VOX POPULI
by
S Kamat
as
Aam Admi
Issue: 222 Date: 09.10.2017
With the GST mess following on the back of the Demonetisation debacle, Arun Jaitley seems to be aiming at breaking the record of the maximum number of circulars issued for any economic measure by the government and its agencies. With Demonetisation holding that pedestal earlier, GST inclusive of the newspaper advertisements on FAQ's should be close to dislodging and claiming that position. What with Jaitley stating that the government may be open to reducing the number of slabs under GST the stage is being set to expectation which may set off more confusion and less compliance among the small trader community which is the current bottleneck. Thus one cannot understand why the government cannot think through a measure before proceeding with its implementation. The fact that the GST council had to carry all the States along is being cited as the cause for the structural lacunae but this could have been all ironed out and then the measure put in place. Where was the hurry to rush through GST claimed to be 'the biggest financial reform since Independence'?
by
S Kamat
as
Aam Admi
Issue: 222 Date: 09.10.2017
1. Nature's Fury Makes A Mockery of India's Smart City ProgramsContents:
2. Capital Punishment For Rape of Minors
3. Why Modi, Shah, Jaitley & Co. Behave the Way They Do?
4. GST On Track To Become A Big Mess
5. Stray Cattle & Dogs Not Welcome In Goa Or Across India Too
6. President Kovind Should Have Avoided Inaugurating Shirdi Airport
Nature's Fury Makes A Mockery of India's Smart City Programs
Nature's fury over the last couple of years has made a mockery of India's Smart City programs. The latest to meet problems is Hyderabad which was inundated last week by incessant rain over a single day. The 2nd or 3rd time the flooding has been happening for the city in the last 18 months. Each of our Metro cities that are part of the Smart City program have been facing similar problems with excessive spells of rain or cloudbursts notable among which is Bengaluru which with a couple of inches of rain has most of the roads in some areas completely waterlogged brining normal life to a standstill. The city has also discovered over the last few years that houses, commercial complexes, hospitals etc. have been constructed over storm water drains clogging discharge and/or reducing the capacity of rainwater evacuation. Thus where the focus for our first and second level cities should have been to have proper infrastructure for water, sanitation, sewerage and transportation to improve the quality of life for the common man, we have the Smart City programs looking at wi-fi Internet access etc. the peripheral things which by right should be at the bottom of the list of things to do. It is time we learnt the lessons that Nature is teaching us and recast our plans for the modernisation of our cities. It has been brought out by many studies mostly by NGO's that our city planners rarely concentrate on our below the ground systems specially sewerage and drainage which has been now brought to the fore now by Nature. One hopes that our authorities will take notice and start correcting the situation. The same applies to the fact that 80% or more of our water bodies are contaminated which has again been brought out by the foam formation in Bengaluru lakes where one again hopes will get the authorities thinking on ways and means of preserving our water bodies which generally form reservoirs at times of flooding and thus can help in reducing the severity of inundation of habitated areas.
Capital Punishment For Rape of Minors
Incidents of rapes of minors is registering like clockwork across the country including in school premises where normally one would expect children to be safe. Something needs to be done on this on a priority basis. The first option could be to fast track all these cases and amend the laws so that capital punishment is given to the perpetrators. If within a span of 3 months from the occurrence of the rape the attacker is hanged, it will send a message out to likely rapists that the government means business and they better be wary and desist from their heinous plans. Long term considering that the majority of the cases are occurring in our Metro cities, we need to look at stopping migration from our rural areas into cities in search of work or jobs. Such people leave their families back home and not finding a release of their sexual urges tend to commit rape including those of minors who one can say are soft targets.
Why Modi, Shah, Jaitley & Co. Behave the Way They Do?
It is time for some psychoanalysis now when it comes to the Indian political leadership.
Let us start with Narendra Modi. After the Nov 8th 2016 misadventure of demonetising the high value currency notes Modi went into a shell somewhat awed by what he had sprung on the unsuspecting Indian populace after seeing the unending queues at banks and reported deaths of people in these lines. Consequently if you recall Modi was supposed to make some dramatic announcements over New Year's Eve in 2016 that people had believed would be to ease the pain that they were facing with Demonetisation or some other earthshaking economic measures. Nothing happened to the scale of people's expectations and the announcements were rather inconsequential.
