Let’s not berate IPSCD Ltd
Undoubtedly several areas of Panjim have a look of a war zone with heavy machineries, manpower, pipes and cables of various hues and sizes peeping out of trenches and manholes. Several works have been undertaken simultaneously (may be this is necessary) by Imagine Panaji Smart City Development (IPSCD) Ltd to give a fresh and better appearance to the capital city.
Whenever any developments take place everyone, including politicians and authorities, are inconvenienced in several ways. But once the new and renovated infrastructures are in place, considerable improvements made in transport, traffic management, installation of CCTVs, free or fast WiFi connectivity and other facilities, Panjim and its suburbs would be a splendid sight.
Let us patiently bear with the hardships for a few more months. Perhaps after the demolitions, destructions, and renovations we might see a dream city gifted to us by the IPSCD.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Of loud music and wedding receptions
The High Court last week has reportedly directed the Superintendent of Police of both districts to act against those playing loud music beyond 10 pm with permission.
It must be said that noise pollution as a result of playing loud music throughout the night creates a lot of problems for the local population living in the vicinity, especially along the coastal belt. Hence noise pollution needs to be dealt with seriously. However, on the flip side music forms an integral part of a wedding reception, especially in the Catholic community. The reception could continue till the stipulated time for playing loud music which is 10 pm.
It is pertinent to note that the wedding reception could commence much beyond the stipulated time with the guests arriving late. With all the ceremonies like the cutting of the wedding cake, raising of the toast and other speeches taking place, hardly any time is left for the band to play music if they have to wind up by 10 pm.
The hosts could be spending substantially for the band and may not get their money’s worth if the music has to stop by the stipulated time. It would thus be desirable for the authorities to give permission to play music till midnight for wedding receptions.
It is pertinent to note that most of the wedding halls in Goa are located at secluded spots far from residential areas and hence the loud music will not disturb the citizens as is the case along the coastal belt.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Babri Masjid demolition anniversary
December 6, 2022 marked the 30th anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition. Three decades rolled by since the mosque was brought down, India is still no closer to knowing who were all actually responsible for the disgraceful act, except that it was some anti-social elements that climbed the dome.
There was a movement led by LK Advani, who took out a rath yatra that covered a great part of the nation and culminated at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992. The obvious question therefore is if the demolition was not pre-planned, how did more than a hundred thousand volunteers reach Ayodhya on that tragic day? The ruination sparked violence in UP and elsewhere that led to the killing of around 2,000 people, and changed the course of the country’s political trajectory, leading to the rise of the right-wing politics.
The verdict delivered on September 30, 2020 on the Babri Masjid demolition is therefore pugnacious, leading to stoke the simmering feeling of discontent and marginalization.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Music ban beyond 10pm
Goa is the world famous tourist destination is mostly dependent on Tourism industry and in thousands people earn their livelihood by eking different kind of business. The tourist comes to the land of beautiful beaches to enjoy sun, surf and music and not to go to sleep at their enjoyable hours.
Amid the petition filed in the High Court on loud music played at open causing disturbance in sleep also quoting from Calangute to Anjuna beach causes disturbance to the neighbouring villages. The Court judged; that it is a man made noise pollution and ordered the music to be ban beyond 10 pm.
Apart there is also a nature made noise pollution around the clock to the ears of sea waves. Sometimes it is a low and sometimes it is rough high depends upon the weather wind.
The people inhabitating on the coastal banks are the worst hit and also the neighbouring villages.
Is there any petition in this issue?
Babluis Pereira, Pomburpa
AAP stole a march over the BJP
The AAP stole a march over the BJP in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, unseating the latter after a 15-year reign. The AAP bagged 134 seats in the 250-member civic body. BJP won 104 seats, while the Congress slid further to single digits, winning a mere nine seats.
With the victory, AAP now faces the challenge of delivering on its promise of making Delhi garbage-free. But the results also show that the once mighty Congress has been reduced to a pale shadow.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Another disaster is waiting to happen
On December 7, 2022, a fire inferno was seen early morning in the illegal scrap yard on the Guirim Porvorim road situated in the fields. Despite being on the main national highway the authorities from all concerned dept. have turned a blind eye to these illegalities that have been seen all along the road up to Mapusa.
There is one more scrap yard near the Guirim petrol another disaster is waiting to happen. All talk and promises by the Ministers in power to preserve the fields and act on illegalities are nothing but empty.
Gregory E D’Souza, Siolim
Still no data or inputs on temples
This has reference to the report ‘There’s still no data or inputs on temples destroyed during Portuguese regime’ (Herald December 6, 2022).
It seems like the government’s proposal to restore Temples destroyed during the Portuguese rule have come to nought, with no such data available till date. So, where do we go from here? How much longer are we going to be stuck on this issue? Don’t we have other more important issues to tackle, to spend our time, effort, energy and money?
It would make better sense to focus on maintaining the present, visible, existing religious and other heritage structures. We need to focus on maintaining and strengthening cultural ties among various communities. Can we leave aside our petty differences and work towards maintaining the unity of our nation? Unity in Diversity should be the Hallmark of our Nation!
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
Anti-conversion law
While the Gujarat state seeking the removal of a stay on a provision in its anti conversion law that requires prior permission from the District Magistrate for any conversion done ‘directly or indirectly’ is quite understandable, it is shocking to go through the observations of a Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice M R Shah.
One only hopes that a larger Bench headed by the CJI is set up to reassess all the implications of this issue in its entirety and take a decision.
Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
