PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Thursday asked Sunburn Electronic Dance Music (EDM) and the Rider Mania organisers to pay the Comunidade of Anjuna balance amount of Rs 36.95 lakh and Rs 12.67 lakh, respectively, within a period of eight weeks.
If the amounts are not paid within the given period, then it shall carry an interest of eight per cent, the Court stated while hearing a writ petition filed by Dr Fenton De Souza of Anjuna and Trevor Mascarenhas of Mapusa, who are also the Gauncars/Zonnkars of Comunidade of Anjuna.
Both the petitioners had challenged the action of the State government, Secretary (Revenue), Administrator Comunidades, North Zone-Mapusa and the Comunidade of Anjuna allowing John Stepen D’Souza of Vagator (Rider Mania organiser) and the Spacebound Web labs Private Limited, Mumbai (Sunburn EDM), the temporary use of Comunidade property surveyed under No 206/1 of Anjuna village, admeasuring 50,000 square metres of land for nine days and 1,42,856 square metres land for 30 days to hold music festival on a commercial scale by paying Rs 3,32,880 and Rs 38,04,264 when the Comunidade’s general body had resolved that such permission could be granted to them against payment of Rs 16 lakh and Rs 75 lakh respectively. However the Administrator of Comunidades, North Zone and the State government reduced the charges payable by the organisers to Rs 3.32 lakh and Rs 38.04 lakh and this reduced amount was paid by the organisers as fees.
The Division Bench comprising Justices Mahesh Sonak and B P Deshpande quashed and set aside the decision of the Administrator of Comunidades and the State government to reduce the charges and directed the organisers to make payment as per the original decision of the Comunidade’s general body and pay the balance amount within next eight weeks.
The Court has further clarified that until the amounts are paid or recovered, the Comunidade and the government will not consider granting approval to both the organisers for holding the EDM festival.
