Unhygienic food
preparation
A video that has gone viral on Social Media shows food being prepared in a most unhygienic manner. In the video, it was observed that raw chicken was being washed on the floor of a toilet by using water from a toilet faucet. A boy is seen smashing tomatoes placed in a bucket with his bare feet. The boy had several wounds on his feet. The biryani outlet in Calangute was ordered to shut down immediately by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of Goa during a surprise inspection. However, the worst thing is that it may not be a one-off case and food could be prepared in other food outlets too in conditions unfit for human consumption. Unclean food can cause foodborne illnesses like salmonella, and E. coli infections leading to symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and fever.
Unsafe food containing harmful bacteria, viruses, parasites or chemical substances causes more than 200 diseases, ranging from diarrhoea to cancer. In India, the government plays a crucial role in ensuring the hygienic preparation of food through regulation and inspection, primarily through bodies like the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). This involves setting standards, implementing licensing and registration systems, and monitoring food safety practices. In Goa, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is doing yeomen service by conducting surprise inspections and raids across the state. But given the number of food outlets, especially along the coastal belt, this is a gargantuan task.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Rain woes -
lessons not learnt
The pre monsoon showers have once again exposed the fragile state of many of the regions of the southern states as well as some areas elsewhere.
It has started pouring cats and dogs in the coastal regions of the South especially Kerala, parts of Tamilnadu and Karnataka. Recently, a few hours of heavy downpour in Bengaluru put life at a standstill with most of the areas severely inundated and putting the city's traffic fully out of gear. The three hours of rain in fact paralysed life in the city before getting back to normalcy. The condition is same in many other towns of coastal Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra. The woes of the downpours always end up in verbal conflicts amongst the corporation, the civil bodies, political biggies and others, each one trying to slip off scotch free to show they are not responsible for the plight.
Who's to be blamed then? Is it the rain gods? Heavy rain has lashed in the past too. Reasons are many - lack of foresightedness and faulty plans of the local bodies. In most of our cities, the drainage systems are built without meticulous planning and these get heavily flooded within seconds of a downpour.
Silt and waste matters, especially plastic waste, from sewages connected to the drainage block the flow of water and as it is not checked and cleared before the rain sets in. Aren't we too responsible for carelessly disposing waste into sewages? And coming to our MPs and MLAs, it's really sad that other than their hollow promises of keeping the cities and towns from drowning, nothing materialises. Added to this the lackadaisical attitude of the local body authority make things worse. Systematic construction of drainages, meticulous schedule to clean the same and awareness among public can definitely lessen the woes the public encounter during every rainy season.
M Pradyu, Kannur
It takes courage
to stand up
I have always been a fan of the activist Cecille Rodrigues for her outspokenness on important issues concerning the welfare of Goans. Right from the time her dance awareness campaign “Rosto” broke the internet and spotlighted the poor state of Goan roads, she has been a consistent voice that has demanded government action. I've admired her foresight in kicking off a dance programme in schools to encourage children's fitness. However, her most daring act was to speak out vociferously on behalf of the residents of Taleigao whose homes and lives were disrupted in the recent torrential rains due to ill-construed hill-cutting in lieu of real estate construction. It takes courage to stand up to divisive, powerful forces that are driven by greed. I commend her for speaking up for Goan people, when it really matters. Hopefully, people will be inspired, and come together to demand higher accountability from the powers that be.
Merril Diniz, Fatorda
Big honour for
Kannada literature
It is a proud moment for Indian literature and the Indian writing community overall that Heart Lamp, a collection of short stories in Kannada, has won the International Booker Prize for 2025. Author Banu Mushtaq’s dedication to narrating stories and her strong ties to her origins, and translator Deepa Bhasthi’s dynamic English translation of the stories, taking it to a global audience, helped to win the prestigious honour. Ms. Mushtaq’s triumph is a testimony to the power of narrative and the necessity for elevating society's silenced voices. Her prize-winning work illustrates that writing can force change and motivate others to dream, resist and create. Banu Mushtaq is a lighthouse for Indian writing, illustrating that themes based on local realities can connect with a global audience when expressed with powerful words and with integrity.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Stopping airport services
by Celebi of Türkiye
During the ‘Operation Sindoor’, India targeted and neutralised nine camps that hosted terrorists in our neighbourhood. This was in retaliation to the killing of 26 people by terrorists on April 22 at Pahalgam (Kashmir). Pakistan deployed Turkish-made drones that caused substantial damages to life and properties along our western border. As the aftermath of the battle, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security withdrew the security clearance of the Turkish company ‘Celebi Airport Services Pvt Ltd,’ that provides ground-handling support at nine Indian airports.
The moot points are: Were India’s intelligence departments unaware that Türkiye sold drones to our neighbour? Does Celebi manufacture and/or supplies armed drones to our enemy country? Was the company vetted before being appointed to handle the sensitive services at our airports? Of course, we have a prerogative to fire companies when national security is concerned. The contention here is not to support to Celebi or Türkiye but perhaps the issue could have been handled more prudently and carefully as the company has now approached the Delhi High Court claiming that they were neither given a notice or a hearing. As a mark of protest against Türkiye, we should stop using Turkish towels!
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem