FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2024
Lengthy process to get files cleared
Building a house in your own property in Goa requires a number of approvals as follows: licence to cut a tree; approval of TCP, Mamlatdar and Forest Department to get conversion Sanad from Collector; approval of TCP and Health Officer to get construction licence of Panchayat; completion certificate of TCP and approval of Health Officer to get Occupancy certificate from Panchayat; and approval of Electricity and Water department to get service connections to the house.
To get these approvals at different stages you have to submit about 12 files and face equal number of inspections by various authorities in your own transport. The charges you have to pay include processing fees, inspection fees, NOC fees, infrastructure fee, conversion fee, licence fee, connection fees and deposits, and not to mention under-the-table fees to some. Only after this ordeal you can think of moving into your legally built house. Law abiding citizens follow these cumbersome procedures since their discipline knows not any other way.
Now we hear, in this year preceding the elections, that the Goa government wants to regularise all illegal constructions and give them house numbers. And it wants the people to believe that it doesn't mean that such houses will become legal. What else then remains to be done?
When l pay house tax and can live in, rent and even sell my house does it matter what you call it. The party in power may gain politically by this move but it will surely prove to be disastrous for the State since illegal constructions by migrants and all and sundry will increase by leaps and bounds.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
Now, heinous crimes in Goa
This refers to your editorial 'Has there been political interference in Benaulim rape case?’ (July 30). If so, no influential person be excused, rules and law similar for all. As a well wisher of Goa I am pained by such heinous crimes starting from Betalbatim three years back, now at Usgao, Benaulim and Quepem. Goa was once safe, now it has become like any other State. Good that the DGP of Government has promised to look into the Benaulim case on merits. The Goa police has activated itself and measures are on the anvil. No political interference to save the accused must be tolerated by investigation agencies, who also have an obligation to protect witnesses and the victims and prepare a case so well, which will facilitate judicial authorities to take the fairest view on the matter.
Such incidents tarnish the image of Goa in the eyes of the world, it may adversely affect tourism too. Pertinent to the remarks of Hon'ble CM, which has received reactions, young boys and girls must desist from going to sea beaches at middle of the night and face such horrors in the hands of dangerous elements. As a measure all sea beaches must be kept closed after late evenings and strict patrolling required to prevent such incidents and strict enforcement of Covid behaviour.
The Police authorities must be given a free hand to deal with sexual crimes independent of any interference by the political class.
Goa cannot afford leniency and laxity and must return to its purity and liberal image.
Parthasarathy Sen, by email
Kerala could be harbinger of third wave
Kerala has reported over 22,000 cases of the novel Covid-19 for the third day in a row. According to the central Covid-19 management team the steady R-factor growth, which indicates speed at which the viral infection is spreading, means that Kerala will remain in the top spot for the next couple of weeks as far as new infections are concerned.
The number of fatalities in the State is also rising. The weekly positivity rate has not dropped below 10 in the last eight weeks. It may be recalled that when the second wave of Covid-19 was ripping through the country, Kerala was reporting a high of more than 43,000 new cases every day. The Maharashtra Health Minister said that this high figure of infection in Kerala could be the harbinger of the third wave of the virus in the country.
Goa needs to be on high alert in order to prevent the third wave. The State may be in all readiness to tackle the third wave. However, it is said ‘prevention is better than cure’. Hence all those travelling to Goa from Kerala should be under the scanner. These people need to be checked for the vaccination record as also for a negative RT-PCR report which has been carried out within the past 72 hours.
Such preventive measures need to be followed so that Goa does not face the same consequences as during the second wave.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Is humanity and religion different?
Just imagine if the Little Flower Church in Delhi had collapsed in any natural disaster, would our politician divert the route in Delhi to take stock of the damage? And see, if he can do something. Also, a group of AAP members resigned? On the other hand, the Parish Priest of the Little Flower church, who was hurt the most has given clean chit to the Delhi government saying they have no role.
Looking at such incidents, most Goans will think, have these type of politicians act to acquire political power and use it to fulfill their personal aims - it is unbelievable, how some try to polarise and popularise themselves to get attention. During this dreadful pandemic time, most Goans have learned bitter lessons and have lost faith in such dramatic act. Let me share a true incident during the first Covid-19 wave.
During this desperate time, one educated Goan gentleman, called the same politician on his mobile to check if he can assist his village and in the conversation, the gentleman casually mentioned as an example 'look at Delhi Government, how well they have organised prior to announcing the lockdown to make sure that essential goods are timely available' and the answer was 'why don't you move to Delhi, instead of calling me and cut the line on the gentleman's face'. Is humanity and religion different?
Gaston Dias, Sarzora
Why are girls blamed always?
The recent news is of girls getting gang-raped. Instead of blaming the rapists it was mentioned that it is the girl’s fault for roaming late at night.
What sense does that make? Are we girls supposed to lock ourselves up at home and not roam at all because if we do we are asking to get raped?
Or should men be taught to respect women, protect them and keep them safe?
It's years now that this mentality hasn't changed... Girls aren't supposed to go out because it's not safe. But boys can roam freely, do whatever they wish, because they have freedom.
We girls are just sex objects to get attacked even if we are wearing burka. Forget women, even small girls babies and elderly ladies get raped.
Rape doesn't have age or dress code... It's has just to be a female.
Stop blaming the girls and start protecting us. Put a strict law that rapists will be hanged or shot. Don't let them roam free to attack more.
To make this worse we had acid attacks; rapes; murders; domestic violence... And in the end the girl is blamed. The guy is never at fault. He is man, so you actually asked for it. (If you have this mentality, we girls will never be safe). We don't deserve to be molested and raped. We don't want to live in fear. It's because of such men decent guys who are actual gentlemen. Can't be trusted cause we have fear they are also same. Next time you think of saying it's the girl’s fault, remember the guy had no right to do what he did. And they deserve to be behind bars.
Reena Maria, Divar
