Casino boats shooing away fish, complain fishermen
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, FEB 23
Villagers of Reis Magos and Nerul, comprising largely the fishing community, have expressed fear of losing their fishing business on account of the vibrations of the casino boats operating in close vicinity.
Fishermen from these villages are complaining bitterly about the loud noise of the generators of the floating casinos, the vibrations from which have resulted in shooing away fish.
The villagers have made a memorandum to the Chief Minister highlighting their grievances under the banner of Nerul-Verem Anti-Casino Front.
The memorandum has also highlighted discrepancies in the draft Regional Plan 2021.
It complains that the traditional fishing zone (covering the river area from Betim jetty to Reis Magos Light House situated along the bank) has not been marked.
The villagers have already started a signature campaign so as to file their objections in the Town and Country Planning Department.
The fishing community of Nerul village fears that the marina marked on the draft RP would completely destroy their trade. Villagers would never tolerate the marina, the memorandum states.
The memo further maintains that the two mistakes in draft RP have been deliberately done in order to give back-door entry to casino operations.
The memorandum reminded the CM villagers of Nerul and Reis Magos had earlier come on the streets in the form of awareness campaigns (dharnas) to oppose casinos. It states that the villagers had succeeded unanimously in passing a gram-sabha resolution for not issuing any licenses/NOC to casino cruises along the banks of the river.
The memo warns the Government to take note of the situation at the earliest or else face further agitations on the streets.
