SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Cardiologist with a golden heart
This highly qualified, simple and unassuming doctor Dr Manjunath Dessai would help from a prince to a pauper irrespective of his status, be available even at the strike of the midnight hour, to patients who happened to come even at the eleventh hour, his gentle smile and reassuring words could lift the heart of the most depressed cardiac patients.
His nimble hands have saved countless lives, kept the fire burning of hearth of many homes. Kept the candle of life burning for so many bread winners and housewives and infants, a candle that sacrificed and melted away, like a candle in the wind.
Our heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family. May God grant him eternal light and peace.
Agnelo Furtado, Chinchinim
Lessons to learn
Indian cricket fans would definitely like to forget the T20 match played between the men in blue and their arch rivals Pakistan as unexpected things happened. It was definitely not like what the Indians thought. Confident of a win against Pakistan in an international venue in an international tournament, as normally that was the case, could have made the team assume that everything will go easy. The quick fall of Indian wickets made them feel the reality and by the time they woke up the situation was out of control and everything was over. The team that played better finally won. The Indian cricketers not even once showed a spirit to fight and even when they did so their body language exposed their apprehension and confusion obviously revealing that in the mindset they were uncertain and unsettled.
Over expectations, misconception and miscalculation led the Indian team to lose the game. Let us hope that they learn from these lessons and spring back into action, better their performance and win the remaining matches. Let them also remember that cricket is a game played in mind too.
M Pradyu, Kannur
Myanmar turmoil
Myanmar's woes do not seem to end. The fight for supremacy between the Myanmar Junta (military) and former State Counsellor, and Nobel laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi has destroyed peace on the region. The Nobel laureate's efforts to foster democracy in Myanmar, after she took over in 2016, came to a screeching halt in 2021 when junta dethroned her to wrest control of the country. Emergency was imposed on the nation by the army for one year, and Suu Kyi was put under detention.
A host of cases, including some serious graft charges, were foisted on Suu Kyi a few definitely cooked-up by the junta. No army would like a democratically elected leader to get close to the people. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD), that was in power for five years, is known for its pro--democracy movement. History is replete with examples of democracy gaining an upper hand over dictatorship in a mutual battle. That exactly is happening in Myanmar. People of the country are increasingly coming in the open against the junta. Eight months down the line, people's disenchantment with the military appear complete. The junta has almost been forced to change its rigid stance on the Rohingya refugee issue. Its economic policies have distanced the people. As speculated in February, the going has not been easy for the military domestically as well as internationally.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
SOPs during visit of ‘Our Lady’ to houses
This is that time of the year when the statue of ‘Our Lady’ moves from house to house in Catholic homes in the State. Snacks and soft drinks are distributed to those who visit the homes. Last year the occasion of carrying of the statue of Mother Mary in Catholic homes popularly known as ‘Saibinn’ was not allowed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year as a result of the decline in the positivity rate of the infection, it is understood that several parishes have allowed the faithful to take the state of ‘Our Lady’ from house to house. However, we are still not over the hill as far as the pandemic is concerned. Hence it is absolutely necessary to follow all the pandemic related protocols during the occasion. Besides following the regular SOPs like wearing of the mask, social distancing and sanitisation, it seems necessary to follow added SOPs during the ‘Saibinn’.
Neighbours need to be instructed not to visit other catholic homes during the occasion. Only one person needs to be allowed go to bring the statue of ‘Our Lady’ from the neighbour’s house.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Keep Army away from politics
It is very disheartening to know that the defence forces are slowly but surely politicised during the electioneering days. This can have serious repercussions. We won the 1971 war because our Army was highly disciplined and motivated. We threw back the Pakistanis from Kargil in 1999 because our young and dynamic officers led from the front. Talking of politics in army is a taboo.
The day politics, sycophancy and self enters, Indian army will not be the finest in the world. So here is a warning to all politicians please keep politics from this organisation, the pillar of our nation. Please respect and value the soldiers and do not use them as a tool in politics.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Noise pollution and sleep disturbance
In the recent news the Collector has warned the shack owners that they will lose the shack licence if they continue creating noise pollution for the villagers by playing loud music till early hours of morning. A good decision. But what about the South Western Railway who moves the cargo train in the early hours of the morning from 1 p.m to 5 p.m disturbing the sleep of senior citizens, small children, due to continuous use of horns from Velsao to Majorda to wake up the porters at the 5 level crossing to speed up with the cargo loaded trains.
The trains use their horns so sharply as if to alert the animals Crossing the track and not realising they are disturbing the early morning sleep of the people leaving across the Railway.
If the police had to use decibel meters the impact of this noise pollution could be verified. The Panchayat when informed are silent. If we have music for any function beyond 11 p.m the police rush to stop the music. It is high time police install decibel meters at different places along the SWR route to verify the exact noise pollution created by this cargo trains at night.
Gerardo Fernandes, Cansaulim
Beach sand mining
The Centre's plan to open up beach sand mining and offshore mining for extraction of rare earths, exploration and production by the private sector is fraught with peril. Currently operations in both the sectors are restricted to the Department of Atomic Energy and PSUs. Coastal sand mining for rare earth elements impacts the lives of fishermen and coastal villages due to enhanced erosion of seashores.
Public outcry against unchecked mining by private companies had prompted the Centre to ban beach sand mining in 2019 with a view to check sea erosion in the coastal states of Kerala, TN, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Odisha.
India is estimated to have the fifth largest reserves of rare earth elements but does not have downstream capacity for refining the metals used in making chips for cellphones, electronics and weapon systems. The govt needs to take a holistic view of the matter and not sacrifice livelihoods at the altar of commercial exigency. Past experience in India has been far from satisfactory and detrimental to marine ecosystems and fisheries.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
