‘Best before’ date for
food items in godown
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It is shocking to note that in several fair price shops in the state, massive quantities of sub-standard rice infested with maggots and fungus was reportedly found.
It is learnt that in April too, the Civil Supplies Department supplied rice infested with maggots, mites and fungus from the godown at Cortalim. Shockingly the complaints from the fair price shop owners of Salcete were reportedly ignored as the supply of sub-standard continued even this month. This is a very serious matter as its consumption can have detrimental effects on the health of the consumer as the rice which has turned black due to the infestation is unfit for human consumption.
It is pertinent to note that it is the poor who depend on the rice distributed by the public distribution system as they cannot afford to buy the rice available in the market which is priced much higher. The authority concerned needs to carry out regular checks of the food stock at the godowns meant to be supplied to fair price shops.
Food stock which has been lying in the godowns for a long period of time tends to get infested by maggots, mites and fungus due to poor storage conditions.
It would be in the fitness of things for rice and other food items stocked in the godowns to have a ‘Best Before’ date. The ‘best-before’ date gives one an idea of how long the food will last before it loses quality.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
A must watch tiatr
for every Goan
I was fortunate to watch Roseferns 102nd production latest super hit tiatr titled ‘Hem Oxench Choltelem?’ staged at the Mae De Deus Church compound, Saligao recently.
Well, I must confess that this legendary tiatr director (who is rightly regarded as a King of centuries for his boldness/no-nonsense professionalism) has again come out with another masterpiece to educate and create an awareness amongst Goans over the ongoing political situation in Goa.
Through this tiatr, Roseferns has beautifully shown how politicians are pumping money/buying over their rivals today to win elections, silencing honest people, using innocent helpless people (including cops from the Goa Police department) by misusing their own political clout and running politics in Goa.
Through this tiatr, he has also questioned the silence of Goans over a variety of issues, such as double-tracking, Mhadei issue etc and has finally asked whether Goans will continue to watch the ongoing open destruction of our beloved state at the hands of our own elected ruling politicians by forever living with the ‘Mhaka Kiteak Podlam’ attitude and remaining silent.
Well, the entire team of this particular tiatr have given their 100% but the one promising young actor worth mentioning and who has really gone to give a mind-blowing performance through this tiatr by flawlessly playing the role of a corrupt politician/goonda is Benzer Fernandes (son of famous Peter-Roshan duo and brother of reputed comedian Bryan Fernandes).
Anyway, this particular tiatr is a must watch for every Goan. Salute Roseferns for coming out with such a great masterpiece and educating/awakening our ‘sussegad- Goans’ in his own unique style with the hope of still saving Goa.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Political integrity a
mirage in India
Exit polls in Karnataka indicate that Congress will win, but not with a clear majority. From past experience in the country, we know that even if Congress gets a simple majority, forming the govt is easier said than done. In the Congress party there are always half a dozen aspirants for the post of CM. And every second Congress MLA believes that it is his birthright to be one of the minister. That being the case, it is very easy for the opposition to pull the rug out from under the Congress.
It is very sad that while voters take great pains to choose wisely for the state or nation, the chosen candidate doesn’t care about the voter while jumping parties only for personal gains. In the west, MPs and representatives have integrity. You will never, for example, see a single Democrat in the US switch over to the Republican party or vice versa. At most, he may resign from the party and leave politics. That kind of integrity is a mirage in India.
Robert Castellino, Calangute/Mumbai
History repeats
itself in Pakistan
The arrest of Imran Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April last year in an ignominious manner, represents the latest confrontation to roil Pakistan, which has seen former Prime Ministers arrested over the years and interventions by its powerful military. A wily cricket captain during his international playing days, Imran Khan was always on a sticky wicket on the political field. The arrest should foment Khan to introspect, to understand the mistakes he committed and to take corrective measures.
The story of Imran Khan teaches an important lesson to political leaders world over that charisma and popularity alone will not be enough to govern a country.
Rather it underscores the need for efficiency, transparency, accountability and a sense of responsibility. Blame-shifting only serves to erode public trust, and that a leader must always be ready and willing to face the music.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Modern day
nightingales
The tremendous contribution of nurses to humanity has set the nursing profession apart. Since 1965, to commemorate the birthday of Florence Nightingale, International Nurses Day (INC) is observed all over on May 12. Nightingale was another name for compassion who served soldiers wounded in war with utmost sympathy and sincerity. She spoke in a simple language, and established plenty of nursing schools during the nineteenth century. Patience, love and forgiveness, dedication and selflessness are the pillars on which a nursing occupation is assiduously built. Therefore, a nurse is described as a “universal gift” to mankind. Parallelly, a nurse has to be strong and relentless in pursuit towards her goal—patient care with a smile. An able nursing work is as important, if not better, than a masterful surgery.
Neither a drug nor a tonic may provide care and comfort to an ailing patient as much as the words and work of a nurse can give. Some patients may not remember the names of the nurses but they rarely forget how comfortable the latter made them feel. It is heart warming that the profession of nursing has gone beyond gender stereotype of a different kind. Men have stormed the nursing field and have taken to the profession through thick and thin.
However, the first impression of a nurse is always a smiling, loving and soft spoken woman whose patients are her family and hospital her home.
All nurses may not be an epitome of a Florence Nightingale; but they are definitely the next best thing. “Caring for one is called ‘love’; but caring hundreds is “nursing”.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Light of goodness
still exists
Amidst the grief of violence in Manipur, my heart glows with much pride on getting enlightened that while Kuki women had come out in droves and created a human chain to protect a group of innocent Meites from a mob in Churachandpur town; Meitei girls also similarly protected innocent Kuki students in Manipur university!
Let this light of goodness remove all darkness and obstacles in the path of our journey towards sanity and humanity as envisaged by Rabindranath Tagore — “The light radiates from the centre of darkness, That is thy glow/ The goodness that originates from all conflicts, That is thy goodness”!
Kajal Chatterjee, Kolkata
