GOA

The story of one man’s sleepless and traumatized night trying to stop ear shattering loud noise from one party in Arpora

Imagine so many locals must be facing this daily most of them in silence

By Team Herald
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ARPORA: Darshan Bhatia is a resident of Arpora and a consistent crusader against illegal loud music. He is also a petitioner in cases against noise pollution, which has been a part of the many PILs and Contempt petitions, taken into consideration jointly by the High Court. 

This is his first person account of his one night (of many nights) of trauma on December 28/29:

  Recently Toy Playground Goa commenced advertising on Paytm Insider and on social media for a series of outdoor concerts called Toy Carnival 4.0 with Bollywood artistes on December 28, 29, 30 and 31 at this very location, in the former outdoor wedding venue known locally as Arpora Hills.

 2.30 pm on Thursday December 28, 2023:

In anticipation of the upcoming outdoor concert, I made the Anjuna PS, Director of Environment, DGP, Collector North Collector, GSPCB, DY Collector Mapusa and SP North aware of possible violations via a formal complaint. 

The letter included advertisements by the organizer, providing full details of the event.

A hard copy of the letter was also hand delivered to Anjuna police station at 8.04 pm on Thursday, December 28 2023.

Evening of Thursday, December 28, 2023:

 7.30 pm: The music commenced. It was apparent from the commencement that decibel levels were clearly and flagrantly in excess of legal norms and would disturb the residents of Arpora village.

In addition to the letter delivered to Anjuna, the following action was taken all of which can be verified by phone logs – Whatsapp messages and videos taken at the premises of Toy Playground Goa, located on the hills of Arpora

 09.34 pm: Complaint lodged via phone with the authorities, the Control Room and the Noise Hotline (Police Assistance).

10.21 pm: Despite complaints, no action was taken. The volume increased further.

10.40 pm: Corroborating video onsite at Toy Playground, Arpora Hills was taken. This was sent on a WhatsApp group consisting of Ashish Porob DSP Police (7030949xxx), DSP Jivba Dalvi (7875756xxx), Police Control Room (7875756000), DGP Jaspal Singh (7875756xxx), IGP Omvir Singh (7875756xxx),

Anjuna PI Prashal P N Dessai (7875756xxx), SDPO (7875756xxx), SP North Nidhin Valsan (7875756xxx) copied separately via direct WhatApp message

10.50 pm: Another resident of Arpora village also complained on the WhatsApp group

11.50 pm: Zero action taken. Complaint made via phone to control room and lodged another complaint. Further complaint lodged with the Noise Hotline (Police Assistance) on +917875756117 and lodged yet another complaint with Mr Mhapare. Noise disturbance persisted at unbearable levels. These complaints were copied on the WhatsApp group.

11.57 pm: Corroborating video onsite at Toy Playground.

Early Morning of Friday, December 29:

12.33 am: The concert is blasting at full volume. Another complaint lodged with the Noise Hotline (Police Assistance)

No action was taken by Anjuna Police Station.

1.15 am: Complaint lodged with the control room on +918322428400. Also called the Anjuna Police and lodged another complaint. They informed that PSI Ashish Porob had gone to the site and to call him on 7030949xxx.  Called him but he did not pick up the phone.

1.47 am: I spoke to Mr Ashish Porob and he said someone will be sent, but no action was taken.

2:05 am: Corroborating video onsite at Toy Playground taken and sent to WhatsApp group. It was also sent individually to SP North Goa Nidhin Valsan, PI Anjuna Police Station and PSI Anjuna Police Station.

02:18 am: Volume was at unbearable levels. 

02:35 am: Corroborating video was taken again and sent to WhatsApp group.

3:00 am: Personally went to Anjuna Police Station and filed a fresh complaint.

3:25 am: The concert was blasting at full volume. It concluded approximately at 3:35 am.

WHILE ALL EYES WERE ON SUNBURN, NO ACTION WAS TAKEN AGAINST THE SMALL BUT LOUD VENUES ACROSS ANJUNA AND VAGATOR

PANJIM: While the entire attention of the Law enforcement and police was seen to be centered around Sunburn 2023, several other small and medium sized venues continued to violate the Noise Pollution rules and played music till 6 am. 

