The professional concerns about the grave risk to the safety of the Panjim port, expressed quite clearly by the Captain of Ports, Mr James Braganza, to the government and the legal team, have unfortunately been played out in its entirety as MV Lucky 7 ‘casino’ ran aground on Aguada sand bar.
The Captain of Ports had filed an affidavit before the High Court saying that it was dangerous to even attempt to bring in the vessel till September 15.
On July 13, the vessel left from MPT dock and after nearly six hours of sail it was stuck on the sand bar between off Cabo Raj Niwaj and Aguada light house. The crew made another attempt on the following day but it ran aground close to the Miramar beach blocking the river channel, and has since then been drifting towards the beach. When the vessel got stuck in the sand bar, the Indian Coast Guard received a call to rescue the crew members who were in distress. A Coast Guard helicopter had to be rushed into help and four crew members, including one injured, were rescued. The other three were found to be extremely sea sick, which is not surprising.
An angry Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday issued instructions to the vessel owner to tow it back to Mormugao Port Trust (MPT).
The possibility of exactly this scenario happening was clearly outlined by the Captain of Ports Mr James Braganza. Now the Chief Minister is echoing the same thoughts. He told reporters that the authorities of Golden Globe Hotels Pvt Ltd (GGHPL)-owned vessel was informed well in advance that it would be dangerous to tow the vessel in the River during monsoons.
“The ship is in distress in the sea. We cannot take any more risk and hence the vessel has to be towed it back to the MPT,” he said. The Captain of Ports (CoP) and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) are monitoring the vessel, grounded at Aguada sand bar off Miramar shore, for oil spillage. The authorities for now have ruled out possibility of oil spillage at this stage.
Inspite of the obvious dangers, the ‘casino” owners still attempted to bring the boat in, into a port which is closed for the monsoons, on the basis of the High Court allowing them to do so, but under strict conditions.
Sources confirmed that the vessel will have to be towed back by the company and that CoP may lend some support.
Sources further said that though the department permitted Lucky 7 to moor in the river, the vessel has not completed the registration process. “Only after the vessel is registered under the Inland Vessels Act, will the casino be allowed to operate,” the source said.
The CoP will be submitting a detailed report on the vessel along with the affidavit it placed before the Court to Chief Secretary Dharmendra Sharma, following the fresh development.
When asked about the oil spillage, a senior bureaucrat said “there is no danger of oil spill for now”. It is now learnt that a private company would be taking away the entire 12,000 litres of diesel which is onboard vessel by Tuesday evening to ensure there is no oil spillage.
When contacted, GSPCB member secretary Levinson Martins said that they are monitoring the situation.
MV Lucky 7 will be the sixth off shore casino vessel in River Mandovi and will operate under the name of Big Daddy only after it gets permission for operations.
Meanwhile Tourism Minister Manohar Azgaonkar, and the Chairman of the GTDC, Nilesh Cabral (both ruling coalition MLAs), have opposed the manner in which the casino, whose defector owner is former Haryana minister Gopal Kanda, was attempted to be brought into the Panjim port in the monsoons. Azgaonkar has warned to initiate action if the present situation harms the tourism industry in Goa.
Addressing a press conference later in the evening, Curchorem legislator Nilesh Cabral said “The Captain of Ports had submitted to the court that it is not possible to move the vessel during the monsoon period, but it did, and unfortunately it has run aground,” he said clearly indicating the firm defied the advisory of the government.
But one wonders, why the government did not back its CoP more strongly to ensure that the misadventures of MV Lucky 7, could not take place, in the first place.