BY ARTI DAS
PANJIM: Claims made by environmentalists that the number of bullfrogs in the wild is on the decline were bared when it was discovered that no survey was ever conducted in the state.
Put simply, there is no hard data to back the claim that the bullfrog is an endangered species, at least in Goa.
Debendra Dalai, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Wildlife and Eco-Tourism said the department does not conduct surveys.
“It is the job of the researchers. Thus, we don’t have any data now. Also, our job is of execution and that we are doing by giving 100 per cent protection to all the species in the protected areas,” he added.
He said, that if any researcher wants to conduct any survey then the department is ready to co-operate.
According to Dr Manoj Borkar, Associate Professor and Head of Department, Zoology, Carmel College, Nuvem there are only gross unscientific observations about frogs in Goa.
“We need to encourage young biologists to conduct such research and even rope in young students in this process,” opined Dr Borkar.
He also informed that a few years ago Gautam Salelkar in Bhagvan Mahavir Wild Life Sanctuary and Mollem National Park conducted a study and it revealed that Goa is home to around 25 species of amphibians.
Nirmal Kulkarni, wildlife ecologist believes the prominent reason for no data compilation is because frogs are a lesser known species.
“We don’t have Project Frog like Project Tiger because their importance is not felt yet. On the contrary, these amphibians are the biggest indicators of climate change and global warming and not many people, including some researchers, do not understand that,” added Kulkarni.
However, non-availability of data does not mean that these creatures are not under threat.
“Frogs are wild animals and that’s the reason they are listed in the Wildlife Protection Act. Some species like Bull frog of Rana family are protected as they play very important role in a food chain,” claimed Dalai.
He further confirmed that there are indicators that the numbers of bullfrogs are dwindling. “Increase in vector borne diseases, influx of snakes (who survive on frogs) in human habitats are signs of it.”
Dr Borkar claims that there’s lot of pressure building up by way of exploitation as hardly any habitat is left for them. Also their wetlands are taken away.
“Activities like over grazing, poaching also contribute to depletion of frogs,” concluded Nirmal.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
EDITORIAL: Why good people never get elected?
This is a question that foxes us almost everyday. When we cannot find answers we blame the process, the political party, the candidate and sometimes the electorate. But time and again the people of India have given political pundits a brilliant display of their grasp of politics while casting their vote. Yet we ponder as to why good people never get elected. Part of the problem lies in the mistaken belief that well intentioned people make good leaders. Secondly, we make the erroneous assumption that politics is driven, or should be driven by ethics alone. Thirdly, everybody has a different definition of ‘good’. Fourthly, in this debate, the practical aspect of politics tends to be ignored and at times even questioned as undesirable.
In Goa, of the many candidates in the fray, are two dedicated and thoroughbred activists – Matanhy Saldanha and Christopher Fonseca. They bear the stamp of consistency. Christopher Fonseca has been a trade union leader all his life. His commitment to the issues and problems faced by labour is unquestionable. Similarly, Matanhy Saldanha has been an activist all his life. He fought for the ramponkars, against the Konkan Railway and Meta Strips and now, protection of houses of fishermen is his main plank. Like Fonseca, Saldanha has an unblemished record as an activist. The fact is, Fonseca never got elected and Saldahna made it to the Assembly only once, which seemed more like an aberration in his innings in public life.
On the other hand look at Churchill Alemao. He survived serious charges of smuggling and resurrected himself with the Konkan Railway agitation. He led the UGDP with three MLAs in the Assembly elections, defeated Eduardo Faleiro, returned to the Congress, resigned to form the Save Goa Front which he merged with the Congress to save the Digambar Kamat government and is now blowing hot and cold because his daughter did not get the Congress ticket for South Goa. His record on fighting issues is dismal and yet he is a force to reckon with in the political arena while Fonseca and Saldanha struggle to get past the post.
Politics is the art in doing what is possible, not what is correct. It is the art of gauging the interest of the people and then going with the flow even if it means compromising on one’s personal ethics. Voters are not fools. They understand the personal cost of being public life. Hence they do not expect their leaders to be paragons of virtue and grant them the liberty of making a quick buck on the side. What they want is that their voice be heard, not your own. If the voters are fickle, the politicians will follow suit. Only those with a thick skin or those who have buried their conscience deep enough can survive in this game. Take the classic example of the Cidade de Goa amendment. Activists and public-spirited people, whose numbers are not large enough to make a political difference, were vociferous in their protest against the amendment. In contrast, a large number of people living along the coast turned logic on its head by using the amendment to demand special concessions for houses build in violation of CRZ rules. Politicians went with the larger group. Saldanha did not go with the fishermen because they were the larger group, but because the activist in him refused to abandon them.
