Owners liable for attacks
by aggressive dogs
In a tragic incident, a 10-year-old boy reportedly lost his life after being attacked by a Pitt Bull at a residence in Anjuna where her mother was employed as a housekeeper. The dog viciously mauled the child, biting him on the cheek, neck, arms, and legs, leaving him severely injured and bleeding profusely. It must be said that it is not only stray dogs which pose a threat to the citizens but also ferocious breeds of pet dogs. In August last year, a Rottweiler had attacked two minor children in Taleigao.
Last December a 10-year-old child in Camurlim was seriously injured after being bitten by a neighbor's pet Rottweiler. A citizen was attacked at Cacra village near Dona Paula, when he had gone for an evening walk. In September last year the state government had considered banning certain aggressive breeds of dogs that posed danger to humans. However no concrete steps have been taken in this regard. In cases involving pet dogs, the owner should be held liable and responsible if an attack takes place and necessary action should be taken for endangering lives. There needs to be guidelines in place for those keeping ferocious dogs as pets which have become a status symbol. Incidentally Pit Bull is considered as one of the most dangerous dog breeds in the US and internationally. They are a very strong and aggressive breed and have been known to attack and kill people by overpowering them.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Intensify effort to
eradicate TB
India alone accounts for 27% of global Tuberculosis cases. This is disturbing, despite TB being a detectable and curable disease and its diagnosis and treatment methods have been a part of existing health systems in the country for a long time. While TB can affect people of any class, religion, ethnicity, and socio-economic status, it disproportionately affects the most marginalised in society, including children, the urban poor, and people living with HIV/AIDS.
TB is not only a health crisis, but also an economic crisis, which costs India billions in losses every year and pushes families and communities into debt and poverty. The path to Tuberculosis eradication in India requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, address social determinants of health, and embrace innovations. By adopting a holistic and person-centred approach, India can overcome the barriers that stand in the way of TB control and create a healthier future for all its citizens.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Men should treat
women with dignity
The brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata 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 every day.
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 prioritize 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 this present scenario, women are seen as a sex object that anyone and everyone are ready to play with.
Jubel D'Cruz, Mumbai
Stop playing blame game over Shivaji statue
In our childhood, we used to play a game called ‘statue statue’, the same is being played out across India now by our rulers wasting thousands of crores of taxpayer's money which could have been put to far better use. Statues are being put up left, right and centre to purported ‘heroes’ no one has ever heard of.
Recently the collapse of a Shivaji statue inaugurated by our Vishwaguru was in the news, the opposition smelt an opportunity and wasted no time in turning up the heat on the government. The shameless Maharashtra sarkar has squarely placed the blame on the doors of the Indian Navy for the fiasco. It turns out that the Directorate of Art had only given permission for a 6' high statue but mysteriously the size ballooned to 35' on completion. All agencies involved shunned accountability about this patently illegal act, I am sure the contractor must have made tonnes of money over and above the agreed amount by raising bills for 'extra items'.
It is inconceivable to believe that the Navy or the PWD had no knowledge of the proceedings, the fact of the matter is that the statue was erected hurriedly flouting all engineering norms so that the PM could inaugurate it on Navy Day. In damage control mode which involves a further waste of public funds, the Maharashtra Deputy PM has announced that another statue 100' high would be erected to replace the earlier one. They might even revive the proposal to erect a Shivaji statue off the coast of Mumbai for which Rs 3,600 crore was budgeted @ 5 years ago and whose ‘foundation’ was laid with much fanfare by Modi. Why not put up a university or hospital with that kind of money? Shame on these rapacious politicians who don’t blink an eye while criminally flushing citizens' money down the drain.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim