TUESDAY, MAY 07, 2024
Tough phase for Goa
During this pandemic the toughest phase for Goa (so far) has arrived. The situation has become grave. Goa is topping the list compared to other states of India. This is specially disheartening when Goa was a green zone just a little while back.
Slowly the borders were wide opened by the Chief Minister of Goa, perhaps on advice of other Ministers, and the rush started entering the State even without following basic safety norms like obtaining Covid negative certificates etc.
The reason given was to build up the economy of the State which was going under bankruptcy but this was very short-sighted. Slowly the green zone started going from bad to worse and it has now reached Red positive.
Stephen Dias, Dona Paula
Prioritise your family
International Family Day is celebrated on May 15 every year. Family is our home. In this era, some of us are busy in pleasing others and often forget to give time to them. Due to jobs, education etc, some stay away from their families. Maybe you are engaged with a lot of things, but you should also remember that your family also plays an important role in your life. May it be your parents, siblings or grandparents, each one make our life more beautiful. Our home is incomplete without them.
Due to pandemic lives have changed. Make sure you don't forget to take care of your family, check out your friends, call and talk your relatives and text your mates. Blessed are those who are blessed with families. Learn to value them in their presence.
Make good imprints on others life. Care from your side will make them feel that they matter to you. We will never be able to return whatever our family provided us. It will never be enough. So no matter in what position you are, no matter how busy you are don't forget to check on your family members, remember we all are temporary visitors in this world which will fade away some day or the other.
Princy Gonsalves, Quepem
GMC a mess, govt failure!
Even after the interference of the High Court there seems to be no change in the situation which causes deaths in Goa medical college specially between 2am and 6am. The number of deaths during this time is still in 20s. Will this problem ever be solved or Goans will keep on losing their lives? People of Goa are afraid.
Vishwajeet Rane as Health Minister and Pramod Sawant as Home Minister both have failed miserably. High Court has rightly pointed out that Article 21 is miserably violated by the Goa Government. Goa Medical College is in total mess and Goa Government is a total failure. It looks like the Goa government does not exist. And that is the reason the High Court and Supreme Court had to interfere in the governance. And now the late decision, yes very late decision by Goa government will bring back the dead? Goan families who lost their dear ones because of Goa Government’s failure will not forgive the Government. All that the government does every time is giving assurances that everything will be streamlined but when? When everybody dies?
Videos are viral showing people gasping for oxygen and dying. If cylinders are there fittings are not there and if fittings are there experts are not there. What's going on? Is anyone serious? This is the total failure of the GMC management and off course Goa Government and this is the result of Goa government’s complacency in the initial stage.
The Health Minister is asking for inquiry for the deaths in GMC during 2am and 6am but how long will it take to do inquiry and how long will it take for rectification. Shame on us Goans, we have elected an inefficient government in Goa. Our heartfelt sympathies to all the families who have lost their dear ones. God only can save us now please stay home, stay safe.
Natividade Fernandes, Cavelossim
Chamber of horrors & absurd excuses
Another nightmarish night, same story; 15 Covid patients lost their lives owing to fluctuating oxygen levels in the central supply line at GMC a day after the High Court directed the government to ensure that there were no more casualties due to oxygen issues.
The government still criminally insists that there was sufficient oxygen and that the dip in piped supply was due to a delay in the changeover of the cylinders. The blame this time was apportioned to an 'inexperienced' tractor trolley driver who could not reverse the cylinder carrying vehicle into a narrow passageway leading to the basement manifold. He got stuck for 15 minutes, consequently the changeover got delayed and 15 patients crossed over to the other side. This is probably the most absurd excuse furnished by the sarkar to deflect from it's own incompetence in preventing avoidable deaths, they are defending the indefensible.
Tomorrow the State may say that diesel in the tractor ran out, the driver was on leave, the gas technician had a sudden bout of diarrhoea, the basement doors were not wide enough, a plumber's wrench was not available... so on and so forth. There seems to be absolutely no effect of the court's admonition, the judges can only but seethe with silent rage and wring their hands in despair at the sarkar's attitude that everyone else except them are to blame for these recurring tragedies.
The logistical issues cited are nothing but admission of guilt and the health department babus should stand trial for manslaughter in the International Court of Justice. The sheer scale of their ineptitude is mindboggling, may God save us Goans from our own government.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
