Wooing tourists should be within limits
It is learnt that the State government has announced the introduction of a unique sticker system for tourists travelling in their vehicles. The sticker system will prevent them from allegedly being harassed by the police while travelling across the State. Goa depends a lot on the revenue earned from the tourism sector. However, it must be said that the police are only doing their duty of checking the vehicles on the roads for proper documentation. With the sticker system in place, the tourists may feel that they enjoy extra privileges than the other road users. The traffic rules should apply to all vehicles. There may even be a fugitive on the run in the State, who could take advantage of the sticker system to hoodwink the cops. Constantly defying the traffic rules by the tourists makes the locals angry, especially when there is no police action. Tourists are performing stunts on a road in Parra. Since it is a single lane road without any parking space or a physical divider, there is traffic congestion. However, what comes as a shocker is that several tourists have demanded a separate road for the locals so that the Parra road is left for them (the tourists). This is totally unacceptable. Wooing the tourists should have a limit.
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Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Bad roads bound to cause accidents
Panjim’s internal roads have been dug up for various Smart City Mission projects and are in a dilapidated condition, providing no solace for motorists and commuters taking the internal roads to escape the traffic on the main road. Ill-maintained roads cause accidents in many ways. In many instances, a driver may attempt to avoid a certain situation, like a pothole which could lead to a serious accident which can cause spinal injuries. Moreover, if issues such as reckless driving and poor enforcement of rules are not addressed properly, it could turn Goa’s roads into “killing fields”. Vehicles, too, take a hit on bad roads. Components like shock absorbers and tyres are damaged due to driving on potholed roads. It is a big financial burden. Who is liable? It is indeed the duty of the government and authorities concerned to maintain the roads. The authorities responsible for improper maintenance must not be let scot-free. Various laws, principles and doctrines should be in force to prove negligence. Damages can be demanded when there’s a failure in the duty to perform by any public authority/PWD/Government.
K G Vilop, Chorao
Need to control crowds at temples
The quality of crowd management in India’s pilgrimage places is a far cry from expected standards. The Indore temple tragedy is a stark example. The tendency to take people for granted is a shocking fact no matter what the governments of the day have to say after each tragedy. But for the lackadaisical attitude of the temple management, nearly 40 precious lives could have been saved. Admittedly, the slab-roof covering the stepwell of the Indore temple caved in, throwing scores of devotees into the well. But it is also a fact that the old roof of the stepwell could not withstand the weight of the heavy crowd. Therefore, the question is why such a massive congregation was allowed near the site. It is said that multiple complaints about the shoddy construction of the stepwell roof fell on deaf ears. Coming to the larger picture, in most holy places of India, a strong sense of disaster-anticipation is lacking. Devotees are compelled to wait for long. The lack of sufficient manpower for crowd control is palpable. Many have their own personnel, but they are overruled by the frenzy crowd. The State Police are relegated to frisking the people at the gate.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Workers must not live inside industrial estates
The alleged illegalities in Goa’s industrial estates were discussed in the Goa Legislative Assembly and the Leader of the Opposition claimed that rules and laws were flouted by the industrial units. Some operated without renewing their licences, factories had encroached the border and houses built inside for migrant workers. The Chief Minister has assured to probe and act in 15 days against the same. The Industries Minister stated that the government took a lenient view of migrants staying in Cuncolim Industrial Estate to avoid tension in the village. The government would designate utility areas for workers to reside within the estates by paying fees with required amenities.
Permitting workers to stay within the estates with all amenities will deprive the villagers of income by not having tenants. Do industrial laws permit families to stay within the factory premises? In the event a serious accident or fire occurs in one or more units and families are maimed or lose their belongings, will they be reimbursed? Will the insurance companies pay the compensation or get away citing rules that workers were not supposed to live within the estates? Lastly, there is always a fear that after some years the factory owners may collaborate, shut down the units and convert the industrial estates into real estates!
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
