08 Aug 2020  |   06:18am IST

Letters to the editor (08 Aug2020)

Letters to the editor (08 Aug2020)

Time to tackle the real issues now

The Ram temple foundation stone laying ceremony was marked with great pomp, pageantry, fervour and triumphal chest beating but what struck a sour note was equating the Mandir struggle with the freedom movement. This was a bit too far fetched by any stretch of imagination if not a downright smear on the memory of our freedom fighters because of whom we exist as an independent nation today. 

Shilanyas done, the powers that be should focus attention on primary education, kickstarting the moribund economy and laying the foundation of a robust public healthcare system the lack of which was so savagely exposed by Covid cutting a wide swathe through the Indian populace. Cartographic and military aggression by Pakistan, China and even minnow Nepal needs to be addressed in an assertive manner post haste. Temples and other cultural markers of organised religion are all very well but they cannot be a substitute for national progress and people's wellbeing. The government babus and their minions should now put their heads down, work on the real issues at hand and help take India to it's rightful place in the comity of nations. Picture abhi baki hai doston.

Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim

Reduce size of traffic circles

In a tragic accident which occurred at the accident-prone Borim Circle on Thursday, three employees of the Electricity Department died on the spot after the truck they were travelling in overturned. It is understood that vehicles, especially heavy vehicles, find it extremely difficult to negotiate the turn at the Borim Circle because of the large size of the circle which reduces the width of the road. 

It is pertinent to note that many of the traffic circles and road medians which have plants grown in it were built decades ago when the number of vehicles on the roads were comparatively less. One such road median which has a garden in it, is located along the church square in the port town of Vasco. There is a lot of traffic congestion at this junction. Reducing the width of the median seems necessary in order to increase the width of the road for easy flow of traffic. It may be recalled that the authorities reduced the size of the traffic circle at Margao which has eased the flow of traffic. A survey of the traffic circles, road medians and traffic islands in Goa needs to be conducted and their size reduced wherever necessary.

Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco


Incessant rains

The catastrophic and incessant rains for the past 3 days has created havoc in Goa and Mumbai, not to mention other places. But an interesting factor that needs to be noted this time is that many areas which were earlier not getting flooded are now getting inundated. The television visuals show maximum areas of South Mumbai, which were hitherto safe, have been flooded this time. Moreover the sea, this time, has ventured into the city. This is an alarming signal. Till last year the city used to get flooded, because there used to be a high tide and therefore the water in the city would not go into the sea. However this time, the sea itself has come into the city. Let us not take this incident as an isolated one, rather club it with other incidents like the Corona pandemic, the latest storms like Nisarga, Amphan, etc. and look at the things. Are we not interfering with the nature too much? It's time to think and stop assaulting Mother Earth before she gets furious and renders us helpless.

Milind Kulkarni, Taleigao

Aspirations

People always work for the best. Students will give first preference to IIT’s and next to well-known Regional Engg. Colleges. Football players will aspire for ISL Clubs then the I-League Clubs.

In Goa we see the siblings of a Congress stalwart joining the BJP. The BJP has been in power since the last 2 elections. Their governance has left Goa in tatters. The environment has been ravaged. They fight for illegal mining and procrastinate on Goa’s lifeline- the Mhadei River! 

The handling of the pandemic is known to all. In short, no newbie. The party made provisions in the 2017 Budget to shelter the homeless in Goa, but today beggars are still on the streets and losing the battle to Covid-19. Newbie politicians would not aspire for this Party if their aim is to work for the people and for Goa! Therefore, their reasons for joining the party must be self-centred. 

As years go by we tend to forget these points. Memory is short, but we can start building a dossier of such people and populate the same. Storage can be done on the mobile.

R Fernandes, Margao

Borim accident

The accident at Borim involving electricity department workers is a eye- opener to the outdated methods of transferring poles in Goa. The present incumbent minister should own moral responsibility and fore with resign. The electricity departments in Goa as a whole is a big hole. The outdated technology, non-performance , huge bills , power cuts, inefficient power supply etc., etc are many reasons for such accident. 

Let this accident bring forth the spirit of mind and body to take us out from woes of present state of the departments. 

Benny Pereira, Guirim  


Good move by Modi

Sri Lanka’s strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa swept back to power as his party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP or People’s Party) registered a landslide victory in the twice-postponed general elections. 

The party won 145 seats and with its allies have 150 seats, a two-thirds majority in the 225-member parliament. In a significant blow to the United National Party (UNP). 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done well to call Mahinda Rajapaksa and congratulate him, and one hopes that the two countries forge an enduring bond.

N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru


IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar