Panaji: In the Enough is Enough PIL, the state told the high court that only mooring permission has been granted for the new 2,000-capacity casino vessel to enter the Mandovi.Advocate general Devidas Pangam said nothing will happen before June and added that further permissions are yet to be granted as the matter has not reached that stage.He and the casino company told the court that the PIL was filed with delay with the monsoon around the corner, when the vessel is due to enter the river. Pangam said the vessel was constructed based on a provisional NOC dated Oct 14, 2022, and that the Enough is Enough Association was formed only in Jan and approached the court on April 17.He said the petitioners cannot now, with the monsoon just around the corner, say the vessel cannot enter. “The petitioners cannot proceed on their emotions. Nothing is going to happen before June. The vessel will come and moor,” Pangam said.The casino company said the petitioners were aware of the vessel but chose to file the PIL now. It said Rs 400 crore has been spent on the vessel and that there was nothing surreptitious about it, adding that the PIL should be dismissed for delay.The company said the petitioners allowed the vessel to sail and approach before moving court. It also said there is no question of the vessel operating as a casino until all permissions are in place.
