Calangute: The Calangute panchayat has issued demolition notices to eight alleged dance bars as part of the drive against illegal activities going on in the tourism hub.
“Some months ago we had inspected some places and started the process to shut them down. We had identified 16 places out of which we have now issued the final notices to eight of them for demolition of the structures. We’re going to do it,” Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said on Wednesday.
The notices were issued on July 27, Sequeira said, adding that the notice period is 15 days after which they plan to demolish the places.
Referring to the protests against dance bars by locals who have been claiming that the panchayat has been giving licences and has failed to stop the illegal activities which are bringing disrepute to Calangute, the sarpanch said all the efforts to shut them down have been blocked by the owners who get stay orders. “Dance bars are a big issue. The panchayat has not given any licences for dance bars. There is no provision in the Panchayat Raj act for dance bars or clubs. They only take restaurant licences. They put touts on the road and the touts bring the guests and then they are robbed.”
