLC) or not, before it was finally decided to treat the case as an MLC.
However, such dilemmas will soon become a thing of the past. To avoid confusions or conflicts, doctors at the Goa Medical College (GMC) have drafted medico-legal guidelines that clearly describe the category of cases that should qualify as MLCs.
These guidelines not only deliberate on traditional MLC cases — such as suicides, accidental deaths, murders, cases referred by courts, burn injuries cases, etc — but also review those related to presentday situations.
“As we came across such cases in the GMC, it was discussed with experts and we decided that it is the need of the hour to treat such cases as MLCs. Guidelines have been drafted keeping in mind the present day situation,” said GMC dean Dr VN Jindal.
According to the new guidelines, if a patient is brought unconscious to the hospital and dies immediately thereafter, the case would turn into a medico legal case even without the family members demanding it. This will be done especially if the patient’s past medical reports are not available.
Furthermore, even if a patient passes away suddenly after parenteral administration of a drug or medication, or if the patient falls or if there is
any mishap in the hospital due to which the patient sustains injuries and passes away, then it would be treated as a MLC.
The guidelines also suggests that if the relatives of the patient assault the treating doctor or other staff of the hospital, or if the patient’s relatives create a law and order problem in the hospital, then the case should be treated as a medico legal case.
Incidentally, these new guidelines are in addition to the existing norms which are being practised by doctors all over the country.
“So far, only burn injury cases, accident cases and those related to homicide, suicide, sexual assault, death in operation theatre or after surgery or in the intensive care unit (ICU) were considered as medico-legal.
“But it was now the need of the hour to include new categories in the new guidelines as it not only helps the doctors but also removes any doubt in the mind of the patient’s relatives,” said Dr Wiseman Pinto, who has been in the forefront of drafting these guidelines. The guidelines were then sent across for circulation and discussion to all the clinical departments along with the forensic department and the anaesthesia department, before it was decided to implement them in the GMC.
Dr Pinto added, “These guidelines on medico-legal cases would also serve to reduce the conflict between hospital authorities and patient’s relatives who generally allege suspicious deaths. Besides this, it will also help the law enforcement agencies”.
A copy of the guidelines will also be sent to all government-run hospitals and even private nursing homes and hospitals across the state.
December 23, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
To Be Added To Existing Medical Norms
Preetu Nair | TNN
Panaji: When around three months back, an asthma patient in her late twenties, collapsed, hit her head against the edge of a hospital bed and died soon after she was given an injection at a hospital, there was confusion as to whether the case should be treated as a medico legal case (MLC) or not, before it was finally decided to treat the case as an MLC.
However, such dilemmas will soon become a thing of the past. To avoid confusions or conflicts, doctors at the Goa Medical College (GMC) have drafted medico-legal guidelines that clearly describe the category of cases that should qualify as MLCs.
These guidelines not only deliberate on traditional MLC cases — such as suicides, accidental deaths, murders, cases referred by courts, burn injuries cases, etc — but also review those related to presentday situations.
“As we came across such cases in the GMC, it was discussed with experts and we decided that it is the need of the hour to treat such cases as MLCs. Guidelines have been drafted keeping in mind the present day situation,” said GMC dean Dr VN Jindal.
According to the new guidelines, if a patient is brought unconscious to the hospital and dies immediately thereafter, the case would turn into a medico legal case even without the family members demanding it. This will be done especially if the patient’s past medical reports are not available.
Furthermore, even if a patient passes away suddenly after parenteral administration of a drug or medication, or if the patient falls or if there is
any mishap in the hospital due to which the patient sustains injuries and passes away, then it would be treated as a MLC.
The guidelines also suggests that if the relatives of the patient assault the treating doctor or other staff of the hospital, or if the patient’s relatives create a law and order problem in the hospital, then the case should be treated as a medico legal case.
Incidentally, these new guidelines are in addition to the existing norms which are being practised by doctors all over the country.
“So far, only burn injury cases, accident cases and those related to homicide, suicide, sexual assault, death in operation theatre or after surgery or in the intensive care unit (ICU) were considered as medico-legal.
“But it was now the need of the hour to include new categories in the new guidelines as it not only helps the doctors but also removes any doubt in the mind of the patient’s relatives,” said Dr Wiseman Pinto, who has been in the forefront of drafting these guidelines. The guidelines were then sent across for circulation and discussion to all the clinical departments along with the forensic department and the anaesthesia department, before it was decided to implement them in the GMC.
Dr Pinto added, “These guidelines on medico-legal cases would also serve to reduce the conflict between hospital authorities and patient’s relatives who generally allege suspicious deaths. Besides this, it will also help the law enforcement agencies”.
A copy of the guidelines will also be sent to all government-run hospitals and even private nursing homes and hospitals across the state.
December 23, 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
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