log on to thegoan.net @thegoaneveryday TUESDAY MAY 30, 2023 GOA 14 pages PRICE ` 8 Bypass work expedited in Benaulim, but anxiety rents air as rains loom IN SHORT >> Truck runs over 6-year-old boy at Siolim MAPUSA: In a tragic incident a six-year-old child was crushed to death when a goods carrier truck went over him while reversing. The incident happened at late noon in Siolim-Sodiem. According to police, the boy belonging to parents who are migrants hailing from Karnataka was resting by the side of the road. “The goods truck driver while reversing drove the vehicle in rash and negligent manner and dashed the boy who was sleeping in open land causing serious body injuries to him,” a police handout said. The boy was rushed to the Siolim Primary Health Centre where has declared brought dead. Traditional fishermen slam MPA expansion VASCO: Opposing the expansion plans of the Mormugao Port Authority (MPA), a number of traditional fishing associations pleaded with the government to de-notify the port limits immediately and also appealed not to support coal handling units seeking enhancement in coal cargo.  >> See pg 3 Tender for 3rd Borim bridge by March next CURCHOREM: PWD Minister Nilesh Cabral has said work of the third Borim bridge over River Zuari is likely to tendered by March 2024. Cabral said the land acquisition process for the approach road will be completed within seven to eight months.  >> See pg 3 Goan artist’s painting at new Parl building PANAJI: Goan artist Sonia Rodrigues Sabharwal’s painting of one of the Seven Sister Goddess from Goa adorned with a Halo in Kaavi design is part of the mural at the newly inaugurated Parliament building premises. Goa to sign MoU for mental health skill PANAJI: A tie-up with top Bengaluru based National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences to train its team is in the offing and will be a big boost to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour in Bambolim where a new 100-bedded hospital is getting ready. >> See pg 3 WEATHER >> Max: 36 C Min: 28 C Humidity: 82% TIDES Low: High: 01:22 07:41 12:50 18:57 Facebook.com/thegoaneveryday 2 The Goan (Playstore) PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME VIII, NO. 342 GOA Statehood Day today; CM to inaugurate renovated ‘Mantralaya’ 3 Instagram.com/thegoaneveryday RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 INFO How alcohol affects your skin & how you can counter it DUBAI everal Indians in the Gulf nations are having a harrowing time ever since the Indian government decided to withdraw the Rs 2,000 notes from circulation, with a lot of them saying that the banking institutions in the region are claiming to be not aware of the policy change. On May 19, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) made a surprise announcement of the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes but gave the public time till September 30 to either deposit the Rs 2,000 notes in accounts or exchange them at banks. The RBI said it had asked banks to stop issuing Rs 2,000 notes with immediate effect. In the UAE, Indians are facing a tough time getting Rs S 14 Djokovic canters into French Open round two Tense moments at Benaulim 2-week training to be mandatory over transfer of parish priest for taxi drivers n PARISHIONERS THRONG CHURCH n COPS RUSH TO MAINTAIN ORDER n PRIEST RELENTS, SENDS RESIGNATION LETTER TO ARCHBISHOP THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO Tension rent the air at the Holy Trinity Church, Benaulim on Monday after hundreds of parishioners assembled at the church to demand the transfer of the Parish Priest, Fr Anthony Rodrigues. Episcopal Vicar Fr Lucio Dias, besides district and police authorities rushed to the Holy Trinity Church to avert a law and order situation as the parishioners refused to budge demanding the transfer of the parish priest. Agitated parishioners assembled at the Church on Monday noon and continued to agitate till evening. It was only Fr Anthony Rodrigues addressed a letter to the Archbishop tendering his resignation from the Holy Trinity Church as a parish priest from May 31 that the parishioners left the church. In the resignation letter addressed to the Archbishop, Police try to pacify the crowd at Holy Trinity Church, Benaulim on Monday. (Right) A parishioner displays the resignation letter of the parish priest.  