AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
OZRAN, VAGATOR: One of the members of the Noise Monitoring Committee (NMC) directed by the Bombay High Court at Goa “to ensure that the outdoor music should not be played beyond 10 pm” feels he is a toothless tiger with no assistance from the police.
“I did hear a lot of music from my home but, how was I to ensure music is stopped without any police assistance? I do not have the authority to go and stop music,” countered Devanand Shirodkar, when asked to detail his role vis-à-vis the HC directions on January 15, 2025.
Anjuna residents Devanand Shirodkar and Dominic Pereira, and one member from Morjim, Candolim, Calangute and Baga were appointed by the High Court in its order on March 21,2007 , “ to carry out surprise inspections at various shacks , restaurants, hotels in the coastal villages, which are known to be organising late night parties with music amplified sounds and if sound levels are found to be beyond the permissible decibels or the sound system is being used beyond 10 pm, they should file a complaint and register an FIR with the local police station immediately.”
“I could hear loud music being played in south Anjuna, because that is where I stay and I did call the police to inform them, but music could be heard all night till early morning. There is nothing that I could do all by myself,” complained Shirodkar.
Dominic, the other member of the committee from Anjuna neither responded to calls nor answered the WhatsApp question: “Did you report on music being played after 10pm in Anjuna and Vagator on January 25, 2025?”
Republic Day Eve saw units playing music that disturbed the residents of Vagator and Anjuna till dawn as none had provisions in their establishments to play music in a sound proof environment.
“The Goa Pollution Control Board keeps fooling the High Court by saying that these places play indoors without mentioning that they are not sound proof. There is a big difference between indoors and sound proof and that difference we know best because we are the sufferers, “said Avelina Fernandes from Anjuna.
She said, “To top it all, reports are presented to court saying that complaints are registered through the phone, but on visiting, no noise pollution is found. Are we crazy to call up the police if there is no noise? Are we mad to contact the cops when we should be sleeping?”
In its order on January 15,2025 , the High Court had said: “Let an affidavit be filed by the Noise Pollution Monitoring Committee about the steps taken in the next 15 days in terms of the judgment dated 15.12.2021 passed by this Court. The committee has to ensure that the outdoor music should not be played beyond 10 pm.”
“It looks like the two members of the committee from our village are unaware of the order because Irish Hotel is blasting music and Hill Top has been doing the same since the last two days till dawn, despite me having made several complaints over the phone,” said Desmond D’Souza from Vagator whilst providing proof of the same.
“I did not expect noise monitoring committee member Dominic to act because as president of Anjuna Comunidade they have allotted land to a new unit called Irish House which is opposite to the police station and they were blasting till early morning ,” claimed petitioner of contempt Petition 12 0f 2023 that is to be heard today , Monday 27,2025.
Raeeth , Vamos, Thalasa by the Cliff , Noah , Titlees, Nine Bar, Romeo Lane and Dynamo were the other units that played loud music after 10 pm around Ozran in Vagator during the 15 days specified by the High Court.
“I met the Deputy Collector but nothing was decided . He promised to organise a meeting with the Anjuna Police Inspector later,” said Dominic Pereira.