Kudos to Fr Bolmax Pereira
It was heartening to read as well as see a picture of Fr Bolmax Pereira and a team of youngsters active in Chicalim, performing various agricultural tasks, there by setting an excellent example to the youth of Goa, and laying emphasis that agriculture, especially community farming, is the future mainstay of Goan occupations, both for survival and gainful employment post the COVID-19 pandemic.
This uncommon sight might have created a little bit of a sensation amongst the people of Goa, but way back in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, it was a common practice for most teenagers from Goan villages to get actively involved in all forms of paddy cultivation, albeit without the assistance of any kind of power tillers. It was pure manual work with the traditional farming tools, with a couple of bulls pulling a ‘naggor’ tilling the soil in every cultivable field of Goa.
In the month of June most school and college-going students remained absent from classes for about two or three days on account of sowing operations and as such, absence was condoned by the school authorities.
It was an annual feature. However, in later years agriculture gradually lost its importance on account of cheap rice from neighbouring States and also those few who cultivated paddy fields employed migrant labour and in later years employed power tillers made available by various agencies. Sadly many paddy cultivation fields remained idle with wild grass growing during the monsoon.
It appears now that people like Fr Bolmax, young seminarians of Rachol Seminary and some others, with strong passion for agriculture are going to add new fillip to paddy cultivation, which I think will gain in popularity both as a necessity and a productive occupation.
Antonio Diniz, Fatorda
Margao needs more COVID-19 care
When the ESI hospital, along with MCC ground, Margao was announced as a COVID-19 hospital, there was a scare raised. The Margao MLA was then obliging. Those were the days of the Lockdown 1 sunrise, Section 144 was feared. But sensible voices in Margao had expressed caution about the location of the hospital in a densely populated commercial-cum-residential area and not a very healthy or clean part of the commercial capital.
That a slum like Azad Nagar and the KRC residential quarters was close by was another fear expressed. Now three months down the line, the Margao MLA along with his MMC councillors has raised a hue and cry that local citizens are living in fear as there have been positive cases found in Margao.
The visit of the Health Minister, coinciding with the birthday of the Fatorda MLA, was welcome, but failed to assure aggressive pressman and Madgaonkars that the danger and fear of the virus is still at large in the absence of a game plan to tackle the virus in Margao.
The Margao MLA and Leader of Opposition has been lukewarm and ineffective as an upfront opposition. In such an environment and zero pre-monsoon works carried out as more attention is given to stranded migrants at the Parrikar stadium, it looks to be the waterloo of Margao in the monsoon. There is still time to act and Madgaonkars await some personal look at Margao by the CM, especially in the slum areas at Monte Hill.
Cedric da Costa, Margao
Resumption of mining activities
Since the Supreme Court judgement on cancellation of Goa’s mining leases, politicians, labour leaders, transport companies, barge owners, mining alumni and the Governor included have been requesting for resumption of mining activities. Other than Goa Foundation, none have been providing clarity on the restart of mining operations.
The SC guidelines are very clear that natural resources belong to the people of the State and no individual or few families should be given rights to excavate the same and mint money for their generations as has been the case till date due to mining leases and illegal renewals as well as illegal mining by politicians and their henchmen.
Why can’t the government form a corporation which will benefit the people of the State through employment opportunities and other welfare activities? Why not appreciate the good work done by Claude Alvares and his NGO Goa Foundation, instead of being ungrateful to them and blaming them?
Is it because every politician, be it a panch, parishad member or MLA from the mining belt and labour leaders are benefitted in a huge way by these mine owners? Why has no one raised any voice when a mine lease was sold to some private company and when illegal mining was carried out? Why did no one raise a voice when the government thrashed the vigilance report to protect the ex-CM and other mining department officials?
I wish my Goan brethren realise how we have been cheated and fooled and are still allowing ourselves to get fooled by the politicians.
Praxy Fernandes, Sanquelim
Farming activities during the pandemic
Agricultural activities in the village of Chicalim came alive with the active participation of the youth in farming activities encouraged by the parish priest of St Francis Xavier Church in Chicalim. It is understood that school children as well as post-graduate students were engaged in paddy cultivation. With schools being closed due to COVID-19 pandemic and the South West monsoon having set in, this is the most appropriate time to encourage children and the youth to take up traditional occupations like farming. The only precaution that needs to be taken is social distancing and wearing of the mask.
It is pertinent to note that several Goans who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic are going back to their roots and cultivating their paddy fields. This is a positive sign of revival of farming activities in the State. Even several households are engaging in growing own kitchen gardens. Goans have realised how important it is to be self-sufficient in their daily requirements of vegetables, fruits and food grains.
This enthusiasm shown by the people in farming and gardening activities needs to be carried on even in the post COVID-19 period. People living in flats and buildings can also grow certain vegetables in pots or on the terrace. This could be the most productive activity one could undertake as one stays at home during the pandemic.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
PM Cares?
Does he – our Prime Minister – really care? How could he allow a hike in petrol prices at a crucial time like this? The world over, crude prices have dropped. Yet, as usual in our country the petrol price was hiked and automatically cost of every other thing gets hiked.
How in these times of a pandemic can one concentrate on hiking petrol prices, when the common man has been under a lockdown with no earnings for months?
Migrants have gone home on foot and cycles, save your petrol for the government-provided vehicles of ministers who at this time should give up the plush services provided by the government and contribute those expenses towards the PM Cares Fund.
Why not increase the COVID beds, the COVID care centres, the COVID testing, the PPE kits to our COVID warriors? Give a discount on electricity, water bills and petrol. Hike the salaries of the COVID warriors instead. Hike the employment rate.
Rosebud Leitao, Navelim
