Keep Goa Clean

Goa is projected to be ‘Clean and Green’, but is it really clean anymore, as shown in the advertisements to promote tourism? Or is it only that the tourist destinations are in the process of being preserved and kept clean? The nuisance of garbage is everywhere, not only in Goa, but the world. Yet we have also come across instances where people have gotten together and come up with effective measures in order to keep their area clean. On the show on Star Plus, hosted by actor/director Amir Khan, there was an episode entirely devoted to what harm is caused because of garbage, and what effective, simple and reliable methods can be undertaken in order to overcome this problem. Such should not viewed plainly for entertainment, but also to make people aware of what can be done by the people easily to save our environment from further harm.

Various areas are full of garbage and are not being cleared. Even areas around hospitals are unclean. With particular reference to the unclean area around GMC, the wide open area next to the hospital has been used as a dumping ground for the hospital waste just thrown in heaps over a long period of time. In front of the hospital lies the waste of the stalls put up, specially the tender coconut and sugar cane waste. The whole area is so unhygienic, but people still do not care about it. If this is the condition of the place we get treated in, what do we expect for the hygiene in other places?

Various eco-friendly NGO’s have taken up this very serious issue. But do we only wait for such NGO’s to come clean up the filth created by us? Why can’t we the young and energetic youth lag behind in following our responsibility in keeping our surroundings clean? We the young people can break the bad habit of keeping our own clean and dirtying the property of our neighbors. We should dispose off our own waste properly so that it doesn’t cause any discomfort to others and solves the problem of garbage in unwanted areas. And if we see someone else littering the surrounding, we should make the person realize what harm is caused to nature by this move. It is a step an individual should take, by keeping our surroundings clean in order to protect our environment, thereby having a better and a cleaner Goa.

By Ovia Xavier

Encouraging today’s Youth

In today’s world encouraging the Youth has become an important task. Giving them positive comments and appreciating their achievements is very necessary. Of late, I was fortunate enough to witness one such event where the students were awarded certificates and prizes for their achievement in academics and sports. It was nice to see so many students appreciated for their hard work. Students who did not receive awards also took part for the function. It was pleasing to see many people attending the event other than students.

Competition is increasing day by day and it has become very difficult for the students to cope up with it. Life is a race, and everyone wants to come first and so the efforts of the non achievers are totally neglected. Only with more efforts made by each individual, will it help overcome fear and anxiety to achieve the impossible.

But I feel students should not be encouraged only for academics but for extracurricular activities as well. Some students mug-up and learn and therefore are not able to put into practice what they have learnt. Students should enjoy and learn not only to attain marks, but also to draw meaning out of their own lives. Schools and Colleges should organize co-curricular activities so that students are able to face the crowd outside their own schools colleges. Sending students for competitions also facilitates them in knowing and acknowledging their talents.

Not everyone can excel in academics. So the youth should focus more on the talents which they possess. Now a day’s sport is also coming in forefront, and a lot of opportunities are coming up in this field. Many people put their feet forward in dancing, singing and painting. This may give them reasonable income, but it can surely give them satisfaction of doing what they are always fond of doing.

So I feel that students should be motivated more to try new things at random and to select their own “cup of tea” rather than following the bandwagon of people wanting to attain good marks. And if encouraged by parents and teachers, this task may very easily be achieved.

By Sofia D'costa

“Goans First…Outsiders second.....”

In any government office one might not be surprised if the person cannot respond to your inquiry in konkani, our mother tongue. One feels alien to his own motherland as most of the institutions and offices employ Non Goans. The most affected by all this is we, the Youth. So we can imagine the state of Goa down the line in 20 years. Goan youth are unemployed while the non Goans enjoy the benefits at the cost of those residing in Goa.

The Goan youth are unemployed withal the necessary qualification for the post while it is being occupied by some non Goan. This is injustice on the part of the Goans who feel lost and helpless in their own land. The casinos, private companies and other institutions have more non Goans rather than Goans as their employee’s. It is high time that we give a thought to this matter and act towards this issue. The Government and other institutions should ensure that first preference is given to the Goans based on merit. The employers should make sure that those residing in Goa should be giver more importance than the others.

This in turn will help to reduce if not solve the problem of unemployment in Goa. The youth enticed by the lucrative jobs on ships and Gulf States will desire to work in their own motherland, if jobs are available. There will be more and more job opportunities and most of the people who frustrated of non availability of jobs will be relieved of the issue of unemployment.

So “ Goemkar paile bhaile magir “ should be our aim and we should adopt any possible measure to fulfill it.

Vanisha Rodrigues.

HEALTH TIPS FOR THE YOUTH

Most of us love eating food... Don't we???

Well today the overweight problem is more present than before. The world of today is a very busy place and we are living in a fast world where we have to be active throughout the whole day. We sometimes do not even have the time to prepare the meals, so we eat in restaurants, roadside food stalls, etc.

When one is a kid it is easy to take being healthy for granted. However, as we grow, we need to stay healthy by following a few good habits that will help us be fit and healthy.

Living healthy can be fun, easy and can make us feel better about ourselves as we grow older. In addition, living a healthy life will also decrease our chances for having chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cancer or hearth disease.

Following are two simple ways to stay healthy:-

1)   Exercising:

When we exercise, it is not necessary that we go to the gym. The exercises can be performed in our home. One can run through the neighbourhood or even skip at home. Any kind of exercising will help us and our body to be more fit. It will not only keep us fit but also improve our blood pressure and heart rate. We must dedicate a little time for exercises and by doing this it will surely benefit us.

