Unemployed youth prone to exploitation
This refers to ‘Challenge of unemployment’ (March 29). The recent India Employment Report released by the International Labour Organisation, gives a much needed broad-brush picture of India’s employment challenge. Unemployment is weighing India down, with the country’s youth accounting for almost 83% of the unemployment workforce.
Unfortunately, the world’s most populous nation and also the fastest-growing major economy is ignoring its youth is deplorable. Share of youth who are not in employment, education and training has averaged 29.2% between 2010 and 2019. It’s highest in South Asia. It is a sorry state of affairs that PhDs applied for the post of Peon in Uttar Pradesh where Class V was the eligibility criterion. Unemployed youth are ready to risk their lives by taking up jobs in war zones countries like Israel and Russia.
Robust growth in manufacturing, services and construction sectors should guide stakeholders to optimally use the skills of India’s educated youth. The much lauded programmes launched by PM Modi in different parts of the country in the past few years have done very little in terms of creating employment opportunities. The government and the industry need to work in close coordination to rein in joblessness.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
Netizens beware of online impersonation
The Cyber Cell of Goa Police have reportedly booked an unknown person for allegedly impersonating Goa’s Chief Secretary. It is learnt that the accused used the name and picture of the Chief Secretary on his WhatsApp number and sought financial favours from the people by asking them to transfer money into his bank account. An offence has reportedly been registered under Sec. 66-C of IT Act. In the past ,there have been instances of anti-social elements physically impersonating as policemen and extorting money from the citizens. However in today’s digital age, where online interactions are increasingly common, the risk of impersonation has become a pressing concern. Impersonation refers to the act of pretending to be someone else with the intent to deceive or defraud others.
Whether it’s assuming another person’s identity online or imitating a public figure, impersonation can have serious consequences for individuals and society as a whole. Impersonation in social networks refers to accounts that use the name, image, or other identifying elements of a person, company, or organization for fraudulent purposes. Generally speaking, it is the act when a person pretends to be someone else on social media platforms and is a serious threat to one’s online privacy, safety, and peace of mind. Social media impersonation is a form of digital identity theft. The goal is to use an impression of authenticity to exploit those who interact with the fake account. Netizens need to beware of the latest threat.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Safeguard fragile ecosystem in Ladakh
Ladakh’s climate activist, Sonam Wangchuk asked the Centre to safeguard the fragile ecosystem of Himalayan mountains in Ladakh. Fragile ecosystems in both Ladakh and Uttarakhand demand careful environmental impact assessment before undertaking an excavation for building a tunnel or a high-rise. The Silkyara tunnel in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi had collapsed trapping 41 workers for 17 days in November last year. The project has again restarted. Recently, an operator, Govind Kumar, was killed when a machine on which he was sitting fell into a 25-feet-deep trench near the mouth of the Silkyara tunnel. Was there proper evaluation of safety and environmental issues before resuming the project?
Sujit De, Kolkata
Money required to fight elections
Nirmala Sitharaman has said that she does not fight the LS polls because she does not have the money for it. So our Finance Minister has realised not only that money is required to fight elections and the extent of it to say that she does not have that kind of money. If she is privy to this knowledge then should she, being the Finance Minister not have moved against our councillors and legislators who every time come elections file their Assets Returns with the Election Commission that shows crores in their names and each time the crores are increasing in the successive returns as time goes by.
There is probably not a single councillor or legislator in the country who is not a Crorepati. They file their Assets Returns and move around with impunity. None of our Central Agencies like the Income Tax Dept., ED or others question them how their assets are increasing year by year and the source of funds for the increasing assets.
With most of these agencies reporting to the Finance Minister should Nirmala Sitharaman not have questioned her legislative compatriots? This is the duplicity in our system.
Srinivas Kamat, St Cruz
Bipolar individuals need all care
According to a rough estimate, there are more than ten million men and women who exhibit ” bipolar disorder”. Affected individuals display extreme mood swings—they can become manic at a point to depressed at another. From being overjoyed, elated and excited to being down, hopeless and sad, the person stands to be disassociated with the surroundings.
In-between, the person may appear normal. At times, there may not be a normal mood phase or there may be an admixture of excitement and depression. During a low, suicidal thoughts are not uncommon, and that makes the condition troublesome for all. An individual who is not aware that he is in the manic phase can have strained interpersonal relations.
Not surprisingly, the management of bipolar disorder is aimed at reducing the severity and length of mania and depression to enhance quality of life. Generally, a person is said to be remission for bipolar if he or she has not exhibited either mania or depression for atleast one week; to be described as a person in “sustained remission” the person may have to be symptomless for a longer period.
Since mood stabilisers, behavioural therapy and lifestyle alterations are integral part of bipolar disease management, the affected may go on to effectively discharge his duties in remission. World Bipolar Day is observed on March 30.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Goan must speak Konkani
Admitting that I have been bought up speaking mainly English which has helped me progress in Global Organizations. However saying that in my travels/stays abroad, I have witnessed successful people fluent not only in English but also their local language; which made me think why English (only) speaking Goans can’t do the same with their local language Konkani?.
I also realized that the essence of one’s identity is the local language for Goans it’s Konkani!
In Goa, here I attempt to sharpen my Konkani by speaking with the shop keepers/vendors etc and whilst credit to many non Goans for speaking good Konkani, the sad part was that even Konkani speaking niz Goenkars start speaking Hindi with these respective “Konkani speaking” non-Goan vendors! Today in Goa many parents hardly encourage their children to appreciate Konkani (leave alone) which is really unfortunate!
The Goan mentality really amazes me! Looks to me like the Goan ego is too high to respect our roots and should we not change our mentality, I think it’s obvious where Goa and its identity are headed to!
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
