Give 2nd dose for special categories
Goan seafarers, students and persons waiting to proceed overseas for employment purpose are still eagerly waiting to take their 2nd dose of Covishield vaccine. After the Prime Minister’s address to the nation on June 7, the District Collectors issued an order dated June 10, whereby all Dy. Collectors and SDMs are designated as competent authority for according permission for early administration of 2nd dose of Covishield vaccine (after 28 days/before 84 days) for persons intending to undertake international travel for education purpose, employment in foreign countries and for India’s contingent to Tokyo Olympics.
Notwithstanding the SOP, instead of prolonging the waiting period and making the people run in circles to obtain permissions, the Government would do well to simply fast track the procedure for administering the 2nd dose to above special categories by assigning the verification of documents directly to the Medical Officer/facilitation desk at the respective vaccination centres. This would not just save the staff of the District Collectorate offices from additional workload but also prevent assembly of persons at these Offices thereby minimizing the risk of contracting the dreaded virus during such movement.
The Government should also take urgent steps to update the COWIN app in line with the latest SOP to facilitate early commencement of administration of the 2nd dose of the vaccine.
Felino D’Souza, Navelim
The sparrows must sing
This refers to the letter titled, ‘Hats off to Rajdeep’ by Fatima Antao dt. 11/06/21. Yes, it was a good job by Rajdeep Sardessai to stand up for Fr Stan Swamy. In today’s difficult world of Covid-19 people are busy either fighting the virus or trying to make ends meet and few people even remember the Stan Swamys of this world.
So as rightly said by Fatima, more sparrows must sing and their chorus must be loud enough to reach the powers that be to pass on the message that there are right thinking people in this country and world who have the guts to stand up and say, ‘enough is enough’.
Matias Lobo, Tivim
Regain lost glory in community farming
We are glad to read the news of sanction of Rs 1.41 cr to promote community farming/gardening, etc. Salcete Taluka is lagging behind. This will really encourage farmers to focus more on agricultural schemes, create spirit of cooperation and attraction to new beginners, as blessing in disguise.
Those were the days, we saw the GLORY of Goa – clean and green, with various agricultural activities, including community gardening (porsum) with various types of vegetables, cooperation and sharing spirit, of surplus produce. Even decorations, made of garden produce, on important occasions. With the moving times, everything kept on changing, with less and less interest. May be, it being not economical, shortage of manpower, more money in hand, etc.
We are blessed to have experienced authorities, in Agricultural sector – Minister for Agriculture Babu Kavlekar, Director of Agriculture Neville Alphonso and well established Departments of Agriculture, in all talukas, except Mormugao. We are more positive that revival of Agricultural sector is in right direction, with more and more incentives to farmers and others, making good use of electronic and print and also by providing sufficient infrastructure in this sector. We do understand, the beautiful rose flower is not without small thorns.
We also wish and hope Govt will take up more activities, at Durga farm, with famous Durga Tollem, with selection of plot for demonstration purpose. It will help to promote home/kitchen gardens, leading to Community Gardening/farming. The VP Chinchinim-Deussua, has already started the process to create self help groups to promote kitchen/home gardening, with the help of Whatsapp as lovers of kitchen garden.
We appreciate the efforts made in the Agriculture Sector, making use of Natural Resources, bringing more and more area under greenery. All that begins well, will wishfully end well, to regain lost Glory in community farming/gardening (porsum) and kitchen gardening.
R D Rebello, Chinchinim
Goa got rice free of cost
Finally, all eligible Goans received rice free of cost of two months under PM Garib kalyan Yojana. Thanks to Goa government and PM Modi for the distribution through fair price shops as declared during the peak of Pandemic of Covid-19. Now, this scheme is extended till November 2021 in all over India. For this scheme central government is spending Rs 20 lakh crore.
This is called government of the people. Specifically, poorest poor would definitely believe in the Modi government. Goa government is very transparent in Public Distribution System (PDS). All ration card holders get commodities after applying their finger prints. That means no black market of commodities in Goa. This procedure is commendable.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora
Irrational pricing of Covid vaccines
Finally, wisdom dawned and the Centre would be procuring and distributing vaccines to the States. Because of the vacillation between the Centre and States the people have to suffer. There are two issues. (1) The vaccine manufacturers would sell 75% of their stock to the Centre and 25% to private hospitals. Why cannot the Centre buy all the vaccines and supply even to the private hospitals at the same price? Or the hospitals could buy their share at the same discounted price to stop over-pricing by the vaccine makers.
The Centre has notified that each shot in private hospitals will cost Rs 780 for Covishield, Rs 1,145 for Sputnik V and Rs 1,410 for Covaxin. These prices include taxes and Rs 150 as service charges. The first two vaccines were developed in UK and Russia, respectively and are/would be mass produced here. The paradigm of ‘atmanirbhar’ was thrown out of the windows while pricing Covaxin which was developed with Indian tax-payers money. Although Covaxin is free in government hospitals for 18- to 44-year-old persons but not everyone would prefer to go there for some or the other reasons. In private hospitals it would cost Rs.11,280 only for a family of 4 members to take 2 jabs of Covaxin. This is a significant amount in these days of pandemic and inflation. Even a patriotic person would baulk to opt for Covaxin as she/he needs to pay through the nose. The Centre and its advisors need to re-think and reduce the price of Covaxin else there would be hardly any takers for it.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Dilapidated structures, not safe to stay
Dilapidated buildings cause worry for inmates and the Malwani building collapse is one such tragedy. This dilapidated condition of the Mumbai buildings is causing concern and are not safe to stay. It is time to reconstruct these unsafe building or it may cause disaster during severe rains. The major places where such unsafe buildings are found in Mumbai.
The water soaking during monsoon rains in these buildings is causing dampness and the chances of these buildings coming down is very high. To avoid human loss and loss to the property BMC has to conduct audit on dilapidated buildings. Locals felt that the building was shaking when gusty winds and heavy rainfall lashed the city in the third week of May when cyclone Tauktae hit Mumbai. The political blame game has begun but 12 persons were killed including 6 children. Mumbai monsoon rains makes life miserable and building collapse cause major human loss every year.
M R Jayanthi, Mumbai
