PILs seek ban on beach events

TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: The electronic dance music festival, already in the news over their battle for government permissions, is on in Goa over the past six years. This year however there are two petitions being contested in the high court while one has been disposed off.
In the disposed petition directions have been given to the coastal regulation management authority to ensure that that no activity that is prohibited under the coastal regulation zone 2011 is permitted while granting permission to the organisers. This direction was such that even if the state level permission committee decides to grant permission to the organisers – the petition — a PIL writ petition 30/2012 refers to three dance festivals in the order – one a Colva beach, the other at Baga and the third at Candolim. The petition says that the applications had to be considered by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority to ensure that the activity proposed by the organisers was in consonance with the CRZ 2011.
The order finds “merit” in the submission of the petitioners that in view of the order issued by the centre in 2010 it is only the GCZMA that has the power to issue permissions under the Environment Protection Act – that is to look into the aspects of the erection of temporary structures. The festival took place last year after the petition was disposed off.
The other petitions that are still pending before the court refer to the permissions, and noise and sound pollution, while the petition is specifically about the festival that is held at, and sought to be held at Candolim.
One petition has been filed by  D J Karmalkar against the State, including the tourism department and GCZMA asking to revoke all permission granted in CRZ areas of Candolim as well as new permissions for open air events and a writ restraining them from holding or conducting events or parties at Candolim or any similar beach in Goa.
The writs also ask for directions that the state government empower a police officer not below the rank of a sub inspector to take cognizance “under section 15 of the Environmental Protection Act 1989 r/w rules of the noise pollution (regulation and control) rules.
The writs also asked that pending a final disposal of the present petition,  there be a restraining order on holding or conduction any events/PR parties in Candolim or any beach in Goa.
However, last year though the petition was filed in December there was no relief given and the case is still on.  
The other writ is Flying Maya Guest House and its managing director Marie-Christine Rebillet versus the GCZMA, TCP and the panchayat asking for a writ “against the constructions’ but up by the event managers of EDM in Candolim as well as relief restraining the authorities named in the petition from granting permissions, sanctions, or no objections to the other respondents – meaning organizers of the festivals in Candolim.