Govt seeks opinion on casinos

Govt seeks opinion on casinos
HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, DEC 14
The government has moved a file to Law Department for its opinion on issuing notices to the off-shore casinos, which are operating sans trading licences in River Mandovi.
Chief Secretary Sanjay Srivastava said that the government has asked the Law Department for its opinion on whether the operators could be asked to shut down for plying without licence.
The opposition BJP has demanded that the government act against these casinos by December 19, failing which they will start an agitation.
The Chief Secretary was however non-committal on exactly when the notices would be served.
“Let the file come back from the Law Department than we will see,” he said.
Meanwhile, Minister for Ports Nilkanth Halarnkar said that his department will seek an inquiry as to why the ships are operating in Mandovi without trading licences.
“We have given them (operators) three months time to get the required licences as you all know the court has just vacated the stay and we feel they must also get some time,” he said.
However, he said, while his department has no issues with the ships anchored in Mandovi, “surely we would ask for inquiry why are they operating sans licences.”