The High Court of Bombay at Goa has ruled that last year’s Sunburn festival was illegally given permission and has imposed certain conditions on this year’s event. What’s new this year? Government officials have to go to the actual venue to ensure that these conditions are followed by Sunburn organizers.
The court has infact, lashed out at the government. The courts on various occasions have passed hundreds of such strictures targeting the government on various issues from time to time. But the government seems undeterred. The tourism minister has tactfully ducked himself from each and every alphabet from the court’s recent strictures in Sunburn, and claimed that the court has not raised any objection to the Tourism Department alone. This is not only ridiculous, but also shows his carelessness. Doesn’t the Sunburn require the Tourism Department’s permission?
Mr Khaunte, didn’t you hold press conferences from time to time to announce the dates of last year’s Sunburn, what programmes will be in it? How will local artists from Goa be given a chance to participate? How will it reflect the culture of Goa, etc?
Last year, you had also cleared the government’s stand on Sunburn and this year also you asserted that the government will not dance to the tunes of Sunburn organizers. You also stressed that Sunburn has to follow the rules.
So while Sunburn was being declared illegal, how can the fact be excluded that the court’s ruling doesn’t mention the Tourism Department? It is true that the issue was and is about noise pollution, so it has a tough line for the Goa Pollution Control Board. But the Pollution Board is ultimately part of the government, isn’t it?
Now, how much noise pollution is actually happening at such events? Will the government officials force the organisers to follow the deadline of 10 pm for playing music as per the Supreme Court order? Will it ensure that drug peddlers do not enter the festival? The answers will be found only on the night of December 28 and thereafter.
Basically, Sunburn is not for the average tourist. It is for those who have a lot of money to spend to fulfil all their ‘hobbies’. Therefore, it is unlikely that the organisers or the government will impose restrictions on the consumption of such rich people due to the court rulings. And even if the court order is violated, the Attorney General gives an explanation on behalf of the government as the tourism minister has said! And how much will the organisers be fined for doing so?
For the organisers, who earn crores of rupees in three days, a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 is merely peanuts. So with the court’s ruling about illegal Sunburn in 2022, it doesn’t seem to make any difference to the organizers. Hopefully, there will be no Sunburn on the fourth day of December 31 due to strong opposition from local MLAs, Comunidade, and local people. Otherwise, the organizers had already sold tickets.
The basic issue is whether this government is serious about the lives of locals. In fact, who are the locals of Goa now? Where do they live? What do they do? Goa is in a situation where these questions can be asked. Because the number of people coming from outside and settling in Goa has increased so much in recent years that the geography of the State has started changing.
The gap between the Niz Goenkars and the government is widening day by day as the votes of such outsiders and voters who have won the right to vote in Goa are playing a decisive role in the electoral victories of political leaders. But it doesn’t matter to politicians with no ideology or political morality. This is because politicians are not willing to allow Goa to remain the Goa that it once was, because it is not in their interest. Drug-free tourism, Sobit Goem, these slogans have remained only on paper. On one hand, preparations for Sunburn have begun and immediately party drugs worth Rs 1 crore were found in the possession of a Russian tourist.
A Kenyan national is arrested by the ED in Anjuna in connection with a racket that sells girls for prostitution. Every day, somewhere or the other, Marijuana or other drugs are being confiscated. Crime doesn’t seem to be going down. It won’t take long for Goa’s remaining land to fall into the hands of non Goan investors.
Jayakant Shikhare from Bollywood movie Singham puts his hand on the map of Goa and asks Bajirao, “Goa ke map mein kahan hai tumhara gaon? Dikhao! This is the dialogue of Jayakant Shikhare that a wealthy investor from outside Goa may possibly recite tomorrow.
Such is the situation. The same capitalist will present a new map of Goa to a Niz Goenkar and ask him, where is your Goa? Show up! Such a situation is not far. If tourism is the main economic source of this State, then the government should be more aware of this and try to improve the quality of life of the locals and see to it that they earn and fill their pockets.
Sixty to seventy lakh tourists visit Goa every year. But how much has it helped improve the rural economy so far? According to data released last month, the number of foreign tourists visiting Goa has been declining every year. Tourists have started visiting Kerala. The government should also consider this. But the communication between the Goans and the government is decreasing. Outsiders may have grabbed Goa’s lands, but they cannot own Goa.
The government should first realise that the owner of Goa should be a Niz Goenkar and increase communication with the locals. Ministers in the current government don’t seem to be interested in increasing communication and citizens are forced to go to court for their rights or against injustice. The issues that should be resolved by the elected representatives have to be taken to courts. There is also a very late settlement. Overall, the widening gap between the government and the locals is adding to the discontent of the locals against the migrants.
