Flying all over the place

On the wings of fancy…OR religious tourism

Now here's man after my heart, an old fashioned traveller but with a huge difference. You and I pay for his flights of fancy (literally not metaphorically) and in case you don't know it comes out of the huge tax you are paying because our good FM Chidambaram is merciless about taking an arm and a leg from salaried blokes.

In the case of our intrepid itinerant, I am unable to lay my hands on what must have been his hotel expenses in, for example Kathmandu. Desai who belongs to the party of the Gods even had a soft landing in Thailand, which is a melting pot of cultures from India and Asia and whose language has words derived from Sanskrit. Now being in above said party he must have taken in the beautiful temples in Bangkok, even if soldiers fighting in Vietnam in the sixties put it on the map -Pattaya and Phuket, in particular -for, shall we say, other reasons.

Then surely his 13 days (9-21 October 2001) in Bangalore and Mysore City must have cost you a bomb (oops, after the serial bombs that went off last weekend, it might be a regrettable choice of words!). But Desai seems to have a penchant for Bangalore and Mysore cities because he visited them twice. He seems to love Jaipur more - a fact that the Rajasthan's tourism department will surely applaud -because he visited thrice, once in 2001 and twice in different months in 2003. Actually, Desai clearly loves travel destinations because he's been to God's Own Country twice (2001 and 2004), to Shimla in the summer and Uttaranchal and Kulu in October/November. His travels abroad cost you Rs3,13,258, that's half the cost of his total travel cost of Rs Rs6,71,434.)

Ramrao Desai
11-15 June 2000 Hyderabad Rs12,675
20-25 April 2000 Kathmandu Rs17,258
13-16 February 2001 Delhi Rs14,800
13-22 May 2001 Udaipur/Mount Abu/Jaipur/Ratma/Delhi Rs29,485
24-27 June 2001 Mumbai/Rajkot
26 April-3 May 2001 Delhi/Simla/Colmandu/Mumbai Rs17,409
31 Jan-12 Feb 2002 New Zealand/Thailand Rs72,000
09-21 Oct 2002 Bangalore/Mysore Rs5,491
19-21 Oct 2001 Mumbai/Delhi Rs15,599
30 Oct-5 Nov 2001 Cochin Rs8,470
23-26 Dec 2001 Delhi Rs17,263
02-07 July 2002 Delhi Rs14,181
30 Oct-03 November 2002 Mumbai/Delhi/Kulu Rs16,255
17-18 December 2002 Mumbai Rs6,742
08-09 March 2003 Delhi Rs17,660
23-25 January 2003 Bangalore/Mumbai Rs18,740
01-02 February 2003 &
04-06 June 2003 Mumbai Rs7,802
12-17 May 2003 Bangalore/Mysore Rs10,420
05-10 May 2003 Jaipur/Mumbai Rs17,869
23-27 July 2003 Jaipur/Mumbai Rs20,685
24 October-02 November 2003 Singapore/Hong Kong &
14-23 October 2003 USA/Canada Rs2,24,000
25-26 September 2004 &
15-16 January 2004 Mumbai Rs14,050
24-26 March 2004 Mumbai/Cochin Rs14,960
27 October-9 November 2004 Delhi/Uttaranchal/Delhi Rs23,255
24-27 November 2004 Delhi Rs21,417
20-23 January 2005 Delhi/Mumbai Rs22,188
Total Rs6,71,434

The last time I checked, Joaquim Alemao was not the IT minister. Yet, between April/May 2006 to October 2007, he made ten trips to Bangalore, known as the Silicon Valley of India. "Bangalored" is a pejorative usage when someone in the US has seen his job being outsourced to Bangalore. But Joaquim got "Bangalored" in a different way culminating in him spending a whopping Rs 1,14,261 to-ing and fro-ing to the IT city in just two trips. All one can say is that hotel rooms don't come cheap in Bangalore. Maybe he was checking out how Bangalore handled garbage. But 10 times costing the exchequer Rs 2,71,705 and that does not include the trip he made to Bangalore but whose ticket was clubbed with his Mumbai visit. Maybe he should be conferred a Ph.D in garbage management.

Speaking of Mumbai, he made 21 trips. Why? Go figure! And while you are at it figure out what he did in Mumbai between 22 January and 26 December of 2006. Of the three trips he made to Chennai -maybe to check out the bio-methanation plant at Koyambedu, the wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower market where the bio-degradable garbage is converted to energy. As to why he went to Nagapattinam, that's a no-brainer. The Velankanni Church is there, stupid. It's a pilgrimage most Roman Catholics like to take.

Alemao's penchant was definitely for Bangalore, his liking for that destination beginning in April 2006 and the former garden city-turned-IT (crowded) city kind of grew on him. Culminating in him spending a whopping Rs1,14,261 on two trips in March 2007 itself in a total of Rs2,71,705 and that does not include one trip whose ticket cost was clubbed together with a trip to Mumbai.

Joaquim Alemao
18-27 July 2005 Mumbai Rs9187
5-7 September 2005 Mumbai Rs9602
21-23 October 2005 Mumbai/Delhi Rs24,322
14-17 September 2005 Mumbai/Chennai Rs23,905
2-4 December 2005 Delhi &
8-10 December Delhi Rs32,948
18-21 December Delhi Rs38,027 (3)
22 January-26 December 2006 Mumbai Rs14,486**
2-4 March 2006 Mumbai Rs37,821
4-5 April 2006 Delhi Rs37,672
28-30 March Mumbai Rs11,741
2-3 February 2006 Mumbai Rs13,440
26 April-1 May 2006 Bangalore Rs17,012
4-5 May 2006 Mumbai Rs13,970
22-23 May 2006 Bangalore Rs11,247
10-15 June 2006 Bangalore Rs27,440
3-8 August 2006 Pune/Mumbai Rs25,964
20-22 August 2006 Bangalore/Mumbai/Hyderabad Rs38,615
29 September-1 October 2006 Mumbai &
15-18 September 2006 Bangalore/Mumbai Rs27,315
13-14 October 2006 Mumbai Rs30,849
6-9 December 2006 Mumbai &
29-30 December 2006 Bangalore Rs31,893
10-12 January 2006 Mumbai &
20-29 January 2007 Mumbai Rs47,760
3-4 March 2007 Delhi Rs33,982
20-23 February 2007 Mumbai/Bangalore &
12-13 March 2007 Delhi/Bangalore Rs82,560
27-28 March 2007 Bangalore/Chennai Rs31,701
14-16 April 2007 Mumbai Rs15,302
1-5 July 2007 Bangalore/Chennai/Nagapattinam Rs35,815
7-8 August 2007 Mumbai Rs15,572
24-29 October 2007 Mumbai Rs17,325

