Dear All, This is in regard to Cornells recent post on the despicable act of female foeticide being carried out by UK Asians. The honorable health Minister has recently made a statement in the house that the male female ratio in the state had declined from 1000-964 to 1000-937 (in one decade?) in the age group 0-6 years.He however claimed that the government was very well aware of it and was implementing the Prohibition of Sex Selection Act. The next census will tell us how well!! Dr.Pascal Pinto ----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <goanet@goanet.org> Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 11:13 AM Subject: Goanet Digest, Vol 3, Issue 188
> Send Goanet mailing list submissions to > goanet@goanet.org > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit > http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > You can reach the person managing the list at > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of Goanet digest..." > > > Today's Topics: > > 1. RE: New Portuguese nationality law, and Provisions ? already > in the 1975 law (jose colaco) > 2. Postings on Goanet.... (Gabe Menezes) > 3. BSG-Activities 2006 (Miguel Braganza) > 4. Re: Fwd: How many museums and what major ongoing projects > inGoa? (Alfred de Tavares) > 5. Re: Public action alert (cornel) > 6. Contact required (patrick lewis) > 7. RE: Goanet Digest, Vol 3, Issue 184 ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > 8. Migrating er, relocating to Canada? (Mervyn Lobo) > 9. RE: SriLankan Airlines plans flights to Goa (Philip Thomas) > 10. *** NEWS: Goa N Goans - Feb 20, 2006 (Goanet News Service) > 11. GoanetReader: Creating an oasis amidst the heat and dust of > Hampi (Goanet Reader) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 21:10:30 +0000 > From: "jose colaco" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] RE: New Portuguese nationality law, and Provisions ? > already in the 1975 law > To: goanet@goanet.org > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed > > Wonder IF the 1975 Portuguese Nationality Law has undergone Implied or > Express repeal by the New 2006 law; IF NOT, the provisions appear to > already > be in place for upto GrandChildren of citizens of Estado da India > Portuguesa. > > The major glitch (from my most recent information - just a couple days > old) > is the question of Forged Indian DOCUMENTS. If I can quote from that > personal message [you might like to know that the Registos Centrais no > longer ask for "Cédulas" or "Bilhetes de Identidade".They do ask for > documents issued by Administração Portuguesa] > > good wishes to those who are applying for a change in nationality > > jc > > === > > > > (1) > From: "Teotonio R. de Souza" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > <Hopefully we will see soon the changes effected by the new nationality > law > passed only a couple of days back. > > It guarantees right of nationality to those whose parents and grandparents > were born in the "national territory". It is not yet clear if this means > only continental Portugal or also includes former "colonies" which since > 1950's were declared to be provinces of "Portugal" overseas. If the new > law > restricts the parentage to ascendants born in "continental" Portugal > (including perhaps also Azores and Madeira) then most Goans who have their > cases pending may be left disappointed!> > > > (2) >>From Paulo Colaço Dias July 15, 2000 & 03 March 2004 > > Excerpted from > http://www.colaco.net/1/PauloNationality.htm > & > http://www.geocities.com/PauloCD/PortNatLaw.htm > > in 1975, when Portugal issued an alteration in the Portuguese Nationality > Law, the people from EIP were assumed by Portugal to have acquired Indian > citizenship on a non-voluntary basis, i.e., it was assumed they were > forced > by the Indian Union to acquire Indian citizenship in order to remain free > of > problems in their own homeland. > > Goans born after 1961 are eligible - by Jus Sanguinis (through one's > mother > or father who must be registered Portuguese citizens) > > The Portuguese Nationality Law also grants citizenship to descendants of > Portuguese citizens. Therefore, even if one was only born yesterday, but > had > a grandfather or grandmother who was born in Portuguese India before 1961, > this person can apply for Portuguese nationality. > > Q3: Did the parents/grandparents (born in Antigo Estado da India) have to > hold a Portuguese passport at all? What evidence is required to be > submitted > by the child or grandchild? > > A3: No. Portuguese passport was never a requirement for citizenship. A > birth > certificate of your parent/grandparent is necessary along with a detailed > list of other requirements > > _________________________________________________________________ > Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! > http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 22:47:27 +0000 > From: "Gabe