Scientist in the making, Shawn researches and has ants as pets -- By Nisser Dias

Master Shawn Fernandes

Having dogs, cats, birds, fish as pets is as common as having hobbies like collecting stamps, coins, reading and fishing; even bee-keeping, though rare in Goa is heard of. But keeping ants as pets and collecting various species simply takes it to another level.

While most of us do not give two hoots to stamping and killing ants, 12-year-old, Shawn Flavio Fernandes from Benaulim has developed a unique and rare passion for ants. What commenced as a mere hobby has now taken a scientific bent that involves classifying them, studying their life cycle, the habitats in which specific species thrive, the body systems that keep ants alive and the communication strategies they adopt.

Until recently, Shawn was silently going about gaining knowledge and developing an understanding about ants from the internet or books that he came across. It was in the context of a lesson on Ants that his Standard 7 Science teacher Soraya Menezes chanced to come across his interest in ants. When his science teacher encountered Shawn, she realized here was a student with hidden potential.

His knowledge took her by surprise for a lad his age. She was so overwhelmed with his scientific knowledge of ants that she calls him a young scientist and she encouraged him to delve deeper. This is where Shawn hit the limelight.

Moving down memory lane, Shawn recounts that when six years old, he saw a group of ants of different sizes with wings and thought he had found something special which led him to surf the net to gain further understanding. His passion ignited when he browsed upon an episode on U-tube: ‘How to catch a queen.’ He recalls that he got his first queen on his wardrobe and that’s where it all began. He adds, “The next day I told a boy in school and he told me it was a lucky charm as it was one of the most difficult ant to find, and so I was thrilled. I thought of researching about ants so I initially began to study their social behaviour and slowly got into studying the scientific aspects.”

His research has led him to know that there are about 60 species in Goa that have been classified. He acclaims that each is very unique, just like us humans, the only difference being, they are small and vulnerable.

Shawn claims that his research has made him realize that bees and wasps are the cousins of ants given that they belong to the same order of Hymenoptera, and he is now developing a keen interest in their study too.

The first species of ants he had was Camponotus - ‘carpenter ant’ because of its penchant to excavate wood or the ‘black ant’ in common parlance.

This young myrmecologist (myrmecology is a branch of entomology focusing on the scientific study of ants) says that in the year gone by, his collection of ants died. However this did not deter him, rather he decided not to keep any ants for a while but instead, dedicated his time to reading about ants.

Shawn claims he benefited from the website AntsCanada and the person hosting the site helps in identifying ants. There are other sites where enthusiasts can buy and sell exotic ants; so much so America has prescribed punishment for smuggling ants. This year Shawn thought of keeping them as pets. At the moment he has a collection of 12 different ants some of which have been generously donated to him by his classmates.

From his study, Shawn explains that ants inhabit tropical, sub-tropical as well as cold regions except the Antarctic. Goa having a blend of tropical and sub-tropical climatic conditions with high levels of moisture makes it suitable for a wide range of ant species to thrive.

This 12 year old son of Sandra and Sucorro Fernandes (who are a great support in nurturing his hobby), also threw light on the eating habits of ants. Interestingly, contrary to what we tend to believe, ants do not like sugar in solid form and will never get attracted to crisp dry sugar. When sugar is exposed to moisture they liquefy it for their consumption. He rebutted an old belief that the consumption of ants is good for the eyes, stating that ants contain formic acid used as their stinging agent which is harmful for the eyes.

He clarified that red ants that are generally found on trees do not bite but sting. Shawn enlightened us about an interesting observation - the walking pattern of ants, comparing it to a waltz.

Shawn’s hobby would not have developed into a comprehensive study if not for Ms Soraya Menezes (a science teacher at Loyola High School, Margao), who encouraged and challenged Shawn and provided him with opportunities to put forth his passion and whet his appetite to delve deeper into this subject. Shawn has so far shared his passion with students from St. Sebastian Primary School (ICSE board), Aquem; students of Std. VI to X at his own Loyola High School, Margao; Loyola Higher Secondary (biology stream), Margao and the Department of Zoology, Carmel College for Women, Nuvem.

At these sessions, like a young professor, Shawn took into his stride the questions his audience bombarded him with; explaining to them the defense mechanism of ants; that their stings, being their defense weapons, besides being painful could also paralyze the region for around 5 to 7 hours. He elaborated on their mating pattern and reproductive system. He surprised his audience by emphasizing that ants are hygienic creatures and the students were amused to learn that ants had distinct chambers in their colonies that served as toilets and cemeteries. His versatility in connecting to his audience through his little friends the ‘ants’ and the personal connection he shares with them, which even involves feeding them and cleaning up their mess, is commendable.

