Now "Goencars" on hospitality list of Goa tourism

The "Goencar" or as some write the Indian way as  "Goenkar", or for some people who like to refer to the people of Goa as "Goanese", there seems to be a lot of attention pouring towards this typical Goan in the times of off-season for the tourism industry in Goa where the tourists have steadily dissappeared and currently the eye seems to have shifted to focus on local "Goencars" to come and indulge in some fun and playtime with a few perks here and there to urge them out from the comforts of their Goan homes into the fattened ambience of starred hotels in Goa.

So it is common these days to receive emails and sms over mobile tempting the Goan with a "much necessary" weekend recharge, a sumptuous buffet or a brunch( they call it breakfast and lunch put together), a swimming pool dip, some dancing and partying added with some games for the kids if you have them and a well-dressed-down tariff to suit the imaginations and make your decision ooze out a little faster.

In a way it has been a kind of stretching out to the local Goan community by the hotel fraternity in Goa who seem to be trying to cover their costs in the off-season with some bait for the locals to bite. It is also a good public relation(read PR) exercise for the hotel industry in Goa  as a means of reaching out to Goans by offering discounted packages as above and thereby instilling a sense of goodwill in the Goencars.

The cost per person at the above detailed 'weekend rechargers" is anything between 1,300 - 1800 per person inclusive of food and sometimes unlimited drinks. A weekend recharge normally also includes a room, high tea, dinner, breakfast, Goan lunch and drinks which may be unlimited in certain hotels in Goa.

The perception that the hotel industry is toying with is the fact that Goans hardly need to venture out of Goa since Goa itself is a beautiful place which many Goans have not enjoyed to the hilt. Also monsoons are considered as the best time to venture outside with family and friends besides being a cheaper option in the off-season. A getaway such as this often leads to a recharge of the mind and body and tends to keep you freshly charged for your next routine at the end of the weekend.

The short gasp of the holiday can also be a big boost for the children in Goa who have been typeset with holidays squeezed in only during the vacation period and then have to pour on their books in Goa before the next vacation troops in. Such a short weekend burst tends to soothe children as a pleasant surprise and gives them a short and much needed break from their studies and helps to keep them in a healthy state of mind to recharge their energies.

There are some hotels in Goa which come up with unique catchy captions to promote their weekend bouquets and added with a low cost, such offers become hard to resist. A hotel in north Goa offers a thrill in oriental cuisine at a bargain price of Rs 375/- per person and one has a choice to pick from a  variety in oriental food. The swimming pool is thrown in this package as an incentive and the response is reportedly astounding with families, friends and even the corporate clients pitching in to enjoy the short lived joy.

Another factor that urges people to go in for these short bursts of a holiday is the ease on the pocket which is an affordable deal in the off season. Also the kind of professional service, great food and lovely ambience along with some royal treatment makes these recharge packages very popular in Goa.

It is therefore evident that Goans are now changing in their attitude towards a holiday in Goa itself and many are opening their arms to some good offers from the hotel industry. Besides, Goans also realise that despite being in Goa since birth, most Goans have only ventured to the Goan beaches while most of Goa has not been seen or experienced. The hinterland of Goa is therefore a great attraction for Goans to explore and the tourism for Goans should therefore be directed in that area so that Goans know their Goa better  and enjoy it at the same time.

By Goacom

Enjoy Goa in the monsoons-Goa tourism campaigns

The bountiful rainfall in the month of July has certainly egged the business acumen of the tourism industry in the state of Goa and the state government now wants to reap the benefits of such an abundant outpouring from the skies by launching a massive campaign all over the country especially in the dry north India to woo tourists to the state of Goa to enjoy the green, clean and friendly Goa during the monsoons.

The state of Goa has been fortunate to receive a bountiful rainfall as is normal in Goa  in the monsoon. The rains have however not ventured into some areas of the country and the north and west of India is still experiencing scorching heat. Goa is estimated to have received over 1,553 mm rainfall till date with over 51.4 mm received only during the last 24 hours itself.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG)has approached the state government to step up its drive to promote the state in the Indian tourism market. TTAG has proposed two suggestions which include the revival of the "Goa 365 days"  tourism campaign which was pointed out as a catchy phrase and was recollected as being a successful campaign. The other suggestion is to aggressively promote Goa through advertisements in various travel magazines and news publications in markets which are Goa friendly according to the TTAG President Mr Ralph de Sousa.

