Act against paedophiles
Colvale police have reportedly arrested a 56-year-old man from Madel Thivim on charges of sexually assaulting a minor boy. The accused allegedly targeted several minor children. The paedophile allegedly lured children from underprivileged families with eatables and gifts and sexually abused them. As per the complaint, the boy’s sister was also sexually assaulted by the accused. Be that as it may, Goa’s tryst with paedophilia made headlines in the 90s with the arrest and conviction of the late Freddy Peats. But far from exiting the state, this nefarious activity is still being carried out. As seen in the latest case, the abusers are no longer just foreigners. A needle of suspicion is now also on male domestic tourists travelling alone. According to non-governmental organisations (NGOs), young boys working in shacks and spas are targets of sexual abuse by local tourists. It is learnt that many boys below the age of 18 are brought to Goa on the pretext of giving jobs, but are trafficked instead. Despite steps being taken to protect vulnerable children, paedophilia is very much in existence in the state. There are various ways in which the sex offenders get access to children. Some approach the children directly on beaches, while others offer them a drink or a meal before taking them back to their hotel rooms. Many contact children through their social media platforms. After making friends and chatting with them for a considerable period of time, they fix a meeting with them only to exploit them. Many people function as agents who are involved in supplying children to these men. Strict law enforcement and surveillance on beaches, hotels and at railway stations is necessary to protect children from these paedophiles. Parental supervision and monitoring online activities is also needed to keep children safe.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Bird flu
Bird flu or avian flu has hit some states while primarily affecting poultry animals. However, in January, three tigers and one leopard had succumbed to the disease in a Nagpur rescue shelter, the first such case of animals being affected in the country, perhaps due to consumption of infected chickens. Now, bird flu in lakhs of poultry birds in Maharashtra’s Brahmapuri, and Godavari, Eluru and West Godavari of Andhra Pradesh have compelled authorities to act on a war-footing. An ‘alert zone’ has been set up in Mangli village of Brahmapuri. Dead birds are destroyed, access to animals and humans has been banned, entrance and exit of infected areas have been sanitised with sodium hypochlorite and potassium permanganate, and all chicken shops and poultry farms within a five-km radius of the area have been shut as a matter of abundant precaution. Influenza virus strains, particularly H5N1, are known to cause avian flu. The spread to humans, although rare, is by direct or indirect contact.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Parliamentary language
It is shocking to see senior parliamentarians nowadays losing their cool and using unsavoury language during House proceedings. The recent usage of language by the leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha against another member, referring to his father and asking him to sit, was crass. Only a few days ago, words of poor taste made by leaders of the opposition on the President after the Parliament’s joint seating resulted in a furore and the Rashtrapati Bhavan itself had to step in to clarify. The leaders were criticised for using derogatory and slanderous words demeaning the stature and dignity of the President of India. Be it members from the treasury or the opposition, let them learn from their predecessors who were known for their dignified behaviour and impressive language. Members must understand that such unsavoury, insensitive and crass comments tarnish not only their image but also create a bad picture of both the Houses. The members are definitely bound to uphold the sanctity, integrity and dignity of the temple of democracy.
M Pradyu, Kannur
Misplaced priorities
In spite of the fact that education and healthcare are essential for human resource development and national progress, year after year, India’s budget allocation for these two sectors is insufficient. While many other sectors are adequately funded, education and healthcare are underfunded. The failure to prioritise education and health has adverse consequences for India’s future. Although 6% of GDP is the required public spending on education, only 2.9% of GDP is spent on it. Deficiencies in the education sector adversely affect proper teaching and learning. Unsystematic ways of learning cause academic stress in students. Same is the case with the healthcare sector. Shortage of resources has deleteriously affected the sector. Poor hospital facilities, improper doctor-patient ratio, non-availability of medicines and so on have adversely affected healthcare. Emergency medical care requires huge expenditure for millions of people. While infrastructure development and economic growth are vital for development, imparting good education to each child and making healthcare accessible to all are the basis of a nation’s overall development.
Venu G S, Kollam
