FAHAHEEL BROS JR, BIG BOYS AND AVC – KUWAIT PROGRESS AHEAD IN IFFK LEAGUE 2011 AT DAYA GROUNDS.
Once again on a tranquil Friday morning the cream of Indian expatriate football community gathered on 25th March 2011 at the picturesque Daya Football Stadium to witness yet another day of compact expatriate football on the magnificent astro turf pitch, in the ongoing IFFK league for the unique and customised IFFK Rolling Trophy. Moving away from sand and worn out grass pitches, fans and players have simply adored this playing surface made available to IFFK by the concerted efforts of its members.
Experienced Veterans United kicked off the proceedings against Fahaheel Bros Jr in the first match of the day. Fahaheel Bros Jr. constantly attacked the Veterans citadel which fell in the 8th minute of the first half through Liyakkath Ali. Veterans were finding it difficult to handle the fleet footed Fahaheel Bros Jr., but somehow managed possession and displayed brilliant ball control in the midfield by Benny, Merwyn and Steven. Merwyn almost equalised for Veterans, but saw his shot ballooning over the cross bar with only the goalkeeper at his mercy. The second half was again dominated by Fahaheel Bros Jr who had the lion share of the spoils as Veterans players started to tire out and Liayakatt completed his brace. Veterans tried their best to come back in the game with Merwyn trying his best to wriggle out from the opposition strangle hold by pushing forward, but their forward line just faded away when Jayan C scored the third goal for Fahaheel Bros Jr. to end the game 3-0 in favour Fahaheel Bros Jr.
The second match pitted Indians against Big Boys. Indians with young new faces this season stunned Big Boys in quick succession with a brace from Scott Gomes. The first goal by Scott was a gem to watch as he collected a long hop from Remy in the midfield and placed coolly in the net beating the rival goalkeeper. Before Big Boys could get in to the rhythm Scott scored again and suddenly Indians were flying high and Big Boys in disarray. Expecting a backlash from the opponents Indians tightened their defence, but cracked under sustained pressure from Big Boys with Shaheer Usman reducing the margin before the breather. In the second half the flamboyant and animated manager of Big Boys changed his strategy and his team were quick off the blocks and stunned Indians with a quick equaliser from Ajmal Kareem. Goaded by this success Big Boys put relentless pressure on the opposition and surged ahead through Shaheer who scored the third goal and thereafter Niaz Ummer made it four for Big Boys to end the match 4-2 in their favour. By far this was the best performance by Indians in the ongoing league with their young and new faces shining bright. Big Boys displayed terrific performance to come back from two goals down to score four and win the match.
The third match between AVC - Kuwait and MAC was awarded to AVC- Kuwait as once again MAC played truant.
The matches were officiated by Indian Football Referees Association (IFRA) Kuwait.
IFFK notifies all its affiliates and fans that the next round of IFFK League matches to be held on 1st April 2011 will be held at the Salmiya Baladiya Stadium as the renovated football pitch is ready for action.
Following are the league fixture scheduled on 1st April 2010 to be held on Salmiya Baladiya Stadium.
At 7.00am Big Boys v/s Fahaheel Bros Jr.
At 8.30am Don Bosco Oratory v/s Fahaheel Bros Sr.
NEXT IFFK LEAGUE FIXTURE AT SALMIYA BALADIYA GROUND ON 21ST APRIL 2011
March 31, 2011
March 29, 2011
IS INDIA A GOAT??
In the recently passed UN resolution mandating UN to implement No Fly Zone over Libya, India along with Brazil, China, Russia abstained from voting in the resolution thereby converting India’s status as that of a dumb Goat. Abstaining from voicing its opinion either for or against is a job of a Dumb. Is India such a mighty power so impotent to voice its opinion on such an important and crucial issue? If tomorrow India gets a Seat in UN as permanent Member wielding even a Veto power then what will be India’s position? How the weak nations and weak people attacked and massacred by the brute powers and dictatorial governments will get help from India which is on record to support the human rights all over the World?
