VMSCL STUDENTS VISIT GOA COLLEGE OF ART CAMPUS Campus

Law Meets Art in an Inspiring Campus Exchange:Left to Right: Omkar Banaule, Prof. Willy Goes, and Ramrai Naik, accompanied by students. 

IN a unique exchange the VM Salgaocar College of Law’s Beyond The Syllabus students initiative organised a field trip to the Goa College of Art (GCA) at Altinho in capital city Panaji on March 20, 2024. The law students were led by VMSCL faculty Ramrai Naik  and they were welcomed by Principal GCA, Prof Willy Goes, and Asst Prof Omkar Banaule. The visit offered a fascinating peek into the world of creativity and learning.

During the visit, law students had the chance to explore the GCA campus and admire the impressive artwork on display for the annual exhibition. They engaged in lively discussions with GCA students and faculty, sharing insight on various art forms. The GCA faculty showed keen interest in enhancing their understanding of copyright law.

Ramrai Naik, the facilitator of the visit, committed to arranging a program on the subject for GCA’s visit to the VMSCL campus in the future too. VMSCL principal Dr Shaber Ali, commenting on the visit, expressed interest in the potential collaboration between the two institutions. This unique exchange highlights the importance of interdisciplinary learning promoted by the Beyond The Syllabus initiative at VMSCL. As law and art intersect exciting opportunities for exploration and collaboration emerge!

PROMISES, CM’S PROMISES!

CHIEF Minister Pramod Sawant is currently seen moving around with big offers like a salesman in different parts of the state and trying to hypnotise/woo gullible Goans by giving his own verbal assurances/promises on a variety of issues — dual citizenship issue, legalising illegal houses and businesses in coastal areas, particularly those  constructed/established prior to 1991, etc. All this probably in view with  the fast-approaching Lok Sabha elections in Goa.

One day he was  promising of taking a strong action against those playing loud music post-10 pm near residential areas of Anjuna-Vagator. Where was the CM all this while? Did he not hear the cries of locals of Anjuna-Vagator who presented several memorandums regarding the noise pollution around their homes?

Now he is suddenly promising to take action against those playing loud music near residential areas of Anjuna-Vagator, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Goa! All I can say is stop fooling. We who live in the beach belt have suffered enough through the years and continue to suffer because the noisy revellers have the full backing of the local politicians which include those from the current BJP regime.

–Jerry Fernandes, Saligao

 

THE CHAMPAK TREES OF MUMBAI!

WE HAD a lovely sensory experience outside Trident five star hotel at Bandra Kurla complex in Mumbai during a recent evening out. It was a real visual treat. The frontage of the hotel was made up of champak flowering trees on both sides of the entrance. More of these trees in the garden on the other side of the road in front of the hotel means the whole area is filled with champak fragrance.

It’s quite a contrast to the Ambani Cultural Centre on the other side of the road!  No flowering trees welcome you. In fact, the interiors see large artificial flowers, which is such a pity, because a group that maintains a private zoo with elephants in Jamnagar can easily create a nice ambience with flowers and plants, it costs so little. What you need is an aesthetic outlook. In fact, machines gets precedence at the centre with a display of a Mercedes car, under an agreement reached with the automobile company.

The Godrej complex at the other end of the road has a lovely little garden with champak flowers and sitting space, free, accessible to the public, it is so rare and such a pleasant surprise

As the Ambani centre completes a year this month end, one notices that the art gallery and a huge exhibition space in other areas is closed, reportedly for some renovation. Instead, they have opened in the adjoining premises now a very luxurious Jio plaza mall with top international brands, glittering and very expensive. So there were hardly any customers visible in any of the outlets though it was a Saturday evening. There was a tiny box of chestnut cream priced Rs2,500 plus taxes, a key ring at Rs6,500 plus taxes.

They also seem to have a sense of humour because amidst all this there were also some ten books including two on the importance of simple, frugal living, recycling, etc. One Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins and Minimal – for simple, sustainable living by Stephanie Mandreu. Several outlets are still empty and are covered with a huge wall to wall black and white posters of heritage properties, mainly from Rajasthan and Gujarat. These include Patwon-ki-Haveli from Jaisalmer, Kaiser Baug of Lucknow, Chand Baori step well of Rajasthan, Adlaj step well of Gujarat.

Amidst the most outrageous conspicuous consumption of fashionable brands, food seems to take the priority. There are restaurants all over here and in other parts of Bandra-Kurla complex  for the wealthy. For workers here there is no outlet, even remotely affordable, they probably bring their own food.

Coming back to the subject of fragrance, it is always nice to inhale the scent of forest and garden and other places and scents in the bazaar, as in Istanbul and other countries. There is also the Japanese system of forest bathing where you immerse yourself in the smell of so many trees and plants and it has such a health benefit.

Unfortunately, our ignorant authorities in charge of gardens are planting mainly exotic plants and flowers ignoring the rich potential of indigenous varieties.

My interest in the subject was aroused with a recent post by river expert Parineeta Dandekar about her inhaling various kinds of smells and fragrances in her journey from around the world including the river named Perfume in Vietnam. It has that name as it is a source of fragrance because of the flowers it carries from trees upstream.

— Vidyadhar Date, Mumbai

 

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!

OVER  the years Goa has been witnessing a lot of positive steps in the collection, segregation and disposal of garbage. But much more needs to be done to achieve the goal of zero garbage lifestyles. We should aim to keep our cities and villages free from garbage strewn all over. This would be to everyone’s benefit by ensuring health and wellbeing. It would also attract high end tourists who have been straying away from Goa disgusted by all the garbage everywhere.

Public dumping of waste everywhere, even throwing it brazenly in rivers and ponds and other water bodies like wells is unacceptable. The gravity of the situation has been consistently highlighted by our high court who  has been monitoring the progress done in waste management.

Goa needs three to  four more garbage disposal plants to ensure proper

handling of garbage across the state. Effective garbage disposal needs a complete and total solution looking at every aspect, including the type of garbage, collection of garbage besides  recycling and proper disposal of garbage. Conventional and modern methods must be studied and put in place.

We need an educational program with clear laid down procedures for the people. In addition, there must also be effective honest policing of the guidelines coupled with punitive action for persistent wrongdoers. All this necessitates a sizable investment by the government which must be fully utilized for the purpose intended and it is an investment worth making.

–Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar