No traffic fines in Gujarat for Diwali
The Gujarat Home Minister Harsh Sangavi has announced that the Gujarat traffic police will not charge any fines for traffic violations between October 21 and 27.
This is the period when many people will be visiting their homes for Diwali from the cities and there will be a lot of traffic on the roads. As it is there are many traffic violations even when the police are issuing challans for traffic violations.
If this is the Gujarat Model for controlling traffic then it must be implemented all over the country.
Matias Lobo, Tivim
Atal Setu got flooded?
There is a video circulating on WhatsApp where a car is shown ploughing through a flooded road on a bridge that appears to be the Atal Setu. It looks like the stretch of climb from the Merces side that leads towards Porvorim. This problem needs to be verified since we have seen flooded roads on flat land but rarely on bridges. This should qualify as one of the Wonders of the World. But jokes apart, the contractor responsible for the construction of the bridge should be hauled up in court and the Goa government should seek immediate corrective action and damages.
If the designer of the bridge is other than L&T, then the designer should also be made a party to the case. Other than the flooding, we have seen potholes on the road surface of the bridge which the government has been taking post-haste action to repair.
Thus it is apparent that there are serious flaws in the design and construction of Atal Setu. This for a bridge that was not immediately required with 2 bridges across the Mandovi already operating, spending an obscene amount of money on it and the bridge running into overruns and still not complete to this date.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St Cruz
Significance of hand washing
Many a time, it is the smallest of things that make a mighty difference. Likewise, hand washing is one simple procedure that guards one against many health issues. There is a plethora of highly contagious diseases that are spread from one person to another. Appropriate washing of hands can prevent many gastro-intestinal diseases and respiratory infections, including the novel Coronavirus infection. However, hand washing is not just keeping one’s hands under running water. It involves using either soap and water or using hand sanitisers.
The ‘Global Hand Washing Day’ was observed recently. It is an international hand washing promotion campaign to motivate and mobilise people around the world to improve their hand washing habits. This year’s theme was “Unite for Universal Hand Hygiene”. With proper hand washing, respiratory and intestinal diseases can be reduced by 25-50%. Hand sanitisers kill the disease-causing pathogens and germs from the hands.
Statistically speaking pneumonia, a major ARI (acute respiratory infection), is the number one cause of mortality among children under five years old, killing an estimated 1.8 million children per year. Diarrhoea and pneumonia together account for almost 3.5 million child deaths annually.
Hand washing with soap is estimated to reduce cases of diarrhoea by 30% and respiratory infections by 21% in children under the age of five. It is believed that getting into the habit of hand washing with soap before meals and after using the toilet can save more lives than any single vaccine or medical intervention.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Ambiguous findings
The “controversy” surrounding the passing away of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa after a prolonged battle with diseases in a private hospital in 2016 refuses to die down. Some of her ardent supporters had alleged foul play by pointing the finger of suspicion towards her trusted aide VK Sasikala. Little time was wasted in ordering a judicial commission of inquiry headed by a former high court judge. The commission, after five long years, has handed a voluminous report indicting Sasikala, few doctors and top officials in the former CM’ s death.
The commission based its final findings on three broad parameters discrepancy in the actual time of death, manipulation of records and not conducting certain procedures that were necessary. All this, however, are “possibilities”. It has, literally, overruled an expert AIMS, Delhi committee report that had given a clean chit to the hospital. Experts have gone on record indicating the commission had exceeded its brief.
Also, the commission’s findings have no locus standi in a court of law. What the commission report will do is to keep the political pot boiling. Some politicians will take advantage of the findings at the expense of some others. At the same time, common man will be left wondering as to what really happened to their beloved” “puratchi thalaivi”; did she pass away peacefully or otherwise will remain a question uppermost on their minds.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Use firecrackers
from India
Come Diwali festival and the market is full with crackers with different varieties. Many crackers have colourful display when they are lit . Today we have Chinese products available in the market which has attractive display for children. India has largest producer of crackers and fireworks from Sivakasi situated in Tamil Nadu. Many workers have their livelihood by working in this factory. The workers endanger their life during the production fireworks which has harmful chemicals used.
India should ban imported fireworks from China which are available in open market and across the streets. Government should, on other hand, promote Indian made fireworks and request citizens to buy local products which will provide income to the family members of factory workers. We should buy crackers and fireworks from Indian made brands and thus stop Chinese from entering the said market. It’s in the hands of locals to promote and support the Indian products and discontinue or stop purchasing chines made goods .
Raju Ramamurthy,
Vasco Da Gama
Lead by example
United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres, addressing students at IIT Mumbai, said that India should lead by example, by upholding human rights, as India is elected member of the human rights commission, protecting the rights of journalists, activists and academicians and condemn hate speeches.
He also stated that India should protect the minorities at home in order that India’s voice be heard on the global stage. He made a special mention of Jawaharlal Nehru and to uphold the principles of Gandhiji but tactically avoided mentioning Modiji, a contrast in change in scenario from the tolerant to the intolerant.
Agnelo Furtado, Chinchinim
Liz Truss & Suella’s
resignations in the UK
The recent resignation of Liz Truss, the British PM, has come as a surprise. Admittedly her policies of tax cuts for the rich were skewed. However, no Indian counterpart would have resigned for that. All this required was a policy change. She was better off as trade minister.
As per a news article having Indian NRIs in politics abroad serves no use to our own country. This is because their thinking has been conditioned with a Western mindset that includes a ‘Holier than thou’ attitude. This was displayed in recent times by Suella Gomes Braverman who has now resigned from the UK cabinet. She accused Indians of overstaying their visas in the UK. She also has resigned on trivial grounds.
The UK government is, however, probably more democratic in some ways than our own democracy.
Vinay Rodrigues, Margao
