Don’t be fooled by false messages
This is with reference to the incident titled “Thapott” (slap) by Fr Jason Pinto SDB in Herald Konknni Daiz section on October 2, on the day dedicated to Mahatma Gandhiji and his message of ‘ahimsa’ or non-violence. The story ‘Thapott’ narrates the writer’s experience during a bus journey, how when he entered the bus and sat next to one lady, by mistake one of his legs stamped her and she got very angry and later on, upon reaching a speed breaker, his leg accidently touched her again and she turned around and slapped him.
With tears in his eyes he then apologised and adjusted his false prosthetic leg. Realising what she had done she felt sorry. This story brought to mind a very recent incident that occurred in Vasco where a mentally challenged dumb and deaf mute was mistaken for a kidnapper and was mercilessly beaten up. Luckily the poor man survived the ordeal.
This should teach everyone not to be fooled by fake messages and also not to pass judgements on others without verifying facts and never to resort to violence and take law into ones hand.
Allwyn N D’Souza, Saligao
Surveillance using private CCTVs
With Goa witnessing a rise in the number of crimes, including kidnapping, chain-snatching, burglaries, etc, it would be prudent to increase surveillance and vigilance by installing CCTV cameras at strategic locations. While one can see CCTV cameras at several places they are merely show-pieces as they are largely non-functional and in several places even non-existent.
It must be said that just installing CCTV cameras may not be sufficient. They have to be monitored and more importantly properly maintained by carrying out periodic checks. Faced with questions on the lack of maintenance of the CCTV cameras it is learnt that the police, the traffic cell pass the buck to the civic body, which in turn claims that it has no funds for the upkeep of the surveillance system.
Surveillance plays a huge part in today’s society, and with cameras all around us, our day-to-day lives can experience higher levels of security each day. It is pertinent to note that several crimes have been solved by using footage from privately owned CCTV installed by shops and establishments in the market-place. Several homes and housing colonies also have cameras installed outside. In the absence of a surveillance system along the roads, the footage from cameras of private homes and shops can come in handy to solve a crime. Hence it would be desirable for the authorities to request shops and houses having CCTV surveillance to have the cameras directed towards the main road also.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Modi treading in
Nehru’s footsteps?
The other day, Pramod Sawant, the Chief Minister of Goa said after the SCO summit that now Narendra Modi has become a ‘global leader’. Sawant unfortunately does not have the mental capacity to understand that India is a global leader in the world today and thus anyone in the position of Prime Minister or President of India, automatically becomes a global leader.
To varying degrees this applies to our other ministers depending on their performance in world matters at global conferences, etc, however, limited to their area of expertise. In any case, accepting Sawant’s statement for what it is worth, one needs to say that Modi may have become a ‘global leader’ but unfortunately India is a laggard in most performance parameters in world matters today like the Hunger Index, child mortality rates, the Happiness index, economic well-being etc. This list is long and if one goes by the definition that a leader through his leadership has to pull out his country and bring it to the top or at least more higher positions then Modi has miserably failed in his responsibilities. Not only that Modi has often been critical of our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru who also suffered from the accusations that he was more interested in his image in world affairs than matters internal to the country then Modi probably does not realise that he is treading the same path.
Normally you cannot criticise someone and at the same time follow his precepts. While the country is yet to come out of the effects of the COVID pandemic and the people are suffering from many maladies economic or otherwise, Modi and his party leaders are preening about him becoming a ‘global leader’.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St Cruz
Resume mining with strict monitoring
If mining is to be restarted in Goa, a fool-proof and comprehensive monitoring of mining activities should be in place with such measures that no space is allowed for illegal mining that was the reason why mining was stopped by the Supreme Court in 2012 and in the M B Shah Commission unearthed illegal mining to the tune of Rs 35,000 crores.
A compact inventory of ores at each mine should be estimated so that grade-wise mining may take place under the hawk eyes of strict officials of the Mining Corporation to be formed. Absolutely no margin should be allowed for illegalities to take place by prior knowledge of quantums of ores being calculated with precision. The Mining Corporation should be given complete access to monitor mining activities unfettered. If the exact amount of ores has been estimated grade-wise, there will be no margin for evasion of taxes as leviable ore amount will be known in advance.
It would also be prudent that in advance exhausted mines should not be abandoned but should be put to use and restored, which should be mandatory. Ideally, from the proceeds activity, every household should be paid a mining dividend as profits should be payable to all Goans.
Stephen Dias, Dona Paula
In support of
women’s right
At a time when there is widespread outrage in the United States over its Supreme Court’s regressive decision to overturn the federal right to abortion, the Indian judiciary has earned kudos by unambiguously coming out in support of women’s right to reproductive health.
The landmark decision is welcomed because from now on women would not need the consent of their partner for aborting their pregnancy. Moreover, her marital status would not be taken into account which was earlier the case.
Though the SC judgment is being criticised for not criminalising marital rape, it paves the way for that. And there are reasons for not taking that step. First, it would require an amendment in section 375 of the Indian Penal Code which deals with the definition of rape but is silent on marital rape though it says that intercourse with a minor wife would be construed as rape and second it would not be easy to investigate and establish a marital rape.
The reproductive healthcare sector, especially medical and para-medical staff in abortion clinics, must be made aware of the important change and sensitised to the fact that marriage and pregnancy have been delinked, at least legally.
K V Chandramouli, Mysore
Respect animals
We celebrated World Animal Day on October 4. I am sure, some of us were not even aware of this day. It is a reminder for us to treat pets and stray animals with respect. But that’s not the case.
If we look around on our highways and streets, we find plenty of stray cattle and dogs. That’s no way to show respect to these animals. It’s like we have disowned them. Animals enrich us in ways we don’t even know.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
