Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar today told the State Legislative Assembly that the offshore casinos in the waters of River Mandovi will not be shut down but removed in phases. It is also learnt that the removal will be done over a period of two years.
“I never said that I am going to close the casinos (off shore). I will just move them out of (river) Mandovi,” Parrikar said while responding to a question in the House.
Repoertedly, the issue was raised in the house by Congress legislator Aleixo Reginald and two other Independents – Vijay Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte. The former asked the government why was the license of the offshore casino vessel Horseshoe renewed when it was replacing a smaller casino. He questioned how a bigger casino vessel be operated under the same license that the smaller ship held?
To this, the CM Parikkar replied that no such rule is currently there in place which states the size of the vessel before granting license. But he added, “The licences of all those off shore casinos which are expiring after March 31, 2014 shall not be renewed, for operation in River Mandovi,” he said adding that no further off shore casinos will be permitted in the state. Currently there are five offshore casinos operating in River Mandovi.