Youth addicted to online games!
This has reference to the report ‘Youth in Goa addicted to online games and gambling’ (Herald, July 23). First we as parents express our appreciation and thanks to the Congress MLA Sankalp Amonkar for raising the important issue in the assembly demanding a ban on online games and gambling.
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The assurance given by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to take necessary action is a welcome sign of how Opposition and ruling parties can come together for a common good and welfare of Goa. We hope to see some concrete results in this direction!
Governments can block or alter the structure of domain names, filter and block specific keywords, block a particular IP address or urge online content providers to remove content or search results.
Besides the govt’s role, the schools and college authorities should have regular interactive counselling for students on the evil of online games by providing alternate modes of activities by keeping students active in sports, music and cultural activities. Parents need to be guided on available parental control tools for mobiles and computers.
The students addicted to online games cannot concentrate on achieving good results in sports, academics, music activities, etc. The students with this distraction are sacrificing the much-needed time to develop their full potential with the skills, education and knowledge and to become fruitful citizens!
Parents are helpless in dissuading or disciplining the child from accessing the Internet with mobiles or computers, the child makes pretence to study with computers or mobiles. The very tools which promise to equip the child with latest knowledge and know-how are also the cause to online addictive gaming and other vices!
Strict action by govt by banning and raiding content providers will reduce the addiction of this evil. A well-groomed student will be an asset to a nation as an adult!
Lazarus D’Souza, Bastora
Nasal spray to prevent Covid
According to researchers, widely available vaccinations may not be enough to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus and its future variants. But using a nasal spray as a booster may help keep most of the population free from serious illnesses from the disease. It is learnt that robust antibody responses in the respiratory tract would neutralise the virus, preventing the establishment of viral infection and subsequent passing of the infection to others. Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia has reportedly published successful phase 3 clinical trial results of Nitric Oxide Nasal Spray (NONS) treatment for Covid-19. According to researchers, NONS was safe and well-tolerated in Covid patients. A nasal spray administered in high-risk adult Covid patients in India reportedly reduced viral load by 94 per cent within 24 hours and 99 per cent in 48 hours. According to medical experts, this therapy has the potential to make a crucial contribution to Covid-19 management with its ease of use in the current highly transmissible phase of pandemic. Nitric Oxide blocks entry into the nasal passage, kills the virus, and stops its replication, which is why viral load is reduced so rapidly with the nasal spray. Goa has seen a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases in the past few weeks. Some deaths due to the dreaded disease have also been reported. If the antiviral nasal spray is effective in reducing the viral load and preventing the spread of the infection, then it will be a further boost for the management of the disease.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Good selection
The choice of President-elect Draupadi Murmu was a calculated and positive move by National Democratic Alliance as we are having the fist tribal community President for the first time since Independence and that too, a woman. From the moment name of Murmu was revealed it was clear that no other candidate could match her. Having vast experience in politics, she is spiritually inclined and a wonderful human being. If Mahatma Gandhi was alive, he would have been delighted at Murmu’ s elevation.
It was an eye-opener to understand the extent of the powers of President. The President of India is always presented as a rubber stamp .The presentation often obfuscates and devalues the most prestigious position of the state. The President is not a rubber stamp but a custodian of constitutional values. That position is most crucial in today’s tines when we are witnessing the erosion of constitutional values. The President, who neither reigns nor governs, always has to protect, preserve and safeguard the Constitution. Through the years India has seen different Presidents who explored different niches of their powers, ranging from an aggregator of public grievances to mere rubber stamps. It is a correct assessment that when political stalwarts occupy the chair of the President, they are capable of making impartial decisions irrespective of their party affiliations.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
App-based tourist service
After a lot of huffing and puffing on the controversial app-based tourist service, it has at last dawned on the govt that the hail-a-cab aggregator service is the best option for Goa to boost the tourism sector which is the mainstay of the State’s economy.
Competition should be the mantra of the transport system and Ola, Uber and Meru cabs should occupy space on our roads which will reduce traffic congestion as commuters would prefer to avail of this app-based service instead of using their own vehicles for commuting. Now almost every household has two or more vehicles to cater to their daily needs as the public transport service is pathetic.
The tourist taxis are holding the government to ransom by thwarting its efforts to run an app-based service for the benefit of tourists and locals. These tourist taxis remain immobilised at their respective locations and passengers have to hunt to find them to avail of their service. Now that the government has pampered them enough with multiple sops including free installation of fare meters it is time to stop the carrot and stick policy.
Goa Miles which was first of the block of app-based service promoted by the Tourism Department and was patronised by tourists and locals alike without hassles, but came into rough weather with confrontation with the taxi mafia duly supported by the vested politicians. The scare factor of frequent attacks on drivers of Goa Miles and vehicles has left a scar on this service as otherwise by increasing the fleet of Goa Miles the need for entry of other cab aggregators would have been obviated.
Everette Assis Telles, Margao
Let’s vote for new faces
Panchayat elections in Goa are announced on August 10, 2022. It is nice to see the young generation filing their nomination forms. Goans are fed up with the old faces who always contest the election and beg for votes saying that this is my last election please vote me to power and I will do your work. But soon as he or she is elected there is no sign of the betterment in the village only corruption. This election people should stay away from the candidates who try to buy your votes and the election should be not fought on party lines. The persons who contest the panchayat elections must love their village only then the candidates can fight for their rights and betterment of the village. Previous election the elected representatives wasted time on fighting among themselves on party lines and we have seen that there was no development but only arguments at gram sabhas. Now it’s time to change the old faces with new ones who are smart, educated and capable of taking our villages forward. Let’s vote for the right candidates this election and throw out the corrupt old faces.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
