Those abandoning pets should be penalised
With reference to the report ‘One held for subjecting dog to cruelty ‘appearing in O Heraldo edition dated September 7, it is indeed sad to see such heartless behaviour where a migrant tied his dog to his motorcycle and dragged it at top speed along the tarred road.
A video of the same went viral, drawing the ire of many animal lovers in the State. Some months back a migrant family living in our vicinity abandoned their female dog at the industrial area after realising that the dog was pregnant! Some migrants live temporarily in rented premises and keep pets only to abandon them later when they move out or shift residences.
These abandoned animals then become the responsibility of those who live in the neighbourhood. The stray dog population in Goa will never be stopped if such people are allowed to keep pets without taking proper care of them. In the 70s, dog owners were required to put a collar around their pet and the local civic bodies would levy tax. Treatment and neutering of these animals was done free of cost by the Department for Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services. To control the fast growing stray dog population in Goa, one of the measures is to compulsorily levy a tax on all migrants living in rented premises, who will then behave responsibly towards their pets.
Allwyn N D’Souza, Saligao
Grant equal status to Romi Konkani
For 500 years Konkani in Roman script has formed an integral part of Goan social and cultural heritage. Several works in Romi Konkani have been written as novels, newspapers, publications and magazines as well as forms the matter for tiatrs which have not only been used by Goans in Goa, across the globe.
Konkani in Roman script has a very wide following all over the nooks and corners of the world. The Global Konknni Forum has started a signature campaign, which seeks to garner public support for granting Romi script equal status along with Devanagari script. Over 30 panchayats in Goa have passed a resolution to give Roman script equal status.
The Dalgado Konknni Akademi has requested the government to give Romi Konkani equal status with Devanagari as well as to give the parents of children the option to choose either Devanagari script or Romi script in the primary schools.
India is a country of several languages and each of these, form a part of the unique mosaic which is the unity of diversity of the citizens who speak, write and otherwise communicate in various languages. It would be in the fitness of things that Romi Konkani be given its due on par with Devanagari.
Stephen Dias, Dona Paula
Govt offices empty during Chaturthi
The State government officially gives a two-day public holiday every year for all its employees working in different government departments on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi in Goa.
Unfortunately, most govt employees (right from higher officers, lower staff to sweepers and peons) are seen annually bunking from work after completing the above mentioned two-day holiday period by casually staying back home for almost a week and without even applying for leave, giving silly excuses/justifications, resulting in total breakdown in the functioning of most departments.
Our government is always seen forcing all its employees to take part in some useless exercises called ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, or Clean India Mission by delivering big talks about the importance of work (especially on Gandhi Jayanti Day every year) but is never seen taking action against such employees who are annually seen refusing to work during major week-long festivals in the State and is seen paying them their full salaries despite they not attending work or applying for leave during that particular period in Goa.
I think that the government should take a very serious note of the above mentioned fact and try to recruit people equally from all communities – Goan Catholics, Muslims, etc – without playing dirty politics to keep all its government departments/offices fully operational and running as usual, especially during such annual weeklong festivals like Chaturthi.
If not, the government should shut all its departments/offices at least for a week during Chaturthi period each year, instead of forcing the poor (including some senior citizens coming from some far away interior places) to make unnecessary trips as most government departments are almost empty with just a handful of staff.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Treat women
with dignity
The gruesome and heinous rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata on August 9 has left me and many others heartbroken and angry.
This tragedy is a painful reminder that violence against women is not limited to just one country – it is something women everywhere, from the richest to the poorest nations, fear each day.
In this present scenario, women are seen as a sex object that anyone and everyone are ready to play with.
The words ‘protect your daughter’ are said and heard very frequently. However, ‘educate your son’ is hardly ever voiced. This imbalance reveals the ongoing failure to address key aspects of gender equality and respect. To break this cycle, we must prioritise educating boys about respect and equality. From an early age, girls are taught to be cautious and compliant, constantly reminded of their potential vulnerability.
In the meantime, boys are repeatedly given unchecked free rein, without understanding how their behaviour can affect others. This difference in upbringing furthers a culture where gender-based violence escalates. Boys must learn from an early age that their rights do not include the power to control or harm others. Such education is indispensable to tearing down the harmful cycle of toxic masculinity that continues violence against women.
In my knowledge, the punishment for a rapist should be harsher than death. He should live a grim life that makes him believe that death is better than life, yet he will not get it easily. He should be made to suffer by either breaking his limbs or deforming him in a manner that makes it difficult for him to live a decent life. Implementing these measures, in my view, could significantly reduce the fear that women face, both day and night.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai