Mass movement need of the hour
This has reference to the article ‘Judas took 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus, then he repented and gave up his life…(Herald Insight, 2 June). That was a very good insight into the dirty minds of our dirty politicians.
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It took 30 pieces of silver for Judas to betray Jesus. Our modern day politicians today take crores of rupees to betray the trust the general public repose in them at the time of elections. The sad part is, our politicians don’t seem to have a conscience, or rather, should we say, it’s dead? The report rightly says, when Judas did awake to his conscience, he threw the money back and committed suicide. But our hard core politicians are made of sterner stuff. They could drive everybody else to suicide in order to be in power.
The tragedy is, our democracy has been turned into a sham, a cruel joke on the people of the country. As one of the ministers in Goa recently stated, it’s time for a political revolution. A mass movement is the need of the hour!
Melville X. D’Souza, Mumbai
Alternate site for displaced vendors
In a swift action which took everyone by surprise, bulldozers and JCBs were used to demolish the kiosks outside the Goa Medical College Hospital at Bambolim.
The owners of the kiosks who were doing business here for several years were given notice recently to vacate the place. However it is learnt that the powers-that-be assured the kiosks owners that their kiosks would not be demolished till an alternative site is allotted to them. However the demolition reportedly started early in the morning and the vendors took to the streets to protest this action. This demolition is being done when we are in the midst of the pandemic and during the monsoon season when people face a lot of difficulties. Visitors to the hospital used to visit these kiosks to have a cup of tea and even meals.
Many of the visitors used to buy fruits for their relatives who were admitted in the hospital. Several Goan youth who were carrying out small-time business at this place are left without any means of earning their livelihood. The government needs to come to the rescue of these displaced vendors and provide them with an alternate site close to the hospital so that they can rebuild their kiosk and carry out their business.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Land acquisition by Railways
Despite the report of the Special Team appointed by the Supreme Court which finds no necessity of having a double track, the South Western Railways seems to be having no respect for Supreme Court. This only goes to show that the SWR or the governments are guided by the industrialists and no authority on earth can either question them or challenge them. The question arises are we living in a democracy?
Acquiring land in Arossim, Cansaulim and Velsao three contiguous villages, the reason seems to be that SWR is planning long parking sidings for their convenience irrespective of the great hardships which would be faced by the local population. As it is we are having problems as there are no flyovers at Cansaulim and Arossim Railway crossings. In short Arossim, Cansaulim and Velsao will be a shunting yard.
The only hope is Supreme Court will study the report submitted by its committee and issue an appropriate order at the earliest and put an end to the mischief Of SWR.
Antonio.F.Fernandes, Arossim
Vaccination for kids
One of the criteria for opening of schools, colleges and educational institutions is being cited as vaccination against the COVID-19 virus. However, for children below 18 and more particularly below 12 years the present vaccines that are available are not recommended. Based on this schools in the Western world specifically the US are seriously reviewing the vaccination program for school children. Thus in India it is best that we take appropriate care before we launch a vaccination drive for school children.
Until clear guidelines are available about the use of the present vaccines against the COVID-19 virus for our children, it is suggested that schools and other educational institutions continue to run in virtual mode. One hopes sincerely that the government and authorities would heed this advice seriously so that lives of children need not be needlessly put at risk and/or lost.
The idea is that if parents and other adults who are in the circle of interaction of the children are vaccinated then the vaccination of the children could be delayed until an effective vaccine for them is available.
Specific to Goa, by announcing that classes will be held on-line the government cannot just sit quiet and then believe that its job is done. It needs to examine whether the on-line teaching method is firstly, reaching the maximum number of children and secondly, that it is effective. In terms of reach there have been many complaints of connectivity in the rural areas, quality of connections etc. This needs to be looked into. Not only that there are many families who may not have smartphones or tablets and because of economic reasons their children should not be deprived of education.
Thus the government needs to look at getting these limited number of children into locations like classrooms or panchayat/religious place halls which can afford social distancing and screen these classes. This way the on-line teaching method will become all-inclusive and not remain the domain of the urban privileged class as it is now.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St. Cruz
Kerala’s ISRO conspiracy case
When the spy case emerged in 1994, the probe initiated by Kerala police had arrested former ISRO scientist Nambi Narayanan on charges of espionage. Though he was cleared of all charges by the CBI, Narayanan sustained a legal fight against the Kerala police. The CBI had registered an FIR against peoples, all of them retired from Kerala police or the Intelligence Bureau, on charges of framing Nambi Narayanan in the spy case.
An innocent scientist in a very strategic innovation had subjected to inhuman treatment by vested interests hence the investigation and trial should end before the accused are dead thus giving the justification to the scientists who were subjected to unlawful detention and extrajudicial treatment.
The case should be directly handled by Supreme Court because it involves a conspiracy which attempted to scuttle the national progress on cryogenic rocket technology which is a crucial technology for missile and satellite launch vehicle having far reaching ramifications on vital interest of India.
Any foreign hand in the conspiracy should also be investigated.
K.G.Vilop, Chorao
Take SC directive in right spirit
The Supreme Court pulling up the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for failing in its statutory duty to pay ex-gratia relief to families of Covid-19 victims must force the Centre to act.
The apex court rejected the Centre’s plea that it can bear no such compensation given the unprecedented nature of the pandemic and set a six-week deadline for the government to frame guidelines on aid. It also directed the authorities to ensure that death certificates clearly stated that a person died from Covid-19 to allow dependents to claim the benefits.
The Centre must take the court’s directive in the right spirit and decide the amount of compensation soon.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
