SUSTAINABILITY OF GROUND WATER SOURCES
A three-day training programme on Sustainability of Ground Water Sources organized by the Central Ground Water Board, Bangalore in association with the Water Resources Department (government of Goa), which commenced at Sinchai Bhavan, Porvorim, concluded on June 28, 2023.
Subhash Chandra (IAS, Secretary) who graced the inaugural session as chief guest highlighted the importance of groundwater in the years to come. He explained how the groundwater sources will play a pivotal role in the overall development of human welfare. Santosh Mhape (Chief Engineer-I, Water Supply & Sanitation, PHE) who was a guest of honour spoke on the importance of capacity building of scientific officers involved in water supply for ensuring sustainability and development of sources. Pramod Badami (Chief Engineer, Water Resource Department) stressed on the need for collaborative approach between State and Central government departments working in groundwater sector. N Jyothi Kumar (Regional Director, CGWB, SWR, Bangalore) who presided over the function while delivering the keynote address highlighted the importance of training.
The target group included 38 participants with representatives from Water Resources Department (WRD) Engineers, Public Works Department (PWD) Engineers, Technical Assistants, Surveyors, and other participants from Goa Tourism Development Corporation. After the inaugural session technical sessions covering various aspects of sustainability of groundwater sources were held. Scientists from Central Ground Water Board presented broad outlines of how to achieve sustainability while other sessions also included a field visit to rainwater harvesting structures at Unichem Laboratories (Pilerne-Bardez) where they studied design and operationalization of artificial recharge structures.
SACRIFICIAL GOAT
THERE is considerable confusion about Bakri Eid and other various Muslim religious festivals. The most important issue is when the traditional offer of a goat is made to commemorate the promise made by Ibrahim. In every part of the country including the world, there has always been some tension about Eid-Ul-Adha. In Goa, since no cattle are available, they imported from Belgaum and slaughtered at local abbatoirs. A fixed number of licenses are given to various dealers who specialise in halal meat. Halal implies that even while the goat is a sacrifice not a drop of blood should be shed. Bakri Eid is the cause of tension in the north where there is more hostility towards the Muslim community.
UNIFORM CIVIL CODE
GOA is the only state in the country which follows the Uniform Civil Code. This implies that religious marriages are not recognised and every couple irrespective of whether they are Hindu, Catholic or Muslim have to register their marriage with the Registrar of Marriages. The procedures have become simpler as the first phase can be done online. Under the Uniform Civil Code all inherited property is equally divided amongst all children, unlike in Hinduism where the eldest son is the main heir. In Islam property goes to the surviving spouse but only the elder son inherits the property and daughters are not entitled to any share. In theory, all Muslim girls getting married get a meher considered as the bride price. But this amount is a token amount and does not cover costs in case there is a divorce. Now the BJP is keen that the entire country adopt Goa’s Uniform Civil Code.
GOA LOK SABHA POLLS
MORE than the assembly polls both the Congress and the BJP are concerned with the Lok Sabha polls to be held in March 2024. In the last election the BJP candidate Narendra Savoikar was defeated by Francisco Sardinha. The north Goa seat has always been held by Shripad Naik who has been the representative for four terms.
DUTY OF THE WILD
ONE of the highlights of the Goa monsoons are the huge high waves of water which bash against the retaining embankment walls at the Dona Paula jetty. The waves are huge enough to come splashing over onto the narrow causeway and on to adventurous tourists and locals on an outing here. It is some kind of an exciting game. We recall that when we first married my wife and me would walk down to the Dona Paula jetty after dinner and enjoy the scene of tourists getting close to the ramparts of the jetty and run with shouts of joy if a wave came up high enough to drench them with cold salty sea water. A splash in the monsoon rain and sea waves here was some kind of natural entertainment in the best sense of the world!
KEEP YOUR MOBILE SAFE
THE number of cases of theft of smartphones and particularly the latest iPhone 14 or 15 are increasing. There have been serious robberies of mobile phones. The police have nabbed an interstate gang which had 23 mobile phones worth around Rs7.50 lakh in their possessions. The Shimoga gang of Karnataka is primarily responsible smartphone thefts. It mainly looks out for the i-phone which costs about Rs1.5 lakh. Thieves are aware that smartphones can be traced but consider the risk worth taking.
AIR INDIA VIOLATION
IT would appear that there are a lot of first-time flyers using our airlines. In the face of reports on urination by business class passengers, the latest report is that a first time flyer defecated and urinated on the floor of an aircraft. He also spat on row number 9 in the aircraft. After a verbal warning the passenger was isolated and liable for arrest.