Just about a week back, a similar context arose and with the economy in doldrums people were expecting a major revival package to be announced. Indications were seen in the press that after Modi and Jaitley reviewed the economy with the officials from the relevant ministries a major economic package was in the offing. But nothing happened again and not even the Modi-Jaitley meeting with the economic ministry officials took place. It was only Jaitley who met the officials and came out with some lame remark about the economy. Though Modi came out thereafter with an announcement of again the badly conceived Saubhagya scheme of providing free electric connections to the poor and some other schemes but none of them carried much weight.
The third recent major happening within the government was the Cabinet reshuffle. This had been a long time coming after the two resignations that of Manohar Parrikar and Suresh Prabhu and a lot of hype had been built into the announcement. But it again turned out to be a damp squib and the only change worth noting there was the elevation of Nirmala Sitharaman as the Defence Minister. This would be the second time after Indira Gandhi had a woman Defence Minister but even that milestone was devalued by saying that with the 3 Service Chiefs there is not really much to do for the Defence Minister except to deal with foreign suppliers of defence equipment. So what was Manohar Parrikar doing in the highly touted Defence Ministry at that time stated to be a very important and critical Ministry? Was he just twiddling his thumbs? And is that the reason that he decided to move back to Goa as Chief Minister?
Thus if you see Narendra Modi does all the groundwork, building up for the big moment and then just before the arc lights are switched on, he gets cold feet and retracts from implementing the momentous measure. Except for Demonetisation he has not really belled the cat on any single initiative since this BJP government came to power in 2014. And even on Demonetisation he failed big time. In contrast when it comes to making speeches at election rallies that is long on wind but is short on actual content, Modi is in his element. Because here there is a deniability and nobody in India takes election promises seriously, which Modi very well knows.
This speaks of a personality who is unsure of himself and would rather not be held accountable. This is probably because of his lack of formal education and the absence of support of a family network that generally rounds up perspective and makes a person more confident and sure of himself. Or the scale of the debacle of Demonetisation has really shocked him that he is hesitant to come out with anything big? The lack of the family support network tends to make an individual behave rashly at times like we have seen happen to Modi in the Demonetisation exercise. These personality faults and also the refusal to publicly accept his mistakes also lend to the tendency to avoid media since with more than half of his present term getting over Modi has not held a single press conference. But for the Demonetisation time when he came on national TV he has not addressed the nation on any issue or one does not recall of his having spoken to a collection of people in the country like industry or trade associations except recently when he addressed the company secretaries gathering. While in contrast you will see him when abroad making it a point to address PIO's or NRI's who throng these meetings on a curiosity or nostalgia basis and Modi can then revel in the adulation without having to deliver on any count. The avoidance mode towards local people is also reflected by his radio addresses called Maan ki Baat where again it is a one-way interaction and Modi gets a chance to mouth platitudes. These are all to shore up his image and re-instate in people's minds that his intentions are good. Thus to protect himself Modi creates a shell around himself of aloofness, a difficult to access manner and an abrasive attitude to being questioned or towards dissent. These traits we have all seen in his behaviour in public life more so after 2014 upon becoming the PM. The intolerance to dissent we have seen in the Vidarbha MP reporting that in one of the party meetings he was abruptly put down by the PM when he wanted to raise the issue of farmer's woes in his constituency. A confirmation of the reticence and hesitation to address any issue is what we have seen at every crisis point that was in front of the nation since 2014 like the intolerance issue, the student unrests in JNU & Osmania University, the beef eating and cow issue, where on the last issue Modi has spoken only as a matter of last resort leading in the interim to a conclusion that he is behind these issues or it has his and the BJP's tacit support.
There are many who talk of Modi's foreign policy successes but the perceived achievements are because of India, the country and not the man, Modi. India commands a certain degree of respect now and that is where other countries want to deal with India keeping in mind that position. Any other person in the PM's chair would have been able to do the same. Modi's hugs are being talked about to be a trademark signifying warmth and bonhomie but they are being not so warmly received by some international leaders like Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin who are seen visibly to cringe away from the supposedly warm embrace. The hug is now being taken as in some African and Polynesian countries, the form of greeting that is rubbing cheeks or rubbing noses which some world leaders consciously avoid. The warmth shown by Modi in his personal interactions has backfired or should one say not reciprocated in instances like with Nawaz Sharif and Chinese leader, Xi. Even President Abe's recent visit to Gujarat where he was accorded a tumultuous welcome could be considered wasted since he went back and called for a snap poll in Japan. And media there is reporting that at this time Abe's approval ratings are on a slide. So if Abe does not come back to power all that was invested in his Gujarat visit may be considered wasted though Modi can claim that the Bullet Train project, which is not very desirable, was cleared by Abe. Modi's behaviour in his foreign policy overtures is an over-anxious tendency while showing a little more reserve would possibly have resulted in more stable gains for India.
