A regular afternoon in Goa, a busy time in an automobile showroom where various calls are attended to by young sales consultants like me hoping that someone would enquire about any vehicle and I would push the deal for the best price. I received a call. I was excited. “Hope this customer asks for an expensive car,” my mind was full of expectations.
“Hello, good afternoon sir how may I help you?” I greeted in a usual greeting. “Hello,” said the person at the other end. The voice seemed concerned and worried. “Am I speaking with Mathew?” “Yes sir”, I replied. “One of my friends gave me your contact number……….” “Yes sir please tell me which car you would like to go for?” I interrupted the conversation with the presumption of certainty. “Well I am actually not looking for a car. I am sorry. If you have some time could I speak with you or else I can call you later. I need your help.” I started getting a little disinterested since the person said that he had called not for a vehicle enquiry but something else. But since I had some time to spare and one of my friends had given the contact I realised that it could be important and I could speak with him for some time.
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“What is it sir? Please tell me. Let me see how I can be of help to you.” I made the atmosphere comfortable with a soft and comforting voice. The man narrated what was troubling his heart and mind. “I am from Delhi. My five-year-old son has been having asthmatic problems. The air here is not clean enough for him to survive. Therefore we have planned to shift to Goa. Can you please suggest to me a village area in Goa not too remote but close to Panjim? I have decided to give up my job here and take up a job in Panjim.”
Just some days back we celebrated Diwali. And the only concern raised at festival like this is that of air pollution caused due to burning of fireworks. When I too put a post about avoiding the burning of fireworks, some Hindu young friends started a discussion on my post and questioning me. At this time, I remembered the conversation I mentioned above. Apart from this, I also remember that a family from Pune shifted to my neighbourhood due to same problems. I too have asthmatic problems and when the air is so polluted by the smoke caused by the gunpowder burning, it causes very bad headache, affects my sinuses and so on. I get fever for nearly two days. This disturbs my work and rest as well.
The Archbishop of Goa Filipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao directed the faithful some years back to completely stop the use of fireworks at any celebration in the Church and if possible even at home to keep the air clean in Goa. A decision so commendable and exemplary that it needs more appreciation then what is already done.
People of Goa must understand that keeping our air clean is not only the need of the hour but also the identity and trademark of Goa’s flourishing tourism industry. Let our celebrations be that which help us relate with nature in a better way and keep polarisation away.
