Lapses of lingy…

A JOURNO once quizzed the big bully of Goan politics, and the latter rattled off a quick retort. “On what grounds?” the journo probed. “On Fatorda Grounds,” the minister smugly responded, a pun on the venue, which used to be a fairground where theatre, sports and well, fairs, were frequent happenings.

In 1989, a stadium was built on the fairground and predictably named the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The Minister’s Q&A quickly became a popular PJ (poor joke), oft repeated during my student days in the 90s. Sadly, Fatorda, my hometown is not a quaint piece of Goan haven, by any measure. Neither is it a stone’s throw away from the beach.

However, my home in Fatorda is a stone’s throw away (literally) from the stadium, and that is where we head for our morning walks – on the tarred road encircling the stadium. For a fee of Rs 500, one can get a pass to walk on tarred road in the morning hours, a welcome idea for Goans who have a robust social life and cholesterol-rich khana.

A venue for both national and international tournaments, the stadium reeks of neglect – garbage is strewn everywhere, the grass encircling the tarred road encircling the stadium is cluttered with all kinds of crap – clothes, parts of some vehicle and such (yes, where the heck do they come from!?) Turns out that students from all over the place come down for sports camps, accompanied by their teachers, but neither kids and teachers have basic etiquette about disposing off garbage in bins.

Fatorda stadium

Inside the stadium the grass is growing wildly because there are no football matches in the rains? Here’s a peek. But one can forgive the authorities for it during the monsoons.

During one such morning walk, we had to take a bit of a detour from the tarred road on account of the sewage pipe, which burst. The sewage water gushed fast and furiously and we had to walk in the corridors, for that stretch.

The mainstream media does not like to harp on it, but the jewel of Indian tourism is going down the toilet. And what are the stadium brothers doing with the Rs 500?

There seems to be a general lack of attention to basic hygiene factors across the board, and I don’t mean the literal meaning of hygiene. I mean – do we think in terms of making tourism environmentally-friendly, do we think of having dustbins, so people can crap, where it rightfully belongs. Can our sermons in church be less preachy and more spiritual? I don’t wanna get all VS Naipaul on it, but this trip made me realise what I have understood and feared for a long time through snatches of reportage in the mainstream media – the state is in self-destruct mode.

Priorities are all wrong. Mining, real estate development and penny-wise, pound-foolish tourism are the main focus. The latter is rather commercial, and not so quaint or charming to the discerning eye. Internet connections are slow, public transport is in poor shape, traffic is a mess, and the land is being disrespected.

Sunrise or sunset?

Though I am on one big cynical trip, I must, must applaud a part of civil society that is  attempting to make a dent, many of whom are not activists by profession but have taken on the baton of protest.

But it’s a long and tough road, especially since Goans have been laidback for decades. Also, there’s an exodus of young people for the Middle East, Canada, US, and some oddballs like me who pitch their tent in Delhi. Nevertheless, it pains one to see the paradise ailing. Where does even start to make a difference? A young man I know wants to contest the elections and make a difference. I wish him all the best, but I hope that his intentions will remain honourable.

The state needs to be saved. I hope the world takes notice.

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