Will govt revitalise
the Lokayukta?
Goa is without the much needed and so vital Lokayukta for almost six long months. The government must with all sincerity act promptly to fill this unacceptable vacuum.
The Lokayukta at the State level investigates cases of corruption and ensures transparency in the administrative machinery that has to be citizen friendly. Public grievances must be taken cognisance of promptly, skilfully and expeditiously through a simple informal mechanism devoid of technicalities.
The Institution of Lokayukta is a step forward in ensuring an Open Government where there is due respect for the rule of law while propagating the prevention of corruption, inefficiency and mal-administration in governance. But to achieve these desired results, it is paramount that the autonomy and the total independence of the Lokayukta must be ensured with no interference whatsoever by the government of the day.
In 2013 Karnataka’s former formidable Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde had suggested that some provisions be incorporated to strengthen our Lokayukta Act but all those views were consigned to the racks. More recently our now retired Lokayukta Justice PK Misra had taken the pains to also propose some much required amendments which also met the same faith.
An already weak Goa Lokayuta Act with so many deficiencies has now through those controversial amendments which were bulldozed by the Government in January this year rendered the Lokayukta totally redundant and powerless. So it is no surprise that nobody wants to accept this farcical and toothless position.
So this current imbroglio must be sincerely resolved by the Government by swiftly bringing the much needed amendments to arm and empower the Lokayukta with the required powers and teeth to tackle corruption and bad governance in the State.
In this direction the assistance of a legal luminary possibly of our retired Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdino Rebello could be sought to draft the required changes to the current Goa Lokayukta Act which once finalised could be brought into force quickly by way of an ordinance so that in public interest the functioning of the Lokayukta is restored.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Sulabh or GU-Lab Toilets
My hats off and a bow of respect to the writer Amita Kanekar for the fiery editorial ‘Do it behind a tree, says ODF Goa’ (Herald, March 9) for taking up the causes of the unprivileged class, called the Dalits or Harijans euphemistically called children of God. Amita takes on the dysfunctional Municipal establishment head on for not being able to provide basic human needs of the nature’s call. The abominable caste system which silently exists but everyone is afraid to speak aloud has to be banished, the prime cause of disunity and untold suffering. Amita’s article has courageously exposed the hollow rhetoric of Swachch Bharat and ODF, only preach and no practice.
Sanitation in Panjim city was never ideal, the only decent toilet was opposite Hotel Mandovi by the riverside which later lacked maintenance and became smelly and overflowing, while the well-heeled would turn around and head straight to the luxurious toilets of Hotel Mandovi, 5 star treatment for free, courtesy of the Kenny’s, others would head straight for the river bank. Will the ‘Sulabh’ or ‘Gulab’ (rose) smell sweeter by any other name?
A salute to the writer for taking up boldly the cause of the underprivileged women on International Women’s Day.
Agnelo Furtado, Chinchinim
Restore OCI card status, deny dual nationality
The notification by the Ministry of Home Affairs dated March 4, 2021 putting curbs on OCI card holders has unnecessarily alienated and placed obstacles that should not be the case, since the OCI in itself granted a few entitlements on the card holder that were bestowed in the absence of dual citizenship.
Initially, there were two cards namely “Person of Indian Origin” (PIO) and the “Overseas Citizen of India” (OCI), the former being merged to form only OCI card holders. Exchanges for the purpose of research, journalism and mission work as well as money transfer with limits not being subject to Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) would be a global facility that would facilitate smooth and cordial relations with persons of Indian origin and overseas citizens of India as the world has now become a unified entity and at least for those originating from India should be given preferential treatment. It augurs badly on the part of MHA to consider Indian origin people as ‘foreigners’ and not bestow entitlements by virtue of having Indian roots. Not for political mileage, but as a matter of cordial relations with people of Indian origin, it would be prudent to withdraw the notification forthwith as the same is discriminatory towards persons of Indian origin.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Eating humble pie!
The Oil Minister was forced to reply to Opposition queries on high fuel and gas costs disclosing that gas costs doubled in the last 7 years while tax collection on petrol and diesel jumped 459%.
On March 4, just before the OPEC meeting, the Oil Minister urged the OPEC Countries to not curb production, so that prices could drop. The Energy Minister of Saudi Arabia told him to use the cheap crude purchased by India in March-April 2020. At the time, India purchased 16.71 million barrels of crude but increased excise duty!
What prompted him to ask the OPEC Countries to work for reduced prices? The ruling members have become so used to doing whatever they want no questions asked, that it has become a habit to expect all to toe the line!
Increased gas prices and no subsidy will force many people in the low-income group to change over to other dirty fuels like dung and firewood. This will once more raise pollution levels right in the homes leading to increased mortality rates mostly of infants.
Economists do not just count physical money inflow: they think long time and overall picture.
R Fernandes, Margao
Tenant verification is of vital importance
A day after the gruesome double murder reported at Fatorda, Goa Police along with its Mumbai counterparts have cracked the case by nabbing the three accused at Dadar. The Goa police and the Mumbai police need to be complimented for nabbing the accused in quick time. However there is a lot of wisdom in the saying “prevention is better than cure”.
Nabbing the culprits in a murder case cannot bring the dead to life. It cannot obliterate the loss the death has caused to the near and dear ones. Hence it is absolutely necessary to prevent such horrific incidents. For this it is necessary for the police and the general public to function in tandem. There are several do’s and don’ts for senior citizens living alone that the police have made public
Carrying out tenant verification is of vital importance. It can become a deterrent for migrants to take such violent steps as they are aware that their personal records are with the police.
The police on their part need to verify with their counterparts in the native State of the migrant whether the details submitted are correct. We need to make Goa safe for the elderly people living alone as their children could have migrated to a foreign country. It would be advisable for people to take their aged parents along with them when they migrate and not leave them alone in Goa.
Adelmo Fernandes,
Vasco
