Villagers’ victory
The decision of the Goa government to suspend all final land conversion proposals under Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act in St Andre constituency is a victory for MLA Viresh Borkar and the villagers who supported him all through his protest and fast at the Azad Maidan. There can be no doubt whatsoever that the government wilted fearing the dire consequences of Borkar’s deteriorating health during his fast unto death. We will now have to wait for the government’s next move because as of now it appears that the government is in no mood to call a special assembly session to scrap Section 39A.
A F Nazareth, Alto Porvorim
Rare medical conditions
There are some uncommon diseases that require special care. Worldwide, there are about 300 million people who live with around 7,000 of what are called “rare diseases”. According to World Health Organisation (WHO), a rare disease affects “fewer than 66 per 1,00,000 population”. India is said to have 63 specific rare diseases, according to the ‘National Policy for Rare Diseases’. Insufficient knowledge among medical fraternity and paucity of awareness among patients render these diseases challenging. That more than 72% of the rare diseases are of genetic origin and 70% are present from birth makes them difficult to manage. Equity in health access, treatment and social opportunities is crucial. ‘Moving forward. looking ahead. An event for patients’ – the theme for Rare Disease Day, on February 28, hopes to explore ways to collaborate and engage with patients and their communities to support development of “rare” medical products.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
AI data centres
Across the world, especially in the US, county after county, town after town, city after city is saying no to artificial intelligence (AI) data centres. And they don’t have the kind of power deficit or water problems that India has. Yet, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inviting these companies to set up data centres in India. Why are people of other countries pushing back against data centres? The reason is that these are power and water guzzlers. Wherever these centres have come up, water resources have dried up and electricity prices have increased manifold. In India, we don’t even produce enough electricity for our own consumption, imagine what will happen when these gigawatts guzzling data centres commence operations.
Rekha Sarin, Benaulim
Bank frauds
It is shocking to know about the IDFC First Bank fraud to the tune of Rs 590 crore in Haryana committed by its own employees. A similar kind of fraud had come to light in a private bank a few years ago. It was committed by a top official of the bank. Customers of public sector banks and private banks are supposed to follow strict rules and regulations in case of default in payment of even a single instalment against a loan availed. Nobody is above the laws and rules of banking and as such strict vigilance should be in place in banks to safeguard the funds of the public that people deposit in full faith.
Raju Rammurthy, Vasco
Battle won, war continues
The decision by the Goa government to suspend land conversion proposals under Section 39A of the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Act in the village of Siridao-Palem marks a significant moment in the state’s political landscape. This has resulted in the youthful legislator Viresh Borkar withdrawing his hunger strike after the government bowed to the mounting public pressure. For years, there has been a lingering perception that Goan youth remain detached from grassroots movements, especially those concerning environmental and land issues. The peaceful protest by the youth, ably supported by women, has decisively shattered that notion. When it comes to safeguarding their land, identity and future, the youth are prepared to rise and to do so with discipline and dignity. Under the leadership of Borkar, who happens to be the youngest member of the Goa legislative assembly, the youth mobilised not with aggression, but with clarity of purpose. In an era where youth-led protests across India and the globe are often associated with confrontation, vandalism and at times tragic loss of life, the protest by the youth of Siridao-Palem comes as a refreshing change. In Nepal, Gen Z-led uprisings have made headlines for their intensity and disruption. In contrast, the Siridao-Palem movement consciously adopted a Gandhian method of protest, which included the hunger strike. There was not a single incident of violence reported, only a firm and peaceful assertion of democratic will. The battle may have been won, but the larger war continues. As the assembly session approaches, all eyes will be on whether the government translates its temporary concession into a lasting reform. If not, the youth of Goa will be back protesting at the Azad Maidan.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
