TATAS: WE TRUST OUR WOMEN!

GINGER HOTEL CONSTRUCTION HAS ALL-WOMEN TEAM: Next time you are in Mumbai you may want to take a break to take a break to go and look at new Ginger Hotel coming up at Santa Cruz! Committed towards empowering women and creating an equitable workplace across industries, Indian Hotels Company (IHCL) collaborated with TATA Projects for the construction of the new Ginger hotel at Santa Cruz in Mumbai by an all-woman engineering team. This marquee project is a significant step towards offering varied opportunities to women professionals in otherwise traditionally male-dominated industries such as construction. Says IHCL MD & CEO Puneet Chhatwal, “At IHCL we are committed to providing equal opportunities for all. Today women are continuing to push boundaries across sectors. This partnership with Tata Projects reiterates this belief.” The new state-of-the-art Ginger located near Mumbai Airport on the Western Express Highway is a 371-room hotel over 19,000 sq mts and will be finished over 19 months. For IHCL it is a continuous journey of empowering women including the recently launched all-woman run luxury residences in Chennai. Take a bow Tata Projects and IHCL! (Inset) Glimpse of the new Ginger coming up.

COVID-19 DEATHS

IT is pertinent to ponder over a few facts and figures vis-à-vis our Covid-19 deaths. Of the world population of 6.6 billion, 288 million people have been infected by the Covid-19 pandemic and 5.44 million have perished globally. One in every 1,213 persons had died. One in every 22.9 persons has been infected and one in every 52.9 persons infected has perished due to the virus.

Vaccinations have arrested the spread of infections and fatalities, but new Omicron variant is about three times more infectious and has been able to circumvent protection afforded by vaccination. It would be prudent to avoid crowds and practice social distancing and wearing of face masks with more discipline!

Along with daily physical exertion to boost natural immunity as well as use immunity boosters in the form of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Improve immunity health to keep viral variants like Delta and Omicron at a distance. Do not fall in the trap of thinking I’m vaccinated, I’m safe from the evil virus!

— Elvidio Miranda, Panaji

GOA FOR SALE!

VOTERS in Goa are confused. They don’t know what kind of a government they now have which will not protect Goa’s interests! What are the issues we face?  Are they not linear projects, double-tracking, coal hub to blacken Goa’s hitherto healthy environment?  Is Goa now being “sold” bit by bit to the crony capitalist friends of the government at Centre at State level courtesy new laws being enacted in India.

Will Goa’s rivers, forts, beaches, heritage sites and even the jails be up for sale to businessman to want to roll in profits beyond imagination for a few, while the many reap poverty and ill-health? Goa’s resources to date enjoyed publicly are now being given away for the pleasure of a few!

Nitin Gadkari boasts about highways and bridges for Goans! How many Goans are they left in Goa? Who is for Goa as we know it till recently? Even the claimants for the PM’s post – be it Mamata Banarjee or Arvind Kejriwal – are quiet. Why don’t they speak up on the vital issues which will turn Goa into a nightmare orgy of unsustainable development?

Daily now we see how many want a piece of the Goan cake, how easily they are poking their fingers into the cake! All they have to do is get into the Goa legislative assembly. For how much? Our politicians paid Rs5,000 per vote per five years. Now politicians offer Rs5,000 per month for five years! Or free electricity!

Talk of winnable candidates – now they are bribing migrant maids, labour, settlers in Goa…the entire electorate with voters’ own money! Now all candidates want to be on the ruling side. Even Reginaldo says so. Instead of defecting after elections they defect before elections and there will be 10+2 scenario numbers game as we witnessed in 2017. Defections before elections, defections after elections. Roll all the way into mountains of money!

And they think they’re fooling the people blind, as if all’s fair? Is it? Are known devils better than the unknown ones? How will you cast your vote?

— R Fernandes, Margao

REAL WOMAN!

I AM sorry to hear about the passing away of Padmashri Sindhutai Sapkal of Maharashtra. She was a social worker par excellence, what she did with her life has earned her a place in every heart. While we see all around us the corrupt and those who cheat constantly in the name of social work! One social worker of old was aware of service to society while many others want money only! There are many who just let go of the verbal bubble that “I want to do social work” but they are actually snatching bread from the mouths of the needy.