Menezes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] Postings on Goanet.... > To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!" <goanet@goanet.org> > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Dear Goanetters, > > I feel as though I am a Christmas tree, posting all the news from Goa > and perhaps some or many of you, may not take to kindly, to this? > > I would like more of you, to come out of your shells and don't be shy > - the first step is the hard bit - after that, I am certain that once > you find your feet, no one will be able to stop you! > > Please start of with off, your favourite recipe, that you would like > to share with us, or some troubling issue, which some reader might be > able to help you with! If this site is to progress we really need more > of you to participate. > > Please to not be intimidated but some of the politico posts - you can > start your own interest issues and I am sure that once started it will > go well! > -- > Peace be with you! > Ani borem mog khor! > > Gabe Menezes. > London, England > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 3 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 19:36:34 -0500 > From: Miguel Braganza <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] BSG-Activities 2006 > To: goanet@goanet.org > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > GREENING MINDS: GREENING GOA > > The Botanical Society of Goa held its annual general body meeting [AGM] on > Sunday 19 February, 2006, at the World Wide Fund for Nature- Goa Unit > office > in the Science Centre complex, Miramar. Plant lovers from all over Goa > attended. > > The BSG is registered in Goa under the Societies Act, 1860 on 05 May, > 1990. It is a pro-Nature activity group, not normally involved in > advocacy. > It interacts with both, NGOs and Government agencies. > Prizes were awarded to the winners of the 11th annual Home Garden > Competition in the amateur and profesionally assisted categories of home > gardens separately. The BSG acknowledged with pride the contibution of > Mr.P.G.Kakodkar, including the roadside trees on the Miramar marine bypass > and the work initiated at Goa University under the umbrella of the WGKF. > > Dr.Ajit Shirodkar, Chairman of the Western Ghats Kokum Foundation (WGKF), > stated that while the WGKF and the BSG were two separate legal entitites, > they worked in unision on many issues. This was imperative for quick and > sustained growth of horticulture in Goa. While the WGKF's focus is on > Garcinia indica, it is willing to collaborate on other plant issues as > demonstrated at its Biodiversity Project at Goa University. > Mr.P.G.Kakodkar > may have worked all over India but his roots were firmly in Goa, the state > in which he spent his childhood and to which he has dediciated the rest of > his life. > > The Secretary, Ms Christina de Souza, in her report acknowledged the > support > of the Department of Science ,Technology & Environment, the Corporation of > the City of Panaji, the ICAR-Goa, and other Government and autonomous > agencies as well as NGOs in presenting the successful annual events like > the Konkan Fruit Fest and Plant Utsav. The Treasurer presented the > accounts > for the year 2004-05 audited by the Chartered Accountants. Both the report > and the accounts were approved unanimously. > > Dr.K.G.Hiremath proposed that a common interactive workshop be held for > all > environment related NGOs in Goa to emphasize the commonalities and work on > some more projects jointly. The other activities proposed are: > > > #Collaboration with Mormugao Municipal Council to conduct the GREEN > MORMUGAO > exhibition 3 to 5 March, 2006 > > # Continued interaction with the Government for 'Geographical Indications' > registration of feni for Goa. > > #Survey and documentation of cultivated cereal, fruit, spice and vegetable > crop varieties in Goa. > > #Publication of quarterly BUDSPORT newsletter and project reports. > > #4th Konkan Fruit Fest at Panaji with CCP from 5 to 7 May, 2006 with the > spotlight on Jamun or > Jamlam [Eugenia jambulana], its juice, seed powder and wine as a health > drink suitable for diabetics. > > #Interaction with the Goa Knowledge Commission to include agricultural > topics in language (English,Hindi,Konkani,Marathi,etc), Foundation Course > and Environmental Science [EVS] > curriculum at school, higher secondary school and college levels as well > as > for creating a suitable framework for non-formal and formal courses in > horticulture at the UG and PG levels.. > > #Interaction with the Goa Board of Education for updating the curriculum > for > vocational courses in Horticulture and Floriculture. > > #Technical support to institutions to conduct training courses in > gardening;fruit cultivation > and solid waste management. > > # Support to Festival of Plants and Flowers at SFX school, Siolim, and > other > member institutions. > > # Hikes and Nature Trails for members and invitees. > > # 9th PLANT UTSAV in November, 2006 > > #12th Home Garden Competition in January, 2007. > > Life membership is Rs.1000/- only for individuals, while Patron membership > is Rs.10,000/-. One member in each type joined the BSG on this occasion. > The > BSG also has an interactive net group [EMAIL PROTECTED] to which any > plant lover can subscribe. The group is moderated only to control spam and > off-topic postings. Plant related postings on vermiculture, EM, bio-diesel > welcome. > > > Miguel Braganza > President, BSG. > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 4 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 19:39:47 -0500 > From: Alfred de Tavares <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] Re: Fwd: How many museums and what major ongoing > projects inGoa? > To: goanet@goanet.org > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > There is the museum in the convent behind the Sé Cathedral in Old Goa. > > Houses a considerable historical, archaeological, numismatic, etc > collection. > > Each & all of the viceroys and governors-general alsl hang there as well > the > depedestalized colossus of Luis de Camoes. > > Alfred de Tavares > > >>From: "Teotonio R. de Souza" >> >>I have been asked by some interested parties in Portugal how many major >>and notable other museums would be there in Goa today, and if this >>reflects any change in the situation after Goa's liberation in 1961. >>Could any GRNetter update the information on this? I was personally >>involved in the setting up of the Rachol Museum (as vice-president of >>the executive committee) and of a mini-museum at the XCHR at Porvorim. >>But I am not aware of several other recent private initiatives. >> >>Teotonio R. de Souza > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 5 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 19:41:03 -0500 > From: cornel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] Re: Public action alert > To: goanet@goanet.org > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Hi Margaret > > As per your post on child/woman abuse, no one (I think) responded to one > of my > Goanet posts lamenting the despicable practice among Asians in Britain > and > India in aborting the female foetus (as per an Observer UK article). > However, > I am now comforted somewhat, to learn that in Gujarat a new compact has > been > reached which will eliminate the foul practice in the State. This decision > was > apparently reached when the imbalance in the genders reached utterly > critical > levels for marriageable young people. > > Cornel > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Margaret Mascarenhas" > >> Dear People, >> >> I think this public action to bring attention to the growing problem of >> pedophilia and other forms of child/woman abuse in India is worth >> endorsing. > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 6 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 20:09:49 -0500 > From: patrick lewis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] Contact required > To: goanet@goanet.org > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > Dear listers > please provide me the contact address of Former Indian minister Margaret > Alva an email address would be fine. > > rgds > lewis > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 7 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 20:57:47 -0500 > From: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] RE: Goanet Digest, Vol 3, Issue 184 > To: goanet@goanet.org, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Gabe, > > for the second day in a row, one of the digest versions I receive from > GoaNet has been exclusively from you! Thank you for keeping us informed > and providing impetus for discussion. Also, thank you for being sensitive > to concerns from everyone on this list and modifying your tag line to > accomodate those sensitivities. > > Jose, claiming to be a 'non-expert' in Konkani (regardless of the script), > gave us translations for 'Thank-you' in Portuguese and Hindi, both of > which > have words to express gratitude without invoking divine blessings. Bosco > brought up other examples of how greetings for 'Good Morning' and 'Good > Night' also implore supernatural intervention. > > Were these phrases developed after the Portuguese introduced the concept > of > 'One God' to the local population, who I presume, were predominantly Hindu > at that time? Reading so much about our mother tongue on this forum, can > a > language be considered to be 'religious'? Are there no other Goan > atheists > in the world? > > Getting to the reason for this post, is it too mundane to ask the Dept. of > Veterinary Services and Animal Husbandry in Goa how they propose to 'seal' > the borders against migratory birds, which have been a significant mode of > transmission of the H5N1 variant of avian influenza. I posted a long > comment by Maneka Gandhi about the impending avian flu issue to GX without > giving credit but here is a