Restore water to Saligao
For the last month or so we have been suffering severe water shortage as the supply does not come regularly and for the last few days our taps have gone dry . Every time we complain, the water department keeps giving excuses. Now the government is bent on starting a garbage treatment plant on our Comunidade land on the hill and recently a delegation was sent to Europe to study the functioning of this technology.
I wonder how the government will maintain and manage this foreign technology when they cannot even supply us with basics like proper water supply. Once the garbage treatment plant comes into operation, garbage from other coastal villages too will be brought to this designated site at Saligao and what guarantee is there that the plant will be run properly. If it breaks down then the garbage which will arrive in double the quantity will keep mounting attracting stray animals. The stench will cause a nuisance in future to the residents of Saligao and surrounding areas just like it has happened in Curchorem and elsewhere.
I request the government to first restore the basic supply of water and proper electricity to our villagers before bulldozing their way and setting up a garbage plant here which I am sure will not be maintained properly in the long run just as the water and electricity is being handled right now.
Napolean A D’Souza, Saligao
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Indians or foreigners?
This has reference to the news report ‘Churchill and family Portuguese too’, (Herald December 6). Churchill has harped on the issue that his wife and children never contested any elections. If they are Portuguese citizens what he has conveniently forgotten is that they have broken the law by casting their votes in elections. They have broken the law by holding voters cards, ration cards and so on. They have broken the law by overstaying in India and not reporting to the police station. Now that the matter is in the courts the law will prevail. Since individuals of both major parties are involved in the case, the matter would have probably been fixed, had it not already been in the courts, and we would have continued to have foreigners voting in Indian elections.
D C Dias, Taleigao
Improving sanitation
Retired batting legend Sachin Tendulkar was recently appointed as UNICEF’s first brand ambassador for South Asia and is all set to work in promoting hygiene and sanitation in the region. The batting icon, who has reportedly been involved with the global organization for the last 8 to 10 years, was named its ambassador for South Asia region for two years. Hygiene and sanitation are the most important things necessary in today’s world as statistics speak for themselves. Over 36 per cent of the world’s population reportedly don’t have access to safe and clean toilets. 1600 children die every day because of diarrheal infection. After sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia is the region with the highest number of under-five deaths, accounting for 2.3 million in 2011. Around 39 per cent of children under five are stunted in this region which is also the worst in terms of effects related to lack of toilets. Over 680 million people in South Asia do not use toilets. It is indeed shocking to note that this basic facility is not available to the common man in this advanced modern world. In Goa according to the census data released by the directorate of census operations, 65,000 houses reportedly have no toilets. Hopefully the batting icon will play a huge second innings with UNICEF.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Cacophony
I am pleased and grateful for your publication of the letter entitled ‘Blaring Music’ on 27 November. For nearly 10 years now, my wife and I have been spending nearly 3 months in South Goa (Colva/Benaulim beach) each year with great joy and pleasure. But in recent years, we have observed that a few shacks have been surreptitiously converting themselves from a restaurant into a discotheque and after about 10 or 11 pm play extremely loud music, not stopping till 1 am. I fully support the appeal to the local police for improved controls of such inconsiderate shacks, to protect the reputation of those other shacks that adorn the true Goan atmosphere!
F Rosa, Goa loving tourist
