Panaji: In a matter related to the entry of a new vessel into the Mandovi River, Advocate General Devidas Pangam prayed before the High Court of Bombay at Goa that it should not grant any interim relief to the petitioners, stating that permissions were obtained in 2022 while the PIL had been filed only in April, just ahead of the monsoon.
He said that a detailed study was conducted when the NOC was granted and that the NOC was only to replace the vessel.
He further said that it was not an order under the Public Gambling Act and that the Captain of Ports had permitted the vessel to enter. He also said that registration of the vessel under the Inland Vessels Act is a permissible activity under the Captain of Ports.
The High Court is likely to continue hearing the matter Tuesday. The petitioners are, inter alia, seeking directions from the court to the respondents, State of Goa and others, to set aside various permissions granted to Respondent No. 3, Ms Delta Pleasure Cruise Company, to replace the vessel MV Royale Flotel, with a passenger capacity of 70, which no longer operates in the Mandovi, with the new vessel Y-178, with a passenger capacity of 2,000 in the Mandovi. The new vessel is also known as MV Deltin Royale.
The petitioners argued that the move violates provisions of the Public Gambling Act, pointing out that the current vessel is licensed for a capacity of 70 persons, while the proposed replacement is designed to accommodate around 2,000 persons.
They also questioned the legality of allowing such a significant increase in capacity under the existing regulatory framework.
