AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
Tourism stakehold ers do not seem to have learned the bitter lessons from the tragedy at Birch by Romeo Lane — where 25 people lost their lives — as another fire trage dy was narrowly avoided minutes after midnight on New Year’s Day, when lo cals stepped in to control a blaze sparked by fireworks at Dream Beach. The beach is acknowledged by the Forest Department as a turtle nesting site. According to eyewit ness Samshed, “The fire started as a flicker in a bush and all of a sudden the hill was burning. In itially, the people on the beach did not react, but once it started spreading, all who could attempted to douse it.” Though locals pointed fin gers at a hotel in the vicini ty of the turtle nesting site for the firework display, the hotel’s manager denied any involvement. “There were a lot of people on the beach, including locals, who were bursting fireworks and one of those dropped near the boundary of our property and spread within seconds,” stated the manager, on con dition of anonymity.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
“We had around 300 guests for an event when the fire was raging, and my staff, using water from our property, had to put off the fire. All my guests will vouch that there were no fireworks on our property.” The Goa Fire and Emergency Services denied receiv ing any information. “We had a fire brigade on standby in Calangute and one from the Mapusa unit patrolling the northern belt in case of emergency. There were no calls recorded from the hotel,” stated Shripad Gawas, North Zone Divisional Officer, Fire and Emergency Services. Eyewitnesses said the blaze began as the sky was lit with fireworks to welcome the New Year and, as revellers marvelled at the spectacle, few noticed that the dry grass on the hill had caught fire. “As locals saw the blaze spreading, they reacted — many trying to put off the fire with water carried in buckets, some with pipes extended from their water connections and others with dry twigs,” said an employee of a nearby hotel who was part of the spontaneous rescue effort. The blaze continued for over an hour before it was fi nally brought under control. “I got worried when I saw smoke emanating from close to my house. Despite complaining to the police that fire works are set regularly by the hotel, no action is taken. I hope they are not waiting for another tragedy,” said elder ly resident Gil Emidio D’Souza. Maxi D’Souza from Anjuna is convinced that fireworks are not limited to festive occasions but are set off when ever there are functions at a nearby hotel. In a letter dated November 18, 2025, addressed to the Anjuna Police, GCZ MA, Anjuna Panchayat and GSPCB, D’Souza wrote: “I, Maxi D’Souza, a local of Anjuna/Vagator, have been reporting to all the above concerned offices about loud music, bright lights and bursting of firecrackers on Vagator beach, in close proximity to the turtle nesting site.” “They set the fireworks on the beach for their guests to enjoy from the hotel. Can locals or even tourists arrange such organised fire shows? Why is he trying to blame us?” wondered D’Souza. “I also believe,” wrote D’Souza in his letter, “Vagator is a public beach and other tourists/locals face the risk of dangerous firecrackers, which has been reported to your concerned office.” According to a Goa Coastal Zone Management Authori ty (GCZMA) note, there are records of Olive Ridley turtles — declared an endangered species — walking ashore at Dream Beach to nest since 2021. Four turtles nested 230 eggs during the 2021–22 sea son; three nestings were recorded with 364 eggs hatched during the 2022–23 season; and 17 turtles were recorded to have nested 1,868 eggs during the 2024–25 season. The first Olive Ridley turtle walked ashore to nest this year on 23 January 2025. This season, however, no nest ing has yet been reported. A Right to Information (RTI) reply from the Forest Department states: “It is to inform that the area in question (Dream Beach) is already a turtle nesting site and is supervised by the Forest Department, especially during nesting.” “Since when does a Supreme Court temporary permis sion to burst crackers for a limited period on certain days override the protection of an endangered turtle species and its habitat during the nesting season?” asked Aar on Victor Fernandes, member of the Sub-Committee of the Goa State Biodiversity Board Strategic Action Plan (GSBBSAP). “The repercussions of such negligence were clearly seen early this morning. This is a manipulation of a loop hole with complete disregard for environment, ecosystem and wildlife. The whole hill was on fire and the damage to flora and fauna is immeasurable,” fumed Fernandes. “Noise and light,” believes Roshni Kutty, South Asia Co ordinator, ICCA Consortium–Marine and member of the Kalpavriksh Environment Action Group, “disturb every an imal (including humans). Gravid (female) turtles seeking a safe beach to lay their nests will not deliver their babies in an environment where they perceive a threat to their offspring. They will instead return without laying eggs and seek another beach.”
