24 Feb 2021  |   04:15am IST

Letters to the editor (24 Feb 2021)

Letters to the editor (24 Feb 2021)

‘Open licence’ for loud music

Amid the pandemic we read almost weekly in the news papers that the north Goa coastal citizens cry on loud music played in the open air at sacks, clubs ,restaurants etc and the “Authority” is helpless in the matter to curb the noise pollution.

Last week the Dy Collector of Bardez held a meeting at Anjuna on February 16, 2021 inviting all hoteliers and citizens without inviting the Superintendent of Police or Sub Divisional Police officer Mapusa-I for Pernem, Mapusa Anjuna Police station. The situation has worsened since then giving an open licence to play beyond 10.00 p.m provided the sound is maintained within permissible levels and advised all police stations officers particularly Anjuna and Calangute to equip with decibels meters.

The fact that a noise level meter if used after 10.00 p.m means you are admitting that there is a violation because after 10.00 is considered 45 dB(A) which is silent and to convict the person of the violation under section 15 of EPA 1986 the “Authority” not below the rank of Sub Divisional Police officer can take cognisance of the offence.

The Hon’ble High Court in Misc .Civil Application No 41 of 2007 in Writ Petition No 76 of 2002 the Bombay High Court said in one of the Farad Orders dated September 11, 2007 that the noise level meter can be used and shall be averaged for the duration of the activity and not for the combined period of the activity and the non-activity.

Since the very purpose to provide certain standards of ambient air quality is to reduce the noise level, prima facie, the “Authority” should consider deciding the applications by taking average noise level during the activities at day and night time.

Antonio Jose De Souza, Calangute


Guard against second wave of infection

The Karnataka government has reinstated stricter control on transit passengers in view of the increasing COVID-19 positive cases. The authorities in that State have sealed many roads, including highways, allowing entry only for those with COVID-19 negative certificates through an RT-PCR test taken 72 hours prior to their cross-over time. It is understood that the district administration in Karnataka also got into action to prevent corona virus entering the State via Maharashtra, as travellers from Maharashtra who had reached the Karnataka border were sent back by Karnataka police for not possessing the COVID-19 negative certificate. The Maharashtra Government has threatened to retaliate by making it compulsory for all those who are travelling to Maharashtra from Karnataka to possess COVID-19 negative certificate.

Goa shares its borders with Maharashtra and Karnataka. There is every possibility of people from these two States and even from Kerala entering into Goa in order to travel to another state as there is no restriction for movement of people from and to Goa. Closing the border roads and blocking vehicles is against the Central government’s guidelines that no State should impose any restriction on the interstate travel.

The Goa government needs to formulate some other method in order to prevent a surge of the Corona virus in the state. Goa on Monday has seen the lowest number of 29 positive cases in several months. But this should not make us complacent as the second wave of the infection could well be on the cards in the country.

Adelmo Fernandes, 

Vasco


GPL: players test +ve; matches postponed

When the matches are just in the fourth round of Goa Professional League one player of Sporting Clube de Goa and another of Sesa Football Academy are tested positive whereby GFA has postponed their matches.

Unless strict measures are not enforced by GFA on the team Management these Covid cases will continue and the GPL will have a poor ending due to constant postponements. It's expensive to conduct Covid-19 RT-PCR test, but each team management should test there playing squad 48 hours before there match and see that those players strictly take safety measures of not contacting the virus by roaming freely for parties, open tournaments etc.

If not the matches will get postponed and the tournament will go on for another couple of months and the team management will have to pay their players in order to retain them mostly the outstation players. GFA has taken lots of pain to conduct the GPL and this edition also managed to get a sponsorship. So is it not the duty of the players to act responsibly? They should realise that there are so many players in the age groups and other divisions who are not allowed to play this year.

Anthony Fernandes, 

Assagao


Judge people on abilities not qualities

Amidst globalisation in this very aggressive and competitive age for our India to stride ahead, it is time to do away with the skewed policy of reservations for jobs and in electoral politics as well. Admissions to all professional colleges have to be also strictly on merit. The Constitution of India provides for the Fundamental Right to Equality, without discrimination on the grounds of sex, caste, creed or religion. The very concept of reservations is all about vote bank politics. It is appalling at how plagued we have become by a sheer sense of illogicality.

The government can very generously give financial help to the economically backward in pursuit of further education so that they compete with the mainstream. On one hand the law provides for equality and on the other hand there is a policy of reservation, which by its very genesis is a favour and a contradiction in terms. People should be judged on their abilities, their work and results, not on superficial qualities. An ideal society should be governed by meritocracy which many citizens dream of.

It is very important in all fields of human endeavour, especially in employment, education and governance that equality doesn’t brook favours. We will soon be celebrating 75 years of Independence. It is high time that the golden rule now has to be to aim to get the best qualified person for every position irrespective of sex, caste, creed or religion. Failure to treat people on merit will lead to a brain drain as the most talented, industrious and entrepreneurial people who want to work hard and reap the rewards of their labour will feel marginalised and move to greener pastures.

Aires Rodrigues, 

Ribandar


Adeus Anthony, adeus Clara

Our seniormost Tiatrist Trio King Anthony and best negative role Tiatrist Clara Dias, have done lot of work on our Konkani field. But we are shocked, suddenly both of them left us. Anthony D'Souza sung many Trios with Con-Nel, Souza boy, Filipe de Orlim, Joaquim, Jr Nelson and Jr Rod, in tiatrs as well as in CDs, VCDs of Trio Kings.

In the same way, Clara Dias acted and sung many songs in tiatrs as well as in CDs and VCDs. She is famous and best for her negative role and I will never forget, one of her negative role, in one of Roseferns's Drama Xezari (i.e old neighbour lady role).

So my hands are not moving to mention anything more on about them, so I only pray for heavenly father to give both of them, rest in Peace in eternal Heaven. 

Adeus Trio King Anthony and Adeus negative role actor Clara Dias.

Edgar Martins, 

Chinchinim



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