When one is born as a human being social debt and paternal debt are also two debts along with the rest of the debt. How we can make the birth of a man meaningful by becoming the parents of an orphan? Sindhutai showed us. If we can continue her work it would be true tribute to her.

 If we go beyond “I, my home, my friends, my family, my relatives” and accept society as one big  family, than being born would be meaningful! Even the rich do not take their riches along with them in death! Their real capital (deposit) is to make a place in the hearts of those who continue to live till their time is over.

There is no denying that money is spent like water in elections even if it is a rural election! India is undergoing massive social transformation. If money is spent on those who need it the most, what is wrong? And who thinks like this? Why must genuine social workers face so many difficulties getting financial help?

Sindhutai was a living example of a social worker and a woman who took her chances with an incomparable adventure till her last breath. Nowadays people have weekend holidays and other holidays and picnics to rest and recreate. Is it possible they could also use some of the money towards funding social services engaged in ameliorating the underprivileged and suffering. It would surely be inspirational to others. To contribute towards the happiness of others instead of just saying, “I am happy!”

Today’s generation which accepts modernity does not listen to their parents but have their own ideas and chase their own dreams and ideas and over which they stumble so often. If they had listened to their parents there would have been fewer stumbles! When their children stumble parents too suffer. Do today’s generation see in Sindhutai their own parents? If they did there would be a change in their behaviour and language they use to castigate parents and family. We need to get back to happy families again!

–ER Jayesh Rane, Mumbai

NO SALARY FOR CZMP SECRETARY?

THE Goa government was to finalise and approve the Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) on December 31, 2021 based on inputs from the National Centre for Sustainable Costal Management (NCSCM, Chennai). But for several reasons the draft report is still pending with the NCSCM and hence the CZMP could not submit the report.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had mentioned that the concerned secretary would not be entitled to claim his salary, if there is failure in submitting the report in time. It’s a harsh and irrational step since secretary is not appointed or an employee of the NGT – the salary is a legal rightful due of an employee. The NCSCM needs to be taken to task or penalised since the work is outsourced and the secretary can at most ardently follow up the progress.

 This is just an example of how the authorities threaten to hold or have held back the salary of senior bureaucrats and heads of organisations. This is unjustifiable since most government work is a team effort and if someone does not contribute to the work in time, either with mala fide or valid reasons, then that particular member is to be held responsible.

Of course, the buck (pun unintended) stops with the boss who is accountable, but by stopping his/her salary nothing will be achieved and the work/report further delayed. No one likes to work on an empty stomach, whatever be their designation or post.

— Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem

PLEASE INTERVENE CHIEF SECRETARY!

THE chief secretary who heads the Goa Administration has to meticulously look into the current recruitment going on in various departments to ensure that merit is not thrown to the winds.

To cite just one example, one Prajot Prashant Bakhale who appeared for a police constable’s post in the written test secured only 28 out of 100 marks. But the same Prajot Prashant Bakhale at the written test for the post of PSI miraculously scored a whopping 99 out of 100. This is mind-boggling and a matter of great concern. Truly bhivpachi garaz asa!

–Aires Rodrigues, Miramar, Goa

INTERNET WOES

I am Swati Rau Valaulicar, a resident of Panaji, currently pursuing engineering from IIT Kharagpur. While surfing the internet I stumbled upon an article where I believe my example has been cited for the wrong reasons.

The discussion in the article is about the cancellation of the 10th board exams and its implications. I answered the 12th board exams this year and the GCET meant for engineering entrance and not the one meant for entry into the science stream for 10+2.

I gave my 10th exam in March 2019 when we had to physically appear for the paper under normal conditions. Also there was no physics paper in particular but a science paper in which I got 100/100 not 75/75 as mentioned.

I was the GCET topper in Physics + Maths this year. (Only Physics and Mathematics are considered for engineering entrance). I believe it is wrong to compare subjective tests like board exams directly with such objective tests. There is a comparable difference in the difficulty levels.

Also my marks in Physics in GCET were 58/75 not 59/75, me being second in the State in the subject.

I found it important to bring this to your notice as I believe correct facts are fundamental to good journalism.

–Swatit Rau Valaulicar, Goa