Restoration of mangroves
It is learnt that despite facing various obstacles, around forty volunteers reportedly planted about 1,100 mangrove buds along the banks of the river at Cortalim in collaboration with St Joseph Vaz College as their mangrove plantation drive entered its third year thereby marking a significant step in restoring the coastal ecosystem (O Heraldo June 1).
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
In Goa, mangrove areas have been reclaimed for building houses, bridges, industrial units, roads, jetties, infrastructure for tourism, etc. It is learnt that Goa houses 16 mangrove species and it has one of the best mangrove forests in the country.
Destruction of mangroves is an offence under the Goa Preservation of Trees Act, 1984, and any such acts can attract strict action. Coastal ecosystems, such as reefs and mangroves, are crucial in reducing the damages caused by floods to both people and property by acting as natural barriers to waves and storms.
Mangroves provide a unique habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species. Their dense roots help bind the soil, thereby reducing soil erosion.
The good news is that mangroves can bounce back naturally. With the ability to store vast amounts of carbon, mangrove forests are key weapons in the fight against climate change.
In Goa, several thousands of mangrove plants have been destroyed probably due to the release of industrial waste into the water bodies.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Human cost of elections
At the behest of the government, the CEC announced the conduct of parliamentary elections in an unprecedented 7 phases without taking into account (or deliberately ignoring) that India experiences peak summers during the said dates. India is in the grip of a severe heat wave with several poll officials dying in the line of duty to ensure free and fair elections, the latest being the death of 18 polling staff who lost their lives in Bihar and UP, the condition of fifty others is very critical.
Reports of multiple deaths of voters due to rising mercury in Rajasthan and other northern states have also surfaced. This begs the question, what was the need to stretch the elections if not to give advantage to the BJP so that they can exercise control over the narrative and influence voters with their 24×7 venal barrage against the opposition.
Of course the PM led from the front in this egregious pursuit by talking about mutton, Muslim, machhli, Mughals, mujra etc in his rallies and roadshows held in peak afternoons.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
The dividend conundrum
Going through the Annual Report of the Reserve Bank of India, we find out how the Central Bank was able to release such a whopping amount of Rs 2.1 lakh crore as dividend to the BJP government at the Centre. RBI has made this possible by allocating much lower amount to contingency provisions during FY 24.
It is startling that as against Rs 1.3 lakh crore allocated in FY 23, only Rs 42,819 crore has been transferred to the contingency fund in FY 24. Though RBI might argue that the 22% year on year increase in the value of the contingency fund to Rs 4.3 lakh crore was enough to maintain the realised equity at 6.5% of the balance sheet- the upper level of the range prescribed by the Bimal Jalan committee, will it not be prudent to have some buffer in the reserve funds to meet any unexpected contingency comfortably, particularly if the revaluation of foreign currency assets go haywire?
Moreover, one also wonders why the RBI has transferred such a huge amount to the incumbent government at the centre at such a tearing hurry, when the country is awaiting the outcome of the general elections in a few days’ time?
Tharcius S Fernando, Chennai
No film is needed to introduce Bapu to world
National Award-winning filmmaker Luit Kumar Barman has now reportedly filed a police complaint against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Hatigaon police station in Guwahati for making a most irresponsible controversial statement against Mahatma Gandhi whilst giving an interview with ABP recently.
Well, in the said interview, PM Modi has said that the world was not aware of Mahatma Gandhi till Richard Attenborough’s film ‘Gandhi’ was released in 1982.
Now, if the world was really not aware (as has been claimed by Modi) of Mahatma Gandhi till Richard Attenborough’s film was released in 1982 then how come his statues were already put up/installed by world leaders in front of UNO (United Nations Office) and as many as 70-80 countries from around the world before 1982?
No film is required to introduce a great soul like Mahatma Gandhi to the world.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
