HAPPINESS INDEX!
CELEBRATING WORLD FOOD SAFETY DAY: Happiness index can only come with good health and peace of mind! This was the message of GCCI President Ralph De Sousa while speaking as chief guest after inaugurating a day-long function organized by Directorate of Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) on June 16, 2023 at a Panaji hotel. Addressing an audience of hospitality and FDA representatives he noted that the FDA plays a crucial role in ensuring that there is safe food, certain regulations and law are implemented to avoid undesired effects. There is a great need to change lifestyle habits, he stressed. Others who spoke included Goa State Pollution Control Board Chairperson Mahesh Patil who congratulated the FDA team for Goa winning State Food Safety Index Award in the smaller State category for five consecutive years and appreciated the consistent efforts of the hotel industry.
Interestingly, Goa leads India in the per capita production of plastic waste although collaborative efforts are required by FDA and GSPCB. The government is keen on starting a Depository Refund Scheme (DRS) to recycle drink containers such as bottles and cans and this will be launched soon. A Shree Anna Recipes of Millet book was launched as also launch of stickers of Repurpose used cooking oil (RUCO). Scientist Dr Mohan Girap presented a talk on the subject of cooking oils and how they may be re-cycled. Cooking oil gets rancid with time and contains free radical molecules which contribute towards cancerous diseases. Cooking oil discarded in water and earth causes significant environmental problems and hence there is a movement now for the collection or old oil from hotels and eateries. Varsha Karnad , Muenzer Bharat bio industry representing overlooking operations for Goa region, explained how Used Cooking Oil (UCO) can be used for biodiesel production. Nutritionist Rohini Diniz conducted a millet workshop while Richard Noronha threw some light on FDA conducted raids to ensure the availability of safe food and drugs to the public at large. FDA Director Jyoti Sardesai detailed some of the success of FDA programs while appealing to media people to focus on these programs in which the public may participate in.
NEED OF THE HOUR!
ALL government expenditure should be of benefit to the State and its people. Every function being organised by the government should bear this in mind. Wherever possible it would be prudent to consult the Opposition on projects that are proposed and are being planned. The government of the day must focus on functioning in an all-inclusive manner by seeking views of all concerned in all that it contemplates doing.
As a lot of taxpayer’s money is incurred, the proposed benefits would need to be assessed. One wonders whether keeping in mind the debt-ridden state of our exchequer, the recent address by the Lok Sabha Speaker to the Goa Legislative Assembly was indeed necessary?
It is high time the government realises and acknowledges that it needs to live within its means by having austerity measures in place and not indulging in needless expenditure.
In everything that the government plans it is imperative that the priorities of the State be borne in mind. Transparency, accountability and due meaningful consultation with all stakeholders is key to good governance. This is vital in a democracy which encompasses public participation for the welfare and well-being of the people.
–Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
PORTUGUESE TRACES TO BE WIPED OUT?
THE Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wishes to wipe out Portuguese traces post-Liberation after deviating from the facts. I suppose he is not able to first get rid of the drug trade which is killing our youth’s future and turning family life into poverty. Or stop tribal people from being exploited socially, economically and politically!
The Inquisition in Goa up to 1820 was a major blot. People were forced to convert and practice Christian lifestyle, there was persecution of non-converts whether Hindu or Muslim, torture and execution as per the verdicts of inquisition, religious intolerance and displacement of non- religious sites were existent. The villages were completely neglected. No civilized society re-writes, re-builts, re-corrects and repeats history.
The colonial rule was propagated by absence of civil liberties and suppression of our local language Konkani. Colonisation is a part of history. No colonised areas in the world attempt to destroy signs and signatures after they emerge as independent nations. They know little about Goa as a colony. Portugal was under dictatorship and even the people there struggled for freedom and civil liberties. They were equally oppressed and suppressed.
| –Stephen Dias, Dona Paula |
PM KISAN SCHEME TAMASHA!
AAM Aadmi party MLA Capt Venzy went with a farmers delegation to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to appeal to him to revoke the order of asking refund of Rs6,000 from farmers who received payments under the PM Kisan Scheme. The CM agreed to take up the matter with the Central ministry. Absurdly, 3,000 farmers in Goa have received letters asking to return the Rs6,000! I urge the farmers not to return the money till the CM has cleared this with the Centre.
–Valmiki Naik, Panaji
DOCTORS THINK TANK!
NEXT time you think doctors, think how vulnerable they are! I draw your readers’ attention to all this…
- 15 to 20 mg cortisol secreted in normal stress of human beings, 150 mg under maximum stress. A study shows surgeons and anaesthetists in India exceed this 150 mg frequently in a day. This is 10 to 15 times more than the military colonel in battlefield. Doctors in Tamil Nadu government service frequently cross 80 mg per day and 150 mg at least twice a month. All of us know the adverse effects of cortisol in our body.
- The survey was on
the subject of “How happy and satisfied are doctors?” The total response was
1,781 and the following was observed: Only 37.7
% doctors were satisfied. Only 45.1% doctors got complete 7 hours sleep. 82% doctors felt stressed out. 34.5% doctors had high blood pressure. 18.6% doctors had diabetes. 61.6% doctors had a fear of violence, while giving consultation. 56.5% doctors had thought of hiring security in their clinic premises. Only 8% doctors had first choice for their children to become doctor. 75.6% doctors had anxiety. 26.4% doctors indulged in social drinking. 45.4% doctors were afraid of possible violence. 24.6% doctors were afraid of being sued. 13.5% doctors were afraid of criminal prosecution. - “Doctors die early. The National IMA study showed that Indian doctors die 10 years earlier than the normal age and Kerala study showed they died even 13 years earlier.”
- If one doctor dies, to make another doctor we need 30 years and have to spend several crore public money, it is people’s money. In case a doctor dies, his unavailable services during those 30 years many common people may die. Common people are safe only if they exist.
- Do you know? That when are treating you for your viral fever your doctor gets exposed to the virus? That when doing surgery your doctor gets cuts and pricks that may transmit disease from patient to doctor? That when your doctor dresses your diabetic foot, they feel nauseated by smell and do not feel like eating for the whole day? That when during a delivery the patient often passes urine and motion it may spill on the doctor? That even though your doctor’s own child might be suffering from fever, he had to leave him to others as he has to go and treat others while his own child suffers? That for every delivery case your doctor has to attend at least 10 calls throughout the night? And then be back to work early next day? That when a neurosurgeon operated for 12 hours continuously he loses track of time and forgets to eat or sleep? That cardiologists and orthopaedics are exposed to dangers levels of radiation in the lab/OT? That the lifespan of doctors is 10 years less than public average because of stress? With their level of intelligence they could earn more money if that have been the sole motive, had they chosen other professions.
–Dr Shekar Salker, Goa