Recycle water in swimming pools
It must be said that water scarcity has remained an ongoing issue in Goa despite surplus monsoon recorded each year.
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The government has admitted that Goa does not have a 24×7 water supply, but assured that each household across the State will receive a minimum four hours of water supply daily before the end of 2026.
There are several reasons for the water shortage the State is facing. Frequent bursting of pipelines, non-implementation of water harvesting and increase in construction activities are some of the contributing factors.
Most new constructions now have swimming pools. At times even each apartment has a private swimming pool. Swimming pools are water guzzlers and can lead to depletion of groundwater. It must be said that swimming pools and lavish gardens are driving water shortages. Periodically draining and refilling the pool can help manage water quality, but it’s important to minimize this practice to conserve water. Recycling swimming pool water can be an environmentally friendly way to manage water usage and maintain pool hygiene.
Swimming pools must have a filtration system that circulates the water through filters to remove debris, dirt, and contaminants. Chemicals like chlorine or bromine are added to sanitise the water, killing bacteria and preventing algae growth. While giving permission for constructing swimming pools the licencing authority needs to check how water for swimming pools will be managed so that it will not affect the water supply to the locals in the vicinity.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Curb drinking in
public places
In a bid to curb the nuisance of public drinking, the Calangute Police have reportedly launched a drive and have even booked cases against individuals found drinking in public places.
This move comes after numerous instances of tourists throwing alcohol bottles on the beach, leading to injuries from broken glass and even drowning cases after consuming alcohol. Sounds like a good move.
Well, it has indeed become a trend, if not a fashion not just amongst the domestic tourists, but even amongst our own Goan youth to sit on beaches, at isolated places in villages and to openly consume alcohol 24 x 7 due to the free availability of alcohol in every nook and corner of Goa.
Well, if the government really wants to curb the nuisance of public drinking in future then it should henceforth stop decorating the State with wholesale liquor outlets everywhere, especially in villages, on beaches, near educational institutions, places of worship, etc and impose hefty fines on those consuming alcohol at isolated places in villages/public places and on those driving their two/four wheelers under the influence of alcohol rather than sending the cops to carry on with their temporary drives for time-pass and fooling our gullible susegad Goans in Goa.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
The game of life
Chess has plenty of similarities with the way we lead our daily life. A checkerboard in black and white, 32 pieces and two players – this is all it involves to play chess.
Yet, this brilliant indoor game teaches us some of the most profound life lessons. In every move and thought process there is a careful analysis preceding the game. It is exactly the same way that life works! A careful, measured step is what leads us to success; but a mistake and we need to retract! Another important life lesson that we can learn from chess is that ‘pawns rock.’ Pawns may seem insignificant. But in chess so many games are won in the end due to a pawn promotion. So, we need to pay attention to the little things in our life, since they add up to great big things in the end. If only we know how to play the game of life the chess-way, we can walk our way to success.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Soaring coconut prices
The price of raw coconuts has soared to an all-time high. As coconut is a key ingredient in traditional Goan cuisine. This price hike is primarily driven by a sharp decline in coconut production. The price hike in coconuts has had a knock-on effect on coconut-based products.
Because of the increase in prices of coconuts, coconut delicacies have gone off the menu in many middle-class households. The cascading effect increases prices of tender coconut too. Everyone prefers tender coconut over soft drinks, keeping in mind the health benefits. But if prices surge, naturally people will prefer soft drinks. The government should take measures to control the price surge.
K G Vilop, Chorao
AAP down, not out
With the AAP defeated in Delhi, and its key leaders losing, it’s time for the party to look for a second level of leadership to take things forward.
This is an ideal time to do this. Arvind Kejriwal should ideally take a backseat, recharge his batteries and look to take his unique party, conceived entirely anew from the drawing board, to other States.
Slow and steady wins the race. Atishi, who was interim minister and presumably kept the seat for Kejriwal, should lead the opposition in the Delhi Assembly.
It would be a travesty if the AAP didn’t introspect transparently, and started afresh and brought in new blood as well. The AAP has a lot to offer Delhi, and even if it is only seen as Delhi-centric, it must look to establish footholds in other States, even Goa which has a muted Opposition.
For other parties like the Congress, it should introspect on why it didn’t consider allying with AAP which may have helped defeat the BJP.
Brian D Souza, Margao
Women participation
in STEM is low
Women and girls lag behind their male counterparts in research in terms of participation and contribution. But in terms of research quality in science, women are second to none. Though engineering, manufacturing, mathematics and natural science have important statistics to boast about the involvement of women, they have to catch-up with men in a big way.
Studies on the STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) reveal that girls are underrepresented. A little less than 30 per cent of the technology researchers are women. The aptitude is there; but the sustainment seems to be missing.
Are the technological fields biased towards men? One is afraid the recruitment policies and working conditions are not very favourable and flexible towards women. The sustainable development goals of the United Nations stand threatened when women-participation in STEM is low.
Limited access to technical tools for progress also act as obstacles for women. The STEM subjects can be a distant dream for many young girls in Indian villages though village girls are increasingly finding themselves going urban in search of jobs in STEM.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
