Ref. No. 85/DKA/2014-15 Date : 24.07.2014
To, The Chief Editor, Panjim Goa Dear Sir, We had organized Fr. Freddy J. Da Costa Memorial Lecture at Margao on 20th July 2014. We give herebelow the report of the same. Photographs are emailed to your mailing address. Kindly give publicity to this news. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, (Vincy Quadros) Secretary, 9822587498 *CITIZENS SHOULD SHOULDER THEIR CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES TO TACKLE GARBAGE PROBLEM* - *Prof. Rajendra P. Kerkar* Citizens in Goa must shoulder their civic responsibilities to tackle the alarming garbage problem and understand the serious fall-out of reckless use of plastic. We have to go back to using bio-degradable products, urged Prof. Rajendra Kerkar and said that religious heads could play a significant role in this regard. The noted environmentalist was speaking at a function held on 20th July 2014 at Black Box, Ravindra Bhavan, Margao which was organized by Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) in association with *Fr. Freddy J Da Costa Memorial Trust *(FFJCMT) on the occasion of the 61st birth anniversary of Fr. Freddy da Costa. Prof. Rajendra Kerkar delivered his lecture on ‘The Natural and Cultural Heritage of Goa’ which was attended by FFJCMT President Fr. Manuel Gomes, DKA President Premanand Lotlikar, Vice-President Fr. Conceicao D’ Silva, Secretary Vincy Quadros, Treasurer Walter Menezes, member Nevena Furtado, Gulab Editor Fausto Da Costa and others. Garbage problem is assuming serious proportions every passing day and more so in the cities and towns. It was time to accept our shortcomings, asserted Kerkar while pointing out that we should stop blaming the Government alone for the mess. As per Article 41/48 of the Indian Constitution, it was our duty to safeguard our nature but plastic and thermocol was being indiscriminately used, he said while reminding that such garbage would take not less than 10 years to disintegrate. Prof. Rajendra Kerkar said that it was a matter of great concern that elephants, horses and wild boar were being hunted in Goa and disclosed that our state was home to some rare species of snakes and eagles, with places like Rivona and Sanguem abounding with amazing butterflies, birds and frogs. He feared that if we continued the pace with which we were consuming fast-foods, Goa would soon earn the dubious distinction of being the capital of diabetes. Organic food like mushrooms, home-grown vegetables and fruits would make our life better health-wise, he said and appealed to all to make use of bamboo and cane in our households. In the olden times, temples and churches were built with an eye on protecting the environment, he said and added that mining should not be at the cost of losing our rich forest cover. Natividade De Sa, Fr. Eusebio Gomes, Tomazinho Cardozo and Premanand Lotlikar took part in the open session that followed the memorial lecture. In his welcome address, Fr. Conceicao D’Silva recalled the contribution of Fr. Freddy J da Costa and said that in his untimely death, Konkani language had lost a great son. DKA President Premanand Lotlikar said religious heads in Goa could play a big role to change the mindset of the citizens regarding the use of plastic. He also appealed to everyone to strengthen the Konkani language and work towards its development without discriminating any scripts. On this occasion FFJCMT felicitated Maria Platilda Dias e Afonso (tiatrist), Pedro Thomas Fernandes (agriculturist) and Guadalupe Dias (writer) at the hands of Prof. Kerkar. Select compositions of late Fr. Freddy were presented by Ivor Gomes, Felipe Barreto and group. DKA Secretary Vincy Quadros proposed the vote of thanks while Daniel F. De Souza and Marcos Gonsalves compered the function. Photographs are attached.: DSC 0461 - Recipients of Felicitations all DSC 0372 - Fr. Freddy's potrait DSC 0381 - (From L to R)Jackson, Daphenie, Alida, Ivor, Joanro, Felipe, Ashley DSC 411 - DKA President Premanand Lotlikar offering flowers to Rajendra P Kerkar DSC 414 - Rajendra P Kerkar delivering Fr. Freddy Memorial Lecture DSC 416 - Fr. Eusebio Gomes at debate DSC 418 - Tomazinho Cardozo at debate DSC 422 - (From L to R) Fr. Conceicao D' Silva, Fr. Manuel Gomes, Rajendra P Kerkar, Premanand A Lotlikar and Vincy Quadros DSC 427 - Felicitation of Platilda Dias DSC 431 - Felicitation of Thomas Fernandes DSC 436 - Felicitation of Guadalupe Dias ------