On its part the tourism department has suggested campaigns on radio stations such as FM stations across the country in the form of jingles and advertisements which is expected to do the trick. Presently the GTDC has an average of 60% occupancy at its residences on the Goan coastline in Calangute, Miramar, Panjim and Colva. It is believed that it is much cooler in Goa in the rains and as a result  a lot of tourists from northern India make Goa their most favourite destination at this time of the year.

The Goa tourism Development Corporation is also expected to take part in the travel and trade fair at Kolkata which commences from July 11, the international travel mart at Bangalore from July 18 and another trade fair at Ahmedabad in Gujarat from July 31. These moves are being strategically planned at a time when the hotels in Goa have reduced their room tariffs but have however met limited success in attracting larger number of tourists to Goa.

Meanwhile the state of Goa has been sanctioned over Rs 43 crore by the central government for integrated development of infrastructure for heritage and river cruise development on the two Goan rivers of Mandovi and Zuari. Under the plan, the infrastructure expected due to the project is a new stat of the art "finger jetty" model for Santa Monica jetty in Panaji which berths cruise boats operating in the Mandovi river. Besides in the vicinity, a multi storeyed parking facility, reception area, cafeteria and boat cruise offices will be coming up.

Tourist arrivals in India on the surge

After the double blow received unexpectedly in the form of world recession which was compounded further by the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the tourism industry in the country is finally showing signs of a steady recovery and the upturn is witnessed with tourist arrivals registering a healthy positive growth for the first time in over six months. While the increase may be a shade marginal over last year, the turnaround itself is raising sounds of cheers amongst the tourism fraternity and the tourism ministry is also upbeat since the foreign exchange earnings have also gone up by over Rs 400 crore.

According to data collected by the tourism ministry, the foreign tourist arrivals increased from 3.40 lakh in June 2008 to 3.41 lakh in June 2009 while foreign exchange has gone up from Rs 3,409 crore to Rs 3,801 crore for the same period. Although the growth in the number of tourists may be marginal, it has demonstrated that the Visit India campaign and the various roadshows have made a contribution to arrest the decline within a period of over six months

The last six months were however not very good for the tourism  sector. In January-June 2009, the number of tourist arrivals in the state was recorded ar 24.678 lakh, which is down from 27.19 lakh in 2008 for the same period. India has recorded a fall of over 10% in the flow of foreign nationals traveling to the country since the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai last year.

Goan land Protection - Shantaram introduces bill

A private members bill was introduced in the Rajhya sabha on Friday July 3 2009, seeking to add article 371 to the Constitution of India, in a bid to authorise the Goa Legislature to enact a legislation to monitor and regulate the transfer of land in the state of Goa in public interest and in the interest based on grounds of duration of residence in the state, social , economic and environmental needs etc.

Also with respect to the current resources such as land, water, power, environmental aspects etc, the bill also provides to authorise the Goa Legislature to enact a suitable legislation to regulate the influx of migrants into the state. The bill also seeks to empower the Goa Legislature to enact a legislation to opt for any of the two types of panchayat for villages - intermediate and district level.

In a statement attached to the bill, Mr Naik said that the rights of citizens under the constitution should bot be so boundless that they contribute to changing the economic scenario of a smaller state like Goa particularly its villages, much to the bitterness and disadvantage of the local people which only adds to the anti-social elements which become a strong part of such uncontrolled transactions thereby proving disastrous for Goa.

While justifying the need to control the influx of migrants into Goa, Mr Shantaram Naik pointed out to the state of Goa which hardly encompassed only 3,702 sq kilometres of land with a population of around 14 lakh. Compared to this, the increase in migrant population has reached unmanageable proportions. While it is the fundamental right of every citizen of India to move freely within the territory of India, Mr Naik pointed out that it is also the fundamental right of others to live a decent life with basic amenities provide by the state.

From this viewpoint Mr Naik has argued that in order to safeguard the basic rights of Goans and non-Goans settled here for a long time, the further inflow of people into Goa needs to be regulated immediately to avoid a virtual chaotic situation in the near future.

Chinese being wooed for Goa

Air India, the country's premier international airline has begun a vigorous campaign to target Chinese tourists by offering them a free return trip from Mumbai or Delhi to Goa, according to the officials of the Goa tourism department who are in great spirits thanks to the Goa pavilion at the recent Beijing International Tourism Expo.

