There are certain establishments such as beach shacks, restaurants and cafes in the North Goan coastal belt that are under the scanner of different teams of Goa Police, which have long been suspected of carrying out nefarious activities including narcotics trade.
The Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in past has revealed that over 100 such establishments have been identified in North Goa alone by the police who will continue to remain under scrutiny of the watchful eye of the law enforcing agencies. The Chief Minister has warned that if any establishment was found indulging in any illegal activity, they would be banned and licenses would be revoked.
Goa Police without naming any establishment have said that the department has already sent reports of certain establishments to the department of tourism for further action against them.
“We send reports as and when we find the establishment in repeated violations to the concern authority to cancel or suspend the license,” the Director General of Police Dr Muktesh Chander said,
He informed that anti-narcotic cell and local police are keeping strict vigil over the notorious places in the coastal belt and in addition to that separate teams have been formed to cross verify the claims of each other.
“In case if any complaint is made against loud music party taking place illegally, I will personally cross-check by sending a team other than ANC or the local police,” DGP said.
“I told them don’t bluff me, if action taken report is not satisfactory, I will go myself and check,” he added.
It has been witnessed in the past that many music parties took place without the knowledge of police and few that made attempts to start have been stopped by the police. However, the lack of proper local intelligence and due to the connivance with the party organisers, police had failed a total crack down on illegal parties on the North Goa coast.
However, DGP has refused to accept the theory and said, “Don’t go by past record, you go on the ground and check and give me a call if any party is been playing music in violation of law. I will see to it that not only party will the party be stopped, but the premises and equipments too would be sealed.”
“We are monitoring social media through which the night music party organisers advertise the party venues and we are taking every possible measure to stop the nuisance, if any. Music cannot be played beyond 10 pm,” Chander said.
At one end the police have been cracking down on drug-related activities by booking cases and arresting the drug peddler from the coastal belt, while on other end the activities have not stopped even after seizing a sizable amount of narcotics in over 25 cases in just two months.
Last month the police cracked down on the ‘GOAT’ festival that was happening in blatant violation of law. The event was hosted by top DJs of international repute and was supposed to be attended by an international crowd.
In fact the organisers of the festival were intent on going ahead to host the festival without obtaining any license or permission to play the music.
