Committee to take call on dance fests

TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: A four-member committee has been appointed to inspect the venues proposed for the electronic dance music festivals scheduled later this year, as three organisers are vying for Candolim as the preferred venue, in addition to Sunburn proposing Vagator as its second option. 

The committee comprises members of the State- level permission committee and will include the additional collector (North Goa), SP (Traffic), SP (North Goa Police) and the Director of Fire and Emergency Services.

While a date has not yet been fixed for the inspections, sources in the tourism ministry say that the committee may visit Candolim and Vagator within the next seven days.

The state-level permission committee for tourism events is scheduled to meet after a week to take a final call on the electronic dance music festivals who are battling it out for the same venue and dates to host their events later this year in North Goa.

While Sunburn 2013 and Supersonic 2013 have made their presentations to the committee Friday last, a third event backed by Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco has presently not been considered as the event organisers did not make a presentation last week even though it submitted its application for permissions a day before the committee met. The third event has also sought for permissions to organise its music fest at Candolim and coincides with the dates proposed by Sunburn and Supersonic.

The state-level committee after deliberations last week has decided to constitute a committee to inspect the venues and submit their reports accordingly.

“We will study the reports submitted and take a decision thereafter,” said a source in the tourism department. Both Sunburn 2013 and Supersonic 2013 claim to have adequate land at Candolim to host their events and had chalked out all details in their presentations to the state level permission committee. Sources say presentations made by both agencies appeared similar in nature. The committee members proposed govt should offer concessions to any of the organiser willing to opt out from hosting its event at Candolim in Dec.