Panchayats should provide written reply
In village areas, the village panchayats play a significant role in handling the local issues of residents at the respective jurisdictions. At the VP of Adpai-Durbhat in Ponda, I have complained on some occasions regarding unjust acts of some of the residents residing in our private property at Adpai. However, there is not a single occasion wherein I have received any written reply from this panchayat.
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Even recently I registered two complaint letters dated November 22, 2021 and December 29, 2021 respectively towards a resident for dumping construction materials in our private property without my prior permission. The existing way was also blocked in the process. But on both these occasions, I did not receive either oral or written reply regarding the status pertaining to my registered complaint. Such an attitude on the part of this VP ultimately confronted me with great inconvenience.
With lack of cooperation of any sort, I had no other alternative but to approach the Ponda Police Station.
The Directorate of Panchayats as a competent authority should take a serious note of instances like that of above and instruct all VPs in the State to inform the complainants about the position of their respective complaints through a written reply compulsorily. Such a favourable step would indeed prove convenient for the said complainants to get acquainted with the actual position of their concerned complaints. Let us hope that the DOP issues necessary circular to the VPs in the State accordingly on top priority. Residents must receive efficient service at all costs.
Pravin U Sardessai, Adpai
Ploy to get some sympathy for BJP
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was reportedly stranded on a flyover in Bathinda recently for 15-20 minutes when his convoy was blocked by some protesting farmers after which he was forced to return back to Delhi from the poll-bound State of Punjab without attending any event, including a rally which was scheduled on the same day.
Modi was reportedly not even touched (unlike our former late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi who was physically attacked from behind with a rifle butt whilst inspecting the naval guard of honour in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 1987) but yet the BJP leaders are seen mischievously trying to politicise this small minor incident at the national level in the name of security breach by taking out rallies in some BJP-ruled states (including Goa) spreading their own conspiracy theories and demanding for the immediate dismissal of the Congress-led government in Punjab for allegedly sabotaging his recent visit through the above mentioned act in the said State.
Well, this is nothing but a forced hype that has been created by the BJP leaders to gain some sympathy from public keeping an eye on the forthcoming assembly elections in 5 States of India. Hey, when the common men is kept stranded for hours on roads and bridges during Narendra Modi’s official visits in most States (including Goa), there is no outrage but when this same gentleman is kept stranded on a flyover for just 15-20 minutes sitting in a hi-fi AC bullet proof vehicle surrounded by his black commandos due to a small protest/road blockage from farmers in Punjab then all hell breaks loose.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Third vaccine dose for frontline warriors
As India witnesses the third wave of Covid-19 and with a rise in the cases of the Omicron variant, it is learnt that a large number of frontline workers including doctors, nurses, paramedics, police and health department officials in several cities across the country are turning out to be Covid-19 positive.
According to experts this can put pressure on the healthcare infrastructure. It is understood that in Delhi 68 healthcare workers, including 15 doctors at AIIMS and 49 health staff at Safdarjung reported positive. From January 10, India will reportedly start administering the third dose of the vaccine to healthcare workers, doctors and those above 60 years of age with co-morbidities. According to the Union Health Ministry there is no need for new registration for taking the precautionary dose of the Covid-19 vaccine and those eligible can take an appointment from Saturday or walk in. Goa is witnessing a surge of Covid-19 positive cases. The medical infrastructure in the State could be under pressure when the number of cases reach the peak which is expected to be somewhere in mid February. The State needs to make provision to provide the booster dose for the healthcare workers including doctors along with the other States from January 10. If the healthcare workers and the doctors in the State also get infected, then Goa will face the same problem as Delhi is facing. Necessary precaution needs to be taken as far as the frontline workers are concerned by providing them with the third dose of the vaccine.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Security breach for PM in Punjab
The Centre and the Punjab government continued to wrangle over the issue of a lapse in the cavalcade of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While the Union government pointed an accusing finger at the State government and the police for the incident, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi played down the entire controversy as a diversion from the thin attendance at a rally that Modi was scheduled to address in Ferozpur. Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry termed the incident a major lapse, and President Ram Nath Kovind also expressed grave concern over the security breach.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Tuning with the new ghumot
It was refreshing, interesting to read, since it was different from the routine, deafening political masala. The Government by giving heritage status without skin of monitor lizard, protected Goa’s’ heritage folk instrument and dwindling species hunted for its skin. The alternative to replace the membrane with goat skin affects the quality of sound and also absorbs moisture.
The sourcing in stealth due to fines had added to the misery of ghumot users. High quality drums are now using synthetic membrane in all instruments. Research in using artificial membrane will improve the desired quality of sounds in ghumot. At least, as of now ghumot is saved for posterity from extinction along with monitor lizard.
Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim
Public utilities to be accessible
Several of the government service providers and utilities in Panjim are located in different floors of buildings that are located at Patto Centre, Junta House and other places. Some buildings have elevators that are too old, look risky and have failed several times in the past. There are incidences of people being trapped in the elevators. Some of the newer buildings too have elevators but no operators because of which some people are apprehensive to use the facility.
The Spaces building at Patto Centre there are 6 offices: In the side wing on the first floor is the Goa’s Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA). On the 2nd floor is the Office of Civil Registrar-Cum-Sub-Registrar where daily tens of people flock for registration, attestation and collection of different documents.
The General Administration Department (GAD) had asked all govt offices located in the Spaces building to move to government premises by Oct 31 and to function from there from Nov 1, 2021! Hopefully, when the shifting takes place the important departments and offices that cater to the citizens will be located on the ground or first floors and accessible by all.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
