I along with my brother and sister applied at a police station in north Goa for a Police clearance certificate/s which we received after making several visits to the station. I have noticed and also inquired during the time of submitting my application about the irregularity of the police demanding Rs 200 per application while the receipt issued to me only had a printed amount of Rs 100.
I did not pursue the case as I feared being on their wrong side and being tormented by the police if I dared to question them. So, I want to inform you that I waited for all the three certificates and am now bringing the matter to your notice. Just for mere certificates one does not have to be charged such high fees and I am also writing to the Chief Secretary that such high fees are not justified. This amounts to daylight robbery. I have noticed that even the Collector is charging high fees of Rs 200 for simple adjudication of documents and this merely sums up the policy of rob and plunder while the sun is shining. Nobody questions the authorities and hence one can find such irregularities.
Anthony Lopes, Calangute
Catch them straight
The unaccounted 40 per cent of tap water which goes missing in Goa as reported on August 24 does need new water metres to solve the problem, but what is required is the administrative will from the Government and its officials to put in place measures such as (a) :circulars be sent to all Sarpanchas of the Village Panchayats to survey and identify all running (Govt) illegal water taps by the road side and plug the same, within a given time.
(b:) Honest and efficient officers to be delegated to verify the sworn Affidavits with ground realities and defaulting Sarpanchas prosecuted.
(c:) Mechanism in place to repair ruptures to the underground water pipe lines at lightning speed (main source of water wastage) and also leaking of water valves.
(d):Government officials heading their respective divisions should be held responsible for any sub-standard work carried out by the contractor and the cost recovered from the officials, as they may be the recipients of kick backs.
Glocerio Fernandes, Velim
Way beyond limits
Your People’s Edit on August 25 was a job well done in buttressing an officer who had his ways with the media. Daya Shankar may have been a honest officer, but by putting him on such a high pedestal does not augur well for the morale of other sincere officers.
