Govt to move out offshore casinos from river Mandovi

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2009-02-25
PANAJI- The state cabinet on Tuesday decided to move out the offshore casinos from River Mandovi and city’s limits, by at least a nautical mile from the shore, within 15 days. The cabinet also decided to frame the gaming law within three months.
Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat said that following the government decision all the casinos hitherto operating in River Mandovi would have to move out and they would only be allowed to come in the city to lift their stocks, etc on touch and go basis.
Mr Kamat also said that following the government decision the owners of all casinos would be issued notices to comply with it. He also said that all the floating casinos could move out up to five nautical miles from the shore that form the state’s territorial limit. He said that with this decision the congestion in River Mandovi would end.
As regards to waste disposal by the casinos and they having necessary documents, he said that Goa State Pollution Control Board has already issued them the notices and that it was unlikely that the permission for operating could have been given by the authorities without proper documentation. Replying to another question on piling in the river, he said that the matter was before the High Court.
Stating that the state was earning substantial income from the casinos, the Chief Minister said that 2-3 more licences could be given and the additional income generated from these licences could be used for various social welfare activities.
He also said that a gaming commissioner would be appointed once the law for regulating gaming was enacted to regulate gaming to carry out checks and ensure proper payouts from the gaming machines.
The cabinet also gave approval to a proposal to form the Goa State Commission for Scheduled Tribes, thus fulfilling a long pending demand of the ST communities in the state, said the Chief Minister adding that it also gave its approval for setting up Goa Solid Waste Management Corporation, which would deal with the problem relating to management of all solid waste (including hazardous waste) generated in the state.
The Chief Minister further stated that the cabinet also gave its approval for implementation of University Grants Commission scale for college and university teachers and allied posts, adding that the Centre would give 80 per cent of the hiked salaries till March 31, 2010. The state would have to bear the cost after the expiry of that period.
He also said the cabinet decided to extend the scheme of providing essential items and vegetables at subsidised rates till September 2009 to give solace to common man from high prices in view of the fact that the prices of many items were yet to stabilise.
He also said the decision to absorb people working as stenographers under pre-employment training scheme after they exercise their option of working as lower division clerks. He said that very few posts of stenos were created in the government and that it would take almost a decade to absorb over 100 stenos working at the moment.