Letters to the editor (07 September 2021)

Bhumiputra and the Goan identity concept
The article of Visitacao Monteiro on ‘The Bhumiputra and the concept of unique identity of Goa’ (Herald, September 4) deserves all praise for the lucid manner in which he has depicted the true essence of a “Goanese”.
Monteiro has in fact, thread-bare revealed what it means to be a true Goan and who a Goan really is   the image that has often been distorted by many unscrupulous and selfish entities, to achieve their nefarious goals and especially by the government, through their many schemes aimed at garnering votes.
Joaquim G A de Souza, Margao
Bhumiputra Bill
Village panchayats of Goa opposing the Bhumiputra Bill is the step in the right direction and I expect more panchayats to support the hastily passed Goa Bhumiputra Bill by the government and they should resolve in gram sabha of scrapping of the bill in toto.
All the Panchayats of Goa should move a proposal in the gram sabha seeking support to the POGO (People of Goan Origin) bill which will give all the rights to the Niz Goenkars irrespective of caste, religion or creed because if we Goans go to another State we don’t get the same rights provided to locals but in Goa if migrants from other States have a domicile proof of 15 years which is provided by politicians themselves to create a vote bank get all the facilities including government jobs which is the right of Goans.
As a result Goans migrate to other countries for greener pastures as Goa government failed to provide job opportunities to Goan youth to sustain their families and this very so called elected MLAs make fun of Goans working as toilet cleaners in the precincts of the Assembly show how much dignity of labour this elected representatives have, as it is only and only because of them Goans have to take up this type of jobs.
I hope the elected representatives elected in 2022 Assembly elections take up the issue of Goan unemployment so that no Goans henceforth go abroad for a living if proper policies are framed by passing of the POGO Bill whichever party comes to power. This is the need of the hour.
Diomedes Pereira,
Corlim

Guard against Nipah virus
With five Covid-19 deaths over the past 24 hours, Goa reported the highest single day deaths in three weeks. What is also disturbing is that Nipah virus has returned to haunt Kerala with a 12-year-old boy on Sunday succumbing to the infection, the first such incident three years after it wrecked havoc in parts of Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of the State.
It is learnt that 188 contacts with the boy who succumbed to the infection have been identified. The new crisis came as Kerala continues to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, with around 25,000 cases being detected every day. Of the total 4.1 lakh active cases of the disease in India, as many as 2.5 lakh are in Kerala.
The Nipah infection travels from bats to humans and some other animals including dogs and horses. All other infections in 2018 were cases of human-to-human transmission of the virus. During the outbreak in Kerala in 2018, 17 patients confirmed to have been infected, died. Several people travel from Kerala to Goa every single day. Even as there is a need to quarantine people coming from Kerala to Goa to check the spread of Covid-19 infection, it also seems necessary to be on guard against the Nipah virus.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco

On wasting paper
On Modi’s upcoming birthday this month, the BJP has announced that 5 crore party workers will send him postcards wishing him on the birthday. Imagine the waste of paper. Where on one hand you want people to conserve paper with people being encouraged to use email by institutions like banks etc, we have the BJP wasting the precious commodity.
The paper could be better used to give maybe free exercise books to school students which Modi should alternatively propose if he has any Mann ki Baat left. These events are precisely the completely brainless ventures of the BJP that we see these days. One hopes that better sense will prevail and the 5 crore postcards are saved.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto Santa Cruz

HC asks Goa Govt action plan
Stray cattle is an age old problem practically badly neglected by all governments and turned topsy turvy by the sudden implementation of policy by the BJP government. The whole industry and good and bad practices were disrupted painfully by enforcement of government stringent laws by police and by vigilantes.
Today the cow is centre stage targeted, venerated as mother and worshiped, but stray cattle roaming causing fatal road accidents, rummaging in garbage heaps eating harmful plastic and damaging crops in fields and gardens are a common sight. Footpaths with dung endanger public. They are an important resource and need policy implementation right from breeding, State gaushalas hygienically run with collection of dung, urine, etc and looked after also contributing to local livelihood for milk and farming. Goa reportedly has seven gaushalas sheltering 1,831 bovines.
According to 2019 census Goa had 9,459 stray cattle abandoned since they were unproductive. This government urgently needs to monitor and fund the Department of Animal Husbandry and Panchayats and it is hoped the High Court strictly follows up to solve this important lives and livelihood problem effectively once and for all in public interest.
John Eric Gomes, Porvorim

Less zeal, more restraint required
The State government’s expert committee on Covid has recommended strict regulations for Ganesh Chaturthi and other festivals ahead and banning of any kind of congregations. It also suggests that priests who travel to Goa from neighbouring States to conduct religious rituals be allowed to ply their trade only on production of Covid -ve certificate.
Also chitrashalas where the deity’s idols are sold and immersion processions which witness throngs of people should be a strict no no.
Doctors have also advised against any group related tourist activity as the positivity rate in Goa is still above 2% on most days, further the count of newly infected recorded daily have begun to outstrip the recovery numbers over the past week. Alarmingly the state has already recorded a case of the hyper infective Delta + variant, there is a fit case for having a virology lab for genome sequencing to prevent further outbreaks driven by new mutant strains.
Looking at the current public health crisis all upcoming festivals should be celebrated with restraint rather than with the traditional zeal and fervour. Adhering to all safety protocols, and advisories, keeping ourselves and others safe in these times of pandemic should be our national duty. As they say jaan hai toh jahan hai.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Congrats to para-athletes
India’s tryst with medals at the Tokyo Paralympics continued unabated on the penultimate day of the quadrennial championship as its athletes wrested two golds, one silver and a bronze. Shuttler Pramod Bhagat and shooter Manish Narwal lived up to their top billing, finishing on top of the podium. With their badminton and shooting stars competing in the finals on Sunday, the Indian contingent could add more medals to their kitty. The haul of four golds, seven silvers and six bronzes is the best for the country. Kudos!
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru