======================================================================== Goa's phone numbers change from Nov 10, 2002. Prefix old number with a 2. New numbers will be seven-digit 2XXXXXX (where XXXXXX is the old number). ========================================================================
Police Officers will, in future, have to check the political connections of any suspect before trying to enforce the law. The suspension of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP), Mr Shirish Thorat clearly shows to what extent political interference prevails within the Police. Recently, Mr Thorat had raided a city hotel in the vicinity of the Secretariat where allegedly minor girls were being used for illegal sex trade by the hotel owner's son. Mr Thorat was rightly very firm with the hotel owner's son. To Mr Thorat's dismay the hotel owner happened to be a close relative of a Goa BJP Senior Minister, Digamber Kamat. The Minister reportedly even threatened to walk out of the Ministry if the Chief Minister did not take action against the police officer to please the Minister's relative whose ego was hurt for having been subjected to the law. It is obvious that Parrikar as usual will stoop to any level to ensure the stability of his chair. What is sad is that in future the police officers may hesitate to act firmly with lawbreakers for the fear of having to be humiliated the way Mr Thorat has been. Incidentally Mr Thorat is one of the officers who Mr Parrikar conveniently used to run his errands during the fudged and fixed May 30th Assembly elections. But now the Chief Minister needs the support of the Minister and Mr Thorat has become dispensable. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar ---------------------------------------------------------- What's On In Goa (WOIG): Nov 06 Children's book exhibn opens, Walkabout, Anjuna... (all weekdays) Nov 06 ArtHouse, Calangute: Chaitali's acrylics on canvas till 19.11 Nov 07 Revision of electoral rolls (till Nov 30) See schedule. Dec 01 Two day conference, Goa Agenda. IT For Society. (Ends 2.12) Every Sunday: Music therapy sessions at Moira, 5 pm. 278, N.Portugal ----------------------------------------------------------
