Re: [Goanet] Mhonneo.
Thanks so much. Pls could you share the meanings (incl literal) as you understand them? FN On Saturday, 18 July 2015, sebastian mascarenhas mask...@rediffmail.com wrote: Hi Fredrick, Some of the Mhonneo heard in earlier days. MONXA UTTOR GORVAK DANVEM. NACHONK KODDONAM ZALEAR VAGON ANKDEM. HOZTA EK KODDEN ANI KORPITTA DUSRE KODDEN. DOIRANT ASSA MORSO MOL KORTA TO PISSO. VHOR VOITA MUN GAINDOL GELO CHIDDON MELO. HANV GELO AXEN SERMAO SANGIL FIRGUEM BAXEN. UDDTA TO BUDDTA. This all for the moment. Regards, Sebastian Jeddah,Saudi Arabia. https://sigads.rediff.com/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/www.rediffmail.com/signatureline.htm@Middle? Get your own *FREE* website, *FREE* domain *FREE* mobile app with Company email. *Know More * http://track.rediff.com/click?url=___http://businessemail.rediff.com?sc_cid=sign-1-10-13___cmp=hostlnk=sign-1-10-13nsrv1=host -- P +91-832-2409490 M 9822122436 Twitter: @fn Facebook: fredericknoronha Goa,1556 Shared Content at https://archive.org/details/goa1556
[Goanet] History of Bombay's Bus Service.
http://www.natgeotraveller.in/web-exclusive/web-exclusive-month/in-photos-time-travelling-through-mumbai-with-the-iconic-best-buses/?utm_source=Newsletter+Subscribeutm_campaign=397239a43f-Your_NGT_Newsletter_July18utm_medium=emailutm_term=0_a0a5455a73-397239a43f-267199517 --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus
[Goanet] Suggestions invited for Waste Management Rules 2015. Last date 31st July 2015
Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members, relatives, neighbours and friends. Help other CONSUMERS to be better informed. -- Public suggestions sought for Waste Management Rules 2015 http://epaper.navhindtimes.in/PageImages/storyImages/2015/07/17/5560.jpg --- Advert. on page 7 in The Navhind Times 17/7/15
[Goanet] EID Greetings
GSRP extends greetings to all Muslim bretheren on this auspicious day. EID MUBARAK- GSRP
[Goanet] LETTER TO PRINCIPAL CONSERVATOR OF FOREST AJAY SAXENA
From: Stephen Dias, Retd NIO. H.No: C-22/113 Bay View- D.Paula- Goa 403004 Mob: 9422443110 Date: 18.7.2015 To, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Attn: Mr. Ajay Saxena Govt of Goa Panaji-Goa Sub: Forest dept approval for cruise boat operations through Children’s park, Campal Sir, Surely, you possess merit, which allowed you to reach great heights. However, being a senior citizen former Technical Officer of Research Vessels R.V.Gaveshani and Sagar Kanya of National Institute of Oceanography, D.Paula -Goa, and environmental researcher after my retirement, I feel tempted to caution you that the political class often use technocrats to do the duty work and hog all the benefits, of success, however, if things go wrong and the misdeeds are exposed, they ensure that the obliging bureaucrat is buried 6 feet underground. I thank you for patiently listening to me on 16th July, 2015, to my objections to the misuse of Children’s park to allow “cruise boats to operate from within the park meant for senior citizens children to play. My Parrikar our former Chief Minister has stopped this nefarious activity on 19th August, 2014, after our citizen complaint. I have shown you earlier photographs of cruise boats operators placing tents and selling tickets in this park of forest area. I have stressed of alcohol sale and empty bottles, garbage, drug abuse and growing prostitution in the Children park. I do not expert Mr Parsekar the present CM to undo Mr Parrikar dictates. Surely, every stake holder will plead innocence or not guilty, and blame one another for the menace and degradation. Menace of pollution, loss of biodiversity in forest as well as beach area will grow as the state government agencies be it the police, the CCP, the forest dept.,, the biodiversity board will be quick to find a escape goat should a tragedy strike like a “capsized boat” or a drowning of tourists. Our country is on a “Swatch Bharat” campaign mode but we do all we can, to pollute and degrade our environment physically and morally of course then blame others for the mess. Not me, of course! I am surprised as to how Mrs. Alina Saldanha has agreed to allow Children park entry to these unorganized cruise boats in Mandovi river while fighting marina project planned on River Zuari!! Granted that these cruise boat operators are big businessmen with liquor operations, rent a car services and a huge commercial clout, capable of silencing those in authority and you being new to these some sinister operations may be