21 Feb 2018 | 06:28am IST
letters to the editor
The uniqueness of Goa is its beautiful villages. The lush green hills, criss crossing rivers, ponds full of fishes and the fertile fields that add charm to every village giving it the splendour of greenery. Our ancestors cultivated the fields to sustain their families, village boys teamed up for the local village tournaments or arranged a friendly football match on the occasion of the local chapel feast.
The peace, tranquillity of the villages and the local taverns visited by our elders, earlier in an era gone by, depicted the rustic life of Goa. But not so now anymore, it seems, will we see Goa of the past with the new concept like the formation of Greater Panjim Planning and Development Authority (PDA) coming into existence in connivance with the politicians and builders, with Santa Cruz village being the first target.
Vertical development is something new we hear of, wondering what it is. Will this development be cluster of high rise buildings concretising our villages henceforth pushing our village identity into oblivion; will it make the village locals homeless and landless in the land of their ancestors. Many questions are asked with answers only remaining in the air. Villagers are the best planners for village development. They know best what they need for themselves and for the village requirement, but political interference with the politicians exercising their influence mar the peaceful existence of the villagers, like the Santa Cruz village, the villagers were forced to come out in strength to protest against the inclusion of their village into PDA without their consent.
Will this too ever happen to other villages in time to come doing away with our villages and village life. We better remain alert.
Ayres Sequeira, Salvador do Mundo
In order to keep our surrounding clean various steps need to be introduced so that the people, specially, the tourists visiting the state are encouraged to dispose-off the waste in a proper manner. In this regards the Calangute Panchayat has come out with a unique concept wherein a kiosk will be set up on the beach to deposit garbage and in return, the visitor will get discount coupons from nearby restaurants. The aim is to promote the mission of Swacch Bharat along the coastal belt by sensitizing the tourists on keeping the beach clean by proper disposal of the waste.
This is a positive move towards cleanliness and need to be adopted by other panchayats located along the entire coastal belt in North and South Goa. It may not be possible for the authorities to keep a watch on those littering the beaches and penalise them.
It refers to shocking Niti Ayog report of sex ratio at birth (SRB) witnessing decline in seventeen out of twenty-one large states of the country, with Gujarat recording an alarming dip of 53 points from earlier 904 females to now just 854 per 1000 males being on top amongst all the states. Centre should ensure all the states to effectively implement the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994 and for taking appropriate measures to promote the value of the girl child.
Mere celebrating Girl Child Day on January 24 every year is not enough. Registration of properties in women-names showed remarkable rise in Delhi after stamp-duty on such deals was subsidised for women.
Union and state governments should take all possible measures for similar concessions like can be for reduction of GST on items like vehicles registered in name of women. Interest-rates for home and other loans may be subsidised while on deposits it can be extra for women. Some fields like dentists and gynaecologists in medical-science should have at least 75-perecent reservation for women. Females should have a sense of security by having automatic and instant rights in ancestral and personal property of husbands, but only for married life without divorce.
Presently girl-child is taken as unwanted burden because of increasing expenses in their marriages. Only soft drinks and simple beverages should be permitted in marriage-related functions. Mega-budgeted marriages should not be attended by leaders on posts.
India has been one of the few countries which have legally and constitutionally guaranteed equal rights to the transgender but most work needs to be done. The people attitude and mindset must change. The literacy rate in this community is very low, not because of financial constraints but mainly due to lack of family support and social hatred. Increase in literacy level is not possible as long as the government does not fix a quota in all public and private institutions to accommodate the third gender, financially support them and create an accommodating environment.
Md Rustam Parwez, Hyderabad
As it is all the State-owned nationalised banks in India are running into thousands of crores rupees losses due to recurring NPAs as borrowers/loanees are not returning the debts they have taken, and the government every time has to infuse fresh huge capital to re-run the banks' businesses.
Adding further woes, many frauds with the complicities of insiders are taking place, duping the banks. Rs.9,000 cr loan taken by liquor baron Vijay Mallya is yet to be recovered. The recent PNB fraud of Rs 11,300 cr linked to Nirav Modi is yet an another example of banks' vulnerability.
The patrons, customers, account holders have lost their faith in banking system due to repeated frauds. The govt. should treat this as a serious alarm call & has to take more tougher measures to ensure that the faith of customers is restored.
