FRIDAY, MAY 03, 2024
Team Herald
PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the State authorities to keep a vigil not only in the Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) event but also at the other events across the State so that noise pollution rules are not breached.
The Court has further asked all the concerned authorities to adhere to directions in the judgment and order and other directions issued from time to time.
Hearing contempt petitions on public interest litigation (PIL) writ petitions, the division bench comprising Justice Mahesh Sonak and Justice Valmiki SA Menezes remarked that the Sunburn organisers in the past had not complied with the laws of the country as far as issue of noise pollution was concerned.
The Court hoped that this time the organisers will comply with all rules and regulations regarding the grant of permissions and implementation of the terms and conditions of permission of noise pollution rules.
The Court made the statement particularly referring to the respondent's statement that they are not “a fly-by-night operator” but rather a permanent organiser of a prestigious event in the State and throughout the country and that the company will scrupulously comply with the laws of the country.
The amicus curie brought to the notice of the Court that three complaints dated December 5. 2023, December 8, 2023 and December 9, 2023 regarding the noise pollution issues at Gawdewada, Morjim beach, wherein a notification was issued in January 2021 declared it a silent zone due to turtle nesting site. The Court has asked the authorities to ensure that the notification is strictly enforced.
The Court also directed the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) and other authorities to look into one of the establishments styled as ‘antiSocial Goa MORJIM’, who had issued flyer/pamphlet announcing an event "Social Day Out" and a day party. If there is any possibility of violation, then all steps must be taken to ensure that the silent zone’s sanctity is not breached.
Meanwhile, one of the restaurants ‘Ohlala Restaurant’ at Morjim was shut after the GSPCB informed the court that it had already issued a closure notice to it.
The matter has been posted for further hearing on January 23, 2024.
On Thursday, the Advocate General of Goa, Devidas Pangam, the topmost law officer of the State had warned that in case there was a violation of any decibel level at the forthcoming and controversial EDM festival Sunburn, the committees formed to check noise pollution will initiate immediate action.
“The Sunburn organisers will be given 10 minutes to control the sound pollution if it crosses a particular level. If they do not control the sound level within 10 minutes, then it would be stopped by the officials. This is the strict mechanism provided in the action plan,” the AG had said.
“There will be a sub-committee consisting of a Circle Inspector, a Police Sub-Inspector and an official of the Goa State Pollution Control Board. They will be deployed at three places in the venue. There will be another committee which will be called the central sound monitoring committee which will consist of Additional Collector,” he said.
