Over the years the government has held several seminars, talks, lectures and has used the print and the electronic media to educate the people on how the HIV virus is transmitted and which are high risk groups. Probably everyone is aware of the modes of transmission of the HIV virus. The fact remains that people, like the parents of the other students of the Rivona school are not willing to accept the truth. The real problem could be not lack of awareness but lack of will to accept the facts. There lies the real malady.
It must be said that children are more at risk of suffering from communicable diseases such as viral fever, chicken-pox and tuberculosis which can be communicated from one child to another rather than getting infected by the HIV+ virus from an HIV+ child. To oppose HIV+ students getting school admission has no medical, moral or legal justification. It is pertinent to note that in orphanages HIV+ children do live together with the other normal children. Then how come these normal children do not get affected by the virus. Hopefully the agitating parents will see reason and put to rest the entire controversy.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Witchcraft and Brazil
Brazil has a long history of believing in witchcraft. God is the Only One who gives success. If you believe in the Only One no evil forces or voodoo priest can tie our legs or hands because we have a High Priest above who only blesses us and never curses us. Hats off to Germany, the World Cup may be theirs.
Maria Gracias, Agacaim
BPL methodology flawed
Those spending more than Rs 32 per day in rural areas and Rs 47 in urban areas are not poor, according to the Rangarajan committee, and hence not eligible for food subsidies under the ‘below the poverty line’ (BPL ) scheme. The methodology in deciding who is poor and who is not , is flawed. It is the ‘quality of life’ and not amount of money spent that should be the main criterion for determining poverty.
A beggar in Mumbai who lives on the footpath spends a minimum of Rs 60 a day for two spartan meals and two cups of tea. As per the new norms the beggar is not poor and not eligible for subsidized food- grains .
However, a man living in a 2-bedroom flat whose son is employed in the Gulf has an orange ration card and draws govt subsidized rations regularly. And at the very top of the social ladder we have a super-rich person who owns a fleet of cars But pays the same subsidized rate for an LPG gas cylinder as a BPL family! What a travesty of justice!
Determination of poverty and subsidies should not be linked to spending power but to a ‘basket of standard of living markers’. Those who live in cooperative housing flats above 500 sq feet in area should not be eligible for benefits available to orange ration cards even if they possess such cards. Finally all those working in the unorganised sector like daily wage earners, labourers , watchmen, house maids, delivery boys etc must be eligible for all BPL benefits even if they earn more than the set norms of Rs 47 per day or Rs 7000 per month for a family of five members.
Prof Robert Castellino, Mumbai
Street fights
This is in reference to the news article, appeared in your esteemed daily, on June 18, wherein a 30 year old man lost his life in a bid to prevent a scuffle. A good samaritan, Somnath Kankorkar of Carambolim, had rushed to separate some persons fighting at the Carambolim Panchayat. When he was hit on the stomach causing him internal injuries and he succumbed to death while undergoing medical treatment at the GMC Hospital.
There was a similar incident at Baina,Vasco wherein my friend, Joseph Braganza intervened to save a person who was being battered by some youth and the crowd around was a mute spectator, just watching the show. The heroic act of such person who comes for the rescue goes unnoticed.
On considering the above situation, it is suggested that there should be patrolling on streets at regular intervals. CCTV cameras can be installed at different corners in the city. Police vehicles equipped with radar can be stationed at certain distance. It is also noticed that some CCTV cameras installed at Vasco are not functioning.
These precautions if taken correctly can save further loss of life and track down on other road offences and curtail crimes.
Veena Fernandes, Cansaulim
