Panaji, June 14 (TIWN) A month after Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said that the party had urged the BJP-led state government to consider shutting down casinos, state Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral on Friday said that this step was "not practical" because of the employment they generate and ancillary businesses which the industry feeds off.

Addressing a press conference at the State Secretariat at Porvorim, near the city, he said,''Shutting down casinos in Goa is not practical. You have seen what happened when the mining industry was shut down and the hardships that people have had to face. The casino industry is linked to other businesses, which will be affected if they are shut down.”  Around a month back, State BJP President Vinay Tendulkar had said that the party had urged the state government to consider shutting down casinos, while Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said recently that casinos too attracted tourists in the state.