Road ethics need improvement
The most disturbing news that greeted me on my return from Dubai recently was that on an average around 12 people are killed every month on Goa roads due to rash and negligent driving and driving under the influence of alcohol. None but the RTO in Goa is to blame for this dismal state of affairs. Nothing of this sort is ever witnessed on Dubai roads, where driving is both safe and a pleasure. Motorists are careful not to flout the rules for fear of stringent punishment. Probably, a few tips may help to improve the situation. There is a zero tolerance to alcohol while driving, and severe punishment of fines, imprisonment and even deportation for driving under the influence of alcohol. This has worked wonders in preventing road accidents and deaths. Pedestrians also feel safe to walk on the roads without the fear of being knocked down, because there is respect for them by motorists who stop to make way for them even outside pedestrian crossings. So, unless we put into practice such drastic measures in Goa, the number of road accidents will keep increasing every year. We cannot blame the tourists who flock to Goa for enjoyment. Dubai is likewise a hot tourist destination, but it is the law that keeps people in check, unlike what happens in Goa
A F Nazareth, Porvorim
No ban on meat
The calls for a ban on slaughter of bovines in Goa should be condemned. There are many governments and municipalities across India who seem to be notifying bans on slaughter as well as the sale of meat. Just because they are doing it, doesn’t mean that we should be too. The Govansha Raksha Abhiyan and other parties who are all aligned in their cause to ban cow slaughter need to realise that just because they do not eat meat, they cannot impose this on the part of Goa that does. I do not eat red meat myself but it would be foolish of me and those like me to support such a ban. It is not constitutional and it is not ethical as well. This is turning into more than just a religious move. Thank goodness we have courts that do not lack common sense.
Amey Kurtakar, Margao
Society today
The exchange of letters between the Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and senior journalist Rajdeep Sardessai gives one a unique insight into the respect given to heads of government, journalist and the attitude of the public towards such people. The letters themselves are mostly an example of healthy debate, apart from the few comments where Fadnavis branded Sardessai a leftist. Journalists are now called prestitutes, with people thinking that all news is paid for or it has a biased slant. Heads of government are thought to only want to cheat the people and make money. Everything is viewed by these tinted glasses and labels define these people. It’s sad that social media now gives all and sundry a platform to abuse and verbally molest just about anyone. We have become an intolerable bunch of opinionated fools.
Prakash Chanda, Calangute
