Is Goa an ideal place for motorsport?
John Abraham, actor and owner of Goa Aces team, is keen to set-up a motorsport academy if either the government or a local person provides the necessary land (O Heraldo edition dated February 10).
There is no mention if the land has to be gratis or would be purchased at the market rate. He thanked the Meghalaya government that had provided him 15 acres of land to set-up a footfall academy. Compared to football, motorsport is one of the extreme sports which is expensive and requires more land.
Given the limited available space, one is not sure if Goa is an ideal place for motorsport. People are opposed to giving land for educational institutions, good luck to the actor for his attempt to get a piece of Goa for a motorsport academy.
His second idea of conducting the Goa Street Race could be considered by the authorities. The races could be held along the streets and lanes of the still-in-the-making “Smart City Panjim” and other towns in Goa. The races would bring to limelight the mettle of the drivers and the metals (if any have been used) of the roads.
It would also help test the endurance of the drivers and the roads. Drivers of mining trucks could be banned as they would be sure shot winners due to their expertise in diving at high speeds along the rough and
narrow village roads.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Bhatlem gas leak: Catastrophe averted
The gas pipeline that was allegedly damaged due to Smart City works at Bhatlem on Sunday reportedly led to an estimated loss of over Rs 20 lakh for the gas service provider apart from disrupting gas supply to 4,000 houses as well as commercial establishments for several hours.
It may be recalled that recently the residents of low-lying areas in Bhatlem and nearby places faced tremendous losses after the main water pipeline burst, leaving their homes flooded and destroying home appliances and other household articles.
It is learnt that the emergency response team rushed to the spot and stopped the gas leakage and repaired the pipeline. Be that as it may, it must be said that a fire incident at the spot could have ended in a catastrophe. The gas in the pipeline could have caught fire and in the process the fire could have entered the houses where the gas is supplied through the pipeline. This could have resulted in danger to life and property. It was by providence that there was no fire incident at the point of the leakage.
It may be recalled that in August 2011, Vasco was hit by a major fire at Varunapuri, Mangor, due to a suspected naphtha leak. More than 200 persons were evacuated from residential quarters close to the fire site. Five persons were injured, one of them seriously, when they were hit by sparks from the fire. It would be prudent for the Goa State Disaster Management Authority to be in readiness 24X7 to face any eventuality while the Smart City work is in progress.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
PM’s confessional remark
The two percent difference in the vote count between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that helped the saffron party come to power in Delhi for the first time in Free India should be an eye opener to the opposition parties.
It is reported that if the AAP had aligned with the Congress in the elections, the combine would have made the saffron party bite dust in 26 more constituencies.
The shocking defeat of the AAP and its tall leaders like Kejriwal and Sisodia in Delhi elections has sent a clear message to all the alliance partners of the INDIA bloc that if they all unite together sinking their ego and work in tandem, it would not be difficult for them to unseat their common enemy the BJP from power, not only at the Centre, but also in other States.
Each opposition party should be ready for sacrifices by extending whole hearted support to parties that are strong in their respective States by not fielding their candidates in the elections.
Further, one is really upset that Prime Minister Modi, while addressing the leaders and party workers has gone on record to say that he will now transform Delhi into a modern city! What a blatant admission that he did not show any interest in the development of Delhi, all along because it was not a BJP-ruled State!
As the Prime Minister of the country, is he not expected to do his best for the development and welfare of all the people of the country, in an impartial manner?
With his confessional statement, Modi has made it clear that, purposely, his dispensation at the Centre did not cooperate with the AAP government in Delhi as often alleged by them during the past 11 years with him as the Prime Minister of the country.
This is more so, when Delhi is a Union Territory administered by the Lt Governor appointed by them. That the Lt Governor had also been a real thorn in the flesh of the duly elected AAP government and put spokes in all their proposals for the development of Delhi, is also a case in point.
Tharcius S Fernando, Chennai
Productivity is vital
for nation’s progress
Productivity, in simple terms, is nothing but doing as much work as possible in a particular time frame though the word assumes greater significance when applied to different sectors of a nation’s governance including economy and industry. It is an amalgamation of creativity, efficiency and innovation.
“Productivity culture” is the key for a country’s overall development especially in the field of economics. Time, energy and attention are the three pillars on which productivity rests. National Productivity Council (NPC) was established in India on February 12, 1958, under the Commerce Ministry, to boost productivity in the economy through a multipronged approach.
Research and training are the NPCs primary objectives. Purposeful themes on the National Productivity Day on February 12, has added sheen to the broad goal of NPC. “From ideas to impact: Protecting intellectual property for competitive start-ups” is the theme for 2025 that underscores the significance of safeguarding innovation for new businesses to thrive.
What a common man can do is to do his best in every work he undertakes so that the nation can navigate the path towards economic glory with little time to waste.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola