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Chandor Ganv Vhodd Zaum! |
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Giving the Economy a Little Push Any plan for the development of our village is not worth the paper it is printed on if it does not include ideas for improving the economy. We have received countless suggestions for boosting village income. Let us explore the three that appear to hold the greatest promise � agriculture, horticulture/animal rearing and tourism. We can also glance at some other activity which can increase the contribution of local production to total income. At present, foreign remittances perhaps account for 60% of village income. In our search for self-sufficiency, we need to arrive at a point where income from local manufacture, agriculture and tourism preponderates, perhaps overtakes money from abroad! And ideally, all this income should be shared across all households in the village. (Let�s all be well-off together!). Wouldn�t it be something to survive on local income and simply save all the demand drafts that come from abroad and other parts of India?! Imagine the Chandor of your dreams. Now, work to make it happen!
Agriculture
| Tourism | Dairy
Farming... | Waste Management There is no question that we need to do a major rethink on our present style of cultivating rice, which is clearly uneconomical. One easy option and one which has proved successful all over the world is natural farming, using organic, natural manure. (See Fish Curry and Rice by Claude Alvares (ed). This is an excellent primer on the things that really matter in Goa. A copy is available in our library). It will also make sense to discontinue farming in small fragmented lots, and, instead, farm as a cooperative, treating all the communidade land as an indivisible, collectively-owned unit. First off, though, we must repair the baandh (embankment) near Miria Jirem. It is probably because of poor drainage and the use of Jaya rice that the brown plant hopper pest paid the village a visit some years ago. Next we need to take a long hard look at the grains (the so-called high yield variety) and the chemical fertiliser we use at present. The present method of cultivation yields poor returns because we have to not only buy grain and expensive chemical fertiliser and pesticides (DDT) but also because labour is so expensive in Goa. There is also the fact that most of us shirk physical labour, particularly working in the fields. Fortunately, natural, or organic, farming is a happy, environmentally-sound and inexpensive alternative. It is also an idler�s wildest dream come true � the sucegad, no-work style of farming! You don�t need to plough and till the ground or go out and buy chemical fertiliser. You simply broadcast the seed over the field, use natural, organic fertiliser (perhaps, even from our own compost pits and waste recycling plant) and then simply sit back and watch the crop grow. What a saving in labour, fertiliser and pesticide costs! And what a cost-effective way to clean up our environment: recycling our waste in our paddy fields by first converting it to fertiliser! Sucegad farming also makes sure the use of paddy land stays totally unchanged, and the open spaces and the uncluttered green views continue to refresh us when we return from long spells in crowded and noisy cities. Chandor already enjoys some tourism activity, but we can certainly use more. Our village has such lovely sights and charming stories to offer visitors: the grand Portuguese-style houses, the hidden Voil� Todem lake and the line of hills hovering over it, the 2nd century temple ruins in Cotta, the history-laden Kushavati river, the unparalleled green paddy fields at Misamer�! As for our legends and tales, which village can compare with the curse of the Kadamba queens, those endearing and terrifying stories of Cottapshi (our very own Ghost of the Fort!), the tales woven around the Nandi Bull, and the dance we dance because we fear bad times if we don�t (what a fantastic excuse for dancing!), and, yes, our most recent, freshly-minted myth of Alma Furis� (Of how one dark, All Souls� night, long, long ago (in fact, as long ago as 1982 AD!) a cross miraculously sprang out of the ground�and made our villagers stare in astonishment and wonder� and how people now think it appropriate to offer thanksgiving ladins there, whenever some prayer has been heard or some good fortune bestowed! Of course, as with all myths, there is a belief � we are not entirely sure of this � that the cross was built overnight by a fellow-villager, a Hindu Coudikar at that (yes, myths can seem incredible!), who wished to express his gratitude for � what else? � some favour received!). Let�s share this good fortune, this bounty of legend and spectacle, with the rest of the world, shall we? We could begin by restoring the village to a point in time when our myths seemed natural enough, given the surroundings� when dovornnems were dark brown weathered laterite, and we used canoes to get across the river, and there was always the fear (or the delicious hope!) that Cottapshi would suddenly emerge from the dark and �! Which means, we keep Chandor exactly as it is now (of course with all the garbage cleared and the dovornnems restored!), except for a few of the understated additions proposed in these pages. (Perhaps, we should take a hint from our dovornnems, and make bare, well-weathered laterite the predominant visual motif, after green, in Chandor). A package for tourists, offering them a judicious mix of all the elements spelt out above (and further elaborated below), should make possible a day�s tour of the entire village at least twice a week. We could also throw in a talgoddi from Cotombi and a quick, invigorating climb (by car) up Porvotar (Chandranath Hill in Paroda) to