Why is it so difficult for well-intentioned men or women to convert good will into votes? In this respect it would be wise to examine the rise and fall of Goa Bachao Abhiyan. It started as a group of informed and committed people, with no political experience. The cause was well defined and the GBA mustered the support of the people. Two years later, the GBA is in tatters, a shadow of itself and a far cry from those heady days when its leaders could fill Azad Maidan or Lohia Chowk. Now contrast this with how Digambar Kamat pushed through a Regional Plan, scrapped SEZs, reshuffled his cabinet, took hold of the key finance portfolio, contained the Alemao threat (almost), took the tough decision to banish floating casinos from the Mandovi and yet retained his government for nearly two years. The lesson to be learnt is: to be a politician one must possess the art of managing interests, not ethics. Perhaps, this election will show us if Saldanha and Fonseca have made the jump from activist to politician.
The Alemaos are pardoned,Congress says it’s a family tiff
BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: Downplaying the internal wrangling, GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar yesterday ruled out any disciplinary action against PWD Minister Churchill Alemao and Urban Development Minister Joaquim for their outbursts against the government.
Shirodkar likened the war of words between the Alemao brothers and Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco to that of a quarrel between two families. He said the tantrums thrown on the Congress would not have any repercussion on the voters.
Churchill and his brother Joaquim had threatened to quit the Congress if the party leadership failed to resolve the issue of disqualification petition filed against the former, even as the duo appealed for support to party candidate Francisco Sardinha.
Shirodkar said that the Alemao brothers were working for the victory of Sardinha.
Asked whether he would accept the resignations of Alemao brothers, Shirodkar said that he was yet to receive the letter.
The GPCC president said that the revamping of the Congress organisation in the last six months would yield results in the Lok Sabha elections.
However, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat who was also present said that his main aim was to win the elections. “We have gone in the battlefield with the sole intention of winning both the seats. Our aim is to see that we win both the seats with sizeable votes. My target is to win the seats,” Kamat said.
Recalling a scene from the epic Mahabharata, the Chief Minister said, “I am just aiming at the eye of the bird like what Arjun said in Mahabharata,” That is my target, he added.
PANJIM: Downplaying the internal wrangling, GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar yesterday ruled out any disciplinary action against PWD Minister Churchill Alemao and Urban Development Minister Joaquim for their outbursts against the government.
Shirodkar likened the war of words between the Alemao brothers and Tourism Minister Mickky Pacheco to that of a quarrel between two families. He said the tantrums thrown on the Congress would not have any repercussion on the voters.
Churchill and his brother Joaquim had threatened to quit the Congress if the party leadership failed to resolve the issue of disqualification petition filed against the former, even as the duo appealed for support to party candidate Francisco Sardinha.
Shirodkar said that the Alemao brothers were working for the victory of Sardinha.
Asked whether he would accept the resignations of Alemao brothers, Shirodkar said that he was yet to receive the letter.
The GPCC president said that the revamping of the Congress organisation in the last six months would yield results in the Lok Sabha elections.
However, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat who was also present said that his main aim was to win the elections. “We have gone in the battlefield with the sole intention of winning both the seats. Our aim is to see that we win both the seats with sizeable votes. My target is to win the seats,” Kamat said.
Recalling a scene from the epic Mahabharata, the Chief Minister said, “I am just aiming at the eye of the bird like what Arjun said in Mahabharata,” That is my target, he added.
Brief blow to mining, Shirgao zatra rich by Rs 3 lakh
BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: The Bombay High Court at Panjim yesterday directed a mining company from Shirgao to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to Shree Lairai temple committee, while granting permission for conducting of mining activities till April 25, in view of the famous Lairai zatra.
The Court observed that, last year the mining activities at Shirgao had been stopped three days before the commencement of the zatra festivities and this year the relaxation was being granted to them because of a plea made by one of the mining companies. The court said that from next year, the mining activities and plying of ore-laden trucks in the village would be stopped for 10 days during zatra and directed the mining companies to plan their mining operations accordingly.
The Court also asked the mining company to pay the compensation to the temple committee latest by April 30.
On April 17, the division bench comprising Justice PB Majmudar and Justice UD Salvi had directed three mining companies from Shirgao to stop movement of mining trucks in the village for 10 days from April 23 to May 3 due to the Lairai zatra festival.
