CALANGUTE: After the Calangute panchayat demolished an alleged ‘dance bar’ at Baga, on Monday, two activists who had previously filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court at Goa have called for the demolition of all other such establishments.
The activists, Sudesh Mayekar and Kundan Kerkar, had filed a PIL claiming that 13 ‘dance bars’ were operating without valid permissions and were involved in immoral activities. This led the Mapusa deputy collector to seal 11 premises in December last year.
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The structure at Baga, which was demolished on Monday, had not been sealed previously. The activists are now urging for the demolition of all remaining illegal structures. “It’s a positive step that the panchayat has demolished at least one structure, as it sends a strong message that such activities will not be tolerated in Calangute,” they stated on Friday.
The petitioners also mentioned that the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department conducted a site inspection of one of the sealed premises on Friday, following directions from the High Court. These premises had been sealed because they were operating without consent from the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB), but two premises that did have consent to operate were not sealed.
