In the Year of the Monkey
If the coconut tree isn't a tree but is something else - whatever it might be - the question we need to put to the government is this: how does the government hope to protect the so-called coconut tree from people who will unnecessarily cut them down? The change is to help people to solve their border disputes quickly, and so on, but what about others who can now cut so-called coconut trees for no reason at all? Is this good for the environment? When will the government pass appropriate legislation to protect the so-called coconut tree? After all the builders have cut all the so-called coconut trees? Will they allow conversion to take place or as they say no conversion is necessary to build in eco-fragile zones? Will the government pass plans as they did while the Regional Plan is waiting to be finalized? Please think about this issue, too much heat and not enough light is not good for Goa or Goans. And now, monkeys! Monkeys are no longer monkeys, they are vermin! All the government needs to do is wave its magic wand and monkeys seize to be monkeys and coconut trees cease to be coconut trees. That's how brilliant our government is! Coconut trees, especially for Indian coastal cultures are iconic to our history, livelihood and lifestyle. Also monkeys who feature in our folklore. For millennia monkeys have been a part of our cultural heritage. Which child hasn't heard the Jataka tales? If tomorrow an army of monkeys invade smart city Panaji with or without the leadership of Hanuman what will the smart people of Panaji do? Will they think it is a good omen? Will they think the not-so-smart people from all over Goa have invaded the natural habitat of the monkey and now the monkey is making a monkey of Panaji people? I don't know. But in this Year of the Monkey, let's not monkey with them!