tempted to believe all these, as a question of livelihood. It is only greasing palms. As you told me that you worked for long years in Andaman and Nicolar islands and that their way of working was much different from what we see here in Goa, I expert that you will be able to organize these cruise operations on Children Park based on your experience in this field. Strangely in Goa, gambling, rape of mother earth by mining, alcohol sale and abuse and prostitution all conform to issues of livelihood in Goa. Let not drug dependent, mining dependent et al be the reason to allow pollution, environment and ecological degradation and debased moral values. If we do not learn from history, then be sure it will repeat itself degrade our Goa and us Goans. I am sorry that you have to fight against the “vested interest” of Mrs Alina Saldanha who is promoting this boat cruises on river Mandovi. While criticizing my Institute NIO, for its report on marinas on River Zuari, she is visiting regularly the Forest Dept properties at Miramar and Campal to ensure that cruise boat owners and the casinos flourish and pollute River Mandovi. Every mile has its first step and I hope you see light and stand up to political arm twisting in the interest of Goa. Enclosed today’s photographs from Children park and parked cruise boats in Mandovi river. Yours sincerely Sd/- Stephen Dias D.Paula Copy to Laxmikant Parsekar CM of Goa, for information and action with the request that the Nilesh Cabral who is much superior than Micky Pacheco to get the ministerial position. And copy to others. - E.C.A. DIAS Retired as TO (E-1) Former Scientist A-1 and Leader of GOD/INSTRUMENTATION Group CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography Dona Paula-Goa 403004 Email: steve.dia...@gmail.com Tel 0832-2452915 ( Res) Mob: (0) 9422443110
[Goanet] Minister Part of $1 Million Bribe for Goa Project, Says US Firm
WASHINGTON: A New Jersey-based construction management firm has been charged with bribing Indian officials several crores of rupees to win two major water developmental projects in Goa and in Guwahati. The bribery of $976,630 for a Goa project by Louis Berger included payments to a minister, details of which have not been disclosed by the US Department of Justice. Yesterday, the company agreed to pay $17.1 million criminal fine to resolve charges that it bribed officials in India, Indonesia, Vietnam and Kuwait to secure government construction management contracts. Two of its former executives - Richard Hirsch (61) of Philippines, and James McClung (59) of the UAE - pleaded guilty to the bribery charges. McClung previously served as senior vice president responsible for the firm's operations in India and in Vietnam. Sentencing hearings for Hirsch and McClung are scheduled for November 5, 2015. The Indian government, assisted by Japanese government, initiated the five-year Goa Water Supply and Sewerage Project to expand, rehabilitate and build water and sewerage facilities. Louis Berger was part of a consortium for the project in Goa. The consortium included two Japanese firms and an Indian partner. The team developed a project management information system and plan, evaluated bids, reviewed design and construction plans, and ensured quality work was done on time and within budget, the company says on its website. Federal prosecutors, in their 11-page chargesheet, alleged that Louis Berger maintained a detailed diary and account of bribery made to Indian officials. On August 26, 2010, a consortium partner prepared a payment tracking schedule stating that the company had paid $976,630 in bribes in connection with the Goa project to date, federal prosecutors told a court in New Jersey. On August 17, 2010, a consortium partner sent an e-mail to James McClung, stating, As discussed I enclose the details as provided by [third-party intermediary]. I have also added the details of amounts paid to [the Company] as of date by [the consortium partner] in the same sheet. The attachment included an entry, Paid by [an agent of the company] to minister on behalf of agent, said federal prosecutors. According to court documents, the company, through its employees and agents, together with others, used terms like commitment fee, counterpart per diem, marketing fee and field operations expenses as code words to conceal the true nature of the bribe payments and utilised cash disbursement forms and invoices which did not truthfully describe the services provided of the purpose of the payment. In India