PORVORIM: The ruling and Opposition benches were unanimous in the House in demanding that the State government provide clarity on the offshore casino vessels that are currently anchored in River Mandovi. The issue was raised during demands for grants on the Port Administration.
BJP Panjim MLA Atanasio Monserrate said that the capital city looks like a “hub of casinos” with their decorative nightlife. He alleged that the bureaucracy is the one that is patronising the casinos.
“I had promised the people of Panjim to shift the casinos out of River Mandovi, and I stand by my promise. I will not rest till then,” the MLA said, adding that he will not tolerate anyone patronising them at the cost of people.
Monserrate said that the offshore casino lobby seems to have privatised the jetties owned by the Captain of Ports and Fisheries Department to transport their visitors to the vessels.
Taking a dig at Ports Minister Michael Lobo, representing Calangute constituency, Monserrate said “Today, you say casinos generate income for the State, you can take them to your constituency as it is in the tourism belt.”
Monserrate said that the casinos have created a “mess of the city”. He questioned why permission was granted by Captain of Ports to allow the takeover of jetties, which are completely privatised by the casino lobby.
NCP MLA Churchill Alemao said that if the government is really interested in shifting the casinos, then the MLAs should be told, where they will be relocated. “Give us specific deadline when they will be shifted. I don’t think, you will be able to shift them so soon. You have to tell the fact to the people,” he said.
Alemao said that the government should ensure that the casino vessels do not pollute the river.
Congress MLA Pratapsingh Rane had moved the cut motion to the demand of grant for ports for government failure to remove the offshore casinos out of the river. He also brought to the notice of the river pollution as a result of casinos and other vessels operating in River Mandvoi.
Supporting the cut motion, Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said that while assuring people to shift the casinos out of River Mandovi, government is also granting protection to the industry on the other hand. “Come out open and tell the people that you cannot remove the casinos and that you will make Panjim the sin city,” he charged.
Lourenco also said that the discharge of sewerage by casino vessels has led to pollution of the river, which has been proven through various studies.
