log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline MONDAY MARCH 3, 2025 12 pages >> pg 6 Q3 GDP surge, auto sales among factors that could impact D-Street IN SHORT >> Crèche, day care centre for kids at HC building PANAJI: The High Court complex at Porvorim will now be equipped with a crèche and a day care centre for kids. Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited has invited online bids under two bid system on item rate basis from eligible contractors for the work which is estimated to cost around Rs 54.24 lakh. Avalanche: 4 more bodies recovered DEHRADUN: The bodies of the last four of the trapped labourers were pulled out from the site of the avalanche-hit Border Roads Organisation camp in Chamoli on Sunday, taking the death toll to eight as authorities ended the nearly 60-hour rescue operation. Army doctors said 46 workers who were rescued on Saturday have been brought to the military hospital in Jyotirmath. Court orders FIR against ex-SEBI chief MUMBAI: A special court has directed the Anti-Corruption Bureau to register a FIR against former Securities and Exchange Board of India chairperson Madhabi Puri Buch and five other officials in connection with alleged stock market fraud and regulatory violations.  >> See pg 7 UK, France, Ukraine agree on truce plan LONDON: Britain, France and Ukraine have agreed to work on a ceasefire plan to present to the US, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said before a summit with EU leaders to discuss ending the war. WEATHER >> Max: 37 C Min: 22.5 C Humidity: 55% TIDES Low: High: 07.00 19.09 00.37 13.28 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME X, NO. 254 Instagram.com/thegoanonline INDIA SETS UP AUSTRALIA SEMI AS VARUN FIFER SINKS KIWIS >> P12 RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Porvorim erupts over temple demolition   HUNDREDS GATHER AT SITE AFTER WORKERS PRUNE BANYAN TREE   OUTRAGE AS CONTRACTOR PERFORMS VISARJAN IN CASUAL ATTIRE THE GOAN I NETWORK PORVORIM A tense standoff erupted in Porvorim as Public Works Department moved in to uproot the banyan tree and demolish the Dev Khapreshwar temple at Vodakkodem on Sunday to make way for the construction of the six-lane elevated corridor. Heavy traffic congestion on both sides of the Panjim-Mapusa National Highway led to long queues of vehicles. Police struggled to manage the situation, while ambulances faced significant delays in reaching Goa Medical College hospital, Bambolim with patients. The High Court of Bombay at Goa had approved the translocation of the 200-yearold banyan tree on National Highway 66 for constructing the flyover. As soon as the news broke out that PWD had begun chopping the branches of the banyan tree and would subsequently demolish the temple, hundreds of locals gathered at Govt to reconstruct temple: CM The banyan tree that was pruned near the Dev Khapreshwar temple at Vodakkodem-Porvorim on Sunday.   Narayan Pissurlenkar the site opposing the action. Devotees broke down on seeing the branches being cut and the bells being removed from the temple. Tempers ran high when the contractor, under police protection, conducted the Visarjan rituals of Dev Khapreshwar while dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. The sight enraged the crowd, who confronted him, demanding to know who had authorized him to perform the puja. Dy Superintendent of Police Vishwesh Karpe, Police Inspector Rahul Parab and several police personnel and Bardez Joint Mamlatdar were present at the site to maintain law and order. The President of Goa unit of Congress Amit Patkar, Chairman of Porvorim Welfare foundation Vikas Prabhu- Police inaction on Bajrang Dal protest sparks outrage MEETING SLAMS GOVT, QUESTIONS DELAY IN FIR THE GOAN I NETWORK MARGAO The government came under fire over police inaction against Bajrang Dal activists for the late night protest at the residence of Uday Bhembre, as citizens questioned why no action has been initiated till date as 24 hours have passed since the writer had lodged a police complaint. At a meeting on Sunday, speakers questioned whether the government was in sleep mode, criticizing police inaction and the Fatorda police's delay in registering an FIR. They argued that this hesitation has only fueled doubts and suspicions about who might be backing the Bajrang Dal in the attack on Bhembre’s residence on Friday night. Sending a message loud and clear that the citizens will not keep quite over the incident, speakers warned the government of a massive public meeting at the historic Lohia Maidan if the police do Citizens from all walks of life raise their hands to condemn the Bajrang Dal protest at Uday Bhembre’s residence.  