since 1998, Louis Berger has offices in Gurgaon, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. Along with several consortium partners, the company won two water development projects in Goa and Guwahati. The company paid bribes to win both of these contracts, federal prosecutors alleged. According to court documents, the company through its employees and agents and its consortium partners kept track of the bribe payment by a circulating spreadsheet among themselves showing the proportionate share of each bribe that they had paid to the foreign officials overseeing their work on the Goa and Guwahati projects. *Story First Published:* July 18, 2015 13:14 IST http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/unnamed-minister-part-of-1-million-bribe-for-goa-project-says-us-firm-782717 http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/indias-sweets-refused-on-eid-by-pakistan-soldiers-on-border-782718?ndtv_nextstory http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/chinese-firm-had-made-drone-shot-down-in-pakistan-says-china-report-782715?ndtv_prevstory -- DEV BOREM KORUM Gabe Menezes.
[Goanet] Bicholim family without power or water for fifty years
-- Samir Umarye BICHOLIM: A family in Bicholim does not know what “parivartan” means. Nor does it know what “acche din” could ever be. The Falkar family from New Wada – Pilgao in Bicholim is one that has perhaps faced the worst possible apathy from elected representatives and government departments. Three generations of the family have been forced to spend their life without electricity and water. Ashok Falkar, 59, and his wife Anita, 55, along with three children have been made to run from pillar-to-post seeking for even just a temporary electricity connection for a few days, so that their daughter who is in the SSC can study for the exams. They don’t live in any remote village, but just five kms from the main Bicholim town area and are represented by deputy Speaker Anant Shet. “We have been staying here since the last 50 years without any electricity or water connection. We have almost become used to this but this year one of my daughters is in the SSC and it has become a major problem for her to study without electricity.” Says Ashok. Ashok has three children – two daughters and a son – who are studying in Pilgao. While the eldest daughter Anisha is in SSC, the second daughter Pratibha is in Class VII while the son Manohar is still in the primary. Ashok tried his best to get an electricity connection but every time he did there was someone who objected to it because of personal rivalry. “I have permission from the owner of the land but every time the electricity poles are erected someone or the other raises an objection,” Ashok claimed. It is more than six years that Ashok has demanded with the Electricity department for a connection. He also approached Shet who promised assistance but the promises are still to see the ‘light’ of the day. “I had given a letter to the deputy speaker and our MLA on August 28, 2012, seeking an electricity connection and he had also assured to fulfill my demands but even after three years nothing has happened. He told us to do the electrical wiring in the house and we spent about Rs 5000 on the same but after that there was only ‘darkness’ as no one turned up later,” Ashok laments. Anita is also upset over the situation. “We have heard that as per the court guidelines a house cannot be kept without electricity and water connections, then how is it that we are still without these basic necessities?” questions Anita. “As we do not have water we are forced to fetch water from the nearby pond or during the monsoon depend upon the water that drips down the roof. We get three litres of kerosene every month from the panchayat but that is not sufficient and later we either depend on candles or borrow the kerosene from the villagers,” Anita says. The Falkar family has a small farm and are dependent upon it. The three children who also work in the farm during the day study with the help of kerosene lamp or candles at night. “There are many difficulties that we have to face but we have no other option” says Anisha who will answer her SSC exam in March next year. “Even if there is no electricity I will study and pass in the exams,” she adds confidently. The case of the Falkar family is with the North Goa collector and Ashok will have to attend to it on Monday. He demands that the collector consider his request and sanction the required connections to his house.
