VAGATOR: Residents within the jurisdiction of Anjuna Panchayat have voiced heightened concerns over safety and compliance with the law by starred hotels as they light extensive fireworks on Vagator Beach to entertain the guests, at the cost of continued nuisance to locals.
Residents of Vagator are alarmed at the rate that starred hotels using events such as destination weddings as occasions to set off huge fireworks displays on the beach, endangering lives of people and animals. These fireworks, which aren’t ignited on the hotel premises, but at the beach, have become a hazard to residents and beach goers.
Following the fireworks, there is relentless loud music throughout the night which adds to the disturbance, causing noise pollution and disrupting locals’ peace at night. Residents have appealed for increased police patrolling and government intervention to address this nagging issue.
Efforts from the High Court of Bombay at Goa to curb noise pollution through writ petitions has failed to yield compliance, exacerbating the persistence of this concern, since the law enforcers and administration are found wanting.
A local resident, highlighted the anomaly stating, “During Diwali, adherence to regulations was followed, refraining from lighting firecrackers. Yet, these big hotels use the pretext of destination events to unleash massive and potentially dangerous fireworks on the beaches or open spaces, endangering locals, tourists, animals, and marine life. They do not even clear or cover the embers on the beach the next day.”
The detrimental effects extend beyond disturbance, as noted by another local, Maxi D’Souza, who emphasised the imperative for authorities to take action. “The authorities must intervene and enforce police patrolling to effectively tackle noise pollution. This poses a genuine threat; it’s not just about disturbance but also potential harm to individuals,” D’Souza said.
“While local events such as weddings are mandated to conclude by 10 pm, these hotel weddings persist throughout the night, accompanied by disruptive loud music and polluting fireworks.
Moreover, the noise emitted by these festivities has disrupted the nesting sites of Olive Ridley Turtles at Morjim Beach, highlighting the ecological impact of these unchecked activities.
Locals demanded increased government intervention and strict adherence to regulations highlighting the urgent need to address this ongoing issue before further harm occurs.
