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Goa Govt orders offshore casinos to shift out

         Panaji: The Government of Goa has given fifteen days notice to casino vessels operating on the Mandovi river to shift further down the Arabian Sea. "They will not be allowed to anchor on River Mandovi. They can come ashore for refueling and go," said State Chief Minister Digamber Kamat after a cabinet meeting here on Tuesday. Kamat said these casinos were revenue earners for the State Government. "We charge them Rs 5 crore as licencing fee. They also pay various other taxes," he said. The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had warned the State Government of a severe agitation in case it failed to crackdown on these offshore casinos, which are polluting the river. Local residents too have opposed these casinos describing them as a major eyesore.
-Feb 24, 2009

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