Pics: Santosh Mirajkar a copy of which was handed over to the parishioners, Fr Anthony Rodrigues stated that he is resigning on his own from Holy Trinity Church, Benaulim as Parish Priest from of May 31, 2023. Trouble started on Monday afternoon after a group of Parishioners came to attend a meeting with the representatives of the Church sent to discuss the demand seeking transfer of the parish priest. Sources said the meeting yielded no result after the Bishop’s representative made it clear that the right to transfer vests with the Bishop. The parishioners contended that they have been demanding the transfer of the parish priest since the last two months, but the Church au- thorities did not act on their demand. The parishioners also questioned the move to transfer an assistant parish priest within a year’s time pointing out that this is the first time that an assistant parish priest was transferred out of the Holy Trinity Church when the predecessors had a four years stint at the church. A parishioner told the media that the PPC and the youth had given separate representations to the Bishop to transfer the parish priest, but in vain. “Then the parishioners in general submitted a written representation to the Bishop office demanding the transfer of the parish priest and to call a meeting”, he >Continued on P5 THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Drivers applying for a badge to steer taxis will henceforth be put through a compulsory 15-day training course, according  to Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho. Apart from being taught various traffic signals, Godinho said, the training programme will include a module which will dwell on taxi interior hygiene issues as well as other human etiquette and related subjects. “They will be also trained in etiquette practices while dealing with tourist clients and also sharing with them some of the basic information about Goa,” Godinho said. The transport minister also claimed that the ‘Goa Patrao Scheme’ introduced by the government recently was being “well received” by Goa’s youth. The scheme intends to encourage Goan youth to become taxi entrepreneurs and piggy back on the ‘Goa taxi app’ launched recently. Under the scheme, the entire cost of purchasing a new taxi vehicle is taken care of 4 Goan recruits ditch Delhi police training academy n Come back to Goa citing ill health n Produce letter from Goa govt n Join Valpoi PTS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Two months after grabbing negative limelight for their reckless behaviour at the country’s finest training academy in Delhi, a recent development involving a few constable recruits has raised doubts about their dedication to the ongoing training and commitment to their future roles in the Goa police force. Around four of a total of 500-odd constable recruits, undergoing specialized training at the Delhi Police Training Academy, are back in their home State citing health concerns. One of them complained of typhoid while others alleged (minor) allergy.  Ironically, instead of seeking treatment in the wellequipped government hospital available in the capital, these recruits urged to return to Goa for medical care. “Usually, patients from Goa are referred to larger government >Continued on P5 hospitals for specialized treatment. In any case, the health concerns they cited could have been cured there, but they chose Goa’s health centre,” a senior officer told The Goan.  Sources said these recruits allegedly produced a letter from the Goa government to facilitate their return. “The Goa police have allowed them to continue their training at Police Training School in Valpoi, instead of returning to Delhi. In fact, after medical leave, they have joined the PTS,” the source said.  While the issue has once again raised questions on the alleged irregularities in the recruitment process, the government letter that facilitated their smooth departure to Goa and if at all, it was issued to the Delhi PTA on legitimate grounds, has sparked concerns.  Ever since their arrival in Delhi, numerous challenges and tension have plagued the training sessions. THE PROBLEM AT HAND „„Several netizens share reports that Rs 2,000 notes were being refused by exchange centres across the Gulf region „„All hajis (Haj pilgrims) requested to bring Rs 500 notes from India „„Many exchange centres said their managements had asked them not to exchange Rs 2,000 notes „„Tourists on holidays were the most affected as they were stuck with a bulk of their cash „„Indian businessmen too were at the receiving end saying it was not the decision but its implementation that leaves much to be desired FLASHBACK: On May 19, RBI announced the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 currency notes but gave public time till September 30 to either deposit the notes in accounts or exchange them at banks 2,000 notes exchanged. Among many is Firoza Sheikh (name changed on request) who landed in Dubai last week with her two children to join her husband for a month-long break. Days later, as she heard the announcement of the Rs 2,000 currency withdrawal, she rushed to an exchange centre to get the local currency equivalent of the eight notes of the Rs 2,000 denomination. To her surprise, the exchange counter refused to entertain her request. “We have instructions from the management not to exchange Rs 2,000 notes,” she was bluntly told. She tried to reason out, citing the Indian government announcement, but to no avail. Several netizens have started sharing reports of the Rs 2,000 notes being refused by exchange centres across the Gulf region. „„Training prog to include module which will dwell on interior hygiene issues of taxis „„Topics to include human etiquette and related subjects „„To be taught various traffic signals „„Training to include etiquette practices while dealing with tourist clients „„To be guided on sharing some of the basic information about Goa to tourists and the entrepreneur becomes an owner of the vehicle with nil investment. THE GOAN I NETWORK Scuffle between Goan recruits, Delhi commandos come to fore PANAJI: A confrontation between a group of new constable recruits from Goa and four commandos, purportedly from Delhi, has come to the fore.  The exact cause of the fight where the commandos, who hid their identity by wearing face masks, remains unknown. Sources said that the presence of Goan liquor may have been a contributing factor. CRASH COURSE Liver transplant operations at GMC from next year, says Dean KING ROCKS: Rapper King gives a power-packed performance at closing ceremony of IPL 2023 final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Monday. ( See page 12 ) 16-yr-old girl brutally stabbed 20 times on busy Delhi road PTI NEW DELHI A 16-year-old girl was stabbed over 20 times and bludgeoned to death by a youth in a busy bylane as passersby looked on in northwest Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy area -- an incident that Gulf Indians facing tough time over `  ,000 notes 2 AGENCIES 9 SPORTS “INR 2,000 notes not being accepted in Saudi Arabia exchange offices,” a message shared via social media said. “I request all Haj pilgrims to bring Rs 500 notes. It’s important and please share this information with those embarking on the pilgrimage this year,” the post said. Non-Residential Indian (NRI) businessman Chandrashekhar Bhatia of the Global Federation said a lot of people he knows are stuck with Rs 2,000 currency notes. “We are in the middle of a holiday season and the last thing someone visiting the region needs is the bulk of their cash becoming of no use,” he said. Another businessman, who chose to remain anonymous, said it’s not much the decision but its implementation that leaves much to be desired. has drawn massive outrage as the video of the horrific killing appeared online. Delhi Police said the accused, 20-year-old Sahil, was arrested from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. He and the victim, Sakshi, were in a “relationship” but had a quarrel on Saturday. The victim had gone shopping on Sunday evening for the birthday party of her friend’s child when she was accosted by the accused in the densely populated neighbourhood, >Continued on P5 PANAJI In good news for Goans having liver failure, Goa Medical College will commence liver transplant operations at the hospital from next year. Disclosing this, GMC dean Dr Shivanand Bandekar said “from next year, GMC will start conducting operations for liver transplant”. He also said GMC has started a Gastroenterology Department which will be headed by Dr Amit Maydeo. Bandekar was briefing the media about the organ donation of 19-year-old brain dead youth from Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. He said that the father of the boy will be felicitated for his noble deed. Speaking further, Dr Bandekar said as of now GMC has only facilities for kidney transplant. “In all 42 patients are on the wait list in Goa for receiving kidneys. GMC has skin bank and process for setting up eye bank is in process”, he said. The Dean also urged people to know about organ donation which can save several lives. SCHOOLS SET TO REOPEN NEXT WEEK, BUT… No sign of traffic signal at key junction in Mapusa THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Within a week, the new academic year will kick off and schools will reopen but the traffic signals at the key court junction are yet to come up. Without traffic signals in place, managing traffic during the school hours becomes a nightmare at the junction. With at least four schools and a college in the vicinity, the court junction is easily the busiest intersection in Mapusa and during school hours the junction turns very chaotic. In absence of the traffic STUDENTS AT signals, for the last several months traffic police and the traffic wardens (volunteers) would manage the traffic at the junction. The situation turns dangerous for motorists and gets worse at peak hours in the morning and afternoon. Residents of the area have been complaining about the situation for a long time. “For a lone traffic police, in absence of the traffic warden, the situation becomes very difficult to manage. It is frustrating when we go to drop our children to school. The authorities should have some priority while taking up works. Installing traffic signals is the need of the hour at the junction,” said Peter D’Sa, a parent who drops his son in St Britto’s High School. The opposition councillors also questioned the lackadaisical approach of the ruling group when it comes to priority tasks. >Continued on P5