SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Play Holi with natural colours
Today Goa celebrates the festival of Holi. While the blast of colours is a visual treat and getting drenched in the coloured water is a joy, the excitement of the festival can be marred by chemical-based colours that can play spoilsport, and lead to many harmful effects on health from skin issues, eye problems to respiratory troubles.
Synthetic dyes in the colours can trigger itching, redness, and inflammation, sometimes escalating into dermatitis or eczema. Moreover, the abrasive nature of these colours can physically damage the skin, causing micro-tears and abrasions. These colours can also cause harm to the hair.
The colors available in the market today contain toxic chemicals which have not been certified as fit for use on human skin and eyes. The colours can make hair go dull and brittle and can even cause irritant dermatitis and eczema. Organic colours are a great alternative. They are made from natural extracts and are easily available online. Mostly made out of dried leaves, fruits and flowers, they are not only skin and health-friendly but also harmless for the environment. Synthetic colours also have a negative impact on the environment as well as animals. The chemicals in them often cause the decay of plants and other microorganisms. If splashed on pets, they can cause skin irritation. On the other hand organic and natural colours are safer to use.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Parents must stop letting minors use vehicles
Recently a teenager from Seraulim lost his life in a tragic road accident on March 22. The news was really shocking and shattering.
The accident took place when he was riding a two wheeler without having a valid driving licence. It's common now-a-days for parents to allow their minor children to drive at a very young age which often results in road accidents. The boy's mother was later arrested for criminal negligence for allowing the child to drive without a valid licence.
Today children want to zoom off on the roads with scooters and cars. This reckless behaviour results in road accidents.
Goa has become one of the few states to sweep down to crack down on underage riders and drivers and police said that they will initiate legal action against parents and hold them accountable for oversight and indulgence for giving vehicles to their children
School authorities should also counsel parents and students and advise them on road safety rules. This is the only way we can curb road accidents.
Raju Ramamurthy, Vasco
Timing of Kejriwal's arrest is confusing
The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal by the Enforcement Directorate in the liquor scam marks another low in the annals of Indian democracy. This is the first time a sitting CM has been arrested in the history of Independent India. Manish Sisodia, his deputy, was arrested in the same case on February 26, 2023.
It could be argued that the ED was just doing its job. But the timing of the arrest makes the case a bit confusing. Incidentally, Kejriwal was taken into custody five days after the announcement of the election schedule, barely two months before polling in Delhi and Haryana. While PM Modi continues to be the most popular leader in the country, Kejriwal too has mastered the art of narrative building over the years.
Political circumstances have turned the former bureaucrat and activist into a mass leader and a vote catcher for the AAP. Since Kejriwal is behind bars, it will be interesting to watch whether the AAP leaders have the calibre to create a big movement among the masses by putting the Modi government and the BJP in the dock.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
Sad plight of delivery boys
Food delivery to doorstep is a relatively fresh concept that took off not very long ago. Many households, even otherwise, are comfortable with delicious snacks delivered to their homes by restaurant aggregators. Unfortunately, violence against delivery boys has raised concerns. As per a study in metro cities, 40 percent of delivery men have reported violence at work at any point in their employment. A whopping 64 percent of the workers who faced violence have hardly received support from their employers.
These food delivery men and women suffer from discrimination, stress and job insecurity. Many housing societies don't permit these workers to use their facilities including elevators. Naturally, the workers are a worried lot because time is gold for them. Large cities pose extreme challenge to delivery boys because of the nightmarish traffic. A bad report from customers may mean the end of their careers. Still, customers assaulting the boys, firing in the air, and punching them have surfaced over the years.
Has the time come to apply the brakes on the unreasonable super--speed concept of food delivery? Every single incident of frayed temper during food delivery can be traced to delay. Meanwhile, some delivery companies have commenced "the shelter project" that allows the workers to rest and recoup. Along the same lines, "employment wellness programme" could also be a reasonable step forward.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Golden Goa is losing its glitter
Our Rome of the East, our golden Goa is deteriorating day by day because Goa is ruled by short sighted politicians. There is no control on influx of migrants entering the state mostly by trains on daily basis. Some migrants come in search of jobs, some come to Goa thinking Goa is a gulf for them, some come with the intention to settle down in Goa forever, some come to Goa as trainees in five star hotels. These trainees stay for six to twelve months in rented places. Some get jobs in the same hotels and others go back home. Some migrants look for vacant land all over Goa, capture and encroach it without bothering whom that land belongs to. And that is the reason our Goan hamlets which have Goan names like Agara-voir, Tamde Deger, Peddar, Tamdi matier, kharea bhandar, Montir etc. are captured by these migrants to form their own colonies like Zuari Nagar, Monti Dongor, Shanti Nagar, Kargil etc. with the support of these so called short-sighted politicians to form their vote banks.
Is there any control of our short-sighted politicians on these nagars which are spreading all over Goa? Our politicians are busy becoming illegal mine owners, hoteliers, Property dealers, Hills and Sand dunes destroyers and buying dirty politicians from other parties, washing them with "Rinttes" and then joining their own party. Now the code of conduct is in force but these short-sighted politicians will continue with their illegalities. Some concrete rules with firm steps is the need of the hour to tackle all the above mentioned problems faced by Goans because of these migrants and our short-sighted politicians
Natividade Fernandes, Cavelossim
Lessons learnt the hard way
Hats off to our Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M K Stalin, whose persistent stand to reinduct his Minister, K Ponmudy, to prove that he has acted only as per the Constitution. It was really shameful that Governor, R N Ravi had to cut a sorry figure, to get another snub from the Supreme Court, in his refusal to administer the oath to Ponmudy. Ironically, last year also he had a tiff with the Chief Minister, regarding the Ministership of Senthil Balaji.
Often he has been rubbing with the State Govt on the wrong side, to get snubbed again and again. If the Governors are not familiar with the Constitution, it would be nice if they take advice from eminent lawyers and act impartially. We sincerely hope that at least now he would have learnt the lesson, the hard way, to go smooth with the DMK Government.
N Mahadevan, Chennai
