Yes, Felciana, AYA secretary, MMRichards, Vincent, and others:  Suddenly, it dawned on me that our Barkur local farmers could not adapt to bicycle; you know why?  They could not ride the bikes on the narrow paddy bunds!  I remember I had difficulty in controlling my buffaloes to walk on those very narrow bunds, and the smart buffaloes used to take short cuts, and I used to get yelled at for destroying whatever was growing in those fields! 

There is no progress without roads, I suppose. This brings us to the discussion of 'Roads', again, and again.  Probably, some of the farmers have to give up quite a bit of their very little property. 

This is painful. Some farmers have no other income perhaps, if they give away their land to the roads.  There must be some compensation, but this is not going support them for the rest of their lives.  (A bird in hand is better than two in the bush, for them.)  Hence, there must be better incentives to induce the land-owners to give up their land for roads.  Can alternative lands, in the vicinity, be given as compensation? It may be forest edge today, but 30 years from now it could be a prime real estate!

Today, the land near the train station could be very costly!  Can they be convinced that the price of the remaining land gets doubled or tripled or ten fold, when the roads get completed?

"We want roads."  'we Want roads.' "we want ROADS!" "WE WANT ROADS!"  Road today, thirty years from now an airport! Why not?

Apparently, we (Barkur) might have lost the best of brains in the form sons-in-law or daughters-in-law, (and business,) especially because if they have to wade through the bunds with luggage, or carrying small children!  What a mundane thought!

Thank you MMAlvares, and Felciana, and others, for triggering, reminding, and motivating to think and discuss about importance of roads within Barkur.    Thanks folks.

James Fernandes, jimtoxic@aol.com, 20/11/2002

Latest update in your site, STRESS MANAGEMENT, is useful. Good compilation by the writer, thanks for the same.It is expected from you to refresh other colomns regularly....Worthy discussion on FARMING, let such topics, come up....By the by, though looks settlled outside Barkur, Ms Felciana's passage, hope be  an eye opener to so called politicians of Barkur....Presume  it reach to their ears and eyes.....Good luck friends....

Philiph Richard, philiphpass@hotmail.com 19/11/2002

We, few at Barkur, feel ashamed of ourselves, as it requires, someone like Mrs Felciana D'Silva, to remind of pending developmental works, at Barkur, like the one proposed road link Kacchhur - Halekody -

Sorry, Madam, our political leaders are or may be bit busy in these few years, let us hope, they now respond to your call and need of hundreds. Hope to hear, from Vice President of Panchayat – Mr. Dolphy D'Lima, or this may also proove to be crying in the forest....!!...??

Secretary, AYA, Nagermutt – Pandeshwar, 19/11/2002

ayabarkur@indiatimes.com

Dear Friends,

Truly you are proud Barkurians! The memory lane writing by Mr Edwin, also prove this point, leave other things, the writer is un-happy with someone addressing your town a hamlet / a village, it is a developing town now and popular capital city centuries back.

On the other extreem, Ms Felcy expose you by reminding, missing ROAD LINKS!!

Now it is high time to look into such necessities, and this web-site raised this issue, give it a logical conclusion, dear Barkurians......?

With regards,

M.M.Alvares, alvaresmm@hotmail.com, 19/11/2002

Wishing Casilda, Vinita, Rebecca and Jessica a very happy children's Day.

With lotsa love

Aabu, Granny, Vincent,  Cynthia, Patrick, Jennifer, Gilbert & Veena

WE WISH ALL THE CHILDREN ON OCCASION OF CHILDREN'S DAY ON NOV 14^th

With regards,
Santhegudde Cricketers, Barkur.

We are among those who were highly impressed by the fairly long and worthy discussion on co-operative farming, in this site.Especially, few of the suggestions rather sincere feelings of people like Mr. Fernandes, Mr. Poojary, Mr. Alvares, Mr. D'Souza, to mention a few...are relevant to the changing times.

One word to add on my behalf, over here is the immediate need of ROADS - if remember correctly, in the year, 1987 or 1988,in the month of May, when Mr. Edwin Picardo was the President of CYM Barkur, during a public function, mostly Annual Day,Mr Archibald Furtado, in his address, proposed Kachhur- Halekody link Road has to be constructed with dual objective, to facilitate, Halekody, Kachhur, Bennekudru people and to bring back the glory or importance of Church location.

Now almost 15 odd years, whenever go down to Barkur,for short visit of a day or two, while traveling in a rickshaw, all round the town, remember this talk......!

Recently while in Barkur, heard of Silver Jubilee of Youth organization, please, try to do this and such social works, and people will be grateful.

Otherwise one have wait like Mr. D'Souza,.....for how long.....!Dear friends, come and visit, neighboring places, you will be surprised to see the Road network in some, less known hamlets, of my childhood days!

Wish this Site to point out such issues and participate in the mass movement, to improve your own TOWN BARKUR!

