CCTVs may not deter improper garbage disposal
In a bid to deter miscreants from dumping garbage in the open, it has become quite common for CCTV cameras to be installed, in order to keep a tab on the violators. The question that arises is whether CCTVs serve as an effective deterrence to dumping of waste in open spaces and water bodies by the public. It is important to note that the violation is carried out by people who toss the garbage bags in open spaces or into water-bodies from moving vehicles, mostly at night under the cover of darkness. The violators moving on foot could be covering their head with a hood. It may be impossible to identify the violator riding a two-wheeler from the CCTV footage as the rider could be wearing a helmet. Garbage is also being tossed from moving cars.
Even a CCTV with night-vision camera may not be able to record the registration number of the vehicle. Violators could even choose another spot away from the CCTV to dump the waste. Hence installing CCTVs, by spending public funds, in order to apprehend those disposing of the garbage in an unhygienic manner could be an exercise in futility. Considering that maintaining the CCTV cameras also involves money, the funds could be used more productively by providing garbage bins in open spaces and near water-bodies. The garbage-bins need to be emptied regularly by the local panchayats and civic bodies.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Rising temperatures and pollution
This is with reference to O Heraldo editorial dated October 14, 2023 ‘Are rising temperatures and pollution on Smart City radar?’
The accelerated warming and associated situation arising out of it is already alarming in the face of a developmental plan of cities, smart or otherwise, that do not factor the hazards and risk to human health and life itself. We are already experiencing ‘urban heat island’ effect in almost all cities.
The situation is precarious on coastal cities that face the onslaught of seasonal flooding from increasing extreme events including tropical storms, intense rainfall events and cloud bursts.
Urban flood is on the rise and it is totally a man-made phenomenon. This was unheard of in Goa, but becoming a regular phenomenon. Thanks to our urbanisation and concretization of flood plains.
The editorial touched upon rain tree canopies reducing ambient temperature (example on the Campal stretch) and helping combat the rising temperature of cities. We need more conscious and coordinated effort in this direction with a long term goal.
Dr Prasanna Kumar, Caranzalem
Religious articles must be properly disposed
If one is from a Catholic family he/she will be familiar with the problems they face while disposing the broken or unused sacred religious articles like the holy rosaries, scapulars, statues of saints and the photo frames of saints. If it’s made of material that can be burnt, then it’s well and good. But today most of these articles are made of plastic and other materials that cannot be burnt.
I have been told by a village panchayat member in Goa that they very often find Catholic religious articles while segregating the weekly waste in their village. They usually keep them aside out of respect or fear of God.
Through this letter I would like to request the concerned church authorities to find a solution for this problem of proper disposal of the unused and broken sacred religious articles. The Catholic Church in every village can organise a collection drive of such sacred religious articles and dispose them properly.
Gustavo Stephen Godinho, Nagoa
Vox populi? Not really
Just a week after the media reported that 21% of the green cover in Pernem had been converted for luxury projects, the state magnanimously suspended the draft zoning plan and subsequently scrapped it.
To save face, TCP Minister Vishwajit Rane said that the government is aligned with the vision of the PM that everything should be transparent and that the voice of the people is supreme. The TCP minister also mentioned that if at all in the future there is a plan, it will be done through a consultative, independent and transparent process without any political interference.
This begs the question, why were all these tenets not followed when drafting the plan? Why make a virtue now of what should have been the norm in the first place?
This is simply a strategic retreat by the BJP keeping the looming state elections in mind, they wouldn’t want a people’s movement at this stage to upset their apple cart. If people’s voices were so paramount why haven’t they still earmarked the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve, despite the High Court’s directions, why have they forcibly gone in for railway double tracking? Why have they consented to the Tanmar project, and a many other whys? Constant vigil is required to check the government from unleashing such anti people projects on the unsuspecting populace, it certainly doesn’t have the best interests of the aam janta at heart. All it cares about is it’s own political interests and furthering of the saffron ideology.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
