N O R T H Goa District M a g i s t r a t e has announced a ban on all digging and cutting of all types roads i n c l u d i n g n a t i o n a l and state h i g h w a y s , major district roads, road s h o u l d e r s , l a n e s thoroughfares, etc, during the monsoon as these activities pose danger and disruption for motorists, pedestrians and the general public. According to the order no person, agency, organisation, government department, local body, public sector undertaking or anyone may undertake any digging or cutting work in public ways and spaces without prior written permission. It is left to be seen what happens at ground level this monsoon! Those contravening the order is liable for punishment under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. The order comes into effect from June 01, 2023 and will remain force for 60 days.

MONSOON FLOODING

THOUGH Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral have said that there will be no flooding of capital city post all the new roadworks to lay sewerage pipes, etc, this coming monsoon, the Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate has something else to say to contradict them. In response to questions by media people Babush Monserrate is on record criticising the smart city projects and described them as “substandard.” So Babush is not at all confident that there will be no flooding this monsoon. Indeed, Panaji may turn into a lake capital city. Ponjekars will have to commute by a variety of boats ranging from laborious ore-boats to speed boats.

PARLIAMENT BOYCOTT

Narendra Modi has decided to install the Sengol mace used by Chola king in Tamil Nadu for transfer of power. The mace was used and transfered by Lord Mountbatten to transfer power to Jawaharlal Nehru in 1947. Modi hopes to become dictator for life. Having transfered power to himself with a mace. Even the President has not been invited for opening new parliament where Modi will take over the mace succession. THE majority of the country’s Opposition parties have come together to protest and boycott the inauguration of the new Parliament House scheduled for Sunday, May 28, 2023. This is because Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not done the Constitutionally right N O R T H Goa District M a g i s t r a t e has announced a ban on all digging and cutting of all types roads i n c l u d i n g n a t i o n a l and state h i g h w a y s , major district roads, road s h o u l d e r s , l a n e s thoroughfares, etc, during the monsoon as these activities pose danger and disruption for motorists, pedestrians and the general public. According to the order no person, agency, organisation, government department, local body, public sector undertaking or anyone may undertake any digging or cutting work in public ways and spaces without prior written permission. It is left to be seen what happens at ground level this monsoon! Those contravening the order is liable for punishment under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code. The order comes into effect from June 01, 2023 and will remain force for 60 days. PARLIAMENT BOYCOTT thing by inviting President of India Droupodi Murmu to do the honours. The new parliament building will replace the historical parliament building associated with the first prime minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru when he took over the reins of the country post-independence. The transfer of power from Britain to India took place on August 15, 1947. At the inauguration of the first parliament a mace called “sceptre” (“sengol” in Tamil) was received by Jawaharlal Nehru to indicate transfer of power and an independent India. The mace which was originally used by the kings of Tamil Nadu was considered a symbol of justice. This is the major recognition of the heritage of Tamil Nadu.

CAN INDIA BE SPIRITUAL POWER FOR WORLD?

IT’S not only Prime Minister Narendra Modi who believes that India can be a “vishwaguru” for the rest of the world! The Maharshi Adhyatma Vishwavidyalay (Maharishi University of Spirituality) also believes that India has what it takes to guide the world so that we arrive at a better world living in harmony with one another. Waxing lyrically on the subject were Dr Prof Shashi Bala (president, International Council of Cultural Studies, Delhi) and Shweta Clarke of the MAV at a press conference on May 25, 2013 in Panaji. Announcing that the MAV in Goa is one of the parties hosting the C20 International Summit on “Diversity, Inclusion, Mutual Respect” at the Rajhans Naval Auditorium in Dabolim, near port city Vasco da Gama, on Saturday, May 27, Prof Dr Shashi Bala (international co-ordinator for the C20 Working Group) said that the summit is to help resolve global crises by following a spiritual path. Under the Indian Presidency, C20, that is Civil 20, is one of the official groups of G20, comprising 20 nations (19 countries and the European Union) created for social and economic equality. Slated to address the C20 International Conference are various delegates from Sean Clarke (editor, SSRF. org) and Ajit Padmanabh (CEO, “Who VR” and TEDxspeaker) to Captain Dilip Donde (first Indian to complete a solo, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe in a sailboat), Sadguru Cyriaque Vallee (international model who embraced spirituality, attained sainthood and recently started an ashram in Germany), Dr Nishi Bhatt (leading doctor in the emerging field of holistic & neurological treatments), Vrinda Khanna (national secretary, Sant Eshwer Foundation), not to forget actress Pooja Bedi, Prof Manoj Kamat (principal, Srinivassa Sinai Dempo College of Commerce & Economics), Saurabh Khanna (general manager, The Park Hotels), Mahesh Patil (chairperson, Goa State Pollution control Board), Hans-Martin Heierling (member, World Economic Forum, owner of a ski company in Davos, Switzerland), Maneesh Tripathi (board member, Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry, SICCI and CEO of Marble Rocks VCC Fund), Dr Prof Shashi Bala and Shweta Clarke. “Astik or nastik,” said the articulate Prof Shashi Bala, there is room in life to take a look at a myriad spiritual ways to reap happy, contented human beings. She recounted an interesting story of herself when a house help managed to heal her “nabhi” which was causing her a lot of digestive agony as a young girl. We should keep open minds when it comes to “healers” coming from the bottom of the rungs of our society. She has seen how just chanting a mantra, or just “Om” can make a difference for the better for those suffering thyroid problems! Responding to queries about how all the spirituality in the world has not managed to eliminate corruption from “vishvaguru” India or the world, she sighed, “Whatever we have in our heritage of spirituality is about giving and we should go for it.” We must not give up, we must be the light, you be the light!