Letters To The Editor

Ban on liquor 

outlet  

I am not a visitor to the public bars, but I feel that thousands of people will be affected with no fault of theirs, with the Supreme Court move to ban liquor outlets from 500 metres of national and state highways. The question is, who will reimburse the affected people? Since, our state economy is in pathetic condition. 

Coming to the highways, the highways once enters the city it ceases to be highway, and it becomes internal city roads, where you are entertained to see the traffic jams, illegal parking, road digging, no footpath, no zebra crossing, if we have one then the motorist don’t pay a heed to it etc.  Most of the accidents are created/occurred due to reckless driving, the mobiles hanging from ears like an earring, driving without licence etc. and not only by drunk driving alone. 

Authorities imposing this sort of law at the behest of some smart so-called social organizations will never succeed. Instead, the move will become worse when a law enforcer becomes a law breaker (corruption). Remember in the 50’s, when the CM of Maharashtra imposed prohibition in the state it led to bootlegging, flourishing aunties joints, but it failed in few years.          The government is also going to lose revenue in lakhs , i.e. excise, labour, trade, garbage, pollution, food & drugs licenses, just to protect the reckless offenders. 

Avelino  John Dias, Ponda

Love breaks 

sound barrier 

Congratulations to Terrance and Cressy on their marriage and to Herald for reaching out this amazing story to all our Goans.  It is a touching successful story you have brought to light of all readers and most specially to the specially challenged boys and girls in Goa and everywhere who due to lack of communication are facing such challenges.

 I wish to request your help through this daily newspaper to arrange a little portion in your 'classified' for the many special needy girls and boys to communicate and meet their life partners and make their lives successful. This is very important and being a sensitive subject needs more and special help to bring out the best in the specially challenged persons. They are special and in many ways and much talented and skilled.  

A little effort, a good word and an empathetic approach can enlighten the lives of many girls and boys with hearing and speech or any other difficulty to be transformed into an opportunity for a successful married life.  My thanks to Terrance's friend for his approach and move.  

Our attitude towards such special needy persons should be outgoing and helping in bringing out the best in them and make their dreams happen.

Olga D'Souza, Candolim

Bring caste system

to justice

We should first bring our caste system to justice before demanding punishment for its victims for making noise about it. When a Dalit is forced to complain to the National Commission for Schedule Castes about harassment and victimisation by his colleagues, it must be dealt with utmost sensitivity as the practice of untouchability and hatred towards Dalits are open secrets in our country.

 Let us admit our chronic disease before treating it accordingly. We must stop treating humanity as a pariah.  

Sujit De, Kolkata

Dabolim airport

All apprehensions about the closure of the Dabolim Airport after the Greenfield Airport at Mopa becomes operational could now be effectively laid to rest as the Airport Authority of India (AAI) have reportedly projected an investment of Rs 500 crore that would be rolled out over the next three years. According to the chairman of AAI, distinctive changes would be visible as early as the end of 2017 after implementation of short-term measures. It is understood that the list of amenities AAI has planned includes three more aero bridges, construction of new toilets, installation of escalators and creating more space for passengers, food courts, etc. 

The Goa airport has recently been modernised and the addition of more facilities could only mean that the Dabolim Airport will co-exist along with the Greenfield airport at Mopa and this should allay all fears among Goans about the ultimate closure of the Goa Airport. 

The AAI chairman has reportedly said that Mopa Airport is for North Goa and Dabolim Airport is for South Goa and that both have unique advantages.

Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco

Traffic signal

The person responsible for putting up the traffic signal at the Mapusa court junction lack education and power to think. One does not require any degrees to know how the traffic lights should be installed and how it should work.

 Today there is complete mess at the court junction because traffic from different directions move at one time. It is time that the chairperson, engineer, traffic in-charge and the traffic light contractor should sit together and chalk out where the lights should be installed and how it should work. 

In the present set up someone coming from the college road and wants to go down does not know when to go as there is no provision made or if  there is one it is hard to know. Anyone listening to me?

Ana Maria Fernandes, Calangute

The bitter truth

It is but rarely that we get to read an article like the op-ed piece by Srinivas Kamat, "Modi as a visionary leader". With his customary elegance and well-reasoned logic Mr Kamat has dissected the bitter truth about the cataclysm unleashed on this country over the past three months by our prime minister. The veneer of bluster and bravado through which Modi and his acolytes seek to mask the disruption caused to the nation has been torn aside by Mr Kamat. Thereby Modi stands exposed as a dictatorial autocrat, unmindful of the suffering of the Indian masses, seemingly deaf to all but his own voice and those of the toadies that (sadly) abound in the country today. 

 I always read Mr Kamat's letters and articles with interest because of his excellent style and unimpeachable logic. 

Prakash Joshi, Betim

Parrikar warned

The Election Commission of India has warned the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar not to make irresponsible statements in the press. This in itself is an indictment of the DM who is used to getting away by making irresponsible statements and even dozing off in the presence of the Prime Minister in Parliament. 

 The Defence Minister of India must be more mature and responsible and he must be devoted to his job instead of spending 75% of his time in Goa.  After the warning from the Election Commission the next warning is awaited on March 11.

Matias Lobo, Oman

Sickening sycophancy

There can be no second opinion that sycophancy was at its peak during the rule of late chief minister Jayalalithaa. We witnessed even very senior ministers and party men prostrating before her, with no objection raised by her to such ‘veneration’. 

However, when it was expected that such demeaning acts would come to an end with her demise, to our great shock, we witness activated sycophancy when the ministers and the party folks fall at the feet of Sasikala, to exhibit their ‘loyalty’ to her! More shocking is that a large chunk of the AIADMK MLAs have also allowed themselves to be kept as captives in a resort off Mahabalipuram.

Anna Mary Yvonne, Chennai