Geo-tagging of trees necessary
During the rainy season several programmes involving tree-plantation and distribution of saplings are being held. But the question that arises is how many of the saplings planted during the tree-plantation drive actually grow to become trees? How many of the saplings that are distributed are grown and looked after by the people?
If the saplings on being planted are not taken care of, they could succumb to the vagaries of nature or devoured by stray cattle. Watering the plants and using tree-guards is absolutely necessary so that the saplings survive and grow into trees. Here is where the concept of geo-tagging of plants assumes significance. Geo-tagging is a process of assigning a geo-tag or adding some geographical information in various media forms such as a digital-photography, video or even in a SMS message.
It is learnt that the Benaulim MLA is continuing with the initiative of geo-tagging plants and also following the QR coding system for plants and saplings distributed through plantation drives in his constituency. School students are urged to take plants home, scan the code and upload a picture of it while taking care of the plant.
The initiative is aimed at monitoring the progress of plants and saplings planted near homes and also helping the younger generation to get involved in the process through use of technology.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Clear the criminal justice cobwebs
NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) latest ‘Crime in India’ report for 2021 is another iteration of the dismal story of justice delivery. A rise in serious crimes has not been accompanied by systemic upgrades. From 2020 to 2021, kidnapping and abduction cases increased by 20%, and crimes against women, children and senior citizens increased 15%, 16% and 5% respectively. These statistics could most definitely be on the lower side based on under reporting of crimes and refusal of police stations to register FIRs.
It is abundantly clear that we are living in more unsafe times and also that there is a dire need for more and better trained police. Nearly 20% of sanctioned policing posts are vacant according to the Bureau of police research and Development. Pendency burden for the police is much less than for courts but looking at the conviction rates in murder, sexual offences, rioting and kidnapping the police come off very poorly. Conviction rate is just 28% in rape offences and 42% in murder cases. Matters are not helped by silly or questionable laws leading to lakhs of cases remaining unresolved.
Similarly there are 34 lakh cases relating to prohibition, this category alone amounts to 10% of all pending criminal cases in India. There are also tonnes of cases relating to possession of small amounts of marijuana and other psychotropic substances.
All such cases needlessly clog up the criminal justice system, politicians need to recognise this and undertake a serious review of criminal statutes just as many other countries have. Else we shall have a ‘tarrekh pey tareekh’ scenario till kingdom come at the receiving end shall always be the poor litigants.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Avoid creating rifts
among ourselves
In this great festive season, let us all very sincerely pray in a extremely special way to Lord Ganesha, the Vigna-harta (remover of obstacles) to please help ease the never ending sufferings of the poor and needy across Goa.
After having left the entire State with potholed roads in this festive season, may also those obstacles in the path of those currently misruling and ruining the remains of our Goa just multiply manifold. Tathastu, so be it.
Let us cherish the friendship and warmth of friends hailing from all creeds, communities and castes. We are all on a short voyage in this world, the end of which we know not. So let us live and cherish every day; we have caring and loving the entire community at large.
The political arena cannot be about personalities or religious and caste differences. It is much more than that! We need to rectify the decades of willful neglect and stagnation of Goa by ensuring that we have politicians of competence, honesty, dedication, experience and selfless determination above all else.
We must always firmly believe that temples, mosques and the churches besides other places of worship should be our focal points to unite diverse communities instead of creating rifts amongst us. We are after all children of that one loving and extremely tolerant God.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Guv’s help to cancer
patients, welcome
Reading August 31 Herald and press release from governor office to media regarding financial aid to cancer patients of Goa, I welcome with my folded hands our honourable Governor of Goa S S Pillai announcement to provide financial help for patients undergoing treatment for cancer under Raj Bhavan Financial Aid Scheme.
Well as I saw first on Facebook and later messages started pouring from all over on my WhatsApp from my friends as they must have thought of my wife who was diagnosed 6 years back and under treatment for the same. But I was more happy not for my wife as by God’s grace she is fine although she is taking her medication and has to visit Pune every year but I was happy so that the people who are suffering right now and taking treatment at present will get this blessing from our Governor, as many poor people can’t effort their maintenance once they are operated.
As I know how it is as we faced it last 6 years and I am very grateful for the Angel friends that time who were send by God as helping hands in our life.
I really don’t know how the Governor’s office will do the needful to all Goans as we know there are thousands and thousands of cancer patients in Goa but all said and done we Goans have to be grateful to Governor for thinking of cancer patients and pray for his good health.
Jerry Luis D’Souza, Divar
Anna Hazare is spot on
Veteran social activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has lambasted his one-time disciple, and now Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal for the latter’s liquor policy in the national capital. Apparently, Anna is disillusioned with Kejriwal for reasons more than one. However, some cynics have taken pot shots at the octogenarian for what they call “siding” with the ruling BJP at the Centre. Those who know Anna will vouch for his no-nonsense approach to politics and political leaders.
His integrity, too, cannot be questioned. In 2011, the veteran Gandhian had stirred the imagination of the nation by his “dharna” for the Jan Lok Pal Bill that eventually turned out to be a major campaign issue for the BJP to dethrone the UPA government at the Centre. Later in 2019, Anna had undertaken a fast at his native village Ralegan, Siddhi, protesting against the delay in naming the Lokpal. The Lokpal assumed charge in March 2019; precious little is known about its “achievement” to date.
Be that as it may, that Anna was unhappy with the ruling NDA government as well was obvious when he, a couple of years ago, lamented how the BJP-led government has gone back on its “promise” to eradicate corruption in the country. “Persons cannot control corruption; the system can” was a classic Anna statement. Anna knows all political parties live in glass houses, and no party has clean windows.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
