Preserve our original pao
This is to acknowledge the very informative write-up “Give us our daily bread” by Adv Furtado (Herald, October 16). It made a scrupulous reading full of historic knowledge. It pictographs Goan ‘Poder’ at its best. But sadly the people who rule Goa do not understand the values of bread and bread making. Hence they fancifully force the rules of electrifying the bakeries on pretext of pollution control. No doubt use of wood seems a serious offence, although thousands of trees are felled to make way for Mopa airport, Double lines railings and road widening, etc. The writer has mentioned in the article the good and the ill effects of switching to electric version of baking breads.
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If one has to enjoy the original Goan ‘Pao’, it has to be baked the way it used to be. Goan ‘Pao’ will always stand out as an unique traditional preparation if it is cared for to maintain its original form and recipe.
Afonso Braganza, Secy, AGAB)
Thefts in trains
It is learnt that eight theft cases have been reported in trains across Goa wherein passengers were robbed of gold, cash and valuables worth Rs 3.24 lakh by unknown persons. Konkan Railway police have reportedly registered the thefts at various railway stations in the State and that investigations are going on.
Probably the most common item that is stolen in the moving train is the mobile phone. Several citizens including Goans travel by train as it is the preferred choice of travel. Hence safety of the passengers becomes of paramount importance. Thefts in trains could be occurring at a disturbing frequency because of the ease by which the thieves can make a getaway by either getting off the train at the next railway station or simply getting into a different coach when the train stops at the station.
Citizens travelling in trains need to have a means to report to the police of their missing items while the train is still on the move and before it stops at the next station. A railway police helpline to report theft before the train halts at the next station could be of immense help to the travelling public.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Warning signals ignored
The manslaughter of a parking attendant by tourists is yet another warning signal. Earlier, irresponsible tourists led to the death of hundreds of Goans through Covid. Women from Surla village obtained a ban on liquor sale due to harassment from drunken tourists.
There being no Police outposts in most villages the same had to be obtained from the Collector. There are no Sewage treatment plants in villages. Yet, the BJP Govt, including Amit Shah are promoting hinterland tourism calling is development! They are giving loans up to Rs 10 lakh for any tourism business. All of India will descend if only to lay hands on the loan amount and Goa will soon be another Pataya.
So, all schemes like the loans will be gobbled up by greedy people and Goans will be compromised. The BJP is putting all eggs in only the tourism basket. Villages must oppose such irrational, vulture baiting schemes. Shah will do better if he springs Swaach Bharat 2.0 to clean such gross prevalent cultures in Indians who do not know the meaning of development.
R Fernandes, Margao
‘Yongistan’ perceptions
Young people have their own ideology, ideas, perceptions, dreams and aims and they don’t want anyone to interfere in their efforts to achieve those goals. They refuse to listen to elders’ views on the choice of education, employment, profession, marriage as they think they are ministers of their own destiny and parents are the means and not the end. Most young people believe that the duty of the parents ends with giving birth, providing education, food, clothing, support and guidance.
Once they come of age only they can decide their future. This is a dangerous trend as everyone will agree that young people have their own dreams and advice of their parents you people who try to fly high must not forget that they have to come to earth, which belongs to the parents.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Drugs and SRK’s son
There appears to be no reprieve for Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s 23-year-old son Aryan, charged in a drug case. He will have to spend another week in jail as the special NIA court on Thursday reserved an order on his bail application till October 20. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has claimed that Aryan has been a regular consumer of contraband for the last few years and, in WhatsApp chat, there is a specific reference to bulk quantity.
While we need to steer clear of narcotics to avoid ruining our lives and homes, the authorities must spare no effort to crack down on drug peddlers.
N J Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
Icing on the cake
India is on the cusp of crossing the 100 crores vaccination mark. This has been one of the most remarkable achievements, which truly can be called a collective achievement thanks to the Governments both central and States a combined effort. Of course, the role of the medical fraternity cannot be forgotten and the pivotal part played by the Municipal Corporations, the NGOs, the list is endless and worth a word of appreciation. It just goes to prove that when we Indians decide to do something, we do it with flair and do a world of good.
Congratulations to every single Indian who made this possible. And the icing on the cake. A vaccine for 2 to 18 year olds by our very own Bharat Biotech. This is an amazing achievement. The vaccination drive has been ramped up through availability of more vaccines, advance visibility of vaccine availability to States and UTs for enabling better planning by them, and streamlining the vaccine supply chain, a remarkable feat indeed.
Akhila Gopalan,
Mumbai
Mopa Airport for whom?
The newly built Chipi airport in Konkan’s Sindhudurg district has finally been inaugurated. This airport is expected to be well connected to the Navi Mumbai International Airport located in the neighbouring North Konkan district through the Greenfield Konkan Expressway (between Navi Mumbai to Patradevi) to be implemented by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC).
The unwanted Mopa Airport project is located in the command areas of the Tillari Irrigation Project for which huge investment has been made for creating assets to improve livelihoods of local village communities through promotion of fair weather (rabi) cultivation. Pernem and Goa needs agricultural competitiveness projects covering different areas of agriculture & rural development to fully utilise the potential of natural resources and created irrigation infrastructure for achieving sustainable development solutions.
Appropriate agriculture policy, institutional support, regulatory frameworks & capacity building initiatives were required to take up the sub-projects in irrigation development and flood control/drainage that will be identified under the 30 years master plans to make these villages self-sufficient through climate-resilient infrastructure. There are no proper feasibility studies to confirm the need for an additional international airport in Goa.
The proposed Greenfield International airport at Mopa is for promoting hidden mega cities/townships and special investment regions with unsustainable multi-modal transportation hubs.
Wesley Edward Pereira, Raia
