Cancelling Shigmo, not fair to Goans
This is not fair to hear that Government has decided not to celebrate traditional Shigmo parade in view of rising Covid-19 cases in State. If the government is really serious about this issue then why they are allowing other States’ tourists to enter into Goa without having Covid negative certificate? Why are there beach parties and other activities going throughout the State in open?
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Our traditional show must go on. If you are really serious and thinking about the health and safety of the public then everything should stop immediately and not only our Goa State’s traditional festivals. Stop the migrants entering the State, let us Goans celebrate the festival keeping Covid SOPs in mind. Keeping the doors open for outsiders who bring virus along with them and closing the door for its own people of Goa is not a solution. It is going against us and our traditional festivals.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
Are Goan voters so dumb?
According to Team Herald report dated March 26, that “Babush Monserrate dares the Opposition to win one seat in Tiswadi”, and that too so confidently, undoubtedly he also challenges the wisdom and decision making capacity of voters of constituencies of Tiswadi.
In other words he presumes two things much in advance, that the Opposition candidates will be so useless that the voters will ignore them and reject them outright at the hustings or the voters of these constituencies are so dumb that they will not use their heads to study the candidates standing before them and will not bother to make a well informed choice of the persons contesting the election, thus reducing themselves to puppets or simply be blind voters.
Such statements by politicians undermine not only the lack of understanding of the sanctity of Democratic process of elections but also reduce the voters to state of brainless entities. Certainly this is an insult to voters at large and specially the educated class of Goa, who constantly endeavour to have honest, capable and non-corrupt persons to be elected to the position of MLAs.
Antonio Diniz, Fatorda
Be prepared for Covid surge
Over the past one week, the Covid positive cases in Goa are witnessing a steep rise. We have let the guard off, and the Covid chaos may come back to haunt us. Therefore, projecting a major rise in cases, it is high time the authorities buck up and are prepared for facing the disaster. Over the last one year, the Government District Disaster Authorities led by both Collectors have made an impeccable show, especially with regard to managing Covid Care Centres and Isolation facilities.
However, barring the facility at Fatorda Stadium, all other Covid Care Centres in South Goa are shut down since more and more people are preferring Home Isolation. However, in wake of the new cases, it is prudent to plan at least one new Covid Care Centre each at Taluka Level, to be prepared for any emergency situation.
Sadanand M Raikar, Colva
Staggered lock down could rein in cases
On March 25, 2021 the number of new infected cases in India was reported as 59,118 in a very sharp upswing in the last two weeks. Coastal areas in India such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu could see very high degree of rise as also the polluted capital of India, Delhi. In another 20 days, the number of new infected cases could therefore double if stringent measures are not implemented in the worst affected areas. What could be done is that staggered lock down measures may be implemented to control the spread of the Corona virus.
Temperatures are pretty high and normally this should have brought down the number of cases, but the bad news is that especially in the coastal areas, the humidity percentages are above 80% which means that the spread of the Corona virus will be higher, as the humidity in the atmosphere will lead to sustenance of the virus in the air. In the most affected areas so that the spread is controlled, all industrial workers should be issued passes for travelling in shifts for work, and the companies should monitor the workers very strictly. Where ever the virus is spreading, it would be prudent to rein in its spread by adopting strict SOPs.
If the upswing in the graph can be curtailed, then in the run up to the monsoon, the spread of the virus can be brought down considerably. It is an irony that though vaccination drive is in full swing, still the number of cases are on the rise. Caution and an element of prudence would be the best way out.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Disconnection of water supply
The govt has assured that water bills will be revised and reduced to a bare minimum. The exorbitant water bills, which include inspection charges of Rs 100 in addition to meter charges of Rs 78, have caused panic in the minds of the consumers.
It is understood that at present the water-supply is disconnected if the water-bill is not paid for three months and above. It would be desirable for the disconnection of the water-supply to be linked to the cumulative amount that is due and not the number of months that the bill is not paid. The consumer may be utilising minimal water and the bill amount for three months or more could be negligible. Some consumers could be out-of-station and on returning could find their water-supply disconnected for non-payment of the water-bill.
The fact that many places go without water-supply or restricted water-supply for days at end, also needs to be taken into consideration. Water happens to be the basic necessity of life. Hence the authorities’ concerned need to show refrain while disconnecting the water-supply. The consumer needs to be sufficiently warned of the eventual disconnection if the bill is not paid. The disconnection should be resorted to by the department as a last gap move.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
