BALANCE DIET!
NATIONAL NUTRITION WEEK: It was acelebration of health with a cyclothon and walkathon at the PES Higher Secondary School, Farmagudi on September 12, 2022. The week was organised by the Directorate of Health Services, State Family Welfare Bureau in coordination with the Primary Health Centre, Ponda, under Family Welfare Health and Wellness Centre. Speaking on the occasion Chief Medical Officer Dr Rajendra Borkar highlighted the importance of a balanced diet for a healthy life. He ruedthe fact that on one hand there is malnutrition and on the other hand there is the consumption of fast food — which is at the root of many health problems. His advice was eat healthy, live healthy, think healthy! Present on the occasion was chief guest Ritesh Naik (chairperson, Ponda Municipal Council) who added that people have to be educated. It is a balanced diet and exercise which keeps us fit. Present were Vishwas Raikar (principal, Higher Secondary School, Farmagudi), Rauji Palni (health educator), doctors and nurses from Directorate of Health Serviced. Francis Cardozo was also present. The dignitaries flagged of the cyclothon and walkathon. Dr Smita Parcekar (health officer, Primary Health Centre, Ponda) gave the welcome address while Dr Dhanashri Bakhale proposed the vote of thanks.
KOW TOWING TO BRITISH QUEEN!
INDIA has always been a submissive colony and ever ready to bow to European heads of state, especially the British monarchy! Whatever the truth about the history of British colonialism in British-time India…all is forgiven now and a forgiving India is keeping its flag at half-mast as a mark of respect for the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II of England. All this on the part of India while even France is doing nothing about the royal queen’s passing on into eternity!
This sounds ironic for most of us thinking Indians — when in Modi’s India the BJP will not bow to Pakistan or Muslim flags or states, but is ever ready to harass Muslims right or wrong! It raises a pertinent question: Over the centuries of British rule have Hindus acquired a built-in cultural affinity and an inferiority complex for European countries and all things European?
–Eddie Ray, Goa
BJP’S COW PARANOIA EXPOSED!
IVR Joint Director Ashok K Mohanty says that consuming milk from LSD-lumpy skin diseased cows’ milk — boiled or not boiled – is pure and will not harm anyone drinking it. Such cows are only very weak with their milk production reduced by 40-50%! Is it not downright cruel to cows to continue milking them in their poor health status? 16.42 lakh cattle are infected with LSD and 75,000 died in just a few months.
Animal right groups must look into this. The character of Indian trolls lies exposed as they are silent about the same. Gallons of milk from Gujarat — where many districts are infected with the LSD — are sold in Goa. Goans must think twice before consuming this milk for it is abetting animal cruelty.
Can our South Goa MP, who seems to be gearing up for another term — not my vote for sure — take this up in the Lok Sabha?
–R Fernandes, Margao
JUDICIARY, IS OUR LAST HOPE
WITH the fabric and integrity of politics awfully corroded and amidst a very dysfunctional politically manipulated Executive, the Judiciary plays a very crucial role in delivering justice against skewed government decisions and awfully flawed legislations.
Judiciary has had to take charge of Goa’s governance to a large extent in cracking the whip on illegal acts of those in power and authority. The steep rise in public Interest litigations over the last few years is a very clear sign that people are ready to stand up and legally challenge the injustice meted out to society. Over the last many decades, I have attempted to do my little bit in knocking the doors of the Judiciary, with now two issues raised still awaiting final adjudication by our High Court.
One is that intervention application in 2020 on the petition filed by Raymond Fernandes, son of then Deputy Speaker Isidore Fernandes, challenging the government decision, dropping him from the list of selected candidates for the post of Awal Karkun, which was done after it was pointed out to the authorities by me that the BA degree submitted was from a fake university.
The other issue is my recent petition challenging the decision to bestow life time cabinet status to former Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane, which petition has been admitted and is awaiting final hearing. The government has already given an oral undertaking to the High Court that the decision will not be given effect till the disposal of my petition. So there is a virtual stay in both my matters which are pending.
With so much injustice all over and moving the courts being a cumbersome process, it would be nice to see our courts more proactive and taking prompt suo motu cognizance on issues of public interest and welfare of the people. This would, in a way, help ensure a PIL does not end up as a private interest litigation, political interest litigation, publicity interest litigation or worse still, a paisa interest litigation.
–Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar