Fish-cutter loses his bike at Margao police station
Saxtti Shadowman was at the old bus stand at Margao near the omlet-pav vendors and was patiently eating his wada-pav, when a middle aged person dropped in near the gaddas and said “there is a theft at a police station”. Immediately Shadowman dropped in at the Margao town police station to find out what was happening. He soon heard from people around that a month ago a fish-cutter from Margao was hit by a police van. After hitting the person, the police took the injured to the Hospicio Hospital and gave him first aid. Later the bike of the injured person was taken away and dumped at the Margao police station. A month later, the victim enquired with the police about his bike and was shocked to know that his bike was missing from the police station. Furthermore the fish-cutter’s missing complaint was also not entertained by the police. Shadowman thus wondered if there was any police officer listening to this case?
Another way to win publicity
From the police station, Saxtti Shadowman planned to make his next move to the SGPDA. But on the way, a phone call disturbed his schedule that people are being given a rose for answering natures call outside the Sulabh toilets. The caller immediately disconnected the call and Shadowman went on a search operation through the SGPDA market and found the former MMC chairperson Savio Coutinho offering flowers to people who answered natures call outside the Sulabh toilets. “Take it, Take it” Shadowman heard Coutinho saying and people who answered the natures call were embarrassed to receive the flower. When asked why flowers were given, Coutinho said that inspite of repeated requests all our efforts have gone in vain. Shadowman then wondered whether it was another way of getting publicity from the media after a long break.
Lack of medical equipment puts patients at risk
The busy Margao market saw another accident and Saxtti Shadowman was a witness to the accident. The crowd who were in a hurry called the 108 ambulance and got the injured admitted at the district hospital. Shadowman who followed the vehicle was soon shocked to know that the district hospital did not have a scanning machine and the injured had to be taken to the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim. An angry relative reacting to the incident said that the government has enough money to ferry patients to GMC daily rather than buying a scanning machine at the district hospital. Shadowman felt that if the scan machine was repaired it would minimise the hardship of the patients and senior citizens.
Bar owners seek relief from liquor ban order
Saxtti Shadowman stepped into a bar to find out reactions to the Supreme Court order on bars operating on the highways. He soon got to know that there was a meeting of bar owners taking place at the Grace Church hall. The bar owners wanted the state government to help them to get relief from the Supreme Court axe. Shadowman heard that one of the liquor traders, Datta Prasad Naik, a candidate who contested the recent election saying that news of the order from the Supreme Court came to Goa two days before the announcement of the model code of conduct. The politicians were busy in preparing for the elections. Naik said, and now that the voting is over, we met the chief minister and submitted a memorandum and he assured his support to us. Shadowman heard Naik saying that one of the chief ministerial aspirants is praising the Supreme Court’s decision and standing against us. Shadowman however wondered whether the new government will come out with an ordinance and help liquor traders when the previous governments issued several bar licenses to their supporters within 100 mts and 200 mts distance of schools and religious structures, bending the excise rules.
Where party agents still thrive
Saxtti Shadowman stepped in to a two-wheeler showroom at Borda and while stepping out he saw a shed put up for candidates outside a strong room at Borda. The room was occupied by a person. Shadowman began to think who this candidate was and what business does he have the whole day in the shed. As these questions kept crisscrossing his mind, Shadowman reached the police station to find out the same. He soon got to know that the person was an election agent of a BJP candidate from Salcete sitting in the shed for the last eight days. The agent’s presence at the shed has indeed kept the duty police on guard.