AUGUSTO RODRIGUES
VAGATOR: The five units instructed to install live noise monitoring systems within seven days, are dancing to loud music. The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) is in verification mode as the deadline to install noise monitoring systems indicated by the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa, which came into effect from Tuesday.
In the previous hearing on September 17, in the High Court, in the Contempt Petition (CP 12/2023) on Noise Pollution in PIL 7 of 21 (Sagardeep Sirsaikar, Desmond Alvares vs State of Goa, Justice Valmiki Menezes had remarked that if the directions given to five identified units (clubs playing music) to install noise monitoring systems were not complied within seven days, the Court would have to order to shut them down. The deadline of seven days expired on September 24.
Five units with the most number of complaints for playing music beyond the permitted limit, were selected from the list of 31 provided by the Anjuna Police station.
The five – Diaz Pool Club and Bar, Anjuna; Noah, Vagator; Thalassa, Vaddy, Siolim; Bar HiFi, Chapora and House of Chapora – and most others in the jurisdiction of Anjuna village Panchayat – played loud music with impunity through the week.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board, which is supposed to implement the wishes and directions of the Court, didn’t quite seem to believe that September 24 is the D (deadline) day
“The GSPCB teams have gone out for inspection of the five units. I am not aware of what has happened,” Sanjeev Joglekar, senior environmental scientist at GSPCB,
told O Heraldo.
Raeeth was one amongst the five, but was dropped after the High Court was informed by GSPCB that the place had shut down. Raeeth was one of the units heard playing music - see O Heraldo dated September 23, 2024.
“It is strange that on the same day the High Court was informed by GSPCB that Raeeth had shut down, they were issued the Consent to Operate by GSPCB.” argued petitioner Desmond Alvares.
“Loud music can be heard every night. As a woman, I fear going out to check from where the music is coming but I can say they have not stopped playing loud music. It gets louder after midnight,” admitted Rita Ali from Vagator.
O Heraldo has five screenshots of complaints made by calling 112- the dedicated helpline- on Saturdays and Sundays with indication that most calls were made after midnight.
“Hill Top was closed on Saturday but they made us dance with their loud music from Sunday afternoon,” claimed petitioner Desmond Alvares.
“Hill Top and Salud in Vagator were supposed to be impleaded during the last hearing, but I don’t know what happened as I could not attend the same,” said Alvares.
“When I get up in the morning, I can hear the loud music but, at that time of the day, I find it impractical to make a complaint as I need to wash and later prepare lunch for my daughter,” said Agnes D’souza, who lives by Diaz Pool Club and Bar.
With all noise and no monitoring, it is ugly high-decibel music that continues to be their staple diet.