Mockery of Sec 144 in North Goa
The North District Collector on Sunday extended Sec. 144 CPC under its jurisdiction at several public places with exception to malls; and religious establishments. What does this means? Local transmission of Covid is allowed in these places?
The Collector further states that large gathering be it political; religious; or others are banned? What does this mean? Is the government allowed to cut ribbon or lay foundation stone with more than 4 people? Or does it mean that the government can do anything illegal with mechanised machinery and no protests of more than 4 people are allowed? Or does it mean to shut the opposition from calling the attention of the CM and calling people's attention in masses? Lockdown is relaxed restaurants are opened, malls are functioning, markets are opened. Why Section 144 of CPC? We demand immediately withdrawal of Section 144 from Goa or immediate lockdown. You cannot have both? You cannot expect a group of 5 people standing outside the mall or a restaurant prosecuted for violation of Section 144 and inside the same premises they can be allowed? Don’t take Goans for a ride and don’t make mockery of criminal laws. It's an insult to judicial system of the country.
Either one has to be implemented. Covid-19 is not going to stop going to a religious places, restaurants or malls just because Section 144 is not imposed there. It will spread and than the CM will say local transmission not community transmission.
Custodio Marques, by email
Bring back our fellow Goans
Thousands of Goans across the world some of whom are now unemployed are eagerly waiting to return to their land. The government needs to move on a war footing to safely bring back our fellow Goans. The authorities need to also devise plans to ensure that the returning Goans are able to settle here and find jobs if they choose to do so. Avenues of self employment must be also created. Our scarce land must be preserved to cater to the needs of Goans. Highly deplorable is the move by a temple in Mandrem to give on a 99 year lease prime property admeasuring 9033 sq mts to a politically well connected Delhi businessman.
Revenue Minister Jennifer Monserrate must ensure that the government does not approve this move which runs contrary to the very mantra of Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Fingerprint authentication
With the imminent threat of Covid-19, the Civil Supplies had relaxed the fingerprint authentication at Fair Price shops for the month of April and May, but has withdrawn the relaxation for the month of June 2020.
As absurd as it may sound, the lives of people are put to risk with this unthoughtful measure of implementation, jeopardising the already grim scenario within our beautiful state, Goa. As all are aware, contact with a surface is imminent in the transmission process, thus this decision seems to foster the unfathomable Community Transmission.
The state administration seems to be clueless about this decision; the trepidatious approach creating a brouhaha within the formerly green zone Goa. As shameful as it may sound, we have definitely prognosticated doom with this spineless leadership. God bless us all and hope some sense prevails!
Rohan Naik, Margao
Maintain protocol with COVID-19 deaths
As the coronavirus cases in India have crossed 2.5 lakhs and deaths have gone past the 7000 mark we should be prepared to accept two facts – firstly, coronavirus is here to stay as with the rest of the world and next, we should learn to live with the pandemic.
Every now and then we hear about claims being made that new vaccines have been developed but it takes months if not years before the same have been thoroughly subjected to different tests and clinical trials before being accepted for treatment and experts apprise us that nothing before the turn of the year can be anticipated in this regard.
Amidst this chaotic situation one thing that has been terribly disturbing is the handling of the mortal remains once the patient breathes his last. In some countries like China where the virus was originated, the dead bodies are mandatorily cremated to ensure that the virus is destroyed therein. In other countries including our own, where individual’s faith finds primacy over other issues, the body can be given a burial if the family of the dead so desires.
However there are conditions that the grave should be sufficiently deep to ensure that the virus does not get transmitted therefrom. Limited number of people may be permitted to attend the funeral and there are restrictions to even have a last look at the body which is required to be wrapped in a concealed plastic bag.
In this context what has shocked many is the handling of a corpse in Puducherry by the workers who were assigned with the task of disposing it through a burial. However it is observed from the video that the workers are in such a hurry that they take the body, which was just wrapped with cloth, out of the ambulance and in few seconds they just throw it in the pit without any feeling and leave. Lt Governor Kiren Bedi taking serious view of the incident has ordered for issuance of show cause notices. What a shame that such is the attitude of some people when it is echoed from all time to ‘respect the dead’.
Even during declared wars between the countries the soldiers who are dead are handled with respect and given back to the enemy country. We have seen people paying their homage by removing their hats and even if a stranger sees a funeral procession, he pauses for a while to respect the dead.
Michael Vaz, Merces
GPS tracking of Covid-19 on mobile
Since the corona virus is winning and a novel means of being able to track its path is required, it would be suggested that in a small place like Goa, if Android mobiles users are equipped with global positioning system (GPS) as soon as a Covid-19 positive case is detected, the global positioning system of the mobile may be used to determine the crossing of the path that those who voluntarily agree to being investigated may submit their mobile numbers so as to determine the closeness of the person's path to the one that has tested positive. This method has been adopted in Israel with a great degree of success.
However, this method entails the subjecting to scrutiny of the person to divulge wilfully his or her personal privacy of movement, which may be intrusive. The concerned mobile service provider could be used to track the person who may have had close proximity with a positive Covid-19 patient. This methodology may be utilized solely at the discretion of consenting individuals, to protect privacy of movement. On a pilot basis, this method may be used in Mangor Hill to track cases faster and from observation localities.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
Annular Solar eclipse
June 21 will mark the annular solar eclipse at 9:56 till 14:29. These used to be marked in our diaries as ‘to watch’ especially for students.
Today, such solar eclipses are accompanied by loss in solar power generation. Today, India will suffer a loss of 11943 MW! Further, other forms of power generation will have to be ramped up to cater to this loss. Now, such phenomenon are no longer things to just marvel. Strange?
The GoM has approved the Draft Tariff Policy which seeks to end tariff differentiation between consumers. The draft makes note that the domestic tariff are ‘low in India while the Industrial tariff’s are highest in the world’! The domestic consumer is waiting with bated breath.
R Fernandes, Margao