TEEN VAPING IS OF CONCERN!
A SENSITIZATION program was held by the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights in collaboration with the Directorate of Education, supported by the Rotary Club of Panaji and Goa Dental College & Hospital on September 29, 2023. It was attended by over 180 heads of schools and nodal teachers from Bardez and Tiswadi taluka and aimed to create awareness amongst educators, create concern and priority in redressing the growing menace of teen vaping.
The program was launched in the presence of President of Rotary Club Panaji Nester Sequeira, President Rotary Club of Panaji and Superintendent of Police (Anti-Narcotic Cell) Bossuet D’Silva. Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is rising to epidemic levels among high school and middle school students in Goa. Schools serve as a key environment for prevention and intervention efforts to address e-cigarette use.
Given the growing popularity of this device, there is need to roll out awareness campaigns about the harms of e-cigarettes and the law, that is Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes (Production, Manufacture, Import, Export, Transport, Sale, Distribution, Storage and Advertisement) Act (PECA), said Peter F. Borges (chairperson, GSCPCR. Dr Kashyap Bandodkar (GDCH) conducted the session on “Epidemic of the New World: Tobacco” while Dr Akshatha Gadiyar (assistant professor, Dept of Public Health Dentistry) conducted the session on e-cigaratte — “An Unresolved Public Health Concern & Tobacco Counselling & Cessation.”
Goa SCPCR hopes to strengthen the initiative with a strong social media component aimed at reaching teens, in addition to introducing comprehensive toolkits to parents, teachers and professionals working with children on recognizing vapes, and how to talk with their child about the importance of remaining tobacco and nicotine free. The easy availability of e-cigarettes online, in retail, convenient stores, stationery shops near educational institutions in Goa is a matter of concern. The commission has appealed to report sale of e-cigarettes on e-commerce site on the health ministry online portal – https://violation-reporting.in/ which facilitates reporting of violations under the rightful act.
RUN, RUN, RUN FOR FITNESS!
The RG Hospital’s marathon 3.0 in Goa with Milind Soman coming up on October 2, 2023 promised to be an adventure in practicing fitness consciousness like no other. This is a marathon happening for the third edition in Goa in Panaji and it celebrates the excitement of running for both amateurs and professional runners. RG Hospitals doctors think Goa is a great place for running and the RG Marathon 3.0 is now a much-anticipated RG Marathon annually. Everyone looks forward to chatting with iconic fitness enthusiast Milind Soman at the event which captures of running as a sport just about everyone can engage in to stay fit and reap happy hormones in the golden green state of Goa! The organizers say this is also an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for fitness and adventure. Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a beginner, the event caters to all fitness levels with its diverse race categories, including the marathon of 21 K, 10K, and 5K. Needless to say Milind Soman’s presence will inspire and motivate the participants big time and Goa’s fitness seekers will get to interact and learn from him how running can transform participants and introduce them to personal growth and camaraderie. This is running for a big cause: Promoting fitness and well-being. Healthier lifestyles do make for better physical and mental wellbeing and who doesn’t want that in today’s times!
According to the speakers at the press conference held on ….RG Hospitals ultimate aim is to inspire people from all walks of life to take charge of their health. This is because is not just a sport but engaging in it regularly improves cardiovascular fitness, strengthens muscles, boosts mental clarity and enhances overall wellbeing. Running is a powerful tool to prevent many lifestyle-related diseases even as it fosters a healthier, happier society.
So be there at the RG Marathon 3.0 which kicks off from the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium at 6am on October 1. You may also win exciting cash prizes participating in any of the three categories: 5k, 10k and 21k runs. Come and push your limits to the joys of running! No entry fee, it’s for free. Make sure you are attired with good footwear for running though.
GOA TO BE ZERO CARBON FREE!
IT sound unlikely but the Goa government is apparently working overtime to transform the state into a zero carbon emission state before 2050. Speaking on the occasion of World Tourism Day on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said that it would happen. He was speaking at event organised by Goa Tourism,TTAG and SKAL Goa in Panaji, where top travel and tourism industry stakeholders from TTAG, SKAL Goa, GCCI, CII-Goa, NRAI-Goa, GEVA and government representatives to discuss ways and means of attracting green investment in the travel and tourism sector and how to make tourism a sustainable sector.
