AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
VAGATOR: After some restraint due to the intervention of the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa, noise pollution is back with a bang in Anjuna and Vagator when midterm exams are on.
If Saturday night was chaotic, Sunday was worse, with most clubs playing music outdoors until early morning. The situation was no different on Monday, though the crowd was less.
The Goa Bench of the High Court had instructed five units – Diaz Pool Club and Bar, Anjuna; Noah,Vagator; Thalasa Vady, Siolim; Bar HiFi, Chapora; and House of Chapora to install live noise monitoring systems before the hearing scheduled on October 25, 2024.
“Some units have installed sound monitoring systems but when I went to check their readings at the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) station, those were showing peak values of 75 and 85 decibels at three in the morning,” declared petitioner Desmond Alvares.
“Though the Anjuna Police Inspector has access to these readings, no action was taken,” added Alvares. Anjuna Police Inspector Suraj Gawas did not respond to calls till the time of going to the press.
Loud music could be heard from Noah in Vagator, Raeeth at Ozran, Romeo Lane, Ozran, and Vamos at Ozran after two a.m., and music could be heard from Diaz Club at 4 am, according to Alvares.
“I have to call the police early in the morning because of the traffic congestion in front of my house and I find it difficult to drop my daughter to school,” laments Agnes D’souza, who lives opposite Diaz Pool Club and Pub.
“Despite making complaints over the phone, no action is being taken. They tell the High Court one thing, and in reality, something else happens. It appears that the authorities think that they can keep the judges misinformed,” reasons Brigid Fernandes.
“There was a visit by senior cops on October 18 evening and a few hours later at about 1.30 am on October 19 House of Chapora was blasting away after the cops left. All clubs masquerading as restaurants were open post eleven pm. What was the DySP looking for?” wondered octogenarian Wayne Pereira.
“I have sent recordings to the DGP, SP, DySP and the Police Inspector. The DGP replied that he would look into the matter whilst the others opted to keep quiet,” disclosed Alvares.
“Authorities are conveniently passing the responsibility on each other just when the season has begun. They have started passing the buck at the most opportune time of the season and in the end, if not for the intervention of the High Court, it will be we who will suffer,” fears Antonio Moraes.
Music above the prescribed fifty-five decibels could be heard around Ozran, Vagator till around ten pm on Monday night. As the night grew older, the sound grew louder and the residents kept wondering what was in store that feeling of uncertainty was best explained by Desiree Fernandes, who said: “The long arm of the law is twisted on whose side? We must either abide or be defamed with charges pressed upon. Think of our children who must awake to meet the light of morning or else have their innocence garbed, grabbed and gone.”