The High Court has directed Anjuna panchayat to clear all illegal Sunburn structures put up at the Vagator site and asked the organizers to first apply for panchayat no-objection certificate. That brings us to an important question: It’s been 12 years since Sunburn made its debut in Goa in 2007, but why are procedures still not in place? Why are there last-minute approvals and permissions and issues over the settlement of dues?
The court in another order asked the tourism department not to permit the event unless dues of Rs 2.25 crore are deposited by the organisers. Recovery of outstanding dues has been Tourism Minister Manohar Babu Ajgaonkar’s outcry over Sunburn since long. But the tourism minister has only flattered to deceive time and again. The Klassique version of Sunburn in February is a classic case of compromises. This time Sunburn got an in-principle nod mid-October, and even a week before the event can take off, Ajgaonkar kept the Damocles sword hanging threatening to stop the party over non-payment of dues. Why now? The High Court decision comes as a welcome step in knocking sense into those involved “ both the organizers and authorities. It has taken cognizance of the repeated failures of the tourism department in recovering dues.
Sunburn Klassique promises to be one of Asia’s biggest parties and involves massive stage set-ups and mesmerizing backdrops, laser light sets and booming sound systems. The scale of production is phenomenal and requires time for planning and execution and hence work at the site begins months ahead. This being the case, how did work begin without permissions in the first place? Where is the catch? If we may recall Timeout EDM which happened in December 2017 didn’t get all approvals even 24 hours before the event, and the organizers were frank enough to admit they were in the process of getting them.
This year, like the previous one and quite similar to the several earlier versions since Sunburn set foot in Goa in 2007, the story has been similar. Structures have sprouted without taking necessary permissions. Why is the panchayat turning a Nelson’s eye? In the normal course, panchayats are quick to pounce on the common man for the slightest illegalities, be it a pathway or an encroachment. Why should Sunburn be an exception? It only leads to the theory that authorities at every level are hand in glove and are cashing in on delays. It also means the Sunburn organizers are in sync with the system. It doesn’t sound logical risking a project which would cost them multiple crores.
EDM festivals are about money as much as they are about music and entertainment. If Ajgaonkar feels that such music parties are a must to boost Goa tourism, he must set systems in place rather than going about in such a haphazard manner. The government talks of ease of doing business and single-window clearances for industries wishing to set shop in Goa. It’s a different story that it has failed to pursue it seriously. But similar is the case with the tourism department which promises big but fails to put order into hosting of EDMs. It’s time Chief Minister Pramod Sawant intervenes and clears the mess that is created because a few are raking in the moolah while Goa is getting a bad name.
