Trim or cut dangerous tree at Miramar
This is to bring to your attention how the authorities are neglecting requests of senior citizens staying alone in Miramar, Panjim, for cutting/trimming of a huge tree leaning towards a house occupied by an 83-year-old senior citizen and his wife.
The matter was reported with a verbal request to the local MLA and minister and an official letter to CCP commissioner, but no reply or action has been taken. Nobody has bothered to visit the site. The tree is just 50 metres away from the Minister’s office and the trunk of the tree is hollow and 25 per cent dried up.
Being a senior citizen, I too reside in the area, and would like to highlight the plight through your newspaper to draw the attention of the authorities concerned as this tree can collapse any moment.
Rajesh Velingkar, Miramar
Garbage, beggar menace plaguing Margao
Margao, which is the State’s commercial capital, is plagued with various issues with the civic body failing on various fronts.
Conditions prevailing at the old fish market and old bus stand paint a sorry picture. These places can be developed and put to better use instead of allowing them to be areas for dumping garbage.
Secondly, the traffic chaos during school peak hours at Loyola School and Fatima Convent has compelled the students and their parents to undergo severe hardship. The authorities concerned have yet to come out with a permanent solution to this problem.
The Margao Municipal Council has also failed to clear the area near the Chapel opposite the Bank of India as vendors are engaged in selling footwear. To add to this, a person is found carrying out the job of photo frame with another engaged in the sale of lotteries at the Chapel entrance. The town is also plagued with the beggar menace. On each footpath and at signal one can notice beggars. The MMC should take immediate steps in this direction, or else the government should intervene and come with a permanent solution in this regard.
Natividade Fernandes, Cavelossim
Need flexibility on sound restrictions at weddings
After all the hue and cry raised from various quarters on noise pollution in Goa, it is learnt that the Anjuna Police acted against a restaurant in Vagator for playing loud music beyond 10 pm without proper authorisation, resulting in noise pollution.
The restaurant owner was reportedly charged under Section 5 of the Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) Rules 2000 and Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act, 1986. This must be considered as too little, too late, as loud music is being played till the early hours all along the coastal belt. The issue of loud music, particularly trance, reverberated in the Assembly on Tuesday, with the MLAs raising concerns.
The government has failed to act in controlling trance music in the coastal belt, while prompt action is taken against weddings exceeding the music time limits.
It must be said that music is an integral part of a wedding celebration, especially within the Catholic community. There was a time when the wedding celebrations extended well into the early morning hours with music and dancing. But now due to the sound restrictions, the music falls silent by 10 pm. It is pertinent to note that most wedding halls are located far from residential places. The music does not affect the residents of the locality. The government needs to show flexibility by allowing longer duration for music at weddings.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Goa’s roads resemble lunar surface
The incessant and heavy downpour in the last few days in the State’s capital city submerged many roads, and what it left is a long trail of potholed roads.
The condition of newly tarred roads in Panjim, and other places, has deteriorated following incessant rains. From crater-like potholes to carelessly strewn gravel, Goa has a handful of infamous roads that pose a threat to commuters.
The tarred roads naturally deteriorate due to wear and tear from traffic, weather, and other factors. Poor construction material is another reason. A well-designed and well-laid road should last for decades, regardless of traffic flow and the local weather conditions. Generally, this also happens if the percentage of asphalt or tar is incorrect. Another reason could be that the aggregate used to lay the road was not heated properly. The potholes are very dangerous, and potentially life threatening. Due to the rain, the roads have developed deeper and bigger potholes. If the contractors do a good job, this would not be a problem. The PWD is found to be inefficient, negligent and derelict in carrying out duties pertaining to construction and maintenance of public roads. Even the government quarters, which come under PWD, are not maintained properly.
Citizens should be able to sue the government and PWD over the poor quality of roads. The Engineers concerned, who have not exercised proper care, should be suspended and fined for inefficiency, lack of responsibility and for wasting public funds by undertaking substandard works.
K G Vilop, Chorao
Declare Wayanad landslides as National Disaster
Politics is being played in everything these days, including natural and manmade disasters.
The classic examples include death of the youths in the flooded basement of the Rau’s IAS Study Circle in Delhi and the landslides in Wayanad. It is a sad situation because by bringing politics into the situation, the resolution to these issues, help and support, and justice to the affected persons are delayed.
With regard to the Wayanad landslide, Home Minister Amit Shah claimed in Parliament that early warnings about the heavy rain and the possibility of landslides were sent to the Kerala government almost a week in advance of the event taking place. This is a plain lie, since he needs to be clairvoyant to be able to predict landslides and earthquakes.
Just sending IMD weather reports about heavy rain is not enough and more specific guidance is required. The victims of the disaster will perceive that the person speaking and the ruling government lack sympathy to their plight. The Centre at the same time has declined to declare the Wayanad landslides a national disaster. Is the death toll approaching 400 with close to 200 missing which in all probability will add to the dead and with massive damage to property and the terrain and infrastructure not enough to qualify it as a national disaster? There are some legal loopholes being cited. Once a tragedy is classified as a national disaster, then the relief and assistance has to be shared by the Centre. That’s the reason why the Centre is unwilling to declare the Wayanad landslides a national disaster.
One must say here that all these hurdles are being put since the Kerala government is not BJP and therefore not a double engine. If the tragedy had occurred in one of the Northern States ruled by the BJP or a NDA ally, then the Centre would have found a way. This approach of – either you are with us or against us – should stop, since you are elected to power, it is expected that you will rule with an even hand and not play parochial.
Srinivas Kamat, Mysore
