Tackling the stray menace
The High Court of Bombay has asked for an action plan from the government and appointment of nodal officers to deal with the issue of stray cattle on public roads posing danger to vehicular traffic and pedestrians. The death of a senior citizen at Bicholim has once again turned the focus on the menace of stray cattle. On the other hand animal rights activists and NGOs are pointing to the brutal death of cattle in accidents in Canacona/Siolim and claiming that it could have been avoided if payments for impounding cattle, their food and care were disbursed in time.
Under the Goa stray cattle management scheme the director of animal husbandry is the facilitator for impounding stray cattle by municipalities and panchayats mandated. Besides cattle, the menace of stray dogs is worse, the recent horrific mauling of an 8-year-girl at Navelim being a case in point. In the coastal areas dogs lord it over the beach and many cyclists and morning walkers have been chased and bitten by them; there have been many reported cases of rabies transmitted by dog bites.
The multiplying number of canines is a testimony to the fact that the neutering and spaying programme run by NGOs and the government is an abject failure. Large cattle/dog pounds can be set up in rural areas on fallow ground with adequate veterinary staff in attendance to speed up neutering.
A viable middle path between the demands of animal rights activists and ascertaining the safety of people has to be arrived at, granted that all lives are important but human lives more so.
Vinay Dwivedi,
Benaulim
A day to remember our teachers
Globally, Teacher’s Day is celebrated on October 5. But in India, we celebrate it on September 5.
Teacher’s Day is a day which is dedicated to commemorate the entire community of teachers across the nation. The day is celebrated to pay tribute and heartily respect to the teachers of the nation who have contributed a lot towards the betterment of the society by imparting education. It is also a day to remember our teachers who taught us while we were in school. The tradition of celebrating Teacher’s Day started in 1962 and it was started to honour Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, the first Vice-President and the second President of India whose birthday also happens to be on the same day. Teachers are reckoned as the backbone of the society who put all their efforts to shape the career of the students and help them become successful citizen of the country.
For all the students, Teacher’s Day is the most auspicious occasion where they get the opportunity to pay tribute, gratitude and reverence to their teachers for the extraordinary support and unselfish effort in shaping the career of the students and for enhancing the education system of the country with their unique learning processes.
Teachers treat all students equally and take proper care of the students and love them as their own child. In real life, we usually owe them more than our parents. They play a crucial role in arousing the heart of the students and light it up with education and knowledge and help them in eliminating regret and ignorance. It’s not just on September 5 that we should remember our teachers but we should remember them throughout the year for the role they play in moulding our future.
Jubel D’Cruz,
Mumbai
People, wake up
Politicians are working overtime: for themselves alone. To ensure they get elected! So concentrated are they in this important task they are ready to ditch the problems of the voters. This attitude is a ‘signature’ of your candidate: he is no good for you. You need to pull him up. They are concentrating only on internal party ‘leadership’!
Do you want laws to be applicable to all? Then why isn’t your candidate questioning the DGP/IGP on how his traffic constable has tinted film on his car? Why condone this? Is it a small matter? Never, it means that the politicians ‘want’ favours from the police for themselves/their business friends. This is corruption and they are not against the same. This silence also ‘ensures’ poor-quality police.
Government through the HC allows fully vaccinated travellers to Goa without RT-PCR negative certificates. Hospitals in Maharashtra insist that 2-dose vaccinated people post 14 days are RT-PCR negative for non-Covid patients. Note the 14 days duration. Note the report on deaths of young adults in Karnataka from Covid. Note that a scientific study by ZOE Covid study, UK says the vax efficacy wanes after 6 months.
BJP MLA says Blue Flag certification is a must as Goa must have international standard infra. Opposition candidates are silent? Why did they not question the potholed roads even on the new bridge? Why are they silent when the government wants to hire IIT Chennai to study the reasons for the potholed bridge? Are our health services, education, and quality of life at par with international standards?
Blue flag certification is to guard against further degradation. The incidence of the rented car on a beach not the first has not seen any candidate pull up the Govt. for allowing tourists to do as they please. All the political ‘gamblers’ in the fray have provided you their signature’! You need to confront them now.
R Fernandes,
Margao
Fuel and LPG hike upsets people
Intermittently hiking in oils and LPG upsets people encountering reduced incomes, pandemic hardships. Already reeling from the economic challenges of the second wave of the pandemic and rising fuel prices, families have been dealt a heavy blow.
While rural families have the option of firewood, the urban population has no such reprieve. The constant increase in the LPG prices have impacted the lives of lakhs of roadside vendors in India. Due to wrong policies of the Centre, inflation has become uncontrollable in the country and the prices of all essential commodities, including petrol, diesel and cooking gas, are increasing at an unprecedented rate.
It should know that rising fuel and gas prices will build inflationary pressures on the economy. There is no difference between present and past government. In order to retain in power they are doling out freebies for the lower strata due to which the tax payers of this country has to bear the brunt. The government should roll back the increase and make cylinders more affordable for the poor and middle class. That the public is demanding from the Centre that please give back ‘Ache din’. It may be noted that the ‘Achhe din aane waale hain’ slogan was coined by BJP during the 2014 General Election campaign. Due to intermittent price rise by the BJP government, people now given the party a new full form Bahut Jyada Price (BJP). But people still expecting ‘Acche Din exists and more Acche Din will come.
K G Vilop,
Chorao
Congrats CR7
Footballer Cristiano Ronaldo scaled another peak on Wednesday, becoming the leading men’s international goal-scorer. The Manchester United forward scored twice in the dying minutes to move to 111 international goals as Portugal came from behind to outclass Ireland 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier.
The star forward has been in prime form of late, and his twin strikes send Iran’s Ali Daei’s long-standing record of 109 goals into oblivion. Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, also equalled Sergio Ramos’ European mark of 180 caps. Congrats!
N J Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
