House pays tribute to six socio-cultural activists
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 26 March 2012 12:55 IST
Socio-cultural activists received a fitting tribute in the Assembly today while paying homage to six personalities who expired in last one week.
Prominent among them was Matanhy Saldhana, who died as the tourism minister after waging people's struggles for four long decades.
More than a politician, practically every member recalled his social activism that had shaken up past governments, especially of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and the Congress.
Members recalled the struggles Matanhy led including his fight against industrial pollution against Zuari Agro, rights of Ramponkar and Render, anti-SEZ, anti-Nylon 6,6 and anti-Meta strips, Konkan railway realignment as well as making Konkani Goa's official language.
The legislators also paid rich tribute to the cosistent work Dr Kasturi Desai had done in the field of environment protection and research.
She is perhaps the only scholar who had studied the sand dune vegetation in India and highlighted its necessity to protect this vegetation of save the sinking coastline of Goa.
The cultural contribution of tiatrist Remmie Colaco and Kirtankar Radhabai Kamat Chandgadkar was also remembered in the House. Few members even suggested to conduct a state-level Kirtan Mahotsav in her name.
Members also highlighted the cultural and intellectual contribution Gomant Vidya Niketan has made to Goa, while paying rich tributes to Ashok Karen, president of Gomantk Vidya Niketan, which completed 100 years last week.
Even Sulekhabai Chowgule, wife of industrialist Yeshwantrao Chowgule, was remembered for her contribution at the Mata Secondary High School in Vasco.