Re: [Goanet] Mhonneo.
Dear Fredrick, Here it goes. MONXA UTTOR GORVAK DANVEM. one has to keep his promise like the cattle does when you tie it up with a rope it can easily break away the rope but it stays put. NACHONK KODDONAM ZALEAR VAGON ANKDEM. When you do not know to dance you blame the floor, in other words if you are not successful you end up blaming the circumstances. HOZTA EK KODDEN ANI KORPITTA DUSRE KODDEN. It itches at one spot and you end up scratching at another spot, its like diverting/escaping from the main issue and concentrating on something else. DOIRANT ASSA MORSO MOL KORTA TO PISSO. Fish(morso) is not yet caught but you start taking advance for its sale. Assuring things before they are matrialised. VHOR VOITA MUN GAINDOL GELO CHIDDON MELO. Vhor(group of people ) were going along and the earthworm joined them and got smashed in the bargain. Its like trying to imitate others without you having the capacity or knowledge to do so and miserably fail in the end. HANV GELO AXEN SERMAO SANGIL FIRGUEM BAXEN. The person had gone for a service anticipating that he will benefit from the preaching but the preaching was in a foreign language so he could not benefit anything. Its like you being in a place/occasion where you are not supposed to be , or you did not clearly check out if that occasion was meant for you. DEKIL MODDEM EILEM RONNEM. You weep only when you see the dead body. This is like trying to attend to something temporarily only when you are affected by it, then you forget about it till you are affected again. SODDEAR ROILO PIKNA ANI NOXIBANT ASLO CHUKNA. When you sow in a parched land it is surely not going to reap anything similarly its so certain that what ever is in your destiny will always happen. IGROZ BOGLE ASLOLEAK SANSAV MEVONAM. The one who lives near the church misses the last sacrament as everyone thinks since the church is near by they will wait till the final moment to call the priest but suddenly the person passes away. Moral never leave things for last moment however easy they may seem. UDDTA TO BUDDTA. This is like what goes up comes down, in other word its ones pride and ego which will make him drown or lead to his down fall. Have tried to explain the way I understand it, please bear in mind that this is salcete konkani dialect This all for the moment. Regards, Sebastian Jeddah,Saudi Arabia. On Sat, 18 Jul 2015 14:42:36 +0530 Frederick FN Noronha * फ्रेड्रिक नोरोन्या * فريدريك نورونيا wrote Thanks so much. Pls could you share the meanings (incl literal) as you understand them? FN On Saturday, 18 July 2015, sebastian mascarenhas wrote: Hi Fredrick, Some of the Mhonneo heard in earlier days. MONXA UTTOR GORVAK DANVEM. one has to keep his promise like the cattle does when you tie it up with a rope it can easily break away the rope but it stays put. NACHONK KODDONAM ZALEAR VAGON ANKDEM. When you do not know to dance you blame the floor, in other words if you are not successful you end up blaming the circumstances. HOZTA EK KODDEN ANI KORPITTA DUSRE KODDEN. It itches at one spot and you end up scratching at another spot, its like diverting/escaping from the main issue and concentrating on something else. DOIRANT ASSA MORSO MOL KORTA TO PISSO. Fish(morso) is not yet caught but you start taking advance for its sale. Assuring things before they are matrialised. VHOR VOITA MUN GAINDOL GELO CHIDDON MELO. Vhor(group of people ) were going along and the earthworm joined them and got smashed in the bargain. Its like trying to imitate others without you having the capacity or knowledge to do so and miserably fail in the end. HANV GELO AXEN SERMAO SANGIL FIRGUEM BAXEN. The person had gone for a service anticipating that he will benefit from the preaching but the preaching was in a foreign language so he could not benefit anything. Its like you being in a place/occasion where you are not supposed to be , or you did not clearly check out if that occasion was meant for you. DEKIL MODDEM EILEM RONNEM. You weep only when you see the dead body. This is like trying to attend to something temporarily only when you are affected by it, then you forget about it till you are affected again. SODDEAR ROILO PIKNA ANI NOXIBANT ASLO CHUKNA. When you sow in a parched land it is surely not going to reap anything similarly its so certain that what ever is in your destiny will always happen. IGROZ BOGLE ASLOLEAK SANSAV MEVONAM. The one who lives near the church misses the last sacrament as everyone thinks since the church is near by they will wait till the final moment to call the priest but suddenly the person passes away. Moral never leave things for last moment however easy they may seem. UDDTA TO BUDDTA. This is like what goes up comes down, in other word its ones pride and ego which will make him drown or lead to his down fall. Have tried to explain the way I
[Goanet] Fwd: Song for the day.....
