It was heartrending to read about the unfortunate death of a woman at Mapusa because of break failure of a road roller. The transport authorities seem to wash their hands off by claiming that as per the Motor Vehicle Acts, a road roller is not vehicle, but an equipment. To compound to this callous claim of the RTO, a road roller need not be registered and the driver need not have a licence. These are laughable matters, but not under the present grave circumstances. Several questions arise. Is such an MV Act unique to Goa or it exists throughout the country? Have no accidents ever happened anywhere because of a road roller? If a monstrous road roller is not a vehicle then what is it? How is it permitted to ply on the roads? The driver should be arrested, tried for manslaughter using an ‘equipment’ and jailed for life. Also, the owner of the ‘equipment’ should be tried for supplying a murder weapon. In public interest, the RTO should publish a list of such ‘equipments’ that could ply on roads without registration, licence, insurance etc.
Sridhar D Iyer, Caranzalem
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Celebrating Girl Child Day
Merely celebrating ‘Girl Child Day’ on January 24 every year is not enough. Registration of properties in women’s names showed remarkable rise in Delhi after stamp-duty on such deals was subsidized for women. Union and State governments should take all possible measures for similar concessions, such as reducing VAT on items like vehicles registered in name of women. Interest-rates for home and other loans may be subsidized while on deposits it can be extra for women. Some fields like dentists and gynaecologists in medical-science should be exclusively for women. Females should have a sense of security by having automatic and instant rights in husbands’ ancestral and personal property but only for married life without divorce. Women should be given 33 percent reservation in legislature and in government-jobs in our presently male-dominated political system.
Madhu Agrawal, Delhi
Crimes by youth on the rise
There is no doubt that almost every good and bad field has developed significantly over the past few decades as can be seen in behavior and actions of young people. Crimes by teenagers and youth have become a great matter of concern. According to recent figures there has been a rapid increase in violence, robbery and even murders by the youth. The main reason for this is that nowadays youth are growing with lack of attention from parents and even teachers. Moreover children lack social and emotional knowledge at school. Secondly, action movies with murder and robbery have become popular amongst youth. Such movies lead to an increase in crimes among youth as they try to ape the stars in the movies. The best way to reduce these crimes is value based education.
Zeba Khan Pathan, Margao
High end domestic tourism
I fully agree with the thoughts voiced by Prof Robert Castellino on high end domestic tourism. My observation is that contrary to encouraging high end domestic tourism, the government policy or the lack of it seems to actively encourage low end all male tourism. Your state provides the cheapest liqour in the country. No rule of law is enforced with regard to tourist behaviour. Cheap illegal roadside eateries have opened up all over. All these factors not only bring in low end tourists, they actually drive out high end family tourists. Which family would like to visit a state which is swarming with hordes of unruly male tourists?
Pradeep Bhatia, New Delhi
Is RSS uniting India?
The statement made by Kiran Bedi that RSS is uniting India is bizarre and needs to be condemned by not just Delhites but all peace loving Indians. There have been four attacks on churches in Delhi and neither the BJP government led by Modi nor Kiran Bedi have uttered a single word condemning these incidents. If India is going to have leaders like Kiran Bedi it would destroy the communal fabric of the country.
Matias Lobo, Oman
Hand in glove
The Malbhat issue needs to be considered by every Madgaonkar to keep anti-social activities at bay. It appears that political parties and police are hand in glove on the said issue, if not, how could a local hotel run a prostitution racket in broad daylight. It’s unfortunate that the Margao police are not doing anything on the said issue. Hats off to Gurunath Kelekar for speaking out loud!
Fr Selwin Colaco, Sanquelim
