Indology Goa : Suggestions regarding precautionary measures to prevent the Swine Flu pandemic.

[Guest guest]

Shri. Atanasio Joe Monserrate

Honorable Minister

Education, Technical Education, Archives and Archaeology, Government of Goa.

 

Honorable Member of Legislative Assembly, Taleigao

 

CASA MONSERRATE, Near Church Galli, Taleigao, Ilhas, Tiswadi, Goa 403002

Office: 2452090, Residence: 2456303

 

Suggestions regarding precautionary measures to prevent the Swine Flu

pandemic.

 

Respected Shri. Monserrate,

 

As a citizen of your Constituency, which you have transformed miraculously into,

The Green Paradise in our entire Goa state, kindly first, accept my heartfelt

gratitude in your honor. Your hard work, vigor and immense attachment towards

your constituency's citizens, be it beautification, planning and development,

civic administration as well as peace and security, has won you laurels and

admiration from all quarters.

 

Sir, I would like to humbly draw your attention towards the Global Natural

Catastrophe, a deadly pandemic, which is heading towards our Goa- Swine Flu, and

which ( when you receive this communication may have taken at least a few dozen

human lives in India) has already started showing dangerous signs of spreading

at an alarming pace.

 

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Pune administration

which is the epicenter of this deadly virus in India is seriously planning to

virtually shutdown the city following the Mexican model resulting in an obvious

shift of the epicenter to the State of Goa because of its vulnerability. The

Mexican authorities, the origin point of the H1N1 virus, as you may be aware,

practically locked down the whole city economy to the check the spread of the

viral infection.

 

Thinking that Goa is safe as well as a tourist destination (and with adjacent

cities having shut their doors), it is quite likely that all unsuspecting

virus-infected tourists from nearby states will gate-crash into Goa to find

respite here. This will eventually pose a grave danger to the life and economy

of this state, converting it ultimately into the second epicenter of the Swine-

Flu Pandemic. Panaji, being the capital city of Goa (you can imagine) will

naturally be the worst affected city by this phenomenon in India. National

Institute of Virology (NIV) has now declared this virus as airborne!!!

 

You may be aware that the World Health Organization (WHO) has predicted that as

time passes and considering the sanitation measures prevailing in Indian

sub-continent, at least 33 % of Indian population will be affected with this

deadly pandemic.

 

It is beyond any doubt that, the civic administration of the city of Panaji

under your able guidance and inspiration is taking all possible precautionary

measures to tackle this pandemic to prevent as many human casualties as

possible.

 

To this end, I would also like to draw your kind attention towards some

additional measures suggested in our traditional scientific texts of Ayurveda,

which our City Administration can endeavor to check the spread of this deadly

virus.

 

In Ayurveda, health ailments like swine flu are attributed to weakened immunity

such that the body cannot withstand the attack of disease causing germs.

Ayurveda, as always, believes in strengthening the body system to fight and win

the battle against H1N1 Virus. This is done by prescribing various digestive

fire strengthening herbs such as Guduchi (Gulvel), Tulsi (Holy Basil), Sahadevi,

Neem (Indian Margosa Tree), Shunthi (ginger), Pippali (pepper) etc. Once the

digestive fire is corrected, medicines such as Triphala, Rasna, Eranda and

Guggulu can be prescribed to relieve the symptoms.

 

 

India's revered yoga guru Baba Ramdev has suggested that Tulsi (Shyam or Krishna

variety) and Giloi (Tinospora Cordifoli or Gulvel in Konkani) could help prevent

the Swine Flu menace.

 

I wish to suggest to the Corporation of the City of Panaji to undertake certain

environmentally friendly measures which will directly ensure the health of the

citizens

and prevent them from falling prey to the deadly H1N1 virus:

 

The measures I seek to suggest are as follows:

 

1. The civic administration can provide Gulvel branches and Tulsi plants,

respectively to Panjimites ‘free of cost' to safeguard them from Swine Flu.