Total Rs7,57,473

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Fly Robin Fly

Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines

The following are some hard facts I could manage to research on the cost of flying around our montris over a limited period only. But it proves that flying is a passion with them just as dining out was.
Wilfred D'Souza Rs22,89,428 Feb 2005-Aug 2007, Dayanand Narvekar Rs14,94,884 Feb 2000-Mar 2007, Pratapsing Rane Rs14,57,354 Feb 2005-Apr 2006, Digambar Kamat Rs11,40,395 Jan 2000-Jan 2005, Manohar Parrikar Rs8,26,596 Dec 2000-Dec 2004, Pandurang Madkaikar Rs6,65,608 Sept 2002-July 2007, Ramkrishna Dhavlikar Rs6,62,246 July 2002-July 2007, Francisco Sardinha Rs4,10,661 Jan 2000-Oct 2000, Ravi Naik Rs2,80,422 Nov 2000-Sept 2007, Francisco D'Souza Rs83,144, Somnath Zuwarkar Rs65,377, Arecio D'Souza Rs63,238 Subash Shirodkar Rs43,814, Francisco Silveira Rs39,117, Mauvin Godinho Rs27,216,Venkatesh Desai Rs9,550.
Total Rs95,59,050

Delhi darbar
Luizinho Faleiro's frequent flying to Delhi that could easily be called Goa's other capital city, cost suspiciously like there were too many hangers-on towing after him. Else, how can you explain a Delhi flight that cost Rs34,660 and one that went up to Rs38,010. Will the government that was gracious enough to curtail the number of guests allowed to be entertained by our montris and IAS officers, do the same for flying when it is obviously evident that sometimes our montris are patently over the weight limit when flying.

Luizinho Faleiro

Delhi
5-7 February 2005 Delhi Rs25,542, 27-30 June 2005 Delhi Rs34,660, 5-8 September 2005 Rs34,660, 9-10 December 2005 Delhi Rs37,713, 5-8 April 2006 Delhi Rs38,010, 18-20 October 2006 Delhi Rs39,260, 21-24 February 2007 Delhi Rs39,670.

Mumbai
29-30 January 2007 Mumbai Rs16,030, 7-9 February 2006 Delhi/Mumbai Rs27,915, 19-23 October 2005 Mumbai Rs9,130,

Bangalore
12-13 July 2005 Bangalore Rs6,551, 5-6 November 2006 Bangalore Rs10,948,

Globe trekking
21-30 April 2006 Brazil/Venezuela Mexico Rs5,83,030,
Total Rs9,03,119

Antanasio Monserratte
Mainly Mumbai
11-12 April 2003 Mumbai Rs22,407, 19-22 September 2003, 3-5 & 21-24 November 2003 Rs22,589, 6-8 & 13-15 January 2004 Mumbai Rs22,934, 26, 13-14 June 2005 Mumbai Rs27,114, 9-10 September 2005 Delhi, 26.09-1.10.2005 Delhi/Mumbai, 8-9 December 2005 Delhi Rs78,653, 21-27 December 2005 Delhi/Mumbai, 18-19 March, 30-31 March 2006 Mumbai Rs58,496, 30-31 March 2006 Delhi/Mumbai Rs38,349, 18-22 June 2006 Mumbai Rs9,758, 5-10 June 2006, 16-17 July 2006 Mumbai Rs30,982, 5-27 May 2006, 22-23 July 2006, 2-6 August 2006 Rs50,724, 22-23 May, 2006 Delhi, 2-7 September 2006 Mumbai, 23-26 September 2006, 29-09-5.10 2006 Mumbai Rs1,11,867, 17-20 October 2006, 12-16, 23-25 November 2006 Rs48,690.

Delhi flights
26-28 June 2005 Mumbai/Delhi Rs33,357, 9-12 July 2005 Mumbai/Delhi Rs40,844, 13-15 January 2006 Delhi Rs37,932, 16-18 September 2006 Rs40,537,
Total 7,25,957

C for Development, D for Churchill
Do I contrive to change the spelling of development, not exactly, just trying to put it in Churchill's perspective. He is after all, the only Congress politician who still insists Goans breathe only to oppose development. Let's take a single example of such development, in village Tivim. Not that Vasco, Margao and most of Panjim have even basic infrastructure like a sewerage system or enough potable water. A Mumbai builder Expat Properties (how appropriate) has begun building 32 duplex flats on 8,000 sq mt land sold by Anthony Lobo and his clan of fortunate inheritors. While EP's plans may be legitimate and within Goa's archaic planning framework, this huge complex will only add to the concrete jungle spreading over Goa, diminish the diminishing greenery, spoil the Goa's natural character and only make Goans more chary of the fact they no longer can afford real estate in their own land. Which is why Bodiem is opposing it.

Rules meant to be broken
For them it's not a question of controlled ODP's, building rules or regulations, it's a question of leaving Bodiem entirely out of the realm of the real estate sharks who are going to build which ever way anyway, rule and regulations be damned. It was Dhirubhai Ambani remember who coined the word "management" and put it to maximium use. They know no ODP, rule or regulation, will come to their aid because they know the government does not have the machinery to enforce any rule or regulation nor, does it have the political will to do so. Ghutka, smoking in public places, urinating, drug use, rape, murder, there is very little in that is not banned, but look around you. Even High Court bans are not enforced these days.

