Justice for Bilkis Bano
I am very grateful to the Supreme Court for giving justice to Bilkis Bano whose rapist and murderers were released by the Gujarat government and fed with sweets and adorned with garlands.
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The re-arrest of the eleven rapists and murderers is a slap on the face of the Home Minister and the Prime Minister of India who were accused for their complicity in the Gujarat riots. Truth and justice always triumphs!
Matias Lobo, Tivim
Proposed power tariff hike is unjustified
Most people, including some political leaders from Opposition parties have rightly voiced their strong objections towards the proposed power tariff hike during a Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (JERC) hearing which was held in Panjim on Monday.
Well, it should be noted that the Electricity Department, despite of giving horrible service to all its consumers in the State, has now proposed a six per cent tariff hike for domestic consumers in the first two slabs of 0 to 100 and 101 to 200 units power consumption category, while an overall hike of 3.48 per cent has been proposed.
Now, what do the officials of the Electricity Department really think? That most people are earning hefty salaries, living a ‘posh’ life and enjoying their ‘achhe-din’ under the present government in Goa?
I think that the Electricity Department should first focus on recovering the areas from those not paying their bills on time, carry a crackdown against those involved in power thefts in commercial establishments, factories, etc, and then think of hiking the power tariff rates of all the poor domestic consumers in the State and unnecessarily penalising them despite of paying their bills on time in Goa. Hope better sense will prevail.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Release of sewage into drains: A serious matter
It must be said that the government authorities are quick to issue notices to the citizens if found releasing sewage and wastewater into open areas and drains citing health hazard issues. It was thus shocking to note that a government contractor was found releasing waste water from sewage chambers directly into a nullah reportedly in the presence of PWD officials. It is learnt that alert residents of Madel, Fatorda caught the contractor red-handed carrying out the act.
It must be said that if it was carried out to clear a choked chamber, then night soil-tankers should have been used to collect the sewage to be discharged into the sewage treatment plant (STP). Sewage is a complex mixture containing suspended solids, organic and inorganic impurities and disease causing bacteria and other microbes. They spread cholera, typhoid, polio, meningitis, hepatitis and dysentery. Besides the unbearable stink, releasing sewage water into the nullahs can lead to an epidemic in the locality. It is pertinent to note that in 2014, the Government of India had initiated the “Swachh Bharat” mission under which a lot of drives such as proper sewage disposal and providing toilets for everyone have been started. The Goa State Pollution Control Board is on a drive to check the release of raw sewage into Saipem Lake and River Sal. Releasing sewage into the drains negates this drive.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Franz Beckenbauer: Last of the immortals
Franz Beckenbauer who won the World Cup for Germany both as a player in 1974 and later as a coach in 1990 expired on Monday thus ending an era of football legends the likes of which the world shall not see again. He also achieved a hat-trick of European Cups with Bayern Munich in the mid 70s. Beckenbauer, also known as ‘Der Kaiser’ or emperor invented and perfected the role of sweeper, a playmaker who switched between offense and defence with consummate ease depending on the state of the match. Class and quality were his calling cards. Both as a player and as coach, he played a key role in turning Germany into a football powerhouse by discovering and nurturing talents like Jurgen Klinsmann, Thomas Muller, Lothar Matthaus, Michael Ballack and several others. The only blemish on his otherwise stellar career was the charges of corruption he faced in securing hosting rights of the 2006 World Cup, but that cannot take away from his storied legacy, he gave much more to football than what he got out of it. Franz joins Pele, Maradona, Puskas, Cruyff, Stefano, Best and Zagallo in the heavens to form a dream team to entertain the Gods. Adios Kaiser, you shall be missed.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Professionalism, safety in air travel
Whether it is a bus or train or flight travel, it goes without saying that passenger safety attains top most priority. For the vast majority of those who make their living in business aviation, professionalism and safety norms are synonymous. A pilot of a flight has to work extra hard to achieve a high degree of professionalism and safety in air travel. Improved professionalism can elevate business aviation’s reputation by earning the confidence, trust and support of the passengers. As Air India, the flag carrier of the country, has involved in a series of accidents/incidents over the years, perhaps it can learn a lesson or two of these traits from The Japan Airlines (JAL) when it averted a major accident and managed to escape all the 379 passengers after its Airbus collided with a Japanese Coast Guard on January 2.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