link to the online version > http://www.infoshop.org/inews/article.php?story=2006012114033373 > > Shukria, > > Kevin Saldanha > Mississauga, ON. > > --------------------- > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 11:47:27 +0000 > From: "Gabe Menezes" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] Goa Admin asked to seal borders for entry of birds > > Animal Husbandry Minister > Fransisco Pacheco said..... > > "Not a single bird would be allowed to enter the state and strict > check would be kept on the borders to prevent their entry," Pacheco > said. > --------------------- > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > mail2web - Check your email from the web at > http://mail2web.com/ . > > > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 8 > Date: Sun, 19 Feb 2006 21:07:05 -0500 (EST) > From: Mervyn Lobo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] Migrating er, relocating to Canada? > To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!" <goanet@goanet.org> > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 > > Gabe Menezes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Please to not be intimidated but some of the >> politico posts - you can >> start your own interest issues and I am sure that >> once started it will go well! > > > Ok Folks, > I think I can start this ball rolling. > > I am willing to provide anyone info on what to do/how > to get around when you first arrive in Canada. All you > need to do is drop me a note. > > Mervyn3.0 > Please note: I have no info on how to migrate to > Canada. My offer is for those who have already got > their Canadian immigration papers. > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________________________________ > Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 9 > Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 07:46:31 +0530 > From: "Philip Thomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] RE: SriLankan Airlines plans flights to Goa > To: <goanet@goanet.org> > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > If true, this is an interesting development. To my knowledge so far only > our > two public sector carriers run scheduled international services out of Goa > that too to the tune of a mere handful of flights per week by the two of > them together. To this we can add the international charter flights which > are also apparently to the extent of a few flights per day during the 6-8 > month tourist season. Hence the addition of international scheduled > services > may be a big deal. What I have been wondering about is why Begumpet and > HAL > airports in Hyderabad and Bangalore grew so rapidly in recent times even > though they are (like Dabolim) civil enclaves. We may have done better > than > only Pune in this respect. Any one have any thoughts to share on this? > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 10 > Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 00:21:30 -0500 > From: Goanet News Service <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] *** NEWS: Goa N Goans - Feb 20, 2006 > To: goanet@goanet.org > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 > > *** Poultries in state under vigil: Govt > > The Goa government today directed the veterinary doctors to keep a strict > vigil on nearly 35 poultries in the state and as a precautionary measure > the > vehicles carrying poultry goods from Maharashtra were not allowed to enter > Goa. More at: > > http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=022037 > > > *** Zoom's channel driver 'Pond's Banungi Main Miss India' premieres 22 > February > > The 26 finalists from Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Kolkata, Goa, Punjab > and > Chennai will be groomed by an expert panel to be potential international > pageant winners. More at: > > http://www.indiantelevision.com/headlines/y2k6/feb/feb238.htm > > > *** Goa all set to join SEZ club > > With an estimated 25 billion dollars of foreign direct investment expected > in > Special Economic Zones by 2009 and with employment generation of five lakh > in > India, Goa is all set to join the SEZ bandwagon with 25 acres of land at > Dona > Paula waiting to be converted into an IT park. More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/10052 > > > *** Goans could turn into minorities soon > > Cortalim MLA Matanhy Saldanha has raised fears that Goans would be > minorities > in their own land in the near future. More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/10045 > > > *** AIFF rejects Fransa plea to scrap controversial match,upholds resu > > The All India Football Federation (AIFF) today rejected the Fransa Pax > plea to > scrap the controversial National League match against Mahindra United and > uphold the result of the tie. More at: > > http://news.webindia123.com/news/showdetails.asp?id=253415&cat=Sports > > > *** Govt to collect cess on ore arriving in state > > The Transport Minister, Mr Pandurang