PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured a delegation of Panaji residents that a massive casino vessel, reportedly 112 metres long and capable of accommodating 2,000 passengers, will not be permitted to enter the Mandovi River.
The assurance was given on Wednesday at Sawant’s official Altinho residence to members of ‘Ponjekars Against Casinos’, a citizens’ group that has been vocal in opposing casino operations in the river.
The group had recently organised a public meeting to highlight concerns about congestion, pollution, and the impact of offshore casinos on Panaji’s riverfront.
Sawant reiterated his position later in the day while speaking to the media at the oath‑taking ceremony of the new Lokayukta.
“Although the company has asked permission to bring in the vessel, it will not come,” he said.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) State president Valmiki Naik, who was part of the delegation, confirmed the assurance.
“He gave us the assurance and confirmed that the new casino vessel will not come to Goa,” Naik told reporters outside the Chief Minister’s residence.
The delegation also included former Corporation of the City of Panaji councillor Patricia Pinto, women’s activist Sabina Martins, and Panaji resident Chryselle D’Silva Dias.
They emphasised that the entry of such a large vessel would worsen the congestion and chaos already faced by residents.
Backing the citizens’ opposition, retired Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdino Rebello – who is spearheading the ‘Enough is Enough’ movement against overdevelopment – said the Bombay High Court would be moved against any government decision to permit the vessel.
Sawant’s categorical assurance has momentarily calmed fears, but with legal action looming and public sentiment strong, the debate over casinos in the Mandovi remains far from permanently resolved.
