In a rare decision, the division bench of the High Court of Bombay at Goa asked the petitioners in the sound pollution case to immediately meet the Director General of Police, PIs of Anjuna and Pernem and show them the video clips of violations of sound rules while directing the DGP to ensure action is taken and file a report. In an interesting observation, the court also directed the DGP not to wait for a written complaint to take action.
It is most unfortunate that a fourth time that the court had to direct authorities to do their job. Wednesday's directive comes as a resounding slap on those insisting on a written complaint to take cognisance of sound violations while not considering verbal or telephonic complaints, let alone taking suo motto cognisance.
The Anjuna-Vagator coastal belt has been buzzing with high-decibel trance and rave parties on weekends for a long time, parties that extend to the wee hours of the following day. Once again, complaints to authorities have fallen on deaf ears, forcing citizens to take recourse to court.
The Goa State Pollution Control Board cites letters written to the Anjuna police stating no action has been taken while the police push the blame back on the pollution officials. The blame game has been going on for some time. The 3-member flying squad formed by the police and the intensified night patrolling has become a joke of the coast, and so has the real-time sound monitoring mechanism proposed by the GSPB. Thanks to the system, party organisers have developed a penchant for violating rules, and sadly, the several court interventions have not helped.
The court has observed that the police are "bent upon not taking action against violators of noise pollution rules", but has stopped short of prescribing penal action against the DGP and Deputy Collectors despite strong words of reprimand in the past. Very clearly, the court has ascertained that there is no intent to curb noise pollution.
The several advertisements of parties explicitly displaying timings that extend up to 4 am have once again been brought to the court notice. However, it is amusing that the police are defending violations on flimsy grounds -- from parties being held indoors to loud music stopped at the permissible time. The defence is hollow because that would not have led to a complaint or a court intervention in the first place.
The court, which has expressed itself loud and clear and shown a high degree of tolerance to the mischief played by officials for the past few years, must act tough; otherwise, the show will go on and only will take a brief pause every time the court intervenes like the December of 2022.
The play-and-pause game must stop; otherwise, this will be an endless and futile battle. Along with the organisers, police, those granting permissions and pollution control board officials must be held responsible and taken to task. The court is the last ray of hope for ordinary citizens whose fundamental right to a peaceful living is being trampled upon with disdain.
