Free Goa of this social event
The very controversial and high-handed move by the cash-strapped Goa Government to waive the casinos from having to pay a whopping Rs 277 crores is outrageous to say the least. This contentious attempt by a debt ridden government which has been borrowing to the hilt is suspect and rightly raises many eyebrows.
Ever since the lockdown almost all businesses have and are still suffering enormous losses so this preferential treatment only for the casinos is questionable. The appointment of that Gaming Commissioner for the casinos was an utter eyewash. As there are no rules framed he is powerless. And the promised casino policy has yet not seen the light of the day.
While as the Leader of the Opposition Manohar Parrikar had vociferously branded casinos as a “social evil” and had called them “dens of vice”. While spearheading that agitation against casinos, Manohar Parrikar had vowed to make sure that all casinos were thrown out of Goa if the BJP came to power. But in a dramatic U turn in March 2012 after coming to power, the BJP has gone all out to promote, shield and increase the number of casinos.
Goa needs to be freed from this social evil. Our State has today sadly become the country’s gambling hub with the allied vices of prostitution and the narcotics trade also flourishing by the day while the crime rate is on a steep rise.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Wings clipped
Over the years, exit poll experts have lost face due to incorrect predictions. Like the game of cricket, politics is proving to be a game of glorious uncertainty. Bihar assembly results have once again proved why these exit polls have lost their sheen. After a neck-to-neck tussle between the mahagathbandhan and the National Democratic Alliance, the NDA inched forward to gain a majority though the margin of win in many constituencies has been wafer thin.
BJP has bagged more seats than the Janata Dal (United). Even before the election, it was assumed the BJP would overshadow a beleaguered Nitish Kumar. It has won more seats in Bihar than in the last assembly election. On the contrary, Nitish Kumar has lost seats, and is a junior partner to the BJP now. One cannot lose sight of the fact that JD (U) and Nitish Kumar are synonymous with each other.
Now that Kumar’s power has diminished in the State, the party may struggle to survive among the more dominant regional and national parties that will be calling the shots. It all depends on how Nitish Kumar is able to sustain the backroom assault of the BJP. Kumar, once a self proclaimed Narendra Modi-baiter, is as good as his work. His pro-people image stood him in good stead on earlier occasions; as his efficiency dwindled his popularity took a plunge.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Delhi tours are mere photo-ops
Our CM made yet another trip to Delhi ostensibly to solve the Mollem and other burning issues of Goa. This begs the question…are we Goans and the State government not capable of solving our own problems? This self declared ‘successful’ sojourn to the national capital is actually an exercise in futility. Photo-ops with central ministers, smiles all around, inane statements like “we are positive about coming up with a solution” (pray how do you decode such vague homilies?) and then back to Goa with false assurances which are sold down the line by the State bureaucracy. Merely ‘raising issues’ with the Centre would not suffice, lasting solutions need to be found by dogged pursuit and follow up.
These ‘zatras’ to Delhi are undertaken not to really seek remedies but to seek directions to tackle the groundswell of opposition erupting against the State. Ominously for the government this is spearheaded by common folk like you and me, not some political outfit with vested interests. Goa’s problems ultimately have to be solved by Goans themselves, people’s aggression needs to be channeled constructively to find amicable and long lasting solutions.It is heartening to note that two of the government MLAs (one a minister) are now getting vocal about these contentious aspects. The CM has shown least concern towards the misery and destruction of the people of South Goa should the railway tracks be doubled, same is the attitude towards negation of the Mollem biosphere. He needs to visit the rail tracks and the Mollem reserve to get genuine feedback and first hand feel of ground realities.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Ease of doing business in Goa
Goa is the best place for ease of doing business. With Europe going into lockdown and Delhi in the grip of a worst 3rd wave, the December Sunburn EDM faced a bleak turnout. The Government comes to its aid by saying the permissions given are withdrawn for safety reasons! Now, Sunburn will not forfeit its fees!
ISL is handed over nine practice grounds, depriving locals, for what fees? We know how much the players get but not this? Does Goa get anything or just peanuts? The buses used are from Bengaluru. If the players agreed to stay in caravans then even hotels would not get a share! ISL just loves doing business in Goa!
Ventilators purchased for Rs 2.5 lakhs at the Centre were bought for Rs 8 lakhs in Goa. Who negotiates the fees for film shoots in Goa? As seen in the Chapoli incident it appears anyone can fix and receive the fees.
The wholesale fish market business is such a goldmine for the contractors! The CM meets the Minister of RT&H and ‘conveys’ the fears of locals. FHI only? No PPT pitch of the destruction in view of such a small territory? Congress gives a ‘memorandum’ bouquet to Hubbali SWR! Again, just for the information of locals? What are the responses possible from this? The SWR Hubbali has the power to cancel the double tracking? He will rush to Delhi with the same?
Cortalim MLA says she is appalled by the CM’s lack of reaction! How come a ruling MLA did not speak up against the double tracking till the last minute?
I fail to see why GCCI, CII crib about ease of doing business. Exhibit these facts in Delhi and see the businesses in Goa increase a thousand fold!
R Fernandes, Margao
Will government debate on issues?
A lot of letters and important points are raised by people concerned about the destruction of Goa i.e. Mollem, Double Tracking, etc, and I hardly see any proper answers by the Govt to these legitimate questions. All I see are totally evasive and irrelevant answers from them. If the Goa CM and Environment Minister is so sure of what they are doing why don’t they agree to an open public debate with the concerned people – the Govt can surely bring their panel of experts and Govt machinery (All paid by taxpayers) to the debate.
Let it be all in in the open and let the public see for themselves. So will the Goa Govt go for this debate and have it well televised?
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
Three infra projects on fast track
With elections just about 15 months away the govt is on a fast track mode to complete max double tracking works of the SWR in the Goa sector knowing fully well that they are going to meet their waterloo at the 2022 hustings.
The present dispensation irrespective of the public outrage is hell-bent in completing a major portion of these three infra projects within this state at a huge ecological cost throwing caution to the winds to please their Delhi bosses and their three croni-capitalists.
NGOs like the GE, GKN, RG should keep on fighting on till the authorities backtrack and see reason. Goans are basically very cool,calm and tolerant people but when push comes to shove they can rise to the occasion as seen at Chandor few days back
Lucas D’Souza, Verna
