VAGATOR: For once, the voice of over hundred villagers from Anjuna, Vagator, Assagao and Arambol silenced the organisers of all-night rave parties with a clarion call of “enough is enough”.
“We have had such marches before and after assurances from the police, clubs have been allowed to blast music all night the next day. If this happens tomorrow – as most units have advertised three and four-day parties we will bring our children and elders and I will bring my autistic son,” warned a dejected Janie Crasto.
The protestors started with a small prayer at a chapel. Protestors stormed into the police station with banners and pictures of three elderly who were victims of loud noise and lambasted the political dispensation for making a mockery of the old and lesser privileged.
Before that, as they were proceeding towards the police station, they stopped near a club called Raeeth where guests were swinging to music.
Noticing the protestors and Anjuna Police Inspector Paresh Naik, the music stopped but the inspector was not allowed to enter the premises for a good 15 minutes till Congress President Patkar stepped out and asked:
“How is it that the club which has no consent to operate, is being allowed to operate?”
“The club has not been given permission to play music by us. How they are operating without permission is something I cannot answer,” replied Anjuna PI Naik.
“Some clubs have permission to play music till 10 pm and that is why they were allowed,” countered PI Naik to the displeasure of all.
“The law states that music up to 50 decibels can be played till 10 pm and no music after that. How come that music was heard all over the place till 10 pm,” wondered senior citizen Sam from Anjuna.
Before the start of the march when they were joined by South Goa Member of Parliament Viriato Fernandes and Congress President Amit Patkar whose presence added more muscle.
“The moment Delilah Lobo said she was going to the police station, it was a proof that she was hand-in-gloves with the violators and her purpose was to stop this protest. Hence, my sudden and silent decision to join the people,” asserted south Goa MP Viriato Fernandes.
Protestors, on entering the police station wanted to know, how music was blasting all over till 10 pm.
"A minister of the government was today ranting about how the problem of drugs should be solved when before our own eyes a police inspector was made to wait for 15 minutes to enter club Raeeth. This is a slap on the face of this government,” said Congress president Patkar
“Apart from the amendments served to twenty seven units to install live noise monitoring systems, amendments have been sent to another four hundred units and the details will be presented to the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, disclosed Chaitanya Salgaonkar, scientific assistant of GSPCB who was present at the police station.
“I am not able to provide you the detail,” he shot back when asked the timeline given to the units to comply with the order.
To which the protestor demanded that “units with no live noise monitoring systems not be allowed to play music till such time the systems are in place.”
“I will convey your decision to my bosses tomorrow,” promised Salgaonkar.
“A minister of the government was today ranting about how the problem of drugs should be solved when before our own eyes a police inspector was made to wait for fifteen minutes to enter club Raeeth. This is a slap on the face of this government,” said Congress president Patkar as he and the south Goa MP promised to come to Anjuna tomorrow if music is allowed to be played again.
“We have had enough of crap from the police and the government and the presence of Fernandes and Patkar has made a difference,” said Brigid Fernandes from Vagator as the protestors left the station with medals of hope.