PANJIM: Despite intense and genuine safety concerns raised by the Captain of Ports, in his line of duty, to ensure safety of the fragile Panjim port in such rough weather, the former Haryana Minister Gopal Kanda’s casino vessel M V Lucky Seven, promoted by Golden Globe Hotel Private Limited is all set to formally enter River Mandovi, in peak monsoons, at its “own risk’
The move comes after the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court allowed the sixth casino vessel in River Mandovi, as rescue vessel, following petition by the promoters last week.
However, the Captain of Ports (CoP) on Tuesday also formally granted permission to the vessel and allocated mooring position off Campal in Panjim, with stringent conditions.
According to informed sources, as the CoP himself refused to comment on the process, the concerns and the objections from stakeholders of port safety, which includes safety of other ships as well as the entire channel for movement, were as follows:
a) Port is closed to entry or exit of any vessels due to dangerous sea conditions where vessels are in the danger of sinking and could lead to the grounding of all the vessels, including the Tugs proposed to be used. Loss of life cannot be ruled out if there is a major disaster on sea.
b) It is absolutely dangerous to come to Panjim by first going into the Open Sea in monsoon conditions and then enter through the Aguada Sandbar entrance where the surf is continuously crashing and navigation is hazardous during monsoons.
c) The casino vessel is now alongside Mormugao Harbour Jetty and perfectly safe there. It can also be taken to Goa Shipyard or up River Zuari to areas behind St Jacinto Island where there are shipyards instead of going out to sea pulled by tugs during monsoon conditions.
The conditions imposed by the CoP are as follows:
The vessel owner should maintain trained sailors on board, besides ensuring that the engine was in running condition and the vessel employed three fully-loaded tugs.
Earlier, the court in its order had said that the exercise of getting the vessel into River Mandovi would be carried out on at the owner’s risk, which should be in accordance to the supervision of the CoP.
It may be recalled that Golden Globe had approached the Bench on grounds that permission may be granted for allowing the vessel permission to moor in Campal, keeping in mind the inclement weather conditions that could damage the vessel.
Subsequently, the court had asked the ports authority to consider the case as rescue vessel and the purpose of mooring only.
M V Lucky Seven has been waiting to enter River Mandovi since May 19, after government had decided to renew the licence.
The court is expected to further hear the matter on Wednesday.