According to estimates, over 40,000 Chinese tourists visited the Goa pavilion at the tourism trade fair picking up a Goa brochure printed in Cantonese.

Chinese tourists have been steadily increasing their visits to "incredible India" in the last few years and places such as Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and the Ajanta and Ellora caves has seen a regular flow of Chinese tourists. By offering a free return air trip to Goa would therefore set the trend for a new travel market to explore, for the state of Goa.

During the three day tourism expo, the Goa pavilion attracted travel buyers, tour operators, travel agents and the media in general who attended seminars, conferences and presentations organised by the Goa team

Goa police to patrol on "Robins"

In a bid to make the police presence more stronger in the state of Goa and to enhance the response time of distress calls received at Police control rooms in Goa, the Goa police will now be seen in a new patrolling mode on motorcycles which have been code named as "Robins" and which will be henceforth located at strategic locations all over the state of Goa.

Goa being highly urbanised and accessible by Roads, the "Robins" are efficient for intensive patrolling which may be required in certain areas of Goa and which can be achieved through mobile patrolling motorcycles, informed the Director General of Police Mr Bhimsen Bassi.

30 new motorcycles are initially being introduced for integrated beat patrolling in the state and these motorcycles will be under the operational control of PCR while the local police will have administrative control. The Robins will be assisted by mobile patrol vans and would be more effective while patrolling in congested places, busy market places , narrow lanes and during traffic congestion.

Due to the sharp rise in Goa's population and the influx of migrants into the state, it has forced the police to stretch their duty hours and the Robins are expected to help towards better community policing.

Goa being a tourist spot, it is imperative that the police presence in the streets as well as attendance to people in distress is available. Robins will be manned by two uniformed policemen which include a head constable and a police constable and will be provided with a wireless set for communications.

Congress leaders in Goa disappointed over cabinet exclusion

Congressmen in Goa were a disappointed lot, over the decision of the Congress party not to include any of the two Congress Members of Parliament in the Manmohan Singh cabinet.

The Congress leaders in Goa were keenly hoping that MR Francisco Sardinha who has been elected from the Mormugao Constituency to the  Lok Sabha for the third time and who has been a former Chief Minister and seen many Ministries in various Congress governments in the state of Goa besides being a good administrator, would get a berth in the Union cabinet which was expanded on Thursday.

Congressmen were therefore dejected that while other smaller states and Union territories were considered and accommodated in the Union cabinet, Goa was mysteriously kept out which many felt was unfair to Goa.

The exclusion of MPs from Goa in the Union cabinet denies the state any voice in New Delhi and many decisions concerning the state of Goa are taken without giving any Goan a say in the matter relating to the state and therefore many such decisions go against the state. For instance the burning issue relating to the diversion of water from Mhadei basin by Karnataka, the coastal regulation zone issue etc are not represented by anyone from Goa in this respect

India Election Results - tallies from 1951 - 2009

Since the year 1951 till 2009, the following table provides a complete insight into the various standing positions of the parties at each election

Election Year	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	No of seats
1951	Cong-364	CPI-16	*SP-12	KMPP-9	PDF-7	489
1957	Cong-371	CPI-27	PSP-19	SCF-6	JHP-6	494
1962	Cong-361	CPI-29	SWA-18	JS-14	PSP-12	494
1967	Cong-283	SWA-44	BJS-35	DMK-25	CPI/SSP-23	520
1971	Cong-352	CPM-25	CPI-23	DMK-23	BJS-22	518
1977	BLD-295	INC-154	CPM-22	ADK-18	SAD-9	542
1980	Cong-353	JNP(S)41	CPM-37	JNP-31	DMK-16	529
1984	Cong-414	TDP-30	CPM-22	ADK-12	JNP-10	541
1989	Cong-197	JD-43	BJP-85	CPM-33	CPI12	529
1991	Cong-244	BJP-120	JD-59	CPM-35	CPI-14	534
1996	BJP-161	INC-140	JD-46	CPM-32	TMC(M)-20	543
1998	BJP-182	INC-141	CPM-32	SP-20	ADMK-18	543
1999	BJP-182	INC-114	CPM-33	TDP-29	SP-26	543
2004	Cong-145	BJP-138	CPM-43	SP-36	RJD-14	543
2009	Cong-206	BJP-116	SP-23	BSP-21	JD(U)-20	543

 

IN 1951- *SP-SOCIALIST PARTY
               KMPP- Kisan Mazdoor Praja party
               PDF- Peoples Democratic front

