BDOs shook hands in director’s chamber…
Shadowman was in the BDO office last week. He saw mice were freely roaming when the cat was not in the place. “Both the BDOs have patched up. They are now working together,” Shadowman heard a curious BDO staffer telling one of the visitors, periodically complains to the office about the engineers. How did the cold war end, the Shadowman wondered, and no sooner gathered that the director of panchayats Gurudas Pilernekar had summoned both these Salcete BDOs and asked them to shake hands in his chamber and in his presence. Differences seemed to have ended now like the hot summer season did with rains setting in.
Chemical in fish?
From the BDO office Shadowman visited the SGPDA wholesale fish market. The Shadowman wanted to buy fish, but it being costly, he just went round looking for ‘cheap’ fish in the market. But it was not so. Nothing was cheap in the SGPDA fish market. The shortage of fish provide a golden chance to the vendors to increase prices of whatever fish they sell. Shadowman was informed how chemical is being used on the fish, especially, the pomfrets, to keep it fresh. Yet, it never lasts for 24 hours in a fridge. A questioned popped up in Shadowman’s mind – Have the FDA officials ever visited the fish market and found out about the chemical used? Goan fish eaters are given complementary chemical when they buy fish. Is the fisheries department aware of it? And, why to bother big sharks in the ‘sea’ of Saxtti when ‘breeding’ (election) is scheduled to take place in next 7-8 months?
Artificially-ripened mangoes: FDA ‘action’ too late!
FDA officials seized chemically-ripened mangoes in Saxtti’s Margao. Shadowman, upon hearing this news in the fish market early morning, zigzagged his vehicle through the town’s interior roads and found himself on the scene. “Tip-off worked out properly,” informed an official. Following the tip-off, they caught red-handed a small-time trader using a chemical to ripen and import mangoes. Zapped and surrendered. FDA officials conducted the panchanama and destroyed these mangoes at Sonsoddo waste dump. The Shadowman noted how the FDA ‘woke up on time’ to conduct a raid, when the mango season has almost come to a close and thousands of Goans and foreigners ate the artificially-ripened mangoes. . The FDA raids came only after Shadowman pinpointed such illegalities. Mango seeds may have germinated at Sonsoddo, and if they were hybrid ones.
Goa marching forward?
Margao’s filmmaker Rajendra Talak is trying to throw his hat in the political ring. Shadowman noted Talak personally monitoring road tarring work in the SGPDA area. “I have spent from my pocket nearly Rs 70 lakh on SGPDA area beautification- for ‘Clean Margao Green Margao.’ People appreciated it. I do not want a label to carry ‘Goa Forward’…with my work it is already marching forward,” Shadowman heard him saying, while he interacted with media. There was a cold war still going on between the visionaries wanting to take Goa forward and the Talak group who volunteered to assist the civic body financially to resolve the town’s pending problems. “If people want Talak in politics I am ready,” Talak said. Whose backing Talak would enjoy? Only time will tell.
‘We owe responsibility’
Shadowman wanted to take rest after early morning rounds, but soon an alarm about the MMC meeting sounded. Shadowman rushed and mingled with the councillors right away. “We owe the responsibility for the delay in pre-monsoon work,” submitted chairperson Babita Prabhudesai. It was for the first time that a chairperson has openly admitted a mistake, Shadowman noted. At the end of the lackluster and noisy MMC meeting, Babita gave chance to each councillor to put forth their problems. It prolonged and prolonged, but fair chance was given to first timers to speak, if they hadn’t in last 6 months; interesting intention! Shadowman spotted a photo of the councillor Ashlesha Naik, who recently passed away, at the conference hall, but facing backwards.
Unauthorised parking by lawyers
Shadowman, in a bid to dodge rains, rushed into one of the rooms of the civil court at old market. The rush at the court drew his attention. “I was targeted and threatened by some people. They demanded with me to withdraw from Raikar’s case. I was not allowed to do a lawful duty,” Shadowman heard advocate Rajeev Gomes complaining outside the courtroom. Police presence was seen and later Gomes was escorted. Thereafter, Shadowman went up to the first floor and saw how the unauthorised parking by the lawyers outside the building had congested the narrow roads. Can the traffic SP penalise them and issue challans? question struck Shadowman.