21 Jun 2018 | 06:30am IST
Letters to the Editor
In the era of global warming and Tsunami waves the government should do a rethink of the CRZ rules. Some time ago, the tidal waves came inwards and destroyed most of the shacks on the shoreline causing vast damages to shack owners. If at all the government needs more development and changes, they should have been made between the zone of 200 mts. to 500 mts.
The minimum area required for tourism related construction and activities is 1 acre (4500 sq. mts.). This crucial rule needs to be changed by reducing the area limit or no minimum limit, if benefit is to be given to the traditional fishermen, toddy tappers and other villagers.
Most Goan origin land owners have small land holdings (less than 4500 sq. mts.) which they cannot develop for small scale tourism. The shoreline is already a jam packed place where shack owners competition is intense like dog bite dog policy for survival; reducing the NDZ to 500 mts. is only bringing the elite starred lobby of hoteliers like hyenas closer to the coastal carcass.
Agnelo Furtado, Chinchinim
May we wish Chief Minister Parrikar every success with his ambitious plan to make Goa plastic and garbage free by the end of the year. My only reservation is the number of promises made in the past regarding issues which have come to nothing.
Removing cattle from the roads and rounding up stray dogs immediately spring to mind. I for one will not be holding my breath though with the amount of the rubbish still around perhaps I will.
On this International Day of Yoga (June 21, 2018), let us pledge that every day yoga shall not be missed in our daily routine to keep healthy and hearty to give best of results in the sphere one is engaged in. As it is a proven fact that yoga keeps a person healthy, both mentally and physically. It helps in taking the right decisions in life.
With yoga in daily routine the nation shall be healthier and there shall be more economic output too - economy will grow at much faster speed.
All Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs), Community Centre, clubs, educational institutions, work places - even religious places etc. should have yoga facilities for some fixed timings with facility to learn it from experts on some nominal payments can help the people at large. To reach benefits of yoga to the world people it must be taught in every nook and corner of streets, for poor government must run its free shows.
It has nothing to do with any religion. But unfortunately, some people oppose to it as they feel it is against their religion. There is no need to make it mandatory. Those who think that it is beneficial for them can go ahead and practice it.
Goans are forced to absorb a drastic increase in beef prices. Reasons being given out by traders are, harassment at hands of some organisations, at the entry points to the state.
We continue to hear of the partial/non-operations of the government abattoir, leading to the need of importing bulk of the beef consumed in the state.
Is it only the traditional inefficiency of the government bodies charged with the task of running the abattoir, or is it a backdoor gambit of making Goa, beef mukt.
I am sure the consumers would appreciate a honest probe into the matter.
I refer to the recent decision of the Govt of Canada to legalise Cannabis (marijuana). Many countries all over Europe as well as the USA have already accepted the medicinal value of Cannabis, and have legalised it.
Even WHO (World Health Organisation) has accepted the fact that Cannabis has medicinal value for cancer, Alzheimers etc and is not harmful to health. Cannabis has been smoked by sadhus from time immemorial, and also used in allopathic medicines .
It is high time for the Govt of India to legalise Cannabis, so that the people of India can benefit from its medicinal values.
Besides the thrash that is produced in homes, it must be said that a considerable amount of thrash is also produced in moving vehicles. Hence proper disposal of thrash produced in vehicles assumes significance. Commuters in buses, specially, those on long distance routes and inter-state buses, consume eatables from plastic packets and drinks from tetra-packs and plastic bottles as also mineral water from plastic bottles. Bus commuters could find that the easiest way to get rid of the thrash is to just throw it out through the window of the moving vehicle. This adds to the garbage woes as the roadside gets littered with thrash.
In the absence of thrash-bins in the buses, the commuters may have no option but to throw the thrash out through the window of the moving vehicle. It seems necessary to make it mandatory to provide thrash-bins in private buses as well as the buses of the state owned Kadamba Transport Corporation (KTC) where the commuters can deposit the thrash.
In other states cars too have car-thrash bins installed in the vehicles. This concept needs to be introduced in cars in Goa as well. This will be a positive step towards making our state garbage free.
