Daijiworld Media Network - Goa (MB)
from special correspondent

Panaji, Aug 29: Joining the protest from locals, a Women organization in Goa too has opposed the off-shore casinos in the tourist state.

"The fallouts of the casinos operating in the state is sexual abuse, bankruptcy and domestic violence,'' Sabina Martins, president, Bailancho Saad, a leading women organization, has said.

The organization met chief minister Digamber Kamat, this week, and demanded that the licence issued to the controversial off-shore casino be revoked.

Goa, the tourist state on western coast, has two licenced off-shore casinos. While Caravela, a off-shore casino run in Mandovi river in Panaji is operational, the controversy has erupted following granting of licence to another casino in south Goa.

Government figures reveal that state government has given permissions to 11 five star hotels to run casinos in their hotel.In all 16 applications for unique off-shore casinos were received, of five would be licenced.
The Leela group of hotels have sought the licence to run a casino in the 13-metre-long vessel adjacent to their property in south Goa. The locals, however, has opposed to the casino citing that the vessel blocks the movement of their fishing trawlers (vessels).

Bailancho Saad, however, has a different ground to protest. ``A consultant appointed by the state government  had clearly stated in the now revoked Regional Plan  2011 that their study showed that the local and the foreign tourists did not prefer casinos and golf courses,'' Martins pointed out in the letter to Goa CM.

"Yet casinos figure very much in the Tourism Master Plan 2011 prepared by the same consultants which the Government is following. The policy to start casinos and golf courses is not in the interest of the state but for the money launderers and land sharks,'' the organization stated.

Referring to the south Goa casino, Martins said that this is amply illustrated in the case of the casino being foisted in the River Sal destroying the source of livelihood of the fishing community of the area by dredging the river.
"Rivers and Beaches are common property resources and should not be allowed to be privatized  by back door methods,'' she added.

Bailancho Saad demanded the revocation of the amendment to the Goa Gambling Act permitting gambling in casinos. "Common people get arrested for matka (local gambling practise) on the grounds of illegality whereas infrastructure is provided for the same activity for the rich,'' she commented .

The organization, which has successfully taken the public agitations in the past, has said that  once casinos are set up, to generate revenue they will attract undesirable elements like drug traffickers, black marketers, pedophiles, human traffickers, money launderers which will result in nefarious activities, gang wars and unsafe environment for locals.