27 Apr 2017 | 11:49pm IST
Letters To The Editor
This refers to the news report ‘Maoists were armed with rocket launchers, AK-47s, says injured CRPF jawans’ (Herald, April 26).
The deadly Maoist attack on a CRPF jawans in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma that left nearly 25 jawans dead in combat highlights the threats posed by the Maoists infected states. The second major attack on the security forces in just two months indicates Maoists’ desperation to oppose tooth and nail to any development that may hinder their deadly activities. It also indicates a breakdown in Intelligence gathering, possibly ineffective coordination between the State police and paramilitary forces.
It has been established that Naxalites procure weapons from different sources, using different links, a truth which the centre or local administration has failed to identify. The government needs to upgrade the intelligence units and deploy personnel who are well trained in combat to challenge Maoist menace. Attempts to bring local villagers groups, civil society organizations and political parties together can prove effective.
Gregory Fernandes, Marcel
In the last two days there have been articles published in two leading newspapers regarding the absence of street lights along the Miramar-Dona Paula stretch of road.
As per the news report the light fixtures are on the way from France and likely to arrive in May! What is so special about these imported fixtures? Are there no suppliers within Goa or India for street light fixtures? The local suppliers have lost business because of the import. Another aspect is that either the road or pipe laying contractor and their engineers have done a marvelous job by constructing man-holes bang in the middle of the roads.
At a few places the lids of the man-holes have already collapsed and are posing a danger to the vehicles. We shudder to think about the state of the Miramar-Dona Paula road, without lights and broken man-holes, during the monsoon. Hope the contractors and authorities would soon lead the public from darkness to light.
Sridhar D. Iyer, Caranzalem
The dredging of the MPT harbour by removing 2.44 million cubic metres (i.e 4 lakh ten thousand truckloads) of seabed material will have catastrophic impacts on surrounding coastlines especially in the Zuari estuary. Nature abhors a void and the sandy strips of Dona Paula, Cacra-Bambolim and Siridao will all be eroded as monsoon currents and tides pull back the sands on these beaches.
Our coastal communities of fishermen will be wiped out as canoes will no longer be beached on sand. Pondicherry had this problem and it has lost its tranquil beach to become a boulder filled, wave lashed wall. Goans may feel that the coal and dredging would only affect Vasco and environs but this is false. The erasure of beach strips is a loss for all Goans who use them for recreation.
This is the time to act and protest and the place to do that is the April 26, 27 and 28 at Tilak Maidan, Vasco.
Eric Pinto, Alto Porvorim
It seems that the mining ban in the state has not just affected the livelihood of those dependent on mining, but it has also affected the prospects of the engineering students.
It is understood that hundreds of students from the mining department of Goa Engineering College (GEC) have launched a protest by way of boycotting classes fearing uncertain careers in view of the absence of campus interviews for job placements. The students are reportedly even not sure whether the faculty will teach them in the future or will leave them in the middle of the course. The government should look into the matter and come to the rescue of these engineering students of the mining department as the future of these students is at stake.
The students may have probably joined the course given the fact that the mining was the major revenue earner in the state and ensured better prospects for the students after passing out. But now with the mining ban in the state these students may have to look for job prospects outside Goa as they may not get proper job placements in the state. Hence the students should be able to complete their engineering degree in mining with the Goa Engineering College having the necessary faculty to teach them thereby allaying their fear.
Govt’s response
to Sukma attack
The martyrdom of BSF jawans in Sukma due to a Maoist attack has shocked the nation. While the nation unites in paying homage to those who have given their today for our better tomorrow and as the Indians are praying for the well-being of the hospitalised jawans, the Government of India's I&B Minister seems to have gone berserk with his statements. I&B Minister Venkaiah Naidu has chosen to target the human rights activists and he seems to have used the unfortunate incident at Sukma in a dirty manner to vent vitriol against human rights' proponents.
No home delivery
of petro products
We have another harebrained idea coming out of this BJP government with the Petroleum Minister stating that given the threat of the petrol pump owners to remain shut on Sundays, the authorities would think of home delivery for petrol and diesel.
Little does he realise that petroleum products come under the category of flammable products and because of their nature are not allowed to be sold loose except to be filled in vehicles. This being the rule it is a different matter that across India petroleum products are sold loose which is illegal. This however is no reason to consider home delivery for petrol and diesel in these times of terror. We will make it only easier for terrorists to lay their hands on fuel for their incendiary plans. Molotov cocktails - glass bottles filled with petrol lit up and then thrown at the target - will then become the weapon of choice for the terrorists.
This BJP government and its ministers should learn to confront problems directly and not try to work around the situation. Like in this instance if the petrol pump dealers have a problem with margins deal with it and find a solution rather than go about it obliquely and have a solution that will be a threat to civil society.