Felciana D'Silva, Kuwait felvincy13@hotmail.com 13/11/2002

Respected Readers,

Most of the remarks and comments on FARMING, tabled on this pages, I feel coming from people from Agricultural background, today or yesterday, honestly aimed at improving the age old pattern, back in native place, as they too faced such difficulties.
Certainly, the hardships, monsoon with no rhyme or rhythm, in the past few years and shortage of finance or capital, in the hands of poor farmer, is a matter of concern. Some mechanism, like one explained by Mr. James or others..., to pool the limited resources jointly, and to familiarize simple machines like tillers, harvesting equipment or optimum use or sharing of water will benefit all, but 100% co-operative pattern of working still need time to understand...?
Contrary to the initial doubts, of Mr. Archie, this small site too, awakened to the call of Host, is a welcome development. Hope you will agree with me...

In days, to come, such and other social issues surely will receive warm reception, and the latest up-date in Memories, too very good, similarly your updates in Masala Corner, keep it up.

A WELL WISHER, 13/11/2002

Yes, Bhaskar, Vincent, and others: "If there is a will there is a way." Two situations bother me:

1.If the present day cultivating procedures are resulting in loss, then, we must do something to rectify the situation.  We don't spend Rs.50/- per day on travel and food to get paid Rs. 30/- per day. Do we?

2. If too many rice fields are left without planting, an opportunistic political person may advocate that "If you can't cultivate, then you don't need such land." Similar episode has taken place in the past.

Since, we can't gain any ground with this topic, I better use my energy elsewhere.  Thanks folks.  I guess, I paid my two cents!

James Fernandes,  jimtoxic@aol.com  12/11/2002

Nearly all the scientfic improvements in agriculture have occured in Industrialised nations. In country like India, a developing economy, people farm much as their ancestors did hundreds of years ago, hence great difficulty in increasing production. I too endorse and support the suggestions of Mr. Furtado and Mr. Fernandes, to go for CO-OPERATIVE FARMING. As narrated by many, few features of farming in Canara are peculiar like -  small, un-economical and fragmented. As said if there is a will there is a way, for future, co-operative farming going to be the buzz word, if one want to see the fields in GREEN with rich crops

BHASKAR L.POOJARY, bhaskarpooja@hotmail.com 11/11/2002

Dear Mr. Fernandes,

When I was very young and youthful, had such dreams in my mind, embarked on its implication, alas, there are people in my surrounding, not ready to spare few feets of their land for ROAD construction, forget co-operative farming! Back home our attitude still remain the same, hence for next one decade, it is not possible, and if it happens, consider it is a miracle of ST.Anthony. I also left our ancestoral fields, with a heavy heart and landed in Gulf, thank God, he blessed us abundently, but sorry no road to reach my home when goes on leave! Those elders, hurdles are no more, but the next generation, appealing now for road link, and hope the same enlightenment with others, till then waiting.. for how long...any suggestions to such people, Mr Fernandes...

Vincent D'Souza,  udyadsv68@hotmail.com 11/11/2002

Dear Barkurians,

I am proud of being a son of Barkur.I feel the parish is on a constant progress in different areas of its activity. Young minds of the parish and guiding pastor to lead it make things more intersting.I am happy to be in touch with the Website.

Though I keep myself busy as I am looking after a English Medium school, Hindi medium school, Bal-Niketan and Sirsa parish, I take pride in spending some time to be in touch with the parish news through the website.

Thanks, Love.

Fr.Ivon Almeida,St.Xavier`s High school Sirsa -Haryana.11/11/2002  

Yes Mr. Vincent D'Souza, it's easy for me to advise from a comfortable cushioned chair or preach from a bullet proof pulpit.  The point I am conveying is that the age old manual cultivating system needs to be mechanized.  Oh, yes, it's true, I am in America, therefore, I got exposed to these fantastic equipment, where the grains are transported in trains, right from the farms, and not even by the eighteen wheeler trucks.  It's the awareness I am trying to bring about by exposing/discussing.

A farmer used to walk to his farm using his God made strong legs.  When the wheel was invented, he adapted to bicycle. The time spent in walking he could use for cultivating. Later he used 4 wheeled trucks, and so on and on.  He could produce more and more.  Now he is flying in his own private aeroplanes.  He even claims he feeds the entire world!  While some of the other farmers who did not want even to go for a bicycle are still struggling for their daily meal. (I am talking about the farmer who does not get any money orders of any sort from Bombay, Middle East or USA. I personally knew and still I have not forgotten the pangs of poverty!)
Why such disparity Mr. V. D'Souza, or is it really disparity? The flying farmer worked hard and smart thus he is rich I suppose, besides, now he is writing books on Modern farming, and making more money!

As Archie mentioned, (if I understood him right)there are people who pray for rain 'only in their own rice fields'.  If such is the mentality, then my seeds/words are falling on rocks and not on fertile grounds.

Thanks folks.

James Fernandes Jimtoxic@aol.com 10/11/2002

Friends,
Barkur on line, partially  succeeded to have best of an arguement, on new attitudes towards 'co-operative farming'.

From distance, to give proposals or suggestions will be easy, also looks attractive, unless ground realities back at the native place changes, practical application of such concepts will remain a distant possibility....I doubt....!

Let us hope, coming generation will embrace these guidelines of Mr.Fernandes, as there is no better option, if one have to cultivate,in coming years -  also a good suggestion, keep politicians and politics away!

Thanks again, One time farmer

Vincent D'Souza  udyadsv68@hotmail.com 09/11/2002