Smart City and smart politicians
For any city to be called a ‘Smart City’ the people and the administration (Politicians) of that city must be smart.
So when we see what is going on in the ‘Smart City’ of Panjim we can see that ‘the chickens are coming back to roost’. The statements made by the Panjim MLA exposes the inefficiency of the so called great leaders who could not even make a parking lot for his hometown.
Matias Lobo, Tivim
How can a mother be so heartless?
It is spine-chilling that Suchana Seth, who is a successful CEO of an AI start-up company in Bengaluru, and who has carved a niche for herself in the professional world, has allegedly strangled her four-year-old son to death in a hotel room in Goa due to reasons of family feud.
It is inconceivable that a mother can be so heartless and cruel to the extent of killing her own child! Such a crime in a matured society is beyond imagination, horrifying and totally contradicts the habitude of unconditional love that a mother offers to her child and the unbreakable bond between the two. By reportedly murdering her own kid for egotistical reasons, the name and fame that the accused mother earned in her profession over the years have gone with the wind.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Law needs to be overhauled
Reference editorial “Farce in hearing of MLAs disqualification case” (Jan 12), the decision of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar refusing to disqualify 16 MLAs of the Eknath Shinde-faction and declaring Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena was on expected lines.
In fact, no Speaker has ever ruled against the interests of the ruling party, the party that he belongs to, in the matter of disqualification under the anti-defection law. The Speaker belonged to the BJP and could only have been expected to give a ruling that suited the government.
The rising cases of MLAs switching sides and yet escape disqualification makes it obvious that the law needs to be overhauled. The turncoats finding loopholes to switch sides must be plugged. It should not be out of place to mention that disqualification power should be in independent hands. As long as defection disputes are in the hands of Speakers and not independent bodies, political considerations will undoubtedly cast a shadow on such rulings.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
Need for study tour on cleanliness to Indore
Indore city in Madhya Pradesh bagged the cleanest city of India title for a record seventh time in a row while Surat came out joint winner for the top rank in the Central government’s annual cleanliness survey. Navi Mumbai retained the third position in the Swachh Survekshan Awards 2023.
In the ‘best performing states’ category Maharashtra was named the cleanest state in the country followed by Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh. Goa slipped to 13th position from 10th (2022) among 27 states in the country. After making the whole city ‘Open Defecation Free’ (ODF) and landfill-free, for the last few years, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has been focusing on waste management at the source. There is a 100 percent door-to-door collection. Whatever garbage is collected goes through the entire cycle of sorting and 100 percent processing. The city has proved that behavioural change of society is not impossible in India. The city is a great example of local citizen’s participation as they carry pride in their city. Here even kids are aware of keeping surroundings clean. Goa has been struggling for years in waste management.
It would be in the fitness of things for the authorities concerned with waste management, especially from the civic bodies and panchayats, to go on a study tour to Indore for a first-hand experience on effective waste management.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Anti-Defection Law seems meaningless
This has reference to the hard hitting editorial ‘Farce in hearing of MLAs’ disqualification case’ (Herald January 12, 2024).
Does this whole issue however, merit any comment, one wonders. Of course, the verdict should not have been surprising, perhaps coming after such a long period of time, a foregone conclusion.
Anyway, who is the real Shiv Sena and who is not, is irrelevant at the moment. The question is, where are we heading as a democracy? In politics, we need to follow certain ethics, some sense of responsibility, respect for voters, etc. We need to have proper, practical laws. For instance, at the root of the break-up of political parties, is the Anti-defection Law. Without getting into debate or controversy, the Anti-defection Law in its present form, seems meaningless. Our legislators are elected by the people and so, it is but fair that when they wish to switch loyalties they must seek a fresh mandate from the people. There should be no other way. Let’s be fair to all. That is the way a democracy must function. After all, democracy is a government ‘of the people, by the people and for her people’.
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
Dual nationality in interest of Goans
I am pretty sure that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant is pursuing the matter regarding dual citizenship for Goans with the Government of India even though the Centre is against the idea.
Since Goa was a colony of Portuguese for over 400 years, Goans got the opportunity of obtaining a Portuguese passport and for those holding one it has become a gateway to Europe for secure job opportunities and giving sustenance to their families in Goa.
Hope and pray that better sense prevails and Goans be allowed to get dual Citizenship approval from the Central Government before the next general elections in 2024.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Indian products now have global markets
Union Minister of Communication and railways Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the first ‘Made in India’ semiconductor chip will be brought out this year. The Union Cabinet had already approved a production linked incentive (PLI) scheme for semiconductor and display board production in the country three years ago.
Heavy surge in sales of electronic devices during the pandemic and the indefinite closure of giant chip companies during the lockdown had infact given rise to crisis of scarcity of semiconductors in the global market. These chips are infact the ‘life’ of millions of products in our daily life, ranging from automobiles to fridges and washing machines to computers and smartphones and so on.
Insufficiency of these chips had slowed down the production of all these devices and machines. Though chip companies around the world have increased its production, it is not quite enough .
The government’s decision came at a time when auto makers and tech companies were grappling with a semi-conductor shortage. The manufacturing of chips in our own country will make the nation
self-reliant and sufficient in chip manufacturing. Several sectors that are now lagging behind because of shortage of these chips will get an opportunity to thrive once again thereby helping to boost our economy and enhance our GDP. Besides, these companies can also attract global buyers as Indian products have now an image of their own in the global market.
M Pradyu, Kannur
