Penalise those who build bad roads
The pothole-ridden roads pose threat to pedestrians and vehicle-users. If anyone suffers serious injury due to bad roads, the people involved in making that stretch of the road should be booked for culpable homicide. Residents undergo trauma and hardship on roads due to potholes, cracks, and fissures. While the only section who benefits from this are road contractors, as they get to carry out repeated repairs, maintenance or even lay new roads.
It is evident that PWD engineers do not follow standard, norms and techniques framed for road laying in STAC (Standing Technical Advisory Committee) report. They only go by pressure tactics of elected representative. The state government is equally at fault for not understanding the seriousness of such an important issue, to issue an order for mandatorily compliance so that tax paying citizens do not have to face deteriorating road condition. Officials who are not doing their duty should be punished with salary cuts and stripped of their job. The contractor concerned should be blacklisted and licence cancelled.
K G Vilop, Chorao
We are losing pilots to fatigue
It is sad that recently two Indian pilots lost their lives due to fatigue, and their deaths have raised serious concerns about the stress levels among commercial pilots. The issue of lassitude among pilots has become a dark cloud amid the country’s growing air traffic and expanding aircraft fleet. A recent survey conducted among 500-odd pilots by Safety Matters Foundation, an NGO formed under the India Trust Act, showed that a majority of them fell asleep without planning or consent of the other crew.
While regulations on flight duty time limitations and specific rest periods are in place, a more scientific approach as well as a better fatigue reporting system will help in tackling the silent danger of ‘fatigue.’ Also future high-quality intervention studies will play a crucial role in determining effective strategies for boosting pilots well-being, ultimately leading to improved flight safety and performance. A holistic approach to health and safety in the aviation sector is the need of the hour, which will ensure that pilots remain in peak condition, resulting in safer skies for all.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Provide motorable roads to commuters
In Goa, drunken driving is a way of life. Even tourists are not afraid of the law in Goa. The police drive against drunken driving looked like it will go on for long time but as usual the police look to have taken a lenient stand after the Banastarim accident where three innocent lives were lost. Within a short span of few days a horrifying accident occurred at Assagao where two couples were involved in a accident. One a car rammed into another where the car driver and his wife were in an intoxicated condition. These couples could not even walk as per the eyewitnesses. Hopefully there were no casualties. Police are busy issuing challans to helmetless two wheeler riders and vehicles of non Goan registration on highways. Secondly are there enough traffic police to man the roads of Goa? Will issuing challans to two wheelers bring an end to accidents?
Very often accidents take place due to pot holed roads, even when a two wheeler rider is wearing a helmet and a precious life is lost. Will the government give compensation for the loss of lives and is that enough for the family ?. I feel prevention is better than cure. If the government is unable to provide roads lasting for not even one year than it’s a shame the PWD officials should tour Singapore to see the roads and how they maintain for more than 10 years without a potholes.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
On women passengers missing the last bus
Several women work till late evening. Hence there is every possibility of them missing the last bus which would take them home. Such working women could be in a spot of bother on how to go back home as they may not be able to afford to hire a taxi. It is pertinent to note that the government had announced a protocol whereby if no passenger bus is available at any bus station, the Pink Force police in the vicinity will ensure the safe transportation of women to their homes.
It is learnt that the Pink Force police came to the rescue of an elderly woman who was left stranded at the bus stand at Pernem as the KTC bus failed to arrive. However many women may not be aware of this protocol. It would be prudent for the state owned transport corporation to have buses which operate late in the evening so that passengers, especially women, do not face inconvenience. Women who are stranded due to non availability of bus after dusk could be at risk as there could be anti-social elements on the prowl at an isolated bus-stand. If due to breakdown, or any other reason, the last KTC bus is not able to arrive at a particular bus-stand, then the corporation needs to arrange an alternative bus to cater to those stranded at the particular bus-stand. This arrangement could be made even with a private bus operator from the locality.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
India marching ahead
Prime Minister Narendra Modi accurately predicted that India will be the world’s growth engine in the coming years. The country has made rapid strides in every sector and stands tall among the developing nations. India also achieved a unique milestone when the lander module of the Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft landed on the moon’s unexplored south polar region on Wednesday. Modi is in Johannesburg to attend the BRICS summit.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Vested interest versus volunteering!
When someone wishes to serve as a ‘volunteer’ for any society, he or she should take a conscience oath of zero ‘vested interest’. Vested interest means, one has a personal stake or interest in making personal gains v/s being conscientious to work as a volunteer. Vested interest is also a legal term that means when you have contributed a certain amount of time, energy or money, you feel entitled to a percentage of benefits, which is up to one’s conscience, principles and ethics to receive or otherwise – to be frank, most honest people don’t. Simply put, anytime a person sees an opportunity in a situation that will benefit themselves personally or financially or even morally or perhaps the benefit spreads to business deals or interest, then the person has a vested interest in whatever the situation is.
On the flip side – ‘volunteering’ can teach you humility, empathy, self-confidence and importantly, one gets a sound sleep without god’s fear. It can also teach you how to accept change and difference, it can teach you how to help people in ways that increases dignity and equality for everyone. It can teach you to live or support people who face terrible disadvantages in life. In simple words, it’s something which makes you a better person and we don’t take a single paisa when we receives the final God’s call.
Gaston Dias, Sarzora
The mystery of love
Pio Esteves’ article, ‘Being devoted to one another in love’
(O Heraldo August 20, 2023) echoes the cries of many broken and separated loved ones. There are many loved ones who are separated due to different reasons, but they are still in love with each other. This shows their devotion to each other in love, and due to this separation, they have fallen into different sorts of addictions and some even developed suicidal tendencies.
Cajetan Peter D’Souza, Mumbai
