Team Herald
PANJIM: A day after the government extended the deadline to offshore casino to relocate from Mandovi River, the State BJP justified the decision citing administrative and technical difficulties.
“The party still wants that all offshore casinos be shifted out of Mandovi River but the decision of extending deadline by one year is that of the government. Party has no control over it,” party general secretary Damodar Naik said on Friday.
He was responding to queries on the saffron party’s U-turns on casinos after its 2012 election promise to relocate the vessels to another location. “There could be some administrative or technical difficulties because of which the government could be forced to take such a decision,” he added justifying the government’s stand on the issue.
On Thursday, the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar granted one year extension, up to March 31, 2017 or till a feasible site is located, to relocate the four offshore casino vessels.
The Captain of Ports has been directed to re-visit the identified sites and submit a fresh proposal. Along with this, the government also raised the possibility of converting the offshore casinos vessels into land-based casinos or shifting these to the high seas.