Madkaikar today said that the > government > will be collecting cess per ton of ore arriving in the state from outside > at > the unloading point. More at: > > http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=02183 > > > *** Panaji: A Town with Uncertain Future > > POLITICALLY crucial elections for handing over the mantle to decide the > economic, social, cultural and environmental destiny of the city of > Panaji, > would be held on March 12, which interestingly happens to be the 95th > birth > anniversary of the first chief minister of Goa, a famous resident of > Panaji - > late Dayanand Bandodkar. More at: > > http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=022031 > > > *** RACING through time > > If you've watched Richard Attenborough's Gandhi carefully, you've probably > seen retired mechanic Peter Travasso's family heirloom and most prized > possession. More at: > > http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=170518 > > > *** Nagao parish priest killed in road mishap > > The parish priest of the Holy Trinity church, Nagao (Bardez), Fr Joao > Vincent > Gonsalves was killed in a fatal accident at Sangolda today afternoon. > More at: > > http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=02197 > > > *** CCP polls heading for tough battle > > The March 12 CCP elections is heading for a tough battle with the BJP, NCP > along with Victoria Fernandes and Somnath Zuwarkar tentatively nominating > their candidates on a seat sharing basis for the 30 wards of the civic > corporation. More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/node/10055 > > > *** IT habitat has Sonia's blessings > > Goa's first mega IT habitat at Dona Paula will receive the blessings of > AICC > President Sonia Gandhi at 10.30 am on Thursday, February 23. More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/10051 > > > *** Indian cuisine fascinates Bill > > Former US president Bill Clinton who stayed at the Hotel Leela Palace > declared > the wide range of Indian dishes served to him as "awesome." More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/10050 > > > *** Goan set to make it to Guinness book > > A well-known rangoli artist of Goa Nilesh alias Dattakumar Naik is set to > make > world record through his rangoli drawing skill - he is set enter his name > in > Guinness Book of World Record. More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/10043 > > > *** Govt to refund housing scheme money > > With the scrapping of the Ambedkar Awas Yojna Housing Scheme, the > Government > has decided to refund the money amounting to Rs 30-40 lakh collected from > applicants. More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/10046 > > > *** Bitu, Jessy win road races > > Bitu Singh of Auxilium Convent and Jessy Vaz of Mustifund, Panjim won the > top > honour in the under-14 boys and girls category at the Save The Child Race > for > John McKinnelon Trophy, held recently, at Benaulim. More at: > > http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/10058 > > > Compiled by: Avelino D'Souza > > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 11 > Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 09:18:13 +0530 > From: Goanet Reader <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: [Goanet] GoanetReader: Creating an oasis amidst the heat and > dust of Hampi > To: goanet@goanet.org > Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain > > CREATING AN OASIS AMIDST THE HEAT AND DUST OF HAMPI > > By Frederick Noronha > > Some 30 kilometres away from Hampi -- the impressive ruins of > once prosperous Vijayanagara empire, the largest and most > powerful kingdom of its time in all of India -- architect > Gerard da Cunha moulded a piece of arid soil into a scenic > township. > > In early-February 2006, Cunha received, somewhat belatedly, > the Prime Minister's National Award for Excellence in Urban > Planning and Design 1998-99, offered by the Ministry of Urban > Development. But the jury was unanimous in giving him the > prize for his unusual project. > > Cunha makes a point: "In India where our towns and > cities are deteriorating at such a rapid rate, an > award of this sort makes such good sense, creating > role models which others can follow." > > In urban India, the worth of this project might have taken > its time to get appreciated. It's located in a hot, arid > region, one which gets just 13 inches of rainfall a year. It > was built as a Rs 150-crore self-contained township for an > integrated JSW Steel plant. > > Cunha shows photos of the local houses in an area, which gets > temperatures of upto 45 degress Celsius. "There are often no > windows, and the houses are covered with a lot of mud, to act > as insulation," he notes. > > Going to such a setting, he dreamt up an oasis. > > "I was given this whole town to do. It turned into a place > where I had to house some 10,000 people over a short period, > and many more over a long period. It was a very idealistic > project. It was very exciting. We had to plan on how to make > whole t-o-w-n," he says, stressing the last word. > > So he first framed his guidelines. "I took ten points, which > I thought of as my Ten Commandments. Issues which were were > vital for me," Cunha explains, and then goes on to outline > his ideas. (See box.) > > But the story starts a decade ago. > > "We had many teams working on the project. But the starting > was very daunting. There was *nothing* there," he says, with > a stress on the word 'nothing'. "There was not a tree. It was > so hot. And the soil, gravely." For three years, it was very > intense work. It involved putting everything in place -- > transformers, sewage lines, treatment plants, telephone > systems and more! > > Their work is on the local stone, granite. They used a > pre-fabricated system, with pre-fab concrete joists, on top > of which was cuddappah stone, and topped with waterproofing > and insulation. "This allowed us to work with cranes, so we > could build fast," he explains. > > Gerard da Cunha (now 51) went and studied many townships. HMT > in Bangalore, IPCL in Gujarat. "And I realised the towns were > often conceived as little bits -- some housing, a school, a > shopping scentre. They just kept on splattering it on a > plan," he says, looking back. > > "Nobody looked at it as a cohesive unit, to house the life of > a community. So I went about using the house as a building > block to create an interesting urban landscape. Where the > unit (the house) was subsidiary to the main purpose to the > town. Often you see very beautiful houses, but they don't > make any town (when take together)," he added in an > interview, held in an artistically restored old house in the > still somewhat-green Goa suburb of Torda (near Porvorim). > > [Gerard da Cunha's dad worked for the State Bank of India. He > says with an embarassed laugh that he was born at Godhra, a > place now notorious for the communal conflagration it sparked > off. "We spent two years in one place and three in another," > he says. He did most of his schooling at St Mary's at Mazgaon > and college in Delhi. "I first came to Goa at the age of 18, > and liked the place so much that I said I was going to come > down and live here. At 27, I came down to Goa, in December > 1982," he narrates.] > > In the arid setting of north eastern Karnataka, > Gerard da Cunha and his team then made their own > options. A main maidan is located in the centre of > the township. In each segment or sector, comprising > of 18 houses each, they located all kitches in a > way these overlooked a space where the tiny tots > could play. This meant mums could easily see the > children at play. Likewise, children could go to a > playground without crossing any roads. Traffic has > been kept on the exteriors. > > "It was an idealistic situation where you would never worry > about your child hitting traffic," Cunha smiles. > > He had to face up to other issues too: how does one make a > town -- and an industrial town at that -- exciting? "At every > corner, you have to think of some interesting gateway, a > park. You have to paint the scene. You're creating the lives > of many people here," he says. > > Look into the plans, and the big-picture becomes clear. In > one centre, there's a playground. On the right is the > recreational area. There's a temple, and a lake. A botanical > gardens too. Just off the centre is the club, shopping centre > and restaurants. "At every corner there's something > interesting, so that you can relate to it. The only building > I didn't do was the temple. That was built by temple-builders > from Gujarat," he says. > > Gerard da Cunha, whose work is influenced by Kerala-based > low-cost natural-material architect Lawrie Baker -- but, > thanks to his work, this form now has wide acceptance from > the Goan upper middle class and elite -- says his emphasis > was on natural material. "It's granite country," he adds of > the terrain, in a region equidistant from both Bangalore and > Goa, and which one reaches via the hot and dusty train that > connects north Karnataka with Andhra Pradesh. > > Did he feel like an artist doing the work? "Not really," he > brushes it off, with a laugh. "It was more like a management > consultant." He then explains how many tasks went into the > coordination of this project. > > "People (living there) are very happy about their township. > They won the Prime Minister's award. There's no other > township which has that kind of charm around it," he adds. > > This place takes the sewage, filters the water, and ploughs > it back into the system. They deploy composting and > vermi-culture on their garbage. For the last eight years, no > plastics are allowed in the township, says Cunha. > > "Every house, because it is a hot arid area, either has a > garden or a terrace. It's very nice to sleep out in the > terrace at night. Even if you have a small house, the terrace > really makes up