The CM said, “We believe that Goa should be declared carbon emission zero before 2050. We are working to be the number one state in every way. We are creating infrastructure for green energy, which includes stations for charging. We have also decided to make Panaji a solar city in the near future.”
Dr Sawant’s speech was part of the deliberations on the key theme of the event “Tourism & Green Investments” on the occasion of the 43rd edition of World Tourism Day. Present were Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Tourism Secretary Dr Sanjay Goel, Director of Tourism & MD of GTDC Suneel Anchipaka, as also TTAG president Nilesh Shah, SKAL president Vivek Kerkar and various state tourism officials and stakeholders.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said the government is working on tourism sustainability from a long term perspective, which means “investing in the people, investing in the planet and investing in prosperity, through policies involving homestays, promoting sustainable tourism in the hinterlands, celebrating cultural festivals, which not only include Carnival and Shigmo, but festivals like Chikhal Kalo and other festivals.”
The World Tourism Day celebration and deliberations were attended by a 750-strong audience amongst which was National Restaurants Association of India-Goa chapter head Prahlad Sukhtankar said that restaurants, however small, should adopt a sustainable approach, he observed that “A restaurant should always strive to adopt a sustainable approach, however small. This change has now been seen in Panaji, which is now a plastic-free zone. Restaurants of Goa too are using used oil to create biofuel.”
A highlight of the event was honouring and paying tributes to the late Vincent Ramos (senior vice-president of the Indian Hotels Company Ltd). An annual scholarship and a citation in his name was announced, the citation presented to Devansh Cholera of Cosmic Ventures for running an “Innovation Startup in Tourism” and the scholarship of Rs1lakh was awarded to Joshua Fernandes, a first year student studying at the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM)- Goa.
Ramos, 55, passed away on August 16, 2023 leaving many grieving for him. He was a stalwart of the hospitality sector in Goa and a member of TTAG and SKAL’s Goa chapter and IHM Goa alumni. Paying tribute to him SKAL-Goa President Vivek Kerkar said, “The tourism industry will always remember the late Vincent Ramos who was a pillar of strength to us all and guiding light through difficult times that we all faced over the past few years.”
STYLE BOSSES
THE stress has shifted from hard skills to soft skills. You may be a great engineer but if you cannot lead a team you may miss out even in UPSC interviews, soft skills like communication, logic, pleasant personality and even body language are considered. Strangely, candidates are given armless, uncomfortable chairs.
KILLER MONSOON
THIS monsoon has resulted in many casualties. The latest is a senior citizen in Ponda dying when the branch of a tree fell on her car. Cars have been damaged by the compound walls of a school falling on them. Due to road damage, there have been several accidents. Goa is not waterproof. Heavy rains flow into rivers and seas. There is no rainwater harvesting. In Daman and Diu every house has an open tank where rainwater is harvested.
TOOTHLESS SIT!
MORE than a decade ago a Special Investigation Team was formed to investigate the Rs35,000 mining scam. This SIT has yet to submit a report. Not a rupee was recovered. But Goa mine owners have lost their leases. All existing leases have been cancelled. The old leases are being auctioned to Jindal and Vedanta has got leases due to the high prices offered by them. Jindal has a captive market as they can use the ore in their steel plant at Hospet in Karnataka.
PONDA KIDS GET WORMS!
KIDS in a school in Ponda found worms in their kichadi as part of their midday meal. The supplier was let off. The buck has been passed to the monitor. Strange, as the monitor does not prepare the meals.
PANAJI GARDENS FOOLS’ PARADISE!
