Former Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes has levelled explosive allegations against the nightclub industry in North Goa, claiming that every major establishment from Candolim to Mandrem is paying hefty monthly haftas to government authorities. “It is a fact that every club is paying haftas to the government. Birch was giving Rs 25 lakh per month. Smaller clubs pay Rs 10 lakh. All these clubs owned by outsiders pay Rs 10–20 lakh because all of them have some irregularities,” Fernandes told reporters on Tuesday. He alleged that the Arpora nightclub was illegally allowed to operate de spite lacking an occupancy certif icate and being constructed on a salt pan. Fernandes further pointed fin gers at the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NG PDA), stating that the Calangute MLA was chairman of the author ity when the nightclub allegedly came up on the restricted land.
“Birch had no occupancy certificate. It was in a salt pan, but it was allowed to operate because they were paying haftas,” he claimed. Referring to Sunday’s incident, when Arpora–Nagoa sar panch Roshan Redkar was summoned by Anjuna police for questioning, Fernandes said the move was an attempt to pin the blame on the panchayat. “To hide the illegalities, they wanted to arrest the sar panch saying he had given the licence to the club. They didn’t arrest him only because hundreds of people gath ered there,” he alleged. He pointed out that authorities were now questioning a licence purportedly issued in 2003, even though no action was taken after the Arpora panchayat issued a demolition notice. “Then the Directorate of Panchayats gives a stay or der and the matter goes on for years. Activities should have been stopped immediately. The High Court has given clear orders that any structure without an occupancy certificate should be demolished,” he said. Fernandes also alleged that several of these nightclubs function as hubs for narcotics. “They are bringing DJs by pay ing crores. You cannot recover that kind of money only from entry charges. There are drugs being sold in these clubs. If you go to see, there’s hardly any sale of alcohol,” he claimed.