There is another trait in Modi's character and that is he likes a winner since one can say that in his conceit, he considers himself a winner. That one can assume is the basis of his relationship with Amit Shah, the BJP President since Shah has been delivering him every election, more or less except notably Delhi, that has been held since the 2014 general elections. The relationship with Modi for Shah is important for him since otherwise he will get embroiled in the criminal cases that have been chasing, some amounting to murder. This is the reason why Shah has ensconced himself recently as a Rajya Sabha member since apart from his relationship with Modi, this status can give him some semblance of protection from the judiciary.
Thus Modi emerges as a person who in his childhood was deprived of warmth and understanding and because of that struck out on his own making the party as a foster home and its then leaders of the RSS, his heroes. This kind of explains his inability to settle down in married life and staying away from his wedded wife even after achieving the highest post in the country, that of Prime Minister. Those schisms from childhood lead Modi to act most times as a loner, emerging selectively in the limelight at timings of his choice to address matters of also his preference. These tendencies sometimes make him go overboard characterised by rashness, bravado, daring etc. etc. call it what you will. And then realising the enormity of what he has done retreat after that into a shell, incommunicado and with no explanations for his actions or clarifications on the next course of action. These are clear indications of a repressed individual who is sometimes unable to control his precipitate actions and who does not admit the adverse results of his actions and refuses to take responsibility for them. These emerge from a childhood where parental care and support was lacking and in later life the deprivation of a family net around him that rounds perspective, builds rationality and clarity in actions.
We will now turn to Arun Jaitley who exactly fits the bill of the Hindi saying - Andhon Me Kana Raja. The BJP faced with a paucity of leaders who can be considered as ministerial material has in Jaitley a man for all seasons. That is the reason why Modi dumps portfolios on Jaitley without blinking an eye and more so because he has no choice. Jaitley had started off with the Finance and the Defence Ministries and then divested Defence when Parrikar came into the Cabinet and was reverted with the portfolio when Parrikar decided to return to Goa. And only lately has he given up Defence to Nirmala Sitharaman upon her appointment after the last Cabinet reshuffle. Jaitley always nattily dressed and fond of a turn of phrase is considered a good communicator and that is why the BJP falls back on him in Parliament to turn the tables on the Opposition. An advocate by training Jaitley's burning urge is wanting to be known as an economist and he therefore prefers the Finance Ministry to any other. Jaitley revels in the technical financial terms that are the bread and butter of the Finance Minister and rolls them off his tongue spiritedly, one wonders maybe without fully understanding what they mean. Bereft of a popular base and having lost the elections from Punjab for the Lok Sabha, Jaitley has to be content with being a perennial Rajya Sabha bench warmer. Knowing fully well about his indispensability in the Cabinet to Modi, Jaitley lately is troubled that for all his efforts in the Finance Ministry the Indian economy equated to the elephant is showing very definite and consistent signs of wallowing in the mud for a longer time than it is desirable. Jaitley also knows that Modi knows about this and the charmed life that Jaitley has led in the Finance Ministry may be at risk. Otherwise why did Modi not to turn up for the meeting for announcing the revival package for the economy the other day, is what Jaitley is mulling about? This is more so in the context of the upcoming State elections particularly in Gujarat which is very important for Modi & Shah to win. Any signs of the economy catching a serious cold will jeopardise the elections and hence the urgent modifications to the GST rules. This is being done as many would say not because the GST needs it but more the Gujarat elections need it. As a minister Jaitley instead of being sympathetic to the people's plight has been behaving more in the confrontational manner and tends to take the admonishing path than the helpful way of a pat on the shoulder and suggesting that we walk the difficult way together. Even last week at a conference of income tax officials he stated that the Indian people are largely of the tax-avoiding kind. Such comments are not going to win him many friends across the Indian population. Jaitley was at the forefront of the India Shining campaign when the last NDA government was in power and it looks like he is doing a re-run of the same thing little realising that at that time the NDA lost and there is a big chance that the same thing could happen again. That's what happens when people get drunk on their own perceived achievements, they act without caring for the problems and sensitivities of others around them.