In 1957 - PSP - Praja Socialist party
             SCF- All India Scheduled Caste Federation
             JHP - Jharkhand Party

In 1962  - SWA - Swatantra
               JS  - Jan Sangh

In 1967 - SSP - Samyukta Socialist

In 1971 - BJS - Bharatiya Jan sangh

In 1977 - BLD - Bharatiya Lok Dal
             ADK - All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazagam

In 1980 - JNP(S)  - Janata Party (Secular)

In 1996 - TMC(M) - Tamil Maanila Congress ( Moopanar)

Lok Sabha elections 2009 : Final tally of seats and winners

Party	Seats	Alliance
UNITED PROGRESSIVE ALLIANCE - 262		UPA - 262 seats
Indian national Congress	206
Trinamool Congress	19
DMK	18
Nationalist Congress Party	9
National Conference	3
Jharkhand Mukti Morcha	2
Muslim League Kerala State Committee	2
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen	1
Bodoland People's Front	1
Kerala Congress (Mani)	1
	Total	262
NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE		NDA - 159 seats
Bharatiya Janata Party	116
Janata Dal-United	20
Shiv Sena	11
Rashtriya Lok Dal	5
Akali Dal	4
Telangana Rashtra Samithi	2
Asom Gana Parishad	1
	Total	159
THIRD FRONT		TF - 80 seats
Bahujan Samaj Party	21
CPI-M	16
Biju Janata Dal	14
AIADMK	9
Telegu Desam Party	6
CPI	4
Janata Dal-Secular	3
Forward Bloc	2
Revolutionary Socialist Party	2
MDMK	1
Haryana Janhit Congress	1
Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik)	1
	Total	80
FOURTH FRONT		27  Seats
Samajwadi Party	23
Rashtriya Janata Dal	4
	Total	27
OTHERS		15 seats
Independents	9
Assam United Democratic Front	1
Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi	1
Swabhimani Paksha	1
Nagaland People's Front	1
Sikkim Democratic Front	1
VCK	1
	Total	15

                                                Total       - 543 seats

Goan beaches to feel the heat of global warming

While people have warmed up to the embrace of the Goan beaches for ages and continue to do so till date, global warming is one such embrace that the Goan beaches would surely want to wish away. However it is one world that we all live in and therefore have to bear the consequences of human neglect towards the environment which seems to be now taking a heavy toll all over the world.

The beaches of Goa are the latest to join the threat posed by global warming and experts feel that due to the phenomenon, rising waters of the sea could submerge beaches in Goa. The alarm was raised amid the dire need for urgent measures due to the fear that sea levels are set to rise by at least one metre, because of the climate change leading to warming of the oceans.

Such action of water rise would normally take thousands of years to happen. However due to the global warming this could take place in around 50 years if no immediate remedial action is not taken.

A rise of one metre would prove disastrous to the coastal areas of Goa which could be a threat to flooding besides the increased sea temperature would induce an increase in winds and therefore more violent seas.Warmer oceans therefore promote hurricanes and storm surges and this may unfortunately be experienced in around 40-50 years. It is estimated that parts of the Indian Ocean are expected to be badly affected by this climactic change.

The year 2007 saw the lowest ice cover in history and though some thought it was a flash in the pan, the same was repeated in 2008 which has alarmed the whole world to be wary of the threat posed by global warming.

Its "Fools day" for sure, but this is no joke!

Come 1st of April 2009, ATM users in Goa as well as the rest of India can breathe freely inside any ATM. From today, ATM users do not have to pant high and dry looking out for the ATM of their own bank to withdraw money and can in fact use the services of any other bank ATM for the same purpose without spending an extra paisa.

The move to reduce fees by other ATMs was made last year on 10th March when the RBI had issued guidelines to limit the fee  levied by banks for using their ATMs by clients of other lenders to Rs 20 and balance enquiry was made free of any charge till 31st March 2009.

Now, in an enhancement of those guidelines,  a recent RBI directive prevents banks from charging any fee for cash withdrawals using ATM and debit cards issued by other banks from 1st April 2009 onwards.

However, use of credit cards at any ATM is subject to bank charges for services such as cash withdrawal etc.

High Valentine spirits!

This card is a giant attempt by a marketing organisation to enable people from Mumbai to pen down their love feelings on a giant card.

