TALEIGAO’S VENDOR MOTHERS HAIL MLA BABUSH, SEEK SHEDS BEFORE RAINS
PANAJI: As the world posted tributes and bought flowers for Mother’s Day on Sunday, a group of mothers in Taleigao and Dona Paula spent the day as they do every day sitting under tree shade, selling vegetables and fruits to earn a living under the sweltering summer sun. Familiar to residents who stop by for fresh produce, these women have turned patches along the roadside into their workplace. With no shop, no fan, and no weekly off, they quietly conduct business while balancing motherhood and survival.Yet on Mother’s Day, their message was not one of complaint, but gratitude — and a plea.“We are very grateful to local MLA Mr Atanasio Monserrate alias Babush,” said 50-year-old vendor Pushpa Naik, who supports her grandchildren after her son’s death. “A couple of years ago there was only mud and dust here. Nobody could stand. After seeing our plight, he constructed the edge of the road, laid pavers, and made it dust and pothole-free. He allowed us to conduct business and earn a livelihood. Nobody interrupts us now.”Others echoed her. “Babush and his wife are not only our MLA, they are our Messiah,” said, a mother has sold greens here for several years. “God bless that family.”But with the monsoon approaching, their worry is visible. The same trees that give shade now will not stop the rain. “We want to convey to Babush that if he constructs or allows us to have a shed over our heads, it would help us a lot,” said a vendor, wiping sweat as she arranged brinjals.
“We get completely wet. Our vegetables rot. We sit in water. If there is a shed and a cot-like step, we can save our vegetables, fruits, and ourselves. We can escape water-borne diseases like cough, cold and others.”
For these mothers, Mother’s Day was not about cards or cake. It was about a dry place to sit, and a chance to keep working when the skies open.
Loading ...