Ghaddafi is killing his own people in the East of Libya, these Libyans are demanding democracy and other liberties from Ghaddafi who is ruling Libya for the last 41 years as if he is the master of Libyans and Libyan citizens are his slaves. Holding power for such a long period has gone to his head and made him absolutely corrupt. When East Pakistani Bengalis started demanding liberties and democratic rights for them from West Pakistan, Gen. Yaha Khan the president of Pakistan instructed his military in East Pakistan to commit rapes and genocide on Bengali people. Because of this there was turmoil in East Pakistan forcing people there to flee to India. Bengali refugees started pouring into India forcing India to raise its voice against the catastrophic calamity taking place in East Pakistan finally provoking India to wage a deadly war against Pakistan in East Pakistan till East Pakistan was liberated from the West. When India is on record to wage a war against neighbouring country to stop it from brutalising its own citizens then why not India openly side with the suppressed people of Libya who are asking democratic rights for them? Moreover, huge number of suppressed Libyans are fleeing to Italy as refugees to avoid persecution of Ghaddafi in their own land just like East Pakistani Bengalis were doing under the persecution of Gen. Yaha Khan.
India is looked upon by the suppressed people all around the globe as protector of their rights and privileges and suppressed Libyan people were expecting India not only to support their cause openly but also to condemn Ghaddafi and his dictatorial regime. By keeping its neutrality India put itself into a shame in the eyes of the democratic World. This was never expected from India that is championing democracy and the cause of suppressed people all around the world.
On behalf of all the suppressed people demanding democratic rights for them I condemn India’s stand on Libya. India showed its acceptance of Ghaddafi’s brutalising of his own Arab Muslim people in its Eastern sector. India professes to be the champion of democracy but in Libyan case India proved its campaign for democracy is nothing but a big Hoax. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in his masterpiece “If I Am Assassinated” written from the prison cell where he was confined before facing the gallows said that India remained united after its independence only because of its shout of democracy which is nothing but a big Hoax. If India remained as India till now it is only because of its democratic slogan thru which it kept itself as a homogeneous entity, otherwise India is not a true democracy, people are fooled in India in the name of the “Mantra” called democracy.
According to me India is not the supporter of democracy, for its selfish benefits it supports even anti-democratic and undemocratic regimes and dictators. During the invasion of Kuwait India also played its dirty dual role of Dr. Jackyl and Mr. Hyde by showing its neutrality instead of condemning Saddam Hussein for illegally invading Kuwait. Moreover, it sent its Foreign Minister Gujral to Baghdad to embrace Saddam Hussein and to kiss his hand thereby approving Saddam Hussein as a hero for invading Kuwait? India is governed by a few people having love for dictatorship in the name of democracy. With the Lollipop of democracy in its hand India is fooling the poor Indian masses who do not understand democracy. India is ruled by a group of dictators against the wishes of the people at the Centre as well as in the States.
I applaud the coalition partners mainly USA, France, Britain and other countries for stopping Ghaddafi and his soldiers from killing and raping his own people in Libya I also applaud NATO for taking full control of stopping Ghaddafi from doing any further harm to civilian Libyans. By this action of theirs, it is once again proved that World will be better protected only by the democratic West and NOT by India, China, Russia and their impotent partners who like to watch as silent spectators when Ghaddafis kill and maim their own people for asking democracy and more democratic rights in their own countries. All the Ghaddafis in the world especially in the Middle East must go either peacefully or forcefully. Then only there will be peace in this region.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
Ghaddafi is killing his own people in the East of Libya, these Libyans are demanding democracy and other liberties from Ghaddafi who is ruling Libya for the last 41 years as if he is the master of Libyans and Libyan citizens are his slaves. Holding power for such a long period has gone to his head and made him absolutely corrupt. When East Pakistani Bengalis started demanding liberties and democratic rights for them from West Pakistan, Gen. Yaha Khan the president of Pakistan instructed his military in East Pakistan to commit rapes and genocide on Bengali people. Because of this there was turmoil in East Pakistan forcing people there to flee to India. Bengali refugees started pouring into India forcing India to raise its voice against the catastrophic calamity taking place in East Pakistan finally provoking India to wage a deadly war against Pakistan in East Pakistan till East Pakistan was liberated from the West. When India is on record to wage a war against neighbouring country to stop it from brutalising its own citizens then why not India openly side with the suppressed people of Libya who are asking democratic rights for them? Moreover, huge number of suppressed Libyans are fleeing to Italy as refugees to avoid persecution of Ghaddafi in their own land just like East Pakistani Bengalis were doing under the persecution of Gen. Yaha Khan.
