Seat-sharing formula
While the Opposition parties may have reservations about forming a joint coalition, the following plan should be acceptable to all. A fair and equitable seat-sharing arrangement can be worked out by a united Opposition consisting of the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Goa Forward Party and Revolutionary Goans Party to address the concerns of all four parties based on their performance at the 2022 assembly election. Under this move, all seats won by the Congress, AAP, GFP and RGP could be assured to the respective parties. A detailed study of performance in the remaining constituencies, analysing second and third-place finishes according to vote share, could then serve as the basis for allocating the remaining seats strictly on merit. This plan will ensure that a merit-based seat-sharing formula for these four parties with political representation is taken into consideration. Consenting to this arrangement will not compromise the individual standing of any party, even if candidates vary.
Ryan Rodrigues, Panaji
Garbage crisis
The holy city of Haridwar is scrambling to dispose of over 7,000 tonnes of garbage generated during the two-week ‘Kanwar Yatra’ when nearly five crore pilgrims descended on it, the highest number on record. Heaps of garbage comprising plastic, clothes, urine in bottles, ‘Kanwars’ and non-degradable polythene waste remain strewn across the city. Experts have called for quick disposal of the garbage, as the spectre of worsening pollution and disease looms over Haridwar, a popular pilgrimage for millions through the year. The areas worst affected by the unregulated dumping of the waste are the numerous ‘ghats’ on Ganga River, markets where pilgrims stopped to rest and eat, access roads winding into the city from the national highways and the designated parking areas for vehicles that formed part of the processions.
Misha, Varca
On Goa’s nightingale
When I was a six-year-old child, I used to fall asleep to the Konkani kantaram (songs) of Lorna Cordeiro. We had no radio at the time, but a neighbour’s radio entertained us with the voice of her tracks. Universally celebrated as the ‘Nightingale of Goa,’ Lorna holds a truly irreplaceable spot in the hearts of music lovers, as her powerful, jazz-infused music is the ultimate nostalgia trip that has defined weddings, feasts and childhood memories for generations of Goans. We truly experienced proud moments through her work. What makes her music timeless is the raw passion and effortless swing she brought to the legendary compositions of Chris Perry. Her essential hits include ‘Bebdo’ (the ultimate high-energy Goan anthem), ‘Tuzo Mog’ (a deeply soulful and beautiful love song), ‘Nachom-ia Kumpasar’ (a nostalgic and rhythmic masterpiece), ‘Sorga Rajeant’ (a stunning showcase of her vocal depth and range), and ‘Calangute’ (a breezy, melodic tribute to one of Goa’s most iconic coastal towns). For a deep dive into her life and the era that shaped her music, one should watch the award-winning Konkani musical film ‘Nachom-ia Kumpasar,’ which is directly inspired by her legendary partnership with Chris Perry.
Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora
Judicial misconduct
The three-member inquiry committee’s finding that all three charges against Justice Yashwant Varma stand proved raises an issue far greater than one judge’s fate. If further investigation establishes criminal wrongdoing, past resignation, removal or impeachment cannot become an escape from accountability. Law must take its course. Judicial office cannot confer immunity from its consequences. The episode also raises uncomfortable questions about the collegium. Justice Varma’s elevation, subsequent appointments and transfers underline the need to examine how judicial misconduct can go undetected and whether meaningful scrutiny continues after appointment. Judicial independence must not mean institutional opacity. Credible mechanisms are needed to monitor judicial conduct and administrative responsibilities without compromising decisional independence. Most importantly, the interests of litigants cannot be ignored. If judicial integrity was compromised, people may have suffered losses affecting property, livelihood, liberty or their lives. Their grievances cannot disappear with a judge’s departure. Accountability is not vengeance; it is essential to public confidence in justice.
A P Thiruvadi, Chennai
Nutrition security
While a reduction in the country’s dietary unaffordability from 52% to 25% marks laudable progress, over 20% of Indian households still face severe nutrition deficit. The proposed National Food Security (Amendment) Bill, 2026, presents a timely imperative to shift from mere calorie sufficiency to comprehensive health security. Transforming the public distribution system into a vehicle for affordable balanced diets is essential to ensuring that poverty reduction translates into true physiological wellbeing for crores of Indians.
Dr Vijaykumar H K, Raichur
