Increasing death of marine animals
This is to bring to your kind attention about the issue of marine plastic pollution being created in Goa by dumping and disposal of plastic waste. Due to this, the entire stretch of water body and adjoining areas has lost natural beauty and endangered marine life, fishes, corals including mangroves.
Goa is known for its beautiful touristic coastal belt and is famous for its sea food. as we all know that most of the tourist visiting Goa do go for the Dolphin trips , but its very rare to find Dolphins now since the death rate of marine life is increasing by the cause of plastic. The most dangerous type of ocean pollution is plastic. Each year, at least eight million tonnes of plastics flow into the ocean. It is expected that by 2050 our ocean will be having more plastic than marine life, if required measures are not taken. “To see our ocean clean and plastic-free one day, we need to start by increasing the knowledge and understanding of plastic pollution among people of all backgrounds.”
This is clear evidence of the impact it will have on our immediate future. I hope this letter has significantly brought the matter into light such that concerned government authorities could take effective measures on the same.
Salma Fernandes, Candolim
Shift people to a safer place
A 65-year-old woman was crushed to death at New Vaddem in Vasco after a loose boulder rolled down a hillock and ripped through her home located at the foot of the hill. Heavy rains caused three boulders to loosen and roll down the hillock. One of them around 10 feet tall tore through the house of the senior citizen and crushed her to death.
It is understood that the landslide has rendered the hillock unstable and there are possibilities of more boulders and mud sliding down due to the incessant rains thus posing danger to people living in the houses located in the vicinity. It is believed that several houses have been damaged due to the landslide. The boulders that have been stuck midway in the loose mud can also come rolling down due to the rains. It thus becomes prudent for the authorities to shift the inmates of the other houses to a safer place by providing them with alternate accommodation. This will prevent any possible tragedy occurring at the spot again.
The authorities also need to build a retaining wall on a war footing in order to prevent such landslides occurring in the future.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Modernise education system
Indian education system requires modernisation. Whether one blames the colonial hangover, regional frictions, deficient leadership, chaotic administration, insufficient regulations, apathetic faculty. The system must strive towards maintenance of standards and a balance between total autonomy and over regulation.
Presently the curriculum adhered to in almost all our institutions of higher education are prosaic and archiac, reeking of the British era. But the curriculum should match the changing times and be devised enriching the campus experience of the learners in its entirety including cognitive, emotional and spiritual domains of learning.
K.G.Vilop, Chodan
Unethical change in family values?
In 70s, an advance inland letter costing 20 paise from Mumbai to a close relative in Goa saying ‘we are coming for school vacation was good enough’ to spread the message to all the near and dear ones. The dusty home was prepared for arrival, food and beverages were stocked, close family members were informed joyously with genuine excitement in their hearts was brewing feasty atmosphere, which one could literally see and feel the touch on arrival.
As years have gone by, one can see the black and white changes, one wonder why and who is responsible, of course it is selfish you and me! In warm homes in our Goa as Goan with rich hospitality, where the family was the most important institution that has survived through the ages. Being a proud Goan, you will agree that we lived in collectivist society with the highest integrity being loyal to siblings, parents and even to grandparents. Then, a family bicycle was used and taken care as a branded rich car with pride. Then Goan family was considered strong, stable, close, resilient, and enduring as the joint, united well gelled family. Generally, includes three to four living generations, including uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and grandparents proudly introducing the achievements of each other with pride and lived as one blood. We used eat the food cooked at one hearth, share a common income, shared fruits, rice grains and vegetables from a common ancestor’s property with pride and open heart.
Although, we know, the personal reasons forced us to act ignorant or hypocritic – or is it change in our culture, ethnicity, cross marriages, competition among each other to become property rich or acting likes crabs; not allowing or cannot see one to come up in life.
In conclusion, let’s look at the unprecedented pandemic Covid-19, which has put the world into complete economic disaster that opened our eyes and mind to think otherwise and to revisit or thoughts to think of those old days with family values were the best, today we are at the mercy of unknown for help. Where do we stand today, having little or zero family value? None should forget that we are dust and will return to dust, everything we forcefully or selfishly accomplished, will remain behind.
In conclusion, having no ego no pride for family values that our ancestors thought us, let’s forget, forgive and unite at the earliest, retaining Family value has the best moving ahead! I’m ready, are you?
Gaston Dias, Sarzora
Wrong development model
In Goa, do people know what development they want? Is it type that’s devastating world’s environment, trees, water resources, hills, wildlife, air etc. Is it not stupid to copy known destructive plans vs. using our brains for a sustainable one?
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
Labour Reform Bills passage
The passage of three labour reform bills that removes stringent conditions on winding up of companies and easing restrictions on firing from 100 to 300 employees by firms without government sanction is a watershed moment.
The three bills provide a broad balance between the needs of industry and the rights of workers and help attract more investment and job creation. It also provides for minimum dues for retrenched workers which is welcome.
As expected the passage of the Bill has come in for adverse remarks from the labour unions and it is best to ignore them.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Nu Shi Nalini saga refuses to die
The saga of naptha ship Nu Shi Nalini just refuses to die down. Now that the CBI after a preliminary inquiry has found out that the diversion of the subject vessel from Kochi to Mormagao which finally anchored and subsequently also got grounded, smacks of some conspiracy that transpired between the owners, the Captain and officials of MPT causing a loss of Rs 55 crores to the national exchequer.
The grounding of the vessel itself could have caused a catastrophic marine ecological disaster if the naptha tanks had to get ruptured. The CBI inquiry should go little deeper so that more skeletons come tumbling out of the closet and the guilty severely punished which may also include some netas.
Lucas DSouza, Verna
