Saveyourbreath

A sight many of us have seen over the years and so relevant to this thread :
http://youtube.com/watch?v=D_DK8TXR-2U
Enjoy.

babu1

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/G...ow/3087471.cms


Water woes now in Calangute
31 May 2008, 0441 hrs IST,Rebecca Manari,TNN


"CALANGUTE: While the capital city has got some relief from its water woes, residents of all wards in Calangute, namely Gaurawaddo, Naikawaddo, Tivaiwaddo, Agarwaddo, Porbawaddo, Umtawaddo, Khobrawaddo and Sauntawaddo, have been getting little or no water supply for the past fortnight.......

......Dr Joe D'Souza — former professor of microbiology, Goa University, who has done an extensive study on samples of water drawn from over thirty wells from Gaurawaddo, Khobrawaddo and other parts of Calangute, has stated that the wells in Calangute are ‘contaminated by human and animal waste'.

Put simply, the bacteria content in most of the wells here is way high above the accepted limit. The accepted Coliform Bacilli count per 100 ml of water is said to be 10 units; in order for it to be safe for consumption.

However, after examination, the Coliform bacilli content was found to be 515 units before the monsoon, 425 units during the monsoon, and post-monsoon (that is at the peak of tourist season) it was a shocking 1800 units.

Long term consumption of water from wells in Calangute, which has such high levels of bacteria, could lead to various kinds of gastric problems, pointed out Dr D'Souza......"

[For clarification : underlines and bold emphasis by me, and not by the author, Rebecca Manari, TNN]

spangalina

this doesn't surprise me. after this seasons trip to goa, i came home with an extremely sore stomach and feeling unwell. my house in Parra is spotlessly clean, and i boil my water, but it has become so dirty there that this thread does not surprise me.
my girlfriend who lives all year round there, caught cholera 3 yrs ago. how long before theres a serious outbreak of disease? the rubbish piling up everywhere is disgusting and with sceptic tank toilets it was obvious the wells would get contaminated.
it was far cleaner in the days of pig toilets! when i lived on baga beach in the 8o's and early 90's my kids ran around barefoot everywhere, can u imagine that now?!!

poppetjay

I walk my dog every day near sun village and the new lazy lagoon which backs on to the river, every morning there must be at least 15 people down on the riverside taking a dump, they all have houses with toilets as i know where they live, suppose old habits die hard!!! they charge Rp7.500 per night to stay in that hotel nice sight to see looking out on your balcony across the river, yet you get fined 100rps for smoking, 600rps using a mobile whilst driving, 50rps for spitting/urinating but nothing for dumping, !!!!!!!!

wheatsheaf

Safe water, waste disposal, standards for sterilisation processes etc and medical tourism must somehow be linked to one another?. Or does this new "medical tourism" mean "come visit, get sick and tended to by our medical industry in Goa?"

HBN

Salaam Namaste Babu Ji,

I salute the underpaid reporter inside your good self. I do not know whether that is your photo, but in any case, the toilet is a pretty crude Photoshop job. Apart from that, where can I book this realm of tranquility?

In the meantime I am off to my Ram Tara Tu Tara puja. Peace out, mortals.

stevebenaulim

Sure has.

babu1

http://www.ibnlive.com/news/bcci-vic...m/67100-5.html

"New Delhi: In a huge embarrassment for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), a court in Goa charged BCCI Vice President and a minister in Goa government, Dayanand G Narvekar, in connection with the fake ticket scam reported during a 2001 India-Australia One-Day match.


Narvekar and eight others were charged on Thursday under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Margao (south Goa) Pooja Kavlekar has changed them with cheating, criminal conspiracy, and forgery.


The Congress leader, who handles the Finance, Information Technology, Legislative Affairs, Technical Education portfolios in the state, has been charged in the capacity of Goa Cricket Association President."

Lock him up; this man is not fit to be framing Goa legislation, or to be trusted with State finances.

babu1

Add this to the list of Goan woes; the re-emergence of communal tensions between Muslims and Hindus. Watch out you don't get caught in the middle othe next riot!

"Communal clash in Goa`s Margao town, curfew clamped

Margao, June 27: Curfew was imposed in Margao town in South Goa on Friday after members of two communities clashed with each other following an eve-teasing incident.

The town, known as the commercial capital of Goa, saw mobs vandalising Gandhi market and other business establishments......."

http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=451653&sid=NAT

"MARGAO, JUNE 27 – If Friday’s communal flare up witnessed in the Commercial Capital and the Rumdamol Housing Board area is attributed to an eve teasing incident, last year’s communal tension in the city was also on account of eve teasing.
It was on May 8, 2007 that Margao had witnessed communal tension after a group of Muslim youth attacked a Hindu shopkeeper in the New Market........"

http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=6185&cid=26

babu1

Cong wants finance minister Narvekar to step down

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/C...ow/3320008.cms

Good news! Looks like Narvekar, the man who steered the Bill (22A) to amend the Registration Act 1908 (16 of 1908) through the Goa Assembly is getting the heave; only to make way for "Babush the Rioter".

"Sources said the party has decided to sacrifice Narvekar because he has been chargesheeted in the fake ticket scam reported during the 2001 India-Australia One-day match. Narvekar is the president of the Goa Cricket Association and a vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India." (Joaquim Fernandes, TNN, 3 August 2008)

It's really hard to tell which is the more malicious; his contempt for his fellow Goans when he allegedly abetted the fraudulent issue of 30,000 fake tickets beyond the 15,000 capacity genuine ones, thus causing a riot and lathi charges at a nationally prestigious One Day International cricket match; or his duplicity in enacting a witchhunt against this tiny minority of foreigner property owners whilst he is known at the same time to be heavily involved in the selling off of huge tracts of Goan land to out of State interests for his own financial gain.

“We can even acquire these properties which were sold illegally to foreigners,” Law Minister Dayanand Narvekar told the state legislative assembly presenting the law.

He said that no registration authorities will be allowed to register the sale deeds of such lands sold to foreigners.

“We will hold the sub registrar responsible for such an action,” the minister said. (Courtesy : expressindia).

May a curse be upon you Dayanand, and yours.

hemingway

Hi Babu 1,

What is your view on the role of 'Anupam Kishore' in all of this? - from what I've read / heard he is also a 'driving force' behind the foreigner witch hunt.

Regards

Hemingway

babu1

Hi Hemingway,

Don't know about Anupam Kishore; he might simply be doing the job he's been inducted to do, only making certain everyone knows he's doing it by making some rather blunt and aggresive statements to the press.

Then again, he might be part of the anti foreigner political agenda to drive out all long term stayers.

Politics and administration in Goa are as murky and polluted as the grey, sewage contaminated waters of the Arabian Sea that wash up on Calangute Beach; "Queen of Beaches".

The Goa Assembly Session resumes on 18th. August, the earliest opportunity to make yet another attempt to topple the present coalition government, and with the BJP on the rise at a national level clinging onto power will no doubt prove another shameful spectacle of lies and greed over decency and principle.

Nationally, Congress are going to pay a price with the electorate next year for pushing through the Nuclear Deal, even allowing Ministers presently in jail the right to vote on the issue so tight was the expected majority, and allegedly paying crores rupee bribes for parliamentary votes. Congress are also taking most of the flak for the economic downturn, 12% inflation, and rising fuel costs.

"Most Indians accept that corruption runs deep in politics. But dramatic allegations of bribery made in parliament by opposition lawmakers during a nationally-televised debate have shocked the nation. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi."

http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-07-23-voa16.cfm

"The lower house was packed to capacity, with MPs summoned from their sick beds and even from prison cells to take part in the vote. "

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7519860.stm

Check out Shantaram Naik, Goa's Congress MP in the Rajha Sahba, New Delhi; he's been fairly vocal about pushing through the 22A Goa Amendment to the Registration Act under the guise of wishing to bring in technology to speed up registrations. He used to be one of the loudest promoters of rolling out broadband internet access throughout Goa, now one of Kamat's broken electoral promises.

A reliable electrical supply all across State, and to rural areas, would be a more realistic start, never mind the broadband.

Regards.

babu1

Thought this was very good; "The Forty Thieves Crash" by Augusto Pinto, Herald 6 August 2008:

http://oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=7983&cid=14

The Chalis Chors Crash
By Augusto Pinto

I was waiting to pick up my wife Bibian outside the school where she teaches. There was still some time for the final bell to go. It was story time and since I had nothing better to do, I decided to listen too.
She said,” Children I’m going to tell you about Ali Baba and the Chalis Chors” Akhil’s voice popped up,”But Teacher we already know the story. Why don’t you tell us about Digubab and the Chalis...” Bibi said firmly,”No Akhil, it’s going to be Ali Baba... Anyway, since you know it please tell us the story?” Akhil replied, “But Teacher, it’s a faltu story.” She said,”Why Akhil?” He replied,”Teacher, it’s absurd. It’s about these chors who hide their treasures in a cave. Tell me, Teacher, which self respecting chor will hide treasures in a cave?” Then where should they have hidden it, Akhil?” Akhil replied sagely,” In a Swiss bank account or in benami property deals or in the stock market, Teacher”
I remembered my wife mentioning that her favorite student was a Chartered Accountant’s son and as with many Indians the skills ran in the family. My wife said,”Hmm...Is that all you have against the story, Akhil?” “No Teacher, the ending is also rubbish”
“Why Akhil?” He replied,”The chors hide in oil jars and Ali Baba’s servant girl pours hot oil on them and kills them. Can you believe this, Teacher?” She said, “Akhil, do you have a better way of ending the story?”
Before he could answer Coralie piped in,”Teacher, we could put them in a big pleasure-dome like building, situated close to the sea, in Alto Porvorim say, and then have a great big cyclone, which will drown all the chalis chors.” Seema said,” I think a tsunami would be better Teacher, because nowadays chors build buildings which have the latest safety features. A giant tsunami would be able to break down the toughest building.” Young Siddhesh opined,”I think an earthquake of about 8 on the Richter scale would be much better. That way all the chors would be buried alive under the rubble.”
Akhil said,” Have you all gone mad?” My wife said,” What’s wrong with their suggestions, Akhil?” He replied,”Tsunamis and earthquakes might wipe out a few of the chors, but it’ll kill so many innocent people too, Teacher. Besides one has to be God to start tsunamis and earthquakes” The wife said, “Does anyone have a better suggestion?”
Trivik said, “I know, Teacher. We could have a terror strike. When they’re sitting in their pleasure dome someone could toss a few hand grenades on them. That would wipe them all out.” The wife said, “Are you happy with this solution, Akhil?” Akhil replied, “Teacher, Bapu, the Father of our Nation, said that violence is not a good thing. This terror strike would be against his principles. Besides, death is too good a fate for these chors. And after they die more chors will emerge.” Bibi said,”Maybe, Akhil but still there’s the problem of how you will end the story”
Said Myra,“How about doing Satyagraha and going on hunger strikes and dharnas in order to change their hearts?” Precocius Akhil, replied,” No they’re immune to such methods. The only solution is a Crash” Obviously the teacher training course hadn’t prepared her for such wisdom. My increasingly bewildered wife gasped,”Crash? What do you mean, Akhil?” “We’ve got to engineer a stock market crash. Then there must be a run on all the banks world-wide so that the Swiss banks crash. The property market and the bullion prices must crash. All currency must become worthless. That would wipe out all their wealth, and with that their power will end. After the Crash they’ll become paupers. Then they would have to beg as they can’t work. Imagine watching them cringe and crawl. Wouldn’t this be a great end to the story of the Chalis Chors, Teacher? Seeing the creeps who make the life of the people miserable get a dose of their own medicine?” I’m not sure what she thought, but I was really impressed by the wisdom of our youth.
Till next time then
Cheers

© M/s Herald Publications Pvt Ltd, P.O.Box 160, Rua San Tome, Panjim-Goa 403001.
Editor-in-Chief: Mr R F Fernandes. Editor: Ashwin Tombat
Ph: 0091-832-2224202, 2224460, 2228083 Fax: 2225622.
Email: [email protected]

babu1

Also found this hilarious form indiamike, originally published in the Goan Observer :

Jun 18th, 2008, 00:13 #959
riws76
Member


Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: New Delhi
Posts: 14 Nice letter published in Goan Observer by a certain Brit called "Butkiss." It is not available online so I am posting entire letter in this thread.


FERVENT APPEAL: A reader sent us this letter addressed to
Home Minister Ravi Naik.

SOURCE: Goan Observer, Panjim June 14-20, 2008

Your Excellency,

I am writing to your exalted self in order to protest the
publication in the Goa print media of numerous letters by
ungrateful whining Brits, who whinge endlessly about how hard
life is for them here and how absolutely beastly the Goa
government treats them.

I want you to know, Sir, that we are not all like that. I
feel honoured and priviledged to be breathing the same air as
one so magnificent as yourself. I think that Goa is the most
beautiful country in the known universe.

Goans are the hardest working people on the planet. They are
the salt of the earth. They are the icing on the cake. The
sauce on the pudding....

Goans elect only the most able, most honest, virtuous,
good-looking men to be their leaders, who then strive
tirelessly with no regard for themselves, in the interest of
the people.

The Goan police are toasted the world over for their
independence, unwavering objectivity, fanatical dedication to
duty, their steadfast commitment to justice and, above all,
their honesty.

I think that more Goans should move to the UK to help push up
our house prices and sort out our garbage problems.

Er, what else? Quick! Feni is the finest alcohol beverage to
every pass my lips. Fish-curry-rice has no culinary equal.
Bull-fighting should be an Olympic sport.

Is this enough? Now, can I have a visa? Please?

Yours in grovelling servitude,

Andy Butkiss,
Sea View Cottage,
Candolim.

www.indiamike.com

Mitzyboy

Sorry guys

Could you just publish the links in future and a few lines of the article rather than publish the articles in full

Many thanks
Copyright and all that apparantly