19 Oct 2020  |   06:02am IST

Licences of four nightclubs may be suspended

Health Min to approach CM recommending suspension of licences for violating the mandatory norms; Videos of late Saturday night parties go viral on social media, wherein party revellers were found blatantly violating the COVID safety norms
Licences of four nightclubs may be suspended

Team Herald


PANJIM: At least four nightclubs could face suspension of licence after videos of late Saturday night parties went viral on social media the following day, wherein party revellers were found blatantly violating the COVID-19 safety norms.  

Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has decided to approach Chief Minister Pramod Sawant recommending suspension of licences for violating the mandatory norms enforced to curb the rising cases of infection across the State. The video showed how these nightclubs and some well-known restaurants have violated the COVID norms. 

“Government will take strict action against these clubs under the Disaster Management Act for violating the COVID-19 social distancing norms, not wearing masks and putting to risk lives of many other people. I have decided to bring this issue before the CM and I am confident that CM will issue instructions to the Collector to take action against these nightclubs under the Act,” he said.

The videos and photographs of some prominent clubs had gone viral wherein none in the crowd were either maintaining social distancing or wearing face masks, posing risk of outbreak of more COVID-19 cases as Goa has already crossed 40,000 cases.  

Herald spoke to some nightclub officials, who claimed they are following all the SOPs laid down by the Central and State governments. 

“We are following all SOPs laid down by the government. Let the authorities check and confirm for themselves. Some people along with some journalists are trying to extort money from the nightclubs,” Ricardo D’Souza, co-owner of Tito's Mambos nightclub informed Herald. Clearly indicating at extortion, he further said it was not something new as the practice has been going on for long time. 

“We are used to dealing with such extortionists now,” D’Souza added. 

Laxman Karmiyal, head of operations of Larive Beach Resort also maintained the management ensures all SOPs are duly followed by the staff and guests. “We are following all the COVID-19 norms, such as availability of sanitisers, social distancing, providing face masks to those not found wearing it, etc. All the rules are followed. Our staff is also well prepared by always wearing hand gloves, using masks, and checking of temperature of the staff and visitors,” he said. 


IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar