FATORDA ABDUCTION

VIOLENT crime has come to Goa. On Wednesday, October 24, 2024 an attempt was made to kidnap a businessman at gun point from the Aquei junction in Fatorda during peak hours.

It has been reported that three armed man tried to kidnap businessman Kunal Raikar, when he was returning after dropping his child at school. The accused in a car pointed a gun at him to force him into their vehicle. But Raikar resisted and attracted by his screams a crowd gathered, members of the public came to his rescue.

The criminals whose gun got struck abandoned the kidnapping and ran away. Is this the first time an attempt has been made to kidnap a businessman on a busy road in Margao during peak hours?

MENSTRUAL LEAVE!

THE Odisha government has permitted all women employees to take an additional 27 days of menstrual leave. Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has sanctioned 12 additional casual holidays. The private sector has also been requested to extend the facility to their women employees. In addition, there is provision for free distribution for sanitary pads. All government office employees women have been asked to install dispenses for making sanitary pads available.

TOURIST NUISANCE AT FONTAINHAS

THE residents of Panjim’s Latin quarter, Fontainhas, are complaining about tourists invading their privacy and being a nuisance really. Local residents led by  leading travel agent Aloo Gomes Periera claims that drunken tourists are disturbing the peace of the residents living in  Fontainhas.

The problem is aggravated by street festivals  organized by the Tourism Department and two agencies in the area. It was Heta Pandit who organized the first heritage festival in Fontainhas, with encouragement by the late chief minister of Goa, Manohar Parrikar. The Fontainhas are narrow and cannot accommodate the rush of monster tourist vehicles.

Residents have asked CCP mayor, Rohit Monseratte, that tourist vehicles should not be permitted into the Latin quarters heritage district. Maybe the residents and the government should adopt the model of Havana in Cuba which has converted the heritage district to promote local products.

IRONMAN 2024 ON OCT 27!

HERE comes again the IRONMAN 70.3 to Panjim. This is the most famous triathlon endurance event which involves covering a total distance of 113 km— participants have to do a 1.9 km (1.2 mile) swim, a 90 km (56-mile) cycling segment and a 21.1 km (13.1-mile) run. The event attracts participants and competitors from over 50 countries.

Ironman is famous as endurance. Participants amateur and professional are from a growing segment of young and not so young folk who consider being fit and kicking sacred to their lifestyles. They register and come and from the country and world over year after year and Ironman Challenge offers very attractive prices.

This year’s Ironman starts at  Panjim’s Miramar beach on the morning of October 27, 2024. Be there to be inspired if you spend your entire life sitting before a computer.

BANDOBAST AT IRONMAN’S

FIFTY trained lifesavers, advanced AI-powered robots and specially trained rescue dogs will monitor the safety of triathletes during the upcoming 4^th edition of IRONMAN 70.3 which  kicks off on Nov 7 (Sunday) at Miramar beach in Panjim. The promoters have tied up with State government appointed lifesaving agency Drishti Marine dedicated to preventing drowning and managing emergencies along Goa’s coastline. This is to  ensure a robust safety framework for the event’s opening leg, which involves a 1.9 km (1.2 mile) competitive swimming challenge.

Navin Awasthi, CEO of Drishti Marine told media people that “a team of 50 lifesaverswill be deployed to ensure the safety of participants during the IRONMAN 70.3 Goa. The team of lifesavers will be supported by five jet skis, 30 surfboards, two rescue vehicles and two motorboats ready for any emergency situations.” Additionally, two canines from the agency’s Paw Squad, known for their expertise in beach safety, will also be present at Miramar beach during the swim segment.

Further enhancement of emergency readiness includes two medical posts equipped with two rescue vehicles and trained personnel ready to respond swiftly to medical emergencies. Lifesavers skilled in essential first-aid procedures will be stationed at the medical booths.

Interestingly, Drishti Marine will also utilise cutting-edge technology, deploying its self-driving robot AURUS and the AI-powered TRITON, to monitor non-swim zones, to identify potential threats and assists lifesavers in averting mishaps. AURUS and TRITON will ensure comprehensive safety coverage for the participating endurance athletes.

Says Navin Awasthi, “We are proud to offer vital safety support for the fourth consecutive year at this well known triathlon, which draws participants from India and around the world. Our lifesavers are fully prepared to handle any emergencies that may arise.”

NOW FACE CREAM MORE EXPENSIVE

HINDUSTAN Lever, which has been manufacturing popular face creams like “Fair & Lovely” has decided to increase the prices of beauty products. Apparently, the cost of raw materials has gone up very steeply. Most of the products whose prices are scheduled to go up are in the luxury segment. Hindustan Lever also makes a wide range of soaps and shampoos. The beauty business will suffer and women will take to making their own natural beauty products at home…we know about the efficacy of lemon juice rubbed on the face and besan and cream packs on the face and some more. Cheaper than buying beauty products.  

MARDOL JOB FRAUD

A MAJOR  job has been deducted by the Mardhol police. The police claim that Ajit Satarkar of Priol had cheated several young people with a promise of lower division clerk jobs in the transport department. The accused accepted lakh of rupees for jobs in the Public Works Department.  On Sunday, October 21 Pooja Naik, claiming to be a government employee, was arrested for selling government jobs. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has denied that Pooja Naik is an employee of the state government and her bank accounts have been frozen.

DIWALI SALES OFFER

ON eve of Diwali all major consumer companies have announced major discounted sales. The latest to do so is the Tata electronic goods Croma outlets. Croma is offering almost a 50% discount on its high end 60 liter refrigerator, its  ultra-HD LED TV and intercore laptops.

Iphone 15 is being offered for Rs32,000 as against the MRP of Rs69,000. A 1.5 ton 3-star inverter split AC costing Rs42,000 is being offered at Rs26,000. We have a suspicion that all companies are trying to liquidate the stocks of their old models to make way for the more expensive new models. You have to be careful about free gifts as we got conned with a free commercial hair dresser when we bought out washing machine from Croma. The big guys like Reliance and Vishal are in deadly competition with each other.

DIGITAL IDENTITY FOR KIDS

THE state government has decided to introduce an Apaar ID system for all school students as part of the national education policy. The Apaar ID which is a unique 12-digit number will contain the highlights of the child’s education records. It will provide a complete record of the academic and extra-curricular activities of the child. This will make admission to professional colleges easier later on.

FAIR PRICE SHOP DEALERS MEET

A FAIR Price Shop Dealers Meet for North Goa  discussed various aspects of the FPS system in the Panjim, recently. In his welcome address  Jayant Tari (director, Department of Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs), provided details of “Compensation to FPS Dealers” scheme. It aims to enhance the financial viability of Fair Price Shops and the scheme is set to be implemented soon to strengthen the financial system of FPS dealers.

 The director urged all Fair Price Shop dealers to complete the e-KYC process for their respective ration card beneficiaries by month-end, as per instructions from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution. He clarified that under the National Security Act a ration card is a document for purchasing essential commodities through Fair Price Shops and not proof of identity or residence. He further acknowledged that many FPS dealers have applied for closure due to business losses but he requested them to wait, the department will soon implement a compensation scheme.

Tulsidas Dabolkar (assistant director, Department of Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs) gave a detailed presentation of online services available for ration card-related issues, including applying for new cards, adding beneficiaries, and changing the head of the family. He also encouraged FPS dealers to assist beneficiaries through Common Service Centres (CSC), which could provide additional income. Also present were Sunita Bhagat (research assistant), Krishna D Madaye (South Goa District Manager of CSC), Asha Vernekar (founder, Goa Livelihood Forum), Priyanka Toraskar Kudnekar (sub-inspector) and others.      Best Fair Price Shop awards were presented to fair shops that actively participated in taluka-level cleanliness drives under the “Swachhata Hi Seva” initiative.

JAN SUNWAII HELD AT MOIRA

THE Legal Aid Society and Moira Free Legal Aid cell organized a Jan Sunwaii, at Moira Village Panchayat, Moira, on October 11, 2024 at 3.30 pm. This was held this was in the presence of Sarpanch Sagar R Naik, Panch members Mohan Volvoikar and Julieta D’Cunha, Adv Slaney Maciel.

The objective was to resolve issues of people in the village panchayat. The Sarpanch addressed issues concerning trade licenses, collection of house tax arrears, illegal land filling, garbage handling and disposal, No Objection certificate to be obtained from panchayat, flooding of water from sluice gates into the fields, road condition, beautification of village and other issues concerning the local community.

Adv Slaney Maciel requested the Panchayat to revive the Library of the Panchayat and get grants from Directorate of Art & Culture and Central Library. The Library Project was inaugurated in 2020.

The Jan Sunwaii received a good response from residents and students and the Panchayat encouraged the Moira Legal Aid Cell to conduct more gatherings to attend to socio-legal issues of the local community. The program was attended by Dr Aamod M Shirali (director of Legal Aid Society), Asstt Prof Shaina Dhulapkar, and moderation was by Nidhi Gawade and  Michael Lobo.

VMSCL HOSTS SWEDISH FACULTY…

for seminar on AI ethics and regulations

THE Centre for Political Leadership (CPL) of V M Salgaocar College of Law (VMSCL) hosted a joint seminar on Artificial Intelligence Ethics and European Union Regulations on October 14, 2024. The event featured Dr Claes Granmar and Dr Henricus Verhagen from Stockholm University, Sweden.

