A wake-up call
The outbreak of diarrhoea reported in Dabolim is a stark reminder of the fragile state of urban infrastructure and public health oversight in rapidly developing regions. Preliminary reports linking the outbreak to a faulty sewage treatment plant in a housing colony raise serious concerns about negligence, regulatory lapses, and the broader consequences of unchecked urbanisation. Goa is grappling with the pressures of rapid real estate expansion. In this case, the warning signs were present. Local residents had raised complaints about sanitation and water quality, but these appear to have gone unaddressed until the situation escalated into a crisis. While it may be convenient for authorities to shift responsibility onto the builder or housing society, governance cannot be outsourced. Regulatory bodies and the state government share an equal, if not greater, responsibility to ensure that infrastructure meets safety standards and that public health is not compromised. The outbreak must be treated as a medical emergency; it should serve as a wake-up call for the state. Sustainable urban planning, strict enforcement of environmental and health regulations, and responsive governance are not optional, they are imperative.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Lawbreakers rule the roost
This is with reference to the news report ‘32% of Rajya Sabha MPs face criminal cases’ (NT, March 20, 2026). This is a disappointing situation. Are we being governed by a gang lawbreakers? As honest citizens of this country, we deserve better. It looks like having criminal cases is an important criterion or qualification to get elected to the Parliament and state assemblies. How else does one explain the situation where a large number of our elected representatives – whether in the Parliament, state assemblies or even in municipal bodies – have criminal cases? This state of affairs calls for a complete revamp. New policies need to be in place. Unless we have laws forbidding people with criminal cases from contesting elections, our country would never see brighter days. But then, the question arises: who will bell the cat when lawbreakers become lawmakers?
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
Fortify bridges
Yet another bridge buckled and this time in Roop Nagar, New Delhi, on March 17. The body of a 50-year-old woman, suspected to be a beggar, was found in drain. This 33-year-old bridge built over a drain was used by students of seven schools and the public as it reduced the journey by one km and travel time by 30 minutes. We are accustomed to read that in some states, new bridges have collapsed, bridges being stolen, in broad daylight, for tonnes of iron to be sold as scrap, incomplete bridges and those which were never required. People know about collapsible gates but what we witness are collapsing bridges. Remember the unused footbridge that existed near a school, for decades at Miramar, Goa till it was dismantled last year. On one hand there are such above cases concerning bridges while on the other hand new bridges, highways and other infrastructure are being built at a rapid rate. Their fate will be known after a few years. When importance is being given to much-needed new constructions, simultaneously the authorities must repair, renovate, replace the existing ones which are crucial to the people.
Sridhar D Iyer, Caranzalem
No end to war in sight
The Iran war has shown no signs of ending. Top Iranian leaders have been killed and the country is grappling with a leadership crisis. Whether or not Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants a regime change in Iran that is more pliable to his country’s interests or is it about total destruction of an “enemy” is the big question. A maverick United States President Donald Trump’s ambitions and short-sightedness have added fuel to the war fire. Though Iran’s military might is no match to the US-Israel combine, a wounded lion is often more dangerous. Following the bombing of its South Pars gas field, Iran responded by destroying Qatar’s energy fields. Meanwhile, the US Pentagon has sought $200 billion budget for war to “kill the bad guys” that only indicates no signs of either the US or the Israel relenting. Has Trump mellowed down after his appeal to nations on the Strait of Hormuz went unheeded? Has he distanced himself from Israel following the former’s “ independent” attack on South Pars?
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Testing times
With 70 per cent of India’s groundwater contaminated, packaged water is a survival necessity, not a luxury. However, the Iran crisis has exposed our extreme vulnerability to global shocks. Despite the government’s proactive tax cut from 18 per cent to 5 per cent, soaring petroleum-linked costs have erased all consumer benefits. PET preform prices have jumped from Rs 110 to Rs 190 per kg, while shrink film costs surged by over 100 per cent. With summer demand expected to rise by 20 per cent, the government must intervene beyond taxation. The administration’s failure to stabilise essential supply chains is inexcusable.
Vijaykumar HK, Raichur