The company incidentally is hoping to carve its name in the Guinness book of world records for this giant sized feat.

The Bombay electricity supply company has been generous to donate special ladders to help people to help themselves with some messages to pen up there.

What a spirit of Valentine indeed!

Mumbai-Goa trip to last less than 9 hours by train

The sky-bus might be a project still rotting in unknown wrangles within the state of Goa and is probably doomed for oblivion. After its fateful disaster in its trial runs, the sky bus seems to have passed away for good.

However there is good news regarding the launching of a weekend train between the bustling metropolis of Mumbai and the succegado tourist hotspot of Goa. This train with only two scheduled stopovers, is set to be introduced on February 13th by the Central Railway from the CST station and is expected to touch the Margao Railway station in a quick time of 8 hours 50 minutes covering the entire 600 km distance with only  stops at Thane and Ratnagiri.

Presently the distance between the two stations takes around 11 hours by train while the airlines cover the trip within an hour. The distance between Mumbai and Goa by road however lasts for around 12 hours.

Train Schedule
While the superfast weekend train will travel at an average speed of 66.48 kmph, it is expected to leave only on Fridays and Saturdays from Mumbai and Goa. The train is scheduled to leave the CST terminus in Mumbai at 10.15 pm and reach Goa at 7.05 am, the next morning. Likewise the train from Margao will leave every Saturday at 8.45 am and reach Mumbai at 5.35 pm on the very same day.

On Sunday, the train is expected to leave the Margao station at 7.10 pm and reach the CST Mumbai terminus at around 4 am the next day. With Goa being a tourist destination, there is a great demand for Goa-bound trains throughout the year and an estimated 10,000 passengers are recorded to be traveling on the route every day.

Train Coaches
The weekend train is expected to have two general second class-cum-guard brake van coaches, one AC 2-tier, two AC 3-tier and eight sleeper class coaches. However currently there seems to be no provision for a pantry and only light meals with tea and coffee are expected to be available.

Train Fares
The cost of the fare will be Rs 313 for a sleeper class ticket, while an AC 3-tier seat would be around Rs 820 and an AC 2-tier trip would be around Rs 1120.

The service is expected to begin a trial run on February 13, probably as a Valentine's day gift to the state of Goa.

Name is "Goa Sadan", but are any Goans on the rolls please?

This is not irony. It seems to be a pure case of malpractice. It is time for the never-dying tribe of local language heroes of Goa to stand up. It is also time for the freedom fighters of Goa to ask questions. It is certainly not the issue for Goan activists to ignore nor is it the moment for Goa's various workers' unions to turn a blind eye.

Goa Sadan, which is a place for Goans to reside while in Delhi, seems to be the whimsical blue eyed boy of everybody from India except from its patron state Goa. The " Goenkarancho ekvott" a vibrant organisation of Goans residing in Delhi exposed a recent staffing at the Goa Sadan in New Delhi, which was in contravention of the requirements for the various positions on offer.

While "drivers "currently employed in the Sadan are alleged to have no connections with Goa, their merit it seems has been the political clout exerted by bureaucrats from the country who served in Goa on official duty at some time or the other.

The joke is that none of these "suitors" have any knowledge of the local language of Konkani and Marathi  but still made the grade despite at least five suitable Goan candidates apparently appearing for the interview. The knowledge of Konkani and Marathi is a pre-requisite for the job, which has mysteriously been waived off for these "super candidates".

It is also alleged that the candidates do not possess the basic qualifications required for the post which is a passing certificate for class VIII.

It thus seems that the recruitments at the Goa Sadan are currently being made at the recommendations of Governors, IAS officers and Union Ministers and it is feared that the case of Goa Niwas is going to follow on similar lines. Goa Niwas is being constructed to have a 20 room capacity with four dormitories on two floors besides having five suites for VVIP's at a cost of Rs 9 crore.

It is therefore the time for everyone in Goa to ask about these whimsical appointments by all and sundry and thereby deny Goans the opportunity of being employed in their own state organizations.

The time for running into excuses that Goans are not interested in such jobs has run out. Goans did appear for the interviews. Were they of a lesser merit than their Indian "super candidate" counterparts is the question. Or was it a case of favouritism, bribery or all other malpractices put together to stifle the prospect of Goan candidates?

No wonder when you go to  Goa Sadan in Delhi, you hear all Indian languages except Konkani. Will our Romiwadis and Devnagriwadis of Goa please stand up? There couldn't be a better time to be heard.

