Of mining and governance
The Goa mining fiasco has been a poor advertisement for governance in India, the failure to renew leases after their expiry in 2007 combined with turning a blind eye to environmental violations had culminated in the mining ban between 2012 and 2014. Renewal of 88 mining leases instead of issuing fresh leases coupled with non recovery of amounts due from old lessees for illegal mining led to the Supreme Court cancelling the leases in 2018. During the mining boom of 2011, the government earned humongous revenues of Rs 950 crores which petered down to Rs 6 crores in 2019, a steep fall for a state mired in debt of @ Rs 24,000 crores. More than 300, 000 mining dependents have been left out in the cold struggling to make ends meet, devising and implementing sustainable mining practices addressing environmental concerns is the first thing to be looked into, hopefully by a new government in Goa.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
Wolves have bought sheep’s clothing
It is believed that the common man is struggling to buy envelopes at any stationery shops in Goa. It seems, envelopes have run out of stock, peak time, as expected. It is the constituency Santa who has purchased all the envelopes after changing the Christmas celebration coming on Valentine Day. This mean, for some, this Valentine is the most luckiest one ever – it also means that you don’t have to be in any obligation with the Santa as that sponsored laced envelope is your 5-year dividend interest with you being the exchequer or the taxes you had paid for healthy services and the principle amount still remains close to Santa’s heart as it does not matter if you vote for him or your choice of candidate. Election politics is often a confusing area for most of us, but it is our duty to figure out where we stand on issues like alleviating poverty, employment, education, basic amenities, environmental protection, agriculture and urban development. Despite of suffering poor governance for decades, we don’t realise that voting means standing up for yourself, your future and for Goa on the whole. If you don’t vote or don’t vote for your own interests, than who will? We must vote for a clean candidate to represent us, our ideas, and our interests as the elected legislators are accountable to seek our mandate and not fill their own pockets with overwhelming wealth as they have done so far. The clock is ticking and so is our pulse, not to see our mother Goa deteriorating further at the cost of some disgraced wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Gaston Dias, Sarzora
Lata’s death is a loss to the world of music
To composers, Lata Mangeshkar was a singer whose unblemished voice could not strike an off-key note even if she willed it to. To young girls, her voice was the holy grail whose pursuit began in infancy. Despite being such a great name, she seemed to have remained the same simple person at heart. The white silk saree with a traditional red border and plait which she always wore have become a trademark symbol. Her humility and shy persona too has remained unchanged. Not only has her voice moved millions within the country but has also spread the magic of Indian music all over the globe. Her death on February 6, 2022 at the age of 92 is indeed a loss to the world of music.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
Statue of Lata Mangeshkar in Goa
Melody queen and nightingale of India Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar, a legendary singer par excellence had strong roots in Goa and she retained strong connections with the people of the State. The great singer had thousands of songs to her credit in different languages including Konkani. She will always remain in the hearts of the millions of her fans spread across the globe. Though born at Indore Lata Mangeshkar never forgot her Goan roots. It is learnt that she reportedly even sang in order to raise funds for Goa’s Liberation. It is understood that Mangeshkar later even served as general council member of Kala Academy. Given the close ties Lata Mangeshkar had with Goa it would be a befitting tribute to install a statue in honour of the legendary singer at a prominent place in the state, probably at the Kala Academy. This will serve as an encouragement for would-be singers in the State as Lata Mangeshkar rose to be one of the best known Indian singers across the globe. Though her songs have immortalized her, it would be appropriate to have a statue of the great singer installed in Goa.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Of govt servants & pending files
It is good to see that at least one political party has included “time bound services to the public” in its manifesto. For years people have been demanding that government prescribe a time schedule for its departments to deliver services to the public. In the absence of such time schedule, the departments keep the files pending for months together forcing people to make countless visits to the offices to get their work done.
There is no accountability for the staff in the discharge of duties. Deliberate delay also helps them to demand bribes from the public to clear their files. It is high time that the government gave priority to this important requirement of the people.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
Is cryptocurrency the future?
I do not think cryptocurrency is as big as what some people imagine it to be. Let us not read too much into cryptos. I have grave reservations about the future of cryptocurrency. Digital wallets are the future, most of us have got used to it by now. But why the need to trade in digital coins secured by encryption? Also I feel cryptocurrency is above one’s head and is based on a decentralised system which is quiet risky.
Young people should distance themselves from capricious digital systems, and go for electronic form of money supported by centralised authority. Cryptocurrencies are nothing but psycho-digital viruses created by Satoshi Nakamoto. It does not have sovereign support of nations. China has taken the right step by banning all cryptocurrencies. If we don’t ban them in India, corruption will rise exponentially.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Let’s vote for those who will serve us
We are on the threshold of a new beginning for the next five years. Some have termed it another Opinion poll. We are going to vote on February 14 to bring in a governance of our choice. Let us not waste this opportunity to bring new faces in secular governance that will benefit everyone irrespective of who we are.
Let our representatives be people friendly to serve everyone and who will be with us in times of needs. Promises and freebies have come from politicians before coming to power to entice the voters but how far they will become realities after the polls remains uncertain.
Humanity is one class of people who are humans and therefore when authority is given to the chosen ones they must know they are servers and not masters unto themselves.
We are a new generation of the civilised world with latest technological marvels at our disposal. Let us not make a mistake in the decisive casting of our votes lest we fall a prey for the next five years that could bring us the misery of life. Let us vote!
Ayres Sequeira,
Salvador do Mundo
