IT’S CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE ON THE ROADS
VIGILANT citizens alerted veteran consumer rights activist Roland Martins about a potential death trap near Merces junction, and a local news crew released a detailed video in a few days. The video reporter pointed out that motorists at high speed would be unable to see the tiny signs posted by the PWD. The point is proved by the sound of a car skidding at the troubled spot.
Martins, who knows the laws and regulations that should have been followed, warned that the spot will become the site of multiple accidents. In case anyone’s keeping score, there is a fatality on Goan roads every single day. On certain days, Goa loses up to three innocent lives on our death roads.
There was no action taken immediately — as is the case with the PWD — so the news crew and Martins risked life and limb by making yet another video at the spot, which was uploaded over various digital sites. We don’t know if anything good will happen. It’s all comatose during election time, everyone is on holiday. You may even die on the roads courtesy the ongoing irresponsible and utterly indifferent signages put up presumably to warm potential victims.
Since there is a clear violation of the terms of contract, and as precious lives are being lost each day due to badly designed and maintained roads, it is imperative that the law is implemented and punitive measures meted out at the earliest. It is expected that the PWD impose fines on the contractors for violating the terms of the tender documents and for neglecting the safety guidelines stated in the notifications issued to them.
Additionally, the PWD must immediately issue a memo to the concerned engineers who have failed in their supervision at the work site. Since Goa clearly encourages drunk driving — with floating casinos offering their patrons unlimited alcohol — the least that should be done to save lives is strict adherence to agreed-upon conditions of roadworks.
–Chris Fernandes, Miramar, Panjim
FOOD FOR THOUGHT!
THE indulgence of wild boar meat consumption in Goa — known as RDX — is a forbidden delicacy. Over the last six weeks, while in Europe, I have witnessed this meat being on open sale and have had the opportunity to savour it along with other delicacies like quail, frog legs, rabbit. Maybe our Goa should take a cue from the West in legalizing forbidden delicacies via controlled and seasonal licensed hunting, yet encouraging breeding and not leading to the animals being endangered or extinct. This is in no way being critical of people’s food preferences, be it vegetarian, vegan or pescatarian — which is a lifestyle choice.
–Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
CRIME GROWTH TODAY
READING the news item about 30-year-old constable, from the Local Arms unit of the Mumbai, passing away in a hospital after a group of robbers and drug addicts injected him with a poisonous substance on railway tracks, makes my blood run cold? Reportedly, in a scuffle the policeman was trying to get his phone back, and the goons injected him with some vile poison. Vishal Pawar who lived in Thane was taken to hospital in Thane but unfortunately succumbed to his injury on May 1, 2024. The incident took place around 9.30pm when Pawar who was in plain clothes was travelling on a suburban train. It is high time our policemen are equipped to deal with goons like these. Today it is like we are paying for our extreme lifestyles of capitalism, consumerism and criminalisation. It is time even our wealthy were a little restrained in flaunting their wealth on the mixed vanity show called social media!
–Pankajbala R Patel, Panaji
FARMERS SUFFER, GOVERNMENT CELEBRATES!
WHEN cashew farmers are suffering thegovernment has failed to provide them with Rs175 per kg support price, but the Goa Forest Development Corporation (GFDC) will spend crores in Cashew Fest to be held in Panaji on May 10, 11 and 12, 2024. If this is not BJP insensitivity, what is it? An obsession with events has gone to the head of BJP politicians. They were just waiting for Loksabha Elections to take place in Goa. Such events have become fortune making machine for them. Let’s defeat BJP!
–Altone D’Costa, Quepem MLA, Goa
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN?
HOW chronically unaware or non-emphathetic does a woman like Pallavi Dempo has to be, to post about Narendra Modi’s supposed “empowerment” of women after the biggest sex scandal in India has been exposed?
Pallavi-ji, 3,000 women and girls have been either raped or sexually assaulted, which includes Hindu women and girls, recorded on camera, stripped of their dignity and blackmailed by Prajwal Revanna, a candidate Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to give the ticket to this time, despite knowing what he had done and despite receiving a warning from G Devraj Gowde of BJP Karnataka in December 2023. Modi also campaigned for this candidate vociferously and extensively.
I don’t expect any answers from Shripad Naik on this matter, since he makes an appearance only once in five years to ask for votes, but at other times is completely missing. He neither cares nor chooses to speak up.
However, I do want to ask you this: Is this your party’s vision of “mahila sashaktikaran?” Is this your vision of mahila sashaktikaran? Is this how you’re planning to respond to women’s needs. Is this how you view women too as expendable objects? Would you be okay if this was done to any members in your family? You have to give an answer. You can no longer run from the difficult questions hiding under the garb running a “positive campaign.” If you want to be a leader of people and be in politics, you have to be ready to answer the tough questions.
–Devsurabhee Yaduvanshi, Panjim