The Goa Legislative Assembly on Friday witnessed a fiery exchange as opposition members pressed for a CBI investi-gation into the permissions granted to the Birch by Ro-meo Lane nightclub at Ar-pora, where 25 people per-ished in a massive fire. The members also demanded the magisterial inquiry re-port be made public and
called for the resignation of the concerned minister on moral grounds.
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Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, responding to a postponed starred ques-tion, reiterated that “no-body will be spared” and said the magisterial in quiry report would be re-leased after the Anjuna police complete their inves-tigation and file the charge-sheet.
The starred question, jointly tabled by Congress MLAs Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira, Yuri Alemao, and Altone D’Costa, sought de-tails on environmental and CRZ compliance of night-clubs and other public es-tablishments operating in coastal and salt pan areas. Adv Ferreira alleged that the Arpora-Nagoa village panchayat issued a trade licence for illegal struc-tures in Survey No 159/0 at Sankwadi, Arpora, despite
the land being recorded as salt pans, khazan land, sluice gates, and agricultur-al fields. He also questioned how the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) ap-proved operations for M/s Being GS Hospitality Goa Arpora LLP in an eco-sensi-tive area.
Sawant clarified that as per CZMP 2011, the area did not fall under CRZ.
Sawant further said that the government had sought clarification from the National Centre for Sustainable Coastal Management (NCSCM) to identify discrepancies. “We are also conducting a revenue department inquiry to identify who committed the mischief and will punish those responsible,” he stated. The Chief Minister further informed that the panchayat secretary had been terminated for failing to follow rules, while the sarpanch was disqualified for signing the trade licence. Show-cause notices have been issued to officials of the Excise Department, Fire and Emergency Services, and the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for issuing licences without proper inspections. He said inspections across coastal areas have been inten sified, resulting in the sealing of 22 establishments operat ing without fire safety approvals and consent to operate. In North Goa, 47 establishments were inspected and 17 sealed, while 39 were inspected and 5 sealed in South Goa. Clarifying licensing norms, Sawant said no separate per missions exist for nightclubs; licences are granted only for restaurants, and excise permissions are valid until mid night. He warned that establishments masquerading as restaurants to operate as nightclubs would not be tolerat ed, and CRZ violations would be addressed irrespective of the owner’s status, including VVIPs and VIPs. He also revealed that the magisterial inquiry traced the issuance of permissions since 1999 without verify ing whether the land was tenanted. Action will be tak en against commercial establishments built on tenanted land. An audit committee under the Secretary (Revenue) has been constituted to prepare Standard Operating Pro cedures (SOPs) for such establishments. Over the past five years, the GCZMA disposed of 534 cases, demolished 336 establishments, and discharged 198 cases, though some demolition orders remain under appeal. Opposition leader Yuri Alemao demanded a CBI probe to ensure political and moral accountability. He questioned the delay in tabling the magisterial report and sought de tails on nightclubs operating in the state, including one allegedly owned by actor Shilpa Shetty. Alemao said, “Ac countability should be fixed.” Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas questioned whether the government was withholding the name of a minister men tioned in the report, while Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai al leged that over eight lakh square metres of khazan land at Baga had been omitted from official records. Sardesai de manded assurances to freeze and protect the missing khaz an land and prevent development, insisting environmental matters are inherently technical. Sawant assured that the issue would be addressed in the draft CZMP 2019, expect ed within a year. Dissatisfied with the replies, opposition members, bar ring Sardesai, rushed to the well of the House, raised plac ards demanding a CBI probe, and staged a sit-in, shouting slogans. Sardesai, meanwhile, stood in his place and raised his postponed starred question on the cash-for-govern ment-job scam.
