Defer decision on permission, dates, venue
TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: The State level Event Permission Committee has deferred its decision by a week after event organisers of Sunburn 2013 and Supersonic 2013 made their presentations to the committee in a battle for permissions, dates and venue to host their Electronic Dance Music events in North Goa.
The two agencies Percepts and Viacom 18 made detailed presentations on their electronic dance music festivals which are proposed to be held at Candolim, both claiming to have valid lease deeds with respective land owners.
While Sunburn has scheduled its event from December 27-29, 2013 at Candolim, Supersonic 2013 has scheduled its event from December 26-30, 2013.
A top official in the Tourism Department said that the committee would forward both proposals to the relevant government bodies namely, police, fire services, traffic and will take a final decision only after receiving reports on the feasibility of the events proposed.
The Tourism Department maintains its stand that it will not permit more than one music festival at a given time.
Sources have told this paper that Percepts, the event organisers of Sunburn have given another option of hosting its EDM event at Vagator even though Candolim is their first choice.
The committee, it is learnt impressed on the event organisers to consider a change of dates for the music festivals in an attempt to permit both events at different times in the calendar year.
Information suggests that Viacom 18 has unveiled plans of organising five events in Goa during the season and off-season with media coverage and tourism promotion for Goa through their television media partners in India and across the globe.
Members on the committee, we are told, will meet again next week after assessing both applications based on
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reports submitted by the law enforcing agencies, fire, traffic cell.
During the deliberations, it was also proposed that the organisers, whose event will be permitted, will have to ensure a ban on smoking, install CCTVs and follow sound restrictions etc.
An official in the Tourism Department said that presently both event organisers claim to have arrangements for parking, well defined strategies to ensure smooth flow of traffic, and safety measures.
“We are not going into issues concerning ownership of land and lease deeds,” said this official adding that it is for the organisers to submit all documents and permissions in this context.
It appears that the issue, over land lease where both event organisers plan to host their events, could get murky over the next couple of days as attempts are on to challenge the same in the Court of law.
