TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
PORVORIM: Painful memories of the Calvim bus tragedy a year ago were relived as residents of Aldona grieved over the loss of six innocent lives, including four schoolgirls, at a memorial service at Calvim-Aldona on Monday.
Delivering a touching homily to a largely-attended congregation at the first death anniversary Mass at the Calvim Church at 8 am, Parish Priest Fr Anand da Gama Pais said the bus tragedy in Aldona “was an eye-opener to all Goans and to the other people.”
“The four little angels who passed away are in the heavenly kingdom and they will pray for us. Therefore, we must now share and care for one another. As long as we are in this world, we are just caretakers of one another. The little angels who passed away in this tragedy are enjoying heavenly bliss,” said Fr Pais.
Six other priests also concelebrated at the mass, as people prayed for the souls of Elvina Dias (13) and her sister Diana (4), Josephina Dias (58), Negal Gracias (10), all from Calvim, Dayanand J Hoble (55) of Mayem and Priyal Salgaonkar (10) of Nachinola.
The congregation later went to the cemetery where Fr Pais prayed at the graves of the victims. The Staff and students of St Thomas Girls High School, Aldona, also conducted a prayer service at the cemetery in memory of the four schoolgirls who perished in the bus tragedy.
Among those who attended the memorial service included Aldona MLA Glenn Ticlo.
Later speaking to Herald, Fr Pais thanked the State government for taking up the Aldona-Calvim Bridge on a priority basis, but requested the government to complete the bridge as soon as possible so that the transportation problems faced by residents of Calvim would be resolved.
Aldona Ticlo expressed his sympathy to the bereaved families and assured that the State government would make every effort to construct the Aldona-Calvim Bridge.
Meanwhile, two bereaved mothers have criticised the delay in punishing those responsible for the bus tragedy.
“The bus driver is still free and the boy, who is believed to have driven the bus into the river, has been taunting us till date,” complained the mother of late Priyal.
The mother of Diana and Elvina also felt that the culprits should be punished and should be put in jail.
“There should be no politics. Just because we are poor and helpless does not mean that authorities should take advantage of us,” she said and added, “God knows everything and He will punish the culprit.”
