Scripting history
21-year-old Arya Rajendran is all set to script history by becoming the youngest mayor in the country. Arya won from an LDF ticket in Thiruvananthapuram and is the mayor-elect of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation.
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In another welcome development, Reshma Mariam Roy, who turned 21 just a day before the last date for filing nomination, is on course to becoming Kerala’s youngest panchayat chief.
The LDF’s top brass placing their trust in the youth and giving them key responsibilities is laudable. Way to go!
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
One in every 100 infected by Covid
The pandemic Covid-19 figures make for very grim reading. The total number of infected cases globally has touched the 80.7 million mark with the total fatalities having reached the 1.76 million mark. China which has a population of 1.4 billion recorded just 86,976 cases as against 4,634 deaths, the lowest in the world among the large nations although the coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan. India which has a population of 1.3 billion recorded 10.2 million infections with 1,48,000 deaths so far. The United States of America which has a population of 330 million recorded a hefty 19.1 million cases with a heavy death toll of 3,30,000. Brazil with a population of 210 million recorded a massive 7.47 million infections and a heavy death toll of 1,91,000. Cumulatively Europe with a population of 741 million has recorded infection cases of 16.2 million and over 4,00,000 deaths.
From these figures it is evident that more than one in every 100 people globally has contacted Covid-19 and one in every 4300 have succumbed to the virus globally population wise. It is hoped with vaccinations having started in China, UK, USA and Russia, the infections and the death toll from now on will decrease as other countries too are on the verge of starting vaccinations with different vaccines that have been approved and are on the point of being approved.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Panjim parking woes
With the new year approaching, parking woes are getting worse in Panjim and the coastal belt. Tourists from border states as well as from Delhi and Rajasthan are driving into the state to make merry as if there is no tomorrow, that they are not following any social distancing norms is another story altogether.
Parking problems in Panjim are aggravated due to the presence of offshore casinos, visitors park their vehicles in every available nook and cranny available along DB Marg. It’s a virtual nightmare for local residents. While traffic police have been clamping and fining vehicle owners during the day time, night presents another set of challenges altogether. Bigwigs visiting casinos not only haphazardly park their cars along the road but also get into arguments with traffic police when confronted, it seems they have a divine right to park wherever they please. Violators get off easily because the fine is just Rs 100, ‘No parking’ zones are ironically magnets for such miscreants.
To mitigate such conditions the Panaji Corporation should make it mandatory for casino visitors to park their cars at Patto multi-storey parking and then walk up to the casino pick up jetties just across the road. Also parking violators should be penalised atleast Rs 500 to act as an effective deterrent. Deployment of well-trained and staff and strict policing on New Year’s eve would alleviate the parking problem to some extent, casinos should also be levied a parking cess on a per vehicle basis to discourage motorists from driving right up to their jetties. Such small steps would go a long way in improving parking problems during Christmas/ New Year in the capital.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Courting danger
According to a report published on the December 28, 2020 Goa has the second highest positivity rate in the whole of India, second only to Kerala.
Is it not disgraceful for a state which at one time had the best statistics and lowest positive cases, to be catapulted to the uneviable status of the state with the second highest positivity rate?
Does this not speak volumes of wrong policies adopted by the administrators in this tiny beautiful state of Goa?
Despite the fact that we now have the in famous achievement of having the second highest positivity rate in the country the administration continues to hide its neck in the sand, like the proverbial ostrich and has thrown caution to the winds welcoming one all and sundry to the state by luring them, tempting them with the promised bait that there will be no restrictions on their celebratory activities over the Christmas season and the new year?
Does this not ring the death bells for the poor suffering permanent residents of Goa. It has been reported that a new variant virus was detected in Singapore but the Government of Singapore immediately instituted very strict measures which wiped out the spread of of the new variant virus.
Would it be difficult for the authorities to adopt such prudent measures to protect the people of Goa? One can only hope and pray that wisdom will dawn on the minds of the administrators.
Will it be too difficult for the administration in Goa to do that, or is it completely blinded by the alleged financial benefits to a handful of people who benefit from a flawed policy.
Rosario Menezes, Vasco
Seafarers pension
When a young boy does his pre-sea-training course to join Merchant Navy or a Cruise Liner he gets his certificate like any other course but with that he cannot join Merchant Navy or a Cruise Liner. He has to apply for a Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) to the Office of Director General of Shipping,which is issued by the Central Government under the Ministry of Surface Transport which includes Ministry of Shipping and thus this young boy joins merchant navy or a cruise liner and becomes a Central Government employee.
When these seafarers work for Indian companies like Shipping Corporation of India, now defunct Scindia steamships, Moghul Lines, our very own Dempo Shipping, Chowgule Shipping, the Great Eastern Shipping Company and many others they are well paid and in return they pay income tax to the Central Government.
As you all know what hardships these seafarers are suffering to fulfill their duties on board the ship. It seems central government as well as states governments do not show any concern about these our seafarers brothers. Many Members of Parliament know their plight but nobody has the decency to raise their issues in the Parliament. Some seafarers also became Members of Parliament and even they have failed to raise the seafarers issues in the Parliament. And the most important issue of the seafarers is their pension issue.
Since these seafarers are the holders of Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) a document issued by the Ministry of Surface Transport why these seafarers are not liable for pension scheme when they retire like any other government employee? These seafarers spent their life at sea and come to stay with their families only when they retire. Some families also leave them when they retire to leave him of his own and this is a fact. Seafarers Social Welfare Fund Society (SWFS) used to give a mere sum of Rs 200 per month as ex-gratia allowance after retirement but that also has been stopped now.So what is the use of that document called CDC issued by ministry of surface transport?
My humble appeal to Goa Government as well as all other states to bring this seafarers issue before the Minister of Surface Transport and get a pension started to these retired seafarers.
Natividade Fernandes, Cavelossim