Others in the Cabinet are mostly unknown quantities but for the cheerleaders like M A Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad who at the drop of a hat and without analysing the situation and using their minds jump to the defence of the Prime Minister whenever Narendra Modi says or does anything.
Concluding one would have to say that with this kind of a leadership at the helm of the country where can India go but only downwards.
Let us start with Narendra Modi. After the Nov 8th 2016 misadventure of demonetising the high value currency notes Modi went into a shell somewhat awed by what he had sprung on the unsuspecting Indian populace after seeing the unending queues at banks and reported deaths of people in these lines. Consequently if you recall Modi was supposed to make some dramatic announcements over New Year's Eve in 2016 that people had believed would be to ease the pain that they were facing with Demonetisation or some other earthshaking economic measures. Nothing happened to the scale of people's expectations and the announcements were rather inconsequential.
Just about a week back, a similar context arose and with the economy in doldrums people were expecting a major revival package to be announced. Indications were seen in the press that after Modi and Jaitley reviewed the economy with the officials from the relevant ministries a major economic package was in the offing. But nothing happened again and not even the Modi-Jaitley meeting with the economic ministry officials took place. It was only Jaitley who met the officials and came out with some lame remark about the economy. Though Modi came out thereafter with an announcement of again the badly conceived Saubhagya scheme of providing free electric connections to the poor and some other schemes but none of them carried much weight.
The third recent major happening within the government was the Cabinet reshuffle. This had been a long time coming after the two resignations that of Manohar Parrikar and Suresh Prabhu and a lot of hype had been built into the announcement. But it again turned out to be a damp squib and the only change worth noting there was the elevation of Nirmala Sitharaman as the Defence Minister. This would be the second time after Indira Gandhi had a woman Defence Minister but even that milestone was devalued by saying that with the 3 Service Chiefs there is not really much to do for the Defence Minister except to deal with foreign suppliers of defence equipment. So what was Manohar Parrikar doing in the highly touted Defence Ministry at that time stated to be a very important and critical Ministry? Was he just twiddling his thumbs? And is that the reason that he decided to move back to Goa as Chief Minister?
Thus if you see Narendra Modi does all the groundwork, building up for the big moment and then just before the arc lights are switched on, he gets cold feet and retracts from implementing the momentous measure. Except for Demonetisation he has not really belled the cat on any single initiative since this BJP government came to power in 2014. And even on Demonetisation he failed big time. In contrast when it comes to making speeches at election rallies that is long on wind but is short on actual content, Modi is in his element. Because here there is a deniability and nobody in India takes election promises seriously, which Modi very well knows.
This speaks of a personality who is unsure of himself and would rather not be held accountable. This is probably because of his lack of formal education and the absence of support of a family network that generally rounds up perspective and makes a person more confident and sure of himself. Or the scale of the debacle of Demonetisation has really shocked him that he is hesitant to come out with anything big? The lack of the family support network tends to make an individual behave rashly at times like we have seen happen to Modi in the Demonetisation exercise. These personality faults and also the refusal to publicly accept his mistakes also lend to the tendency to avoid media since with more than half of his present term getting over Modi has not held a single press conference. But for the Demonetisation time when he came on national TV he has not addressed the nation on any issue or one does not recall of his having spoken to a collection of people in the country like industry or trade associations except recently when he addressed the company secretaries gathering. While in contrast you will see him when abroad making it a point to address PIO's or NRI's who throng these meetings on a curiosity or nostalgia basis and Modi can then revel in the adulation without having to deliver on any count. The avoidance mode towards local people is also reflected by his radio addresses called Maan ki Baat where again it is a one-way interaction and Modi gets a chance to mouth platitudes. These are all to shore up his image and re-instate in people's minds that his intentions are good. Thus to protect himself Modi creates a shell around himself of aloofness, a difficult to access manner and an abrasive attitude to being questioned or towards dissent. These traits we have all seen in his behaviour in public life more so after 2014 upon becoming the PM. The intolerance to dissent we have seen in the Vidarbha MP reporting that in one of the party meetings he was abruptly put down by the PM when he wanted to raise the issue of farmer's woes in his constituency. A confirmation of the reticence and hesitation to address any issue is what we have seen at every crisis point that was in front of the nation since 2014 like the intolerance issue, the student unrests in JNU & Osmania University, the beef eating and cow issue, where on the last issue Modi has spoken only as a matter of last resort leading in the interim to a conclusion that he is behind these issues or it has his and the BJP's tacit support.
