Congratulations
and jubilations
Congratulations to the owners as well as the entire Team of
O Heraldo staff on this landmark Jubilee of its publication. I got the chance to see what a newspaper is and read O Heraldo for the first in 1960 which I spotted in our Church office when it was published in Portuguese language. O Heraldo has remained an informative, interesting and balanced newspaper throughout the 54 years that I have been its contributor and is, indeed, a credit to its owners and staff.
I am one of those people who do not want my entire life to depend on a hand-held electronic gadget and so the hard copy of the paper is not only ideal, it is also a god-send.
Another round of applause should go to Goa for its encouragement and full support of a free press, which we have been enjoying since liberation and in today’s world, that is a rare and precious gift.
When Social Media did not exist, O Heraldo was a lifeline that gave us news in and around Goa. No breakfast is complete without a copy of O Heraldo on the table. If for any reason its arrival on the stalls is delayed for whatever reasons, people get restless and can be heard murmuring ''Aiz Herald azunui ieunk nam" (Herald has not yet come today) . If you forget to pick up the copy, on entering the house, the family will ask-‘Herald Addunk naim? (Didn't bring the Herald?)There is always some dispute as to who should read it first and the Father normally gets the preference, The housewife will scan through post lunch and the children will go through in the evening. Thereafter it reaches the bedroom for reading the other news of the day.
O Heraldo has been a launching pad for many writers, news reporters and journalists. It has helped many a person to build their career. I remember the Late Proprietor Caetano Fernandes always encouraged the youth specially to write and no material was ever rejected. It has sailed through many highs and lows and some unpleasant moments for publishing the truth.
I wish the publication many more fruitful years and may it continue to be the eyes, ears and the voice of Goans for time to come.
Jonas Correia, Aldona
Major disaster averted at
Verna industrial estate
A devastating fire reportedly broke out at a car service center in Verna Industrial Estate on Tuesday afternoon, causing extensive damage to 33 vehicles. The fire, which reportedly started in nearby dry grass, rapidly spread to the service center premises, resulting in estimated losses running into crores of rupees. The vehicles were reportedly engulfed by the flames along with other equipment, including a diesel generator, a paint booth and a compressor.
All these are flammable that could have led to the spread of the fire along with the fuel present in the vehicles. It was by providence that the fire did not spread to other units in the Industrial estate which could have led to a major fire disaster. It is prudent to mow the grass in the vicinity regularly to prevent it from accumulating and drying out. Dead branches and twigs from nearby trees need to be cut. Though there could be fire stations close to Industrial Estates in the state, it would be prudent to have a fire engine stationed within the premises 24X7.
A fire audit needs to be carried out of all the units functioning in the industrial estate. Those units which manufacture inflammable products need to take extra precaution to prevent fires. Precaution also needs to be taken while storing inflammable raw material. It seems prudent to have fire hydrants installed at all the units in the industrial estate along with smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. Fire safety demonstrations can go a long way when it comes to fire safety.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Youth must attend
gram sabhas
Gram sabhas/meetings of village panchayats are important as it is where people discuss the problems, developments, infrastructure, essential services (garbage disposal, water, electricity), safety, illegal tenants and other issues. Most villages have common problems while some may have village-specific matters. For example, in the recently held gram sabha of Loliem-Polem village the people rejected the film city project, in the Divar Island they opposed the government’s proposal to designate the island as a tourism village and were against housing projects with more than 12 flats and swimming pools; while at Chorao-Madel the villagers were against jetty and an eco-resort.
If we see published pictures of the gram sabha in the newspapers, it is noticeable that most of the members are in their late 50s and 60s and many be even in their 70s and 80s. Rarely teens, youths and those in their 40s may be present. This is concerning. When an 18-year-old happily goes to vote once in 5 years for the Lok Sabha and State Assembly and takes selfies to upload in social media, he/she could attend the village meetings. As residents of the village, they get a chance to raise their voices against illegalities, suggest ideas for improvements and volunteer to help whenever necessary. Later they should not crib that outsiders have settled, land is being sold, no occupations etc.
With their knowledge and access to technology, social media, internet etc., youths are better placed than the seniors, to think out of the box. Their enthusiastic contributions in gram sabhas would be a morale booster to the elderly citizens. How long would the latter be able to shoulder the responsibilities and tackle the problems faced in their villages? Villages can be remarkably improved by the involvement of the younger people, either as participants, panch and sarpanch. And could be a stepping stone to politics!
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Callous attitude
of government
The statement by the Tourism Department that the paragliding activity at Kerim is illegal, baffles comprehension. The Tourism Department's next statement that tourists should ensure that only licensed and authorised services are utilised, is a very clear and shameful attempt by the department to shift the onus of ensuring that all tourism-related activities have been legally authorised, from the Government( which has the authority to verify that requirement) upon the tourist.
This is akin to saying that the tourist is to blame for any harm that may befall him/her for not verifying the operator's license to operate. There is nothing that can be more ludicrous than such statements, which demonstrate an irresponsible and callous attitude on the part of the government. Soon-after the department, without realising the inherent contradiction states that " ... the department reiterates its commitment to ensuring that all tourism related activities in the State adhere strictly to safety regulations and licensing norms", when it did nothing to verify and act against a very open, apparent, continuous and brazen exercise of paragliding activity carried on in the village, and that too by a non Goan!!! Shedding crocodile tears with statements such as " ...we are saddened by the tragic loss of lives..." post facto, is hypocritical as the department failed in its duty and obligation.
Antonio Lobo, Mapusa
Ban parties, shacks at
turtle nesting sites
North and South Goa turtle nesting beach is drawing domestic and foreign tourists in large numbers and these seashores are acknowledged as ‘Turtle Beach’. It should restrain the authorities from granting permissions for parties and shacks along beaches notified as turtle nesting sites. Since this is a turtle nesting site, there cannot be much activity around the place. The shacks are not permitted within the proximity of the nesting site. There is a specific provision and a law under the Forest Conservation Act. It is a time for policymakers to engage in a effective discussion about the future of Goa Tourism. Tourism has become the bread-and-butter for the state’s revenue generation.
Stringent enforcement of regulations will help to curb unruly tourist behavior and protect the local culture. Shack owners cannot bend the rules in the name of tourism. The recent another scam hit by a multi-crore villa rental scandal, duping over 500 unsuspecting tourists by exploiting loopholes on renowned booking platforms shows that, there needs effective policy. The police should keep a tight vigil along the beaches and crack down on activities which violate the law and bring disrepute to the coastal state. The lack of governance and proper functioning of the government and the absence of the economic and social ecosystem has gone into chaos.
K G Vilop, Chorao