VAGATOR: Music is being played by restaurants in Vagator and Anjuna with impunity despite the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court commenting that “things are getting out of hand” and asking 32 commercial entities in Anjuna to install noise monitoring systems.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board and the Police have been not so-innocent bystanders to this brazenness with which High Court directions have been flouted.
North Goa Collector Dr Sneha Gite had in an interaction with O Heraldo on June 13, 2024, said, “Places with sound proof system can be allowed to play music after 10 pm.” “I will investigate if informed of places that are not sound proof playing music,” she had assured.
The factual position, however, is that loud music being allowed to be played in the open.
“I have sent video recordings to the Collector on the email ID submitted by her but have not heard back since. It is clear in the videos that places with no sound proof system are blasting music after 10 pm. Not that they can even before 10 pm,” says Desmond Alvares, one of the Contempt of Court petitioners.
Restaurants in Anjuna and Vagator have advertised and organised parties from 10 pm till early morning till July 31, 2024, and are still advertising ticketed parties on August 1, 2024, and thereon.
“They are blasting music after 10 pm at places that have absolutely no sound proof systems. Parties are being held in restaurants that are pretending to be clubs and hosting EDM parties till early morning,” says Rajesh Sinary, who through his PIL Writ petition No. 15 of 2023 brought Sunburn under the ambit of Noise Pollution Act.
Surprisingly, Sharmila Monteiro, Secretary of Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) had said this before the High Court:
“If the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court at Goa recommends that online noise monitoring systems should be installed, the same will be adhered to once the judgment is pronounced.”
While the Court has indeed insisted on this, it is surprising because Ms Monteiro didn’t have to wait till August 1, 2024, to implement this.
As Justice Valmiki Menezes remarked: “The provision of the noise monitoring system was included during the Sunburn case. The GSPCB is supposed to display the location where permission has been granted to ensure inspection can be conducted seamlessly.
Establishments such as XOXO, Anjuna; Slique Beach Club at Ozran beach; Andaz in Arambol; and 9 Bar at Vagator had advertised parties at their places from 9 pm on July 31 to 9 am on August 1, 2024.
“Things have not improved as far as the noise front is concerned after the former Police Inspector of Anjuna Police station was suspended. With music blasting right through the night, it appears big stakes are involved and orders are coming from the government,” observes Agnes D’Souza, a victim of noise pollution.
Anjuna panchayat silent since Feb, on action taken to withdraw licenses of clubs violating terms of NOC
The Anjuna Panchayat, according to anti-noise pollution crusader Desmond Alvares, has yet to give a reply to his RTI dated February 1, 2024, in regards to “certified copies of all documents after inspection and the action taken by the Anjuna Panchayat especially concerned to withdraw the licences of restaurants/hotels, etc, who have converted the same into clubs and playing loud music at their premises and violating the terms and conditions of the NOC licence granted by the Village Panchayat of Anjuna”.
“I went to the Panchayat the other day and I have been informed to wait for a few more days. This is clearly an attempt to distort the truth,” avers Alvares.
