Keep a tab on labourers working in schools
Thousands of protesters on Tuesday reportedly blocked railway tracks at Badlapur station in Thane district, and stormed a local school building after the alleged sexual assault of two four-year-old girls by a sweeper in the washroom.
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It is learnt that the cleaner who was contracted through a third-party company was arrested. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that action will be taken against the school and the case will be fast-tracked and the guilty will not be spread.
This sexual abuse of two KG kids within the school premises comes against the backdrop of the nationwide stir over the rape and murder of a young doctor at a hospital in Kolkata. It seems that right from little girls to women no one is safe in the country from these sexual predators.
It may be recalled that some years back a school girl was raped within the school premises at Sada in Vasco. The sexual offender was never apprehended. It is pertinent to note that schools could be engaging labourers to carry out petty works like masonry, carpentry, painting, gardening, cleaning, etc, within the school premises.
Most of these labourers are migrants and could have ulterior motives of sexually assaulting school children. The background of the contractor and the labourers engaged for carrying out such petty works needs to be looked into. The labourers should be under scanner at all times while they are within the school premises in order to prevent any untoward incident.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Law Min’s admission on sound pollution
In connection with the sound pollution caused by loud music after 10 pm from clubs along the northern coastal belt, we should appreciate Goa’s law minister, who frankly admitted that the inaction by authorities is because of absence of will and lack of coordination between the various departments concerned.
This is despite there being sound meters and other apparatus, and rules and laws in place to tackle sound pollution.
The minister has assured to soon convene a meeting with all the departments to find a solution and ways to implement the existing measures. This is ironic since as a law minister he could work in tandem with the Chief Minister, who also handles the Home Ministry, and both should crack the whip and brook no resistance from the departments that are reluctant to act and also against the sound polluters.
There is no point in everyone wringing their hands in despair and passing on the bucks and conducting numerous meetings, while the people along the coast suffer and their senses assaulted by loud music well beyond the restricted time of 10 pm.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
‘Experience Certificates’
For those employed in the private sector, the State Government has made it mandatory to issue ‘Experience Certificates’ for their employees. However, it plays a vital role in enhancing the resumes of the employees, wherein it assists them in paving their way for better prospects. Even a single spark of recognition or appraisal on behalf of the previous company can work out wonders for the employees in the near future, once mentioned in the issued ‘Experience Certificates’.
In this manner at the time of hiring, the new company is well-versed pertaining to the candidates’ skills and abilities. Moreover, it brings with him/her a wealth of experience and a proven track record. Subsequently, it’s a reliable source wherein the credibility and performance can be authenticated by implementing an ‘inquiry call’ at the previous workplace.
Evidently, a well-planned and appreciative move from the State Government!
Joseph Savio Desouza, Rajasthan
PM should visit Manipur before Ukraine
Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit Manipur before he goes to Ukraine on August 23, 2024. The scale of the humanitarian crisis in Manipur is as much as in Ukraine, and moreover it pertains to our own people.
What credentials does Modi have to resolve the Ukraine-Russia conflict when he cannot find a solution to a domestic issue like Manipur is what Zelensky should ask him when they meet?
When Modi went to Moscow last the Russians just the previous day had escalated the conflict by bombing Kiev and hitting a children’s hospital. Similarly, Modi is going to Ukraine, now, when there is an upsurge in fighting between Ukraine and Russia with the latter countering Ukraine’s latest offensive where it has occupied large swathes of Russian territory and destroyed some critical bridges.
Peace is not talked about or can be achieved when the problem is peaking since everybody involved is angry. Thus Modi’s visit is a feel-good initiative for all sides, and nothing much is likely to be achieved. The question to be raised is: Why should India be used as a pawn in a play between two far-off countries? Let us be bothered about what is happening in India and in our neighbouring countries. Modi and the BJP have been overly critical of Jawaharlal Nehru because they claimed he gave more importance to world affairs than those within India. So now is Modi not doing the same thing by going to Ukraine when Manipur is burning? The problems in Manipur have been increasing over the last few days.
Srinivas Kamat, Mysore
Kudos to Verlem students
This is in reference to the report ‘Verlem students trek up the hill for connectivity…’ in O Heraldo edition dated August 20, 2024.
Truly commendable, I would say, hats off to the students of Verlem village for their commitment, dedication and resolve to beat all odds in the path of their education. Trekking 2-3 km at night in order to get connectivity beats one’s imagination.
People in cities, even in Mumbai, do face similar network issues, so, one can imagine what the villagers must be going through in the absence of connectivity. And yet, we boast of being what is called, Digital India? These are important issues that need to be addressed, but then unfortunately, completely unimportant issues take top priority in our country, for instance, renaming of several railway stations in Mumbai or sign boards in her local language. Real issues are brushed below the carpet. We are living in a world of make-belief. Let’s get real!
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
