The election is over and loud music is back on.
However, the person responsible for stopping it has not heard of it, prompting the SP to lodge a complaint on 112. The complainant states that the message has been received but the vehicle assigned for the inspection has not arrived.
Augusto Rodriguez
VAGATORE: It’s business as usual. After a brief respite during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, nightclubs along the coast from Anjuna to Arambol are once again blasting loud music into the early hours of the morning, with authorities turning a deaf ear to the complaints of local residents.
Besides calling 112 to lodge complaints, locals of Anjuna and Vagator also visited the Anjuna police station after midnight to repeatedly demand an end to the loud music, but to no avail.
One of the complaints, signed by a senior citizen, Desmond Alvarez, on May 19 and received by the Anjuna police station, read, “We regret to inform you that despite reporting the loud music to the PCR, no action was taken by the police station.”
“A complaint was made about the Artistry venue at 1.37am. We rushed to the police station at 2.30am and officers accompanied us to the venue,” the letter said.
“The store manager threatened the officer after he showed his badge. If police officers have to face situations like this, what can we, the public, do?” the letter read.
Bracing for a scenario where nightclubs would start playing loud music after the polls were cast, North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal responded as per usual: “If you come across any violation, please report it to 112 and we will take action against it,” he said.
“The problem is calling 112. When you call, you get a message that a vehicle has been assigned to look into the problem at the contact number. No one answers the number because there is no vehicle in sight. Eventually, after business hours, you get a message that the problem has been resolved, but it is not,” asserts Dr. Inacio Fernandes from Anjuna.
“We cannot immediately say to whom permission has been issued, but indoor establishments can play music beyond 10 pm. It is within the law. If people provide us with information, we will investigate establishments that have permission to play music beyond 10 pm without any soundproofing measures,” North Goa Collector Sneha Jeet said.
It was quiet for a while, but Olala is now playing loud music. Before 10 pm, they all think they are free. The people involved don’t think they can get away with it anytime. The best approach would be through the high court,” said Darshan Bhatia, an anti-noise pollution campaigner who has attended meetings with local councillors and police chiefs in the past and has witnessed empty promises.
“Police don’t care,” mused Dr Fernandes, while sharing a screenshot of a message addressed to Anjuna’s private investigator Prashal Desai, which read: “None of the staff at your police station are of any use. Please let me know who to contact if they are not picking up the phone. Mr Patil from the police station told me that if I am unable to reach the private investigator, please contact the DGP. If you want me to contact the DGP in this matter, please give me the DGP’s number. Thank you.”
“The owner of Dias promised us he would move indoors so we thought the music wouldn’t bother us. He covered the building with some kind of fabric but it wasn’t soundproof and the noise kept us up at night,” an outraged Agnes de Souza said.
“The loud music is definitely bothering people in the village, especially the families who live close to the club. There are many people who are suffering and they are trying their best to explain their suffering,” said Father Marcelino de Souza, parish priest of Vagator.
