TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: Though North Goa Superintendent of Police Vishram Borkar held his first police-public interaction with Anjuna villagers Saturday, the meeting was termed as an ‘eyewash’ by those protesting against ‘blatant violations of the law’ by playing loud music beyond 10 pm deadline.
According to Borkar, the meet held at Anjuna panchayat hall, however, did not discuss the issue of the noise pollution, but rather that of increased police presence for security reasons, controlling traffic as well as reducing the noise.
“The issue of sound was not discussed. The people wanted that there should be more police presence as well as resolving of some traffic issues,” Borkar claimed.
However, Lavino Rebello, who was earlier instrumental in filing complaints to the police against playing of late night music, said that the loud music has once again begun to be played beyond 10 pm deadline and that the meeting was a farce.
“The meeting was an eyewash. There is no respect for the law, nor any respect for the uniform. The parties are on once again. Nothing is being done. SP Vijay Singh who had acted against the parties has been shunted out by our Hon’ble CM of Goa,” Rebello told Herald, clearly disappointed at the fact that SP Vijay Singh,
who had acted against the parties and ensured that the music was stopped by 10 pm, was transferred by the police.
Reacting to reports that there was loud music being played beyond 10 pm and especially since North Goa SP Vijay Singh was transferred, SP Borkar told Herald that he has received no such reports. “No, I haven’t heard of any such reports,” Borkar said.
Locals in Anjuna complain that music is played at UV Bar, Shiva Valley, Curlie’s Hippies, Janet and John, Lilliput and other shacks along the South Anjuna beach belt.
Savio Almeida another resident said that there shouldn’t even be a question of meetings, just enforcing of the law. “Where is the question of holding meetings? The law is as clear as ever. Can a thing such as shutting down the parties be discussed. They have to be shut down,” Almeida said adding that the parties were resulting in corruption of youth of the village and are being used to sell drugs.
Almeida alleged that Saturday’s meeting did not have genuine people from Anjuna, but others who had usurped the meeting. “How can people from Mapusa and Bicholim and other places determine what will be the agenda of the meeting and decide what should happen in Anjuna,” he asked.
