Cleaning 5 South Goa beaches
It is learnt that a large group of citizens of South Goa including non-resident Indians (NRIs) staying in the coastal belt have joined hands to carry out a massive cleaning drive across five beaches at Betalbatim and Benaulim in order to mark World Environment Day on June 6. World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated annually on June 6 by the United Nations in order to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the environment.
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WED 2022 will be held under the theme ‘Only One Earth’, highlighting the need to live sustainably in harmony with nature by bringing transformative changes – through policies designed towards cleaner, greener lifestyles. First held in 1974, it has been a platform for raising awareness on environmental issues such as marine pollution, human overpopulation, global warming and for sustainable development. It would be in the fitness of things for the Goa government to observe World Environment Day by engaging the civic bodies and panchayats in getting rid of the dark spots that dot the roadside and other open places present in their respective localities.
These dark spots need to be rid of the garbage and steps need to be taken to see that people do not dump garbage at the spot in future. Dark-spots are a sore-sight and emit a stench while being the reason for the spread of various diseases, especially during the monsoon season.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Australia gets new PM
Australia gets new PM as Anthony Albanese, the centre left of labour party leader becomes new head of the government. His ascension to the nation’s top job from begin raised in social housing by a single mother on a disability pension reflects the changed fabric of the country today.
The 59-year-old career politician who has described himself as the only candidate with a “non anglo celtic name” to run for prime minister in the 121 years the office the existed.
“It says a lot about our great country that a son of a single mom who was a disability pensioner who grew up in public housing down the road in Camperdown can stand before you tonight as Australia’s prime minister.”
Sanskriti Rathore, Panjim
Churches were also destroyed in Goa
Pramod Sawant, Chief Minister of Goa, budgeted some crores aside for reconstruction of Hindu temples destroyed by the Portuguese colonial government. I have nothing against this decision, so long as concomitantly structures of other religions are not adversely affected. Otherwise communal turmoil will be generated. Portuguese destroyed Hindu temples, but by their action or omission they also destroyed Christian churches and institutions. The latter churches and institutions were not built by the Portuguese government but by Religious Institutes and Comunidades.
In 1759, the Portuguese government extinguished the Society of Jesus, as a result of which their magnificent St Paul’s College with attached Church deteriorated and collapsed. In 1835, Portugal abolished all the religious institutes, dealing a mortal blow on the Church. The Dominicans had their St Thomas University, the Franciscans their St Bonaventure College, the Augustinians their College Pro Populo and St William Seminary. The Carmelites had their Friary in Old Goa. All were vast structures and had their respective churches attached thereto, and, after the abolition of the religious institutes and expulsion of the residents, all of them collapsed one after the other.
Sometimes the government ordered opening of the roof, leaving it to the vagaries of the monsoons. Stones and other materials were made use of for building up the city of Panjim. Such treatment was not given to the Hindu temples after their demolition.
Such was the barbaric treatment given to Christian Churches, priests and institutions. Hindu temples were spared it, the Mahajans taking the deities outside the Portuguese territory and building new temples. It is to be noted that the Portuguese were not pro Christians, they were pro themselves.
Mousinho de Ataíde, Saligão,
Courts, our last resort to justice
At a time when objectionable social media posts are circulated with impunity by malcontents sheltering behind the right to free speech, the Supreme Court has ruled that this fundamental right is available only to those who adhere to law and respect legal processes. “Any claim towards fundamental rights cannot be justifiably made without the person concerned himself adhering to and submitting to the process of law.”
This ruling came in a case where an accused had challenged invocation of anti gangster law MCOCA by the Maharashtra government and claimed that it would seriously impact his basic rights, but the general nature of the verdict by the court has far reaching implications on a whole gamut of cases. The bench made it amply clear that any criminal who remains out of reach of any investigating agency stands directly in conflict with the law and ordinarily deserves no concession or indulgence as regards fundamental rights.
One man’s purported fundamental rights should not be allowed to be another man’s poison, as the Centre has all but abdicated its duty and responsibility towards protecting the rights of the minorities and the dalits, the courts remain our last resort for justice.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Woman of Steel doing India proud
Indian women’s boxing is almost synonymous with Mary Kom. She was the first Indian woman to win an Asian and World gold medal. Later Sarita Devi, Jenny RL and Lekha KC did India proud by winning gold medals at the world championship. Of course, the redoubtable Mary was crowned champion for six times. It’s Nikhat Zareen’s turn now to hog the limelight. The 25–year-old comprehensively ousted Thailand’s Jitpong Jutamas in the 52 kg flyweight division at Turkey’s capital Istanbul to emerge victorious. Nikhat’s route to fame has not been rosy by any means.
The girl from Telangana’s Nizamabad fought tradition and conservatism to become what she is today. Baptised to boxing at the age of 13, Nikhat went from strength to strength after early wins. Those in the know say that the boxer is a fitness freak, and that helped her a lot in staying focused. Even a crippling shoulder injury, which put her out of action for a year, could not dither her ability to concentrate hard. Boxing in India is quite a popular sport. Champion men and women boxers have contributed to the sport’s fame as well as gained from it.
The sport discipline requires tremendous training to stay fit. Both professional and amateur boxers make it a point to train hard to retain or gain weight according to their set plans. For many Indian girls, what started as a pastime to boost the much needed self-defence mechanism, boxing has flowered into an unlikely profession. Plenty of girls have taken to the game as a passion to excel.
Though Indian girls are amateur boxers, but most parents cannot stand the sight of their daughters fighting it out in the ring with bruises and cuts. Reassuringly, this trend is changing for the better.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Restricting imports/exports
The government’s move to exempt import levy and cess on 20 lakh tonnes of crude soybean oil and sunflower oil till 2024 must cheer consumers and ease cooking oil prices. Though the Centre has reduced import duty on edible oil seven times since February 2021, the prices have not cooled significantly. India imports 60 per cent of its edible oil, and the prices have soared after the Russian-Ukraine war, and Indonesia banned palm oil exports. In another significant development, the Centre also restricted sugar exports to 100 lakh tonnes to maintain enough domestic supply and prevent a price rise.
N J Ravi Chander,
Bengaluru
