Panaji: After being told that the new 2,000-capacity casino vessel does not possess a certificate of survey, the Bombay high court on Wednesday said the vessel should not sail into the Mandovi without obtaining all required certifications and without its prior permission.Panaji: The Bombay high court at Goa on Wednesday directed the regional director of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), southern region, to complete preparation of the heritage bylaws for 21 centrally protected monuments in Goa by June 15. Fourteen of these monuments are in Old Goa and seven across the state.According to the petitioners, Glean Cabral and Tahir Noronha, represented by advocate Ajay Menon, the heritage bylaws were to be prepared by 2016, and time was further extended till 2021. After that, no further extension has been granted, yet the heritage bylaws have not been finalised till date, the petitioners told the court.The bench of justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar also directed private parties to maintain status quo and not proceed with their constructions within regulated areas of monuments in Old Goa.The high court accepted the statement of the tourism department that the heritage centre project, within the regulated area of the Basilica Bom Jesus Church, has been shelved at this stage.The bench also granted the petitioners liberty to press for interim reliefs in respect of the height of the Old Goa police station at the appropriate stage upon hearing the advocate general, Devidas Pangam.The high court further directed the chief town planner (planning) to place a list of all permissions granted for constructions within protected areas and regulated areas of centrally protected monuments, particularly those where construction is yet to begin.All fresh and pending permissions will be subject to the outcome of the PIL, the high court stated.At the last hearing, the high court had directed the casino company to place on record the vessel’s certificate of survey certifying its seaworthiness and fitness to ply, as well as registration under the Inland Vessels Act or Merchant Shipping Act.When the PIL came up for hearing on Wednesday, Delta Pleasures Cruise Company Pvt Ltd, told the court that the vessel does not possess a certificate of survey.“Considering that, as of today, the vessel does not possess a certificate of survey, we deem it appropriate to direct that the vessel in question shall not sail into the Panaji port, the River Mandovi, without obtaining all the required certifications,” said the division bench of justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar.“Further, even if such certificates and requirements for sailing of the vessel into the Panaji port are obtained, the vessel shall not sail into the port without prior permission of this court,” said the bench.The high court took note of the statement of under secretary (home) Manthan Naik that if state govt decides to permit casino operations in the new vessel, govt would first place such a decision before the high court, before issuing any order to the casino company.“Taking note of the said statement, we are assured by govt of Goa that the order amending the licence issued to M V Royale Flotel, which was for 70 passengers, would not be amended in favour of the new vessel M V Deltin Royale without first placing the decision of govt before this court,” the high court further said.The court permitted the casino company to place on record all permissions and certifications required under the Inland Vessels Act or Merchant Shipping Act, whichever may be applicable to the vessel.The high court is hearing a PIL by challenging permissions to the company to replace its 70-passenger casino vessel with a 2,000-capacity casino vessel in Mandovi.The court will hear the PIL along with a related PIL of 2016 on July 6.
