When the law enforcers themselves believe that the maximum permissible decibel levels are too low, there is little chance that there will be any law enforcement to act against the levels of sounds at trance parties. As police station in-charge of one of the prominent coastal police stations told Herald, “It is not possible to stop all the parties because the permissible noise level (55 decibels) as per the law. 55 DB is not that loud. Even a normal conservation at home is about 50 DB. At this rate, religious functions and other such events will have to shut.”
Therefore it is no surprise that the majority of complaints made by local residents or group remain unattended. Even when there is no season, there are 200 reasons per month for the police to record complaints of indiscriminate noise pollution. When the season starts, the deluge begins of complaints against high decibels at parties around the coastal belt of Anjuna, Baga and Calangute. But police stations are neither equipped with manpower and machines, there is an informal system of letting the powerful establishments on the coast flout rules with absolute impunity.
With a number of events including beach parties slated to kick-off this tourist season, police stations along the coastal stretch continue to reel under staff crunch compared to a string of tourism-related events – scheduled during the six-long months, to check for violations such as sound pollution and drug menace.
Ironically, despite several complaints of indiscriminate noise nuisance from different parties being hosted in the coastal areas every tourist season, nearly all police stations have not more than one digital sound level meters to ascertain the violation. The headache is just a few days away, which is when the tourist season will begin in full swing.
“We have one equipment to check sound level. The staffers are sent immediately after complaints are received, but as the peak season will inch closer, more and more events will come up like the already scheduled International Film Festival of India and Exposition of sacred relics of St Francis Xavier. In addition to this, we have to entertain at least 200 complaints per month,” a police source attached with Anjuna Police Station told this reporter wishing anonymity.
The police station, receives the maximum complaints of noise pollution during the tourist season. Several representations by the local residents have been made to the local administration and the police seeking action till the last tourist season.
The situation is somewhat similar at other two police stations at Pernem and Calangute. The government has no doubt added to the staff strength with the recent induction of new police constables and police sub inspectors. “There are many shacks and beach parties being organized besides other events in the pipeline. It is not possible to perform multiple duties without proper break,” a Pernem PSI said.
The problem is not just about loud music, but also alleged drug–laced parties being hosted during this season with lakhs of tourists descending in the coastal area. This season, alike previous years, several party houses and open beach parties have been identified where drugs will be sold though clandestinely to avoid police raids.
“Parties in the night clubs and pubs have begun, but full-fledged party scene will take a few more days. It is during those days that drugs flow in large quantity. Foreign nationals and to a certain extent domestic tourists and local youth do drugs,” Ketan Choudhary, resident of Arpora said.
While the traditional drugs are already making rounds in most clubs, synthetic drugs like LSD and Ketamine are soon to make their presence in the drugs market.
DIG K K Vyas, when contacted by this reporter said, “We have put surveillance over such (loud music and drugs) activities. There has to be reasonable ground of suspicion. We do take action and enforcement is as per the law.”
But that is as official as it gets in the land of Anjuna where the unofficial is official and where a parallel law of the land works.
