Goa’s ‘recreation centre’ for jailbirds
The Central Jail at Colvale is supposed to be a highly secured and restricted premises. But the ground reality is quite to the contrary. It is reported that 161 mobiles are among the several prohibited items which have been confiscated from prisoners in the jail over the last eight years. These included SIM cards, data cables, chargers, earphones, portable speakers, etc. Believe it or not, a Tata Sky set-top box was also found in the jail premises. Recently the Colvale police arrested three people and detained a minor boy for allegedly attempting to smuggle ganja into the jail by throwing balls of the contraband over the prison wall. Inmates at the jail were caught partying in the cattle shed within the premises. In 2023 jail inmates were allowed to construct and burn a huge effigy of Ravana inside the premises. Jail inmates have to be incarcerated and undergo necessary punishment for their crimes. Prisons also need to operate as correctional centres so that the inmates undergo a behavioural change and become better citizens after serving their term. However, the Colvale jail appears to have become more of a recreation centre than a correction centre. A report submitted in the state legislative assembly has revealed that of the 79 pending disciplinary proceedings across various government departments, the prisons department accounts for 21 cases. It raises questions about transparency and efficiency when inquiries are prolonged.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Effects of degradation
According to the Forest Minister, leopard and other wild animals are entering villages due to low prey density. He has asked his department to prepare and send a comprehensive forest and grassland management plan to the Centre for approval by environmental experts. It doesn’t take Einstein level genius to figure out that low prey density happens due to loss of forest cover; all our forests, agricultural land, natural cover, orchards are being converted to settlement zone despite court strictures and other legal caveats. Goa is being turned into a vast concrete jungle. Trees are being cut, hill slopes are being destroyed, waterbodies are being filled up and natural drainage channels are being blocked. First take away the natural habitat of the animals and then cry wolf. A small example – even one year after the Supreme Court directed the state government to declare the Mhadei Wildlife Sanctuary as a tiger reserve, precious little has been done.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Welcome step
Kudos to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for announcing temporary status for daily wage workers who have completed over seven years of service in government departments, semi-government corporations, and municipalities, starting August 1. This decision secures the future of many workers who have long been underpaid and uncertain about their job security. However, Sawant has also stated that daily wage workers will no longer be engaged in the future. While this is a positive step, there remains concern about the possibility of repeat practices, especially given news reports of influential officers hiring their own friends or relatives as daily wage workers, knowing that they will eventually be absorbed into permanent roles.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Welfarism boosted
A few weeks ago, I witnessed sanitation workers of the Sankhali municipality appealing Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for a long-overdue salary revision. Sawant listened patiently and promised action—and he delivered. On July 21, 2025, the government announced a major wage reform for over 3,000 daily wage workers working in government departments, semi-government corporations, and municipalities. Effective August 1, ahead of Ganesh Chaturthi, workers will now receive increased salaries along with EPF, ESI, leave entitlements, and an annual 3 per cent increment. This initiative is not just a financial commitment but a recognition of the critical role sanitation workers play in keeping Goa clean. Their work—from door-to-door waste collection to maintaining public hygiene—has contributed to the recent accolades for Panaji and Sankhali at the national cleanliness survey.
Vaman S Sankhalker, Sankhali
On Dhankhar’s exit
Notwithstanding the personal and political reasons for his exit, Jagdeep Dhankhar was imminently suited for the post of vice-president. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had pulled a rabbit out of the hat by zeroing in on Dhankhar as NDA’s pick for vice-president in 2022. The fourteenth vice-president of the country tried his best to lift the exalted post. Although he had friends in various parties, he had frequent run-ins with the Opposition as chairman of the Rajya Sabha. A lawyer, he was all pains in applying legal provisions to give rulings in the upper House of Parliament. Did Dhankhar quit because of the disrespect shown to the chair by a few ministers? However, considering he was neither a political novice nor a naive leader, there is something more than meets the eye?
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