Goa - Delhi flight survives scare in mid-air

Three inebriated passengers on board a low cost air carrier, "Indigo" flying from Goa to Delhi, with around 163 passengers, created a major panic situation necessitating an emergency landing at the Indira Gandhi International airport in New Delhi after the unruly passengers reportedly threatened to hijack the plane.

The three passengers seem to have scared the air-hostesses when they claimed that they had arms on the plane and allegedly indicated that they had also managed to put some fliers of the aircraft to sleep.

The alarmed air-hostess is reported to have alerted the pilot who immediately sounded the alarm signal for Delhi Air Traffic Control(ATC) and landed the aircraft at the Indira Gandhi International airport at around 5.30 pm , parking it at an isolated bay and was immediately surrounded by NSG and CISF forces.

While the passengers were unaware about the whole drama unfolding even after landing and they were informed of the hijack threat only by their relatives over mobile phones after hearing the news on Television.

The aircraft doors were finally opened at 7.52 pm with 5 commandos trooping inside the aircraft and disembarking all the passengers took another three hours.

The three passengers including one woman have been detained for questioning and another 20 odd fliers were being interrogated to elicit more information on the exact cause of the alarm. The passengers were however reportedly not carrying arms, but only further investigations would make the issue clear.

And now Goa BJP opposes ban on land sale to foreigners

The Goa BJP dropped a bombshell when their leader Mr Manohar Parrikar suggested on Friday that the party does not support a blanket ban on the sale of agricultural land to foreigners but would support a ceiling or some regulation on such transactions. He further stated that unregulated sale of land in Goa should be curbed.

Mr Parrikar stressed on the need to define the term agricultural land in the proposed bill including the status of the Khazan lands, pastures and orchards. He further stated that legal opinion should be taken to understand the position about such land lest the agricultural land be sold through their conversions

The Opposition leader said that the BJP in the meanwhile will demand special status for Goa to prevent the demographic changes in Goa due to population migration besides maintaining identity of the state.

Goan sailor finally makes it to his home in Goa

It was a most longed for homecoming for Clive Fernandes, when he reached his native place Agonda in Goa on thursday Morning 29th January 2009.  The Goan lad  was one of the crew members of the hijacked ship MV delight, which was released by Somali Pirates on January 9th 2009.

The Iranian ship MV delight, which was carrying thousands of tonnes of wheat was hijacked by Somali pirates off the gulf of Aden, the ordeal which ended after the successful negotiation with the hijackers for its release and reaching the port of Iran on the night of January 9th 2009.

The hijackers hijacked only for the lure of money, was the main response that Clive gave when asked about the motive of the hijackers in hijacking the vessel. He also informed about the way the hijackers behaved with them, exerting their might over them and forcefully relieving them of their belongings like mobile phones, clothes, shoes etc. They however provided them with adequate food and all basic amenities.

Everyone obeyed the orders of the hijackers silently and patiently informed Clive while his parents thanked God for saving their only son. The incident had cast a spell of gloom over the entire family who did not celebrate Christmas nor the New year and were continuously in prayers to get back their son.

After a lapse of over 53 days, they were thankful that their prayers were answered. In the Meanwhile the supreme Court of India has slammed the central government for being ineffective in curbing Somali piracy and guarding Indians

Goa Girl Paloma Fernandes stabbed to death in Mumbai

It was a tragic case for Goa girl Paloma Fernandes, a call centre employee, in the city of Mumbai who was stabbed to death on wednesday 28th January 2009, by her alleged boyfriend Aquino Martis when she was returning back from work to her apartment in Mira Road at Mumbai.

While it seems that it may be a love affair gone wrong, it was also reported that the unemployed Martis had allegedly stolen the credit card belonging to Paloma, after realising that she had a decent amount in the bank which made Paloma alert her father to block the credit card, which neighbours suspect had been the source of anger for Martis.

Martis, a known trouble maker had allegedly threatened the building watchman on january 26th and damaged society property for which the neighbours were planning to lodge a complaint against him.

On this ill fated wednesday, Martis was stealthily hiding on the first floor staircase of the building and rushed down when Paloma tried to enter her apartment, pushing her inside the room. The watchmen, who had been accompanying Paloma to her apartment due to her anticipated fears of an attack from Martis, also suffered a bite on his index finger from Martis.

