Home / Feb 28-Mar 06, 2026 / Letters To The Editor / LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FOR ISSUE DATED FEBRUARY 28, 2026
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FOR ISSUE DATED FEBRUARY 28, 2026
No Comments on LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FOR ISSUE DATED FEBRUARY 28, 2026

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR FOR ISSUE DATED FEBRUARY 28, 2026

Feb 28-Mar 06, 2026, Letters To The Editor February 27, 2026 , by

PUT SMART METERS ON TRIAL!
 NOW, if smart electricity meters are installed, the government should conduct a one-year trial at a low unit rate to balance the electricity bill and win the trust of the people. For this, smart meters should be started in government offices. Then smart meters should be installed in big industries. What is the result, it should be ascertained. Based on that, the next decision should be taken.
Government should find ways feasible for public, if the public does not want it, then government should not impose pre-paid services at all. Install meters and catch thieves of electricity. This should be the motto of smart meter. But government must not want to punish the public. Now even taps will have smart meters. Tourists taxis have started. The coming era should be smart but it should not have the opposite effect on the public.
Although the “base rate” set by the electricity utility provider cannot usually be changed, smart meters offer unique opportunities to access cheaper rates that traditional meters do not have. Isn’t it? The meters are not smart, only human beings are smart.
“Trial” or new customer rates should be negotiated. If smart meters are installed, the government should include a provider retention fee and a well-planned “smart-exclusive tariff.” Utilities often offer lower rates to smart meter users because it costs the company less to manage the account (no manual readings required).
Reducing the unit rate of a smart meter for a one-year trial period involves using a time-of-day (ToD) tariff structure, which allows for lower energy charges during certain hours. Smart meters enable this by tracking real-time usage and differentiating between peak and off-peak usage, often offering 10-20% lower rates during “solar hours” (daytime). Don’t be fooled by electricity bills, let electricity consumers understand the real truth of so called smart meter.
By proactively managing when and how much energy the government uses, rather than how much energy it uses, the government and large industries can significantly reduce the effective cost per unit during the 1-year, “smart meter trial” and must show that prepaid bills are paid are reasonable and satisfying. If the government and industries suffer losses, then what is the use of smart meters for the public? Government should think. So, one year smart meter trial for government and big industries should start. The real test of smart meter. Isn’t it?
— Rajesh Banaulikar, Arpora, Goa

VMSCL: 4th EDITION OF NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION
THE VM Salgaocar College of Law, Miramar (VMSCL), inaugurated its 4th Edition of the Justice GD Kamat Memorial National Level Moot Court Competition on February 26, 2026 at the College conference hall. This competition is organized in collaboration with Justice JD Kamat Memorial Trust and pays rich tribute to the remarkable legacy of Justice Gurudas D Kamat, the first Goan Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court. Moot court prepares students for real courtroom practice and strengthens their legal reasoning. At the inauguration were chief guest Dr V Candavelou (IAS, Chief Secretary, government of Goa), VMSCL Principal Dr Shaber Ali, trustee of the GD Kamat Memorial Trust, Ramachandra B Bhatkar, Vice-Chairperson of the Management Committee Bhaskar Nayak, Faculty In-charge Dr Pearl Monteiro and students coordinator Anushka Patil among others. VMSCL principal welcomed the chief guest, dignitaries, faculty members, judges and participants from across the country and in his address highlighted the importance of moot courts in shaping law students into confident and responsible professionals. He ended by giving thoughtful lines of “shayari” that reflected the spirit of justice and perseverance. Dr V Candavelou described law as a noble yet demanding profession that requires commitment, integrity and continuous learning. He advised students to treat moot courts not merely as competitions, but as opportunities to develop clarity of thought, research skills and confidence in advocacy. Ramachandra B Bhatkar shared insights into the life and legacy of Justice GD Kamat and recounted his journey, values and contribution to the judiciary; Prof Bhaskar Nayak warmly welcomed the teams. He encouraged students to strive not merely to be lawyers, but to become strong arguers, committed researchers and responsible members of the legal profession. Dr Pearl Monteiro highlighted the academic significance of mooting. She appreciated the participation of the 26 teams and thanked the judges, trustees, faculty members, and volunteers for their support. The event’s highlight was the unveiling of trophies for the 2026 edition which concluded with a vote of thanks by Anushka Patil. The 2026 Edition focused on contemporary legal issue of caste and economic based reservations while considering Constitutional mandates The competition took place over three days from Feb 26 and the winning team awarded a cash prize of Rs50,000 and runners-up Rs25,000 along with trophies and certificates.

PROVIDE SEARCHABLE PDF ELECTORAL ROLLS OF SIR!
THE Election Commission of India (ECI) has carried out the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Goa State and the final electoral roll has been published on Feb21, 2026. The office of the chief electoral officer (CEO), Goa has hosted the electoral rolls on the website of the chief electoral officer of Goa. I visited the website and tried to search the electoral rolls. But it is a cumbersome process because the PDF electoral rolls are not searchable. Hence, the rolls are virtually of no use because we electors cannot be expected to print the copies and physically search thousands of pages. Therefore, I request CEO to promptly provide searchable PDF Electoral rolls of SIR.
— Sadanand Raikar, Colva, Salcete, Goa

No related posts.

Search

Back to Top