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SAYS BJP LEADER ...
* Chicalim villagers have opposed it and I will also oppose it
* The Chicalim Bay is an eco-sensitive zone
* Projects proposed in the past have fizzled out due to local opposition
* Repent being part of erstwhile Rane cabinet which permitted casinos
* All money flowing into casinos are ‘black money’-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State Vice-President and Commissioner for NRI Affairs Wilfred Mesquita has strongly opposed relocation of casinos at Chicalim Bay. "Casinos are a curse to Goa," he stated.
Speaking to The Goan, Mesquita said, “Chicalim villagers have opposed it and I will also oppose it. The Chicalim Bay is an eco-sensitive zone. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) has already conducted a study on the same.”
According to him, various projects had been proposed to be set up at Chicalim Bay, but they eventually fizzled out due to opposition from local villagers.
“In the past, we have struggled to protect this area. Initially, a fishing jetty was proposed to be put up. Then it was Bharati Shipyard, which planned its operations. It had the support of Mauvin Godinho but opposition from locals. It was Dr Willy (then environment minister) who referred it to the NIO to study the eco-sensitivity,”, he stated.
He, however, repented being a part of the erstwhile Pratapsing Rane cabinet which granted permission to offshore casinos in the State.
“Permission to casinos was granted when I was a minister in the Pratapsing Rane cabinet. At that time we were given an impression the casinos would be located in deep seas. We were not given any knowledge of this mess. Now, I am repenting being a part of his cabinet which granted approvals to the casinos,” he said.
Stating that all the money flowing into casinos was ‘black money’, he said, “ED, EOC and IT Department all speak about black money. If they send notices to the people who visit casinos, they will come to know where all the black money is. No person who earns money honestly and with hard work, Will waste money on gambling in the casinos.”
