Green thumbs
It is understood that in a bid to inculcate gardening and growing of vegetables in the state, the Department of Agriculture has decided to start creating vegetable kitchen garden models in schools and urban areas. Many schools have considerable open space which is used as playground. A part of this playground could be used to give students practical knowledge about growing a kitchen garden. In schools that are housed in buildings with very little open space the concept of terrace-gardens could be tried out. Gardening could also be included as an extra-curricular activity in the schools in order to imbibe in the students the love for greenery. Who knows one day many of these students could become successful farmers. In the background of onslaught on our green cover as a result of the growth of concrete jungles it is absolutely essential to inculcate the habit of growing trees and vegetable plants in the young impressionable minds. School is the right place where the love for nature and plants can be imbibed in the children. Initially small areas could be used for teaching children about gardening. What is essential is small land, water and a lot of willingness on the part of the school administrations in the state.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Gender balance
People in Goa often say that we are far ahead of other states and are progressive. But so many other states have women politicians aplenty and they have even become chief ministers, but in Goa we do not even have a good percentage of women in the Assembly. Even at the panchayat level, the women panches are 90 percent stooges put there by their husbands when the constituency is reserved for women. At the VP level too it is the same. We always promote well-being for women in words but in actions it is a different story. I have even noticed that women lawyers are paid less than males and in other businesses too it is the same. It is a shame for Goa then if we do not change this and respect our women. Today they are talking of Jammu and Kashmir have a female CM, but in Goa we do not let our female MLAs have proper cabinet positions.
Cynthia Azavedo, Taleigao
Bad tech
The government wants to build an IT park in Goa but doesn’t seem to be doing anything to relieve the pressure on all the tech startups in Goa. Internet connectivity and so many other facilities are poor. The entire tech infrastructure needs a revamp. Over and above that, rents are expensive here. So, how do companies stay here and function from Goa? Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad are far more inexpensive than Goa and their transport infrastructure is better too. This makes it easier for companies to function. There are many voices in Goa crying out for non-polluting industries. We have them here in Goa but most of them want to move out of the state because of the issues here. Perhaps people can start creating awareness about that?
Bhushan Kamat, Panaji
