Contingency plan
This is with reference to the news report ‘Centre: El Nino likely to be relatively severe in 12 states’ (NT June 17). As per the recent satellite pictures, the monsoon in India has totally vanished. This is a grim situation, which can very well lead to a panic-like situation in Goa, where water levels in the reservoirs have dropped to their lowest level, and there are no visible signs of any early rains. El Nino has started taking its toll in several states of the country. It is, therefore, important that a contingency plan is drawn up for Goa to deal with the adverse effects of El Nino, which is now having an impact on several other states. We cannot afford to be caught napping and remaining complacent on the assurances of a few politicians.
A F Nazareth, Alto Porvorim
Colonial remnants
India has suffered immensely from the effects of colonial remnants. Many prestigious roads bear the names of the British ‘Lords’ and ‘Governors’. ‘My Lord’ and ‘Your Lordship’, again British remnants, are common ways to address judges of India’s High Courts and the Supreme Court. The pertinent question here is whether the judges themselves relish to be called as ‘Lords’. Amidst the debate, it is equally important to know how the lawyers would like to address the judges. It will be embarrassing if some lawyers continue to use honorifics and some continue with the old tradition. There should be a uniform method to refer to the higher court judges. The underlying message is that the judges should be addressed in a respectful manner. When colonial remnants are being removed one after another in the country, there is no need for the courts to continue with the age-old ritual. A ‘Sir’ would, perhaps, suffice.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Ban on Telegram
In a bid to prevent NEET paper leaks, the government has banned access to Telegram in India during the exam period. Why? Because last time the leaked paper was distributed on Telegram. So basically the authorities taking such decisions have not heard of other platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, Discord etc. In fact, there are dozens of such apps available in India. So what are you going to do? Ban all these apps? Ban emails too? Especially Gmail? Or just ban the internet altogether? Do these authorities realise that leaks used to happen even when there was no internet.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Societal malaise
Both, the medical student who spoke rudely about cadavers that are used to teach and the man who spoke of entitlement to a woman’s body after spending money on a date are indicators of the Indian society at large. Clearly, there are many like them, and we need to address this as a societal issue rather than an individual one. There is a need to address the malaise in our society that has given rise to this mindset. Neither of them has murdered anyone to warrant being hounded so mercilessly, but what they stand for should definitely be addressed. We need to set better standards of behaviour for young people in general.
Krishnomika, Mumbai
Alternative water sources
The Goa government has reportedly taken various measures to address water crisis in the state, including augmenting water supply schemes, constructing new water treatment plants and exploring alternative sources like mining pits. The government is reportedly also working on smart monitoring systems to optimise water distribution networks and minimise losses. It was reportedly suggested that water from abandoned mining pits could be considered as an emergency source if the situation worsens. While mining pits often contain large volumes of stored water, an important question that arises is whether this water is safe for human consumption. The answer depends on the geology of the area, history of mining activity, quality of the stored water and effectiveness of treatment processes. There is a need to work on identifying suitable technology to make the water fit for large-scale supply. When mining operations cease, large excavated pits are often left behind. Over time, these pits fill with rainwater thus creating artificial lakes. In Goa, many former iron ore mining pits have accumulated millions of cubic metres of water. At first glance, this water may appear clear. However, water clarity does not necessarily indicate safety. Water quality can change with seasons, rainfall patterns and groundwater interactions. Several countries, including Australia, Germany and Canada, have successfully converted former mining pits into water reservoirs and recreational lakes. However, these projects generally involve years of scientific assessment, remediation and continuous environmental monitoring. As Goa evaluates alternative water sources, transparency in water quality data and adherence to public health standards will be critical in maintaining public confidence and ensuring safety.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
