21 Feb 2019 | 05:52am IST
Letters to the editor
Creative thinking by
Agriculture Minister
While a young lad growing up in Bangalore I would often hear this refrain: Coconut water is good for your daughter, Nilgiri buns good for you sons!
The sons of south India today are more into computers than buns, as Bangalore and other parts in the south are firmly in the 21st century, and the girls, too, are not particularly interested in coconuts - tender or otherwise. Muthalik is of the opinion that the Bangalore girls would rather have a cocktail than anything else; and, of course, he does not approve of this kind of behavior. But how about a coconut fenny cocktail?
Goans have given the coconut tree a special place in our hearts - a resurrection from a no-tree status by a few misguided people. Anyway, why not make the coconut cocktail the official cocktail of Goa? Life, they say, goes on and things change, and maybe it is time to drink to that!
Our Agriculture Minister Vijay Sardesai has announced the promotion of tender coconuts in a big way for Goa. In some countries, there are soft drinks available which contain vitamins, especially vitamins C, fiber, and other goodies. We can promote the coconut tree, especially the tender coconut water everywhere in Goa. A nice touch in the land of Goenkarponn. An antidote to combat aerated drinks which we all know does not promote good health, only diabetes.
Let's raise a glass to our Agriculture Minister for his positive and creative thinking, a quality always in short supply in Goa. Coconut Corner can become a place of honor in every village market in Goa where coconuts - tender and ripe - can be sold along with sweets and other coconut delicacies, including coconut artifacts, anything related to the tree and fruit. No way should increased FAR be given to builders if they grow coconut trees.
Why single out the builders for special privileges, the logic of which escapes every bona fide Goenkar except a bondo. Somehow every politician in Goa wants to bring in the builder through the backdoor. Beware! Next our IT Parks soon will have more coconut trees than a coconut grove.
Goa's coconut culture is in the limelight, and fast forward. It looks like the Goa Forward Party is on the right foot and taking our State in the right direction - on this issue.
On other issues, I reserve my opinion. A step forward is good; please, however, don't take two steps backward after this!
Joao Barros Pereira, by email
The joy of flying
over Atal Setu
Ever since the Atal Setu or the third Mandovi Bridge was thrown open for public driving on January 27, tens of thousands of people might have travelled over it and experienced the joy of literally flying over without any traffic snarls which otherwise were a way of life particularly during the peak hours and on long weekends with the tourist flocking the state. We are well aware of the agony in getting stuck in the traffic jams while travelling from the Jack Sequeira junction in Merces to Porvorim a distance of barely a few kms, moving at snail’s pace and taking almost half an hour in the worst case scenario.
Now with the new construction, we bypass the Panjmi bus stand junction with absolutely no hurdles covering the same distance in barely five minutes. I have always held that in the present age time is the greatest constraint and when new innovations beckon time saving ventures that’s a great endowment. Such has been the endeavour of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Nitin Gadkari has been rightly acclaimed for the same.
What pains us immensely though is the regular discontentment expressed by many people cursing the government for the construction activities related to highways expansion. We have seen people lamenting that the authorities have been randomly digging creating nuisance to the people. Some have even expressed that for such hurdles caused people will never forgive the government. Isn’t that an extremely ill-conceived notion? People should realize that when such massive works are in progress inconvenience is inevitable but we should be patient for after all we would be the beneficiaries thereafter. It is high time that we strip ourselves of the negativity encompassing us and surge ahead towards the goal of progress.
It would be fitting to mention here about the unending barbs hurled at the new Mopa airport in North Goa, which has been gifted to us to combat the rising flow of air traffic. People wrongly argue that for a small place like Goa one airport is sufficient, little realising that the tourist inflow crosses the million mark which warrants the additional airport. The opposition to Mopa is primarily by the taxi lobby concentrated in South Goa, to safeguard their business.
Dangers of
reckless driving
Many road accidents take place everyday on the city roads due to rash driving. Drivers play with the lives of the people. Young boys use bike to show off. They take pride in overtaking and going against the traffic rules which results in fatal accidents.
Drunken drivers also play havoc with the lives of innocent people. It is sad that such people escape and are not caught. Even if they are caught on the spot, they are let off with a minor punishment. They also bribe the policemen and go scot free.
Through these columns, I request the authorities to enforce the rules of the roads and educate the people about traffic rules.
The Agriculture Minister has disclosed the government’s intent to formulate a policy for tender coconut production in the State taking into consideration it’s high value potential from the tourism point of view. With a view to provide fillip to coconut production it is understood that builders could be provided with additional FAR in lieu of coconut plantation at their construction sites.
It must be said that just planting a coconut sapling will not ensure that it will one day grow into a tree. The coconut saplings that have been planted need a lot of care. It needs regular watering, adding of manure and protecting it from the stray animals. A coconut tree that has grown after plantation can always be cut down at a later stage. It is pertinent to note several trees, including coconut trees, have been cut down across the state in order to widen the roads. The government needs to replace these trees with coconut sapling.
The people residing in the vicinity could be given the responsibility of looking after these coconut trees and in turn enjoy the produce. In the cities what is important is having more of parking space besides coconut trees.
Margao Municipal Council has handed over 30 traffic sign boards to the Traffic cell to ease traffic in the town. On the road opposite the Sessions Court, Margao, going towards the Swimming Pool, there is a ‘No Horn’ sign board. ‘No Horn’ is a mandatory rule and hence must be of circular shape. Remarkable is the fact that the sign board is not the mandatory circular shape but of square/ rectangular shape! The sign board immediately outside the compound wall of the same Court is of the correct circular shape!
Further, there is not a single sign board that prohibits hand carts anywhere in Margao. We see vegetable/fruit/ flowers/bhel puri carts moving freely in the wrong direction in one way streets. Even when moving in the right direction, they hamper traffic. There has to be judicious use of these signs but neither the MMC nor the Traffic Police think so!