pay homage to Lord Chandreshwar! And the mussol dance could be made more fun by including women in the performance. (We could invite Cotombikars to do the talgoddi, or do it ourselves). But let�s make sure all of this is undertaken by the village cooperative � the benefit of fresh tourism ideas must flow into the general village coffers. (Private entrepreneurs, hands off please! This is a Chandor Village Cooperative idea!). In fact, the scope is vast for developing Chandor into a heritage tourist destination. Perhaps a tourism development corporation is called for, with panchas, citizens and experts in the field as directors. The Goa Panchayat Raj Act 1994 empowers the panchayat to constitute such a body. Voil� Todem: As mentioned earlier, Voil� Todem lake can serve as a nice change for tourists from the sea and the beaches on the coastline. (All that sand getting in your hair on the beach, and, dammit, in your underclothes! All that ferocious heat, all those pestering Lamanis!). There is scope here for introducing canoe or boat rides, and even cordoning off a section of the lake for swimming (no fear of drowning, good tourists! Only, beware our crocodiles!). The usual accompaniments of restaurants and other tourist amenities would naturally follow. To begin with, we could start by greening the nearby hills and developing the place as a picnic spot for our villagers and school-children. The Church Environs: Our church � and its environs � is as popular with camera-wielding tourists as the heritage house across the road. It could be the white gopuram-style mausoleums, and the play of green between them and the church, which draw appreciative glances. (Is our church the only one in Goa with such accompanying structures?). We could enhance the effect by tastefully landscaping the entire stretch from and between the monuments right up to the cemetery and alongside. The paved paths in front of and to the sides of the church need to be interspersed with lush, green lawn. This will offset the white of the church beautifully! On the Igorjebhat side, the grotto and the flying buttress could be done up in a way to make this view as pleasing to the eye as the front of the church. The grey asbestos roofs on the school building behind and on the adjacent church shops must make way for fiery-red Mangalore tiles. (The tintto roof too will need to follow suit). The maroon zinc shade over the church doorway needs to be inclined near-horizontally so it is almost invisible and does not detract from the view of the doorway. All this to create a striking play of green grass, white walls, red roof and blue sky! What a view! Actually, the feeling of entering a rather special area may begin right
at the Monte Socol junction. The narrow open space parallel to the road
and extending from the junction right up to the Church crossroads calls
for special care and preservation. The separate access paths to the main
road, which cut up this space at right angles, could make way for a
single paved path parallel to the boundaries of the residential houses.
While we are about it, we may as well plan for public toilets to serve our football fans, tiatr audiences and the feast crowd on January 6. Is it proper to attract huge crowds to public events without also ensuring their minimum, basic, physical comfort? The planned sports complex offers the opportunity to remedy this lack, and, it is hoped, that it will not be ignored. The Village Centre: Our market area corresponds to the civic centre in a city � the place where all the important buildings are. The Village Centre is the heart of our village. This is where the church is, the fish market is, and the school, the bank, the post office, the panchayat office, the telephone exchange, the cooperative society, the supermarket, the grocery store, the cold storage, the butcher, the doctor, the pharmacy, the library, the church patio, the village club, the tea shops, the liquor bars, the football ground and, yes, even, our final resting place! Life would be difficult, if not impossible, without the Village Centre! It is in our interest to keep this community centre as clean, uncrowded and unpolluted as possible. The open spaces here, particularly around the market and on both sides of the church, are the last few public spaces available to our village community. Let us not allow any more haphazard and ugly development to spoil the quality of the time we spend here. Let�s look ahead to what the situation is likely to be fifteen years from now when the demands on the open spaces, public amenities and on other common resources will be much greater than now. The surprising concentration of activity in the village centre also suggests the need to decongest this sensitive area and to spread new amenities and development to other wards. The whole idea behind the 5-year Development Plan for Chandor should be to enable us to continue to live like human beings for as long as we and our children and their children can. We aren�t trapped in a crowded, noisy city (at least not yet, perhaps we never will be!), but in free, iscode Goa! We need to move around carefree and comfortable, with room enough to swing our arms and dance the dance of freedom as we please. Avontade! The Tintto: Our tintto is another stopover for tourists, to buy fruits from or to photograph the vendors and their ware. The just-completed reconstruction of the market shed had offered an opportunity to put up a structure which would blend, or contrast appropriately, with the church nearby, but the new design shows a singular lack of imagination. However, the chance to remedy this deficiency has not altogether slipped away. The first requirement of a marketplace being cleanliness and hygiene, the soak-pit to drain water from the vend slots and washing areas needs to be