Letters to the editor

I appreciate the Herald Editorial "No Smartness on display on Goan roads" (Herald, 28 December). It is true that all over Goa roads have gone bad especially Panjim is worst. The main reason in my opinion is due to plying of heavy and very heavy vehicles carrying sewage, cement, stones, construction materials and concrete, water tankers, JCB's etc at any and all odd hours. But today's Herald editorial mentioned another cause of bad roads -- the haphazard digging during this Christmas festive season week when people flood the streets with Christmas shopping, etc -- and questioned why this could not be done earlier. This is also a time with maximum tourist flow further increasing traffic congestion. Why does such road work take so much time and have to be done again and again?

Poor quality of work? Poor materials? No supervision? Is the government low on funds? I have a suggestion to the authorities, why not charge high rise builders within the city some nominal fees at the time of giving approval licence for construction; perhaps a certain percentage depending upon the type of construction? These fees collected could be used either for patch-up work at high standard level or tendered for a new asphalt or cement road.

Stephen Dias, Dona Paula

It is very appalling that independent authorities constituted to deliver justice and bring the wrong doers to book are being allowed to go defunct. The Goa Human Rights Commission has been non-functional since July this year. The Goa State Police Complaints Authority has been headless since April last year. The Chief Information Commissioner is due to retire in February next year while the other two information Commissioners will also be gone in 2020. The Goa Lokayukta will also relinquish office next September.

These are all vital institutions set up by law to ensure transparency and accountability in the functioning of the government. If they remain non-operational good governance is in peril. The government should act swiftly and cannot be dragging its feet in filling these crucial positions. In fact knowing well when which authority is due to retire it should start the ground work to appoint the successor well in advance. 

Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

Herald issue of 27/12/19 showed how the State’s road tax reduction allegedly resulted in a win-win situation for all! For the auto dealers, yes. For the few customers, yes. For the State which means the general public - No! Autos are not like FMCG. If the price/tax/duty on say soft drinks or liquor is reduced then there will be an increase in sales and tax collection. A person consuming a single unit will now not think twice to increase his intake. Not so capital goods like autos. A consumer who wants to buy a vehicle, will do so, maybe deferring it for a while. This is because this is a necessity. By reducing the road tax for a limited period, the consumer’s time of purchase has been preponed. It has not made him buy 2 vehicles. He benefitted, the auto dealer benefitted, the State’s bare coffers were partially replenished: but the State has lost that much income.

The country’s economy is collapsing, and the reduced auto sales is one sign of the same. The GCCI feels that road tax reduction is an established method to stall the same?

The issue on the following day showed the State Govt paying Reliance Power 94 cr as directed by the Court of Arbitration. So, now we know why they took such a measure to reduce road tax.

Let us not forget that the tax is for 15 years: common sense will tell you that the roads we can build with money received today should be at least 15 years futuristic! Simple pot holes have still not been filled to date!

When the home budget is stretched, there is more watchful eye kept on the same by all members. In today’s IIOT scenario why cannot there be an online table of the State’s finances? The State Administrators are playing with the people’s finances spending on flimsy things. We need a better control.

R Fernandes, Margao

Two young men aged 26 and 31 years died just after the inauguration of the EDM's festival at Vagator on December 27. Two young girls had died in similar circumstances during previous EDMs. 

A minister in the present BJP Government wants to have EDMs twice a year. So will we have more people coming to Goa to end up as victims of EDMs? 

Matias Lobo, Tivim

The Director of Education (DoE) issued a circular dated 17/12/2019 informing of attendance from 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm on 18/12/2019 at Porvorim. It does not specifically mention that the attendance is compulsory.

How does the DoE presume that all have received it by post? If it was of vital importance then it should have planned well in advance and not on the eve of the seminar. Normally seminars are held at north, south Goa and centre to make it convenient for the participants. The DoE was attending DSE function at Ravindra Bhavan at Margao could have made a short announcement and also request to communicate to others because of hurriedly planned seminar.

Besides many schools were busy planning and holding annual functions during this time and DoE is well aware of plans .The next day 19:12:19 was Goa liberation Day of compulsory attendance at school programmes. Hence on all accounts the date of seminar at Porvorim on evening session on 18/12 was ill conceived. The show cause notice to over 220 Heads of schools to explain willful absence is unjust, unfair. That most of absentees belong to minority community raises eyebrows. It is absolutely authoritarian attitude to assume willful absence without finding out whether the late circular reached on time. 

Instead of bad planning at last minute and not considering the convenience of participants, the DE must apologize for the fiasco of attendance due to its own shortcomings. The show cause notice asking for explanation of willful absence is in absolute bad taste and violative of fairness and for which DoE is primarily responsible.

Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim

It is the wedding season in the State. Several wedding receptions take place at open-air halls. It is observed that with the exception of the dance floor the entire open-air hall has a lawn. The grass that is grown needs constant watering. This watering process can lead to water collecting in tiny puddles at several places on the lawn. This accumulated water can become a potential breeding site for mosquitoes.

With Goa having seen several cases of dengue fever and malaria in the recent past, the guests to the wedding reception could be subject to mosquito bites. Hence it is absolutely necessary to carry out fogging of the venue just before a wedding reception is scheduled.

It is possible that at some halls such fogging is being carried out. However, fogging before an event needs to be made mandatory at every open-air hall which has a lawn before an event is scheduled to take place. 

Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco