CATCHING UP WITH SACRED TREES! Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai is taking an interest in ancient sacred trees in Goa and in this respect he can be seen here admiring a grand tree while visiting Sattari taluka on a Goa Saimik Daiz (Natural Heritage) Yatra on Feb 22, 2023. On his arrival he was welcomed by MLA of Parye constituency Deviya Rane, Governor Pillai offered prayers at the Dattatreya temple in Sankhali before proceeding to Parye Bhumika temple where there is a glorious peepal tree. The Raj Bhavan is sponsoring the publication of 25 Konkani language books for unpublished authors and while speaking on the subject of trees he said that Raj Bhavan so far identified 41 trees across Goa for showcasing as heritage trees, and they are working on a book for tourists who would like to study ancient places with trees as heritage treasures. After his Goa Saumik Daiz Yatra is completed he hopes to visit all the nine islands of Goa. Environmentalist Rajan Kerkar is part of the team helping the governor to identify the history and importance of trees, former Secretary to Governor R Mihir Vardhan, Mamlatdar Dasharath Gawas and others senior officers were present on this occasion.
BBC: SOROS’ SORROW!
THE chinks in the armour of the Narendra Modi government are beginning to show not only from the outside, but from the inside also. With the regard to the controversial BBC documentaries the UK has asserted that the BBC is an independent entity. The fact remains that the BJP government banned the documentaries on the post-Godhra incident violence in Ahmedabad in 2002 in India and George Soros’ contention on the democratic Constitution of the government in India, have both dented the Modi government’s democratic credentials.
The Bible says, “Revenge is mine, said the Lord.” As also, “the first one will later be last.” Also in more crude terms it is said “Every dog has his day.” Is the Modi government democratic? Consider the muzzling of the media which was never so bad even during the 1975 Emergency, the demonetization which resulted in the death of 105 people in India, Aadhaar subjugation which compromised the sensitive iris scan and finger prints — which the Supreme Court had ruled were optional — the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir.
Then we have a GST regime burdening the people with high tax rates, three farm laws causing the death of hundreds of farmers — the BJP government was forced to repeal the acts – don’t forget the demolition of the Babri Masjid. All these issues have pried open the skeletons of the Modi government.
The Opposition if it unites is strongly placed to de-throne the Modi government. The majority of Indians want it. If all Opposition unites we can still have a new government of national unity at the Centre. None should escape the wrath of their excesses!
— Elvidio Miranda, Panaji
POWER TARIFF HIKE?
THE Electricity department (despite inefficient service and failure to provide uninterrupted 24 x 7 power supply) has now proposed another hike of 6% (15 to 60 paise), as the department claims that the tariff was frozen for the last four years, ever since the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns.
If the department is finding it very hard to bring about any improvement in its services due to the current tariff rates (as has been claimed by the officials of the same department in local media), then why is it still giving/releasing illegal connections for thousands of people found renting their restaurants/ guest houses/ rooms/shops and running all types of road side businesses in most parts of Goa?
Secondly, if the financial position of the Electricity department is not sound due to aforementioned reasons, why is the government of the day wasting public funds in organising useless “fests” in different parts of Goa? It may be noted that the current BJP government had promised Goans uninterrupted power supply at more economical rates just before the last assembly elections in Goa.
Once in power it was a U-turn and currently it is another story of making the life of the common people miserable by burdening them with hikes all around.
Our Chief Minister Pramod Sawant of “Bhivpachi garaz na” fame, who is fond of issuing his own statements over a wide range of issues like temples, forcible religious conversions, etc, like an expert, should now intervene to give Goans some relief from his double-engine government!
— Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
CARNIVAL AFTER ASH WEDNESDAY?
WHAT is going on in Panjim? Carnival posters at Miramar circle are still not removed by CCP, neither from electric poles. Are the departments concerned so busy with building renovations and filling up potholes in their Smart City Mission that they have no time to clean up posters? Goa’s capital city is dug up so badly without any planning that it is causing endless trouble and problems for the people.
Will the white-washing of buildings in the city start after the monsoons? The heart of Panjim is the Miramar area but here carnival and other posters including those put up by Rajdeep Builders still continue to distract traffic. Also, has Ash Wednesday been postponed further?
— Stephen Dias, Dona Paula
CORRUPT SILLY SOULS!
GOA Police is in the news again for the wrong reason. This time the men in uniform are allegedly involved in extortion. Law enforcers must never be lawbreakers, this damages rule of law and erodes the trust that people have in the police force.
Such acts of improper behaviour which we have been witnessing at all police ranks in a force which should be disciplined, demonstrates that all is not well. There is a need to swiftly weed out with an iron hand the rotten apples from within the Police establishment to restore much-needed credibility.
Truthfulness must always be at the heart of policing and is fundamental to inspire trust and confidence in the public. Every cop must be a dedicated public servant sworn to protect public safety at all times, upholding the law and never dare to breach it.
Steps must be taken to ensure a much more disciplined police force in Goa. This may be difficult to achieve as like all other government recruitment, many have found their way into the Goa Police either through political patronage or bribe pay-off. Integrity is the foundation of law enforcement, anyone failing to display integrity and honesty in their dealings with others, should never be part of any credible police force at any level.
The Mission Statement of Goa Police is to give people an efficient, law abiding and responsive law enforcement machinery. There must be absolute zero tolerance to any indiscipline and this discipline must flow down the ranks.
DGP Jaspal Singh must stop the current chronic day-to-day political interference in the working of the Goa Police. Only then can we hope to see a very professional police force and much-needed good policing? This was the mandate of the Supreme Court while directing that the working of the police should be free from any and all political machinations.–Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar