Goa casinos to stay in Mandovi river until next year

"The Cabinet has granted further extension of one year to offshore casinos to relocate their vessels from Mandovi river," Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar told reporters.

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Parsekar said four sites, that were identified earlier, faced stiff opposition from the locals who did not want the offshore casinos to be around their villages

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He said the extension was granted as "government could not identify a feasible site to shift them (casinos)". The offshore casinos will have to move to alternative sites, to be identified by the government, before the expiry of the extended deadline, the cabinet stated.

In its earlier decision, the government had granted extension till March 31, 2016 for the vessels housing casinos to shift away from the river.

Parsekar said four sites, that were identified earlier, faced stiff opposition from the locals who did not want the offshore casinos to be around their villages.

He said the cabinet also discussed a suggestion which proposes to convert the offshore casinos into land-based ones.

"There is no objection for land-based casinos in the state," the CM said "the government is thinking seriously on converting them into land-based casinos."