PANJIM: Despite serious observations about the lack of coordination between the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and the Goa police in curbing noise pollution, not just at the Sunburn event, there appears to be no change in attitude towards stopping peace-defying noise parties through the night in the Anjuna Vagator Siolim Morjim belt and beyond.
The Goa police maintain that they will act only when there are complaints, while the GSPCB stand is that ground-level action against party organisers is the job of the Collector and the police.
The High Court had come down heavily against this attitude in earlier orders on PILs and contempt petitions cantered around noise pollution, but more specifically on the Sunburn EDM festival.
But its views hold for all such events. In its order on March 3, 2023, in PIL 15/2023 Rajesh Sinary vs State of Goa, the HC said, “The blame game between the GSPCB and the Anjuna PI is shameful.”
It then went on to say, “The GSPCB and the Police have often failed to prevent breaches (in the prevention of Sound pollution rules) and indulged in blaming each other.”
Lack of preventive action against the loud parties in Anjuna and Vagator areas has emboldened the organisers to openly advertise playing music beyond permissible time limits. Some parties are going to extend their jamming right up
till 6.30 am for four days.
South Goa Superintendent of Police, Nidhin Valsan when questioned regarding these parties, said that if informed, the police will take action. However, the party organisers are one level ahead of the police.
For example, a club in Vagator named Banana Forest, held a party named “Parvati Xmas Gathering”. It advertised that music would be played till 6.30 am. Hayati Beach Club in Anjuna had a party on December 22, which began at 9 pm and didn’t end at 10 pm. In some of the parties held between December 20 and 25, loud music continued to be played till 5 am.
According to locals, the police which should have taken suo moto action on these parties, remained conspicuously absent.
Mapusa Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jivba Dalvi while speaking to O Heraldo said that there is an ambient noise monitoring system installed at various localities, which electronically sends data to the police station.
But the question here is whether the system is being used judiciously to ensure that there is no violation.
Children’s studies are getting impacted, businesses are adversely hit and senior citizens are suffering due to the loud noise. No rule of the law, and no order of the Court seems to be stopping the menace.
