Panchayat secretaries
Our current Panchayat Minister had assured us soon after general assembly elections that the current panchayat secretaries would be transferred to bring in some fresh air in the panchayats, but this has still not happened. Sometimes keeping panchayat secretaries for too long in a particular panchayat can hamper its smooth running as they get too familiar with the village issues and the people around, thus putting the general public to great hardships.
We hope our Honourable Chief Minister will look into the matter.
Joaquim Dias, Chandor
Garbage menace
This refers to the news report "Housing board leases out land to Penha-de-Franca for garbage plant" (Herald, June 30, 2012). I wish to express my gratitude to the GSPCB for issuing out notices to the Salvador do Mundo, Penha de Franca and Succorro Panchayats to take immediate measures to tackle the growing garbage menace in Porvorim. Following this,  the Penha de Franca Sarpanch has acted swiftly and has taken active measures as mentioned in your report. I believe that the Sucorro Panchayat too had initiated door- to- door garbage collection in certain areas. However, there has been no initiative by the Salvador do Mundo panchayat in this regard. The areas at Alto Torda Porvorim is causing a health hazard with garbage being dumped in open spaces all around. I urge the Salvador do Mundo Panchayat to take immediate action to start garbage collection on door to door basis as well as set up garbage management centers in every residential colony in the panchayat area and help in creating a pollution free Porvorim.
Edgar D’Souza, Porvorim
Mopa for agriculture
This refers to the  editorial ‘Mopa  must be  Goa’s agricultural hub’ (Herald June 27, 2012). It  reflects the views of  Goans in Goa and abroad.  Parrikar is going ahead with the Congress' plan for Mopa. It would be alright if the Goans had agreed with him or pleaded with him to go ahead with the mega-crore Mopa Scheme. But he doesn't have public support. Or does he? An Opinion Poll for such a fateful decision is called for. The consequences for the future of Goans and our children are unpredictable. Cui bono (who is the beneficiary)? Goans should wake up and tell the CM if they want or don't want Mopa. Silence is acquiescence.
John Razana, USA
President of India
The Congress party’s  high command has the habit of getting its seniors leaders with the post of Governor or President so that they can enjoy their retired life at the cost of tax payers. These posts should be held by apolitical people so that they are not biased against any political party. The outgoing president Pratibha Patil a senior Congresswoman,  has the rare distinction of commuting the maximum death sentences and this includes a man who  raped and killed a six- year-old girl. She also has the distinction of making the maximum foreign trips at the cost of the tax payers. Very soon we will have another  Pranab  Mukherjee, a  Congressman as President of India  -a gift by his high command for his dedication towards his party. He too has the rare distinction for recent Indian economic crisis - turning the value of Rupee to its lowest. The Congress party high command seems afraid of an independent personality Dr. Abdul Kalam for the post of President. It appoints Governors of its own choice - the one who bow to the congress high command in order to manipulate matters in favour of the ruling congress party or to harass the opposition party government.
Let’s hope that our future president does not succumb to the high command and may god help him to uphold the post of President ship and not just a mere rubber stamp .
Joe Vaz, Fatorda
Uncover culprits
It  has been noticed seen that every time the photographs of culprits involved in theft and other anti-social activities appear in the newspapers or are shown on  TV news channels surrounded by cops who have affected the arrest,  the face of the law-breaker is invariably covered by a cloth. What is the logic behind covering the face of the culprit? Is it because the cops are apprehensive of having apprehended the wrong person? It would have been in the fitness of things for the general public to be able to see the face of the culprit so that people could come up with more evidence in the case after recognizing the arrested person. The arrested person in question could even be involved in more criminal cases on which the public will be able to throw light. All this is possible if the face of the arrested person is exposed.
Adelmo  Fernandes, Vasco