FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Breaking voters trust
In what has now become a ritual, it’s another six months extension for those casinos who with political patronage are merrily well embedded in the River Mandovi.
In May 2019 during that Panjim by-election Babush Monserrate had solemnly promised that if elected he would move the casinos out of the River Mandovi within 100 days. In an expected U-turn the Panjim MLA now says that he has studied the casino issue and that the casinos are here to stay. So did Babush Monserrate make that promise without any application of mind? Why should any one trust any other promise that he makes. It was also very unfair on his part to blame the Traffic Police for the mayhem the casino vehicles create in the city. The CCP which is controlled by him is responsible for the organized chaos that Goa’s capital city finds itself enveloped in.
If Vishwajit Rane could move that proposed mega IIT project out of Melauli, so could Babush Monserrate if he was truly committed to send the casinos for a sixer in 100 days. It was announced recently that one casino was being moved on the other side of the River and that the casino offices in the city would all be relocated to the Santa Monica Jetty. All this too is a fairy tale that will hoodwink no one. Panjim’s entire D.B.Bandodkar Marg is a no parking zone, except the privileged few which are the casino vehicles.
When people elect politicians they do so in good faith, in the belief that those elected will serve them with integrity and deliver on the promises they make pre-election and while in office. What they do not expect is a breakdown in trust and rightly demand no excuses, no lies and no broken promises.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Save the axe in Mollem
The valiant deeds of the farmers of Shel-Melauli have to be emulated by the residents of Mollem neighbourhood so that the three linear infra projects are shelved once and for all. The best way that this can be achieved is to exert maximum pressure on the MLAs of the Mollem areas by threatening to dethrone them from being the elected representatives if they fail to listen to the people of the area who are against the linear projects which will grey the entire green area.
Shun them and refuse to cooperate with them until the three linear projects are dropped so as to save the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mollem National Park. In particular as far the coal is concerned, the people of the port city of Vasco should exert pressure on their MLA until MPT stops handling coal, which is causing immense environmental and health problems to the people of the area.
In similar fashion, coal transportation via Mollem should at all costs be opposed as this will destroy the Western Ghats which is rich in diverse flora and fauna as also is the lungs of the area that purifies the air with fresh oxygen as a consequence of photosynthesis.
The Goa Forward Party Chief Vijai Sardesai has to be lauded for referring the destruction of the tiger habitat in Mollem, a UN protected zone to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization as well as a reputed global environment commission which will pursue the matter at his behest. Political leaders who have at heart the preservation of Goa's greenery should be encouraged and supported at all costs. Environmentally conscious Goans should relentlessly pressurize the elected representatives to bow down to the will of the people
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Massive boost for organic farming
In pursuit of promoting Goa as an organic state under the Central Government’s scheme, it is learnt that the Goa government has formed 40 village-level clusters, comprising 900 farmers from Salcete and Mormugao taluka which will encompass 200 hectares of agricultural land with organic certification. Farmers must be certified for their produce and products to be labelled “organic”. The farmers are expected to fetch better prices for organically certified products. The government aims to set up as many as 500 organic clusters in Goa. This will give a big boost for organic farming in the state.
Under the scheme, in three years the central government intends to create 10,000 clusters covering five lakh acres under organic farming. Organic farming is a technique that involves the cultivation in natural ways. The process involves the use of biological materials, avoiding synthetic substances to maintain soil fertility and ecological balance thereby minimizing pollution and wastage. No pesticides are used in organic farming as compared to conventional agriculture. It reduces soil erosion and recycles animal waste back into the farm.
Organic farming also does not use antibiotics, synthetic fertilizers, genetically modified organisms and growth hormones. It uses ecologically based pest controls and biological fertilizers derived largely from animal waste and nitrogen-fixing crops. It must be said that greater environmental awareness, coupled with concerns over the health impacts of pesticide residues and consumption of genetically modified (GMO) crops, fostered the growth of the organic sector.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Elect wise leaders at next polls
Goa will have the Assembly elections next year in 2022. There are many parties which will be contesting the elections. Goans are facing so many problems like the proposed coal hub, diversion of the Mhadei river, haphazard development. We saw protests in Melauli and Mollem to safeguard Goa’s pristine ecosystem.
Every time it’s the citizens that are protesting, while our elected representatives are doing little to protect the interests of Goans. Thus, it’s important to elect worthy leaders who will give proper direction to Goa. The unemployment crisis is forcing many hardworking Goans to migrate abroad. It’s crucial to have educated leaders, who can make the right decisions.
News reports showed that the newly inaugurated Atal Setu bridge over the river Mandovi developed potholes. It’s a very disturbing thing to see poorly planned public works, when Goa has prestigious engineering colleges like the IIT, NIT, BITS. The roads are in a very bad shape at many locations, which has led to the loss of lives of many people. The destruction of so many trees at Mollem for the power transmission line can be avoided, if the government chooses to harness the energy of the sun, wind and tides, which we are blessed with so abundantly in Goa. Already so many lives have been lost to COVID in Goa. People can hardly be seen wearing masks and social distancing. Good governance requires that we have good leaders, who can think wisely. Goans will have to choose wise leaders, if we like to see better days.
Newton Mendonca, Aldona
Accessing culpability
In the case of arrested environmental activist Disha Ravi, raising a point of her age, gender, profession is totally irrelevant shows the lack of brain. And it could not be relevant in accessing culpability in a crime. The union HM has clearly said that there is no political pressure. This is policy job, if feel that there is no evidence, approach court for seeking remedy. Arrest is not 'terming guilty' or 'conviction'.
Everyone is innocent 'until proven guilty'. She suddenly converting from environmental activists to riot planner shows the trend of latest generation.
It's necessary to punish for such acts, otherwise it sets wrong precedent for others to follow and in no time the country will be jungle raj. Law and order has to take its own course. It's true to see the age of people languishing in jails for many years. Many are yet to have a chargesheet filed to the court, neither age nor health conditions matter.
KG Vilop, Chorao
