Time to relaunch the e-tablet scheme
The e-tablet scheme, which was launched by the then ex-chief minister, Manohar Parrikar had faced lot of objections and therefore the scheme was not implemented in the State.
Since online classes are going on in the Goa, time has come to relaunch the e-tablet scheme as all the students do not have smart phones mobiles. Most of the parents cannot afford to buy smart mobile phones.
In the upcoming Goa assembly session government must propose and pass this scheme to provide free smart mobile phones to need and deserving students.
“The e-tablets however have not been provided to all the students,” a minister had said in a past Assembly session, pointing out that instead, it is proposed to refurnish the ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) laboratories in schools.
It was also revealed that during the academic year 2012-13, altogether 46,728 students have been the beneficiaries of the e-tablet scheme.
However, this is a right time to distribute free e tablets to the students during this Covid-19 pandemics. Parents will never mind in case mid day meal scheme is cancel.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora
How to keep the defectors at bay?
While appreciating your article ‘Judas took 30 pieces of silver for betraying Jesus, then he repented and gave up his life (Herald Insight, June 29) with my head down in shame for being a Christian the religion that encompasses in its fold 8 of the 10 defectors who defected to BJP only for their personal gains, the Congress failed to make strong move to highlight the disastrous effects of this defection on the Congress, on Goa and on the democratic process we are following.
By this one undemocratic act the defectors challenged every democratic minded Goan who not only became dumb and blind but totally surrendered to the defectors.
Going back in early seventies, when immediately following the defection of 5 UGP MLAs to Bandodkar’s MGP, Dr Jack de Sequeira as the leader of Opposition United Goans Party called public meetings with the support of the constituents of the defectors in their constituencies to protest over this defection. Speaking in front of the mammoth crowd on football ground at Calangute where from one defector Valente Sequeira came, Dr. Sequeira said “Democracy has been killed in Goa. It is time now for all the constituents of all the constituencies of the defectors to forcefully barge on their doors and pull them out and demand explanation from them on whose permission they defected”.
Now, this will be a regular trend to defect even though all the candidates will promise never to defect but I have no trust in them. In view of this, can any expert in this field devise some legal methods to put a barricade on defection?
A Veronica Fernades, Candolim
Goans should stop relying on politicians
Dr Pramod Sawant-led BJP government currently seems to be very much in a hurry on welcoming all the outsiders from the neighbouring States despite threats of the third wave looming large in Goa.
It should be noted that the same government had earlier put Goans in deep trouble during the second wave after casually inviting/allowing hordes of domestic tourists from neighbouring States for months to roam around in large groups (despite several warnings from medical experts about the possible surge of the second wave of the Corona virus in the State) and to have a party time without even following any SOPs in Goa.
Unfortunately, this lax attitude of the government had led to an unprecedented increase in cases and deaths resulting from the second wave of Covid-19 that spread across the State.
Of course, Chief Minister Dr Sawant now says that only those who are fully vaccinated would be allowed to enter the State. But the big question is how can the government be so 100% sure that visitors entering Goa and who are fully vaccinated have not contracted Covid recently and are not asymptomatic carriers?
Looks like Dr Sawant and some of his close ministers somehow want the show of all the neighbouring visitors to go on, no matter what happens next by only restricting the movement/keeping most small-time business establishments of Goans shut in Goa.
I therefore feel that we Goans should stop relying on such anti-Goan politicians in today’s most crucial times and learn to aggressively keep ourselves alive somehow by staying fully safe and to run our own families independently in the years to come. Viva Goenkar.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Ribandar thanks outgoing parish priest
After tirelessly serving our Ribandar Church for seven long years, our dear Parish Priest Fr Antonio Lourenco Fernandes moves on to the Socorro Church. Not a seven-year itch but a call to serve another parish.
Our church had been lacking in the very basic amenities while the infrastructure left a lot to be desired. As a result of his determination, the entire church premises is now magnificent and one that we can all be proud of.
The parishioners of Ribandar will always remain ever so indebted for the incredible transformation of our church that Fr Fernandes made possible by his sheer dedication and relentless hard work. He was a Messiah sent by God to restore the glory of God’s people and the church. A warrior of Christ he has been.
Ribandar also remains so very grateful to Architects Ashley Mascarenhas and Dattaprasad Wagle who along with Structural Engineer Paresh Gaitonde and the crew for having through their expertise given our parish priest all the assistance and guidance in making a very tall dream come true. We wish Fr Fernandes an abundance of blessings and all the very best in his pastoral ministry for many years to come.
Whilst we say adieus but not good bye to Fr Fernandes, we warmly welcome into our fold Fr Francisco Jacinto Dias who takes over as our new parish priest of Ribandar to keep the flame burning and continue to keep our spirits uplifted.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Compensate Electricity Department workers?
Just recently Goa witnessed one of the worst natural disasters when cyclone Tauktae hit the State along with the States of Kerala, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. The extremely severe cyclonic storm caused widespread damage to infrastructure and agriculture. It was the worst storm to hit India’s west coast in over 20 years.
One of the casualties of a storm is the electricity supply. The power supply in Goa was disrupted as trees fell on electricity cables and electricity poles were destroyed. High-tension towers were damaged and electricity conductors snapped. Incidentally, barring a few cities, Goa does not have underground cabling across the state. Incidentally over 700 to 800 low-tension poles had reportedly broken while more than 100 high 11KV poles were damaged in the cyclone. Getting the power supply back was a herculean task.
The ground staff of the Electricity Department worked round the clock under trying conditions even putting their lives at risk as it was still raining. Power supply to all consumers was restored in the quickest possible time. The tremendous effort put in by the ground staff of the Electricity Department needs to be acknowledged by the government. The staff of the Electricity Department who restored the power supply under trying circumstances need to be provided cash benefit for the work done post the cyclone.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
