SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
Boats as breeding grounds
Boat owners and operators using beaches to park their vessels need to keep them covered to avoid them turning into breeding sites for mosquitoes. Almost all the boats taking a break due to the fishing ban are left uncovered leading to collection of rainwater in them, subsequently mosquito and other insect larvae are seen in them which could stoke malaria or dengue; as it is we are grappling with Covid 3.0 and God forbid the danger of monkeypox taking root in the state.
Even fishing trawlers, joy ride boats and water sports operators’ vessels are left uncovered parked haphazardly on the sand. Owners of mechanised boats anchored at various jetties should also be directed to sheath their vessels to avoid them being the progenitors of vector borne disease.
If required, the government should bring out an ordnance or other such suitable legislation to enforce this much on the lines of mandatory tarpaulin shelter for open top goods trains wagons and lorries transporting sand. We don't want another public health emergency in these trying times.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
Will we get a Prez who speaks his mind?
Recently Yashwant Sinha, the joint Opposition nominee for the upcoming presidential election said that "we need a thinking, speaking President and not a rubber stamp".
Going back into the history of India's presidential elections from the time of then Prime Minister late Indira Gandhi, truly India has not had a President that speaks his or her mind, maybe with the exception of late Abdul Kalam. It has been a common practice for obvious reasons for the ruling dispensation at the Centre to choose a person of its choice and present him or her as the presidential candidate and concentrate its might and pull out all the stops to ensure that their candidate is elected. Unfortunately the opposition candidate no matter what are his/her credentials or how much he or she is excelling meritoriously in various disciplines, has a little chance to be the resident of Rashtrapati Bhavan.
It will be unjust to say that the new incumbent cannot "think or speak his/her mind", this is simply because it is not expected nor necessary to do so while functioning as the President of India, other than performing all the normal official duties and constitutional responsibilities. Undoubtedly Yashwant Sinha if elected could be a very fine and worthy President. He is an accomplished politician and a former Union Minister. He is a man who calls a spade a spade, forthright, brave and never hesitates to speak his mind on important issues and national affairs affecting India.
Antonio Diniz, Fatorda
Throttling free speech
Twitter, the world's leading microblogging site has been served a legal notice by the Indian government failing which the social media giant will lose ‘intermediary' status ie. it will be liable and held accountable for all comments posted on its platform. The sarkar has apparently been very unhappy with what it perceives as anti-India, anti-party and seditious posts on the platform.
At various times Twitter has taken down several handles of international advocacy groups, journalists, politicians, supporters of the farmers protests, NGOs and free speech supporters at the 'request' ('coercion' to be precise) of the Centre. It is interesting to note that most of the @17,000 'requests' were sent under the draconian section 69A of the IT Act, as a result of which 1600 accounts, 3800 tweets and 6300 other posts were taken down.
This is another nail in the coffin of 'free speech' or whatever is left of it in the country. The recent arrest of a journalist/fact-checker over a complaint registered by a saffron Twitter user whose religious sentiments were purportedly hurt by a satirical post from the former makes it amply clear that the government only wants SM platforms to promote its divisive ideology, bigotry and vested interests and throttle free speech.
Twitter will soon be a songless, caged bird in India as is every other establishment which the sarkar perceives as being inimical to its narrow interests and narratives.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Staff of post offices overloaded
The post offices in the cities seem to be overloaded with work due to increase in the number of customers and limited staff at the counters. In this situation the people have to wait for a long time every time. The existing token system does ensure the much needed "first come first serve" service but this alone doesn't shorten the waiting period. Even for small jobs like updating a passbook or giving Form 15G or 15H the people have to wait for a long time.
The postal authorities must introduce time saving methods. The postal authorities must have a relook at the working systems in the post offices and upgrade them in the interest of the public.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
National Doctors Day
In India, Doctor’s Day is celebrated on July 1. The day honors doctors across the nation for their relentless service throughout the year. Doctors' Day is celebrated to honour the legendary Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, who was also the second Chief Minister of West Bengal. This day serves to show gratitude to all those who have selflessly aided us in our time of need and tirelessly worked for the health of their patients by commemorating the greatest representative of these ideals. With the number of infected people on the rise every day and hospitals teeming with hundreds of patients, it has never been more important to appreciate the efforts that doctors make to ensure that we recover from whatever may be ailing us and continue to remain healthy.
Doctors' Day is an opportunity to thank all the heroes in the medical fraternity for their selfless contribution
They are putting long hours and working round the clock to cure people from whatever illness they may be suffering from. Instead of thinking about their own safety and the safety of their families, they chose to serve the nation. Kudos to their spirit and dedication that they continue to work untiringly in the hour of crisis.
Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai
Goa's loss has been Gujarat's gain
Postponed several times due to different reasons, the National Games will be held in multiple cities in Gujarat in September-October this year according to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Goa has reportedly told the IOA that it will not be able to host the National Games due to the state’s inability to create adequate infrastructure.
This does not augur well for Goa’s capability to hold sports at a national level. It could have a negative impact on Goa being considered for any national sports event in future. It must be said that Goa’s loss has been Gujarat’s gain.
The last National Games were held in Kerala in 2015 and Goa was to host the 36th edition in November 2016. After two delays in 2018 and 2019 due to Goa’s inability to create the necessary infrastructure, the Games were further postponed to 2020. The state had sufficient time to prepare for the National Games.
However the matter was probably not taken with all the seriousness it deserved. This has shown the sporting facilities available in the state in poor light.
It must be said that whenever sports infrastructures are created for an event of the stature of the National Games it can benefit the local sporting talent as the infrastructure can be used for training our sportspersons.
The Covid-19 pandemic was also one of the reasons for so much delay in holding the National Games.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
