VASCO
When asked, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who was in Vasco to distribute LED bulbs, said he was not aware of the shifting of casinos to Chicalim and there is no such proposal. “It is the media which is unnecessarily creating the issue and I have never stated that casinos will be shifted to Chicalim,” said Parsekar. At the public meeting at St Jacinto Church hall, CVAC secretary Rui Araujo said casinos are polluting river Mandovi and once shifted to Chicalim, will start polluted river Zuari. “Chicalim village is declared as a heritage site and shifting casinos at Chicalim will not only affect locals whose houses will face the axe while widening roads, but it will also disturb the flora and fauna of the village,” added Araujo. Araujo said casinos are major pollutants and the ill effects are addiction to gambling and alcoholism. “Welfare of the village is of utmost importance and if villagers do not want the project, then the government should respect the sentiments of the people and put an end to this controversy,” he added. Social activist Adv Fr Michael Fernandes said due to casinos, families are destroyed and some have even sold their properties for gambling. “We are not only against casinos anchoring at Chicalim, but are against casinos anywhere in Goa. Earlier in the name of development, fields and hills were destroyed and now the waters of Goa are being polluted,” said Fr Fernandes. When brought to his notice that Parsekar stated that the government has not made any proposal to shift the casinos at Chicalim, Fr Fernandes claimed: “Everything has been planned and the private party simply would not have offered their land if the proposal from the government had not gone to them.” Auda Viagas of Bailancho Ekvott and Sabina Martins of Goa Bachao Abhiyan said besides gambling, casinos also promote prostitution and alcoholism among the youth of Goa. Others who spoke on the occasion are Fr Eremito Rebello, Fr Eufemiano Miranda (parish priest of Chicalim), Jose Philip D Souza, Adv Albino Vales and Francisco Nunes.
We are not only against casinos anchoring at Chicalim, but are against these anywhere in Goa.””Fr Michael Fernandes, Social activist
Chicalim village is declared as a heritage site. The casinos will disturb its flora and fauna.””Rui Araujo, CVAC secretary
