Safeguarding our children in school
This is with reference to the report ‘Fit case for the molester teacher’s school management to be booked’ (O Heraldo August 31, 2023). A school is the basic institution which prepares children to face the future. And so, these formative years in school are very important in a child’s life. The girl child needs special attention, however, because there could be predators both inside and outside the school. It is imperative therefore, that teachers take on the responsibility of giving them the right education and protecting them from the evils of this world. Cases of teachers molesting school children is condemnable and must be dealt with severely, because such incidents can have a lasting impact on the tender child’s mind, thus growing up with a negative mindset.
Today’s cartoon in your newspaper, ‘idhar-udhar’, showing a little school girl with barbed wire wrapped around her and her father’s advice, ‘Darling safety is priority, comfort is secondary’, says it all. At the end of the day, the teacher should be a protector not a predator.
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
Politics without ethics will endanger democracy
Ethics in politics serves as a classic example of an oxymoron. When ethics and politics become contradictory, it simply means that a political system has completely lost its way. Politics without ethics is dangerous for any democracy, as it produces distrust at all levels. We all know that politics in India is famous for criminalization and corruption, and a triad of nexus between criminals, corporates and politicians. It is said that the 17th Lok Sabha, which is the latest, has close to 50% of its MPs who are facing criminal charges. On the one hand politicians frame laws which are supposed to be followed by citizens, but on the other hand framers of the law indulge in violation of law and lack ethical values.
Several recent incidents have proven that present day politicians in India, especially those attached with the ruling party at the Centre, utterly lack moral values and ethics. Their political attitude is grossly indifferent to the common man’s woes. However, this country has seen great political leaders like Lal Bahadur Shastri, who set high standards of ethical values in politics even in adverse circumstances such as Tashkent agreement, food crisis, war with Pakistan, etc. It is very sad that ethics and moral values in current day Indian politics have plummeted and they can never be resuscitated as long as our ugly politicians continue to be greedy and insolent, and hardly care for the good of the common man.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Shortage of specialist doctors in India
India is the world’s most populous nation, but the problem is there is a critical shortage of doctors. This shortage of specialist doctors and health is a major barrier to quality health services, especially in rural areas. But specialist doctors tend to go overseas or join the private sector in metropolitan and other large cities. The doctor-patient ratio also remains lower than the WHO recommendations. This is disconcerting as it puts a severe strain on the public healthcare delivery, the impact of which can be particularly adverse in the villages where the shortage of medical infrastructure and healthcare staff is considerably acute.
The high infant and maternal mortality rates can be attributed to the paucity of scope for medical careers in remote areas. The absence of doctors in the hinterland also puts pressure on hospitals in cities to which patients are usually sent. Initiatives like Ayushman Bharat cannot be successful with insufficient number of doctors. There should be an adequate number of specialists.
K G Vilop, Chorao
What will Goa benefit from Ladakh-Leh tour?
The proposed 5-day tour to Ladakh and Leh for MLAs and ministers will be a good learning experience for them. Ladakh apparently has much to offer for our leaders. Hopefully they will learn much about Ladakh’s industries and technology!
Ladakh is known for its Buddhist monasteries. I do hope they will spend much time meditating in these monasteries. Other than monasteries, there’s the beautiful landscape and salubrious weather. Are they going to bring back to Goa the landscape and weather?
When they return , they must submit a full thesis on what they learnt from the tour and how Goa will benefit from it. These reports should be published in newspapers for benefit of Goans.
Robert Castellino, Calangute
Public toilets must be maintained
The state of public toilets in India is better left unsaid despite the tremendous improvement in their sanitation following the implementation of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan in 2014. Although it is mandatory to have one toilet per 100 men and three toilets per 100 women, scarcity of public washrooms is too glaring in the country. Notwithstanding the technical guidelines detailed for toilets construction, improper architecture and poor building materials have not helped the cause of keeping surroundings clean and hygienic.
Cleaning of toilets and bathrooms are not undertaken with a missionary zeal. It is estimated that there are more than 75,000 public toilets in India in either standalone constructions or as attachments to already existing buildings. But their maintenance leaves a lot to be desired.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Pay parity for women cricketers
The England and Wales Cricket Board’s move to pay women the same match fees as men, is a shot in the arm for gender equality. Women’s cricket is gaining popularity, with more spectators and viewers tuning in to watch the game. A record crowd of 1,10,000 watched the England-Australia Women’s Ashes series this year, which augurs well for the game. ECB’s decision comes after New Zealand, India, and South Africa announced pay parity for their men’s and women’s teams. A step in the right direction!
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
India is a Mother of Democracy
Nobody has ever described India’s ethos as eloquently as Jawaharlal Nehru in. The discovery of India . “India is a cultural unity amidst diversity held together by a strong but invisible threads.” India is a home to several hundreds languages different religions and cultures. . India has maintained it’s diversity and unity despite 1000 years of foreign rule. It is a matter of pride that no state has seceded from the Indian union. Yes, India is the mother if democracy. If there is anything that is safe in the country it is democracy. No matter which party is in power at the Centre, democracy will never decline or diminish.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
