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<You obviously do not keep yourself abreast of the massive rescue and relief efforts carried out by the Indian Armed Forces over the past year to help our people who have suffered due to natural calamities. Here are a few examples. 1. Immediately after the tsunami, the Navy mobilised a huge task force to render assistance to the people in the A&N islands Tamil Nadu and Andhra. Thereafter immense help was rendered to neighbouring countries like the Maldives, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. For further details visit the link <http://indiannavy.nic.in/press05.htm>. 2. During the monsoons, a few months ago, a massive fire broke out at the processing platform Bombay High North. All ONGC helicopters were grounded at Juhu due to flooding and foul weather. The Navy immediatly deployed 6 ships with organic air capability. These Navy Helicopters flying in awfully bad conditions from rolling and pitching decks, saved hundreds of men from certain death. 3. Even as I write this, Navy Helicopters and Navy Divers are rescueing people from a crashed train which has fallen into a river in Andhra Pradesh.>[Gilbert Menezes] This is all very touching, of course. But notice that there is absolutely no reference to the welfare of Goa! This persistent blindspot is characteristic of our friend's postings. It is possible that there is nothing worthwhile for him to write about in this regard and it is not due to some deficiency in his information base. Sure the Navy takes great pride in providing some teaching jobs in their school in Goa and claims to admit civilians to their medical facility --- in case of "dire emergencies". But there was no communication or coordination with the local weather office at the time of the cyclone some months ago which played havoc in Panjim. Nor was there anything more than passing the buck when the tar balls hit the Goa shores recently and spoiled things for tourism. We are living in the 21st century when people 'think' about what organisations like the Navy actually do instead of just relying on blind faith that we are in good hands. Besides, what am I personally asking them to do? Just quit using Dabolim for flight training, thats all!