 

2. Gulvel branches and Tulsi plants & leaves may be given to all the Councillors

to distribute among the residents of their respective areas. Even collection

centres can be setup at certain prime locations for the convenience of the

people.

 

3. The corporation may also distribute these plants among the staff members. The

CCP may undertake appropriate measures for planting Gulvel and Tulsi plants in

Panaji.

 

4. Special kiosks may be setup to serve Gulvel and Tulsi Tea to the citizens at

the Corporation headquarters in Panaji town, Schools and Colleges (before they

are asked or forced to close down), Panaji Bustand, City Courts, Panaji Market,

Taleigao Market, Miramar beach (during morning/evening jogging hours) and at one

central place each in all the wards of the Corporation.

 

5. All the dedicated workers of your party and social organizations in the city

may be appealed to provide voluntary service taking into consideration, the

seriousness of this pandemic. I am sure your word would be honoured by all those

concerned for the welfare of the city of Panaji. Leading Ayurveda Practitioners,

if invited, will take it as an honor to help in supervising this process and

provide their expertise.

 

6. Sir, I am sure all Corporate Houses and other Business establishments will

extend their generous support in any and all the manner, in this social

awareness campaign, in accordance with their Corporate Social Responsibility

(CSR) policy. A Donation Appeal can be made to them to procure these plants and

cover the expenditure thereafter in this extensive campaign.

 

7. An extensive campaign of distributing free surgical facemasks (three

layered), may be undertaken by the civic administration at all public places

within the city limits, sponsored by the Corporate Houses. Facemasks may be

provided to all the municipal staff to create awareness among the citizens.

 

8. The CCP may also take necessary measures for providing N95 masks for serious

patients of Swine Flu.

 

9. Free Medical Checkup camps may be organized in association with the major

private hospitals to supervise and check the spread of the infection. Free

distribution of preventive medicines (Allopathic and Ayurveda) may be undertaken

in these camps. Promotional Literature and T-shirts can be distributed in Panaji

City appealing to the citizens to take all possible precautionary measures. Flax

Banners may be exhibited in all the wards of the Corporation to spread

awareness.

 

10. A CCP Control Room may be set up to provide assistance to the citizens 24 x

7 x 365. Honorable MLA's office may also appoint an OSD (with land / cell phone

lines) to directly attend to all distress calls related to H1N1 virus spread.

 

11. Quarantine Centres may be established at all the surface transport entry and

exit points of the city with the police and hospital authorities pressed into

service in order to prevent and check the influx of H1N1 virus affected victims

into the city of Panaji.

 

12. Our NGO IndologyGoa can organize workshops / seminars by experts in

Allopathy and Ayurveda for corporate houses, bankers, teachers, business people,

student bodies, political and social organizations and the general public at the

Taleigao Recreation Center with logistic support from the Panaji civic

administration and the Education Ministry of the Government of Goa (of which you

hold the Cabinet portfolio). As you may be well aware, this would be a purely

academic initiative on the part of the Department of Education. Our NGO will not

seek any organizational monetary benefits in this campaign.

 

 

Sir, under your esteemed leadership and guidance, the City of Panaji can be made

a model city for the rest of the nation in tackling this deadly pandemic. The

New Delhi Government has already begun some measures similar to the ones

suggested above.

 

I am aware that technically this comes under the health department purview, but

being the Leader of Panaji Administration, you can always undertake this

campaign independently as a facet of your popular leadership characteristic.

 

I am confidant that a leader of your stature will take this matter as a 'Top

Priority' and issue immediate directives to the concerned departments to

organize this campaign in the City of Panaji.

 

Thanking you beforehand, in anticipation.

 

Yours truly,

 

 

 

Anjali Mohan Rao

Chairperson,

 

August 13, 2009

----------------------

Dr.Anjali Mohan Rao,

Chairperson

Indology Goa

GIRIVAR, Opp.Dhempe College, Miramar Beach, Post-Caranzalem, City-Panaji, Goa

403002 INDIA

Phone: 0091-832-2462195 Cellphone: 0091-9422057786

Shrikant Vinayak Barve

Convener: We Love Ayurved

9403175973