(Contributed by Dona Paula citizen Stephen Dias)
CAPITAL city Panaji smart or not smart not only can offer its potholed roads and streets for tourism purposes, but also it’s run-down public gardens. Most all the gardens of old and new ones are in very bad shape and need tender loving care. That is why the public doesn’t visit these gardens with a few exceptions like the concrete garden spaces at Miramar beach…most seniors and others too like to go for a walk during the day to exercise and enjoy whatever fresh breezes there may be. But from the looks, sounds and smells of public gardens we are told not to visit them for one may neither rest nor recreate nor take a deep breath…while taking in the scene-scenary of sick-looking dog gangs, foraging cows and other animal, not to forget flocks of mosquitos and other insects which can give you a mean bite. Plants planted too are a poor choice and look positively barbaric growing wild and tall into a veritable jungle…if walking by be careful you don’t fall into a dirty, litter and bottle filled dump somewhere. The Caranzalem gardens near the Dona Paula highway was so beautiful that we could sit there and see both the sun set and moon rise once upon a time! The CCP’s public garden department should really wake up and do some work to deserve its salaries. Deepavali as well as Christmas and New Year is coming and many visitors from the UK and elsewhere around the world will be here – and they will compare their gardens back home with the gardens in Goa and especially Panaji.
Public gardens are a mirror of the quality of life the common people enjoy! They are not meant to be adda where unsavoury characters play cards or drink beer or have fun of the indiscreet kind. I have complained often to CCP officials and local panchayat offices to look at the gardens and keep them in good condition, like they were during Portuguese era.
STATUE OF ALFRED AFONSO PLEASE!
THE village panchayat council of Poinguinim in Canacona taluka has urged the government to erect a full-size statue of Goa’s veteran freedom fighter Alfred Afonso at Terekhol Fort. His was a sole incident of bravery during a prolonged Goa freedom struggle, when on August 15, 1954 14 satyagrahis led by 30-year-old Alfred Afonso captured the Terekhol Fort and hoisted the Indian tricolour flag during the Portuguese regime.
A resolution was moved by Deputy Sarpanch Sunil Painginkar, son of a freedom fighter late Shridhar Painginkar and this was seconded by Sarpanch Savita Tawadkar, wife of Goa Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar. The resolution was passed against the background of the State government’s action to demolish a plaque honouring Alfred Afonso as well as two martyrs — Tulshidas Balkrishna Hirve (Hirve Guruji) and Sheshnath Wadekar, who were killed by Portuguese soldiers when they entered Goa on August 15, 1955. It was decided to erect two busts of Hirve Guruji and Wadekar, but Goa’s own freedom fighter and resident of Poinguinim village Alfred Afonso was forgotten.
So, “We, the members of the council of Village Panchayat of Poinguinim village, therefore unanimously demand through this resolution that a full-size statue of Alfred Afonso, hoisting the tricolour flag, be also installed at the venue and pay our respect to the selfless bravery he had performed for our freedom from the Portuguese colonialism.” The panchayat council has resolved to submit memorandums in this regard to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, Archaeology Minister Subhash Phaldesai and Speaker & MLA of Canacona Ramesh Tavadkar to do the needful honourably.
DR T.B CUNHA PAID HOMAGE
CHIEF MINISTER Dr Pramod Sawant paid tributes to Dr Tristao Braganza Cunha, the father of Goan Liberation struggle on the occasion of his death anniversary at the Azad Maidan memorial in Panaji on September 26 2023. He placed a wreath of flowers on the memorial and while briefing media said that the State has initiated various steps to make sure that future generations know about the immense contribution made by Dr TB Cunha for Goa’s freedom struggle.
Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel (IAS), Secretary Dr V Candavelou (IAS, Secretary Finance), Jaspal Singh (IPS, DGP) along with other dignitaries also showered rose petals in tribute at the memorial. While the Police Band played the Last Post and the national anthem.
PROTECT CHILDREN EFFECTIVELY!
AMIDST a surge in crimes against children, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights convened a high-level meeting at Conference Hall, Secretariat, with heads of departments and district administration chaired by Chairperson Peter F. Borges on September 24 2023.
The joint meeting had representatives from Directorate of Education, Goa Educational Development Corporation, Tribal Welfare, Sports and Youth Affairs, District Magistrates, North Goa and South Goa and Goa Police.
In his opening remarks Peter F. Borges said child protection is everyone’s shared responsibility, including all departments either providing welfare or protection at various levels. This subject hasn’t been getting too much attention in recent times. The most common reactions being that it does not happen, is someone else’s responsibility or is an isolated incident.
He added that child protection and welfare is not charity, it just needs to be just and decisive with all those involved being more vigilant.