India is looked upon by the suppressed people all around the globe as protector of their rights and privileges and suppressed Libyan people were expecting India not only to support their cause openly but also to condemn Ghaddafi and his dictatorial regime. By keeping its neutrality India put itself into a shame in the eyes of the democratic World. This was never expected from India that is championing democracy and the cause of suppressed people all around the world.
On behalf of all the suppressed people demanding democratic rights for them I condemn India’s stand on Libya. India showed its acceptance of Ghaddafi’s brutalising of his own Arab Muslim people in its Eastern sector. India professes to be the champion of democracy but in Libyan case India proved its campaign for democracy is nothing but a big Hoax. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in his masterpiece “If I Am Assassinated” written from the prison cell where he was confined before facing the gallows said that India remained united after its independence only because of its shout of democracy which is nothing but a big Hoax. If India remained as India till now it is only because of its democratic slogan thru which it kept itself as a homogeneous entity, otherwise India is not a true democracy, people are fooled in India in the name of the “Mantra” called democracy.
According to me India is not the supporter of democracy, for its selfish benefits it supports even anti-democratic and undemocratic regimes and dictators. During the invasion of Kuwait India also played its dirty dual role of Dr. Jackyl and Mr. Hyde by showing its neutrality instead of condemning Saddam Hussein for illegally invading Kuwait. Moreover, it sent its Foreign Minister Gujral to Baghdad to embrace Saddam Hussein and to kiss his hand thereby approving Saddam Hussein as a hero for invading Kuwait? India is governed by a few people having love for dictatorship in the name of democracy. With the Lollipop of democracy in its hand India is fooling the poor Indian masses who do not understand democracy. India is ruled by a group of dictators against the wishes of the people at the Centre as well as in the States.
I applaud the coalition partners mainly USA, France, Britain and other countries for stopping Ghaddafi and his soldiers from killing and raping his own people in Libya I also applaud NATO for taking full control of stopping Ghaddafi from doing any further harm to civilian Libyans. By this action of theirs, it is once again proved that World will be better protected only by the democratic West and NOT by India, China, Russia and their impotent partners who like to watch as silent spectators when Ghaddafis kill and maim their own people for asking democracy and more democratic rights in their own countries. All the Ghaddafis in the world especially in the Middle East must go either peacefully or forcefully. Then only there will be peace in this region.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
March 25, 2011
CHRISTIAN SATELLITE NEWS CHANNEL NEEDED.
The Indian TV News Channels ( ndtv, timesnow, headlinestoday, newsx, cnnibn, etc) don’t give any coverage to issues related to Christians in India for reasons best known to the people who run these news channels. Here in Bombay during the last one month various Christian groups have been protesting & protesting against the illegal demolitions of heritage crosses by the BMC but not a single national TV news channel has bothered to give any coverage inspite of the fact that all these TV news channels have their regional office and reporters in Bombay.
In Gorai – Manori – Uttan the local Christians have been protesting & protesting against sez, utan garbage dumping ground, powerful builders mafia, hotel lobby, damage done to mangroves, etc but all this does not appear in any TV news channel. In some parts of India churches, graveyards & crosses are still being vandalized, Christians are loosing land, Christians are being denied government jobs, govt housing & civic facilities, church properties are being sold off, church funds are being misused, children of poor Christians are being denied admission in Christian/Convent/Catholic schools and a lot of other issues that affects Christians in India is not reported in any of the Indian TV News Channels. So what is the solution ?? Can some Independent Christian groups which are associated with lay christians/catholics like the Bombay based Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) pool resources and start a news channel and give coverage to various issues that affects Christians in India ???