(( Stevie Wonder - For Once in My Life )) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oZClso_yUQ g -- DEV BOREM KORUM Gabe Menezes.
[Goanet] concani sayings
Dis borleh ani panch vorleh, kam chor, mornacho vass, ogthar baim marleah odok ainam BC
[Goanet] RTI REVEALS GROSS ABUSE OF POWER BY MAPUSA JMFC DVIJPLE PATKAR
Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Dvijple Patkar last month wrote two threatening letters to the Mapusa Police while seeking that police protection be given to her nephew. This has been revealed in the information obtained under the Right to Information Act. Dvijple Patkar by a letter dated 5th June sought that her brother Advocate’s son be provided police protection of two policemen and two lady police while he goes to school, while at school and while he returns home. Judge Patkar in her letter also questioned the manner in which the police were investigation the complaint filed by her advocate brother against his wife while accusing the police of shielding the accused. Judge Patkar in her letter further alleged that was a threat to her life and that to her family members including her nephew on account of the failure of the Mapusa Police to perform their duty. Judge Patkar by another letter dated 12th June while reminding the Mapusa Police to provide her nephew police protection, once again warned that the police shall be held responsible for any untoward incidents in respect to her, her nephew and other family members. These two letters written by Judge Patkar are very high-handed and a gross abuse of power. The Bombay High Court at Goa needs to take appropriate deterrent action against Judge Patkar for exceeding her jurisdiction and that too in her own family dispute in which she herself is also one of the accused. Judge Patkar cannot personally interfere in the investigation of the case and intimidate the Police. Immediate action should be taken to divest Judge Patkar of all judicial powers. If action could be taken against Margao JMFC Bosco Roberts over a judicial order passed by him, the High court cannot remain a mere spectator to this very serious misconduct by Judge Dvijple Patkar. The Margao Police on 5th March 2015 filed a charge sheet against Judge Dvijple Patkar amongst others under Sections 498-A (b), 323, read with Section 34 of Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act. The charge sheet was filed after the police investigating a First Information Report No 502/2014 dated 3rd November 2014 registered against Judge Dvijple Patkar and others on a complaint filed by her brother advocate’s wife. Judge Dvijple Patkar is also facing proceedings under the Domestic Violence Act. It is highly improper for a charge sheeted person to continue discharging duties as a Judge. Judge Patkar is exerting political pressure through Advocate General Atmaram Nadkarni to try and hang on as a Judge. This unbecoming conduct of Judge Patkar has compromised the Independence of the Judiciary. Judge Patkar should have herself stepped down and faced the wheels of Justice to avoid this dark and very sordid shameful chapter for Goa’s Judiciary. Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires
[Goanet] Mumbai: City of A- joy ....Midday 18 Jul pg 15
From: bcsabha.kal...@gmail.com To: City of A- joy Civic authority commissioner Ajoy Mehta is bullish on the city and says citizens have no need to despair, as he talks straight to a charged audience on all matters Mumbai AN eager and excited audience played the waiting game at a recent Meet Your BMC Commissioner Mr Ajoy Mehta interactive meet, held at the Indian Merchants Chamber building, Walchand Hirachand Hall at Churchgate. The meet took place on Wednesday, July 15 evening. The meet was to start at 5 pm but there was not sign of the commissioner till past 6.30 pm. Dilip Piramal, president IMC said to the restive audience that the Commissioner would most probably not have time to answer too many questions as he would be late, he expedited the process asking people to cite their questions and wrote them down so that relevant, concise questions could be put to the Commissioner. Some of the concerns centred around potholes, one gent said that storm water drains have disappeared at Malabar Hill and they should be restored, another stated that there should be proper sewage lines in slums and yet another expressed concern over the dilapidated condition of a BMC school in Jogeshwari which is now defunct and overrun by unsavoury activities. Piramal had to repeatedly tell people to keep their questions to the point, and not make meaningless remarks. Sporadically, those listening were shown a mobile phone and told that the IMC has just received a message from Mehta, “ He should be here in 10 minutes.” Several people started exiting the hall by 6.15 pm and the once full house now had several empty chairs. Apologies, first up Finally, at approximately 6. 