A bleeding Paloma who rushed out of the flat and collapsed in the building compound, was taken to the nearby hospital by the building residents and was declared dead. Martis who subsequently stabbed himself was shifted to hospital and survived.

Paloma's body was brought to Goa and the funeral was held yesterday 29th January from their Chandor residence in Goa amidst inconsolable weeping by siblings, parents and close family members as the shocked family went into a state of deep mourning over the sudden killing of their loved one with her parents utterly disbelieving the fact of their daughters death.

This incident should awaken Goans about the increasing danger of allowing their daughters , sisters or spouses to work alone in Mumbai and worse to reside alone in the city. Mumbai no doubt is a good place for growth in various areas and is a place for good employment sources. However one cannot take chances with women in an alien place as loneliness is normally the cause of faulty relationships and the effects of such alliances have never been good.

Also the call centre industry is a field beset with monotony and boredom which normally enthuses its employees to look for other alternative avenues to release their energies and thereby invite unwarranted troubles. We have observed how call center employees in India have been regularly attacked by differecnt people from cabbies to watchmen, to restaurateurs to waiters and even their own colleagues at different times.

One hopes that Goans take extra care with their wards who may be far away from home. May the soul of Paloma Fernandesrest in peace and may God give the family the courage to bear such a tragic loss.

Goa tourism and Goa hotels

Goa is on the world map of tourism. It is one of those places where the world tourist is having a keen eye for. Since the hippies made it famous in the sixties, Goa has found a continuous stream of people discovering it as a new haven. From the UK to Sweden to Finland and recently Russia and Israel tourism is the hallmark of this great place which basks in the glory of sun sea and sand.

For the Indian touristGoa with its rich beauty, affable people and clean surroundings is just the right kind of place you would want to chill out at after weeks and months of a monotonous lifestyle. Just bask in the sun or soak in the waters of the beach, wade through rivers and lakes, steal a look at the rich cultural heritage and the culture, sip some local brew called "Feni" sink your teeth into some delicious Goan food with fish or simply laze in the sand.Goa offers it to you all!

Accomodation in Goa is plentiful. Every kind of accomodation is available in Goa for all budgets. From the swanky seven star hotels to the poor mans' guest houses, Goa has a place for everyone. In Goa, apartments on rent are also available in abundance. But one has to be careful in choosing the right place and the right location. For good vast options in hotels in goa, the better option clearly seems to be HOTELS COMBINED who have various categories to choose from. To enquire with hotelscombined for various options CLICK HERE

For apartments in Goa a good source is "Goa Living styles" who can be contacted HERE.

Wishing everyone a pleasant stay in the paradise called Goa.

Moral Police raise ugly head in Goa

Of late we have been cowed down by terror in different parts of the country. terrorists from across the border have used our land to export their brand of fundamentalism without any consideration to humanity.

However in India we have our own brand of terrorists in the garb of moral police. And it is now alarming that they have begun to show their ugly face in Goa. Last week we all saw on television, some marauders beating up women outside a pub in Mangalore in broad daylight just to demonstrate to them their cultural wisdom of rights and wrongs. Who gave these rowdy class the right to brazenly attack innocent people is a question the state government of Karnataka must answer. The citizens of Mangalore must force the government to answer.

Meanwhile in Goa, we had another outfit in the alleged name of the "Shiv Sena" who thankfully does not have any presence worth the name in Goa, attacking a multiplex in Goa with their fundamentalist wisdom to stop the screening of the movie "Slumdog Millionaire". While the movie has been acclaimed by one and all in India and abroad, besides being nominated in 10 categories for the prestigious Oscar awards, these moral police seem to be unemployed and disgruntled elements who only want to shower their might against the people to blow their own conch .

How can these tyrannical brigades be allowed to take law into their own hands and terrorise citizens just because they have a different point of view? Is there no law in the land to handle censorship and other such issues? Who are these hooligans to hold people to ransom with their terror acts? Such talibanisation is the root cause of all evil and terror spreading in our country.

It is also alarming that these elements were allowed to cause disturbance in peaceful Goa. Our name can only get tarnished if we allow such goondaism to prevail in our state of Goa and allow such senselessness to go unpunished.

It is therefore the duty of the Government of Goa to identify the culprits and clamp its authority over them in the most stringent manner. We cannot allow such thuggery to hold Goans to ransom for petty political colouring, thus hurting our tourist state of Goa.

These goons should be punished without restraint. But does the government have the will to do it?