Recently a nightclub in the Morjim Ashwem coastal belt got demolished for coastal rules violations while at the same time there are clubs in Vagator where parties were happening without masks.

Partying and enjoying life whilst working very hard in the day is a principle followed by Sameer Kotecha (name changed) a professional in the entertainment industry. He said the party scene was hot and moving towards its typical crescendo come New Year weekend. He said “There are night clubs open because the tourists are coming in. The clubs that have the license have parties and you have to go on Facebook to see all the party flyers. Some follow the norms but most are not following the norms. Violation of COVID norms is happening. In addition environmental and CRZ violations are taking place of that I am sure hundred percent”.

He said “I party on weekends and none of the bars follow the sops. Only the temperature check is done at the gate. The distance between the two tables is not maintained properly. Big parties are organized and no one wears a mask for these parties. In fact, at one of the night clubs located in Vagator where a two-day music show was organized, a large number of tourists and a few locals partied without care”. He said the club management was not insistent on guests wearing the masks. The party he said was successful with no impediments by authorities. He pointed out that CRZ violations in this club were clearly rampant but it looked like the authorities had looked the other way.

A known Goan celebrity who has lent his support to several state initiatives says " It pains to see some places get targetted  and others, specially owned by outsiders, continue their operations with blatant violations of every kind. If you have to clean the system & make Goa safe, don't cherry pick.That's all"

Sunil Ramakrishnan ( name changed) a regular from Mumbai said a club in Anjuna promoted parties by saying no mask no drinks, no mask no party. He however said such clubs were targeted and troubled by authorities and a few local bodies. He said another branded beach club which opened last week had a party where 1000 people attended without following any norms. He smiled and said it is interesting to see how some clubs can flout the sops and the CRZ laws and still function without being hassled.

Another local, who was also not willing to come on record said another club called in Morjim was demolished because it flouted CRZ norms but others owned and run by outsiders were running without being hassled.

It is obvious the problems that afflict the tourism industry are many and it would make sense for the authorities to crack the whip because, in the final analysis, it will be the paying customer who will pay for the tardiness of the owners and may stay away. Thus causing harm to the industry