26 Apr 2017 | 12:55am IST
Letters To The Editor
A ploy to honour
“Holy cow”
The animal husbandry department is ready with their assigned technicians to affix a tag with a 12-digit unique ID number inside the ears of cows to protect them and stop their smuggling to Bangladesh. From now on, each cow and its progency across India will get a Unique Identification Number for tracking. And hearing this, we don't know to laugh or cry.
In some ways, cows for Indians are like the pets in the Western Culture. You don't see dog meat, cat meat or even horse meat in the US, as these are the animals people have in their homes and form a special bonding with. For some Westerners, killing a dog for meat can be as gruesome as killing a human for meat. In the same way, many of us Indians formed a special bonding with our cows, that's a true fact and we cannot deny it. But for the selfish reason that the cows are getting smuggled to Bangladesh is unique. If the Central govt is facing the smuggling problem then they should engage more security on the India-Bangladesh border but not issuing a Aadhar card to them.
There is a proverb in Konkani "Khorpota eke kodden ani khorpitat boltech kodden". This is just a ploy to give respect for the "Holy cow" and nothing else. Day-by-day our national animal Tiger is disappearing from the forest due to smuggling of their skin, but the Govt is not doing anything to protect them. If the BJP is thinking that they should protect the holy cow, then they should give a Unique Identification Number for the cobra's also, cause some of the Hindu's worship them as their God.
This is just an issue created by the BJP to stop beef and nothing else. The most commonly given ethical objection to meat-eating is that as, for most people living in the developed world, it is not necessary for their survival or health; slaughtering animals solely because people enjoy the taste of meat is argued by some to be wrong and morally unjustifiable.
Aurelio Viegas, Chinchinim/Mumbai
If we expect our government to eradicate corruption, it is never going to happen. If we want corruption to end, we have to start with ourselves first. Don't take and give bribes. Don't do anything unethical. Actually corruption has become a part of our life. Whenever we go, we try to jump the huge queues through money power or acquaintance.
When we are caught violating any traffic rules, we tend to give some money to the traffic policeman instead of paying up and taking a receipt. We even try to evade paying tax by giving fake rent receipts, medical bills, etc. There are plenty of other examples which I would like to give. Unless and until we stop taking and paying bribes, nobody in this world can stop corruption.
It is understood that in order to prevent food wastage the government was planning to fix the amount of food being served by restaurants. It is true that there is wastage of food which could otherwise feed several poor hungry people. However it must be said that people do not waste food whenever they pay for it.
Wastage of food could take place when the food is served free of cost like in buffets served at wedding receptions and parties. It is also observed that vegetable and fruits are used as decorative items on the buffet tables by way of vegetable and fruit carving. The vegetables and fruits used for making flowers and other decorative items on the buffet table may be pleasing to the eyes but then vegetables and fruits are for eating purpose which could have filled the stomach of at least a few poor people. It may be argued that the quantity of vegetables and fruits used for decoration is less.
However given the number of buffets spreads that are served every single day at parties and wedding reception, the amount of food wasted in this way could be substantial. It also shows our insensitivity towards the plight of the poor who go to bed on an empty stomach.
Fresh flowers and papers flowers need to be used for decorating the buffet table and not vegetables and fruits carvings.
Agri activities
slowing down
Although we are known as an agrarian society, most of our agricultural activities have taken a back seat due to the technological advancements and more so because of the lack of support of the government to provide for basic necessities of farming.
The claim of Fatorda farmers of restricting them water supplies is one of such necessities curtailed. The government must keep in mind that despite the decline in farming there are a numerous locals dependent on farming and base their livelihood on it. The government must devise plans to support farmers by providing for their needs rather than making plans to sell their land for big projects. Farming is the most appreciative occupation so far as the farmer relates to mother nature and places his or her trust in her to produce fruitfully. Development no doubt is required but not at the cost of the livelihood of someone else. Given the hard hearted times where the ecosystem is not cared for, these farmers must receive an impetus to carry on their occupation.
The Supreme Court ban on liquor sale on highways is confusing. In spite of the liquor ban, a person who needs alcohol will find alcohol by hook or crook. The logical step would be to improve traffic enforcement to book the offenders.
The blanket ban has shut down thousands of long- standing business establishments all over the country overnight and has snatched away jobs of lakhs of people who were legimately employed! It has also created a huge loss to state exchequer.
Disagreement with the court ruling is our right but it is to be shown by bringing out facts which may have not been presented before the honourable Supreme Court. For example NCRB data for 2015 shows that drunken driving accounted for only 2.6 percent of deaths due to road accidents whereas 47.9 percent of the deaths were due to over speeding.
Closing the liquor shops on roadsides alone may not reduce drunken driving but increase as drivers, especially long distance truck drivers can stock liquor beforehand and carry with them. Making the drivers aware of dangers and encouraging them to drink more coffee to tackle body ache and providing cheaper coffee and more breath analyser tests and spot fines will reduce drunk driving more than merely closing liquor shops.
