By Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Jun 26: The off shore casinos are heading for another round of troubles with state government’s high level committee order to stop their operations.
 
“All vessels mounted with off shore casino, except one, have their permission to anchor in the port jurisdiction invalid and hence they should immediately stop their operations,” the ad hoc committee on home ruled today.
 
Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, who chaired the committee, said that only one off shore casino vessel – M/v Arabian Sea King – has valid permission to anchor in the port jurisdiction. The No objection certificate (NOC) from the port administration has to be renewed at regular intervals.
 
“All others have expired permissions and hence the Captain of Ports was directed to stop their operations immediately as they don’t have minimum requirement of compliance,” Parrikar, Goa’s former chief minister, said.
 
 He said that the Port administration, in whose jurisdiction the vessels are anchored, will have to ensure that the people don’t enter in the vessel till they get proper certificate.
 
“NOC from captain of ports is a mandatory condition while licencing the off shore casinos,” Parrikar added.
 
In case of lone Arabian Sea King vessel mounted with Casino, the committee found that it has not paid entertainment and commercial tax to the government for last three months, for which it also should stop operating.
 
“The directions are issued to commercial taxes department that the casino should not be allowed to operate till it pays the taxes,” the leader of opposition said.
 
The committee also ruled that all the off shore casinos should be driven out of mandovi river limit subject to the high court order.
 
The state cabinet had resolved to move the off shore casinos away from the Mandovi river limits. The cabinet decision is challenged by operators in the High court.
 
Parrikar said that the committee also directed the home department to inspect all the land based casinos for various irregularities committed by them.