Panaji: The Congress has urged the National Institute of Oceaonography (NIO) to analyse the pollution level of the Mandovi river in and around the area where the Lucky Seven casino vessel has run aground, and near other casinos ships.
A delegation of the party, led by Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Shantaram Naik, met NIO deputy director P.S. Rao at Dona Paula on Friday to make the demand.
The delegation told Mr. Rao that the Congress is seriously concerned about the pollution in the Mandovi river caused by the damaging commercial activities of the casinos.
Mr. Naik told Mr. Rao that Lucky Seven , which is grounded in the Mandovi river, is likely to cause serious environmental damage if necessary preventive measures are not taken.
The delegation further demanded that the NIO should analyse the discharge of sludge water by casino vessels. They also urged the organisation to examine the effect on fishing activities in the river and on seafood consumption.
Last month, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had declared in the State Assembly that a new casino policy would soon cap the number of casinos in a particular area.