There are many who talk of Modi's foreign policy successes but the perceived achievements are because of India, the country and not the man, Modi. India commands a certain degree of respect now and that is where other countries want to deal with India keeping in mind that position. Any other person in the PM's chair would have been able to do the same. Modi's hugs are being talked about to be a trademark signifying warmth and bonhomie but they are being not so warmly received by some international leaders like Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin who are seen visibly to cringe away from the supposedly warm embrace. The hug is now being taken as in some African and Polynesian countries, the form of greeting that is rubbing cheeks or rubbing noses which some world leaders consciously avoid. The warmth shown by Modi in his personal interactions has backfired or should one say not reciprocated in instances like with Nawaz Sharif and Chinese leader, Xi. Even President Abe's recent visit to Gujarat where he was accorded a tumultuous welcome could be considered wasted since he went back and called for a snap poll in Japan. And media there is reporting that at this time Abe's approval ratings are on a slide. So if Abe does not come back to power all that was invested in his Gujarat visit may be considered wasted though Modi can claim that the Bullet Train project, which is not very desirable, was cleared by Abe. Modi's behaviour in his foreign policy overtures is an over-anxious tendency while showing a little more reserve would possibly have resulted in more stable gains for India.
There is another trait in Modi's character and that is he likes a winner since one can say that in his conceit, he considers himself a winner. That one can assume is the basis of his relationship with Amit Shah, the BJP President since Shah has been delivering him every election, more or less except notably Delhi, that has been held since the 2014 general elections. The relationship with Modi for Shah is important for him since otherwise he will get embroiled in the criminal cases that have been chasing, some amounting to murder. This is the reason why Shah has ensconced himself recently as a Rajya Sabha member since apart from his relationship with Modi, this status can give him some semblance of protection from the judiciary.
Thus Modi emerges as a person who in his childhood was deprived of warmth and understanding and because of that struck out on his own making the party as a foster home and its then leaders of the RSS, his heroes. This kind of explains his inability to settle down in married life and staying away from his wedded wife even after achieving the highest post in the country, that of Prime Minister. Those schisms from childhood lead Modi to act most times as a loner, emerging selectively in the limelight at timings of his choice to address matters of also his preference. These tendencies sometimes make him go overboard characterised by rashness, bravado, daring etc. etc. call it what you will. And then realising the enormity of what he has done retreat after that into a shell, incommunicado and with no explanations for his actions or clarifications on the next course of action. These are clear indications of a repressed individual who is sometimes unable to control his precipitate actions and who does not admit the adverse results of his actions and refuses to take responsibility for them. These emerge from a childhood where parental care and support was lacking and in later life the deprivation of a family net around him that rounds perspective, builds rationality and clarity in actions.
We will now turn to Arun Jaitley who exactly fits the bill of the Hindi saying - Andhon Me Kana Raja. The BJP faced with a paucity of leaders who can be considered as ministerial material has in Jaitley a man for all seasons. That is the reason why Modi dumps portfolios on Jaitley without blinking an eye and more so because he has no choice. Jaitley had started off with the Finance and the Defence Ministries and then divested Defence when Parrikar came into the Cabinet and was reverted with the portfolio when Parrikar decided to return to Goa. And only lately has he given up Defence to Nirmala Sitharaman upon her appointment after the last Cabinet reshuffle. Jaitley always nattily dressed and fond of a turn of phrase is considered a good communicator and that is why the BJP falls back on him in Parliament to turn the tables on the Opposition. An advocate by training Jaitley's burning urge is wanting to be known as an economist and he therefore prefers the Finance Ministry to any other. Jaitley revels in the technical financial terms that are the bread and butter of the Finance Minister and rolls them off his tongue spiritedly, one wonders maybe without fully understanding what they mean. Bereft of a popular base and having lost the elections from Punjab for the Lok Sabha, Jaitley has to be content with being a perennial Rajya Sabha bench warmer. Knowing fully well about his indispensability in the Cabinet to Modi, Jaitley lately is troubled that for all his efforts in the Finance Ministry the Indian economy equated to the elephant is showing very definite and consistent signs of wallowing in the mud for a longer time than it is desirable. Jaitley also knows that Modi knows about this and the charmed life that Jaitley has led in the Finance Ministry may be at risk. Otherwise why did Modi not to turn up for the meeting for announcing the revival package for the economy the other day, is what Jaitley is mulling about? This is more so in the context of the upcoming State elections particularly in Gujarat which is very important for Modi & Shah to win. Any signs of the economy catching a serious cold will jeopardise the elections and hence the urgent modifications to the GST rules. This is being done as many would say not because the GST needs it but more the Gujarat elections need it. As a minister Jaitley instead of being sympathetic to the people's plight has been behaving more in the confrontational manner and tends to take the admonishing path than the helpful way of a pat on the shoulder and suggesting that we walk the difficult way together. Even last week at a conference of income tax officials he stated that the Indian people are largely of the tax-avoiding kind. Such comments are not going to win him many friends across the Indian population. Jaitley was at the forefront of the India Shining campaign when the last NDA government was in power and it looks like he is doing a re-run of the same thing little realising that at that time the NDA lost and there is a big chance that the same thing could happen again. That's what happens when people get drunk on their own perceived achievements, they act without caring for the problems and sensitivities of others around them.