The Court had also directed the state government to provide additional water supply to Shirgao village during the 10-day zatrotsav.
The villagers from Shirgao in a writ petition had urged the Court to stop the plying of mining trucks in the village for 10-day zatra festival as it was causing dust pollution as a large number of devotees throng the village during the festival.
During the hearing, the petitioner prayed for a compensation of Rs 5 lakh while the mining company agreed to pay Rs 1 lakh. However, the Court later fixed the amount at Rs 3 lakh and told the company to pay the amount if they wanted to ply mining trucks till April 25.
PANJIM: The Bombay High Court at Panjim yesterday directed a mining company from Shirgao to pay a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to Shree Lairai temple committee, while granting permission for conducting of mining activities till April 25, in view of the famous Lairai zatra.
The Court observed that, last year the mining activities at Shirgao had been stopped three days before the commencement of the zatra festivities and this year the relaxation was being granted to them because of a plea made by one of the mining companies. The court said that from next year, the mining activities and plying of ore-laden trucks in the village would be stopped for 10 days during zatra and directed the mining companies to plan their mining operations accordingly.
The Court also asked the mining company to pay the compensation to the temple committee latest by April 30.
On April 17, the division bench comprising Justice PB Majmudar and Justice UD Salvi had directed three mining companies from Shirgao to stop movement of mining trucks in the village for 10 days from April 23 to May 3 due to the Lairai zatra festival.
The Court had also directed the state government to provide additional water supply to Shirgao village during the 10-day zatrotsav.
The villagers from Shirgao in a writ petition had urged the Court to stop the plying of mining trucks in the village for 10-day zatra festival as it was causing dust pollution as a large number of devotees throng the village during the festival.
During the hearing, the petitioner prayed for a compensation of Rs 5 lakh while the mining company agreed to pay Rs 1 lakh. However, the Court later fixed the amount at Rs 3 lakh and told the company to pay the amount if they wanted to ply mining trucks till April 25.
Parrikar takes a swipe at Congress
Rambles on price rise, black money and economic meltdown
BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: With just one day before Goa goes to polls, opposition leader Manohar Parrikar has exploited South Goa candidate Francisco Sardinha's statement to the hilt.
Media reports quote Sardinha as stating that he will not visit villages in South Goa after his win but at the Collectorate in Margao to meet him in connection with any work.
Parrikar virtually termed this statement as an eye opener for the voters and Congress' vote banks, further opining that the latter are being taken for granted.
Rubbing salt on Congress' wounds, the opposition leader vowed to fulfil all promises in the BJP's current manifesto even as he drew comparisons with the party's Assembly manifesto during Assembly elections in 2002. Parrikar said the party had executed all it promises to the extent of 70 percent despite being disallowed from completing its term in office.
At a press conference, in the backdrop of Sardinha's comments, Parrikar remarked, " The attitude displayed by the Congress candidate almost takes a certain section of the voters for granted. From yesterday, I have been getting calls(from voters) conveying strong reactions from die-hard Congress workers. They have not taken this statement lightly."
Parrikar stated that, he would not to allow the Congress to take its for granted. " In case Sardinha wants the villagers to visit him in Margao, then why is he (Sardinha) going to the villages asking for votes?" questioned the opposition leader.
On the contrary, Parrikar re-iterated the BJP's commitment to its manifesto. " They(both candidates) will visit every nook and corner of the state unlike that displayed by the Congress party which takes for granted a certain section of voters," Parrikar's commented.
Explaining the issues which dominated these Lok Sabha elections in the state, Parrikar pointed out to three issues Price rise, security and economic meltdown. He spoke about escalating prices of sugar, palm oil prices and prices of tur dal, the encounters in Srinagar for the deteriorating security situation and the Swiss bank money vis-a-vis the economic meltdown.
Later, replying to questions, he said the BJP was confident of winning the North Goa seat by a 'very comfortable margin' and the South Goa seat by a 'reasonably comfortable margin'.
Asked whether the election campaign had passed off smoothly, Parrikar informed that more than 95 percent of booths in North Goa and more than 90 percent booths in South Goa were visited by the candidates. He also expressed unhappiness over the Election Commission's failure to control money power in this election.
Pooh-poohing the Congress party in reply to yet another question, Parrikar opined that the 'original' Congress has lost its 'originality' as the 'original Congressman' Jitendra Deshprabhu has now left the party for the NCP.
BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: With just one day before Goa goes to polls, opposition leader Manohar Parrikar has exploited South Goa candidate Francisco Sardinha's statement to the hilt.
