NERVE RACKING: All-night parties till 9 am return to haunt Anjuna residents

ASMITA POLJI

asmita@herald-goa.com

ANJUNA: Noise pollution on account of loud nerve-racking music played unabated during the weekend continues to cause great trauma, harassment and disturbance to the residents of Anjuna.

The locals alleged despite off season rave parties are organised from Friday to Saturday which continue till next morning. They further complained that there are no checks on the noise pollution caused by them.

As per High Court orders, the police are supposed to patrol the area and curb such activities. However, the police have turned blind eye. 

The guidelines state that any function or party where loud music is played should wind up by 10 pm, however, the organisers of such parties flout these guidelines wilfully and continue playing the loud music crossing 89 decibels till wee hours, the residents claimed. 

The locals said they continue to suffer on account of the loud music played at these parties and alleged that the local police have failed to initiate action despite several complaints.

It is pertinent to note that the Chief Minister is also on record stating that most calls with regards to complaints against loud music parties are hoax. The locals claimed that when the police team reaches the spot, they find nothing but the ground reality is that the organisers are informed well in advance about the arrival of police.

The locals further alleged that famous nightclubs and restaurants situated at Vagator just opposite the Anjuna Police Station were found playing loud music beyond the permissible limit during the last weekend. 

They said the police who are supposed to curb the menace, support the same by not initiating any action. Locals said when they complain to the police informing them about such parties, the cops say no such incidents are reported.

Anjuna resident and social activist Ravi Harmalkar said, “The CM should visit and check the status of the loud music played at night. Calling the calls hoax is not acceptable. Loud music parties organised during the last weekend continued till next morning but police did not take any action since these parties continue to be their extra source of income.” 

Assagao resident Desmond Alvares, who is the former member of the Noise Pollution Monitoring Committee said, “I can hear the loud music even when my house is located almost four kms away from where the clubs and restaurants are located. Parties which played loud music on Friday and Saturday continued till next morning. Around four to five parties were playing very loud and they continued playing deafening music till 9.30 am the next day.”

Anjuna PI Prashal Desai said, “The parties organised during the weekend played music with limited volume and got over by 10 pm. We did not receive any complaint of parties playing loud music.”

“Goa Police is against illegal, unsanctioned and secretly-held events. If the event details are not being revealed, then prima facie they have bad intentions and we won’t allow such suspicious parties to happen in Goa. In addition to that, any permitted music party has to stop at 10 pm sharp. No one can take law in their hands and we will not allow it to happen. We are constantly monitoring the social media to crack down on such parties in the coastal belt”, DGP Jaspal Singh said. 

The police, who are the one of the main acting authorities, are duty bound to enforce the Noise Pollution rules. Violators shall face confiscation of the offending equipment as well as per provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 which may extend to imprisonment up to one year or fine up to Rs one lakh or both.

As per directions of the High Court, every police station shall maintain a separate register for noting complaints of noise pollution. The police inspector in-charge of every police station shall submit monthly reports to the Superintendent of Police North and South respectively of all the complaints received complaining about noise pollution and sound violators, along with the names and address of the violator, and action taken on the same.

When a complaint is made by a citizen the police attending the call should disclose his full name and designation at the time of attending the call and record full details of the noise pollution i.e. location of the place where the alleged violation is taking place.