Using explosives against wild animals
A pet dog was blown to death on Wednesday after it accidentally ate a food item stuffed with an explosive, which was meant to kill wild boars, in a forest in Canacona. It is understood that this is a common occurrence in the forest every night and that several farmers have complained that wild boars have been destroying their paddy crops. Wild boars could also be killed in such a manner for their meat. Whatever may be the reason, it does not call for such a violent action which can kill the animals in the most barbaric way.
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God forbid, it could be a human being who could be maimed or even killed by such a crude bomb after stepping on it while walking in the forest. Other methods need to be adopted by the farmers in order to prevent wild animals, including wild boars from destroying the paddy crop.
Methods like proper fencing of the paddy field, digging a ditch around the plantation, laying traps for the animals and the trapped animals being let out in the wild, making noise by beating drums to drive away the animals could be adopted. Killing animals in such a violent way is no way to solve the problem. The police need to warn the farmers not to use any explosives to kill the wild animals including wild boars and take necessary action against those who violate the laws.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Problem solving: India style!
UK has imposed another lockdown to counter the growing positive cases. They have recognized the following Facts 1: The mortality rate in the elderly and those with comorbidity is a distinct, Fact 2: Studies have proven that Vitamin D supplements cut down mortality in these groups. They now are acting on this and planning a 4 month dole out of Vitamin D to these groups.
In Goa, 5 to 10 people continue to lose their lives daily. The ‘distinct fact’ established is that such people seek medical help at a very late stage. So, what action do we have to take? First action is identifying the problem: not making excuses. World over the fact is that the elderly and vulnerable are more at risk. They must have their immunity boosted.
Only Vitamin D and Zinc supplements have been proven to do this; not homeopathy. In Goa we are doling out unproven ‘remedies’ and not acknowledging what the world knows. This is criminal. A cruel joke on the elderly. No one is taking up for their rights not even the GHRC. Who is responsible to act? Who must advise the Government with a strong hand?
R Fernandes, Margao
Renewing licences
Many senior citizens and people are visiting FDA office at Bambolim to renew their licence are turned back saying that the renewal should be done online.
The FDA department should give wide publicity regarding the same. Moreover those who are not computer savvy find difficult to renew the licence. The most important requirements is , trade licence from panchayat or municipality and NOC from health department. One has to bring the official from the health department for verification is the most difficult issue. The government should simplify the process instead of people running to various departments.
Elvis Colaco, Collem
Power generation in Goa
This is in response to a brainstorming article by Engineer A. X. Esmeraldo Gomes on Sunday Herald, November 4, as regards the technical drawbacks of power transmission project as proposed by Goa governance. His suggestion as an alternative to replace this project by complete power generation plant needs to be studied.
We have the BJP govt. in Goa and at the centre. The most used slogan is “Aatmamnirbhar”, which means self-reliance or self- sufficient. We should practice what we preach. We should do some out-of-the-box thinking. We should have our own power generation plant to avoid dependence on the neighbouring states, especially at the time of issue-base disputes such as Mhadei water dispute.
Modern technology provides compact natural gas turbine power generating plants, which are very efficient and can be accommodated on a foot print of about 1000 sq.mts. of land, which can provide power generation of approximately 1000 Megawatts and above if required. Given to understand a natural gas pipeline is already passing through Goa (through Zuari Nagar), it can be made use of as input source known to be less polluting and controllable to much below the level of permissible limits.
Ready land could be used where the extinct Salgaocar Reliance plant existed or surplus land from Zuari Agro Chemicals could also be contemplated. Any barren land along the coastal area will also serve the purpose. This is a real alternative considering all benefits. This saves the existing environment, avoids deforestation (cutting of trees) which is required for proposed sub-station and long transmission lines.
A captive power generation plant in Goa will make us a true “Aatamamnirbhar” and insulate us from ‘arbitrary power’ hikes and power outages, like in the present scenario, which burdens the end-user / consumer.
Regenerative power can also be augmented by solar and wind power.
A feasibility report and analyses is very important and helpful at this stage, which should be transparent to all the concerned.
Agnelo Furtado, Chinchinim
Alliance politics era seems ending
Election results of Bihar state-assembly and by-elections for some other state-assemblies further establish that voters are now afraid of return of pseudo-secular politics while despite anti-incumbency factor, BJP led the poll-victory in all states where elections were held.
It was purely BJP win and not that of NDA in Bihar when BJP emerged as a a big brother with 74 seats while its ally JDU got just 43 seats even though both the allies got almost equal share of seats to be contested in pre-poll alliance. It is definite that BJP could have got even more than total tally of alliance at 125 seats if it would have contested alone. BJP had already bitter experience of pre-poll alliance in Maharashtra where the party though being the largest single party was deceived by its ally just for being power-hungry.
Likewise RJD under young captaincy of Tejaswi Yadav could have gathered much more than present tally of 110 of combined alliance where RJD got 75 seats while Congress could get just 19 seats out of 70 contested. RJD tally could be much higher if it would have not allied with Congress, the party losing its ground day-by-day in national politics because of its failed dynastic leadership. Before giving big chunk of 70 seats for contest to Congress, Tejaswy Yadav should have studied similar UP model where Akhilesh Yadav gave big seat-share in pre-poll alliance in the state.
Madhu Agrawal, Delhi
MLAs should resign
Kudos to the Cortalim MLA Alina Saldanha for opposing the SWR double track project. All the MLAs, especially those from the ruling BJP and those who ditched the Congress and NCP to join the BJP must make their stand clear on the three projects which threaten to destroy Goa further.
If these MLAs are serious about protecting Goa for our children they must resign from the BJP and we the people of Goa will vote for them to power to form a Government who will protect the interest of Goa and Goans.
Matias Lobo, Tivim
