SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Congrats to Vijai Sardesai
Congratulations to GFP and VIjai Sardesai, for exposing and thwarting the Goa government’s plan to include the village Of Ella in the Greater Panjim PDA and thereby permanently altering the UNESCO heritage status of Old Goa.
Kudos to him and GFP for being the watchdog of Goemkarponn and preserving the heritage of Old Goa which includes the SE Cathedral and the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
It’s unimaginable that during the time of the novenas of the Goencho Saib, this Govt had attempted such an act of deceit on our Goans.
Here is where I ask other parties, what were they doing about this?
Was it more important for the AAP to discuss Goa’s electricity rather than the creation of a new city of Old Goa? Or were they hand in glove with the government supporting this decision to support their Delhi-based land sharks and stakeholders ? Have they forgotten the ‘ROSTO’ heading to Old Goa and it’s preservation?
And what about the Congress party in Goa? The less we talk about MGP and it’s ideology the better. It’s crystal clear that the only party that stood by this injustice to the Goemkars was GFP and once again Dev Borem Korum to Vijai Sardesai and his team.
Avril D’Costa, President Goan Association of New York, USA
SEC should not succumb to pressure
In a democracy free and fair elections are fundamental. Goa’s State Election Commission (SEC) conducts the election to the Zilla Parishad, Municipalities, Panchayats and the Corporation of City of Panaji. This one man Commission has to function very independently without any political influence or interference. But sadly it has not been happening so.
In 2017 the very lackluster R.K.Srivastava on his retirement as Chief Secretary was rewarded with a post retirement plumb posting as SEC. As Chief Secretary he had signed on the dotted line at the dictates of the political bosses. He recently suddenly resigned as SEC just days before he was convicted by a CBI Court in Delhi and sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment. Law Secretary C.R.Garg has been now given the additional charge as SEC and will have to deal with the mess left behind by his predecessor until a new full fledged SEC is appointed.
The SEC is also responsible for the delimitation and reservation of wards for the Panchayat and Municipal elections including that of the CCP. It has been a routine to announce the reservations of wards just a few days before the nominations open. This is a very bad and unfair practice as the reservation of wards need to be done well in advance.
As the Municipal elections are expected to be held early next year it is expected that the SEC will act promptly in this regard while not succumbing to any political pressures or maneuvers whatsoever. It is said that organizing free and fair elections is sacrosanct and more important than the result itself.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Cap RT-PCR testing rates
The pandemic has created a situation for all humanity of life and livelihood with travel within the Country or outside the Country with compulsory RT-PCR diagnostic tests at entry-exit points even at interstate neighbouring borders for mere human existence.
Hence it is essential that conducting RT-PCR Tests (present confirmatory reliable test) on all citizens who travel for their livelihood should be within the economic reach of common men whether availing of it in private or government medical facilities.
It is observed that the coronavirus fear psychosis has resulted in exploitation of the cost of the laboratory tests being a relatively unknown field.
However as such a situation of a global health crisis has arisen the Central Government has implemented the Epidemic Act, 1897 and Disaster Management Act, 2005 which empowers the Central Executive Committee and the respective State Executive Committees as well as the duly notified District Authorities to enforce certain provisions of the Acts, for the prevention of spread and treatment of the dreaded disease.
So the biggest reward the Dr Pramod Sawant Government can bestow upon the citizens of the State in token of its 60th Liberation Day celebration is to cap the cost of the Covid-19 test at Rs 750 and Rs 1050 at public and private laboratories respectively from this month onwards. When the other States have slashed the testing rates as reported in Herald December 2, including the much talked about Gujarat model, which States hold a much larger population to deal with, one can find no substantial reason for the Goa Government not to bring down the rates of testing without any further delay.
Rui Ferreira, Panjim
Traffic jams back to haunt citizens
After a brief respite, during the lockdown period and the restriction imposed on the entry of people from other states into Goa due to the pandemic, the traffic congestion on both sides of the Zuari bridge is back to haunt the travelling public.
It is understood that bad road conditions on either side of the bridge have added to the woes of the daily commuters as it hampers the smooth flow of the traffic. Those driving their vehicles have been advised to avoid travelling during peak time. However it must be said that the traffic congestion is witnessed throughout the day and on occasions even during the night.
As Goa has opened up for the tourists, and with the festive season fast approaching, things can only get worse as far as traffic congestion is concerned. Citizens are left to fend for themselves. There could be several travelling options that could be tried out. Car-pooling for daily commuters, using a two-wheeler instead of a four-wheeler and travelling by the public transport system are some of them. Those who have no option but to travel by their four-wheeler, could use the GPS to find out if there is traffic congestion on either side of the Zuari Bridge. Taking the alternative route via Ponda-Borim bridge should be weighed upon. Though a longer route, it could be better than getting stuck up in a massive traffic jam.
Adelmo Fernandes,
Vasco
Did Goa fight to be free?
It is interesting to note of the CM's stupendous plans to celebrate the 60th anniversary of "liberation" in Goa. The interesting part is that he's going to invest huge sums of money into this endeavour when the State is already under severe debt. So he's just going to make the State poorer in this attempt. He also mentions of the programmes that will be conducted which will showcase the rich cultural heritage from Goa.
It's rather ironic because the people of this State who are supposed to be "liberated" are protesting against the government to preserve that "rich cultural heritage" and the environment to the point that some of them have been arrested by the police. If he is so keen on celebrating "liberation" why can't he stand on the side of the people and respect their wishes to stop the projects he is ever so eager on progressing to accomplish?
Instead the gift that the Goans get for the so-called "liberation" after 60 years is a closer move towards becoming a police state where the will of the people is suppressed and their MLAs are issued warnings. I thought Goa fought for liberation to be free.
Ezekiel Carvalho,
via email