They discussed the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence and the evolving EU regulatory framework.  VMSCL Principal Dr Shaber Ali opened the discussion with his introductory remarks about the evolution of artificial intelligence in Europe and India.

Dr Granmar and Dr Verhagen highlighted regulations under the EU’s AI Act, which came into effect on August 1, 2024. They explained the importance of AI governance, especially for high-risk systems used in public services, healthcare, and finance. Law students were encouraged to understand the black box problem. They stressed on decision-making and human oversight in ensuring accountability which rests with developers and not the AI systems. 

The speakers emphasized on the challenges in balancing innovation and regulation to a question raised by LLB student Kaushal Bathia. There is a need for international coordination through the UN and ISO to create globally aligned AI standards. The law students were urged to track the evolving nature of AI law and the significance of integrating legal, ethical and technical considerations in future policymaking.

The seminar concluded with remarks from CPL Director Ramrai Naik, who spoke about the EU’s proactive efforts in framing regulations to address various global challenges, including Artificial Intelligence.
The organizing team included Dr Shaber Ali (Principal of VMSCL), Administrator  D P Pednekar with Asst Prof Ramrai Naik and Asst Prof Varsha Redkar serving as faculty coordinator.

Roshan Mathias and Padmaja Chauhan led as student coordinators, with volunteers Saumyaa Mandrencar, Kimberley Elsa George, and Jannat Bedi taking up various roles. Shraddha Yadav, a second-year BALLB student, presented an artwork inspired on Goan landscapes as a token of appreciation and a memory from Goa.

The joint seminar provided a platform for students, faculty and legal experts to engage in meaningful discussions on the intersection of technology, ethics, and governance. The event was supported by Symbiosis Law School, Pune including its director Dr Shashikala Gurpur, and faculty member Dr Rupal Rautdesai.

‘INVASION’ OF AFFLUENT!

Ecologically insensitive population seeking luxury in Goa not Sustainable

–says German anthropologist Katharina  Poggendorf-Kakar 

AN “invasion” of an affluent population, who have the liberty to party at night and spend their mornings in tranquillity in a luxurious lifestyle, is not sustainable for Goa. This is according to Loutolim-based writer and anthropologist Katharina Poggendorf-Kakar, who maintains that the transformation of the Goan land and social scape was evident in the post-pandemic era, which has seen a bigger social influx and a rise in investments in Goa. “That fantasy of living in a space that gives you the freedom to (not only) party at night, but to (also) have your morning coffee to birdsong and an evening walk at the beach… that’s the most luxurious lifestyle one can think of. It’s just not sustainable, if we have an invasion of so many people not being conscious about how their imprint is changing the environmental and ecological balance,” Kakar said. 

She was delivering a talk on “Goa: A Journey of Rediscovery,” at the Museum of Goa (MOG) in Pilerne. She also observed that the cultural fabric of Goan villages has been disrupted by huge construction projects, injecting insecurity among local communities. “People are not really truly interested in living a simple lifestyle, but rather to have it all, to have nature, but also to recreate their urban, modern lifestyles,” she said. 

Katharina Kakar discussed her experiences of living in Goa for many years with author Sheela Jaywant, focusing on her  novel Moving to Goa, which offers an outsider’s perspective on Goa and Goans.

Jaywant, in the course of the interview, noted that while there are lush regions in south Maharashtra and Kerala with lower living costs, many continue to choose Goa over them, because of the premium luxuries associated with living in Goa where there are urban amenities. 

“That is also an urban view. You get certain things here (in Goa) that you will not get in villages in the Himalayas,” Kakar said, responding to Jaywant’s observation. She herself moved to south Goa’s Benaulim village 21 years back, with her late husband, world-renowned psychoanalyst Sudhir Kakar, and was mesmerised by all that Goa had to offer. Not any more, she admits. 

“My worst fantasies kind of came true of a serene Goa, where small villages had a cultural fabric that was pretty much intact. It is now being disrupted by huge construction projects, especially post-COVID,” admitted Kakar. According to her  this influx of people settling in Goa is changing the very social fabric of the state. Adding, “I fell in love with this state when I first came here because of the hospitality I was offered by the locals. Now, for example, the Delhites come here and build huge walls around their houses, changing the very warm and homely atmosphere of Goan villages.” 

The German anthropologist emphasised the need for dialogue and respect towards local cultures, advocating initiatives that can sustain Goa’s beauty and ecology. She said she drew inspiration from the “Save Mollem” — a movement to save the forests of the Mollem region in south Goa, which united diverse groups, suggesting that such collaborative efforts could inspire future initiatives.“Listening to each other is essential,” said Katha Kakar conclusively.