Return of normalcy
It is heartening to note that Pahalgam, hit by terror that cost 26 lives, appears to have bounced back with tourists, who wanted to enjoy summer vacation in Kashmir valley, having stuck to their travel plans. The scenic place, which is known as ‘mini Switzerland’, was opened to tourists a couple of days after the terror attack. However, Baisaran meadows, where the carnage took place, remain closed and rightly so as a mark of respect to those killed. After a lull for a few days, hundreds of foreign and domestic tourists strolled on the streets of Pahalgam bringing back a sense of normalcy. This has hit hard the plans of the terrorists who would have wanted to see normal life disrupted in one of the favourite tourist spots in the country. The tourists have shown exemplary grit and courage in order not to cancel their travel plans to Pahalgam after the attack. The main aim of the terrorists is to create panic and fear in the minds of the tourists so that they cancel their travel plans which will lead to a fall in income of the local business community. But this was not to be since normalcy appears to have been restored in the locality. The renewed footfalls of tourists brings hope and tears down the spectre of unemployment.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Abode of the needy
Let us pray and hope that the home for the aged and the destitute next to Don Bosco High School in Panaji ably run by the Missionaries of Charity for almost five decades until now will be restarted at the earliest. Hopefully this noble task will continue to be undertaken for the benefit of the needy, deprived and downtrodden by the nuns. Undoubtedly, the recent, very contrary and conflicting, statements made by the nuns have needlessly complicated and confused the whole scenario. These entire premises has a need for habitable conditions for the less fortunate to live in truly humane conditions and the state government and other institutions must also try and pitch in towards this social responsibility. The Missionaries of Charity, which runs other homes at various places in Goa and elsewhere in India, should likewise also restart this one for the benefit of the poor and deprived. This is definitely going to be an uphill task, but we have to work towards unity as our departed Pope Francis wished, and we are able to carry on Mother Teresa’s rich legacy.
Aires Rodrigues, London
Lesson on charity
Immediately after his election in 2013, Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Konrad Krajewski as his papal almoner (an almoner is a person appointed to do works of charity on behalf of another). Pope Francis instructed his almoner to ‘throw out the furniture’ from his office, (as he would not require it). The Holy Father told his almoner not to wait for the poor to approach him for charity, but to ‘go out on the streets and identify the really needy persons’. I believe this is an object lesson on how charity should be done. There are many people who approach the Church for charity. It is not easy to identify who is really needy and who is not. So let’s do it Pope Francis’ way. Our parishes have a strong network of parish councillors and animators. The animators are ideal resource persons who can identify the needy, as they minister to just about 10-15 families. Animators must report any such needy case to the parish priest. Animators must serve as the almoners of the parish priest.
Robert Castellino, Calangute
Suspicious fire
A fire which raged for 10 hours in the Enforcement Directorate office at Mumbai on Sunday raises some pertinent questions. Investigation documents and sensitive data of high-profile cases involving like Mehul Choksi, Chhagan Bhujbal and Nirav Modi were stored at the same location in the office. The fire started at 2.30 am when no staff was present. This raises doubts about whether the fire incident was a deliberate act to wipe out tonnes of witness statements and evidence painstakingly collected by the ED over the years. A thorough investigation should be carried out to ascertain the cause of fire to rule out foul play.
Rekha Sarin Trehan, Benaulim
Lions roar
The successful breeding of an Asiatic lioness at the Delhi Zoological park is good news as these lions are exclusive to India. The Gir wildlife sanctuary of Gujarat is home to 674 lions, as against 523 in 2015, as per the 2020 census. The 30 per cent rise in the big cat number, over five years, was a much-needed shot in the arm for lion conservation efforts in the area. Asiatic lions are long extinct in both Turkey and Iran, two other countries that boasted of them. Way back in 2015, Gir had adopted the ‘direct sighting’ method to count lions because of its accuracy. Also, modern techniques like the global positioning system, geo-reference and videography were put to good use by the government. The preservation of lion habitat, and corridors, obviously has helped them flourish. Limiting mining activities and the speed of trains on tracks close to the sanctuary, too, have clicked. Nearly 80 kilometres of railway tracks passing through the Amreli region have been fenced with barbed wires.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