His teacher and now a mentor Soraya says, “These sessions have made Shawn realize that there is so much more his little brain needs to grasp about his little friends - the ants. Shawn isn’t a boy who throws challenges away. It has made him browse the internet, get in touch with ant-lovers and broaden his horizon on a topic that most of us couldn’t care less. We wish that Shawn continues developing his scientific temper; this is what our educational system needs to inculcate in our students - divergent thinking and exploration.”

Mr. DGP maintain and regulate traffic movement also while filling government coffers. -- By Nisser Dias

The massive four hour traffic jam at Cortalim on 13^th August causing huge inconvenience and hardship to the general public completely exposed the inefficiency of the Manohar Parrikar led government and its machinery.

Police and PWD kept pointing fingers at each other while the chief minister was comfortably flying to America for medical treatment and check-up at the exchequer’s cost while thousand of tax payers were suffering on the ground stuck in their cars or buses for hours together.

4-hour long traffic jam at Cortalim on Aug. 13th 2018

Just a thought, Aurveda, Ayush, Baba Ramdev and his Patanjali treatment or well publicized ‘Gaumutra’ is for the general public. America and top hospitals is for politicians. Criticize the public for aping West, but for politicians to stay alive West is first option – hypocrites.

Coming back, to a very large extent the traffic chaos has also exposed the Director General of Police Dr. Muktesh Chander (IPS) and his traffic police cell, who have turned themselves into a engine to fill the state treasury sidelining their sole objective of maintaining smooth flow and regulation of traffic.

Traffic Sentinel Scheme, campaign against all violations while driving has not only kept the traffic police busy issuing fines and filling the government coffers, it has given an opportunity for these cops also to fill their pockets as well as line the pockets of their superiors at the cost of completely ignoring regulation of traffic movement in the cities, villages, national highways and state highways.

Traffic police lay siege to issue fines

Majority of traffic police are happy to stand at blind turns and surprise vehicles owners for not wearing helmets or seat belts or speaking on the cell phones and even undertake alcohol test for obvious reasons rather than regulate traffic movement.

In the village of Orlim police attached to Colva traffic cell stopped a labourer driving his scooter. The labourer was reeking of alcohol and even his words were slurring. The cops instead of confiscating or issuing a fine snatched Rs. 500 from him. Interestingly a villager got involved, threatened the police of exposing them and made them return the money.

Police vehicle parked in no parking zone  at South
Goa Police Head Quarters

In Margao, the road between Gracias Maternity hospital and south Goa police head quarters is a one way road, but it is blatantly being violated even in the presence of the police themselves but no action is being taken by the traffic police inspector Mohan Gaude. Margao traffic cell inspector is a complete failure in managing his personnel or traffic. There was fear when his predecessor Praboth Shirvoikar was in that position but now it has vanished in thin air.

All around Margao city traffic rules are being violated left, right and centre due to absence of traffic cops and CCTV cameras surveillance as police are deputed to issue fines and generate revenue.

Traffic sentinel scheme has been a windfall for the government treasury. Traffic and even police attached to stations issue fines again adding to the government kitty and yet the government does not have money to replace batteries of existing CCTV cameras or install more cameras in the cities. CCTV surveillance cell which was set-up closed down more than a year back as the police could not procure batteries for CCTV cameras. 

The traffic scenario in Goa utter chaos. Police issue fines for not wearing helmets or wearing seat belts but they will ignore if a rider wearing a helmet is speeding. Almost every third person uses cell-phone while driving.

Salcete DySP's official car illegally parked on the
National Highway 17

If majority of traffic police are sent or used to generate revenue or fill government coffers, there are bound to be traffic snarls and chaos. For months now since the construction of the unwanted third bridge over Mandovi and road expansion on either side of Zuari bridge have caused immense hardship and suffering for the tens of thousands commuters on daily basis but Dr. Chander did not feel the need to deploy more personnel there for traffic management. On 13^th August it was mother of all traffic jams and police came under severe criticism. Interestingly on 14^th August traffic movement was smooth

Similar snarls are experienced everyday in the cities in Goa during rush hours but nothing is being done to alleviate it.

Director General of Police Dr. Chander may have the best of intentions of bringing about discipline while driving or using vehicles to reduce accidents and deaths on road but he has lost touch with ground reality. He can think and surf many schemes to generate revenue by sitting in his air conditioned office. If he needs to bring about a change he has to come down on the road and walk the talk. He has to haul up his traffic police inspectors, sub-inspectors and other personnel for dereliction of duty.

In many instances accidents are not registered as the police force a compromise. A 72 year old fisherman from Sernabatim is confined to the bed with severely injured spine. Some youngsters driving a jeep on the beach in the dead of the night rammed into him while he was pulling his net. No case has been registered at Colva police station. Last week a youth speeding on his KTM bike rammed into a man driving a scooter at Varca, again no case has been registered. Mr. DGP look into this.

Nisser Dias

If he comes down to ground zero he will realize that not only the general public is violating laws but even his staff. Police vehicles are parked in no parking zones, police officers are zooming in their personal cars with tinted windows, they use mobiles while driving and they even drink and drive.

Dr. Chander can formulate schemes to generate money for the government kitty but he should not forget that the foremost objective of his department is to save life and property and to maintain and regulate traffic movement.

So Dr. Chander, please do your job also.

Did Pratapsing Rane remember the taste of dung, while he was insulting Goans? -- By Nisser Dias

Pratapsing Rane has done it yet again. He has affronted and outraged Goans. But what can you expect from a man who has the blood of Goan on his hands. He is the only chief minister of Goa under whose rule and orders seven Goans were shot either dead or severely injured in police action against them and subsequently succumbed. The seven brave men were a part of the agitation demanding Konkani is made the sole official language of Goa.

Then holding the reigns of Goa Rane was restraining the move as he is a Marathi lover. Can we forget that during the Opinion Poll that this same man was with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party wanting to merger Goa with Maharashtra? So it is very obvious of his disdain for Goa and Goans as his heart and soul is with the neighbouring state. And that is the reason he simply loves to insult, humiliate and debase Goans like the statements he made in the Assembly recently.

Pratapsing Rane has been an absolute failure in his 16 years as chief minister of Goa and last 46 years as a career politician. This translates into, for the last more than four decades or almost 5 decades, this decadent and debauched man has been living entirely at the cost of Goans besides gnawing and sucking at the breast of Goa. Before that he must have made his living boot-licking the colonial rulers and gathered properties by selling his soul to them being their informant. And this man has the audacity to call Goan Diaspora abroad as toilet cleaners and that too in the August house.

What has Pratapsing Rane achieved as person and politician?  Absolutely nothing, if not for politics he would be begging as he has no career. He proudly calls himself a farmer but he has never held a hoe in his hands but being a politician he has done a lot for himself just like all other corrupt politician. Can we forget the business man who exposed Rane from Congress office itself? As chief minister he has done even better for himself but for Goa nothing. In 2014 Special Investigation Team of Goa Police had booked former Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane for allegedly accepting a Rs. 6 crore bribe to facilitate the clearance of a mining lease.

How can we forget the time he returned from his jaunt to Singapore at the tax payers cost and wanted to change Goa into Singapore. What has been his achievement in that direction, he managed to change only the colour of the uniforms of the police and presently only the traffic police are using the imitation and colour combination.

Kadamba Transport Corporation is another one of his achievements but this corporation too is running in loss since its inception and is a burden to the exchequer.

Then can we ever forget that he tried to deny statehood to Goa and kept it pending for two and half long years and it was only after seven precious lives of Goans was lost that he was forced to surrender to the demands of the Goans.

Shall we ever forget that he signed the ‘shoot at sight order’ on Goans during the language agitation? If Pratapsing Rane can issue such orders what is it for him to say that Goans go abroad to clean toilets?

Incidentally, Pratapsing Rane is the only legislator among the present and past, to have got dung on his face at the hands of former MLA Dilkush Dessai during the Legislative Day. It makes me wonder whether he remembered the day when he tasted dung while making such a distasteful statement in the Assembly. On the flipside, according to Rane, Goans are cleaning toilets aboard but he forgot he tasted dung in Goa itself at the hands of the Goan itself maybe Dilkush realized that despotic Pratapsing Rane liked to berate Goans then.

But he should understand that if at all Goans are looking at brighter horizons, it was mainly because of him and his 16 years of lack of administration, not setting-up skilled based institutions to meet the needs of industries, not having the foresight and vision to realize that tourism would be a potential industry in Goa and plan for it. His lack of intelligence and ideas had started back-firing long time back and now it is difficult to get out of it.

It is but natural that if he did not have ideas and intelligence then, his brains if he has any will surely not function during this old age.

There is old saying that, “a rose plant bites the very hand that weeds it” aka  Pratapsing Rane. He has insulted the same very Goans who for all these decades have paid not only for his upkeep but also kept his hearth burning and will continue to even pay him after he seizes to be a politician.

Rane has to undoubtedly apologize to Goans whether they are in Goa or anywhere in the world or he will be scorned even long after he is gone.

Shame on you Pratapsing Rane!!!!!