SUNDAY, MAY 19, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: A public interest litigation (PIL) writ petition seeking to ban dance bars in the coastal areas especially in Calangute and Baga will come up for hearing before the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday, December 13.
Former Calangute panchayat member Sudesh Mayekar and Kundan Kerkar, both residents of Naika Waddo, Calangute in their petition have prayed that the dance bars be banned since it is illegal and run in unauthorised structures without occupancy certificate and ultra vires the provisions of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994, Goa (Regulation of Land Development and Building Construction) Act, 2008 and the Goa (Land Development and Building Construction) Regulations, 2010.
The petition has been filed after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant stated in the Legislative Assembly that the government has not given permissions for dance bars. Also in January this year, the villagers from the coastal belt of Calangute and Baga had protested against the dance bars culture, drugs and prostitution in the coastal belt and had demanded action against it.
According to the petitioners, the business activity of dance bar is beyond the scope of a bar and restaurant licence and requires a separate trade licence under the provisions of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994 read with compulsory mandatory registration under the Goa, Daman and Diu Registration of Tourist Trade Act, 1982 and Rules, 1985.
The petitioners have prayed for directions to the State authorities to immediately hold a site inspection of 13 structures and after inspection to take immediate measures to seal the said premises from operating without occupancy certificate and prohibit the dance bar activity operating without obtaining a trade licence under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.
They have further sought directions to the Commissioner of State Taxes Officer to hold an enquiry as to the loss of revenue caused to the public exchequer on account of the illegal, illicit dance bar business being operated without registration for GST purposes, so also, without registration under the Goa, Daman and Diu Entertainment Tax Act, 1964 and Rules, 1965, and so also, loss of revenue caused to the Calangute village panchayat for non-payment of licence fees under the provisions of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act, 1994.
The petitioners have stated that dance bar are being operated by several unscrupulous businessmen in order to exploit the Indian tourists and to extort money from them. Most of the places are taken on lease by these unscrupulous business operators thereby operating the said business by obtaining excise and other licences in the name of the original owners thereby ensuring that the operators evade criminal liability.
Adv Rohit Bras De Sa, who is appearing for the petitioners stated that dance bars are operating till the wee hours of the morning and thereby violating the timings specified in the panchayat trade licence which is specifically for bar and Restaurant and which extends up to 11 pm.
