Panjim: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has directed the government to submit details on the total amount of money owed by the organizers of Sunburn Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festival to the State. The division bench of Justices M S Sonak and Nutan Sardessai is hearing a petition filed by Trajano D’Mello seeking to direct the State to recover dues from the promoters of the music festival for the event organized from 2011-2015 and to restrain the government from granting permission for the festival till the dues/arrears are paid. 

During the hearing on Wednesday, the court directed that notice be issued to Percept Limited for its reply by February 22, incidentally a day before the commencement of Sunburn Klassique. On the returnable day, the State government and Tourism Department have also been directed to submit precise amount of dues/money owed by Percept Limited to the State. 

The petitioner, represented by Advocate Rohit Bras D’Sa, alleged the State has contravened high court’s order to Public Interest Litigations filed in 2014 and 2016 for recovery of the amount and that it is considering issuing further permission for holding the EDM. 

The petition copy is supported by documents availed under Right To Information (RTI) that amount outstanding towards traffic bandobast is Rs 96,85,917 while another Rs 95,97,293 is pending towards police bandobast. Several lakh rupees are also pending payment towards other tax.  

“The EDM organizers are now trying to overcome legal impediments by changing the name and thereby making a back-door entry by naming it as Sunburn Classique (Klassique).  The Ordered directions of this Court are said to be bye passed, disobeyed by EDM Festival making back door entry under the name and style of Sunburn Classique. The Tourism Minister Babu Azgaonkar has stated that it will happen in this month and the SLC held their meeting in the matter deliberating on the EDM,” the petition said. 

Claiming that more information under the RTI is awaited, the D’Mello further stated that he has been unofficially informed that ‘taxes arrears are not paid by the organizers and therefore, there is an urgent need for direction to stop loss to the public exchequer and to stop the unjust enrichment at the cost of public exchequer by EDM festival who are in connivance with the Ministers of the State Government.’

Sunburn’s new look Sunburn Klassique is slated to be held at Vagator on February 23-24 and government’s announcement giving final nod to the festival incidentally comes on the day of the case hearing.