2)   Diet:

One of the big factors that contribute to obesity is junk food. Try to cook something healthy at home and carry it to college, rather than eating the junk and healthy food in the canteen. Most of the youth feel that by avoiding meals one will definitely loose weight, but this is very far from the truth. We should eat five times a day and there should be two small and three big meals, with all the nutrients present in them. Remember that avoiding meals is never a good idea and by doing so, we will deprive our body of the needed nutrients.

So, EAT HEALTHY… STAY HEALTHY AND BE HAPPY!!!

                                                         
                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                   Posted By:
                                                                                                             Luella Fernandes

Mobile Phones a Blessing to This World!

Mobile Phones a Blessing to This World!

The emergence of cell phones has brought with it many positive as well as negative effects to both the individual as well as the society. Mobile phone technology provides the ability to reach anyone anytime anywhere in the world through calling and texting. Mobile Phone technology has provided the benefit of security. Parents buy their children phone for safety and security. Children having phones can always keep in contact with their parents so if anything goes wrong they can ring for help. The mobile phone not only brings us closer it keeps us constantly in contact with people with just one press of a button.

Nowadays, mobile phone is no longer the simple communication tool for individuals. It has become a powerful media with powerful functions for information communication. Students are always the fashion followers and mobile phone, with the symbol of fashion, popularity and innovation, fits in with the psychological characteristic of youngsters nowadays. Now colleges
have become the main market of mobile phones. As the development of 3G technology and the decrease in price, mobile phones will irresistibly become the temptation for students on campus. Unfortunately, mobile phones have also brought about anti-social behaviour as well. Because people don’t have to answer to face to face consequences it’s easier to engage in abuse and antisocial behaviour such as cyber bullying, which is on rise nowadays. Keeping that aside Mobile phone has created a new education mode, as well as the advanced
education methods. One can increase one’s knowledge by downloading some of the apps from internet onto their cell phone for example one may download a dictionary which may help increase the vocabulary of a person. In order to improve the education of today’s era, we should make good use of cell phones.


By Veda Pai Kane

The Role of Youth Today

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The Role of Youth Today

The youth of today is the future nation builder. Young people can be of great help to the country and can serve national cause if their energies are properly harnessed. The young people are generally ignored when the question of giving some important positions is concerned. Though they are capable of being a part of such important things, they are mostly ignored. Hence the young people cant play any constructive role in the task of nation building. This shows that the power of youth is not been properly utilised.

A nation can make progress if the social customs and traditions do not remain torpid. There should be a change for better,in the living conditions from time to time and the youth today can help in changing the conditions for better, if they work with unity and peace using their knowledge and energy at proper place and time. A common conservative man does not want any change in the working conditions and if such people manage the affairs of a nation than obviously the nation wont make any progress. So its the duty of the youth to give a touch of newness and take the initiative to overhaul the social system of the country. They should try to revolt against the social evils and protect our society.

The youth can help in consolidating the democratic setup. The older generation are more earthly in outlook and hence they are more selfish and utilitarian. So the youth can take a stand and can help the government by giving their fresh, usefull new ideas. If the youth try to spread the awareness, the society will rise above the petty differences of caste, religion and language, and thus can help in national integration.

Now it is the duty of the youth to use their blooming ideas and energy to build an integrated nation. The youth today need proper direction.
By Pooja Palyekar

Awareness of Human Trafficking....A Must!

Awareness of Human Trafficking….. A Must!

Among the many evil practices such as rape, murder, suicide etc., the most prevalent is child labor at which we all lay a blind eye. It is not a minor issue as it is portrayed in today’s world. It starts with child labor and further implies serious crimes like human trafficking and many others.

The victims are usually from poor families who are been lured by job facilities and the helpless kids are unwillingly brought to work. It is their age to play, study and enjoy but the poor kids are deprived of all this and are made to sacrifice all the happiness and are embedded into such terrible conditions. Children are meant to be cared and protected by their parents but many a times it so happens that due to the unpleasing conditions, the parents forget all about love and care towards their children and go to an extent of selling them. Such hideous crimes are not only seen among children but most often they are ‘women centered’, wives, sisters, daughters are been trapped in human trafficking and are made to work as sex workers.

So people! This is to bring to your notice the ghastly hidden blee of human trafficking. Be aware of such horrid crimes and spread the awareness.

By Veda Pai Kane

Accidents Big Or Small, Avoid Them All!!!!!!!

Today on my way to Panjim I noticed some students of Fr. Agnel School standing with boards reading ‘Wear Your Helmet’ and ‘Use Your Seat Belt’. Do we really require such basic reminders on safety traffic rules? Wearing a seat belt in a moving vehicle or a helmet is believed to have saved millions of lives worldwide. It is the easiest and the most important precautions one can take to minimize the risk of a deadly road accident, yet why do people ignore such rules. Daily we find so many accident cases reported, and these mainly include the youth. The youth of today has become so life daring that they do not fear death at all. Speeding or racing and using cell phones while riding or driving are other main reasons for the increasing number of accidents taking place in today’s world.

In recent times, the ‘late night party life’ has become a routine for the youth since parties are organized all over Goa at different places everyday. Youngsters at such parties get involved in bad habits like heavy drinking, smoking and drugs that temper with their senses which lead to accidents when they try their hands at driving or riding. This wrong decision of taking the wheel while drunken puts the driver as well as the others present in the vehicle at great risk of accidents.

Our parents give us vehicles with so much trust to make our travelling life easier; shouldn’t we uphold their trust and take the responsibility of our lives seriously? Does it take too much of us to follow simple traffic rules for our own safety and the safety of others whose lives we put at risk? These are simple rules, that if followed may reduce accidents to a minimum, and help save many valuable lives that may be at risk.

By Ovia Xavier