Make Baina Ravindra Bhavan operational
It is learnt that the air-conditioning issue plaguing the Ravindra Bhavan at Margao has been resolved, with the Art and Culture Minister Govind Gaude inaugurating a new 60-ton chiller at the complex. This comes as good news for tiatr lovers residing in Margao and the vicinity. The minister also stated that the Ravindra Bhavan has proposed an additional chiller which will help tide over future problems plaguing the cultural institution. The auditorium has again restarted. This is a welcome step. But then, what about the auditorium at Ravindra Bhavan in Baina which has been non-operational for several months ostensibly because of the non-functioning air-conditioning system. There are several tiatr lovers in Vasco who are deprived of watching Konkani dramas and they are forced to travel to Margao to watch the shows at the Ravindra Bhavan there. It is pertinent to note that no tiatr shows were held during the pandemic and now the cultural institution at Baina is closed due to the non-functioning air-conditioner. When an additional chiller has been proposed as stand-by for the Ravindra Bhavan in Margao, why can’t the air-conditioner at the Bhavan in Baina be repaired or replaced? It is pertinent that several government offices have been shifted here from the Municipal building in Vasco which is undergoing renovation. Vascoites should not be deprived of entertainment in the form of Konkani tiatrs and other cultural programmes.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Ban the menace
of freebies
The culture of freebies that was started by Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalitha, promising free sarees, pressure cookers, washing machines, television sets, etc, was quickly followed by other political parties. Freebies are a curse. Some voters sell their vote for money. But people realise the value of anything only when they work to earn it or pay for it. Freebies make the citizen lazy, they resist hard work and become complacent in life, as a result requirement shrinks. Continued freebies is a bane for a country. The freebie culture is dragging many countries into debts, and India is no exception. Freebies do not serve any purpose because they do not make the poor rich, or even middle class. The freebies do not even increase the status of the people of India. The failure of political parties and governments to deliver development to the ordinary people has led to the increasing phenomenon of freebies and the parties have to resort to it to win over the voters. The Election Commission must take strong steps to curb this tendency before the forthcoming elections to State Assemblies in 2023 and the Lok Sabha Election in 2024.
K G Vilop, Chorao
Freebies gravely effect economy
The controversial issue of political freebies has reared its head once again, ahead of upcoming elections in Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The Election Commission of India (EC) wants to include a pro forma in the Model Code of Conduct and make it mandatory for political parties to account for the promises that they make in their pre-poll manifestos.
The indiscriminate announcement of freebies has grave effects on the economy. The EC has thus proposed to direct political parties to inform voters about the financial impact of the promises they make in their manifestos. Political parties have no right to squander taxpayers’ money for political gains.
Anish Esteves, Mumbai
Illegal parking causing traffic chaos in Panjim
The Government has directed the Director General of Police and Director of Transport to take necessary action over the utter traffic chaos in Panaji due to the illegal parking of vehicles and tourist taxis.
Under Secretary Home Pritidas Gaonkar has also forwarded to the two officials the complaint submitted to the Chief Secretary drawing his attention that despite the Dayanand Bandodkar Marg being a No Parking-No Stopping zone, the Traffic Police and Transport Department officials were conveniently turning a Nelson’s eye at all those vehicles which are being illegally parked around the clock on this very busy road.
Two-wheelers are also being parked on the footpaths along this road creating a hindrance and nuisance for the pedestrians. To add to this traffic mayhem being witnessed in Panaji, hundreds of tourist taxis are also illegally parked all over the city, while the law requires that these taxis be stationed at the designated taxi stands or at the residence of the owner of the vehicle.
The Government had last year announced that all vehicles of those visiting casinos would be directed to station their vehicles in the multi-car park located at the entrance of Panaji but the promise has not been adhered to. This appalling state of affairs must be brought to an end by the traffic and transport officials getting their act together in strictly enforcing the law without fear or favour. We also need to have a full-fledged night shift in place so that the traffic and transport officials can act rigorously against all those violating traffic regulations in Panaji.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Global recession
Recession is basically when the business and industry of a country is not successful. A global recession is a recession that affects many countries around the world, that is, a period of global economic slowdown or declining economic output.
Over 50 chief economists from all over the world have predicted world recession in 2022 or 2023. Noted economist Nouriel Roubini who predicted the financial crises in 2008 now feels the US and the rest of the world is about to face a ugly and long recession.
The impact of the recession could be seen as the Credit Suisse shares are down by 10%. US stocks have started pricing in recession. Quantitative strategists say they are starting to reflect the risk of a recession.
If the world goes into recession, India too will be hit. The world’s largest economy, the US, is technically in recession with factories dialing back production and job cuts increasing. The UK, a month ago, went on for sharpest interest rate hike in a quarter of a century.
The UN in a report warned that ‘monetary and fiscal policy moves in advanced economies risk pushing the world towards global recession and prolonged stagnation’. The energy crisis in Europe could have an effect in winter making recession inevitable. World Bank has also warned about global recession.
Sarvashi Naik, Curchorem
FM must rein in
rising prices
There was a picture in the papers lately of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visiting a vegetable market in Chennai ostensibly to buy vegetables. A great photo-op for the FM aligned to the event management strategies followed by her superior, the PM. On another note it is good that she went to the vegetable market, which will enable her to come down to earth with the knowledge of the sky-rocketing pricing of vegetables that is drastically hurting the budgets of common housewives. Or she may come out with a blithe statement that ‘prices have not really risen since I visited a vegetable market a few years ago’. But levity aside, a few years ago when vegetable prices were rapidly shooting up because of drought and/or floods, a study was done and it was found that that 40% of the vegetables and fresh produce are wasted in the transition from farm gate to the retail markets. To stop this wastage, it was suggested that cold chains should be set up so that spoilage, etc, is reduced if not eliminated. With this increased availability there would be a reining in of a rise in prices. Nothing seems to have been done about this, despite the Modi government being in power for the last eight years or so.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St Cruz