Santosh Mirajkar ON PAGE 2 Push for law mandating police permissions before protests Dakshinayan Abhiyan flays attack on freedom of speech not initiate action on Bhembre’s complaint. Condemning the trespass and abuse of Bhembre, a gathering of citizens from all walks of life demanded immediate police action in the matter.    A resolution adopted at the meeting held at the St Sebastian open floor at the Chowgule College junction stated that the gathering believes that the Bajrang Dal is out to terrorize the people opposed to a secular viewpoint. The meeting stated that unless >Continued on P7 PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said late Sunday evening that the State government will reconstruct the Dev Khapreshwar temple at Porvorim at the new site where the linked banyan tree is being translocated but the assurance failed to pacify the restive crowd gathered at the site where workers under heavy police protection were demolishing the temple and pruning the tree to prepare it for the translocation process. “Dev Khapreshwar Temple will be reconstructed by the Goa government at the new site of the transplanted banyan tree,” a one-line statement released by the Chief Minister’s office on Sunday evening said. dessai, social activists Swapnesh Sherlekar, Adv Shailesh Gawas, Shanker Polji social worker Kalpana Morajkar, Sanjay Barde, AAP leader Amit Palyekar were also present. Patkar expressed concerns that the Hindu religion is under threat, accusing the BJP government of targeting Hindu religious structures under the guise of development. He Closure of new Mandovi bridge deferred due to SSC exams THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The government has deferred the maintenance work on the new Mandovi bridge fearing that the traffic disruption which would be caused by its closure could affect SSC students and pose difficulties to them to reach their examination centres in the capital city from Porvorim. The PWD had notified that the new Mandovi Bridge (on the eastern side of Atal Setu) would be shut from March 2 for the maintenance work. Earlier, similar work was also carried out by shutting the old Mandovi Bridge (on the western side of Atal Setu) and it was opened on Saturday evening.     The Executive Engineer, Works Division-(NH) PWD, Panaji, has ordered closure of the new Mandovi bridge, for all types of vehicular traffic from March 2 to 10 and diversion of traffic. The Secondary School Certificate Examination of the Goa Board had begun on March 1. warned that what happened in Porvorim today could soon occur in Bhoma and other places. Patkar criticized the government for not first identifying a suitable location, constructing the temple, and then relocating the idol of Dev Khapreshwar. Prabhudessai strongly criticized the manner in which >Continued on P7 The Dev Khapreshwar temple at Porvorim. Protests halt removal of idol from temple THE GOAN I NETWORK MAPUSA Intense protests by local residents and activists forced authorities to halt the removal of the idol of Dev Khapreshwar from a temple under a banyan tree in Porvorim on Sunday evening. The operation was suddenly stopped at around 7.30 pm amid growing tension at the site. The work, which also includes translocating the sa- cred banyan tree, is expected to resume on Monday. “Work of removing Dev Khapreshwar’s idol has been stopped to prevent any law and order situation as tensions escalated,” said Devanand Prabhu, Joint Mamlatdar-I of Bardez. Earlier in the day, the removal process had been progressing steadily, but as evening approached, confusion arose amid loud chanting >Continued on P7 Fresh rent-a-cab licences halted over safety fears STA CITES RISE IN NUMBER OF ROAD ACCIDENTS THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI The State Transport Authority has put a halt on issuing any further rent-a-car licences citing widespread violation of traffic safety rules, rash driving and tourists driving cars under the influence of alcohol beyond the permissible levels. The decision was taken at the meeting held recently, according to a public notice issued by Director of Transport, P Pravimal Abhishek, IAS. "The State Transport Authority, Goa, has decided not to issue any fresh Rent-a-Cab licences/permits under the Rent-a-Cab scheme, 1989, until further notice," Abhishek said in the notice.  