extra-large and aesthetically concealed. (A 2x2x3 metre pit would fit the bill nicely). Next, we propose approach paths on all four sides of the tintto to ensure comfortable movement of shoppers and vehicles. The approach road from the Miranda house end and the Hooba meat shop end can also be a safe path for school-children and visitors to the market. No vehicles may be allowed on this path, which can also serve as an access to the main road for neighbouring residents. In general, vehicular access to the market may be restricted to a point several yards from the market to its east and west. The open space to the west may serve for vehicle parking and for the taxi and pick-up ranks. The open space to the east has traditionally accommodated the Sunday bazaar and this may not be disturbed. No further construction may be contemplated in the market area, nor any extension of market activity to the church side of the road. The more we decentralise, the more equitable the development of the entire village. Above all, it is necessary to see the market as an essential service, not as a source of revenue, please! The fabrica and the panchayat, which levy sopos on vendors here, may spend this income on maintaining hygiene and cleanliness in the market. Let�s not forget that, all over the world, the principle followed in these matters is: The Polluter Pays. It is as well that lack of space and government regulations have limited the damage from the haphazardly designed marketplace. Given the rapid growth of visitors to the market, particularly from surrounding villages and passing motorists, and the limited carrying capacity of the tintto, it will show some foresight to plan right now for sub-markets in Cotta, Cavorim and Molla-Monte-Mena Covatem. In Covatem, a sub-market may be considered on the triangle formed at the spot where the road bifurcates, one road heading for the masjid and the other to the present sarpanch's house. (Once the proposed bridge over the railway tracks here comes up, we can expect a lot of traffic stopping at the sub-market). In Cavorim, a good location would be near the community hall. A mini-market may also be planned in a central location in Cotta. While the sub-markets will serve to augment village income some time in the future, it is also necessary to safeguard local interests in the present tintto. Of the 12 or so regular vendors, only one Chandorcar makes an occasional appearance in the market, while another is the market cleaner. We need to reserve at least a third of the vend slots for interested locals and support them in establishing themselves. To start with, there are already two village boys employed with the pork butchers as assistants. We could assign one of the reserved slots to them and start them on the road to entrepreneurship. Dovornnems and other old structures: A make-over of the village would require restoring or reconstructing all structures of some historical significance or the other. The dovornnems that stood out stark and dark at several places on the road not so long ago immediately come to mind. These are mementoes of a past when agriculture thrived and women transported rice on their heads, frequently pausing for rest at the dovornnems after placing their laden baskets on them. We have identified three of these platforms: one in front of the Cota Cruz house in Molla, one near the football ground, and one in front of Derek Antao�s house in Cotta. These may be restored to resemble the bare, laterite-faced edifices they were before over-zealousness had them cemented over. Dovornnems which have collapsed or been demolished (there was one near the Igorjebhat spring, another at the Cavorim end of Misamer and a third near Benu Coutinho�s house in Culsabhat) may also be reconstructed, preferably in aged, well-weathered laterite. Three sculptures could be placed next to the dovornnems. The one near the Igorjebhat spring could show a woman placing her basket on the platform, the one at Misamer could show her wiping her face or drinking water while squatting on the ground, and the third, near Benu Coutinho�s house, could show her resuming her trek, her burden back on her head. The memorial structure (estrada, or low platform) near the Monte Socol bus stop may also be restored, less for any especial significance than for the curiousness of being, perhaps, the last trace of Portuguese writing to be seen in a public place in the village (�Foi Construido Esta Estrada Pela Camara Municipal Na Presidencia de Joze Antonio Prazeres da Costa de Orlim � 1887). The Portuguese barracks at Cotta near the Railway bridge, along with the old bridge over the rivulet at Baimorod, may also be reminded of an earlier time. In fact, all small bridges and culverts in the village may be tastefully restored, particularly the cute one over the rivulet at Miria Jirem. (The locals also have a machan in a tree over the field here!). We need to discover more such moments of charm throughout the village. Heritage Houses: The list of heritage houses on the tourist�s itinerary in the village may be added to. Apart from the Menezes Braganza and Sara Fernandes house, which already figure, we may consider the Cota Cruz residence in Molla, the Ellis Fernandes house in Cotta, the Joao Paul Gomes residence in Cavorim and other houses which may have features of some interest to visitors. Tourist visits to these houses may coincide with mealtimes: good old pez with kalch� kodi or thora shir at ten. A typical Chandor lunch, with a choice of freshwater or sea fish in tepdam- and bindam-solam-flavoured curry (but let�s go easy on the chilli � you know foreigners!) and some beer (Cottapshi, not Kingfisher!) to douse the flames. Tea with odgem, godshem or patodeo. (Wish we could be the tourists!) The Temple Ruins in Devdantoi, Cotta: The