CM must stop Carnival festivities
Not to risk people’s lives during the current vicious pandemic, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should step in and stop the Carnival festivities from being held this year. The current prevailing situation is not at all conducive to hold Carnival which will lead to a very huge congregation of thousands with social distancing next to impossible.
The government knows and is very well aware that it is not equipped to deal with the situation if there is a sudden surge in COVID-19 cases.
It was just over a month ago on December 31 that the Health Minister stated that following a letter received from the Union Health Secretary, it was imperative for Goa as a tourist state to have strict Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and strict protocols in place.
The Union Health Secretary had called for a strict vigil in Goa to curb all “super spreader events’’ and places where crowds may gather to celebrate the New Year. The Carnival is probably the biggest “super spreader’’ event of the year and should not be allowed to be held in this pandemic which spreads like wild fire through close contact.
One fails to understand why the Panjim Mayor Uday Madkaikar is so keen in holding the Carnival. May be he is having special memories of last year’s Carnival which he as Mayor also headed and now knows that this year will be his last Carnival opportunity as his term ends next month. The Mayor could not have just himself decided on such a mega event without having a meeting of all the Corporators to deliberate on this issue.
While people are not allowed to attend ISL matches on account of COVID-19, how dare in clear double standards can this cash strapped Government have decided to host this needless extravaganza while risking people’s lives during this raging pandemic. This will be a criminal waste of public funds in a year where providing proper Health care facilities should be the one and only priority. Many cultural, social and sporting events have been cancelled globally in a big unselfish move to crush the destructive virus. Now is the time to give the people a helping hand, a lifeline, and not to help give a boost to the already dominant virus.
The Government would do well to listen for once to the scientific and medical experts whose knowledge on the transmission of this virus gathers a lot faster than some politicians’ ability to govern with wisdom. Once we are free of this pandemic there will always be an occasion to celebrate Carnival and other festivities.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Stoic farmers’ stance creditable
According to the wishes of the majority of the farmers, the government has to repeal the three farm laws and this demand is not negotiable. At least 10 opposition parties and many States with an overwhelming majority of the farming community are against the farm laws. Nowhere in the world are farmers being given such step-motherly treatment as farmers in India. Punjab is the wheat bowl of India which supplies a large share of wheat all over India. The farm laws are anti-farmer.
The government has been resorting to stalling of repealing of the laws by using bluff and unnecessary methods trying to water down the laws just as the GST was compromised after the great disillusionment of all sections of businesses. More than 70 farmers have been martyred and this government intransigence has to stop.
The NDA has to accept defeat on the issue of farm laws and retreat, otherwise the reputation of India in the world community will be tarnished beyond repair. Even teen climate activist Greta Thunberg tweeted on February 3 `We stand in solidarity with the #FarmerProtest in India and on February 4 – `I still #Stand-With Farmers and support their peaceful protest. No amount of hate, threats or violations of human rights will ever change that’ – which was retweeted by Meena Harris niece of US vice-president Kamala Harris.
Greta Thunberg is widely considered as a potential Nobel Peace prize contender this year. Mahatma Gandhi and Acharya Vinobha Bhave would have been proud of her and would have definitely have sought the repeal of the contentious laws which would have been a tribute to our hard working farmers who earn their living by the sweat of their brows.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Flexible work hours to ease traffic congestion
Cities across the globe are witnessing traffic congestion owing to the growing number of private vehicles jostling for a larger space on roads. As also lack of adequate public transport infrastructure, is now emboldening the people to switch to a private mode of transport leading to congestion on roads.
Pedestrians and cyclists are left with no choice with such encroachment of road space by the other vehicles. Public transport options like bus and metro are also not exploited to the fullest extent-owing to inadequate planning and lack of foresight. Both the systems have their own challenges to otherwise run and operate smoothly within any busy city.
The urban policymakers should emphasise that the organisations employing workforce who use private transport to switch to flexible working options and thus reduce congestion on roads. As most of the workforce belongs to computer-based jobs, a unified policy should be framed to allow flexible working opportunities apart from encouraging work from home in busy cities.
An effort should also be made by stakeholders to incentivise the use of public transport, promote eco-friendly transport through electric vehicles policy and popularise shared commutes – thereby discouraging private vehicle travel completely. The move will help to bring down air pollution levels, reduce dependency on fossil fuels and also reduce traffic congestion to an extent.
Varun Dambal, Bangalore
Thunberg Twitter turmoil turns tricky
This episode is a short explainer on a news issue that’s dominated these days which is prominent voices from outside of India speaking in support of the farmers’ protests and the Indian government’s unprecedented response.
The whole issue started with tweets by the pop singer Rihanna and the climate activist Greta Thunberg, but has sort of taken on a life of its own with several developments.
The latest is that the Delhi police has now filed an FIR against Thunberg as part of what it calls an investigation into an international conspiracy. The striking resemblance of campaigning farmers and non reacting intelligentia in open category is comical. The issue of both is deprivation. Nobody can see the vote bank in their midst. Both are nobilities of prospective India.
The term farmer genocide “is neither justified nor warranted”, it is being used by Twitter much too lightly. The Government of India needs to be clear and strict about swift penal actions.
CK Subramaniam, Mumbai
