People will realize Mopa is a land scam
A F Nazareth’s letter (The Goan Everyday, October 24) ought to have been consigned to the place it deserves had he not called on GFDO, of which I am a member, to “concede defeat”. Had he read our press statements, he would have realized that the truths brought out by GFDO on Mopa as also on the environmental clearance, (which incidentally has not been officially accorded), have never been contradicted. Further, its challenges to past and present Chief Ministers for a debate have never been accepted. GFDO considers Mopa as the biggest fraud and a shameful and massive land scam, with a proposal of lakhs of sq. metres of our scarce land being given to the developer, free of cost, as the project is not economically viable. It is mainly for this reason that the GFDO has decided to challenge this project. It is also very unfortunate that, after the closure of old airports at Bangalore and Hyderabad and the failure of the PM himself keeping the promise of Special Status to Goa, there are still some people who believe this government and consider closure of Dabolim a figment of our imagination.
Jose Maria Miranda, Margao
Increased charges
Close on the heels of increase in power tariff by 11 per cent this year, the government has decided to further increase the tariff by 13 per cent not just once more but successively for the next 3 years. The decision, as understood, is to recover the huge losses incurred by the government in this sector. The suggestions of the people to recover the losses by gradual increase over a longer period so that it does not hurt the consumers have been rejected by the government. High tariff is not the only problem of the consumers. The electricity supply in the villages is horribly poor. Not a day passes without interruption in supply. On certain days the supply interrupted every 10 minutes. Believe me we have 10 minutes of electricity and 10 minutes of blackout. We cannot watch the football matches. And how does one manage in such a situation. Are we expected to go back to candles and kerosene lamps in the 21st century?
Government should attend to these problems of the people with seriousness. It is just not okay to keep on increasing tariff without improving the service. You may continue the dream projects of triple bridges and dual airports but don’t disturb our single phase electricity supply.
Rodney De Souza, Assagao
Voice unheard
Two teachers; two preachers; but only one do-er! On page one we have a professor who backs his pronouncement: His was the only voice of dissent, on two occasions, when the Goa University Executive Council met to amend the statutes dealing with age related rules for extension of service terms. He stands his ground, as reported in The Goan Everyday, October 27, on the very valid argument that “the principle of superannuation will be thrown into the dustbin” if the EC has its way.
On page four of the same edition of The Goan everyday we have another teacher who “gives a clarion call to uproot corruption in all forms”. In his capacity of Chief Minister of Goa, speaking at a programme on “Vigilance Awareness Week”, this teacher analysed the different forms of corruption; but he does not walk his talk. Indeed he defied the Governor of Goa who refused to endorse his request for a change in the rules. Shamefully, he took the ordinance root to achieve his goal! If that is not “corruption” what is?
Nazar da Silva, Moira