Archaeological Survey of India has done a commendable job in enclosing and protecting this 2nd century site. (Hey, we Chandorcars go way, way back, man!). The plan to convert the adjacent former primary school into a museum to house our historical artefacts is also welcome. Let a small terracotta replica of the Chandor fort of the Kadambas be one of the artefacts on display, please. Backwater Tourism: The Kushavati was a major waterway for goods and people in days not so long ago. We can attempt to revive this and the river�s other uses. Safe bathing and swimming may be encouraged along its banks and tourists could be treated to a boat ride or even races from Taricode in Gottli (Cavorim) to Dhorma Tori in Cotta. (Taricode used to be a picnic spot not so long ago). The landing platforms at both places would, of course, need to be rebuilt and maintained well. Mamlatemer: This place is not only a major topographical landmark but also has some historical significance. Mamlatemer is a corruption of Mammurichi Tembi. Mammuri was either a king or a general who was dealt a crushing defeat at this place during the rule of the Kadambas. A rock garden may be constructed on one side of the road and a watchtower on the other, after the land is acquired from the present owners. The threshing spots (foddam) here, however, may be allowed to continue undisturbed. Children's Park: The children�s park proposed near the spring in Igorjebhat could also serve as a point of tourist interest, particularly for the view of the green fields at Misamer extending right towards Miria Jirem and the hills beyond Cavorim and Voil� Todem. If chemical analysis reveals therapeutic properties in the water, the spring could also serve as a small spa. The laterite stone surface adjacent to the spring suggests possibilities of developing this area along a fort or rock garden theme (the dovornnem to be restored nearby would enhance the effect). The entire site could also be the venue for fetes staged around various themes. However, the playground nearby may not be touched, please. (Do anything you want, but don�t you mess with our life-enhancing open spaces!). New Structures: The city of New York is linked with the Statue of Liberty, Agra with the Taj Mahal and Ralegaon Siddhi with a miracle in village development. But what do people see in their minds when they think of Chandor? Nothing in particular, right? Or, perhaps the feast of the Three Kings? or the buffalo (our mascot)? or the fact that Chandor used to be a capital place in earlier times? Anyway, perhaps, it is time to build a new structure, or construct a new identity, that people immediately connect with Chandor. To illustrate, we could become the first village in Goa to declare itself an independent village republic, go to work at it, and actually make it happen! Some people will, of course, prefer something more concrete, something more physical. Perhaps a structure built around the theme of the Epiphany, January 6 being a rather important day in our lives, will satisfy this need? Three giant statues of the three kings, one each on the Ghottmorod, the Fodiamdongor and the Bobcol hill, would be quite a sight, wouldn�t they? Or how about a gigantic redo, or even Cottapshi, our mischievous but well-meaning rakhonndar? Perhaps we could generate an image of him using three-dimensional holographic projection technology, so he appears suddenly at night at various points in the village and frightens the life out of us and also of thieves doing the night shift? Imagine someone robbing our precious coconuts and suddenly seeing a white shape emerge out of thin air and going, �Ha, ha, ha! I see you! You better stop that immediately, or I�ll dunk you in the vodd!� (Come to think of it, movie style special effects would certainly do the trick. The challenge would be to produce the same effect during daytime. But this, one imagines, is a mere technical problem). Or how about something more modern and contemporary? Perhaps something around the tarvotti or Gulfie theme, or about us as we are today? Or why not something absolutely futuristic? Perhaps something along the lines of the amazing designs in Dubai, or the Opera House in Sydney, or the lotus-shaped Bahai� temple in Delhi. Other suggestions and other themes are also welcome, of course. But let�s try and create a design with an element which registers it from a great distance in the sky too, so satellite pictures recognize Chandor as well, okay? But where will the money for a project of this magnitude come from? The tourism department should fall over itself to give us the funds, not to mention our Member of Parliament eagerly reaching for his MPLAD kitty! Arches: While we are about it, it may also not be a bad idea to erect huge laterite arches, resembling fort entrances, at the various entry points to the village. These are likely to provoke passing motorists into dropping in for a while and also remind us locals of our rich historic heritage. Dairy farming, horticulture, poultry, animal-rearing� Chandor is associated in folklore with the buffalo, the animal which was the mainstay of our economy and our livelihood in the not too distant past. (How very rightly have some people suggested that it is this noble animal which should really be considered India�s national animal!). It is therefore apt that dairy farming should be an important economic activity in the village � we have no less than five dairy farmers. (In fact, let�s right away raise a hand and salute the topmost milk producer in all of Salcete � the one and only Andrew D�Silva from Ghotmorod, Cavorim!). Is there any question, therefore, that we, more particularly our panchayat, should more actively promote the welfare of our hard-working dairyists, and, perhaps, also consider a cooperative dairy farm in the village?
