Time for structural changes in Sri Lanka
The prevailing disastrous situation in Sri Lanka has provided a much-needed opportunity and drive to the nation to make key structural changes to its economy, not just to survive at present, but to thrive in the years to come. There is an urgent need for correcting some of the strategic and structural issues that have putrefied the country to no end. Passing on the true economic cost of living to the population and having schemes and policies to support the worst affected with a transition plan over a period of time could be one such. The well known ‘circular economy’ could be a feasible solution to pull back things to some extent. To overcome the precarious situation, Sri Lanka must institutionalise democracy, excoriate dynastic rules, fix an effective and a populist government with accountability, restore economic policies that benefit the people, and ensure a level playing field for all classes.
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Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Tragedy strikes on Zuari bridge
At midnight tragedy has struck the first Zuari motorway bridge when a car went off control and plunged into the river killing all four occupants.
From my archives of the Portuguese period, the Overseas Ministry, Lisbon, had invited international bids on October 1, 1960 for bridges over the Mandovi and Zuari Rivers in Goa and River Sandalcalo in Daman. Portuguese enginerers took the standpoint that given the treachery of the river beds during the monsoons bridges on piles were too risky and only suspension bridges would serve both engineering and landscaping needs. The bids remained under scrutiny from various angles including the toll provisions when India took over Goa and its dependencies on December 19, 1961.
An Indian Government Undertaking, Richardson & Cruddas, Bombay, was delegated to go into the matter. I knew its General Manager personally and learned that the Portuguese standpoint had come in for criticism and a decision was taken to build all three bridges on piles.
Tragedy struck the Mandovi bridge in 1987, the first Daman bridge not once but twice thereafter, and the Zuari Bridge, after several de-ratings and repairs, only last night.
Today around the world, best of the bridges are absolutely tragedy-free. The first suspension bridge in Lisbon commissioned around 1960 has its deck of thick perforated steel plates for aerodynamic stability and is pot-hole free. Will Indian engineers note?
John Menezes, Mumbai
Indian athletes high on confidence
India’s 75th independence will be acknowledged by participating in the 18th Commonwealth Game which will unfold at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, England from July 28, 2022 to Aug 08, 2022 with a house full of 30,000 spectators emboldening their treasured sportsman and performers. The countdown has started and the stage is set. More than 5000 athletes from 72 commonwealth nation will compete in variegated games. 215 qualified Indian professionals will participate in 16 games. Two- time Olympic medalist PV Sindhu is the flagbearer of Indian contingent. Notably, this year Women’s Cricket for the first time in the history will be part of Commonwealth Games and more medals are at the stake for women. In the last Commonwealth Games 2018, India secured third position with a total of 66 medals. This year too Indian contingent is quite strong. The Indian team has set its sights on to cross the 100-medal mark this time. However, Neeraj Chopra’s absence lessens expectation of success only by one medal. But we are confident that India will be on the top of the podium in all the events.
Tashi Baheti, Ujjain
Stop or minimise culling of birds and animals
It was sad to read about the culling of at least 360 pigs in Wayand District of Kerala and was ostensibly done to prevent the spread of African swine fever. As per the Sub-collector the step was taken following the national protocol and the farmers would be suitably compensated. Around the world, culling is routinely carried out of birds and animals that are suspected or proven to infect diseases to their hale and hearty brethren or to humans. Culling is a selfish procedure by humans so as to safe guards itself. We do not have a right to cull a few diseased faunas because thousands of healthy and innocent ones are also sacrificed. This is extreme cruelty and not dissimilar to genocide. Let us stop taking this easy route of mass killing and instead find cures for the ailments and not tinker with nature. During the covid pandemic several vaccine makers were praised, honoured, became overnight celebrities and their profits soared for having saved millions of people. Are there no capable vaccine developers to help save at least the domestic animals from being culled unnecessarily?
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
International
Tiger Day
International Tiger Day is also referred to as Global Tiger Day and is an annual event organised to raise awareness about the importance of tiger conservation. It is held every year on the 29th of July. NGOs, government organisations and ordinary citizens from every nook and corner of the world organise awareness programmes on this day to spread the significance of protecting the tiger. Tiger Day was first celebrated in the year, 2010 at the Saint Petersburg Tiger Summit and was conceptualised when experts realised that tigers were very close to extinction. Many factors have caused tigers to dwindle, including habitat loss, climate change, hunting and poaching. It aims to protect and expand their habitats and raise awareness of the need of conservation. From ancient times, the tiger has been the subject of constant attraction for their beauty and size and sometimes mythical stories are associated with it. Destruction of tiger population is a glaring indicator about the massive deforestation happening across the world. If tigers get extinct from our forests completely, we will not only lose a species that is essential to many ecosystems, but it also means that enough forest habitats has been destroyed which can endanger Tigers are the symbol of wildlife’s fight for survival. It reminds us about the eminent dangers we face because of man’s greed and over exploitation of our Mother Nature.
Jubel D’Cruz, Mumbai
Band-aid
road repair
Just a week after potholes in Taleigao had been repaired using the much vaunted jet patcher machine acquired by the PWD, the potholes were found to have opened up again. The machine is being tried as a quick fix solution for gaping potholes during the monsoons when the resurfacing of roads and more permanent repairs cannot be taken. To make matters worse, roads seem to be dug up for laying of sewerage, gas and electricity lines by government authorities in an uncoordinated manner especially in the monsoons with the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. But the moot point remains- why should we resort to band-aid solutions at all? If roads are built as per standard engineering practices there won’t be any need for jet patchers and other similar machinery. The government should come down heavily on erring road contractors and a five-year defect liability clause should be an integral part of work contracts awarded to agencies. This might at least help in stemming this criminal waste of tax payer’s money being spent on ineffective road repair measures.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
