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MONTHLY ROUNDUP

FATRADE GOLD CASE ACCUSED ACQUITTED; NOV 1: All the eight accused in the 1991 Fatrade gold smuggling episode, leading to the death of Alvernaz Alemao, have been acquitted on grounds that the Customs had failed to produce sufficient evidence. The Customs on December 7, 1994, had filed a charge-sheet accusing Churchill Alemao, Joaquim Alemao, Ciabro Alemao, Xavier Marques, Subash Panday, Roy Miranda, Anthony Fernandes and Reginaldo Rodrigues, of smuggling contraband goods.

MYSTERY CORJUEM FARM HOUSE; NOV 2: A Rs.200-crore farm house project at Podwal, on the Corjuem island in Aldona, is being set up by a Mumbai-based company in collaboration with foreign partners. Though the promoters have not provided the necessary details, Jose D'Souza, a North Goa Zilla Parishad Member, found out under the Right of Information Act that two high power water pumps will be commissioned for creating an artificial waterfall at the farm house, meant to produce spices for export. Aldonkars are angered by the way the project is being implemented clandestinely and also fear that it may lead to the depletion of the water table.

RUNAWAY DELHI LAD IN GOA; NOV 6: Rohit Pratap Naik (14) of Delhi left his house in a huff after having a tiff with his parents. He boarded a Delhi-Mumbai bus and took another bus to reach Goa. He was noticed while weeping at Bainguinim near Old Goa. The Goa cops have already sent an intimation to Rohit's father Shasharpal Singh in Delhi.

EVE HELD FOR MURDER AT MAPUSA PARK; NOV 7: Vasanti Devi (27), a maid servant from Karnataka working at a doctor's residence, was arrested by the Mapusa police in connection with the murder of Santosh A Navelkar (42) of Saligao at the Nehru Park in Mapusa on September 24. The woman confessed having sexual relationship with Navelkar on the previous night. Infuriated by Santosh's rough behaviour while being highly intoxicated on September 24, Vasanti hit him with a stone, and left him in a pool of blood on the park bench.

SILVA PANEL WOUND LIP; NOV 11: The Silva Commission of Inquiry constituted by the Sardinha government, to probe the irregularities by three former Custodians of Evacuee Properties vis-à-vis the Mayem Evacuee Property has been wound up by the BJP government.

AMMONIA LEAK; NOV 11: A tanker carrying ammonia gas skidded and overturned at Barcem-Paddi today, blocking the National Highway between Canacona and Balli. There is no human habitation at the accident site but the leaking gas damaged vegetation in the area. The leak was brought under control by the Fire Brigade. However, the tanker developed another leak while being lifted by a crane, compelling the authorities to cordon off all vehicular traffic. People have been advised not to venture out in the area due to the presence of the poisonous gas.

ELOPING ENDS TRAGICALLY; NOV 12: Meherchand Rooplal Harijan (22), arrested for kidnapping and eloping with a minor girl from Haryana, was crushed to death in front of the girl, her parents and police, at the Margao Railway station. Attempting to either escape or commit suicide Meherchand suddenly broke lose from the Haryana cops, who were escorting him to his native place, and jumped on the tracks just as a train passed by.

BEGGAR KICKED TO DEATH; NOV 14: A 23-year-old youth from Caranzalem kicked an unidentified beggar to death at the Old Patto Bridge in Panjim, on November 13 around 12.45 pm, for no specific reason. The boy neither made any attempt to flee from the scene of the crime nor uttered a single word when the police interrogated him.

HASH HAUL AT ANJUNA; NOV 16: Peddler Kamal Lama (23) from Nepal (resident in Goa for 10 years) was nabbed by the Customs and Central Excise Department on November 15 in Anjuna, and 8 kg of hashish worth around Rs.20 lakh seized from him.

COCONUT PRICES CRASH; NOV 17: Coconut prices in Goa have hit rock bottom in one of the worst slumps since 1986. The prices have come crashing down to as low as Rs.2 to Rs.3 from Rs.8 to Rs.10. While some farmers ascribe the crash to the availability of palmolein oil at rates cheaper than that of coconut oil, others say that it is due to the increase in coconut production.

BRITISH TEACHERS IN GOA; NOV 19: As part of the Goa-Northurmberland Teachers Exchange launched by Dave Futers, two high school teachers from England, Sylvia Dickson and Lynn Mills ,are on a visit to Goa. They will interact with a range of schools mostly in rural areas catering to the underprivileged and study the way in which English is taught there.

A SMELLY PLEA; Nov 20: Following a public interest litigation filed by Dr Silvano Sapeco, the High Court had directed the government to help curb pollution near the fishing jetties. The Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association has filed an application today seeking to restrain the authorities from detaining or imposing penalty on the ground of seepage of fish water from the vehicles transporting fish.

BLACKLISTED GOAN NGO; NOV22: Asha Bhavan of Boa Vista in Bastora-Goa figures among the 19 non-governmental organisations (NGOs), which have been blacklisted by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, for "unsatisfactory" utilisation of its funds.

TOP CLASS TALK; NOV 23: If every countryman works with patriotism, self-pride, innovation and team work, India has a fair chance to dominate the 21st century, said Raghunath A Mashelkar, Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, while addressing a gathering at the Kala Academy today.

CRACKDOWN ON MATKA; NOV 26: The 90-odd raids conducted by the Goa Police recently on "matka" dens, have unnerved bookies. An amount of Rs.29,588 was confiscated during the raids.

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