Others in the Cabinet are mostly unknown quantities but for the cheerleaders like M A Naqvi and Ravi Shankar Prasad who at the drop of a hat and without analysing the situation and using their minds jump to the defence of the Prime Minister whenever Narendra Modi says or does anything.
Concluding one would have to say that with this kind of a leadership at the helm of the country where can India go but only downwards.
GST On Track To Become A Big Mess
Stray Cattle & Dogs Not Welcome In Goa Or Across India Too
Note: This must be a common problem across India since the newspapers carry stories of children & elders being attacked by stray dogs particularly in Bengaluru & Kerala. On our occasional travels we have seen stray cattle on the streets of most cities now.
President Kovind Should Have Avoided Inaugurating Shirdi Airport
President Kovind inaugurating Shirdi airport is completely irrational and out-of-context with the reality of the sacred place. One is sure the President knows that Shirdi is a place of pilgrimage for Sai Baba's devotees. Sai Baba lived a very simple and austere life and that is what needs to be made an example of to the devotees. In Maharashtra there is also a 'wari parampara' of devotees going on foot from Alandi to Pandharpur a distance of some 300-350 Km. to pay homage to Lord Vitthal and his consort, Goddess Rakhumai. This kind of pilgrimage is also there in Northern India. In fact this is the way that devotees need to come to Shirdi and not by plane as the airport signifies. However, there is no objection to having an airport at Shirdi since the business and trade community can avail of faster transit and the connectivity it will offer. But President Kovind inaugurating the airport sends a wrong message on his choice and judgment. He needs to be careful about choosing the kind of functions he goes to in the first few months of his Presidency to build his stature and credibility since he is a relatively unknown figure outside the saffron brigade. By inaugurating the Shirdi airport President Kovind is sending out the message that he subscribes to the present BJP government program of polishing up the India Shining initiative which panders to the rich at the cost of the poor.
One of the leading dailies of the country recently carried an article - Cow: From Mata to Menace - which highlighted that for all the lip service that the saffron brigade pay to the sacred cow, the actual situation on taking care of the bovine animal leaves a lot to be desired. We see this situation in Goa too where stray cattle are seen on our roads. This is a menace to those walking on the roads as also to traffic particularly at night times. With all our roads not properly lit, these stray cattle loitering on the roads will be the cause for accidents which will not only hurt these animals but also become the cause of human fatalities. These animals have to be taken off our roads on a priority basis since the authorities cannot talk on one side of wanting to reduce road accidents and on the other hand leave these stray cattle as impediments to traffic flow.
It is not only stray cattle but also dogs that need to be taken off our roads and neighbourhoods since they are again a menace to traffic and also a danger to people by way of dog bites and possible rabies transmission. The other day the papers carried a report that the first charter flight that landed at Dabolim bringing Russian tourists was greeted by dogs when they came out of the airport. But for the fact that it is amusing to see that in Goa even dogs like tourists, we need to get serious about taking off the stray canine population from our neighbourhoods. Continuing on a tone of levity, one would not be far wrong to assume that the dogs exceed in number the human population in Goa.
It is not only stray cattle but also dogs that need to be taken off our roads and neighbourhoods since they are again a menace to traffic and also a danger to people by way of dog bites and possible rabies transmission. The other day the papers carried a report that the first charter flight that landed at Dabolim bringing Russian tourists was greeted by dogs when they came out of the airport. But for the fact that it is amusing to see that in Goa even dogs like tourists, we need to get serious about taking off the stray canine population from our neighbourhoods. Continuing on a tone of levity, one would not be far wrong to assume that the dogs exceed in number the human population in Goa.
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