A family from Assagao has been fighting against the noise pollution caused by a hotel for over two years now. Santosh Naik and his family have complained to Goa Police and the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), but the authorities have done little to help them.
Loud music, exhaust fans illegally fitted next to their house, and hotel employees noisily carrying out their duties – the family is bogged down with the noise issue. Naik is worried about whether his son – an SSCE student – will be able to study and secure good marks in the Board exams. Santosh’s mother is also not at peace as she is unable to get sound sleep at night or day.
The Naik family had written to the Town and Country Planning (TCP) to demolish the illegal cafeteria shed constructed on the compound wall bordering their house, besides the sewage plant next to their well. However, the authorities have failed to act. The hotelier’s sewage plant and septic tank has polluted the well water, due to which the Naik family has been forced to take a water connection from the Public Works Department (PWD), although the hotel management provided them water initially.
Based on an RTI query, the TCP stated that the file of the hotel project is not traceable. However, as per a site inspection report, gross violations like ‘no open space’ and ‘no setbacks’ have been maintained as per the site plans.
Naik had also informed the hotel management about the issue orally as well as in writing on several occasions, but to no avail. Naik complained to Anjuna police and called the Goa Police Helpline Number many times but his family is yet to get a reprieve.
Under RTI, Naik had sought information on the telephone calls he had made to the police. In a written reply, Dy SP’s office stated, “The records of calls received on Dial-100, for the period January 1, 2014 to July 16, 2014 is computerised and as the system has collapsed we are presently not in a position to retrieve the required information. However, once the system is retrieved, if the required information is available in the archive, the same will be furnished.”
“We have been fighting against the noise pollution, which occurs in a residential area, for over two years now, but nobody is bothered to bail us out. When called, Anjuna police comes to the site, but the music is either switched off or played at low levels. My son is studying in Std XI, and it becomes difficult for him to study while loud music is playing in the hotel premises even after 10 pm many a times. My elderly mother cannot sleep as sometimes the music is played during the days without any permission, as revealed to us by the police. The exhaust fans are close to our house and causing us considerable disturbance, but the authorities have failed to rectify the wrongs. Who do we blame? It looks like all are hand-in-gloves, while the common people suffer,” said Naik.
However, when contacted, the Resort Manager and Human Resource Manager of the hotel said, “We do not play loud music in our hotel premises, although FM and instrumental music is played at a lower level. Live music is played during the season within the permissible limits. You can also drop in anytime and confirm it.”
