The tragic fire at the Birch nightclub in Arpora has put on display a harsh truth: Goa's nightlife scene, which has gained huge popularity over the years, has a dark underbelly, with illegalities, lack of regulation, and corruption at its core. The disaster that happened on Saturday night and caused the death of 25 people highlights the price paid on account of authorities ignoring the safety of people, which should have been a priority in any law-abiding State.
The initial probe concluded that the blaze was sparked by internal electrical fireworks used inside the premises. It was also established that Birch was doing business without proper licenses. Even though it was warned many times, the club is stated to have operated in violation of the building and safety regulations and did not have a permission for fire shows, which is crucial in events where fireworks are involved. That the police knew of the violations but did not take action points to, once again, says it all.
Interestingly, the local panchayat states that it had issued a demolition notice over building code violations and the lack of permission a few months ago, which was later stayed by the Director of Panchayats after the club went into appeal. Unfortunately, there was no stay in operations, and the DoP decided it was wise to allow the club to function despite the violations pointed out by the panchayat. Also, the Goa State Pollution Control Board, in March 2024, granted consent to operate under the Air and Water Pollution Act to the nightclub with a validity till 2039. On the ground, every wrong had been overlooked. Besides the licence, there were glaring issues – from narrow passages and flammable wooden interiors, no adequate ventilation and fire-safety mechanisms.
This behaviour of authorities tolerating violations is the result of not only the failure of enforcement but also the failure of the entire system, which is deeply rooted in corruption and the influence of the high and mighty. The Birch owners operate a chain of upscale clubs and allied businesses in several cities in India and abroad. Saurabh Luthra, the promoter, claims to be a gold-medallist engineer who transitioned into the food and beverage industry. Birch has won several awards, including Times of India’s Iconic Concept Bar, and Luthra was featured by Forbes India as a “visionary force” behind Romeo Lane.
The unfortunate part is that Birch is not alone. Countless clubs are operating at full steam in the coastal north, illegally. Last week, this newspaper exposed how a high-profile beach club at Morjim defied a demolition order of the GCZMA over NDZ violations, forcing people to knock on the doors of the NGT. The confidence of the club to schedule a series of events and parties despite the orders is baffling. The Bombay High Court at Goa last year asked the Anjuna Panchayat to seal 175 structures that have been identified as ‘illegal’ and have been operating without any commercial licences. In 2023, the High Court expressed surprise over how a 4-storey hotel in Arambol was allowed to operate without permissions. A quick scan of “illegal structures” on the internet will unveil hundreds of cases, leaving the reader baffled.
The illegality at Birch is no secret and was even raised by Mormugao MLA Sankalp Amonkar in the monsoon Legislative Assembly session while tabling documentary evidence for action. Calling the incident an “eye-opener,” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said the government has ordered a comprehensive audit of all nightclubs and commercial units. While such an exercise was long overdue, to call the tragedy an “eye-opener” is unacceptable. There has to be an admission of systemic failure, first, followed by accountability, without which the audit will be an exercise in futility. Those who have failed to honour their duties need to face the law. More than the illegality, it is the safety of people that is of concern. We need an audit of the system and authorities more than anything else.
The Birch nightclub blaze is a case that demonstrates how a corrupt, permissive system overlooked safety and legality for a long time. Corrupt, because there is no other way such illegality can be allowed. It is the mirror of a bigger problem, wherein influential interests take advantage of the situation to act with impunity while regulations are restricted to paper. Goa needs to reform its regulatory framework, enforce the existing laws without favour or fear, and launch an offensive against the corrupt nexus that makes possible the existence of illegal and unsafe venues if it wants to stop such disasters from happening in the future. Mere audits will not help. Intent and commitment are key.
