CCP dues
The CCP is out to increase their revenue streams. This is evident from the parking charges that were introduced and now the eviction notices to petrol pumps, along with the massive increase in rent. Make no mistake, there was a dire need to charge for parking, but there should have been better parking infrastructure in place like multi-storey parking. In the case of the petrol pump, it’s astounding that some of them are protesting a hike when they were paying Rs 2161, 4061 and 4467. Granted that the new rents are quite high but there is no reason why the CCP cannot hike to a decent amount like Rs 60,000 to one lakh depending on the area. There is also a need to relocate some of the pumps, they are too close to residential buildings.
State’s accountabiity
Many of the road accidents that occur in the state could be attributed to faulty road engineering or bad road conditions. Faulty road conditions could include putting up speedbreakers which are not as per specifications, not painted properly or absence of proper signboards warning the commuters of such speedbreakers and rumblers. Pot holes which are not repaired in time or roads that are dug up for various works carried out by other government departments which are left open could be another cause for accidentsIt is probably time that the administration and the concerned authorities are made a party in a road accident if it has been proved that the accident has been caused due to the faulty and bad road conditions. This way the government will be more duty bound to improve the condition of the roads. If victims of train accidents are paid compensation, why shouldn’t victims of road-accidents also be paid in the same manner if it has been proved beyond doubt that the accident could have been avoided if the road condition was not bad or faulty.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Curb protests
It is interesting that a group of traditional fishermen are bullying the government into giving in to their demands. They want LED fishing banned, but fail to realise that in this age of large populations and demands such fishing is better. A trawler will bring in 100 times more fish than a canoe. More people are fed. LED fishing is not proven to be hazardous scientifically. Fishing with lights is an age old practice that goes back to more than a century ago. So why the nonsense now? Earlier we had people protesting a good event like the DefExpo, elsewhere we have groups protesting any construction that occurs in Goa. Granted that there are also a lot of illegal practices but how long can we live like this in Goa? People say earlier we used to sleep with our doors open. That was in the 1970s, but we in Goa were not the only ones who did that. It was the same in other parts of the country. Times have changed. We cannot have a group of traditional fishermen holding the industry to ransom just as we cannot have the taxi mafia holding their industry to ransom. People in Goa need to grow up.
Carlos da Penha, Mumbai
