NOW YOUTUBERS CONCLAVE:      Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant inaugurated a two-day Youtubers Conclave themed “Building Development Narrative through Youtubing: Challenges and Opportunities.” The event was organized in collaboration with the Goa government and hosted by Rambhau Mhalgi Prabodhini on August 31 in Panaji. The occasion brought together Youtuber influencers from across the country. Speaking to them the CM  emphasized the role of Youtubers in driving positive change in society. He highlighted their unique capacity to connect with people and praised their efforts in becoming influential opinion makers, particularly in areas such as policy, technology, governance, development, and infrastructure. The CM also shared the ambitious plan of transforming Panaji into a Solar City. Present were   Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe (president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and vice chairperson of RMP who commended the Goa government for its work of enlightening society through information and assessment. Also present: dignitaries  Jayant Kulkarni(executive director of RMP); Ajinkya Kulkarni (a technology professional and social media integrator) and Ankita Mishra (IAS, CEO of ESG) and others. Goa’s very own Youtuber, Sawani Shetye, was a prominent participant in this meet of vibrant discussions and sessions. An E-booklet was released dedicated to the conclave.

FIRE IN RAILWAYS!
IT was shocking to read that nine tourists were killed in a fire in a railway coach kept in the stabling line at Madurai. Since the doors were locked and padlocked, one was broken down and all the passengers ran to safety, else it would have been catastrophic. Luckily the cylinder did not explode while the train was in motion.

The deceased were a part of a tourist group which  had booked a party coach from Lucknow on August 17 to  tour Tamil Nadu. After having visited several sites, the coach was attached to the Punalur-Madurai Express and arrived at Madurai on Saturday, August 26.
 
Investigations have revealed that the early morning fire resulted due to gas leak from an LPG cylinder which was illegally taken on board to prepare meals. How is that while loading the luggage none of the railway staff at Lucknow or at the other stations noticed the cylinder and the food materials? Every party coach should be inspected and certified that no hazardous materials are being carried. The certificate must be signed by tour operators and some of the passengers in the private coach.

It is ironic that tourists will spend money for shopping, entrance tickets, etc, but would be reluctant to buy food from the stations or order online from nearby hotels. By carrying dangerous and prohibited materials in public transport, people put themselves and others at great risks.

–Sridhar D’Iyer , Caranzalem. 

NO RAIN IN AUGUST!

AS a concerned Goan I’m alarmed that we have really seen a shortfall of rain this monsoon season. End-August it looked as if the monsoon was over and such quick withdrawal of the rain is indicative of a problem we all must vow to begin solving soon and find solutions. Outside of a few sporadic showers the month of August was really a dry monsoon month, in the past rain poured gloriously old-timers and I remember.

Here I was waiting for the monsoons to hit full force since June and yes, June and July did hit us with rain almost every other day, but in the month of August it started drying up in a hurry. This is unexpected as generally the monsoon rain continues in Goa for the better part of three to four months.

My research indicates that August this year was  75% rain deficient! This should be concern to all of us in Goa for suddenly at August end and beginning of September a heat wave hitting us with full force, this adversely affects drinking water availability and the crops waiting to be watered by the skies. I remember in the  2000s and early 2010s the rain would be never ending from May to Augusts, and signs of the monsoon withdrawing came only in September and October.

However, this year the monsoon seems to have withdrawn in August and no signs of it returning in September – this drastic swing should concern jus all. In today’s  times and age global warming is happening and we must all be part of solutions to bring down the temperature or we shall be in dire straits.

People always assumed that this sort of fluctuation in the weather wouldn’t really manifest until later down the line, but it seems to me that the consequences of our actions are upon us. Perhaps on an individual level we can’t swing the needle much, but every little bit counts. May I appeal to owners and managers of large operations to look into their operations and try to lower amounts of pollutants and CFC gasses released in the atmosphere. The situation is alarming enough for all to think and come up with ideas to restore the older status quo of the monsoon rains. Or else we are doomed!
–Nathan Gomes, Panaji

CAPITAL CITY’S INNER ROADS!

WHY do our visiting VVIP and VIP visitors always travel by luxury limousines and they all take the main Campal promenade which is the only one which maintains some semblance of being all right for a quick run? Do our worthies by way of politicians or celebrities here for this, that or other celebration, ever take the inner roads in Panjim to see the real situation of roadways in a sorry, critical mess? Pavements, kerbsides, open drains, hefty slabs lying around amidst construction rubble here and there and of course the prizewinning potholes.

In stretches where the light is dim sometimes one may go into a sudden last-minute toss! Would anyone responsible and accountable and worth his or her salt in political life, like to see the stretch from Tonca junction to Caculo Mall? It’s all potholed and beyond the bridge there’s no lighting, upto where the Fire Brigade Force is there…two-wheelers shun this stretch and when they forget they curse the government like hell!

Then take the stretch from St Inez circle to Bhatlem, past Madhuban, Respiratory & Chest Hospital…this long, long road which so many working class people use is so treacherous and injurious to spine and limb. Never have I seen the inner roads and streets of Panaji is such a bad state. Anyone cares?

The result is that everyone wants to cut short their route by using the main Bhausaheb Bandodkar or Campal main road – and in the morning and evening there are such traffic jams. If the inner roads were in good condition and maintained regularly, there would be fewer anxieties and faster movement around Panjim. We hope the next time President Droupadi Murmu is in town she takes a little guided walk down Panaji’s inner roads! Then she won’t praise Goa and its otherwise extravagant government so much.

Gayatari Nayak, Panjim