Back to Bodiem village in VP Sircaim where the sarpanch Diksha Kanolkar's role is definitely suspect. Villagers fear water from the huge swimming pool will be released into the earth along with chemical disinfectants, so will sewerage waste. And where will the water for the pool come from? Already, EP began to dig a bore well without permission of the VP (so much for regulatory systems.) It has shown 35 car parks for the 32 duplex flats but in a straight line, with no direct access to the road against the prevailing rule of reserving space 2.5 mt x 5 mt for each car park.

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The battle for Bardez

Know thy neighbour

A sanad which once gave a landlord or the simple land buyer of old a sense of accomplishment today has dangerous connotations. At worst it could mean doom for many villages and villagers as well battling to keep virtual gated communities out of their once charming village. But worse than that is the potential some of these sanads have for both village and villager because the outcome often is the building of yet another huge hotel complex construction as the names of many owners of these sanads mentioned in this article suggest. In other words, more migrant labourers, more traffic on the existing narrow village roads that were never intended for the current onslaught on them and more pressure on the existing unstable power supply.

As for the stress that is being put on the existing meagre potable water supply, there is really nothing more that can be said to put the water shortage problem in perspective. In other words all this put together suck the life out of your village. Says Tulio de Souza, attorney of the communidade of Guirim and an architect, "I am of the opinion that for any application for conversion above one acre (4000 sq m) and being done for commercial purposes, the Collector needs to examine whether the necessary infrastructure is available in the respective areas that would take care of the development that would follow the issuance of these sanads."

Sanads issued village-wise
Calangute -53
Soccorro -27
Candolim -23
Arpora –10
Salvador do Mundo -11
Sangolda -9
Nerul -6
Pilerne -6
Alto-Porvorim -3
Reis Magos -2
Assagao -1
Parra -1
Total -150

Alto Porvorim
A beneficiary to take note of in Alto Porvorim is Devashri Estate Developers the Dempo's construction outfit in the news recently. It got 300 sq m of land converted inside an amazing short period. The firm applied for the sanad on January 24, 2006 and was issued the sanad on April 8, 2006. A total of 4667 sq m was converted from agricultural to non-agricultural land.

Arpora
In village Arpora where a huge 1,22,115 sq m of land was converted the most conspicuous beneficiaries are Dr Fernando Jose Mascarhenas (81,726 sq mt) Prabhat Developers (1969) Riverside Home Developers (8557+5400.) Two non-Goans Shabbir AR Jhan (3850) and Kalpesh Natwarlal Gahil and Ravi Ramesh Chandra Gahil jointly converted 3300 sq m.

Calangute
In Calangute where there is little land left to build on, sanads were issued covering a total of 90,900.85 sq m of land it can safely be assumed must nearly all be prime land and accessible to roads. And as usual builders and hoteliers were behind 14 of the 23 conversions. GKP Real Estate Developers whose buildings in Calangute are ubiquitous converted a total of 1994 sq m (under two sanads.) Other land owners are DGN Resorts (1775) Ronil Hotels & Resorts (1950) Prudential Group (1725) Hindustan Hotel Ltd,. Panjim (2375) Reira Construction (2800) Nirvana Nest Buildcon (2000) New Builders & Developers (575+2991+700) Calangute Resorts (1275) Saldanha Developers (900) and Whispering Resorts (3000.) These land conversions represent 24,060 sq m of the land converted in Calangute.

Candolim
A total of 58,371.34 sq m of land was converted in this crammed village of narrow roads. As is the yardstick now builders showed the most interest. One builder Shelly Gonsalves got 1775 and 4675 sq mt converted and another 2940.34 sq m on behalf of Regal Builders. Other real estate developers with equally bigger plans are Navelkar Landmarks (1403) Phoenix Township (1310) Highland Constructions and Highland Holiday Homes (4150) Dena Karen Holiday Homes (1224) Devan Real Estate & Construction (12,733) Zephyr Holdings (2225) Tangerina Hotels (2775) and a Omprakash N Pariani (2207+2350)

Nerul
The Candolim-based builder Shelly Gonsalves also converted 6655 and 8912.50 sq m in this village next in line to be bludgeoned by builders after Calangute, Baga and Candolim.

Reis Magos
Fericem Engineering converted 8207 sq m

Salvador do Mundo
Fredric Developers converted 630 sq m, CV Constructions 2500 saq m and Navelkar Landmarks 8910 sq m.

Sangolda
Apseksha Homes 2425 sq, Tropical Estates 4546 sq m.

Socorro
Alcon Construction 15,398, RR Enterprises 1000 sq m, Acron Developers 5066 sq m and Tropical Estates (see Sangolda) 850 sq m.

Know your neighbour
In the event you want to know who your nextdoor neighbours will be, we reproduce here the survey nos. of land converted by some (only the very large land holdings) of the builders and hoteliers only. In Socorro, Alcons converted land existing under survey no 21/2. Sangolda: Topical Estates 2/11. Salvador do Mundo: Navelkar Landmarks -66/1. Reis Magos: Fericem Engineering -78/1-C. Nerul: Shelly Gonsalves 6665 sq m -11/1 & 8912.50 -5/1. Candolim: Regal Builders -149/4, Navelkar Landmarks -22/1-B, Phoenix Township -226/10 &14 part 8C part & 8D part, Highland Constructions -227/1, 227/2, Shelly Gonsalves 4675 sq m -224/2, 1775 sq m -10/1, Devan Real Estate -224/1 & 223/8, Zephyr Holdings 2225 sq -179/6 & 3150 sq m -208/3, Tangerina Hotels -138/13-D, 135/2 & 3.

(Note: Herald cannot find out if buildings have already been built on these lands as the Right To Information data provided only the applicants name, area, survey no, location, description of the forest/trees and the sanad application and issue date.)

