Rabies death a shocker
It is learnt that Goa has registered the first case of human rabies death in the last five years, according to an official of the Directorate of Health Services. After a fall in the canine rabies cases by over 90 percent, the Goa government notified the State as a rabies controlled State in 2021. Goa became the first state in India to eliminate rabies in humans, with no cases since 2018. After 43 human rabies deaths in Goa between 2012 and 2017, Goa’s strict anti-rabies effort has helped the State eliminate the dangerous viral disease. Vaccination, education and surveillance are the main components of the scheme.
The risk of canine rabies has decreased dramatically in Goa since the State-wide mass dog vaccination drive was initiated from 2015 onwards. The status of ‘zero rabies status’ in the State got a follow-up initiative to prevent the disease from reappearing. Rabies experts agree that vaccinating 70% of dogs in a community would result in herd immunity, which would prevent the disease from spreading.
The campaign in Goa is the first to prove that State-level disease elimination is possible. The project, led by the NGO Mission Rabies, began in 2014 and has since received backing from the State government, as well as global recognition for its success. Hence, the first case of rabies death registered in five years comes as a shocker.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Diminishing standards of refereeing
The unprecedented decision by the AIFF president Kalyan Choubey, asking for accountability from the men with the whistle in the middle, although long overdue, is a step in the right direction.
Refereeing standards in India and abroad have gone down drastically and are at its lowest ebb and if steps like the above are not taken, this beautiful game will die a slow death with owners and sponsors pulling out. If one watches the EPL matches regularly, one can see the blatant favouritism by the referees in being biased towards some teams, maybe due to pressure from the betting syndicate and the likes. If one recollects, English referees were not invited to officiate in the Russia World Cup 8 years ago because of their low standards.
Teams take months and years to prepare for the season with owners and sponsors pouring in a lot of finance to bring their teams to the high standards required in the pro leagues around the world but the referees act as dampeners to their ambitions with some atrocious decisions in just 90 minutes of the game. Hopefully better sense prevails and we, spectators, get to see a good game with unbiased decisions by the men in the middle and the sidelines.
Lucas D’Souza, Verna
Are Goans really safe?
Smart City with death traps put an end to a young 21-year old youth. New Year in Goa began with accidents, murders and robberies.
Our small beautiful Goa is now turning into a hub for events which are really creating ruckus and complete chaos in Goa. Boosting tourism and entertaining outsiders, the tourists have created a famous punch line for Goa ‘if you are in Goa sab chalta hai’. If such tourists with this mentality are entering Goa, and our ministers, who represent people, turn deaf ears, then our Goa and Goans’ future is in the wrong hands.
In the name of development roads are in very bad shape, claiming so many people’s lives. The government is organising events and promising jobs for Goans, but contractors are outsiders. Goans question whether our Goa is really progressing and as Goans, are we really safe in Goa?
Anita Fernandes, Verna
Tarikh pe tarikh
The much vaunted Smart City Panjim project has claimed another life as a young bike rider plunged into an under construction sewerage chamber which was not adequately barricaded by the contractor. To circumvent public outcry and criticism from the opposition parties, the CM has promised yet another inquiry which of course shall bear no fruit. At the very least an FIR could have been filed against the contractor, but no, nothing of that sort has taken place .Ponjekars have been experiencing Amrit Kaal for the past seven years, they have been under siege by corruption, dust pollution, stinking sewage leaks, road cave ins, power outages, etc, since this jinxed project was launched and government apathy is making it worse.
The city resembles a war zone with dug up roads, mounds of debris, stockpiled construction material, open pits and what have you with contractors rushing to complete and hand over all works by June 2024. Only 40% of the smart city work has been completed in the past 7 years, God only knows how the remaining 60% will be completed in the next six months; maybe the deadline will get shifted again to June 2034. Someone rightly said that a Smart City can’t be built by stupid people.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Unemployment: A major issue
Unemployment is a major issue in India today which has been affecting the country’s economic and social development. The government has failed to create enough jobs to absorb the growing population. There are a number of ways to reduce unemployment. The government can create jobs through public works, projects and businesses.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
2024 gets to a very sad start
It was horrendous as Goa witnessed young lives being snuffed away in various road accidents on New Year’s Day.
The very tragic death of our Ribandar’s young lad Ayush Halankar was so very unfortunate. How many more lives will have to be lost for the authorities to act against the haphazard manner in which the Panjim Smart City works have been dragging on. It is an absolutely unforgivable nightmare.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant must intervene to ensure that sanity prevails in public works being executed with the safety and well-being of those commuting on the roads never compromised. The focus has to be to ensure quality control and accountability by every contractor.
While the authorities have to ensure that every road is worthy, accidents will persist and precious lives lost as long as we all don’t firmly resolve to act responsibly by ensuring that we drive very cautiously and guardedly. Defensive driving can go a long way in curbing accidents and saving lives. And as they say ’God helps only those who help themselves’.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