Sure a IMPOSSIBLE dream but Dig for it. Put your desires into motion not just thought. Act. Be bold and courageous. Will it be easy? Not likely. Will it be worth the work, the risk, the frustration? Absolutely. Persist, persevere. Life gives you the opportunity now so don't let one more moment escape your capacity to have, be, or get what you want. Remember that YOU are the instrument of change, the mechanism that with all your capacity will see new things unfold as you put thought into action. Anything is POSSIBLE. If at all AOCC or any other independent Christian group succeeds in setting up a News channel then apart from giving coverage to above issues related to Christians the channel will also have to ensure that coverage is also given to current affairs, solar power, clean water, forest rights, tribal rights, farmers rights, fisherfolk rights, land acquisition, special economic zones, inflation, pollution, environment, land encroachment by builders & slumlords, the incestuous network between the land mafia, bureaucracy, builders and politicians, money laundering, etc etc etc.
The Parish Priests are not selected and elected by local parishoners and obviously the parish priests are not accountable to the parishoners. This system has to change. It is the local parishoners who should select and elect their parish priests. Only those parish priests should be selected & elected who have indepth knowledge of Bible, current affairs, environment who are good, humble & honest who will disclose how church funds are utilized in parish bulletins who will disclose the vacant church properties in possession of the church in parish bulletins who will utilize vacant church properties for the housing needs of poor christians who will not refuse admission to children of poor christians in parish schools who will be prepared to lead from the front who will be prepared to take up the problems faced by the lay christians with the goverment, muncipality, etc.
There are more than 1000 heritage crosses all across Bombay city & suburbs which were built during the Portuguese era. The Bombay Municipal Corp. wants to demolish these heritage crosses for road widening project. Christians in Bombay are not opposing the road widening project but want these heritage crosses to be lifted by cranes and relocated a few feet backward which the BMC is not interested in and if the BMC is not interested in relocating these heritage crosses then Christians in Bombay are fully justified in opposing the demolition of these heritage crosses by BMC. The EastIndians & Kolis were once upon a time the true owners of Bombay – Mobai – Bambai – Mumbai – Slumbai or whatever name you use to refer to this megapolis. The eastindians & kolis have been reduced to a status of Backward Class because of various reasons especially all their ancestral lands surrounding their villages ( gaothans & koliwadas ) in the Bombay region being taken over first by the British Raj & next by the Maharashtra Govt. without giving them proper compensation or Government jobs and the Maharashtra Govt. & Bombay Muncipal Corporation turning a blind eye to the various housing & civic problems the eastindians & kolis face in the Gaothans & Koliwadas.
A century back there were around 300 Gaothans & 100 Koliwadas in the Bombay ( salsette island plus seven islands ) region that number has been reduced to 189 Gaothans & 43 Koliwadas. The Gaothans & Koliwadas are spread across Bombay city & suburbs. These gaothans & koliwadas are surrounded by residential complexes, co-op housing societies, Industrial complexes, govt. housing colonies, skyscrapers, public sector undertakings, central/state govt. undertakings, shopping malls, seepz, sports stadiums, midc, hotels, slums, textile mills, airports, railways, universities, cinema halls, etc. Whereas the native Christians of Goa, Mangalore, Kerala are known as Goans, Mangaloreans & Keralites respectively, a large section of the native Christians in Maharashtra are known by the name EastIndians.
The name East Indian is not an exclusive one, for it is also used by some in West Bengal who are in no way connected with those in and around Bombay bearing the same name. Few would be expected to be aware that the name eastindian has a historical and not geographical connotation. Because of the inappropriate and misleading name very few people know about the eastindians of bombay. Some east indians are also at a loss when people ask "What are you?" or "Where are you from?" or “Where is your muluk ( native place )”. For the answer will elicit more questions than he or she would be able to answer. The East Indians were also known by the name 'Salsette Christians' though no territorial significance was attached to the name 'Salsette' and it merely meant a Christian of the North Konkan region which inlcludes present day Bombay, Thane & Raigad Districts. The North Konkan Region is also known as the Bombay Metropolitan Region.
