log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday MONDAY MAY 22, 2023 GOA 12 pages All eyes on HPCC meet to offer new hope of turnaround at Sonsodo IN SHORT >> Man dupes Margao bank of `16 lakh PANAJI: Pajifond-Margao branch of a nationalized bank was duped to the tune of Rs 16.42 lakh after a man posed as a Director of a company and got the money transferred from the company account to another account by convincing the bank employee. Cyber crime cell is investigating the case. Tense moments over flight cancellation VASCO: Goa airport at Dabolim on Sunday witnessed tense moments after around 70 passengers confronted with the staff of an airline over cancellation of flight from Goa to Indore.   >> See pg 5 Calangute cops find 3 more stolen bikes MAPUSA: Calangute Police recovered three more stolen two-wheelers after the accused recently arrested in the vehicle lifting case disclosed the crime during investigation. Police had recently busted a gang of vehicle lifters and arrested its two members in Kolhapur, Maharashtra while recovering six vehicles worth around Rs 10 lakh. Siolim locals object to forest amendment bill Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday The Goan (Playstore) PRICE ` 8 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO.334 2 GOA Mapusa civic body back in action, resumes anti-encroachment drive 3 OLD GOA: The Sao Mathias gram sabha saw heated arguments over the issue surrounding the installation of Shivaji statue. WEATHER >> Max: Min: Humidity: TIDES 35 C 26 C 82% Low: 06.02 18.51 High: 13.14 23.43 PTI NEW DELHI No form or requisition slip is required for exchange of Rs 2,000 notes up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time as part of exercise to withdraw high-value currency notes from circulation. The clarification comes amid alleged misinformation on social media that a form would need to be filled out, along with submitting identity documents like an Aadhaar card, in order to exchange the notes. The Reserve Bank of India on Friday in a surprise move announced withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes from circulation but gave public time till September 30 to either deposit such notes in accounts or exchange them at banks. Jewellers getting gold, silver inquiries MUMBAI: Jewellers in India, the world’s second largest gold consuming country after China, have started receiving more inquiries for purchase of gold or silver immediately after the Reserve Bank’s announcement to withdraw Rs 2,000 notes from circulation. However, there is no panic buying of the precious metal unlike the situation witnessed in 2016 during demonetisation, jewellers body GJC said on Sunday. In fact in the last two days, the actual gold purchase has been less in exchange of Rs 2,000 notes due to strict KYC norms although sources said some jewellers have started charging a 5-10 per cent premium. According to sources, many jewellery retailers did sell gold on Saturday against Rs 2,000 notes and that too at a premium. Unlike the November 2016 shock of demonetisation, when old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes were invalidated overnight, the Rs 2,000 notes will continue to be a legal tender. In a communication to chief general manager of all its local head offices, State Bank of India (SBI) informed RUSTING IN PIECES that the facility of exchange of Rs 2,000 notes by public up to a limit of Rs 20,000 at a time will be allowed without obtaining any requisition slip. With regard to deposit of such notes in own account, RBI has not specified any limit but it will be subject to compliance with extant Know Your Customer (KYC) norms and other applicable statutory requirements. ‘Further, no identity proof is required to be submitted by the tenderer at the time of exchange,’ the communication dated May 20 said. It has asked its local head offices to arrange and extend all cooperation to the public so that the exercise is conducted in a smooth and seamless manner without any inconvenience. According to sources, one THE GOAN I NETWORK A gazebo made of steel and fibre reinforced plastic erected at Miramar beach lies in a dilapidated state. Several of these gazebos had been set up as part of the Amrut Mission beautification at beaches across Goa.  Narayan Pissurlenkar Rain fury in Bengaluru; woman dies as car gets stuck in water PTI BENGALURU A woman drowned on Sunday after a car she was travelling in with her family got stuck in neck-deep water at KR Circle underpass in Bengaluru, just a stone’s throw from Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power of Karnataka. Fire and emergency services personnel saved five others of the family and the driver, with the help of people who had rushed to save those trapped in the flooded underpass in the heart of Bengaluru. AUSTRALIAN PM TOO SAYS HE CANNOT HANDLE REQUESTS FOR MODI’S SYDNEY RECEPTION NEW DELHI  During a meeting of Quad leaders in Tokyo, US President Joe Biden and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese came up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a peculiar challenge. Both leaders have claimed that they are facing a torrent of requests from prominent citizens to attend events where Modi would be speaking. Modi will interact with Australian CEOs, business leaders and interact with Indian expats at a community event in Sydney on Tuesday. In June, the PM will go to US on a state visit following an in- Amazing skin benefits of dead sea salt Panaji-based vet’s horse falls into well, rescued You are too popular, Biden tells Modi at Quad summit PTI INFO 10 SPORTS IPL: MI qualifies for playoff as RCB crashes out SOCIAL MEDIA WAS ABUZZ THAT DOCUMENTS WOULD BE REQUIRED 16 test positive for Covid in State Tension at gram sabha over Shivaji statue RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 SBI clears the air; no form needed to swap `2K notes MAPUSA: The villagers of Siolim-Marna on Sunday unanimously resolved to object the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Bill, 2023 which threatens the conservation of forests and environment, the fundamental rights of people, socio-economic development of the country and the survival of future generations.  >> See pg 3 PANAJI: Covid cases continued its downward trend with 16 people testing positive in the last 24 hours. According to the health bulletin issued by the Directorate of Health Services the active caseload in the State also dropped and was now at 168. Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday Papua New Guinea PM touches feet of Modi NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi received a special welcome at Papua New Guinea on Sunday when he arrived to host the third summit of the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC). As a gesture of respect, Prime Minister James Marape touched Modi’s feet while welcoming him to the Pacific Island nation. vitation from President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. The US leaders will host PM Modi for a state dinner at the White House.  According to sources, PM Albanese has said that he is unable to accommodate all the requests he has received for tickets to the community reception in Sydney. The soldout venue has a capacity of 20,000 people but the Australian PM said he is still getting requests for tickets.  Albanese recalled his visit to India this year when he was welcomed by 90,000 people at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, sources said. President Biden, presenting a similar problem to PM Modi, >Continued on P5 The victim as well as the others were taken to St Martha’s Hospital where doctors declared the woman, identified as Bhanurekha, dead. Learning about the incident, Chief Minister >Continued on P5 MAPUSA A colt (one-year-old horse) belonging to the popular Panaji-based vet Dr Gustavo Pinto accidentally fell in an unprotected well in Candolim on Sunday evening. Although the incident gave the owner some anxious moments, the horse was rescued after an arduous rescue operation involving the Pilerne fire brigade personnel and locals. The incident happened at around 6 pm. The well was around 10 metre deep and had very little water. Dr Pinto told The Goan that the colt was prancing within his property in Candolim when it suddenly veered into the neighbouring property having a swimming pool and an open well. “Since the well was left unprotected the colt slipped and fell into it,” Dr Pinto said. Pilerne fire and rescue personnel rushed to the site and tried to lift the colt with ropes. “Sadly, it fell into the well a second time while it was being lifted,” the vet informed. Finally, it was rescued from the well by the fire personnel and some of the vet’s friends. According to Dr Pinto, the condition of the colt was critical. can stand any number of times in queue for exchange of Rs 2,000 notes. Although the facility for exchange is available from May 23, many were seen visiting their branches with the Rs 2,000 notes on Saturday. Bank officials returned such customers after advising them about the start date for exchange. Some of the customers used cash deposit machines on Saturday to deposit Rs 2,000 notes in their accounts. According to the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), withdrawal of Rs 2,000 notes by the Reserve Bank of India will not affect the trade of the small traders but will certainly hit the big and affluent class which might have stocked Rs 2,000 notes in large quantities. 12 Schools to get text books in time, DoE cites new contract THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Director of Education, Shailesh Zingde, is confident that this year text books will reach schools in time as the department has issued a fresh contract after a tendering process and supply has been mandated by May 30. “The previous 5-year contract for supply of text books had expired and the DoE has signed a new contract in which we have specified that the supply should reach us latest by May 30,” Zingde said, adding that issues faced last year where the books came in late will not repeat this year. Zingde said, due to shortage of paper and soaring prices, the contractor had raised issues and even raised an additional bill because of which the supply of the text books was delayed last year. Schools in Goa meanwhile, have been instructed through circulars to ensure that text books used by students in the Due to shortage of paper and soaring prices, the contractor had raised issues and even raised an additional payment bill because of which the supply of text books was delayed last year — Shailesh Zingde previous year should be kept back so the new students this year can use them. In April, a circular was issued to government and aided schools, that text books provided to students of class I to VIII have to be left behind at year-end to end “wastage”. “Some of these books which were left behind by students who have got promoted to higher class can also be used in the event of the new books not reaching the schools for any extraneous reason,” Zingde said. Girl duped of `18L, Delhi police nab conman in Goa ACCUSED LURED AIRLINE CABIN CREW VIA MATRIMONIAL SITE; SPLURGED MONEY PARTYING, GAMBLING IN GOA THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI A man, Anshul Jain (39), was nabbed by Delhi police in Goa last week on charges of allegedly duping a woman his age by luring her online and promising to marry her. He was arrested in Goa after splurging all the money, said to be in the region of Rs 18 lakh, here partying and gambling in casinos. Jain, according to Delhi police, is highly educated holding an MBA degree from UK and a smooth talker. He lured his victim -- a 39-year-old cabin crew of an airline in Bengaluru -- via a matrimonial site, and eased her of her jewellery worth nearly Rs 18 lakh and cash, leaving her high and dry on the streets of the national capital. Police said, Jain even made transactions worth more than Rs 70,000 using her ATM cards. Jain’s modus operandi JAIN’S MODUS OPERANDI „„Accused used to target mostly female victims through matrimonial sites by impressing them with his impressive profile „„Ask this woman to come to Delhi as he wanted to introduce her to his folks at a relative’s marriage „„She was told to bring adequate jewellery which she would have to wear for the wedding and be presentable „„Victim accordingly flies to Delhi… he picks her up from the airport and the two then go to have some snacks „„After returning and sitting in the car, accused claims he suspected there was something wrong with the car tyre… asks her to step out and check „„No sooner the victim steps out, Jain takes off and disappears will all her belongings was to target mostly female victims through matrimonial sites by impressing them with his impressive profile and showing interest to marry them. In this particular case, he asked the woman to come to Delhi and he would intro- duce her to his folks at a relative’s marriage. He asked her to bring adequate jewellery which she would have to wear for the wedding and be presentable to his family members and relatives. >Continued on P5