While we are about it, it may not be a bad idea to provide these dairyists a common site for their milch animals, to prevent inconvenience to nearby residents. Next, we need to dedicate most of our non-paddy communidade land to a mix of horticulture, poultry, animal husbandry and piggery projects. (Private land, if available, could also be roped in). This combination would definitely deliver more returns than the present zero, and create some jobs too. There�s no denying the demand in the village for vegetables, fruits and flowers, not to mention pork, beef and mutton. This project would also have the benefit of minimising our dependence on Belgaum for vegetables and meat (does anyone know that we import even pork from there now, and that we get our flowers all the way from Bangalore?). Value added products like pickles, jams and squashes would also make for a good ancillary industry. Not to mention, ham and sausages (from our very own pigs, no less!), which could be branded and exported, not the least to our own Non Resident Chandorkars! Talk of comfort food during our exile abroad! Rush mat weaving, using the lou reed found over large stretches near the marshy areas around Cotta and Guirdolim, is another possibility. (A smart Cottakar also makes a living selling sindrebel (a vegetable delicacy) picked up from the riverside). A small unit dedicated to lou mat weaving and other related activity could keep several hands busy through the year. (Before 1961, some 100 households produced a total of about 50,000 rush mats a year; by 1983, however, the figure had come down to just a thousand a year, according to Olivinho Gomes in his Village Goa, a very detailed and comprehensive socio-economic study of Chandor). (A copy of the book is available in our library). The mats were then, and are even today, primarily used as floor mats, but now with tourism such a big business in Goa, it is possible to consider other applications for them. The Handicrafts Corporation and the Industries Department make funds available for conducting training in rush mat making. Fisheries: As suggested earlier, our water bodies hold the potential for developing small fisheries projects. The government has schemes for inland fisheries which we can tap. Angling is also a popular activity, particularly along the river and the river inlets in Cotta. We need to identify the best angling spots and, perhaps, even organise competitions, to bring in more visitors into the village. Some good spots are the old culvert leading to the Portuguese barracks in Cotta, Voil� Todem, other honds and hondare, and Todeahandicode. As in the rest of Goa, the problem of garbage has assumed colossal proportions in Chandor. Though our panchayat refuses to address the issue with the seriousness it needs, it is not only possible to clear waste away but also make the process economically worthwhile. A recycling unit, run like a no-holds barred business, could generate fertiliser for the cooperative farm and create a couple of jobs too. The panchayat has enough funds to put this idea on stream (it ended the year 2005 with a fat bank balance of Rs. 14 lakhs � just imagine!). More than recycling, what is of paramount importance is to attempt to reduce the amount of garbage we create in the village, particularly in the market place and in the church environs. It is possible to come up with waste reduction systems, given a little will on our part. Till that happens, of course, we have to tackle the garbage already on our hands by clearing it and composting and recycling it. We recommend that at least ten compost stations be dug up at various points in the village immediately (Panjim already has a hundred!). The recycling centre can be established near the hill at present being illegally ravaged for basalt in Hatram Mod. Segregated waste may be collected once or twice daily and transported by a dedicated rickshaw to the full-fledged and permanently staffed recycling site. After processing, the waste can be sold � metal, plastic and glass waste to dealers in these, and biodegradable waste, converted to efficient micro-organism (EM) fertilizer or bone meal, for use in our cooperative natural farm. What a way to take care of the garbage problem! One happy outcome would be to remove the filthy eyesores and health hazards in the marketplace, the church environs, in front of the panchayat office (incredible, isn�t it?), and everywhere else in the village. The panchayat received a sum of slightly over Rs. 20 lakhs from the state government during the financial year 2005-2006. This figure includes the Rs. 4,73,200 and the Rs. 57,000 received as the grant for the construction of the market shed and the DRDA grant respectively. It is possible to attract more government funds by pulling in more welfare schemes into the village. (Chandor can