SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Revolution, not academy
The recent announcement by Kejriwal to set up a Konkani academy in Delhi is a welcome step, but more than that if Konkani has to survive, then what Goa requires is a revolution.
English is being increasingly and recklessly used by Goan Catholic parents while communicating with their children. This is a big threat to our culture. Our Tiatr industry in future will collapse and our jobs will be snatched by migrants if Konkani is not part of criteria in Goa.
So it would be wise on the part of AAP leadership to look into its own backyard for the solution and not in Delhi. What we need is a door to door campaign to make people understand the importance of using Konkani language.
Johan Dmello, Vanxim
Approach 2021 with gratitude
Nearly a fortnight has elapsed in the new year. The mind wanders and reminisces into the past year. It roams till March 2020 and takes a big pause. Life suddenly comes to a standstill. It's like somebody has pressed a 'pause' button while watching a video. And the interesting, rather worst part is the terrified looks on the people's faces. People had forgotten that originally the word 'virus' was a biological one. Everybody started connecting the word virus with computers. It once again resurfaced and showed its existence, its importance. How big is it? Big! It was so small that it even passed on from one person to another when somebody breathed, sneezed, coughed. Such a small thing, yet it showed the so called 'intelligent' man's limitations. Everybody, the entire world was at a standstill. No soul dared to move out of their homes for months together.
Why did this happen? Because the human being, the selfish human being, thought that he was the master of the universe, oblivious of the fact that in this universe every speck has its place, space, importance and role. Nothing is insignificant.
What next? At least now we realise that we are a small 'authority' in this huge universe. We co-exist with all other things. So, first, we need to give each one its space and importance. Let us extrapolate this idea to fellow human beings and give each person his/her space and respect. 'Life' comes only once in our life. Let us all respect each other and enjoy. Let us realise that despite all odds, the very fact that we are breathing right now is also a gift from HIM. Corona showed us the 'cost' of living. So let us approach 2021 with a right (gr)attitude.
Milind Kulkarni, Taleigao
Prevent catching of juvenile fish
Goa imposes a two-month long fishing ban every year in order to allow the fish to breed and grow. However, it must be said that fish do not breed and grow only within this two-month window but throughout the year. The juveniles of various species of fish are caught before they attain maturity and this severely affects the fish population.
It is understood that in a major step to ensure fish growth and conservation of the marine ecosystem, the fisheries department has prohibited catching juvenile fish in the State. It is learnt that the fisheries department has a mesh-size regulation for the fishing nets so that the fishermen do not catch fish which are less than the particular size.
Fishermen will have to resort to using fishing nets of bigger mesh size in order to ensure that small fish do not get trapped in their nets which are more than 50 per cent of the total catch since trapping of a small variety of fish in the nets cannot be totally ruled out.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Expand the panel for farmers’ laws
The Supreme Court should expand the committee related to the farmers agitation and advisory committee
The SC though moving into uncharted waters while staying the implementation of the 3 farm laws that are at the heart of the dispute in the current farmers agitation is correct in constituting a committee to advise it on what to do next. What the Court could have done is to name the members of the committee after a few days after properly examining the antecedents of the nominees.
With one of the nominees of the Court appointed committee recusing now, this is the opportunity for the Court to expand the committee to an odd number of maybe 7 and nominate those with a more open mind. This could possibly change the attitude of the farmers not to appear before any Court appointed committee since they may perceive that that their objective of seeking justice could be served by an expanded committee. The farmers should also understand that going against the govt in an agitational mode is acceptable but the same approach cannot be used with the Supreme Court since refusal to appear before the named committee would only mean that the farmers views will not be heard by the Court. Moreover there is no other recourse to the farmers once they go against the Court and decisions are made without their participation.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St Cruz
Change thinking to change world
Ibonio D'Souza in his article ‘Holistic thinking for a better world’ (Herald, January 15) begins with an apt quote from Albert Einstein, considering the situation in the world today which has been gripped by fear of the corona virus. Yes, it's true, we create a world for ourselves and we cannot change it without changing our thinking. Like everything else, medical science too has its limitations.
Many a time one would find that there's nothing really wrong with us physically, 'it's all in the mind', they say. "When the mind, body and spirit work as one, anything is possible” says Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos (stage name Criss Angel), an American magician, illusionist and musician.
Melville X D'Souza, Mumbai
