20 Oct 2020  |   05:34am IST

Letters to the editor (20 Oct 2020)

Letters to the editor (20 Oct 2020)

A word of appreciation

Thank you for making my Sunday with your edition of  October 18. First it was the article titled "Repeat not the mistakes of 2017 in 2022". The electorate did not make a mistake. It was a political game which was played at the time of formation of the government and later on with the switching of the parties,  a game continues to be played by the Speaker and the Judiciary. How do we innocent electorate tackle such a situation. Cannot the Constitution come to our rescue.? We have Constitutional luminaries in Goa and in our country.

Your editorial as also the article by Barbosa were good. But the icing on the cake was the article titled "Goans awake from your slumber" by Mariano Correia. The pictorial coverage of the Khazan lands and the water situation in Goa was exhaustive together with articles of the game played by the Centre, with Goa being declared ODF free and ‘Har Ghar Jal’ awards being conferred on the State. What a farce.

It is high time liked-minded politicians of Goa who are interested in the welfare of the State and its people, forget their differences and form a common platform to erase the destruction and evil plaguing Goa. There should be an element of give and take with a consensus candidate being identified as the future Chief Minister of Goa who should ensure that this United Front becomes a reality. The youth of Goa have a major role to play. 

Joaquim Pinto, Mapusa

 

Big relief

Restoring its glorious history by setting up now a full-fledged medical facilities at the Old Ribandar Hospital, which was Asia’s first medical school established on December 13, 1867, would be a very big achievement for this government. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane and local MLA Babush Monseratte would have to work with a sense of urgency, in conjunction with the concerned authorities to deliver the promised.

The health care facilities at the Old Ribandar Hospital will be a big relief to the residents of a very densely populated Ribandar and also benefit the people of neighboring Old Goa, Corlim, Divar, Chorao, Merces and Chimbel.

The Health Centre at Ribandar must be a model for the State, with utmost cleanliness and sanitation maintained at all times. It would be nice to involve the community and seek their honorary services whenever possible for the betterment of the centre. 

Our's must be a Health Centre with a difference where every patient feels gently cared for and leaves with good memories. The idea has been conceived by the people and the government has now to deliver the baby.

We must also keep in mind the historical heritage value of the hospital. Even memories of freedom struggle of Goa are bonded to the Old Ribandar Hospital, where some freedom fighters came to be hospitalised by the Portuguese, like late Mohan Ranade who was operated upon and saved thereafter his capture during the attack on Betim Police Post in 1954.

I personally have nostalgic memories, having been born in that great hospital. Now 60 long years later it is my bounden duty to be part of the effort to ensure that the hospital is rekindled and comes to life again.

Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar


The echo is resounding

Time and again, one reads in the newspaper that young children commit suicide either for not having smartphones or due to lack of connectivity to attend to online classes.

The children do not understand the financial difficulties their parents encounter, though some are poor and at times cannot meets the two ends meet. The result is that these parents undergo depression and the children get frustrated for want of mobiles or smartphones. 

The academic year is nearing the end and the children most probably have not done any practicals in Science though they are aware that they have to be ready with theory and practicals before the Prelims and Board exams. At the moment, with no chances of reopening the schools, one wonders about the future of such children. 

The parents and others are requested to read the news that appeared in this esteemed newspaper on page 3 dated Oct 19 ,under the heading “Parents want govt to declare 2020-21 a ‘zero academic year’. To avoid the embarrassment and uncertainty of the future of the SSC children, a letter written by the undersigned appeared in this newspaper on the Sept 17. For those readers who missed out, a synopsis is given below: “The only solution remains a) all the children irrespective of their years performance, that is, the assessment and evaluation done by their respective teachers through online classes, ought to be promoted to class XI or else b) allow all the children to appear for Board exam in April 2022, after the teachers have completed the portion of the existing syllabus. Hopefully the educational authorities will scrupulously consider these suggestions, lest the children resort to drastic steps . It is better to lose one year than to lose one’s precious life.

Aureo Cunha Gomes, Mapusa


Inculcate restraint in children

Since lessons have gone on line for students, if not a computer or a laptop, at least every student has to possess an Android smartphone. 

While on the one these contraptions serve the purpose of study, on the other hand the variety of applications available may lead to students  being tempted and drawn into the vortex of being explored with unnecessary distractions  on internet and bad sites that harm and may not be conducive to stressing on their educational forays and could deviate from studies. Such deviations are mostly the cause of poor or no connectivity. 

The first problem that the government should have addressed before going for digital India, on line education and on line commerce. Even those living upscale locality, these students have poor connectivity in their houses.  It is the duty of the parents and the teachers to guide their children and wards into refraining from being tempted into applications that are not meant for children who are easily influenced by temptations. It may be cautioned that some tempting sites might blunt the students' senses and reduce their educational incisiveness in pursuit of excellence in their respective subjects. 

In the present scenario where students may not get a chance to mingle and socialize, it should be the endeavour of parents and teachers to provide the best for their children and wards towards their maximum educational advancements. There are some students who demand  sophisticated mobiles from parents and those who cannot afford they get them from loan thinking their children will excel in the studies. 

Stephen Dias, Dona Paula


Where does govt priority lie?

When billions of hapless Indians are languishing under the draconian grasp of hunger malnutrition and joblessness; maximum of precious resources energy and time are squandered in the name of bullet trains, gigantic statues, lofty flags, new capital project and temples of epic hero -- thereby getting proved exactly where the actual priority lies! 

This criminal negligence towards the have-nots, so as to play to the gallery, can never be swept under the carpet of that much-abused lame excuse of "population" -- which is actually an asset, proper utilisation of whom would have worked wonders for the uplift of the nation.

Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata


IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar