29 May 2020  |   04:32am IST

Letters to the editor ( 29 May 2020)

Letters to the editor ( 29 May 2020)

Govt should not waste time, money

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has rightly decided that there is no urgency in holding the postponed Zilla Panchayat elections. Infact after discussing the entire issue with all the stake holders it would be in Goa’s interests to scrap this unnecessary idling extra layer of governance and instead more powers should be vested with the Panchayats. 

The government has also rightly decided that all persons entering Goa should undergo the COVID-19 test. This should be stringently followed as allowing our borders to be porous to be catastrophic.

In this pandemic and with the lockdown in place the cash-strapped Goa Government should have been well advised not to waste its time and money in holding functions to inaugurate a grade separator at the airport or launching a ferry boat. The government should focus all its energy in planning to deal with the COVID-19 crisis and to prevent its spread in Goa with the assistance and guidance of experts in the medical and allied fields.

Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar


Behold the pain of the miserable

I was reminiscing of a picture that was widely universalized in September 2015 of a 3-year-old toddler who was washed ashore the Turkish coast amidst the Syrian catastrophe triggered by the ISIS. That one heart rending snapshot rewound the world on the migrant crisis as perhaps never before and a number of European nations and even a distant country like Canada opened their doors for the migrants who were simply fleeing the war-ravaged Syria to save their lives.

Today a video is actively shown of a 2-year-old tiny tot who is moving around his mother, a migrant labourer on her way home, at Muzaffarpur railway station in Bihar, trying to draw her attention unaware of the fact that she is dead. Compare and contrast the above two incidents. Both depict no doubt the migration tragedies; yet the first instance pertains to a situation ravaged by the militancy forcing people to flee their country in search of a safer shelter as it often unfurls during warfare.

The other horrific illustration is something that has transpired in our own country amidst the migrant crisis emerging in the backdrop of the repeated lockdowns, indicating what is the worth of human life with all sorts of dissonance between the Centre and the states and also between any two states and in the bargain the poor migrants wanting to return to their native land, left totally stranded and discarded on the roads, railway stations, bus stands and other places under the scorching summer heat.

Likewise there have been many other tragedies like pregnant women on their journey home giving birth midway and some have even lost their new born kids. The tale of a teenaged migrant girl cycling with her ailing father for hundreds of miles or of a young man pulling the cart with his family are some among the many such tragedies that bring tears in our eyes. That apart so many migrants have lost their lives in the different accidents amidst the exodus. The sordid revelations of the migrants being quarantined and then struggling for food, water, sanitation and medication amply exposes how much a human life matters in our country. 

No matter what justifications the Centre and the different states may pour out they should own the responsibility of not doing much to mitigate the woes of the migrants.

Michael Vaz, Merces


Mobile app to assist distancing

Medical experts believe that the coronavirus is here to stay. With no vaccine and cure in sight, the only way one can protect oneself is by following preventive measures. As of now the only way to prevent getting infected is by staying at home, wearing a mask, using hand sanitizers and social distancing. Staying at home may not be a long term option. Social distancing can be a tricky affair. In a crowded place it may not be possible to maintain the required distance at all times.

 It is pertinent to note that museums and cultural centres in Europe are ready to welcome guests once again. However the authorities have introduced certain norms for social distancing. All visitors will now require to wear physical transponders that beeps and buzz when one guest gets too close to another. By wearing it the visitor will feel the sensor with a vibration and a sound that will inform the person that he/she is less than two metres away from another person.

 Almost every person in India does carry a mobile phone while stepping out of the house. The mobile could incorporate a device or have an app which gives a beep and vibration when the person is close to another person. This will warn the person and shall go a long way in effectively maintaining social distancing in a densely populated country like India.

Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco


Law-makers or law-breakers?

After much delay, the Dabolim Grade Separator project has finally been thrown open to ease traffic woes on both ends of the airport. However, it didn't take long for the inaugural ceremony to get caught in the limelight for the wrong reasons.

Instead of serving as advocates for prevention measures, our dear ministers seemed to have preached against it, by clearly not following social distancing norms. Moreover, a few officials were not even wearing their masks properly, as is evident in media photos that have since gone viral. I wonder who is going to fine them for flouting such precautionary rules? Or are they above the law?

 I fail to understand this publicity stunt of gathering numerous officials, when a soft-launch would be much more advisable in these times! Let the average quality of this much-hyped project speak for itself!

Jude Fernandes, Vasco


Misinformation in the age of corona 

Today, coronavirus has gripped the entire world in fear. Most countries are engaged in fighting against this deadly virus. There are many myths doing the rounds on social media claiming to have insights into fighting against the virus. One post suggests that by eating allium you will be cured from the virus. Another says Covid-19 will not attack people in a hot atmosphere. Yet another claim suggests that this virus attacks only children who are less than five years of age and people who are over fifty years of age. 

There are many posts that claim that one can boost one’s immune system and lower one’s risk of getting Covid-19 by eating sweet potatoes and taking certain vitamins, supplements, colloidal silver, or by drinking warm water or tea every 15 minutes. These myths are creating a huge problem for people who do not have access to the right information. 

I hope that people will not start treating themselves by following these wrong prescriptions and as a result they end up in hot water. The government must take stern action against those who spread such myths on Whatsapp and other social media sites.

Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai


Nothing wrong in SSC English paper

Referring to the outcry regarding English paper, from one prominent political party, was not surprising to me.  Considering the political culture, regardless of any political party, this kind of furore was anticipated. I completely understand it was made to gain popularity in this State.

There is nothing wrong with the example set in the paper. Unfortunately it resembled, to the existing employment scenario, to some extent. Most of educated products, graduates and post-graduates are forced to move out of their homeland in search of better opportunities. This is not only by opting for foreign passports, but also migrating to gulf countries and other parts of the world.  This is because subsequent governments are not able to provide them decent opportunities to commence their livelihood. 

There are no reservation policies for locals of this state, unlike other states. Moreover last year we have read about inability of state government to institute reservation policy like other states. So in light of all this there is nothing wrong in the question paper.

At these difficult times of looming pandemic, potential economic crisis, political parties should be more responsible towards their strategic objectives and should focus more on mitigation of these crisis, rather than creating unnecessary stir and ruckus.

Sergei Furtado, via email


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