certainly use all the assistance that�s available for the taking!). There are any number of schemes outlined in the government�s booklet, Welfare Schemes for the people of Goa, which may be tapped. There are agriculture, tourism and inland fisheries schemes, for instance, which have particular relevance for our village. The Ambaulim village panchayat in Quepem taluka wins the prize for being the best-run panchayat in South Goa only because it takes the trouble of pulling in as many RDA schemes as it can to its village. Taxes are another source of income the panchayat needs to pursue seriously. It is a matter of embarrassment that we managed to collect just eight rupees in dog tax last year (are there just four of these house pets in the whole of Chandor?). Why the panchayat should be lax about tax-collection is beyond comprehension. Take the matter of all the tenants living in our houses, outhouses and even storehouses. Subletting a house appears to be a change from the purely residential use of a house to a partly commercial one, and therefore, a violation of the license granted by the Panchayat. The panchayat would be justified in levying a tenant charge on house-owners subletting their premises. It would show good sense to do away with the tax on bicycles, which are an eco-friendly mode of transport. This notional �loss� may be counterbalanced by enhancing the dog tax substantially from the laughable Rs. 2/- at present. The increased income may be spent on a free anti-rabies vaccination programme for all registered dogs in the village. Did you know that our panchayat earned Rs. 8/- (yes, eight) from dog tax last year? For that matter, Did you know that the dog tax is Rs. 2 per year? The communidades of Cavorim and Chandor have clearly proved incapable of protecting the interests of the village. It is time for all Chandorcars to take over the task of safeguarding the physical integrity of our village and of our means of sustenance. Let�s form a villagers� cooperative to oversee the egalitarian, sustainable and cooperative development of our village. The proposed cooperative will include in its fold all villagers without exception and assume all the responsibilities of the communidades in their more idealistic moment. This suggestion is, of course, in line with present state policy and with the recommendations of several commissions constituted to ponder the future of Goa�s communidades. Chandor�s renaissance is possible only with the active participation of each and every villager. We visualise the village cooperative managing the organic rice farm, the horticulture and tourism projects, the bus transport society, the commercial establishments and the other projects the village collective plans. In future, all commercial projects on village common lands may be designed to benefit the village as a whole. The Fabrica could also join in the effort to create a general somudai (community) comprising all villagers in the village. The ground for this has already been laid through the zome and Kristi somudaiyo doing such excellent work in the village. The noble aim of spreading spiritual goodwill throughout the village can now be moved up another level: let�s spread material welfare from our community land, including fabrica property, more equitably throughout the village. For instance, henceforth, any new project designed to benefit the village community may be assigned to the village cooperative first. Ideally, the benefits of community land should flow back to the community and not end up in a few, private pockets. In fact, a suggestion had been made when the first fabrica shops (in front of the church) were auctioned that the shops should be allocated to the different wards in the village. This is an idea which may be considered anew.
Non-resident Chandorcar income It is time we put some of the money we receive from abroad and elsewhere in India for the good of our hard-working relatives who send it to us. We already have a model in our seamen, who have supported a football tournament and other noble causes all these years. (The last we heard, they had contributed a goodly sum to build the new school extension). Can we think of channelling some of this foreign money into income-generating projects which, in a way, will also give some of it back to the good people it came from? We can plan projects on the lines of the Gulf Goans Hotel in Calangute, to be run by a newly-formed Chandor Development Corporation. Other NRCs would also be willing to nurse their nostalgia for �the little village back home� through hard cash invested in viable commercial projects. And, while we are about it, can we think of some diversions, some enriching activity, for our Non-Resident Chandorcars when they return home for their vacations?
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