21 Dec 2020 | 04:57am IST

Maintain health centres, sulabh toilets

Under BJP government in Goa there are many issues which are long pending. Firstly is the government health centres in villages. Some health centres do not even have permanent houses. They keep on shifting every now and then. In some health centres there are no full time doctors and some do not have full time nurses even. No proper facilities are available for the villagers. Some villagers are forced to travel to neighbouring villages to avail facilities. Some village health centres are badly in need of renovation due to the failure of maintenance.

Government should intervene and do something to upgrade and raise the standards of these village health centres.

Secondly the Sulabh Toilets; they are so filthy and badly maintained, that no one likes to visit these places. Most of them are mostly used by migrants who leave the toilets dirty after use. Nobody is paying attention to this maintenance and upgradation. These Sulabh Toilets are built by the govt for the benefit of the people.

Thirdly the public gardens. There are many public gardens in each and every corner of Goa which are badly in need of upgradation and maintenance. These gardens are inaugurated and left just like that to rot.

So I would like Goa Government to spend some money from that hundred crores to upgrade and maintain village health centres, Sulabh Toilets and public gardens.

Natividade Fernandes, Cavelossim

Christmas celebrations with a difference

Christmas is round the corner. It is that time of the year to spread happiness and cheer all around. One way is by serenading activities when the young and the old go from door-to-door singing Christmas carols along with a person dressed as Santa Claus. There used to be a live crib moving around town on a truck. Every parish would hold Carol singing competition, crib competition, star making competition, fancy dress competition, etc. However, due to the pandemic this year Christmas celebrations will see a sea change. It may not be possible to maintain social-distancing during the programmes.

House-to-house serenading may not be possible. This year Christmas competitions could be restricted to live streaming on social media. Individuals and small carol singing groups could perform online. Parishioners could send videos of their crib made at home as well as the star to their parish where it could be judged by the parish priest. The winners could be announced at the Christmas midnight mass.

A live crib could be organised with a minimum of participants. Wishing one another after the mid-night mass could also undergo a change. Shaking hands, hugging and cheek-to-cheek kissing could be restricted to only family members.

Visiting homes during the festive season could also be restricted. All-in-all this year Christmas will be celebrated like never before in our lifetime. However, the joy of the season will never fade.

Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco

Sorrowing lies my land

The summary of the 59 years of Goa's Liberation can be summed up in four words, "Sorrowing lies my land".

On the one hand the original inhabitants of Goa have to spend sleepless nights on railway tracks and on the other hand the CM of Goa can spend Rs 100 crore of public money to entertain sanghis who have done nothing for Goa. I too support those who have asked the Sanghis to refrain from visiting Goa as they are blind to the suffering of the people not just of Goans but also the poor farmers who are dying on the cold streets of the capital of India.

The letters to the editor titled "What is left for Goans to celebrate"by Jerry Fernandes and "Portuguese colony to Delhi coalony" by DC Dias of December 19 are proof of the state in which we live in the State of Goa.

Matias Lobo, Tivim

Goa violating SC diktats

On December 18, the SC declared that the Covid 19 was spreading like wildfire across the country due to lack of implementation of national guidelines and SOPs. Terming it a world war against Covid-19 the Apex court said everybody around the world is suffering in one way or the other. Further, healthcare workers were physically and mentally exhausted and a mechanism to grant intermittent rest is needed.

And finally, the Apex Court stated, It is the time to rise to the occasion. Safety and health of the citizens must be the first priority, rather than any other considerations.Each and every citizen must ponder their wise contributions made in this reference.

In Goa:1) SOPs by tourists are violated and the Govt does nothing; 2) Govt did nothing to test people coming from States suffering a 2nd and 3rd wave; 3)Govt opened up tourism for all with no SOP implementation because safety and health of the citizens was not the first priority but the profits of TTAG; 4) Every world war had memorials for the dead: nothing is being done to build a Covid memorial in memory of the many Covid-19 deaths in Goa: many who should not have died; 5) Govt is not testing the 47,000 cured patients even though 40% may have increased risk to strokes and severe breathing problems necessitating oxygen therapy; 6) Govt is still pushing for holding of IFFI and New Year parties; 7) Govt refused leave to key frontline doctors; 8) Key failure: Safety and health of the citizens is the last priority of the Govt and businessmen of Goa.

This is the collective administration failure of the incumbent Govt. and the Opposition and Lok Sabha Members. There is a singular lack of maturity exhibited by all. If the former wishes to be excused then why hold the posts?

R Fernandes, Margao

National alternative

In the early days the Congress encompassed the liberal Hindus, the SC/STs and the minorities. Gradually the SC/STs found their own leaders like the Yadavs, Mayavati and others. Then a section of Congressmen broke away to form NCP, TMC. A chunk of liberal Hindus moved towards Hindutva.So the Congress of today is not the same force it was before.

What the nation needs is a strong counter force. For that to happen the Congress, which still has a fair presence all over, must reinvent itself. Loyalty to Party must replace loyalty to Gandhis.

JO Barneto, Margao

The climate change conundrum

The green and climate activist Greta Thunberg has taken a strong swipe at the world leaders again for inaction on the "looming" climate crisis. Handling the climate crisis is out and out about collective responsibility of everyone. There are hardly actions on this serious issue. Even serious talks have been taking place on and off. But this Swede has been pitching for green cause on and on. "Still, we all have been speeding in the wrong direction," speaks Greta Thunberg of the climate conundrum.

Besides, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly reacted to this issue, discussing the actual challenges posed by it. This news piece has caught the attention of the world community, having been highlighted by the media houses like CNN. It is time to create serious climate change talks in the world.

The factors like carbon dioxide-greenhouse gases contributing to the climate crisis have to be dealt with in a proper way as chalked out at climate change summits so far.

Volatile weather patterns and climate change impacts have started eating into the growth of the world.

Therefore, the international community should get ready to handle the climate challenges through mutual cooperation and strong green strategies.

PS Saravana Durai, Mumbai

Link:

Herald: Letters to the editor (21 Dec 2020) - Oherald