We have to appreciate the central and State governments that have placed an interim ban on the sale of Maggi noodles. At last, we are seeing some sort of concern shown towards the people with respect to food. MNCs in India are only interested in making huge profits at the cost of the common man. They complain at several platforms about the difficulty in doing business in India. I feel it is very simple and easy to do business in India, by just reflecting on the case of Maggi noodles. Most MNCs don’t care for the health and welfare of the Indian as they know they can get away with it due to past precedents as with the case of Union Carbide (Bhopal gas tragedy).
MNCs in India want minimum investment with maximum profits. This can be only achieved by processing and marketing sub-standard food products. They know how to get clearances/approvals in India. Just consider, if this had to happen in Western Europe or USA, some of these top Maggi officials could have been in court facing serious charges and their manufacturing units could have been closed down with immediate effect. Now, the central and state governments must go after other MNCs and Indian brands that may also lower quality for greater yield.
Paul Pereira, Utorda
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Example for Goa from Canacona
I have just returned from a holiday in Palolem and was impressed with the free garbage collection available to all residents. Along the roadsides there are green garbage bins spaced out to allow residents to dispose their garbage. I was informed that the municipality comes and empties the bins daily. I also saw some bicycles that have carts at the back and are sponsored by various restaurants and businesses to collect garbage lying along the road. I was impressed by how clean the roads are kept and with no plastic in sight. My only question is this, now we know it is possible to clean up then why don’t other municipalities join in to make this a garbage-free Goa.
Francis Fernandes, Parra
One man’s food is another man’s poison
While there is a pan-India ban on Maggi noodles which has transcended even international borders like Nepal and Bhutan due to the presence of high levels of lead and MSG, our Goa government has given a clean chit to Maggi after testing for the banned substances in the laboratories which speaks of the efficacy of the testing equipment of the State Food and Drugs Administration. Even the Army and Services canteens and all major food outlets, including malls and food bazaars have withdrawn Maggi noodles from their shelves. With the detection of spurious health harming substances in Maggi 2-minute noodles, Nestle the manufacturers have come under the scanner for examination of their other portfolio offerings.
The international multinational food chain had to bear the brunt of the public ire even without sparring high-profile celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan and Madhuri Dixit who endorsed their products. These multinational companies pour money into the coffers of these super rich models and by virtue of their international appeal, the masses fall victims to their nefarious deeds.
Not surprisingly the stock of Nestle was hammered down to pulp on the Indian bourses and the shares of rival multinational Britannia shot through the roof.
Everette Assis Telles, Chandor
Marathi protagonists flogging a dead horse
Protagonists for equal status for Marathi as Goa’s official language have not reconciled to the fact that the issue was settled once and for all, when Konkani was declared Goa’s official language nearly 30 years ago. They keep flogging a dead horse by raising the demand for Marathi to be given equal status as Goa’s official language.
Recently, the so-called Marathi Rajyabhasha Samiti organized a dharna in front of the chief minister’s official residence at Altinho, Panjim. The group is meeting various political leaders and legislators in an attempt to persuade them to support their demand.
Even after 30 years of the advent of Goa as a separate State with its own official language – Konkani, pro-Marathi elements have not reconciled to the reality of Goa. Even the first CM of Goa, Dayanand Bandodkar, accepted the reality after Goans opted to retain its separate status in the Opinion Poll in 1963, rejecting merger with Maharashtra.
Albert Colaco, by e-mail
BJP’s deceit on Special Status
The BJP is now proven to have clearly deceived Goa on Special Status to protect our land and identity. The ex-CM and now Defence minister said one thing, the current CM and BJP national president say something else.
Arwin Mesquita, Colva
