Water supply
It was amusing to read that the PWD is planning to distribute a 500 litre water storage tank to every household in Goa to tide over the acute water shortage in the state. While most of the villages in Goa do not have piped water supply and a tap in their house, and villagers have to queue up every day to collect water from a common village tap, of what use is this 500 litre tank to these hapless villagers? It is also unfortunate that the PWD minister has refused to accept that there is a water scarcity in Goa and blames it all on the frequent power outages, while turning a blind eye to the abysmally low water levels in all our storage dams and the crying needs of a water- starved people . We need to take the bull by the horns if we really mean well and cherish hopes of 24x7 piped water supply in the State.
A F Nazareth, Porvorim
Accident prone
The location near Shree Maruti temple at Varkhandem in Ponda is a sensitive location. The situation turns dangerous for the precious lives of fellow travellers and pedestrians as vehicular traffic speeds there. As a matter of fact, there are neither any speed-breakers nor any traffic signboards so as to assure safety for travellers and pedestrians. Crossing the road has become a risky task for pedestrians. Above all, there is no traffic cop at this critical spot to exercise control over the ever-increasing traffic along this strategic route. On previous occasions, some minor mishaps have occurred here due to reckless driving and unnecessary overtaking.
Over the years, the concerned competent authorities have not initiated any positive steps to assure safety to innocent travellers and pedestrians. Hence more mishaps are likely to occur in days to come. It is absolutely necessary that prompt favourable steps are undertaken to bring the existing dangerous situation under firm control. Installing speed-breakers and traffic signboards at this spot gains great significance and immediate positive action in this direction will ultimately go a long way in assuring safety to young and old alike. Deputing a permanent traffic cop will indeed help in imbibing discipline at this location which tends to be a death-trap during peak hours.
Pravin U Sardessai, Adpai
Continue services
The taxi drivers have yet again stressed on the removal of bus services to and from the airport. How can this be possible? Shouldn’t travellers have the right to choose what transport service they wish to travel by? In Mumbai, Bangalore and other locations, one will see buses, autorickshaws and taxis of different types at airports. On a recent visit to Bangalore, the bus service from the airport turned out to be the best option. Why does the KTC have to discontinue services to the airport on the whims and fancies of the taxi drivers? There are many Goans who take budget airlines to parts of India and even the Gulf. They might want to not spend a lot of money on travel from the airport. A taxi will cost Rs 1000 from the airport to Margao but a bus will not even be Rs 50. It may be recalled in the past how taxi drivers stoned buses going to Colva. We cannot let them dictate terms to the public.
Amey Kurtakar, Margao
