NT Reporter
Panaji
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday announced that no bigger offshore casino vessel will arrive on River Mandovi as a replacement for an existing smaller vessel, for now.
A delegation of ‘Ponjekars Against Casinos’, comprising residents of Panaji and activists, met the Chief Minister at his official residence at Altinho in the city with various issues pertaining to the offshore casinos, including opposition to the move to allow a new bigger vessel on the river.
Speaking to media after the meeting, Sawant said that he heard the grievances of the people who met him. He categorically said that no big casino will come on River Mandovi “now”.
Sawant said that permission had been sought but now the government has asked the company to revise their proposal.
Some individuals and opposition members were trying to create doubts in the minds of the people for political purposes, he said
Expressing satisfaction over the verbal assurance given by Sawant, delegation member Valmiki Naik said, “People of Panaji and Reis Magos have been opposing the proposal of a casino company to replace the existing 70-passenger capacity vessel with a 2,000-passenger capacity vessel. Today, the Chief Minister has assured us that it will not be allowed for now,” he said.
Another member of the delegation Sabina Martins said that they also raised other issues such as encroachment on footpaths by the casinos and uncontrolled casino advertisement barricades in the city.
“As citizens, we have strong opposition to the offshore casino operations on River Mandovi. We will continue our fight against the casinos,” she said.
Patricia Pinto said that though the Chief Minister has given an oral assurance, they want that the permission granted for the replacement of an existing smaller casino vessel should be officially withdrawn.
