According to trade unionist and social activist, Christopher Fonseca: In
Goa, too, many homeless people are seen sleeping in the passages of
buildings in Goa's cities.: Mr. Fonseca being Goan surely might be
knowing who these people might be who are sleeping in the passages of
Building in Goa's cities. I would not be wrong if I say, among these
people one might not even find a single real Goan. These are the migrant
labourers, beggars and perhaps poor tourists who may not be able to pay
the high cost of lodging in touristic Goa who are cheaply off loaded
daily from Konkan Railway. These people precisely migrant labourers and
beggars even if you offer them a shelter will not take advantage of it
as their design is not to stay permanently or where they have full day
and night protection as their motive is if labourer to search work at
day break and if beggar to beg and make as much money as possible and go
back to their state through same cheap Konkan Railway perhaps after some
weeks or months. These type of people will never go to Provedoria's
night shelter. There may be many so called homeless but they would
never want to take advantage of such opportunities because that
restricts their independent movement and liberty as they came for a
purpose and that purpose has to be fulfilled as faster as possible.
Another homeless tribe who raises tens of hundred huts by overnight even
if you give them homes after their huts either are destroyed though
deliberate fire or as illegal occupants such type of people will stay in
Govt provided houses for few weeks then go back to their hurts culture
again by renting their Govt. given homes. It is unfortunate one cannot
eradicate such evil when this is the kind of culture of some of these
tribes. These people provide very good stock to national and
international media to publicize the ugly picture of India. Thus it is a
worthless exercise to help such people. Homeless Goans one might find
only if their homes are broken down due to excessive rains or due to
mining blasts or any other natural calamities or those of expanding poor
families, but one will never find them sleeping in the passages of
Buildings in Goa's cities or villages.
Elvino Rodrigues.
From: Goanet News Service
Provedoria opens doors to homeless
Paul Fernandes, TNN, Feb 13, 2011, 01.09am IST
PANAJI: Knock and ye shall find... a night shelter in Panaji.
Recolhimento de Serra, an old aged home, run by Provedoria at Altinho
has been declared a night shelter for the state's homeless. But more
than a week later nobody has knocked at the door of the centuries-old
institution.........................
