Lopsided development after Liberation and Statehood has affected South Goa District. Sometime ago when the mad rush from rural to urban areas since 1974 and thereafter in late eighties, began builders who failed to provide for "open spaces" around the building complexes would point out to the Margao Municipal garden and the Prince Aga Khan Park, the Holy Spirit Church Compound Colva Beach or the Monte as places for childrens recreation.
About the Childrens Park at Gogol in Fatorda the less said the better. The Pandit Jawaharlal Sports Stadium Complex which now boasts of a swiming pool and the play grounds are the only available lungs for children recreation. But one needs transport to take children to and fro, what with the threat of rapes. Others are pushed into taekwando or karate classes at Borda with no other alternative. The limited recreation avenues has created a class of children confined to the studio apartments or the single, double room superbuilt up area apartments all glued to the idiot box or forced to play on concretised parking spaces and the roads. But the present government seems to have decided otherwise. At a largely attended function this evening 16.11.2003 the birth anniversary of Sarojini Naidu, Urban Development Minister and MLA Margao Mr. Digmaber Kamat,( who has now earned the sobriquet *naal kamat" for his penchant to break a coconut at every function be it a byelane or a transformer ) inaugurated the Public Astronomical Observatory atop the Department of Electricity at Aquem Alto 1840 hrs. Speaking to this writer, Mr Govind Potekar a member of the Astronomical Society, spoke of poor visibility in the skies but was hopeful of viewing the galaxy Amdromeda late eveining by 2100hrs with the two Newman reflector telescope installed atop the five storied. The terrace provides a panaromic view of the Aquem Alto and Aquem Baixo areas including the steeple of the Our Lady of Rosary Church Navelim. According to Mr Potekar the observatory will be kept open for public viewing free of cost on every Saturdays and Sundays from 1900 hrs to 21 hrs. The first such Public Astronomical Observatory atop the Junta House, Panaji and was set by the veteran 75 years old Mr Percival Noronha ex Chief Secretary of the then Union Territory of Goa Daman & Diu and is a boon to viewers in North Goa. Many of those present were happy that for the first time South Goa District is being considered for such public institution as otherwise all such recreational educational units for children and others whether Science Centre , Childrens Park, Museum etc are located in North Goa. If the government goes in for District wise decentralisation much of the pressure on Panaji will ease and administration will come to the people. godfrey j. i. gonsalves borda margao goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Mobile: Download the latest polyphonic ringtones. Go to http://in.mobile.yahoo.com ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
