Shall we tell the Governor?
Shripad Naik, Minister of State for Tourism and Ports, Shipping and Waterways, was taken aback to learn that Goans are charged to visit the Fort Aguada Jail Museum. The revised rates (O Heraldo July 23) are Rs 100 (adult Goans), Rs 200 (domestic tourist) and Rs 400 (foreign nationals). Freedom fighters, armed forces and children below 8 years are exempted.
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A visit to Goa’s Raj Bhavan (RB) costs Rs 350 (inclusive of tax) for persons 0 to 12 years and Rs 500 for those above 13 years! (How can someone be 0 years old?). The RBs in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu charge Rs 25, in Nainital it is Rs 0 while visits are free to RBs in Puducherry, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Gujarat. India’s largest Bhavan, the Rasthrapati Bhavan, charges Rs 50 and for a group of 30 persons it is Rs1,200. The charges are towards guided tours and maintenance of the RBs. There need to be a uniform national policy, whether to charge the visitors or not and if so the fees should be the same and affordable. After all every RB must be getting substantial money for upkeep.
It is ironic that in Goa a new RB has been approved at a cost of crores of rupees, while exorbitant fees are charged to visit the old one. Why are the charges the highest for Goa’s RB?
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Introduce futsal in schools
Once upon a time Goa was a powerhouse in football. However today states such as Bengal and Kerala among others have overtaken Goa in soccer. Goa needs to get back to the top and one solution would be to introduce futsal in schools to improving one’s footballing skills. The game is ideal for schools. Unlike football it does not require a large playground and is played with five players on each side. Playing futsal has several advantages. It improves players’ decision making skills, provides players with more touches on the ball. The heavier ball increases the power of players, it allows players to be creative in getting around their opposition and improves reaction time. Futsal players touch the ball six times more than soccer players per minute, according to a Liverpool University study. Sharp passing is of paramount importance. The game is all about looking for angles and spaces and working quick combinations with other players where ball control and vision are crucial. Because futsal is played quicker and at a much tighter space, players must react quicker. Obviously introducing futsal in schools in Goa will go a long way in preparing quality football players for the future.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
From slow learner to patron saint
This write up ‘From a slow learner to a patron saint’
(O Heraldo August 4, 2023) on the life of St John Marie Vianney by Alvaro Gomes, was interesting about how from being a slower learner he became a great priest and a patron saint of the Diocesan Clergy. St John Marie Vianney overcame all odds and he is where he stands today. I think he has proved that no matter what, God willing, everything is possible. How else does one explain the transformation of that little village of Ars in France in which St John Marie Vianney was served? Just today I was watching a Joel Osteen podcast, where he says, God has planted what is called ‘Destiny Genes’ into each one of us and we are called to unlock that gene. We need to do our part and leave the rest to God. With faith in Jesus and Mother Mary, we can surely overcome all odds.
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
We need to appreciate our priests
On the occasion, of the feast of St John Vianney let’s appreciate our priests. A priest doesn’t draw a salary, he gets a small stipend, just enough for his basic personal needs. He doesn’t get a paid vacation. Lest we forget, he is human and needs something beyond the meagre stipend. We need to divert some of our charity towards the financial needs of our priests. Another priest may dream of going to the Holy Land. Most priests do, but only a few have the resources to make the trip.
I suggest that the letter boxes of priests be used as a donation box too. Birthdays of priests, jubilees must be celebrated. Farewell on transfer to another parish must be held with equal fervour. Parishioners should interact with them regularly and appreciate their good work.
Robert Castellino, Calangute/Mumbai
Great Nicobar destruction
The Centre’s ambitious Rs 72,000-crore Great Nicobar Project will destroy 130 square km of pristine forest and 9.64 lakh trees. This evergreen tropical forest is home to 650 species of flora and 330 species of fauna. The environmental clearance, an expert committee gave, was contested in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). The project includes constructing a transhipment port, an international airport, a township, and a 450-MVA gas and solar-based power plant. Despite being classified as a ‘strategic importance’ project by the Union Home Ministry, it has touched a raw nerve.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Tomato prices at all-time high
I am concerned about the soaring prices of tomatoes in India which have reached to over Rs 250 per kilo, surpassing the price of petrol. Tomatoes are an important dietary source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant with several health benefits, such as reduced risk of heart disease and cancer. Moreover, they are rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Any significant price increase in tomatoes can disrupt the monthly budget of households.
The current tomato shortage is due to the erratic weather patterns. The heavy rains have disrupted the growing season, while a destructive fungal infection has further diminished the harvest. As a result, the price of tomatoes has skyrocketed, with some vendors charging up to five times more than usual. The government should intervenes and control inflation and reduce the cost of essential kitchen staples.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
Centre must show zero tolerance to riots
This refers to the news report ‘CM Khattar asks Centre for more paramilitary companies’ (August 3, 2023). Sadly no lesson has been learnt from past communal clashes that erupted in Bihar and West Bengal some months back and in Delhi and MP last year, during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti celebrations. Triggering videos by Bajrang Dal’s cow vigilante Monu Manesar, an accused in a lynching case, very clearly set the stage for a faceoff. Earlier this year, a civil society group brought out a report, where it presented a case of the genesis and spread of communal riots and how procession taken on religious occasions had become a platform for inciting hatred and violence.
As India prepares for general elections next year, one can expect the fringe elements to deploy dubious methods to give the ruling BJP a boost in the polls. India cannot afford Nuh and Manipur again.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