for the smallness of the house," he says. > > Then, they have also introduced a cable duct. So all > telephone lines, cables everything has a "pre-ordained > place", as the architect puts it. "Everybody is not just > ad-libbing along the place. We're not digging all the time at > cross purposes." > > For some time the project went slow. "Steel (the firms main > business interest) was not doing so well (globally). At the > moment steel is doing well. So we're expanding more now than > ever before. It's a lifelong project. As it grows I get more > work," explains Gerard da Cunha. > > But in a place growing in prominence as a tourist > destination, this township has the only air-strip in the > region. Gerard da Cunha is blunt about his achievements: > "It's not a great piece of architecture, it's a great piece > of urban planning." > > He believes it's possible to replicate some > aesthetic housing plans elsewhere. Houses vary from > 30-square-metre sized houses to the director > houses. To have a "healthy" community, there is > some level of mixed use among categories too. > Directors are mixed with VPs and general managers. > > Explains Cunha: "(Some of the) houses are very small also. > And built very cheaply. These are low cost houses but built > within the system -- with contractors. Otherwise, if you > really want to do low-cost houses, you have to eliminate the > middleman. But that's not possible if you have to build a > thousand houses in 300 days, for example." > > "Time schedules are really punishing", says Cunha, who > credits Sangeeta Jindal of Jindal South West for hiring his > skills and overseeing the whole project. "Once a month we > have a meeting of all the representatives of all the places > in the township. I'm answerable (to sorting out their > problems). We meet and they complain. If, for instance, there > is a dangerous corner in one place, or a locality doesn't get > water with sufficient pressure." One benefit of the corporate > model is that immediate decisions are taken. > > Is it possible to replicate such success stories? > Yes, says the bearded architect, but only for > company towns. For places where the staff needs to > be kept close at hand, and the company is willing > to pay for it. > > Cunha says the place is also sought to be kept "happening". > There are movies on Saturdays. They're building a movie > theatre -- "not a multi-plex, a single-plex," he corrects > himself. There's a good school. An airstrip, and one of the > most modern steel plants in the world, in his view. This > township spreads over 200-300 acres. > > But that's Gerard da Cunha for you. He can take part in a Goa > carnival -- as he has done in the past -- or create a museum > dedicated to the Goan home. When we met, he had on his mind > plans to join Laurie Baker's 92th birthday celebrations in > Kerala in early March, and also work on a book and film > celebrating the achievements of Goan cartoonist Mario > Miranda! -- [Posted on GoanetWiki http://www.goanet.org/wiki ] > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > Gerard da Cunha's ten commandments (for himself) > ------------------------------------------------------------ > > These are the concerns Cunha kept in mind while creating the > oasis near the site of the ancient empire: > > * Unique in its identity. > * Climatically comfortable in this hit region. > * Safe for children. > * Where houses are homes and have individuality (and are > not identified by a mere number). Built built largely > with pre-fabricated systems. > * Flexible in its planning to cater for expansion and > change. > * Modern, and uses state of the art technology. > * Visually interesting with wonderful streetscapes, > unfolding views, surprises, vistas. > * Urban in character. > * Inspired by the region. > * Meant primarily for people, the services and traffic > being secondary. Services must be put in a network to > cater to expansion and change. > > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Frederick "FN" Noronha is a Goa-based writer, active in cyberspace, > who writes on issues both within and beyond Goa. Email > contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > GOANET-READER WELCOMES contributions from its readers, by way > of essays, reviews, features and think-pieces. We share > quality Goa-related writing among the 8000-strong readership > of the Goanet/Goanet-news network of mailing lists. If you > appreciated the thoughts expressed above, please send in your > feedback to the writer. Our writers write -- or share what > they have written -- pro bono, and deserve hearing back from > those who appreciate their work. GoanetReader welcomes your > feedback at goanet@goanet.org > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > Goanet, building community, creating social capital for a decade. > ----------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > End of Goanet Digest, Vol 3, Issue 188 > ************************************** >