Media reports quote Sardinha as stating that he will not visit villages in South Goa after his win but at the Collectorate in Margao to meet him in connection with any work.
Parrikar virtually termed this statement as an eye opener for the voters and Congress' vote banks, further opining that the latter are being taken for granted.
Rubbing salt on Congress' wounds, the opposition leader vowed to fulfil all promises in the BJP's current manifesto even as he drew comparisons with the party's Assembly manifesto during Assembly elections in 2002. Parrikar said the party had executed all it promises to the extent of 70 percent despite being disallowed from completing its term in office.
At a press conference, in the backdrop of Sardinha's comments, Parrikar remarked, " The attitude displayed by the Congress candidate almost takes a certain section of the voters for granted. From yesterday, I have been getting calls(from voters) conveying strong reactions from die-hard Congress workers. They have not taken this statement lightly."
Parrikar stated that, he would not to allow the Congress to take its for granted. " In case Sardinha wants the villagers to visit him in Margao, then why is he (Sardinha) going to the villages asking for votes?" questioned the opposition leader.
On the contrary, Parrikar re-iterated the BJP's commitment to its manifesto. " They(both candidates) will visit every nook and corner of the state unlike that displayed by the Congress party which takes for granted a certain section of voters," Parrikar's commented.
Explaining the issues which dominated these Lok Sabha elections in the state, Parrikar pointed out to three issues Price rise, security and economic meltdown. He spoke about escalating prices of sugar, palm oil prices and prices of tur dal, the encounters in Srinagar for the deteriorating security situation and the Swiss bank money vis-a-vis the economic meltdown.
Later, replying to questions, he said the BJP was confident of winning the North Goa seat by a 'very comfortable margin' and the South Goa seat by a 'reasonably comfortable margin'.
Asked whether the election campaign had passed off smoothly, Parrikar informed that more than 95 percent of booths in North Goa and more than 90 percent booths in South Goa were visited by the candidates. He also expressed unhappiness over the Election Commission's failure to control money power in this election.
Pooh-poohing the Congress party in reply to yet another question, Parrikar opined that the 'original' Congress has lost its 'originality' as the 'original Congressman' Jitendra Deshprabhu has now left the party for the NCP.
CM confident of clean sweep
Brags of Congress-UPA achievements
PANJIM: Chief Minister Digambar Kamat yesterday said that his aim was to win both the Lok sabha seats and expressed confidence that sitting MP Francisco Sardinha would win the South Goa seat by a minimum margin of 50,000 votes.
He also claimed that Congress-NCP alliance candidate Jitendra Deshprabhu would wrest the North Goa seat by a minimum margin of 25,000 votes.
Speaking to reporters in the presence of GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar, Sardinha and Deshprabhu a few hours before campaigning came to end, Kamat said that during his interaction with the electorate, he tried to strike a cord with them and ensure victory of both the candidates.
He said that the response from the electorate through the state was tremendous and that the people wanted the UPA government to come back to power at the Centre.
He said that, during campaigning he told the people the benefits Goa availed from the UPA government and that his government was able to solve lot of problems with the help of the Centre.
The Chief Minister said that the highlight of the fortnight-long campaign was that they did not do any negative campaign but focused on positive campaigning explaining to the people why they should vote Congress and what the party had done for their welfare.
He said that the UPA government helped the state to upgrade the existing Dabolim airport by sanctioning Rs 350 crore, notifying land acquisition for Mopa international airport, approved ESI super-speciality hospital at Margao at a cost of Rs 60 crore, which would benefit about 40,000 workers setting up of a full-fledged Doordarshan studio and funds for construction of roads and bridges on NH-17.
If the UPA government returns to power then the Goa government would be able to do much more progress, Kamat said adding that he had always taken decisions in the interest of the common man.
Reiterating that his government was committed for the welfare of the ‘aam admi’, the Chief Minister said that he even walked two kilometers to meet the villagers from remote Amdai village in Sanguem taluka to convince them to exercise their voting right during elections. He said that villagers had threatened to boycott Lok Sabha elections in protest against the failure to construct a road for them.
Kamat claimed that he had visited villages, which no other chief minister had gone and had meetings with the people from remote villages of Cavrem-Pirla in Quepem and Agonda in Canacona taluka even during midnight.
He also recalled his initiative in helping an electricity lineman from Fatorda after he lost both his hands due to electrocution while on duty and fitting him a mechanised hand costing Rs 4.75 lakh besides, offering him a job in the electricity department at Margao.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)