The above statement sounds bit weird? Why I am comparing the casinos with the garbage dump, but if you look at the prevailing situation in Goa then it will help making my point legitimate. Just like garbage disposal which is the problem of every town but nobody wants to give any place for the “dumping” of the same in their neighborhood similarly nobody is ready to allow the anchoring of the casinos in their jurisdiction for various reasons. Here government is facing the similar situation they faced while dealing with the garbage issue in Goa. Here is the story.
Based on the commitment of BJP government to the people of Goa, shifting of casinos from Mandovi River seems to be inevitable. But nobody is ready to give them the berth in their area. All the villagers are against the casinos being anchored near their respective villages. Based on the headlines in one of the local daily of Goa The Navhind Times “Candolim gram sabha opposes move to shift casinos at Sinquerim bay” while another headline makes my statement more strong and valid “Oxel VP against bid to shift casinos in Chapora river” now these news makes it clear that although none of them are against the casinos but they surely do not want the casinos to be anchored in their villages.
According to the available information Candolim gram sabha on Sunday passed the resolution opposing the proposed move for the shifting of the Casinos in the Sinquerim Bay. Their main concern is, if casinos are shifted into the Sinquerim Bay then water sports activities will get badly affected, in fact the villagers are also against the land based casinos operating in the village. This gives the clear indication that they are against the casinos being operated from their villages. Sarpanch Sandra Fialho informed the gram sabha that the decision of the panchayat is with the villagers and it will not allow the casino to be anchored into sinquerim bay at any cost. The panchayat is also of the opinion that the shifting of casinos will affect the traditional fishermen.
In another incident the villagers from Oxel gram panchayat on Sunday urged the government to not move the casinos to the Chapora River against the wishes of the villagers otherwise the government will be compelled to face the rage of the villagers. Sarpanch Rama Parab was addressing the press conference in this regards and he told the media that “The people in the village are against the casinos and if the government goes ahead with the plan then we shall come out on streets.” He was also of the opinion that the casinos should continue in the Mandovi River only as the people of Panaji do not have any issue about it. “We will oppose the stationing of offshore casinos in Chapora River. It will have an impact not only on the fishing activity but also on youth who would be attracted to ills like gambling and prostitution, The fishermen are completely dependent on the river, and if the casinos are moved here, there will be river pollution and the marine life will be affected” Parab said.
The above case studies makes my point valid and strong that everyone wants the casinos to be there but not in their area and all of them do not mind having these casinos anchored in the Mandovi River forever as according to them, residents of Panaji do not have any opposition to it. If you recall, the issue of garbage disposal has a similar response from inhabitants of Goa, whereby nobody wanted to allow the treatment plant in their areas but everyone wanted the solution for it.
According to the license issued by the Goa government to the casinos which will expire in the month of October 2015 and the government is looking out for the alternative options for the anchoring of the casinos, presently both the options exercised by them are seems not working out due to the opposition from the locals. In such situation what will be the fate of the casinos in Goa? Will they manage to get any berth anywhere in Goa? Will they move out of Mandovi in first place? Please do leave your valuable comments and suggestions on this issue.
Source: NT
Written and Edited by: Rajesh Ghadge
