Reflecting on departure
of Missionaries of Charity
It has come as shocking news to many who have long recognised and appreciated the selfless work of the Missionaries of Charity in Panaji, carried out from their humble premises belonging to the Trustees of Assistance de Goa.
Whatever the reason may be for their departure, the remark made by Sr Rosaria, the Superior of the Missionaries of Charity – “Panjim is now rich and it appears that we are not required” – deserves serious reflection. Why did she feel compelled to make such a statement?
No matter how affluent a locality becomes, the presence of such charitable organisations serves a vital purpose – they stand as a visible reminder to the wealthy that there are still many among us in need, begging for shelter and food. Has Panjim truly succeeded in removing all street beggars from the city? The answer appears to be no.
Many migrants who come to the city in search of work often find themselves with no means of survival, forced to beg. Some families, unable to cope, even abandon their children. There are also young, unwed mothers who, fearing social judgement, are driven to give up their infants.
St Teresa began her mission in India with the very aim of caring for such vulnerable individuals, and I fear that if the public and Church authorities do not rally in support of these homes, many will be dismantled. One cannot count on the government of the day to intervene – if anything, the vacated land may simply become another site for development.
Let us not forget the Missionaries of Charity’s profound impact, and let us not allow their absence to become a silent acceptance of a system that neglects the most helpless among us.
Gregory E D’Souza, Siolim
Right decision to
leave Panjim
The rich don’t care for the poor but God cares and His presence is seen in the suffering of the poor, the destitute, the marginalized, the neglected and the forsaken. So was it with Missionaries of Charity in Panjim for 49 years from 1976. Now the Sisters of Mother Teresa will leave, perhaps, for the reason that Panjim is rich and such service to the needed is out of question.
But the reason could be otherwise, having received orders from Kolkata headquarters. Though rich, Panjim is poor in the divine works for the people, haphazard functioning and dangerous in disturbing time. The threats to the missionaries too is increasing elsewhere in the country. In view of this and in the safety of inmates the missionaries take care of , the Sisters of Mother Teresa has made the right decision for immediate shift. But the works of the said missionaries will continue in places where they will find a warm welcome for their services. As for Smart Ponje, the quit of the Missionaries of Charity will be a blot on the reputation of the city, if one can say, depicting the bleak future to come.
Ayres Sequeira, Salvador do Mundo
Lighting glitch shows
KA in poor light
It is shocking to note that even after a Rs 50 crore renovation, the Kala Academy, Goa’s premier cultural venue is reportedly facing basic operational failures. The recent light malfunction during a Marathi play exposed the technical flaws which the government says was not due to human error. It must best be said that technical glitches are a fall-out of human errors and there should be accountability for the flaws. Such operational failures can take place only due to negligence. The stage lights reportedly began to flicker while the Marathi play was being staged forcing a 10-minute halt. The lighting glitches depicts Goa’s premiere cultural center in poor light, quite literally, especially when there is performance by artistes from other states. In the past too, Kala Academy has been in the thick of controversy for various reasons right from leakage during the rainy season to a collapsing roof. The latest controversy puts in question the lighting system in the cultural venue which is visited by hundreds of people. The technical snag in the electrical system could (God forbid) lead to a short circuit which could ultimately end up in a fire incident. A fire incident could have a devastating effect on the structural stability of the building and should be prevented at all cost. If need be the entire electrical system should be revamped if it has not been done thus far.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Death sentence for
Dharavi residents
A video has emerged on social media which shows the hardships endured by those living near the Deonar dumping ground in Mumbai. Life is a daily assault on the senses and the body, swarms of mosquitoes breed unchecked, the air is thick with the stench of decay ; children cough through the night, elders struggle to breathe. Skin infections, respiratory diseases, and bacterial illnesses are a part of everyday existence of these unfortunate souls.
The Maharashtra government has earmarked 124 acres withing the active landfill site to relocate residents from Dharavi which has been handed over on a platter to Adani for redevelopment, the industrialist shall easily mint upwards of Rs.50,000 crores from this project.
The Deonar landfill contains over 20 lakh tonnes of legacy waste and emits 6000 kilograms of methane every hour, it is the most toxic environment in Mumbai. To knowingly send thousands of families to a slow, suffocating death is not redevelopment; it is akin to Jews being sent into gas chambers during the Nazi era. Would the Maharashtra CM send his own children to live here even for a night ? Redevelopment is supposed to improve people’s quality of life but this plan crushes them under the weight of toxic waste. The people of Dharavi deserve dignity, not disease ; they are not garbage to be dumped along with Mumbai’s waste. The conscience of a government is tested not by what it builds, but by who it sacrifices.
Rekha Sarin Trehan, Benaulim
Demolition of
Lala-ki-basti
The demolition of Lala-ki-basti in Tivim has made headlines and many people have come on camera to thank the High Court and the different Government agencies like the Goa Police, PWD, Electricity etc. But the people behind the struggle have remained in the background and they should be given credit. The Tivim Citizens Forum led by Jacinto Pereira have spent their own time and money to fight this fifteen years old battle to free the Communidade land and we the Tivim Gauncars are grateful and we thank all of them from the bottom of our hearts.
Matias Lobo, Tivim