For most of Goa, the extended Independence Day weekend meant relaxation and celebration. But for residents along the Vagator–Anjuna belt, it was a nightmare. From Thursday night to early Monday morning, loud trance music blasted from nightclubs and restaurants. Locals called the police, DySP, SP and even the Goa State Pollution Control Board, but nothing changed. It was a clear violation of High Court orders. Why do so many clubs dare to defy the law? Because they pay heavy bribes. Money reaches middlemen of politicians, Pollution Control Board officials and police officers in the area. This ensures protection for the clubs while residents suffer.
Many police officers, from inspectors to constables, even lobby for postings in coastal areas. These places give them opportunities to make easy money through bribes and extortion. Rave party organisers, club owners, prostitution rackets and drug peddlers all pay to keep their illegal activities running. As long as the government backs such activities in the name of tourism, and corrupt officers collect their regular ‘hafta’, locals will continue to suffer silently. Senior citizens, students and families will lose their peace and health, while the coastal belt remains trapped in lawlessness.