He said, the decision has been taken in public interest considering concerns  related to road safety, traffic congestion and regulatory compliance. Abhishek also said, that an increasing number of road accidents involve  self-driven BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY „„Decision taken in public interest considering concerns related to road safety, traffic congestion and regulatory compliance „„Increasing number of road accidents involve self-driven rental vehicles, with instances of rash and negligent driving by tourists, including cases of driving under the rental vehicles, with instances of rash and negligent driving by tourists, including cases of driving under the influence of alcohol. "This is leading to grievous injuries and fatalities," Abhishek said in the notice adding that the public are advised not to submit any new applications for Rent-a-Cab licences/permits as they will not be processed. influence of alcohol „„Public advised not to submit any new applications for rent-a-cab licences/permits as they will not be processed Renting a vehicle offered tourists flexibility to commute across the State as per convenience but instances  of abuse and reckless  driving has also triggered public sentiment against the trade. The bar on issuing new licences is the second serious measure initiated by the government against the >Continued on P7 Pvt company makes history with Duplicate IDs don’t equate to voter fraud: EC perfect touchdown on the moon POLL PANEL CLEARS THE AIR PTI PTI CAPE A private lunar lander carrying a drill, vacuum and other experiments for NASA touched down on the moon Sunday, the latest in a string of companies looking to kickstart business on Earth's celestial neighbour ahead of astronaut missions. Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar orbit on autopilot, aiming for the slopes of an ancient volcanic dome in an impact basin on the moon's northeastern edge of the near side. Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost lander descended from lunar orbit on autopilot, aiming for the slopes of an ancient volcanic dome in an impact basin on the moon’s northeastern edge of the near side Confirmation of successful touchdown came from the company's Mission Control outside Austin, Texas, following the action some 225,000 miles away. You all stuck the landing. We're on the moon, Firefly's Will Coogan, chief engineer for the lander, reported. An upright and stable landing makes Firefly a startup founded a decade ago the first private outfit to put a spacecraft on the moon without crashing or falling. Even countries have faltered, with only five claiming success: Russia, the US, China, India and Japan. A half hour after landing, Blue Ghost started to send back pictures from the surface, the first one a selfie somewhat obscured by the sun's glare. NEW DELHI mid reports flagging issuance of identical voter card numbers to electors in two different States, the Election Commission on Sunday said duplicate numbers do not necessarily imply fake voters. It also said that while elector photo identity card (EPIC) numbers of some of the voters “may be identical”, the other details including demographic details, assembly constituency and polling booth are different. “Irrespective of the EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designat- A „„EPIC numbers of some of voters ‘may be identical’, but other details including demographic details, assembly constituency and polling booth are different „„Irrespective of EPIC number, any elector can cast a vote only at their designated polling station in their respective constituency „„Identical EPIC numbers or series allotted to some electors from different States and UTs due to a ‘decentralised and ed polling station in their constituency in their State or union territory where they are enrolled and nowhere else,” the poll panel said. This comes days after West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee cited duplication in EPIC numbers and accused the BJP of colluding with the poll body to manual mechanism’ being followed prior to shifting of electoral roll database of all States to ERONET platform „„This resulted in certain State chief electoral officers using the same EPIC alphanumeric series and leaving a scope for possibility of duplicate EPIC numbers add fake voters to the State's electoral rolls ahead of the Assembly polls next year. "I have proof from all districts. Here it is. Names of people from Haryana and Gujarat appear alongside those of West Bengal residents under the same EPIC number. Fake voters have been added online," Banerjee alleged. The Election Commission's statement did not mention Banerjee and said that the poll body took note of social media posts and media reports flagging duplicate EPIC numbers. EC further explained that identical EPIC numbers or series were allotted to some electors from different States and union territories due to a “decentralised and manual mechanism” being followed prior to shifting of the electoral roll database of all states to the ERONET platform.