No more offshore casinos on Mandovi

PANAJI — The Corporation of the City of Panaji on Wednesday passed a resolution banning new offshore casinos in No more offshore casinos on Mandovi along the capital city.

The resolution was passed during the ordinary meeting of the corporators held at the CCP headquarters and headed by the city Mayor, Mr Tony Rodrigues. The newly appointed CCP Commissioner, Mr Melwyn Vaz was present at the meeting.

Mr Rodrigues, later addressing a press conference told the media that the Corporation will refuse trade and occupancy licence to the new offshore casinos but would not withdraw such licences if already issued. “The CCP will not touch the on shore casinos running in some starred hotels under the Corporation’s jurisdiction,” he added.

The city corporators also passed another resolution stating that no occupancy certificate is to be given to those mega construction projects coming up in the city, which have indicated parking facility in the plan but have not physically provided them. Mr Rodrigues informed that the CCP will also take action against those buildings which have converted their underground parking lots into halls and so on.

The third important decision at the meeting ordered a re-survey of all houses in the city for fixation of house taxes on them. Such survey was previously carried out in 1990. The decision came in the wake of a demand to accord approval for charging house tax for city houses that are occupied but not allotted house numbers or not recorded for the purpose of taxation.

Yet another important decision taken by the corporaters ordered re-tendering for the pay parking project for five city locations including the Atmaram Borkar Road, 18th June Road and M G Road, besides near the ice factory at Patto. It was also decided to discuss the modalities of the project with the residents and shopkeepers in these particular localities.

It was informed during the meeting that the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) will set up a unit in the city for facilitating implementation of the schemes under the Mission. At present, 63 cities around the country including Panaji are beneficiaries of the JNNURM.

The unit, like in other 62 beneficiary cities, is being set up in Panaji as it has been found that the respective municipal bodies have insufficient capacity as well as funds to take benefit of the schemes under JNNURM.

Courtesy:navhindtimes.com
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