Bad road ethics
The new bypass being built from Panaji/Merces to Old Goa and Ponda is a beautiful road that certainly does bypass the constructions that have now cropped up alongside the highway. The drive is great and cuts down the time that one would normally take if the journey were made from the old road, from Ribandar Patto and into Bainguinim. But there is a glaring lack of road etiquette. When the road was under construction, everyone shared one side of the tarred road, whether you were coming or going. But now that both sides have been adequately done up, normal road rules need apply. Despite that, many motorists are ignoring the signboards and driving and riding on one side of the road. The excuse is that the side is smooth throughout whereas the other side has a few bumpy sections. None of those sections resemble the moon’s surface. Yet, these errant drivers seem to be alright with putting people’s lives in danger by driving, at high speeds, on the same side as oncoming traffic. There are no police personnel in sight to sort this issue out either. It won’t be long before a serious accident occurs and lives will be lost due to the apathy displayed by Goan drivers.
Cynthia Andrade, Old Goa
Bad functioning
The attempt to release a book about Nathuram Godse on Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary was in bad taste and the government of Goa avoided further controversy by cancelling the event. However, this move was only made after the public and other personalities made a huge hue and cry. The government’s recent moves have been suspect, whether it’s the change of classification of the coconut tree or this event. It doesn’t matter if there is a lot of good that will come out of the coconut tree being reclassified as grass. Only time will tell. But there has to be some amount of transparency on the part of the government when these decisions are made. If they do not do that, it is up to the opposition to question them, instead of just calling for press conferences and denouncing their peers. Both these sides do not function as they should.
Sanjay Naik, Mapusa
Becoming smart
The fact that Panaji did not make it to the first list of Smart Cities should be a concern and a relief as well. The matter of concern is that city fathers and authorities were not on the same page when it came to preparing a proposal and figuring out where the funding will come from. In matters like this, politics needs to be put aside because everyone is supposed to be working towards the betterment of the city. The relief is that, with elections due in early March, a new panel will hopefully be in charge of the next Smart City bid, due mid-April. This will also give Ponjekars time to evaluate the kind of people who they would want to lead this change, since the evolution to a Smart City will require everyone to work together. Perhaps it was meant to happen like this.
Bhushan Kamat, Panaji
