Saving Goa’s forests needs more than a festival
The state is observing the “Goa Forest Diversity Festival 2026” from January 17 to 19. This is a good move by the government as the festival has the potential to be a powerful platform for environmental awareness. Goa’s forests are living ecosystems that sustain wildlife, regulate climate, support livelihoods, and form an inseparable part of the Western Ghats which is one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots. What Goa needs today is concrete and sustained action to save our forests. Goa’s forests are home to an extraordinary range of wild animals and birds and countless plant species with ecological and medicinal value. These forests protect watersheds which channel rainwater into a common water-body. It prevents soil erosion, and buffers the state against floods. Yet, deforestation and forest degradation have become increasingly visible. Tree felling for infrastructure projects, cutting through wildlife corridors, and rampant land-use change are steadily fragmenting forest landscapes. The Western Ghats, which run through Goa, are globally recognised for their biodiversity and ecological sensitivity. Environmental clearances are often granted with inadequate impact assessments. The government should take steps to protect biodiversity by strict enforcement of existing environmental and forest laws. Illegal tree cutting, encroachments, and violations of wildlife protection norms must be dealt with firmly and transparently. Forest-dependent villages, traditional communities, and tribal groups have long been custodians of these ecosystems. Their knowledge and participation must be central to conservation strategies. Wildlife corridors and sensitive forest patches must be identified and legally secured. The Goa Forest Diversity Festival should therefore mark not just a celebration, but a turning point where measurable steps to protect our forests, wildlife, and shared future.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Safety before speed
The government’s decision to prohibit the use of the headline promise of “10-minute delivery” by quick commerce platforms is laudable. In the race to secure higher customer ratings, online shopping platforms place immense pressure on gig workers. Customers, more often than not, prioritise speedy delivery over the safety of those making it possible. The distressing sight of delivery personnel navigating congested traffic under such pressure is deeply troubling. While the fast-paced nature of modern life does demand efficiency, the pursuit of speed must not come at the cost of human safety and dignity. Timely delivery may help build customer trust, but the human element of the system cannot be ignored. Gig workers deserve fair treatment and recognition; they should not be reduced to mere contractual labour. For most of them, this work is not supplementary income but their primary means of livelihood. Ensuring their safety must be a priority. Instead of forcing unrealistic delivery timelines, online commerce platforms should focus on quality, standards, and dignity of labour. Gig workers’ grievances must be addressed, and they should be provided with a safe and supportive working environment. Customer satisfaction should never be achieved at the expense of workers’ well-being.
Venu G S, Kollam
Peace prize politics
The recent episode in which Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado presented her Nobel medal to Donald Trump at the White House has raised eyebrows worldwide. While US President Donald Trump hailed it as a “wonderful gesture of self-respect” and declared himself more deserving than any figure in history, the act itself cannot substitute for the rigorous and impartial process by which the Nobel Committee confers its awards. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has rightly clarified that a Nobel laureate cannot give away the medal. The award is inseparable from the Committee’s decision and remains the property of the laureate, not a transferable honour. To claim otherwise is to misrepresent the very essence of the prize. Trump’s repeated boasts of halting wars — including between India and Pakistan — stand in stark contrast to his record of bellicose rhetoric and military actions, notably the bombing of Iran’s nuclear installations in conjunction with Israel. Such conduct hardly embodies the spirit of peace that the Nobel Prize is meant to honour. In his remarks, Trump even disparaged former president Barack Obama, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize early in his presidency. Whatever one’s view of that decision, it was at least a legitimate recognition by the Nobel Committee, not a medal handed over in political theater. By default, Trump cannot claim what he has not earned. The Nobel Peace Prize must remain a beacon of genuine peace-making, not a token in the theater of war posturing.
Assis Everette Telles, Margao
