March of virus
The pandemic is galloping at a breakneck speed with positive cases hovering above 2.5 lakhs.It will not be surprising if it touches 4 to 5 lakes in a months time .This is due to the casual attitude of the Government both at the centre and state level and to compound the damage to the health of the citizens ,the responsibility lies partly with the Election Commission of India.
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It has shirked its responsibility even when the TMC had advised the EC to have the remaining 4 phases at one go, the EC has refused to budge even when life of the citizens is at stake. At no time in the past, had elections in one state were held in 8 phases. It clearly shows that EC is acting at the behest of the BJP. The phases have been synchronized with the availability of PM s schedule to canvas. EC has proved to be a shadow of the ruling establishment.
Citizens of India are praying for the arrival of another T.N. Seshan. The country is in dire need of such a personality at this crucial juncture. Never in the history of our Nation have we seen a Prime Minister canvassing for elections at State-level, shirking his responsibility to the Nation, making appearances to give sermons to the citizens of their duties of observing SOPS etc on TV and on the other hand flouting them at mammoth rallies.
At this point we are bound to compare the precedent set by President Trump in his election rallies, which were followed by consequences of death and misery. The Home Minister does not bother about what is happening to the safety of the citizens. His loyalty and priority is the party’s interests first. He does not deserve the Post, either he should resign or be divested of his portfolio.
Back home on our CM and Health Minister Rane seem to be at cross purposes. The two cannot agree on a single point. The CM who is currently canvassing in full gusto for the upcoming Municipal elections is ready to put the lives of the citizens in peril,even though he has himself had the taste of the dreaded virus, for his selfish ends. He should understand that only a healthy state can bring health to the economy and other parameters.
He seems to be following “His Master ‘s Voice-only, and the rest of the MLAs seem to have lost the power to think, see, judge and act to the situation especially the 12 turncoat who joined the Government for their own Selfish gains,betraying the voters. Were they vaccinated against corruption charges with long term efficacy?
Only God can save the Nation, the State and the world from this evil that is raging as there is no guarantee that these can save us considering that their first priority is selfishness, and not even death can prick their consciences.
Rabbi Mesquita, Fatorda
Skewed priorities
Even though India recorded a single day Covid count of 2,61,500 and the number of active cases breached 18,00,000, the Central government seems quite unmoved by the grief, misery and people’s cries for help. All they are busy doing is image management, bombarding us with one excuse after another to justify the scale of failure of Covid mismanagement if not sermonising and shifting the blame on to the people themselves.
The Centre is like a horse with blinkers on, for them priority number 1 to 100 is winning elections , everything else be damned. This incompetence, callousness, arrogance and total lack of compassion on part of the Centre is beyond criminal. Mandir, statues, stadiums, VIP aircraft and Central Vistas are not going to save the common man at this juncture; hospitals, vaccines, oxygen and medicines will.
A constitutional amendment should be brought about wherein the citizens would have the right to dissolve a government midterm for dereliction of duty.
Rekha Sarin Trehan, Benaulim
Restrictions on gatherings
In the wake of the rapid increase in Covid-19 cases across Goa, the government has imposed curbs on gatherings at indoor and outdoor venues. No gathering of more than 50 persons shall be allowed without prior permission from the authorities concerned. In this context it is pertinent to note that the Lancet COVID-19 Commission’s India Task Force in it’s latest report has suggested a complete ban on all indoor gatherings of more than 10 persons for the next two months in order to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the country. As it has been proven that the spread of the coronavirus is through the air by aerosols besides droplets, restricting the number of people at indoor gatherings is extremely important.
The report asserted that the main reason behind the rapid spread of coronavirus in the second wave is the “super spreader events” which include political events and social gatherings including resurgence of weddings and sporting events.
The task force also suggested a complete closure of all movie theatres, sports arenas, stadia and indoor halls for the months of April and May, where groups of more than 50 persons can gather. Restricting the number at a gathering to just 10 persons could be a difficult proposition nevertheless the report points to how dangerous the situation has become.
It is pertinent to note that in Goa it is common for large groups to go on a picnic to the beaches during the weekend. Some restrictions on such gatherings seem necessary.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Scrapping app-based taxi service is unfair
Tourist taxi drivers are on strike these days protesting for the removal of GoaMiles, claiming the app-based taxis are eating into their profits. Goa’s taxi operators, who run taxi services without functioning fare meters, have also been repeatedly accused of fleecing and behaving rudely with customers. The taxi drivers also manipulates the kilometres and fares. Unfortunately, the authorities turn a blind eye while the ignorant travellers end up paying more than what the taxi drivers deserve. The taxi communities are still very unregulated with many charging huge amounts of money for very short trips. Taxis form the backbone of the tourist transport infrastructure in Goa. The abysmal service from the taxi sector was one of the factors which is responsible for a dip in tourism arrival numbers in Goa. Goa is only state in the country where taxis are not required to install meters for GPS system. HC had made it mandatory to the taxis to have digital meters.
The Goa government has not been able to enforce it as the tourist taxi drivers and owners have political patronage. The world is moving in a digital way. The state transport system needs to be fair, transparent and timely. Their demand to scrap the app-based taxi service is unfair and wrong. The government should go ahead with the app-based taxi service. Ola/Uber is an amazing user-friendly and performance-based online platform.
K.G.Vilop, Chodan
App-based taxis good for the State
We Goans have always been taken for a ride by transport lobby in Goa be it motorcycle pilot, rickshaw, yellow and black and tourists taxis and not to mention the bus lobby.
Public transport in Goa is in doldrums for years and there is no sight of better days in future. The successive governments in Goa have turned Nelson’s eye to woes of the public transport.
App based cab services are all over the world and it would be in best interest to everyone in Goa. The Goan taxi drivers should go all out to have their own app based services and provide competition to so called GoaMiles. I feel that even the motorcycle taxi and rickshaw should also go for app based services and bring about revolution in transport in Goa.
Benny Pereira, Guirim