Sources from the Anjuna, Vagator coastal belt informed that loud ‘Psychedelic’ music with huge parties ruled the coast. These parties advertised and played music till 6.30 am. Several persons who came for the party were seen leaving several party venues at 7 am in the morning. Toy Playground Goa continued to play music beyond 3.30 am.

At Toy Playground, the music stopped only at 3:35 am. This was not because of police action but only after the concert came to an end.

Some of the nearby residents said that the noise was unbelievable and something that people would not only experience. Noise harassed citizen Darshan Bhatia said, “All this despite my email at 1:30 pm informing authorities of the event, then sending a hard copy to Anjuna PS at 8pm that night.”

“Yesterday, I experienced what corruption in Goa is and what is clear and absolute contempt of the High Court,” he added.

Jamboree Bamboree, a party that was advertised and held in Vagator played music till 6am. Caper Night Club in Anjuna played music from 12 am to 2 am. Cosmic Spirit at Dream Beach Vagator played open air loud music till 7 am. Swara Engine at Hayati played music till 7am and the list is unending.

Sunburn pays DD to Comunidade of Anjuna few hours before start of Day 2
PANJIM: Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) organisers – Spacebound Web Labs Pvt Ltd on Friday deposited demand drafts (DD) to the tune of Rs 3.28 crore as occupation charges, derrama, security deposits and other charges to the Comunidade of Anjuna and the State government.
While hearing writ petition filed by Roysal D’Souza of Anjuna, the respondent’s counsel Adv Nikhil Pai told the Court that it paid Rs 2,43,14,607 towards the occupation charges payable to the Comunidade; Rs 48,62,921 to the Administrator of Comunidades as ‘Derrama’ and further amount of Rs 24,31,460 to the Director of Civil Administrator and Rs Rs 12,15,732 towards 15 per cent security deposit.
The respondent’s counsel stated that they had tendered three cheques on December 27, 2023 but the authorities wanted the amount by Demand Draft. 
The required Demand Draft was submitted to the Administrator of Comunidades at 10.30 am on Friday, a few hours before the start of the second day of the festival.
The Administrator of Comunidades will invest the amount of Rs 2,43,14,607 in a nationalized bank until the issue of payment to the Comunidade of Anjuna is  determined by the Supreme Court in the pending proceedings while the remaining money will be accordingly appropriated.
Parag Uke, authorised representative of Spacebound Web Labs Pvt Ltd in his  affidavit stated that they had been using the property (at Vagator) for the last 11 years owned by the Comunidade of Anjuna for organising the Sunburn event and that they had always paid dues of the Comunidade. He stated that they had sought permission from the Comunidade of Anjuna for the use of the said property on February 17 this year, but the same was approved only on December 10, and not
communicated to them immediately.
Despite pending the determination of the rent by the Comunidade, the respondent by a letter dated December 11, 2023 sought permission from the Administrator of Comunidades as well as the Comunidade to start the work of setting up the event setup and no objection was raised to it.
But due to the sudden increase in prices of the rent of the said property, the respondent was constrained to enter into negotiations with the Comunidade of Anjuna to use a smaller area for a lesser price. But the same was rejected and they were verbally informed that the Revenue Department had approved the allotment of the said property on a temporary basis for an amount of Rs 2,43,14,607 (Rs 2.43 cr) to the Comunidade of Anjuna along with Rs 48,62,921 (Rs 48.62 lakh) to be paid to the Administrator of Comunidades, Mapusa as ‘Derrama’ and a further amount of Rs
24,31,460 (Rs 24.31 lakh) along with 15 per cent security deposit to the Director of
Civil Administration.
The organisers sought to pay the amount by three cheques but were informed to pay the amounts by Demand Draft, which took time, Uke said in his affidavit.
The information was submitted before the vacation Judge Justice Mahesh Sonak, who later disposed off the writ petition in view of the payment made by the organisers.

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