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Look Ma, no wings

Around The World In 365 Days -6

Mumbai's frequent fliers
Ramkrishna Dhavlikar's flying so frequently to Mumbai is intriguing. He flew to Mumbai almost on a monthly basis, never outside that period and often for short stays of 36 hours which given the time it takes to drive in metros like Mumbai and Chennai, makes it even more interesting. Driving from and to airports within these metros takes a minimium of four hours. Factor in the night and office opening and closing timings and commuting within these metros, would leave him with not much time to perform his duties. Factor in his flying to two faraway metros in 2-3 days and you will need an aspirin to figure that one out. That's why I said his Mumbai trips are intriguing.

A long time ago I wrote in this column that the Speaker Pratapsingh Rane hired three lawyers Surendra Desai, TR Andhyarujina and A. Subhashini to fight the disqualification petition against the two MGP MLAs Ramkrishna and Deepak Dhavlikar in the Supreme Court. Desai was paid Rs9 lakh, Andhyarujina Rs5 lakh and Subhashini Rs1.21 lakh. That's a total of Rs15,21,000. I've said it before, I say it again. The Dhavlikar duo are turning out to be a luxury Goa cannot afford.

Pandurang Madkaikar
20 September 3 October 2002 Hongkong Rs59,330, 10-11 November 2004 Mumbai Rs7,435, 22-25 November 2002 Bangalore Rs8,702, 20 December-3 January 2003 Delhi Rs7,262, 15-19 January 2003 Delhi/Mumbai Rs19,456, 1-7 March 2003 Mumbai Rs7,955, 6-9 May 2003 Mumbai, 15-23 January 2003 Delhi/Mumbai Rs20,550, 2-5 June 2003 Mumbai Rs8,062, 27-28 June 2003 Mumbai Rs15,760, 30 June-3 July 2003 Mumbai, 6-10 October 2003 Mumbai Rs8,062, 19-21 June 2003 Mumbai Rs15,760, 25-30 July 2003 Mumbai, 3-5 November 2003 Mumbai Rs7,765, 21-25 November 2003 Mumbai/Delhi Rs22,894, 11-13 December 2003 Mumbai Rs11,204, 2-3 March 2004 Mumbai Rs9,664, 6-8 January 2004 Delhi Rs42,252, 13-16 January 2004 Mumbai/Delhi, 22-25 March 2004 Mumbai Rs10,106, 13 May 2004 Paris Rs29,700, 19-20 June 2004, Mumbai Rs9,627, 13-14 June 2004 Mumbai Rs9,508, 3-5 July 2004 Mumbai Rs11,032, 17-19 August 2004 Mumbai Rs10,330, 31 October-11 November 2004 Mumbai Rs14,055, 29-31 December 2004 Mumbai Rs12,172, 8-9 January 2005 Mumbai Rs40,805, 27-29 January 2005 Mumbai/Delhi Rs36,497, 20-22 January 2005 Mumbai/Delhi, 2-3 March 2005 Mumbai Rs11,747, 23-26 February 2005 Mumbai Rs8,464, 28 June-1 July 2005 Mumbai/Delhi Rs40,885, 31 July-3 August 2005 Delhi Rs14,917, 2-4 September 2005 Mumbai Rs6,055, 24-28 September 2005 Mumbai/Hyderabad/Tirupathi/
Vellore/Bangalore Rs18,844, 22-23 November 2005 Mumbai Rs10,162, 13-15 November 2005 Delhi Rs20,675, 21-22 November Mumbai/Cochin Rs37,015, 14-16 February 2007 Mumbai , 14-29 November 2007 Mumbai Rs15,149, 29-31 March 2007 Bangalore Rs18,085, 5-8 February, 2007, 2-6 April 2007 Mumbai Rs32,278, 10-12 July 2007 Mumbai Rs16,655.
Total Rs6,65,608

Ramkrishna Dhavalikar
2-4 July 2002 Delhi Rs17,359, 7-8 October 2002 Mumbai Rs3,324, 19-21 November 2002 Mumbai Rs7,764, 19-21 December 2002 Delhi Rs24,757, 3-5 January 2003 Bangalore/Chennai Rs14,230, 2-4 February 2003 Delhi Rs17,717, 22-24 January 2003 Chennai Rs30,562, 26-28 January 2003 Delhi, 16-19 February 2003 Delhi, 19-21 March 2003 Mumbai Rs18,978, 8-9 March 2003, 14-23 May 2003, 25-28 June 2003 Mumbai Rs25,170, 16-18 August 2003, 9-12 September 2003 Mumbai/Delhi/Pune, 18-22 September 2003 Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam/Chennai Rs50,194, 16-18 October 2003 Mumbai Rs15,942, 18-21 November 2003, 16-18 December 2003 Delhi Rs27,153, 27-28 December 2003 Mumbai Rs6,870, 18-28 March 2004 Mumbai Rs7,002, 4-6 February 2004 Mumbai, 3-4 March 2004 Mumbai Rs6,750, 31 March-3 April 2004 Mumbai/Kolkotta Rs21,875, 1-4 May 2004 Chennai/Mumbai Rs12,433, 23-27 May 2004 Bangalore/Trivandrum Rs8,672, 15-27 June 2004 Rs9,120, 20-22 June 2004 Mumbai Rs6,928, 8-11 August 2004 Mumbai/Delhi Rs20,092, 7-10 October 2004 Delhi/Mumbai Rs20,057, 20-23 November 2004 Mumbai/Surat Rs7,319, 31 December-2 January 2005 Delhi Rs8,117, 19-22 January 2005 Delhi Rs21,480, 27-29 June 2005 Delhi Rs34,457, 18-20 July 2005 Delhi/Mumbai Rs10,997, 6-11 November 2005 Vadodara Rs19,074, 2-4 January 2006 Mumbai Rs9,770, 30 January-1 February 2006 Delhi Rs20,722, 6-8 February 2006 Mumbai Rs7,537, 27-28 March 2006 Mumbai Rs4,395, 23-25 February 2006 Mumbai/Delhi Mumbai Rs25,190, 28 February-3 March 2006 Mumbai Rs8,647, 13-16 June 2006 Mumbai Rs6,374, 8-9 September 2006 Mumbai Rs8,884, 6-8 November 2006 Mumbai Rs16,065, 15-16 November 2006 Mumbai Rs9,185, 7-10 December 2006 Delhi/Mumbai Rs14,143, 3-4 January 2007 Mumbai Rs12,950, 22-23 April 2007 Mumbai Rs8,314, 11-13June 2007 Delhi/Mumbai Rs1,778, 25-28 June 2007, 3-5 July 2007 Delhi Rs42,107.

Total Rs6,62,246

Cost of flying the Circus around so far
Wilfred D'Souza Rs22,89,428 Feb 2005-Aug 2007
Dayanand Narvekar Rs14,94,884 Feb 2000-Mar 2007
Pratapsing Rane Rs14,57,354 Feb 2005-Apr 2006
Digambar Kamat Rs11,40,395 Jan 2000-Jan 2005
Manohar Parrikar Rs 8,26,596 Dec 2000-Dec 2004
Pandurang Madkaikar Rs 6,65,608 Sept 2002-July 2007
Ramkrishna Dhavlikar Rs 6,62,246 July 2002-July 2007
Francisco Sardinha Rs 4,10,661 Jan 2000-Oct 2000
Ravi Naik Rs 2,80,422 Nov 2000-Sept 2007
Francisco D'Souza Rs 83,144
Somnath Zuwarkar Rs 65,377
Arecio D'Souza Rs 63,238
Subash Shirodkar Rs 43,814
Francisco Silveira Rs 39,117
Mauvin Godinho Rs 27,216
Venkatesh Desai Rs 9,550
Total Rs 95,59,050

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Burp-worthy feast

Living to eat -8

The Last Supper
This is the last in the series and I assure there won't be on encore because I am moving on to more meaty things, like the shenanigans elsewhere. So, keep watching this space. It was fun determining whether our montris live to eat or eat to live, except of course for the many trips to the Secretariat only to find the official not in his/her seat and for the keying in of all those exhaustive details. My fingers still hurt and it only increased the chances of my getting carpel tunnel syndrome. But don't thank me -thank Sonia Gandhi whose idea it was to give Indians the only weapon (The Right To Information Act) we have to fight back, because we still haven't learnt how to use the ballot box to benefit us.

BS Bhalla, chief electoral officer
15.09.04 dinner for BB Tandon, EC Goa Marriott Rs13,310
15.12.04 dinner for Delimitation Commission Goa Marriott Rs32,260

Debashree Mukherjee, IAS
14.02.04 lunch, World Bank, water and sanitation programme Cidade Rs5,654
07.09.04 lunch for KN Bhandari, Universal Medical Scheme Goa Marriott Rs2,504
20.10.04 dinner for Delhi officials Goa Marriott Rs2,953
01.04.05 dinner for MCI inspectors Cidade Rs29,570
22.08.05 dinner for Japan International Co-operation Agency no details Rs13,526
30.09.05 dinner for SK Arora, secy, GOI Goa Marriott Rs6,207

LS Shetty, law secretary
04.06.04 lunch for SR Das, Dept of Information Technology, Delhi Mandovi Rs2,475
18.06.04 lunch for law officers of different States Mandovi Rs6,427

Ashwani Kumar, secretary (vigilance)
08.04.04 dinner for KL Ahuja, Sandesh Mehta, Central Vigilance Commission Mandovi Rs1,261
28.09.05 dinner for SB Bonde, Shilamoth Jadhav Prof Yashada Mandovi Rs5,072

Atmaram Nadkarni, Adv. General
24.07.04 lunch for seminar on effective defence in Govt Goa Marriott Rs41,260.

Amit Yadav, secretary (agriculture)
12.08.04 dinner for Ram Pratap Singh, ICAR Nova Goa Rs6,260
01.10.04 dinner Agriculture & Horticulture Produce Conference Nova Goa Rs6,995.

Secretary Mines
23.08.05 dinner for Expert Committee (Mining) GOI Foodland Rs15,871.

Dharmendra Sharma, commissioner & secretary
11.08.05 dinner for RBI official Moti Mahal Rs4,725
12.10.06 dinner for ex-Dy PM, Bulgaria O'Coqueiro Rs11,284
11.10.06 dinner for Minister, GOI O'Coqueiro Rs11,762
18.11.05 dinner for ICAR Santa Monica and Shetye Caterers/Circuit House Rs16,500+57,000

SK Jain, commissioner & secretary
31.08.05 dinner for visiting IAS officers Goa Marriott Rs25,418
04.09.05 dinner for Neelam Sawhney jt secy, GOI Cidade Rs10,855

Santosh Vaidya, secretary
15.09.05 lunch for education secy, GOI Goa Marriott Rs6,777
12.06.06 dinner for secy, WCD, Maharashtra Ronil Rs7,626
23.10.06 dinner for visiting IAS officers Majestic Rs20,807
09.03.07 dinner chairman, National Trust Cidade Rs28,921

UK Worah, secretary
06.12.05 lunch for Yashada, Pune Mandovi Rs7,266
14.11.05 dinner for young US politicians Goa Marriott Rs15,210 (on the same day Rane spent Rs63,000 for the same cause at Fort Aguada.)

RP Pal
30.11.05 dinner for Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy officer Goa Marriott Rs27,533.
29.06.06 dinner for director, Ministry of Consumer Affairs Delhi Darbar Rs19,800.

M. Modassir
02.10.07 dinner for Ministry of Agriculture advisors Cidade Rs47,135.

Ramesh Negi, finance secy
16.06.06 lunch for Planning Commission Majorda Beach Resort Rs11,025.
09.02.07 lunch for all secretaries, Evaluation Committee, Member for International Connection Centre Goa Marriott Rs20,081
03.06.07 dinner for Election Commission observers Cidade Rs36,823
06.06.07 dinner for EC observers Barcolento Rs75,080

Anand Prakash, development commissioner
25.04.07 dinner for MCI inspectors Mandovi Rs20,902
16.05.07 dinner for MCI inspectors Mandovi Rs18,804
13.07.07 lunch for Autonomous Management Committee Goa Marriott Rs7,858
27.12.07 lunch for committee for restoration of Santa Anne's Church, Talaulim Cidade Rs6,265

The GOVERNMENT'S FOODBILL THUS FAR:
Digambar Kamat Rs 36,47,744
Pratapsing Rane Rs 39,72,941
Manohar Parrikar Rs 12,05,515
Vishwajit Rane Rs 84,788
Alexio Sequeira Rs 1,03,590
Luizinho Faleiro Rs 2,69,900
Micky Pacheco Rs 2,37,426
Subhash Shirodkar Rs 3,69,207
Atanasio Monserrate Rs 31,310
Joaquim Alemao Rs. 3,82,028
Suresh Amonkar Rs 1,07,879
Pandurang Madkaikar Rs 17,319
Ravi Naik Rs 1,64,376
Ramkrishna Dhavlikar Rs 1,19,660
Jose Philip D'Souza Rs 1,13,515
Filipe Neri Rodrigues Rs 23,820
Dayanand Mandrekar Rs 12,480
J P Singh, IAS Rs 16,61,290
DS Negi, IAS Rs 4,25,683
Vijay Madan, IAS Rs 58,223
Kiran Dhingra, IAS Rs 1,54,375
JK Dadoo Rs 2,53,271
Add above Rs 7,07,062

Total Rs 1,41,23,402
Period researched is April 2004 to 2007.

C for Development, D for Churchill
Do I contrive to change the spelling of development, not exactly, just trying to put it in Churchill's perspective. He is after all, the only Congress politician who still insists Goans breathe only to oppose development. Let's take a single example of such development, in rural Tivim. Not that urban Vasco, Margao and most of Panjim have even basic infrastructure like a sewerage system or enough potable water. A Mumbai builder Expat Properties (how appropriate!) has begun building 32 duplex flats on 8,000 sq mt land sold by Anthony Lobo and his clan of fortunate inheritors. While EP's plans may be legitimate and within Goa's archaic planning framework, this huge complex will only add to the concrete jungle spreading over Goa, diminish the diminishing greenery, spoil Goa's natural character and only make Goans more chary of the fact they no longer can afford real estate in their own land. Which is why Bodiem is opposing it.

For them it's not a question of controlled ODP's, or building rules and regulations, it's a question of leaving Bodiem entirely out of the realm of the real estate sharks who are going to build whichever way anyway, rule and regulations be damned. It was Dhirubhai Ambani remember who coined the word "management" and put it to maximum use. They know no ODP, rule or regulation, will come to their aid because they know the government does not have the machinery to enforce any rule or regulation nor, does it have the political will to do so. Gutka, smoking in public places, urinating, drug use, rape, murder –there is very little that is not banned in fact- but look around you. Even High Court verdicts are not enforced.

Back to Bodiem village in VP Sircaim where the sarpanch Diksha Kanolkar's role is definitely suspect. Villagers fear water from the huge swimming pool will be released into the earth along with its chemical disinfectants, so will sewerage waste. And where will the water from the pool come from? Already, EP began to dig a borewell without permission of the VP (so much for regulatory systems.) It has shown 35 car parks for the 32 duplex flats but in a straight line, with no direct access to the exiting road against the existing rule of reserving space 2.5 mt x 5 mt for each car park.

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Build, build, build, Fly, Fly, Fly

Around The World In 365 Days –5

Goa's Flying Circus
Wait till you see the flight expenses of the government IAS officers. That added to the cost of flying our montris to Delhi, that almost on paper looks like a shuttle service, all add up to a mind blowing expense. And imagine, they already had a secretariat in Panjim, than they went and built another one in Porvorim at a tremendous cost. It just goes on and on, build, build, build, fly, fly, fly. But then who are we to criticize Goa's new rulers, after all Churchill has proclaimed time and again that development equals putting up concrete jungles on peoples' land. Even Babu Kavlekar is no longer confused between SEZ, food parks and auxiliary parks. But not Churchill, goggles on, crash helmet on, firmly saddled in his PWD seat, he is on the fast lane or should we call it four-lane to 'development.'

Intriguingly Parrikar and Ravi Naik's (and especially his) extensive flying to Mumbai that apart from raising your hackles also raise deep suspicions. Ravi Naik's as I said look like blatant junkets because his flights were overwhelmingly to Mumbai. Just for the record Rs1,41,965 of tax money was spent flying him exclusively to Mumbai from a total of Rs2,80,422 in the short period researched.

