Villagers oppose casino relocation

Nerul villagers are opposing a plan to relocate Goa’s floating casinos to a site in Aguada Bay, local media reports.

Officials from the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority presented the plan to the village on Sunday, though local representatives said it would spell doom for the area and promised a full written feedback.

Goa’s six floating casinos need to be relocated from a site on the Mandovi River by March of next year, though the government is struggling to find a suitable location.

Last year, Goa’s former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who died in March this year, created a buzz with his pledge that legislation would be upcoming to move the casinos onshore, potentially to an entertainment hub. However, since Parrikar’s death, there appears to be no consensus on what to do about the casino ships.

The government is currently examining alternative sites on water, but as yet there is no agreement, while an immediate move to a position on land has not gathered momentum either. One potential location that has often been suggested is the new Mopa airport, which is under construction. However, that is not feasible as work at the already delayed airport has stalled after the Supreme Court suspended its environmental clearance. 

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