PORVORIM: Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Monday informed the State Assembly that the Tourism Department has received an application seeking permission to hold Sunburn at Quitol in South Goa.
This has sent shockwaves in South Goa as it is totally against the will of the people.
The Minister said the Tourism Department has asked the applicant to provide proper documents as the application has been on a plain paper but seemed to suggest that allowing Sunburn is a collective government decision.
So where are people’s voices? Are they heard?
"Every year we talk about Sunburn. Principally I do not attend Sunburn. It has been happening every year with the collective government decision. This year they have applied on a paper somewhere in the South. They have asked for permission to have it in Quitol," Khaunte said.
"We have asked them to submit papers as they do not have documents. We have received the application which has been inwarded to the Department of Tourism," he said.
However, the Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao sought to know how the organisers had started selling tickets without getting permission from the Tourism Department and demanded that if the permission had not been accorded, then the tourism department should file an FIR against the organisers.
"How can they sell the tickets when they have no permission?" Yuri asked.
Recently, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant disclosed that Sunburn organisers had sought permission from the government to hold the EDM festival at a certain venue in South Goa. However, he had not disclosed the location.