BJP’s 10-year audit performance
As the BJP in Goa will soon complete ten years in office it is time that we, the people, audit its performance. This government has to be assessed on the ‘Goa Vision Document 2012-2017’, released by the Party in the run-up to the March 2012 Assembly elections and its acts and deeds over the last ten years in power with a never ending string of U-Turns and reneged promises while it gears for the 2022 polls. In its ‘Vision Document’ the BJP promised that annual performance reports of every government department would be prepared and publicised. This has not happened.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Also promised was participatory governance at village level as envisaged in the 73rd and 74th amendments, which too, has not seen the light of the day. We are sadly witnessing today the continued sight of fields and hills being converted to concrete jungles. A coterie of builders is having a field day with constructions mushrooming everywhere without a provision for basic infrastructure of electricity, water, parking, sewage and garbage disposal. To ensure regular, uninterrupted power supply the BJP in 2012 had promised that the whole of Goa would have underground cabling in five years and that the State would be plastic-free in three years which has also not happened.
The promise that a garbage management system would be in place in 18 months is still a distant dream. The government has miserably failed in its promise of 12 hours-a-day uninterrupted drinking water within two years.
The promised zero tolerance to corruption and people centric good governance continues to elude us and remains a very far dream.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Fraudulent changes in land records
The memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister on fraudulent change in land records by the Citizens for Democracy Group is the absolute need of the day. Goa is witnessing a spate of fraudulent sale of properties by fraudsters. The cases are on the rise because land is a valuable asset today and demand for it increasing especially from north Indians and builders.
Well informed people are aware that Form l & IV is not the final and absolute proof of ownership of the property. Besides a number of properties in Goa have been wrongly recorded in this revenue record which also carries the names of deceased persons. But the fraudsters find it easy to commit frauds because this Form is widely accepted by the authorities and even sale deeds are said to be registered by the registration authorities without insisting on inventory proceedings or succession deeds as required by the law of the land.
We have heard of cases in Goa how deceased persons are impersonated and instruments of power of attorney are made in their name to sell properties. By the time the fraud comes to light, it is often too late to get justice and recover the sold land of the lawful owners.
The Hon CM and the government authorities must step in with effective measures and speed, in the interest of innocent and lawful owners, particularly at the registration of deeds level, the last check post, to put an end to this merry making by fraudsters.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
Charters will bring tangible relief
Goa’s comatose hospitality industry would hit a higher gear now that the Centre has approved grant of tourist visas for persons arriving by chartered flights October 15 onwards; Goa receives @ 2.5 lakh chartered tourists, close to 92% of the Indian market.
Resumption of chartered flights shall provide a fillip to all tourism stakeholders, it is worrisome to note that @ 2100 small restaurants, hotels and lodging establishments have yet to open owing to lack of business. Hopefully the first charter shall land in the first week of November.
Issuance of 5 lakh tourist visas free on first come first serve basis and the fact that general tourists shall be allowed in from November 15 would tangibly boost arrivals. The bigger challenge here would be the strict implementation of Covid SOPs and quarantine rules for foreign tourists so that Goa remains safe despite this expected influx of visitors.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Close down weak bridge at Agonda
It is learnt that a bridge at Agonda is on the verge of collapse. Locals fear that the small bridge commonly known as ‘Borie Pul’ could crumble at any time as it has developed cracks. Image of the damaged bridge has gone viral on Social Media. The Agonda beach which lies between Cola beach and Palolem beach is a popular tourist attraction. The narrow bridge, which can accommodate a small car, is used by locals as well as tourists to cross the Agonda River. If (God forbid) the bridge collapses while people are walking and vehicles moving on it, it could prove disastrous. It is understood that a tender for the demolition and construction of a new bridge has already been awarded to a contractor who is reportedly awaiting the work order.
A structural audit on the stability of the existing needs to be carried out. It would be in the fitness of things to close the bridge forthwith in order to avoid any untoward incident. Life is precious and there should not be a man-made disaster by way of the bridge collapsing.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Rules and SOPs only on paper
As highlighted by the article on crowded beaches, it’s very obvious to see that rules and SOPs are pointless if not strictly enforced. It’s all good to allow opening of pubs and bars with 50 per cent occupancy, but if there is no enforcement and regular checks, why even bother? Just scrolling through social media highlights the gross scale at which the SOPs aren’t followed, with well known clubs proudly displaying photos, packed to the rafters, with no social distancing and no sign of masks anywhere.
The TTAG president should probably be educated by someone, that just being double vaccinated, doesn’t mean you can’t contract the virus and be a carrier for it as well, and a steep increase in fines for not wearing masks would be the best deterrent for the same. But again when doctors part of the ‘managing committee’, feel that just because the crowd is outside, it’s ok, it makes one shudder what sort of advice are these ‘experts’ actually giving.
Tourists will come, have their fun and go, it is us locals who will have to bear the brunt of another lockdown.
Neil De Souza, Margao
Heart of the matter:Life after Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic, which is gripping the whole world, has been a cause for concern. Statistics have shown that 15 per cent of Covid-19 patients have cardiovascular complications during the infections in the first six months after recovery from Covid.
In India as of September 2021, a total of 33,347,325 cases and 443,960 deaths have been reported owing to Covid. Various studies have shown that the patients recovered from Covid-19 are at a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases even if they didn’t have any history of heart ailments before. Different research and studies have shown that immune response to the viral infection not only kills the virus but also damages the healthy heart muscle cells in some instances resulting in heart failure.
According to doctors some patients tend to have higher tendency for clot formation in the arteries of the heart, which has the risk of heart attacks in such patients.
It is advisable for those patients recovering from Covid-19 infections to go for regular cardiac screening every six months at least during the first year after recovering from the infections. Patients must be watchful about symptoms of shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pain or palpitations during recovery period.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