Manohar Parrikar
12-16 November 2000 Mumbai/Delhi Rs33,114, 21-26 December 2000 Bangalore/Mumbai R25,177, 3-5 January 2001, 27-29 January 2001 Delhi Rs14,685,
10-12 January 2001 Mumbai/Nagpur, 2-4 March 2001 Delhi Rs14,685, 2-4 April 2001 Delhi Rs14,685, 16-19 April 2001 Delhi Rs15,007, 6-8 May 2001 Mumbai Rs5,672, 26-28 May 2001 Mumbai Rs5,180, 24-27 June 2001 Mumbai/Rajkot Rs11,097, 13-14 August 2001 Mumbai Rs5,542, 24-29 July 2001 Delhi/Jaipur/Mumbai Rs16,255, 25-27 August 2001 Poona/Mumbai Rs7,597, 31 August-2 September 2001 Delhi Rs15,525, 11-12 September 2001 Mumbai Rs5,542, 20-21 September 2001 Mumbai Rs5,542, 6-8 October 2001 Mumbai/Ahmedabad Rs11,752, 11-13 October 2001 Delhi Rs15,953, 20-22 October 2001 Delhi Rs15,543, 10-12 November 2001 Mumbai Rs6,304, 15-16 December 2001 Mumbai Rs6,057, 22-25 December 2001 Mumbai/Delhi Rs17,211, 28-30 December 2001 Delhi/Mumbai Rs16,992, 20-23 January 2002 Delhi Rs16,742, 20-21 February 2002 Delhi Rs17,230, 3-5 March 2002 Mumbai Rs6,634, 7-8 March 2002 Delhi Rs16,075, 26-28 April 2002 Delhi Rs17,724, 3-4 May 2002 Delhi Rs17,055, 6-7 April 2002 Mumbai Rs6,530, 7-8 October 2002 Rs18,394, 17-19 October 2002 Delhi Rs2,947, 9 January 2002 Delhi, 8-23 November 2002 Mumbai/Delhi Rs17,942, 17 December 2002 Mumbai Rs20,548, 20-25 December 2002 Delhi/Ahmedabad, 14-24 January 2003 Canada/USA Rs2,90,000, 15-17 February 2003 Bangalore/Mumbai Rs11,924, 10-12 March 2003 Delhi Rs18,079, 28-29 March 2003 Delhi/Jaipur Rs19,935, 26-27 April 2003 Mumbai Rs7,455, 3-11 May 2003 Bangalore/Delhi/Mumbai Rs28,594, 10-11 June 2003, 18-21 June 2003 Mumbai Rs2,476, 29 June-1 July 2003 Delhi Rs22,215, 1-3 August 2003 Mumbai Rs7,802, 18-19 August 2003 Mumbai Rs7,455, 12-13.10.03, 29-31 October 2003 Delhi 3-5 November 2003 Bangalore Rs35,944, 7-10 December 2003 Mumbai/Jaipur/Delhi, 28-29 December 2003 Mumbai, 10-12 January 2004 Mumbai/Hyderabad, 14-15 January 2004 Mumbai Rs17,216, 20-22 January 2004 Delhi, 3-4 March 2004 Mumbai/Delhi Rs17,967, 29-30 May 2004 Mumbai Rs13,169, 31 May-1 June 2004, 24 June-4 July 2004 Mumbai Rs33,541, 24-25 July 2004 Delhi, 11-12 August 2004 Mumbai Rs14,271, 28-29 August 2004, 11-13 September 2004 Delhi/Mumbai Rs27,435, 17-18 September 2004 Mumbai, 11-12 October 2004 Mumbai Rs36,598, 26-29 October 2004 Delhi, 6-7 November 2004 Jaipur/Mumbai Rs32,299, 8-19 November 2004 Mumbai, 11-12 December 2004 Mumbai, 26-27 December 2004 Mumbai Rs29, 283.
Total Rs8,26,596

Ravi Naik
12-16 November 2000 Delhi Rs15,205, 1-3 December 2000 Delhi Rs5,522, 11-13 January 2001 Mumbai Rs5,752, 5-7 February 2001 Mumbai Rs5,572, 18-19 February 2001 Mumbai Rs11,014, 25-27 February 2001 Mumbai, 31 March-3 April 2001 Cochin Rs19,524, 18-24 April 2001 Mumbai, 22-24 May 2001 Mumbai Rs11,774, 25-27 June 2001 Mumbai, 11-13 September 2001 Mumbai Rs7,141, 4-5 October 2001 Mumbai Rs24,237, 20-22 October 2001 Delhi, 30 November-2 December 2001 Hyderabad Rs14, 135, 18-24 December 2001 Delhi Rs28,755, 3-5 January 2002, 10 January 2002 Mumbai, 20-23 January 2002 Delhi/Mumbai 21-23 March 2002 Mumbai Rs6,634, 3-4 May 2002 Delhi Rs17,014, 16-17 April 2002 Mumbai Rs26,996, 25-26 April 2002 Delhi, 21-23 June 2007 Delhi Rs38,302, 7-9 September 2007 Mumbai Rs13,627, 4-7 October 2007 Mumbai Rs29,038.
Total Rs2,80,422

Wilfred D'Souza Rs22,89,428 Feb 2005-Aug 2007
Dayanand Narvekar Rs14,94,884 Feb 2000-Mar 2007
Pratapsing Rane Rs14,57,354 Feb 2005-Apr 2006
Digambar Kamat Rs11,40,395 Jan 2000-Jan 2005
Manohar Parrikar Rs 8,26,596 Dec 2000-Dec 2004
Francisco Sardinha Rs 4,10,661 Jan 2000-Oct 2000
Ravi Naik Rs 2,80,422 Nov 2000-Sept 2007
Francisco D'Souza Rs 83,144
Somnath Zuwarkar Rs 65,377
Arecio D'Souza Rs 63,238
Subash Shirodkar Rs 43,814
Francisco Silveira Rs 39,117
Mauvin Godinho Rs 27,216
Venkatesh Desai Rs 9,550
Total Rs82,31,196
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A Merry Feast

Living to eat –7

Sticky Fingers
At a grand total of Rs1,34,16,340 for the period April 2004 to 2007 only, you would be spot on if you felt that our montris and MLAs are a part of the garbage problem. Imagine if all the hundreds of thousands of tourists and our 40 fortune hunters took a break away from Goa for a change, Goa would actually be garbage free. What a delightful thought. Seriously, nothing personal but one just has to go to any tourist destination to see that eating means garbage generated. Ask any foreign tourist coming to Goa for the last 10-15 years and he/she will tell you that what has changed in green and clean Goa is that now it is pockmarked with piles of colourful garbage everywhere. There is an expression that goes: Eating one out of home and hearth. I'm beginning to learn what that means.

