Pilot fatigue causing deaths
A pilot collapsed in the bathroom of a flight operating between Florida and Santiago, and died. Another Indian pilot, who functioned as an additional crew of a Delhi–Doha flight, lost his life in the passenger cabin. Yet another captain, ready to fly passengers from Nagpur to Pune, fell unconscious near the boarding gate and passed away. These shocking incidents should set off alarm bells among aviation stakeholders. According to reports, all these deaths are attributable to cardiac arrest or something close to it. Indian domestic aviation industry is fast growing, and it is estimated that the country may need more than 15,000 pilots over the next decade.
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However, pilots are presently overworked. Though they are assigned fixed working hours a month by the aviation regulator, the DGCA, they are expected to work more. They work on holidays, too, most of the time away from their homes. Often, they are lured by additional incentives to fly extra. Heavy workload, physical and mental stress, fatigue due to jet lag, and sleeplessness have taken a toll on them. Irregular working hours means little exercise, and the consequent health disorders. It is incumbent upon the DGCA and airline managers to secure the health of pilots by periodic medical exams and, of course, recruiting more pilots.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Health check-up for Pilots
It is learnt that a 40-year-old Indigo pilot who was going to operate the airline’s Nagpur-Pune fight died after collapsing near a boarding gate at the Nagpur airport on Thursday. The pilot reportedly fell unconscious in the security hold of the airport. According to the doctors at the hospital where he was rushed, the pilot died of cardiac-arrest following sudden unexpected loss of heart function.
While the emergency team administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the patient did not respond and was declared ‘brought dead’ at the hospital. If the pilot had to suffer the cardiac-arrest while flying the plane the consequences could have been disastrous. The lives of all the passengers and crew members on board the plane would have been at risk. It seems absolutely necessary for the pilots of domestic and international flights to have regular health check-ups and present the health report to the airport authorities before flying the plane.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Goans will live in communal harmony
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has advised Goans on Independence day to take a pledge not to fall prey to any attempts aimed at disturbing the age-old amity in the state.
Now what does he really mean by that statement? That we Goans should not dare to ask any further questions for all the non-Goan trouble-makers belonging to certain organizations? Should we casually allow them to promote their own agendas/illegalities (which includes their new trend/hobby of illegally installing their own favorite statues) Is it just because they have the habit of flexing their muscles and filing FIRs at different police stations in Goa?
Goans have lived and will always live in communal harmony and will never fight amongst themselves on silly issues of statues and religion even in the near future. And that’s because Goans are culturally always civilized/decent people and follow just one religion in the state — the religion of humanity. I therefore think that our politicians should go to take the above pledge more than anyone else.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Election 2024 is going to be a tough fight
The BJP appears to be exulting in the growing stature of PM Modi on the global stage and his unique capacity to swing votes which couldn’t be seen in Karnataka elections. This would be tested in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where elections results will give a clear picture. But anti- incumbency and simmering discontent of political defections may turn educated voters against the BJP.
Also the Opposition unity is more symbolic than pragmatic, and that could result in splitting of anti BJP votes. Both NDA and INDIA will have a tough time managing alliance partners for seat sharing.
Many local issues and aspirations would play significant roles in 2024 elections which will make the election turf, indeed complex for both the sides. Electoral promises, local issues and local appeal and sensitive narrative driven by charismatic campaigns can tilt the scales either way as this Lok Sabha elections looks like a tough fight and not a cakewalk for one alliance.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
Bumrah’s form crucial to Indian team
Jasprit Bumrah will be in the spotlight as he captains India in the three-match T20 International series against Ireland. The ace pacer had surgery to treat lower-back stress fractures from last year’s home series against Australia and is now making a comeback. Bumrah’s form, fitness, and rhythm will be crucial to India’s success in the ODI World Cup. Although packed with many greenhorns, the Indian squad will start as favourites against the rookies.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Hate violence in Pakistan
This refers to ‘Probe ordered in attacks on Churches and homes of Christians in Pakistan’’ (Aug 18). The Faisalabad’s Jaranwala area tragedy is yet another grim reminder of the unchecked extremist and communal narratives that are causing harm to Pakistani social fabric. The incident, the second in recent days, where a person was murdered in Balochistan over a blasphemy row, highlights how this trend is growing out of control in the terror torn country. Violence in the name of religions is dangerously rampant in Pakistan. It would not be out of place to state that religious intolerance and ultra-nationalism bring India and Pakistan together on their 77th Independence day. Even the US has voiced their concern over the religious intolerance in Pakistan. Importantly, this highly condemnable act has come close on the heels of similar fanatic acts in some European countries. Pakistan wastes no time in objecting to any such incidents taking place in India. Pakistan’s government must ensure that such religious intolerance never takes place again on its own soil.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
Pepper spray incident not to be taken lightly
It is shocking to hear about the incident at the Shantadurga higher secondary school in Bicholim Goa where the four boys are involved inusing pepper spray in the classroom on students. Twelve girl students from class XI complained about difficulty in breathing and were hospitalised.
Pepper spray is used as a less lethal weapon in policing, crowd control and self defense but one cannot understand why the hell the four boys brought it in the classroom and used the spray against their own classmates? I think that their behavior is not good and may be they have big plans for attacking innocent people? School have to put cameras in their school classrooms. School have to keep a eye on the naughty students who are coming to school to destroy the peace among other students by bringing drugs , alcohol and this type of chemical sprays in the classroom. This boy’s have down the image of school and played with the health of students by risking their lives which may kill them. The police department should take the serious action against the boys involved in this case.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
