Elect new, dynamic City corporators
Panjim will soon elect 30 new corporators to the Corporation of City of Panaji (CCP). Under the current leadership Goa’s capital city has only further decayed. Panjim’s infrastructure is crumbling, the solution to the garbage crisis is nowhere in sight while increasing number of stray dogs and cattle has remained unattended. The poor state of the roads and traffic chaos is a constant reminder of the failure and incompetence of a CCP which has failed to punish those involved in the long pending infamous multi crore Panjim market scam. On the pathetic state of the market less said the better. The CCP has only merrily been giving licences for new high rise buildings, but the problems, that blight the once beautiful city of Panjim continues to fester and just get worse.
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The Smart City promise is yet another illusory daydream and just one more window of opportunity for the self-serving and greedy ruling politicians. The irony is that when in opposition the current politicians now in the ruling party expressed grave concerns about the Smart City concept and its lack of transparency, but now when in power and having a duty to make good that promise, they are conveniently turning a blind eye and dipping their hands in the till.
At the panchayat level, the gram sabhas enable the public to question and monitor the actions and misdeeds of their elected representatives. But at the Corporation of City of Panaji and the other municipal councils there is no such mechanism in place to give the public a forum to seek accountability. The CCP meetings may be open to the public but this is meaningless as the citizens cannot participate in the proceedings. The CCP Act needs to be amended to ensure that all the development projects are placed for public discussion and scrutiny before being approved. The people have a right to be heard and should be empowered to decide the priorities in their respective wards. After all, it is a vital part of good governance in a Democracy that he who pays the piper should call the tune and expect value for money.
The thrust ahead should be towards zero tolerance to corruption and nepotism at the CCP.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Difference between Trump and Biden
The election of Kamala Harris as the first woman vice president of US is historical in every sense. This is the top position that any person of Indian ancestry has ever occupied. There is also likelihood that Harris becoming the president of US in future. Of late many Indian origin women have made it big in various fields. This is called women power.
While Donald Trump proved beyond doubt, through his words and deeds, that he is divider of the country, Biden has vowed to be unifier by all means but Trump before the virus secured the best economy in US in years.
Employment improved greatly for all races. During the pandemic, to protect US citizens, Trump shut down traveller’s from Chin and some called him racist. Trump fronted his own money to get the vaccine going as soon as possible. Why are his noteworthy actions not presented in media reports from the US? This would give more credibility and make the media seem less biased.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Why increase price of solar equipment?
In its recent report the International Energy Agency (IEA) examined the opportunities and challenges that India would face in her energy productions and usages. In the next 20 years and as compared to many countries India’s demand for energy would have the largest increase and in turn this would lead to greater prosperity and development.
The IEA has also praised India for her remarkable progress to bring electricity connections to millions of people. Most importantly India has admirably scaled up the use of renewable energy, particularly solar. In this background, it is ironical that in the recent budget the Finance Minister (FM) announced that solar equipment would be costlier. This price increase is unwarranted more so when there is an active Ministry for New and Renewable Energy which is pushing for alternate sources of energies.
India has planned several mega solar projects in different States and with the proposed surges in price of solar equipment the cost would escalate. Hope this increase has not been at the behest of the private electricity distribution and oil companies. The FM, and if necessary the PM, could intervene, needs to have a rethink and decrease the price. This would help boost the use of solar energy by the people for which some of the States are providing handsome subsidies, assistance and even have a buy the excess energy produced by those using solar power.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
What development, projects can govt claim?
The Government of Goa takes great pride in claiming that it has done development works in the State and completed many projects. We have no hesitation in complimenting the government for the good works done. In fact it is our duty to acknowledge and give credit where credit is due. In the same breath we have to point out that some works costing crores of rupees were unnecessary and certainly not a priority like building samadhis, costly celebrations, new cars for ministers, etc.
Now, the daily needs of the people are water and electricity. Can the government honestly tell the people, almost 60 years after liberation of Goa, that it has satisfactorily provided these two basic necessities? People are regularly complaining and the irregular supply is the main grievance of the people. On the other hand, the bills are regularly received. Mind you, the supply of these two needs is directly in the hands of government departments, not corporations.
Therefore, l request the government authorities to put their heads together and work in tandem to provide water and electricity regularly and relieve the people of the suffering.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
