Dengue-demic ahoy?
We are still in the middle of the worst pandemic known to man but it appears that the miseries of the common man are going to be compounded by dengue knocking at our doors. Cases till August this year in Goa have been pegged at 248, double that of the numbers recorded for the same period last year. With similar symptoms being shared by dengue, malaria and COVID, their confirmatory diagnosis becomes doubly difficult to arrive at. We are witnessing a sharp upswing in dengue cases in Goa and given the creaking health infrastructure, the onus lies with individuals to keep themselves safe by maintaining cleanliness of their surroundings and going in for testing at the slightest symptoms of fever.
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With people forced to stay indoors this pandemic has facilitated breeding of the Aedes Aegypti mosquito, also regular cleaning and sanitisation measures could not be undertaken in hotels and other commercial establishments due to lockdown. The extended monsoon with spells of heavy rainfall resulted in massive accumulation of water in backyards, vessels, flowerpots, tyres and discarded water tanks. Ironically the abundant green cover in the State results in more humidity/moisture and makes it easier for the vectors of disease to thrive. Gandhiji once said, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness” but actually cleanliness is the key to health and by extension, life itself.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Spare a thought for our Corona warriors
The COVID-19 pandemic figures make for very grim reading. A little over 32 million have tested positive in the world for the disease. In India six million have tested positive. The global death toll has crossed one million. Several advanced countries like the US, Brazil, UK, Italy, Spain as well as India have had a very tough time contending with the pandemic. The last week tally of COVID-19 casualties in India is 7,700 and Goa has already registered 408 fatalities.
It is here that we must appreciate the yeoman services that our doctors, nurses, health workers, laboratory testing personnel and all the other frontline personnel, who have been putting their own lives at risk in order to treat and tend to those unfortunate ones who have tested positive for the corona virus. It should be our endeavour that these frontline workers be given their due as they have become heroes of the pandemic. It is also hoped that companies striving to develop vaccines, may succeed and thus save the world from this dangerous pandemic.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Welcome news on tinted glasses
The tough stand of the South Goa SP on tinted glasses and modified silencers is welcome, as also his statement that the law is the same for all. But why suddenly today? Which prominent personality’s peace has been disturbed? Goans have been complaining for years on this but to no avail. They just didn’t have the clout.
So now, I can phone his department about my neighbours’ vehicle with tinted glasses and will they visit and challan him? The law must be same for all including the Police. So, if I phone and complain about rave parties, loud music, tourists drinking on the beaches or driving vehicles on the same, drug peddling, prostitution, they must act. The graver the crime to more they must act with alacrity.
Bollywood film personalities were recently roaming the streets of Panjim without masks or social distancing. When summoned by the NCB, they dutifully wore their masks like erring school girls. Indeed, the law is the same for all. So must the implementing of the same.
R Fernandes, Margao
Focus on pressing priorities
The beneficiaries of the Dayanand Social Security Scheme have not received their monthly pension since May. Amidst this pandemic and very troubled economic times it must be so distressing for those elderly to be without their pension for over five months. It is an unacceptable situation and only reflects the very bad state of governance.
It would be appropriate for the government to stop draining the exchequer on needless projects like the Manohar Parrikar Samadhi and focus instead on the pressing priorities.
With the cash-strapped government unable to pay employees their salaries in time, it is ludicrous for the Chief Minister to have announced that a big recruitment of staff will take place in January next year. His statement that IFFI will now be held in January next year is just another crazy thought. IFFI and those postponed ZP elections should be shoved under the carpet.
With COVID-19 viciously raging by the day and in these unpredictable times, nobody knows what will be the state of affairs in the next three months. So the Chief Minister would be well advised to stop drawing plans for 2021 and just concentrate on providing the much-needed proper medical care so that every life possible can be saved during this current pandemic. We cannot allow the current sordid state of affairs where people are just dying due to lack of proper medical care and in some cases on account of medical negligence.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Climate education for MLAs
It’s great that school kids are being taught on climate change, protection of trees, saving water, resources, wild life, use of sustainable power sources (other than coal etc). When can Goa’s Ministers and MLAs also get educated on this subject?
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
Imbibing discipline among vehicle riders
The South Goa District Police have introduced a strict drive against motor vehicle violators. Accordingly, cars found with tinted glasses will be dealt with a firm hand. Similarly two-wheeler riders found without a helmet and those installing modified silencers would be taken to task. The local police, PCR vans and traffic police will be holding a joint drive to locate the offenders proceeding along the road. Recently a surprise checking was conducted on the Khareband bridge and many vehicles which flouted the prescribed rules were levied necessary fines. Kudos to SP Pankaj Kumar Singh in introducing such an appropriate step in South Goa.
Police stations located at other locations in the State should follow suit and introduce such drives at the respective jurisdictions on a priority basis so that vehicle riders found flouting the Motor Vehicles Act are properly tracked and fined accordingly. This would go a long way in imbibing discipline among vehicle riders. Indeed, such drives should be undertaken not only for a specific period but on a permanent basis so as to achieve the desired positive results.
Pravin U Sardessai, Adpai
Implement welfare legislation of NFS Act
Strictly implement welfare legislation of National Food Security Act as Goa has failed to comply with the provisions of the law passed by the Parliament. The State should provide minimum food like pulses, milk, edible oil and eggs per month as guaranteed under the National Food Security Act and implementation of MGNREGS for providing minimum days of employment. The Food Security Act makes the right to food a legal entitlement and promises to provide adequate quantities of it at affordable prices to the poor. Food security is not just about hunger and starvation. With anaemia, poverty and malnutrition being harsh realities of life for a very large number of people, the need to effectively implement the Act is particularly important because the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the poor badly and made them vulnerable.
K.G. Vilop, Chodan