Food Finale
Finally, I can draw the curtains on an extravaganza all of us would want to forget. While Subhash Shirodkar spent Rs1,07,682 on June 21, 2006 (see his spend sheet below) on a dinner for the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice Empowerment, Rane spent Rs55,615 on June 22 and the Chief Secretary JP Singh Rs 52,594 on June 22. Total: Rs2,15,891

Luizinho Faleiro
13.01.06 dinner for Sikkim minister Cidade Rs22,913.
19.01.06 lunch for delegates, Boards of Secondary Education Alisha Restaurant Rs41,250.
23.03.06 lunch for MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs18,255.
30.03.06 dinner for National Board of Accredition Noah's Ark Rs29,371.
29.05.06 dinner for 12 Noah's Ark Rs15,775.
18.07.06 lunch for ruling ministers, MLAs Ritz Classic Rs12,800.
24.01.07 lunch for MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs26,704.
18.09.05 dinner for VIPs & visiting doctors O' Coqueiro Rs10,500.
11.11.05 dinner for select journalists O' Coqueiro Rs27,000.
22.03.06 lunch for MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs18,645.
20.01.06 dinner for VIPs Goa Marriott Rs15,435.
18.01.06 dinner for MCI inspector, others Goa Marriott Rs31,252.
Total Rs2,69,900

Micky Pacheco
30.08.05 official lunch Delhi Darbar Rs20,531.
10.12.05 dinner for international seminar Santa Monica & Shetye Caterers/Circuit House Rs.66,600+16,500.
21.07.06 lunch for ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs32,553.
26.07.06 lunch for ruling ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs21,332.
06.08.07 lunch for Praful Patel Goa Marriot Rs79,910.
Total Rs2,37,426

Subhash Shirodkar
10.01.06 dinner for Ramdas Futane, writer, & others Delhi Darbar Rs5,063.
11.04.06 dinner for Mani Shankar Aiyar no details Rs1,08,053+4,871 gift.
12.04.06 lunch for Mani Shankar Aiyar Goa Marriott Rs12,757.
27.04.06 dinner for Dr. Gen, Ministry of Employment & Trng. Nova Goa Rs14,139.
29.05.06 dinner Justice Ranganath Misra Goa Marriott Rs25,057.
21.06.06 dinner for Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice Empowerment Noah's Ark –Rs1,07,682.
20.07.06 lunch for ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs32,552.
13.07.06 dinner for 10 Rajshahi Rs3,893.
25.01.07 lunch for Chairman, VC, National Commission for ST Cidade de Goa Rs28,527.
13.04.07 dinner for member, Planning Commission Cidade Rs26,613.
Total Rs3,69,207

Atanasio Monserrate
24.03.06 lunch for minister and MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs14,300.
28.04.06 lunch for TCPB O 'Coqueiro Rs17,010.
Total Rs31,310

Joaquim Alemao
05.07.06 lunch for select journalists Mandovi Rs22,219
14.07.06 lunch for CM, Dy CM, ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs17,001
05.10.06 dinner for Western Region Conference on Child Labour Noah's Ark Rs86,471
03.02.07 dinner for Parliamentary Committee Goa Marriott Rs68,179
09.03.07 lunch for ruling ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs30,517
06.07.07 lunch for CCP Mayor, commissioner, & chairperson, chief officers O 'Coqueiro Rs55,968
30.09.07 lunch for chairman, chief officers, councillors of muncipalities O 'Coqueiro Rs46,323
20.12.07 lunch for Urban Development Ministry Goa Marriott Rs55,350
Total Rs,3,82,028

Suresh Amonkar
02.04.04 dinner for MCI inspectors Cidade Rs29,238
08.02.04 dinner silver jubilee Forensic Medicon Mandovi Rs17,500
10.08.04 dinner for Human Reproduction Research Centre meet Nova Goa Rs18,675
29.02.04 dinner for himself Nova Goa Rs4,870
11.09.04 dinner for World Education of Societies of Anaesthesiology Mandovi Rs13,750
06.03.07 lunch for ruling ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs23,846
Total Rs1,07,879

Pandurang Madkaikar

13.07.06 lunch for ruling ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs17,319

Ravi Naik
24.07.07 lunch for senior police officers NH 17 Rs42,500
03.12.07 diner for Apex Co-operation Federation conference Goa Mariott Rs78,626
11.01.08 lunch for ruling ministers, MLAs Kebab Corner Rs43,250
Total Rs1,64,376

Ramkrishna Dhavlikar
16.02.06 lunch for ruling MLAs O' Coqueiro Rs26,175
19.07.06 lunch for CM, Dy. CM, ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs32,383
30.01.07 dinner for IBIC delegation Noah's Ark Rs61,102
Total Rs1,19,660

Jose Philip D'Souza
04.10.07 lunch for Ratnakar Narayan, executive president, MSPB, Mumbai Goa Mariott Rs16,943
10.12.07 dinner for NIDM, Delhi delegates Goa Mariott Rs55,350
19.12.07 lunch for CM, officers, invitees La Paz Rs41,222
Total Rs1,13,515

Filipe Neri Rodrigues

lunch for ruling ministers, MLAs O 'Coqueiro Rs23,820

Dayanand Mandrekar
08.02.04 dinner for ICAR Nova Goa Rs12,480

The GOVERNMENT'S FOODBILL (AND GROWING) SO FAR:
Digambar Kamat Rs 36,47,744
Pratapsing Rane Rs 39,72,941
Manohar Parrikar Rs 12,05,515
Vishwajit Rane Rs 84,788
Alexio Sequeira Rs 1,03,590
Luizinho Faleiro Rs 2,69,900
Micky Pacheco Rs 2,37,426
Subhash Shirodkar Rs 3,69,207
Atanasio Monserrate Rs 31,310
Joaquim Alemao Rs. 3,82,028
Suresh Amonkar Rs 1,07,879
Pandurang Madkaikar 17,319
Ravi Naik Rs 1,64,376
Ramkrishna Dhavlikar 1,19,660
Jose Philip D'Souza Rs 1,13,515
Filipe Neri Rodrigues 23,820
Dayanand Mandrekar 12,480
J P Singh, IAS Rs 16,61,290
DS Negi, IAS Rs 4,25,683
Vijay Madan, IAS Rs 58,223
Kiran Dhingra, IAS Rs 1,54,375
JK Dadoo Rs 2,53,271
Total Rs1,34,16,340

Period researched is April 2004 to 2007.
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