40 pm, there was a flurry of press flashbulbs, and in strode Ajoy Mehta, to excited murmurs of, “ he’s come, he’s arrived.” Mehta first up, apologized profusely for the delay. “ I apologize. It is not in my nature to be late. First, I was caught up because the Assembly Session is on and then, we had a long meeting because of the upcoming Ganeshotsav festival. Please forgive me,” he said, to some surprised looks from people who may not have expected humility from the chief. Mehta brushed away formalities quickly like introductions and the usual thanks- for- coming address. “ I will come to the issue, straightaway, instead of droning on and on. There is primarily a three- pronged approach to the BMC. First, is the short term work which we have to do immediately which is things like, ensuring clean water and pothole free roads. Longterm issues would be those like the Coastal Road, providing housing and hospitals. Yet a third prong is that when a person walks into the Corporation he should have a delightful experience.” ( there were a few snorts of disbelief at this). The erudite Mehta though did not take notice and elaborated, “ a person should not be horrified at his Corporation experience stating: yeh kya hai ?” At this, then, the Commissioner stopped his address and said that, “ I will now request you for questions, comments, advice so that I can answer or at least apologize for shortcomings.” Housing and health By now, several people in the audience who seemed turbocharged on several issues, seemed to be taken aback at this attitude. They had automatically tempered their allegations now into questions. When asked about the Development Plan or DC for Mumbai, Mehta stated, “ this is a very important planning exercise. First, we have to correct what are known as errors apparent. Like the JJ School of Art being called a Veterinary Hospital. That is an error apparent. Then, there are policy issues like Mumbai’s 24 per cent growth in the 90s to 2000 which seems to have now levelled of at 4 per cent, which is a good sign. The growth though has left us with a huge housing backlog. The question now is that do we give more FSI and make the city denser? Or do we shift people towards Thane and Panvel. If we do the latter we need new modes of transport.” A question came up about public health and Mehta stated quite proudly that they do have a large amount of tertiary medical care facilities, but there is a lot of overwork because of the staggering amount of patients. He also expressed concern about the disappearance of the family physician as the first step in medical care and detection. Take for instance, leptospirosis. If it is detected very early, there is a simple antibiotic as cure. When late, though, or not detected, it becomes a very complicated case. Candour is key Mehta was refreshingly candid when it comes to education saying that, “ Unfortunately, our schools are not as popular as private schools. Today, there is so much aspiration and people are looking at whether schools can satisfy aspirational needs.” As several listeners nodded to this, Mehta elaborated that his family had visited a school in the UK for admission for his son. “ The school janitor opened the door and then called the principal. He
[Goanet] Swachch Bharat dies predictable death...MIdday 18 Jul pg 16
From: bcsabha.kal...@gmail.com To: Swachch Bharat dies predictable death As we approach the first anniversary of the launch of ‘ Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’, one of the most ambitious and, if I may add, audacious initiatives of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it would be in order to assess how successful it has been, both as a message as well as a mission. Since ‘ Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ was launched on Gandhi Jayanti last year, such an assessment is all the more needed because the Mahatma would want it done. First, a quick recall. Modi’s fetish for cleanliness is well- known. As Chief Minister of Gujarat he made cleanliness, or swachchata , one of the top priorities of his government. Sabarmati, Gandhi’s river, reduced to an open, festering drain, was revived and a remarkable riverfront created. Urban clusters were made filth- free. And the glimmering yet sombre new secretariat in Gandhinagar became the mascot of shining Gujarat.In his personal life, too, Modi has practised what he preached to others. His severely austere official residence in Gandhinagar was spotlessly clean. Before that, the one- room outhouse in Lutyens’ Delhi where he lived as a BJP general secretary was a model of spartan cleanliness. The Prime Minister’s official residence at Race Course Road may be lacking in austerity and is far from being spartan, but Modi has made it seem antiseptic along with its sprawling premises. Soon after taking charge as Prime Minister, Modi instructed the PMO and all ministries to spruce up their offices. Old files and broken furniture gathering dust had to go. Clean and effective governance was not possible from cluttered and dysfunctional workplaces. With great enthusiasm the bureaucracy complied. From that was born the ‘ Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’: if Government of India could do it, so could India. By symbolically sweeping a street on October 2, Modi triggered a mammoth rush of popular participation. Old and young, men and women, students and workers, peons and officers stepped forward to clean the spaces outside their homes, schools, colleges and offices. For the first time swachchata became the subject of popular discourse. Media expectedly focussed on politicians and their groupies looking for a photo opportunity, but that did not detract from the overwhelming support for ‘ Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’. Lazy municipality workers were shamed into doing what they are paid for. People rebuked those seen littering public spaces. A couple of months after the launch of the national cleanliness mission, my wife and I drove to Chambal on the margins of western Uttar Pradesh. We travelled through three crowded cities and were struck by the absence of garbage. At a place where we stopped for chai, the chaiwallah proudly told us how the Prime Minister’s message had galvanised the masses. That was then. The enthusiasm has disappeared. The idea of a clean India no longer figures in public discourse. Schools which had aggressively joined the campaign have all but forgotten their promise to make it part of their curriculum. Earlier this week in Mumbai, I saw young men and women, smartly dressed, affluent, casually littering the pavements and streets.In Delhi, the nation’s capital city, mounds of rotting garbage dot open spaces. In the inner city areas, especially across the river, the stench of filth is overpowering as rubbish festers in the monsoon rain. Clogged drains and choked sewers expel a nauseating variety of human waste. Truth be told, ‘ Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ is dead. We don’t see the film stars, sportspersons, high society dandies, grandiosely appointed ‘ ambassadors’ of the mission, doing what they were meant to do: keep the enthusiasm alive, lead from the front. The BJP’s crores of members are nowhere to be seen flagging the waning response. Sadly, Modi too has allowed it to drop off the radar of his government. That, in a nutshell, is the invariable tragic end to apolitical initiatives of any government. With the news cycle moving on, ‘ Swachch Bharat Abhiyan’ has died a premature death. India is destined to being the caricature it is portrayed as by visiting foreigners. Worse, Indians are destined to live in a sprawling slum. Simply because leadership in our country is a 24- hour wonder which waxes and wanes along with the 24- hour media cycle. Cry, Gandhi. Your message is lost, though not for the first time.
[Goanet] Urgent: need help to translate into Romi...
FN wrote: Can anyone help with translating any of these Wikipedia pages into Romi? Pls indicate if you will do it, so we can avoid duplication: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mapusa https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panjim https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margao; Comment: I think doing this sort of work is pointless. Everyone who knows Konkani in the Romi or Devanagari script also knows English. Why do you need to translate something which is already available in a language that you know? A more sensible project would be to ensure that a) a dictionary and b) a thesaurus of the Konkani language c) a Konkani-English and English Konkani dictionary are available on-line in preferably all the scripts in which the language is written. Am I right in thinking that one could do this using the currently available information and books as a base without violating copyright law. I wonder if anybody could enlighten us here? Augusto
