Where is our health centre?
Is a smart city, extra bridges or the Mopa airport a priority for the government of Goa and an indicator of progress, when the basic medical and healthcare facilities and other necessities, like 24x7 potable water, power supply and garbage management are beyond the reach of a common man?
Cansaulim, Calangute, Candolim and many other villages are crying hoarse for want of health facilities as reported lately. To be precise, after laying the foundation stone for the construction of new Primary health center in Cansaulim by former CM Manohar Parrikar on February 25, 2014, the old primary health center was demolished. For the last eight months the patients have been diverted to a temporary makeshift shelter in Arossim where there are no required facilities for the health recovery of the patients. Prior to demolition, the health centre was functioning round the clock with proper care of patients. Why is the health centre not completed till date?
Is it not a blot on the government performance when thousands of crores can be spent for smart city or for building bridges or an airport but a health center in Cansaulim cannot be rebuilt? Has government forgotten its constitutional obligation under article 21 which makes it mandatory to ensure the right to life of its citizens?
Ifa Saldanha, Cansaulim
Blame game
Minister Sudin Dhavlikar in the Assembly yesterday said that Portugal must first apologise to Goa for mercilessly ruling over Goans. Many of the woes of Goa were the making of Portuguese dictator Salazar whose persecution was faced even by the Portuguese citizens in Portugal which was worse than what our elders have faced. It was Portuguese that gave us Goans certain decency and standard of life that was absent in other parts of India. In December 1961 the living standard of Goans was much higher than that of average Indians beyond the boundaries of Goa. If any Portuguese has to apologise to Goans like me then it must be the then Foreign Minister of Portugal Mario Soares for signing the surrender treaty of Goa to Bharat without consulting us, the Goans.
While we are blaming the Portuguese? Can we ask ourselves how different are we now under the Bharati rule? Goans are treated now like third grade citizens of India. After analysing everything, I feel we were better off and better treated during the Portuguese regime but not now.
A. Veronica Fernandes, Candolim
Wrong method
The Congress is in disarray following its decimation in 2014 Loksabha elections. That is why they are stalling the parliament over the National Herald case. The Congress has used the wrong forum to launch a political offensive, because there is no credence in the party's charge of political vendetta. Subramaniam Swamy was not a member of the BJP when the case was admitted by Delhi trial court in March 2013. There is a judicial system, a rule of law, and an independent judiciary to judge legal aspects like the National Herald case. If the Congress feels that the summons issued to the Congress President and Vice President was not justified, it would be within its rights to seek rectification in higher judicial forums and not stalling the Parliament proceedings although the BJP had also done that when they were in the Opposition. They should act more maturely instead of wasting public money.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