SALSETTE ISLAND: The metropolis of Bombay and the city of Thane lie on the large Salsette island. The southern part of the salsette island, which includes Bombay City was originally seven small islands. The credit for reclamining all the seven small islands into one island goes to the British who gave the islands the name Bombay anglicized from the previous name BomBahia. Politically, most of the Salsette island falls into the municipality of Bombay. The municipality is divided into two separate districts, Bombay City and Bombay Suburbs. The northern portion of the Salsette Island lies within Thane District, which extends across Vasai and Thane creeks onto the mainland. The EastIndian Christians in Bombay city & suburbs lost all their lands and now it is the turn of Christians in gorai manori uttan. Today the lush greenery, the homes, the villages, the occupation exists in gorai manori belt. Everyone knows, each and every village in this Manori Gorai belt. A lot of funcitions are held, even till late night, road side crosses exists.
The same could be said of the seven islands (bombay city) about a hundred years ago, the same could be said of Salsettle island (present day bombay suburbs) about 50 years ago. If Gorai-Manori is lost, there will not be a single recognizable East Indian village in the Bombay Metropolitan region. The culture and language that has taken thousands of years to develop will be lost. The people will lose their homes and occupations. The residents will lose their means of livelihood which would lead to disintegration of their community both economically, spiritually and socially. If the people lose their homes and occupations the present churches in each of the villages would be reduced to monuments.
The over one thousand year old culture of the locals would be wiped out and the locals would suffer similar fate as the sons of the soil have in the island city and the suburbs of Bombay. The ‘Bombay/Salsette East Indians’ are the descendants of the thousands of indigenous people of Bombay and its environs who trace their conversion to Christianity back to AD 55 with the arrival of Christ’s disciple St.Bartholomew in north konkan, west maharashtra and who later were converted to the teachings of rome/vatican i.e. Catholicism by the four great preaching orders –Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians and Jesuits who arrived in the 15th Century alongwith the Portuguese. The Portuguese between the 15th and 17th century had controlled almost the entire Western Coastal Plains of India and the control extended from Daman to Vasai to Bombay to Goa to Mangalore to Kerala coast this explains why you will find many catholics in these regions. The Western Coastal Plains of India is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, ranging from 50 to 100 km in width and more than 2000 km in lenght. It extends from Gujarat in the north and through Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala.
Numerous rivers and backwaters inundate the region. Originating in the Western Ghats, the rivers are fast-flowing and mostly perennial, leading to the formation of estuaries. Major rivers flowing into the sea are the Tapi, Narmada, Mandovi and Zuari. The coast is divided into the Konkan, which is situated in Maharashtra, Goa and northern parts of Karnataka; the Kanara in Karnataka and the Malabar coast in Kerala. Vegetation is mostly deciduous, but the Malabar coast moist forests constitute a unique ecoregion. The Western coast of India with its wetlands, lagoons, mangroves, sea-grass beds, coral reefs and shallow bays, creeks and estuaries is rich in natural resources. Unfortunately, much of this wealth is often exploited in an indiscriminate or ill-planned manner resulting in rapid resource depletion and irreversible environmental degradation.
Major driving forces for coastal degradation include (a) high rate of growth in population leading to reclamation of coastal areas and release of wastes, (b) over-fishing due to lack of alternative livelihoods, (c) large commercial enterprises aiming at quick profit at the cost of sustainability and their insensitivity to the interests of local inhabitants, (d) ignorance about management of resource sustainability among stake holders and policy makers, (e) lack of understanding of environmental significance and importance of coastal habitats, and (f) inadequate enforcement of environmental rules and regulations.
Gabriel D'souza,
Bombay.
In Gorai – Manori – Uttan the local Christians have been protesting & protesting against sez, utan garbage dumping ground, powerful builders mafia, hotel lobby, damage done to mangroves, etc but all this does not appear in any TV news channel. In some parts of India churches, graveyards & crosses are still being vandalized, Christians are loosing land, Christians are being denied government jobs, govt housing & civic facilities, church properties are being sold off, church funds are being misused, children of poor Christians are being denied admission in Christian/Convent/Catholic schools and a lot of other issues that affects Christians in India is not reported in any of the Indian TV News Channels. So what is the solution ?? Can some Independent Christian groups which are associated with lay christians/catholics like the Bombay based Association of Concerned Catholics (AOCC) pool resources and start a news channel and give coverage to various issues that affects Christians in India ???
Sure a IMPOSSIBLE dream but Dig for it. Put your desires into motion not just thought. Act. Be bold and courageous. Will it be easy? Not likely. Will it be worth the work, the risk, the frustration? Absolutely. Persist, persevere. Life gives you the opportunity now so don't let one more moment escape your capacity to have, be, or get what you want. Remember that YOU are the instrument of change, the mechanism that with all your capacity will see new things unfold as you put thought into action. Anything is POSSIBLE. If at all AOCC or any other independent Christian group succeeds in setting up a News channel then apart from giving coverage to above issues related to Christians the channel will also have to ensure that coverage is also given to current affairs, solar power, clean water, forest rights, tribal rights, farmers rights, fisherfolk rights, land acquisition, special economic zones, inflation, pollution, environment, land encroachment by builders & slumlords, the incestuous network between the land mafia, bureaucracy, builders and politicians, money laundering, etc etc etc.
The Parish Priests are not selected and elected by local parishoners and obviously the parish priests are not accountable to the parishoners. This system has to change. It is the local parishoners who should select and elect their parish priests. Only those parish priests should be selected & elected who have indepth knowledge of Bible, current affairs, environment who are good, humble & honest who will disclose how church funds are utilized in parish bulletins who will disclose the vacant church properties in possession of the church in parish bulletins who will utilize vacant church properties for the housing needs of poor christians who will not refuse admission to children of poor christians in parish schools who will be prepared to lead from the front who will be prepared to take up the problems faced by the lay christians with the goverment, muncipality, etc.
There are more than 1000 heritage crosses all across Bombay city & suburbs which were built during the Portuguese era. The Bombay Municipal Corp. wants to demolish these heritage crosses for road widening project. Christians in Bombay are not opposing the road widening project but want these heritage crosses to be lifted by cranes and relocated a few feet backward which the BMC is not interested in and if the BMC is not interested in relocating these heritage crosses then Christians in Bombay are fully justified in opposing the demolition of these heritage crosses by BMC. The EastIndians & Kolis were once upon a time the true owners of Bombay – Mobai – Bambai – Mumbai – Slumbai or whatever name you use to refer to this megapolis. The eastindians & kolis have been reduced to a status of Backward Class because of various reasons especially all their ancestral lands surrounding their villages ( gaothans & koliwadas ) in the Bombay region being taken over first by the British Raj & next by the Maharashtra Govt. without giving them proper compensation or Government jobs and the Maharashtra Govt. & Bombay Muncipal Corporation turning a blind eye to the various housing & civic problems the eastindians & kolis face in the Gaothans & Koliwadas.
A century back there were around 300 Gaothans & 100 Koliwadas in the Bombay ( salsette island plus seven islands ) region that number has been reduced to 189 Gaothans & 43 Koliwadas. The Gaothans & Koliwadas are spread across Bombay city & suburbs. These gaothans & koliwadas are surrounded by residential complexes, co-op housing societies, Industrial complexes, govt. housing colonies, skyscrapers, public sector undertakings, central/state govt. undertakings, shopping malls, seepz, sports stadiums, midc, hotels, slums, textile mills, airports, railways, universities, cinema halls, etc. Whereas the native Christians of Goa, Mangalore, Kerala are known as Goans, Mangaloreans & Keralites respectively, a large section of the native Christians in Maharashtra are known by the name EastIndians.
The name East Indian is not an exclusive one, for it is also used by some in West Bengal who are in no way connected with those in and around Bombay bearing the same name. Few would be expected to be aware that the name eastindian has a historical and not geographical connotation. Because of the inappropriate and misleading name very few people know about the eastindians of bombay. Some east indians are also at a loss when people ask "What are you?" or "Where are you from?" or “Where is your muluk ( native place )”. For the answer will elicit more questions than he or she would be able to answer. The East Indians were also known by the name 'Salsette Christians' though no territorial significance was attached to the name 'Salsette' and it merely meant a Christian of the North Konkan region which inlcludes present day Bombay, Thane & Raigad Districts. The North Konkan Region is also known as the Bombay Metropolitan Region.
SALSETTE ISLAND: The metropolis of Bombay and the city of Thane lie on the large Salsette island. The southern part of the salsette island, which includes Bombay City was originally seven small islands. The credit for reclamining all the seven small islands into one island goes to the British who gave the islands the name Bombay anglicized from the previous name BomBahia. Politically, most of the Salsette island falls into the municipality of Bombay. The municipality is divided into two separate districts, Bombay City and Bombay Suburbs. The northern portion of the Salsette Island lies within Thane District, which extends across Vasai and Thane creeks onto the mainland. The EastIndian Christians in Bombay city & suburbs lost all their lands and now it is the turn of Christians in gorai manori uttan. Today the lush greenery, the homes, the villages, the occupation exists in gorai manori belt. Everyone knows, each and every village in this Manori Gorai belt. A lot of funcitions are held, even till late night, road side crosses exists.
The same could be said of the seven islands (bombay city) about a hundred years ago, the same could be said of Salsettle island (present day bombay suburbs) about 50 years ago. If Gorai-Manori is lost, there will not be a single recognizable East Indian village in the Bombay Metropolitan region. The culture and language that has taken thousands of years to develop will be lost. The people will lose their homes and occupations. The residents will lose their means of livelihood which would lead to disintegration of their community both economically, spiritually and socially. If the people lose their homes and occupations the present churches in each of the villages would be reduced to monuments.
The over one thousand year old culture of the locals would be wiped out and the locals would suffer similar fate as the sons of the soil have in the island city and the suburbs of Bombay. The ‘Bombay/Salsette East Indians’ are the descendants of the thousands of indigenous people of Bombay and its environs who trace their conversion to Christianity back to AD 55 with the arrival of Christ’s disciple St.Bartholomew in north konkan, west maharashtra and who later were converted to the teachings of rome/vatican i.e. Catholicism by the four great preaching orders –Dominicans, Franciscans, Augustinians and Jesuits who arrived in the 15th Century alongwith the Portuguese. The Portuguese between the 15th and 17th century had controlled almost the entire Western Coastal Plains of India and the control extended from Daman to Vasai to Bombay to Goa to Mangalore to Kerala coast this explains why you will find many catholics in these regions. The Western Coastal Plains of India is a narrow strip of land sandwiched between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, ranging from 50 to 100 km in width and more than 2000 km in lenght. It extends from Gujarat in the north and through Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala.
Numerous rivers and backwaters inundate the region. Originating in the Western Ghats, the rivers are fast-flowing and mostly perennial, leading to the formation of estuaries. Major rivers flowing into the sea are the Tapi, Narmada, Mandovi and Zuari. The coast is divided into the Konkan, which is situated in Maharashtra, Goa and northern parts of Karnataka; the Kanara in Karnataka and the Malabar coast in Kerala. Vegetation is mostly deciduous, but the Malabar coast moist forests constitute a unique ecoregion. The Western coast of India with its wetlands, lagoons, mangroves, sea-grass beds, coral reefs and shallow bays, creeks and estuaries is rich in natural resources. Unfortunately, much of this wealth is often exploited in an indiscriminate or ill-planned manner resulting in rapid resource depletion and irreversible environmental degradation.
Major driving forces for coastal degradation include (a) high rate of growth in population leading to reclamation of coastal areas and release of wastes, (b) over-fishing due to lack of alternative livelihoods, (c) large commercial enterprises aiming at quick profit at the cost of sustainability and their insensitivity to the interests of local inhabitants, (d) ignorance about management of resource sustainability among stake holders and policy makers, (e) lack of understanding of environmental significance and importance of coastal habitats, and (f) inadequate enforcement of environmental rules and regulations.
Gabriel D'souza,
Bombay.
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