Recruiting teachers
This is the time of the year when schools, colleges (professional and degree) and Goa University advertise for academic posts. These are either on contract, lecture or child-care leave basis with tenure ranging from a few months to the end of the academic year. Simultaneously, there are advertisements for multi-tasking staff, accounts and clerical posts for regular appointment. Agreed that the staff is needed for smooth functioning of the educational institutions, but is it not lop-sided? Teaching is the primary criterion in educational institutions and the faculty need to be permanent and not on ad-hoc basis. Teachers are appointed in any of the above categories when a minimum number of students enroll for a course. If the workload is less, teachers are not recruited. This is not the case with the administrative staff although their workload is reduced in the absence of number of students and teachers. Hope the government will appoint permanent teachers before the assembly polls are announced and the model code of conduct kicks in.
Sridhar D Iyer, Caranzalem
Power outage
A prolonged power outage that disrupted services at the North Goa District Hospital for four hours has raised serious concerns about the
reliability of essential infrastructure in one of Goa’s major public healthcare institutions. The incident caused significant inconvenience and distress to hundreds of patients and visitors who had visited the hospital seeking medical care. Hospitals are critical facilities that must function round the clock without interruption. Continuous power supply is not a luxury but a fundamental requirement for ensuring the delivery of healthcare services. During the outage, elevators remained non-functional, creating immense difficulties for elderly patients, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and those requiring urgent medical attention. In the sweltering heat and humidity that Goa experiences during this time of the year, the failure of fans and ventilation systems further added to the discomfort of patients, attendants and hospital staff. A major district hospital cannot afford prolonged interruptions in power supply, given the critical nature of the services it provides. The incident underscores the importance of close coordination between the health department and the electricity department. Both the agencies must work in tandem to ensure uninterrupted power supply to hospitals and other essential public institutions. Robust backup systems, including well-maintained generators and alternative power arrangements, should be readily available and capable of taking over immediately in the event of a power failure. Equally important is the need for regular inspection and preventive maintenance of the hospital’s electrical infrastructure. The four-hour outage serves as a wake-up call for the authorities to act decisively in order to ensure that such an incident is never repeated.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Freeze fakes
We often discuss how quickly lies, harmful content, disinformation and fake news spread, with India frequently cited as a major hotspot. Rarely do we place enough responsibility on the consumer. People who unquestioningly consume false information and forward it at great speed are arguably equally responsible. In India, both, the youngest users, Gen Z, and the older users such as Gen X and Boomers often appear more vulnerable than the middle-aged groups like Millennials. Studies have suggested that people below 25 and above 50 may be more likely to believe and share misinformation. Whenever I see fake news being shared widely, I feel compelled to respond and point out that it is false. But then comes the exhausting part – providing evidence, links, screenshots, context and rebuttals for people who often do not take the time to verify before forwarding a message. It is tiring, repetitive and mostly thankless work. As Mark Twain famously said, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” Truth often requires nuance, context and proof, while a lie presents a simple, easily digestible narrative. Do not forward anything you receive on social media if you suspect it may be false. Break the chain. Contain the harm.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Plastic waste
This is with regard to a news report mentioning about plastic waste left behind after a fair in Margao (NT June 2). The incident triggered anger among residents. It was indeed a disgusting sight to see a huge pile of plastic cups, bags and other trash left behind after the Old Market feast. Concerns are being raised over the civic authorities not clearing the trash, as it could end up in nullahs and into the sea. And what happens thereafter? I have seen how all such trash, including backpacks and large amounts of footwear, is washed ashore every monsoon. Needless to say, we need to find ways to drastically reduce all such trash as much as possible. It is in everybody’s interest.
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
