WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The showdown between the State government and the Corporation of City of Panjim does not appear to end as the Corporation, as promised in the past, has not yet renewed the trade licences of three casinos.
Panjim mayor Uday Madkaikar said the three casinos had applied for renewal of licences and it has been kept on hold. “We still stand by our promise that trade licenses should not be renewed. My leader and Panjim MLA Atanasio Monserrate also shares the same stand,” he said.
Madkaikar said that keeping the renewal on hold will result in a loss for CCP. “If we combine all three renewals, our revenue will be Rs 25 lakh. If we give permission now we will get Rs 25 lakh in CCP account. Our stand on casinos continues, that they should be taken out of River Mandovi. Panjim MLA never said no to casinos but wants it moved out from here,” he said.
He added that due to casinos operating, the city had huge parking-related issues which irked the citizens. “The problem was that guests used to park anywhere blocking the roads and that is why people were getting troubled. There was haphazard parking,” Madkaikar added.
He further said that due to the prevailing COVID pandemic, businesses in the city had to suffer thus impacting revenue and that CCP had received 35 applications for closure/cancellation of trade licences.
“Goa is tourist spot. If tourism is not there business will shut. Some 35 applications have come to us for cancellation of trade licenses as businesses were hit due to Covid,” the mayor said. He went to say that the financial position of CCP is not good.
