A citizen of India can reside in any part of India. Many outsiders have made Goa as their abode. They enjoy Goan hospitality, generosity and amiability. Some of them lived here for many years. In fact, Goans have been magnanimous towards outsiders in Goa. Unfortunately, those who enjoy Goan hospitality are often the first ones to point fingers at Goans and their Goenkarponn. Goenkarponn does not mean only to attain special status to Goa. Goenkarponn and garbage management are two different issues. Garbage menace is a recent phenomenon in Goa. About twenty-five years ago, Goa did not have the garbage menace as it is today. It means Goans knew how to manage garbage issues then. For example Navelim village and its wards were clean and no one saw garbage or plastics bags or other rubbish carelessly strewn in the villages then. Ponds, lakes, rivers (river Sal), were clean. With the influx of outsiders into Goa garbage is seen strewn all over Goa. Today, ponds, lakes, rivers and isolated places have become dumping places in Goa. Therefore today, one cannot blame only Goans for the garbage problem and question their Goenkarponn. It is an easy way out to escape from one’s responsibility. Outsiders are equally responsible for the garbage menace in Goa. If garbage menace has to be resolved in Goa and the surroundings have to be kept clean, it is then the responsibility of every citizen who resides in Goa.
Rui Pereira, Navelim
Muthalik in Goa
Goans have been living in an exemplary state of harmony since the last few centuries irrespective of their castes, creeds or religions. Since liberation in 1962, Goans have accepted people from all over India and even from abroad with open arms. Many of these people came to Goa because of the peace and tranquility and the culture of politeness that existed here.
Now with the polarization of religious fundamentalism showing its ugly head through people like Muthalik and the discreet participation of the government through their silence or otherwise, the very fabric of peace in Goa is at stake.
If the government continues with its present attitude of complacency and fails to control the seeds of hatred being sowed by the various organisations, soon it may find itself embroiled in a hornet’s nest which will be impossible to control. The tiatr fiasco is just the sample of things to come.
Capt. E Viegas, Vasco
Curtorim hotel project
The TCP is at it again. Making full use of the lull of keeping the regional plan in abeyance, they have granted permissions for a 85 room hotel project to come up in Vetnem-Curtorim in connivance with the PWD and the village panchayat. The people of Curtorim should rise up in unison to get this project shelved like the Carmoncars did a couple of years back to take on the might of the Raheja’s to get their multi dwelling project scrapped. We Goans have come to such a stage that nothing moves without people coming onto the streets.
The CM is on record saying that no town planner senior/junior will stay on his job if he cracks the corruption whip. The poison of corruption is so deep-rooted in the govt deptartments that just plain rhetoric may not be enough.
Lucas D’Souza, Qatar/Verna
