Wheelchair-accessible
E-Rickshaw
It is learnt that in order to make travel easy and convenient for persons with disability (PwDs), the office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities introduced a wheelchair-accessible e-rickshaw service during the Purple Fest to pick up and drop persons with disabilities. The service is now operational at three locations namely Panaji, Provorim and Taleigao areas.
This will be a big help for movement of persons with disabilities so that they go on with their daily work like normal persons. It is understood that three persons can travel in the e-rickshaw. This includes two caretakers and one wheelchair user. Utmost importance has been given to safety where the wheelchair is strapped on all four sides. Wheelchair accessible-rickshaws have tremendous potential to bring senior citizens and mobility impaired masses to have an improved standard of living. There are many difficulties faced by wheelchair users when travelling to offices, hospitals, schools, and other locations. The services in the state will reportedly be managed by Ezy Mov, a pioneer in wheelchair taxi services. Several states in the country have introduced this service. The wheelchair accessible e-rickshaws will be able to meet the needs of millions of disabled and mobility challenged passengers across the country to get safe, quick and clean transport options through e- rickshaws.
The Goa government should now make all government offices in the state easily accessible for persons with disabilities. Ramps need to be put up for easy movement of wheelchairs.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Press freedom
gagged in India
India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom index has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries according to the latest report released by the global media watchdog, Reporters without Borders. In comparison even Pakistan and Sri Lanka fared better at 150 and 135 respectively. RWB, headquartered in Paris and which has a consultative status with the UN releases an annual report the objective of which is to compare and quantify the level of press freedom enjoyed by journalists and media in 180 countries.
The Press Club of India has voiced deep concern over the country’s continuous downward spiral in the index. For developing democracies in the global South where deep pockets of inequities exist, the media’s role cannot be overemphasized. Constraints on press freedom due to hostile working conditions and threat to the physical and mental safety of personnel severely impacts the ability of journalists to gather, select, produce and disseminate news in the public interest independent of political, economic, legal and social interference.
This extreme right wing authoritarian regime has ensured that whatever vestiges of the free press remains in India is gagged or made totally beholden to the ruling dispensation. We should all hang our heads in collective shame at this dubious distinction, the addition of yet another rotten feather in our already overfeathered cap.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Will PM stand up for
the people of Manipur?
The violence in Manipur raises serious questions about the stability of the Birendra Singh Government in Manipur and also of the Home Minister of India to ensure peace and safety of the citizens of the country.
Recently pictures of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi along with the Christian Bishops of Kerala were flashed all over. Can this same Prime Minister stand up for the rights of the Christian people of Manipur?
Matias Lobo, Tivim
Russia blames US
for drone attack
Russia has pointed an accusing finger at the US for the drone attack on the Kremlin. The Kremlin asserted that Washington had directed Ukraine to carry out the drone attack to eliminate President Vladimir Putin. The White House has repudiated any involvement in the attack and labelled the accusation as incorrect. Throughout its long-lasting campaign in Ukraine, Moscow has claimed that Kyiv is under the direction of Washington and faulted the West for waging war against Russia indirectly.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Violators of the law
have to be pulled up
The current Goa government keeps on boasting about good governance and even sent a group of legislators to Gujarat to learn ways of “so called good governance”! But is good governance really not some basic common sense and activities that the Goa govt can do? For example on the long outstanding serious problem of sound pollution at Anjuna, post constant follow up and persistence by the respective petitioner and his legal counsel, the honourable High Court has now held the Director General of Police (DGP) personally responsible to address these serious noise violations !
And now even after this verdict on noise pollution, the authorities are still not coming down on the Goa Police and even suspending the concerned police officials for this unacceptable and errant behaviour!
Do citizens and courts always have to get involved to ensure the law of the land is upheld? It’s high time the Courts start suspending and even importantly heavily penalising the respective Ministers, Officials and even Police personally with heavy fines and also payback of all legal fees (paid by petitioners in the Courts) for such /disappointing governance!
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
Revamping
transport system
Most road accidents in Goa take place because of absence of dividers. Secondly, it is high time Goa Government places a demand with the Ministry of Surface Transport for a Metro Rail. This can run from Mapusa to Margao via Panjim and can also have diversions at places which are used heavily by road commuters. This way long distance road driving will come down which is one of the major causes of accidents. People will need to use their vehicles only for short distances which can prompt them to drive safely.
Anthony D’Souza, Old Goa
Scarcity of
water in Goa
In Goa, concrete jungles are increasing due to which hills are being cut, land filling is done in low lying fields while orchards are destroyed without any fear of the law.
Do we have sufficient water to supply to these increasing number of concrete jungles? Goans are suffering due to lack of basic necessities. “Har ghar Nal and Har ghar Jal” schemes have failed in Goa. Instead of providing jal in those nals, water tankers are catering to most of the Goan villages.
Precious sleep has to be sacrificed to fill water whick trickles at odd hours. Goa being a tourist destination, the number of hotels, resorts, guest houses, villas etc are also increasing while fields, hills, sand dunes, orchards etc are dwindling in number.
Natividade Fernandes, Cavelossim
