TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
TIVIM: Law enforcement agencies were quick to point fingers at each other after a party was controversially allowed at a turtle nesting site at Ashwem beach on Sunday evening. The deputy collector claims that he had issued permission to the event on the basis of ‘police recommendations.’
The event has provoked sharp outcry from residents, with many claiming that the police did nothing to stop the party, which went on well after the permitted time.
Speaking to Herald, Adv Prasad Shahapurakar said he received a call at about 4 pm on Sunday stating that loud music, with a crowd of about 3,000, was being played at Ashvem Beach. “I tried contacting PSI Vijay Chodankar, in-charge of Arambol outpost, but was not able to contact him,” he added.
“Later at 10.30 pm, with around 20 people I went to Pernem Police station and the Hawaldar there called PSI Chodankar and informed him that I was present at the police station. I spoke to Chodankar over the phone and I was told that the music had stopped at about 8 pm.”
“After confirming with the people from the Ashvem beach locality that music was still being played, I called up PI Tushar Lotlikar at about 11 pm and apprised him about the matter. Lotlikar said he will send his men to look into the matter, but I insisted to go along with the team, which he agreed,”
“He immediately sent PSI Sriram Naik along with us. However, when we reached the site around midnight, there was no music, but we were shocked to see PSI Chodankar present at the site and people in large numbers leaving the site,” he added.
“I questioned Chodankar why he was not confiscating the music system. However, he was quick to add that the music had stopped and it was a private property and he cannot do anything.”
“He tried to convince me that the party had stopped at 8 pm. However, I disagree to this, as at about 10.15 pm, I had received a call from one of the organizers requesting me to avoid filing a police complaint and to allow them to party for another hour, as it will be the last event of the year. I strongly allege that PSI Chodankar is not acting on any noise pollution complaints and turning a blind eye to all the music party activities,” alleged Shahapurakar.
When asked how he had granted permission to a party at a turtle nesting site in Ashwem, Deputy Collector Narayan Gad said, “As far as that area is concerned, we take a police report and if it is recommended by the police, we give permission only up to 8 pm.”
Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Richard D’Souza said that while the beach was a turtle nesting site, it was not a designated protected site as yet.
“Turtles can lay their eggs anywhere they want. Morjim and Mandrem are protected and Ashwem which is sandwiched between the two protected sites is not protected,” he said adding that the turtle is a protected species.
When asked further if the permission was directly issued by him based on the police report, Gad said, “This is the practice followed; based on police recommendation and report we give the permission to play loud music.”
When contacted, PI Tushar Lotlikar said, “When we receive a request for permission, we prepare a report based on the guidelines of the High Court and send it to the DySP, who scrutinizes it and sends it to the deputy collector, as he is the authority to approve or reject the permission.”
“The last call received at Pernem police station and the control room was at about 7.54 pm and there was no music played after 8 pm. In areas of Morjim and Mandrem, loud music is permissible only up to 8 pm on the deputy collector’s order and in Arambol it is permissible up to 10 pm.”
When Herald tried to contact Supeintendent of Police Priyanka Kashap, she did not attend to the call.
