MARGAO: The five-day social conference organised by city-based cultural institution, Gomant Vidya Niketan, on Sunday, urged the Goa government to immediately implement the Transplantation of Human Organs Act 1994 and also provide crematoria/burial grounds for all communities in all villages and towns across the State.
The conference drew an encouraging response from donors with around 205 persons volunteering to donate their organs.
In a resolution proposed by Mahendra Alvares and seconded by Mohandas Lolayekar, the Conference urged the government to facilitate all matters related to transplantation of organs and to build all the necessary infrastructure, including the committees at all levels.
In another resolution, the conference appealed to the people of Goa to come forward and donate their eyes after death and organs at the brain dead stage before the heart stops beating. The conference has appealed to its members to take up a campaign at individual levels as well as institutional level, especially in educational institutes and social, cultural and literary institutions to create a culture in the Goan society on the issue.
The conference also adopted a resolution to enact a strong legislation making superstitions, black magic and sacrifices a criminal offence. The resolution tabled by Adv Cleofato Coutinho and seconded by Anjali Desai exhorted the government to take clues from the similar law (Jadu Tona) passed by Maharashtra.
On the question of fostering scientific temper, humanism, spirit of inquiry and reason, the conference exhorted youth to reject blind faith and prejudices largely based on religion and caste, which blind reason and community relations and forces fomenting social intolerance and hatred.
It also denounces the glorification of myths and fiction by regressive forces and vested interests as true history and saluted progressive forces and institutions working full time to spread scientific temper amongst youth and liberate the youth for the prejudices of religions, caste and superstitions.
On the prohibition and segregation of women on basis of menstrual cycle, the conference identified itself with all the individuals and organisations asserting their rights against menstrual exclusion.
The Conference also demanded setting up of public electrical crematorium at least in district headquarters at Panjim and Margao to be kept open for all communities.
