PANJIM: The Goa government has decided that year-end electronic dance music (EDM) festivals will not be held during the peak tourist season from December 15 to January 15 from the coming year. The development comes on the eve of the two events – Sunburn and Supersonic – that are slated to commence at Vagator and Candolim respectively.
Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who cleared the files granting conditional permission to organisers of both the festivals to hold the four-day long events from Sunday, categorically stated that the State will not tolerate clash in event dates from next year.
“I called both the organisers (Sunburn’s Percept Ltd and Supersonic’s Viacom 18) and told them that this will not be tolerated. The dates of both the events should not clash and be conducted before December 15 or after January 15, from the next year,” he said. The file notings mention about holding the events on separate dates.
The State is concerned over heavy traffic and security in the State during the peak season when tourist footfalls rise significantly. Moreover, the government that is aiming to attract high-end tourists to Goa is apprehensive that holding such events during this period may turn this category of visitors away owing to the traffic congestion.
After the clash over the venue at Candolim, the two organisers continue to remain adamant over holding their respective music fests from December 27-30 with neither willing to adjust despite repeated requests from the State government.
In a recent meeting, the State Level Permission Committee (SLPC) had recommended to the State to decide EDM dates and venues from 2016 onwards as the decision-making that hitherto lay with the organisers has often put the State in a tight spot. The local police too raised issues over maintaining law and order with additional security arrangements at both venues simultaneously.
The SLPC on December 24 inspected the venues to check for fire, security, health and other related arrangements.
