Govt disrespectful
of Opinion Poll Day
Last year, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant assured the leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao in the House that the Opinion Poll Day would be officially celebrated on a grand scale starting in 2025. However, despite this assurance, no official celebration took place on the Opinion Poll Day, January 16, 2025, anywhere in the state. Why is this the case? If the Sawant government can routinely allocate substantial funds for various official functions and commemorate the birth and death anniversaries of medieval rulers, why can’t it organise a single official event on January 16 to honour the historic Opinion Poll Day? Does the government not realise that if Goans had not voted against Goa’s merger with Maharashtra, the state would have become just another district of Maharashtra? The current BJP government has shown a clear lack of respect for those who fought to preserve Goa’s unique identity by failing to follow through on its promise to officially recognise the Opinion Poll Day.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Goa’s groundwater is safe
The Central Ground Water Board’s annual report of 2024 provides data for 15,259 monitoring wells throughout India, including 10 in Goa. The baseline data would help assess groundwater quality for drinking and agriculture purposes. Physico-chemical parameters were measured such as electrical conductivity, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, thorium, carbonate, bicarbonate, chlorine, sulphate, fluorine, phosphate, nitrate, arsenic, iron and uranium. Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and residual sodium carbonate (RSC) values, indicate the suitability of water for irrigation. The values of the above factors would change considering the local geology, topography, rainfall and proximity to the sea. The RSC in Goa’s samples were in the ‘safe’ category while that of Arunachal, Assam, Andaman & Nicobar, Meghalaya and Nagaland are ‘very safe’ (values less than 1.25). Waters with very high RSC affect plant development and are unsuitable for irrigation. Though Goa’s well waters are ‘safe’ bit it should not lead to excessive pumping out (legally or illegally), because aquifers need to get recharged. One way is through rainwater harvesting but there are few takers despite government’s support for the scheme. The report does not mention if E. coli (Escherichia coli) was present and measured. This bacterium is common in animal and human intestines. Typically, potable water should have zero E. coli while high contents indicate faecal contamination in water and the presence of disease-causing organisms.
Sridhar D Iyer, Caranzalem
A thoughtless move
Taking strong objection to the notification imposing Rs 50 as entry fee to Our Lady of Monte Chapel atop the hill at Old Goa, the Save Goa Old Goa Action Committee has demanded that the archaeology director withdraw the same immediately. In a major move, the state government announced the introduction of entry fee at 11 state-protected monuments that includes temples, churches and forts. The entry fee will set a wrong precedent. The chapel is an active and functioning place of worship with prayer services and even nuptials being held there. Mass is celebrated on the eighth day of every month. The question that arises is whether those entering the chapel to offer prayers and attend the Mass will have to pay an entry fee. Will they have to carry an identification proof like the Aadhaar card? The entry fee will turn away the devotees from attending the Mass. A gate has been put up at the entry point of the chapel. Has the Church authorities been taken into confidence while imposing the fee and putting up the gate? Is the chapel the property of the government or the Church in Goa?
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Fragile Gaza truce
After 15 months of relentless fighting, Israel and Hamas have finally reached a tentative ceasefire and hostage release agreement, brokered by Qatar and the US. It appears that US President-elect Donald Trump’s statement ‘hell breaking loose threat before the inauguration day’ led to a ceasefire in Gaza. While the ceasefire signals a potential pause in the violence that has ravaged Gaza, it remains a fragile and uncertain step toward lasting peace. Since the war broke out on October 7, 2023, more than 46,000 people have been killed in the Palestinian enclave in an Israeli war of retribution. Israel too lost many people in the Hamas attacks and hundreds were taken hostage. India has joined other countries in welcoming the ceasefire deal, which remains fragile, and the world community must do more to hold both Hamas leaders and Netanyahu responsible for implementing this understanding without further delay. Any agreement that does not address the status of Palestinian land is unlikely to hold. The current ceasefire is a small but critical step in halting the violence. International aid would play a critical role in alleviating the humanitarian crisis, but long-term recovery would require substantial investment, political stability and lasting peace.
Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai
