The part of the magisterial inquiry into the tragic fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, which was made available to the media on Wednesday, has cast its spotlight on systemic failures and collusion among multiple departments. The report mentions expired licences, forged documents, and lax enforcement, highlighting how these factors combined to create a perfect cocktail for nightlife disasters. This newspaper highlighted in its edition dated December 27 how the report exposed failures of multiple departments, with a focus on the Arpora panchayat's failure to grant key approvals.
The government swung into action, sacking the panchayat secretary and disqualifying the Sarpanch. It had earlier suspended two staff members of the Goa State Pollution Control Board. While the government action is welcome because it seeks accountability at individual levels, it is hard to understand why there is selective penal action, especially when the report has cited involvement and collusion of multiple departments, including Town and Country Planning, Revenue Department, Fire Department, etc. Sacking one person while letting off others is not only unfair, but reflects the hollowness of efforts to cleanse the nightlife mess. It raises strong questions about the sincerity of the action. Focusing only on a handful of individuals may serve political optics, but does little to address the deeper rot that allows illegal operations to thrive.
Secondly, while the inquiry report submitted to the government runs into 108 pages, a mere six pages have been released to the media. This again raises questions about what is being withheld, once again raising suspicion about fixing accountability. Till the entire report is out, it would be difficult to fathom the depth of this coastal chaos and the sea of illegalities.
Interestingly, while the partial release of the report and government action grabbed attention as the year drew to a close, another controversy shot up that offered a picture of contrast. Out of the six nightclubs sealed late in December following the Birch tragedy, four were back in business hosting parties with loud music and extravaganza, without even a clearance from the Fire Department, a requirement for which they were sealed in the first place. This is sad, because nightclubs continue to flout rules with impunity, and enforcement continues to fail. This only amplifies the fact that the nightlife along the coastal belt has spiralled out of control.
Piecemeal action is insufficient to overhaul a deeply ingrained culture of collusion and neglect. It is very obvious that big money is flowing underneath to keep nightclubs floating, in this case, thriving. Probes, inquiry reports, and selective action is not going to change the modus operandi if the government does not go to the root of the problem. There are clubs that have been ordered to be demolished, but have been hosting parties. There has to be a genuine political will to break the “hafta” chain; unless that is done, nothing will change, and Goa could see such tragedies turning into routine incidents.
If public confidence is to be restored in regulatory frameworks, the entire chain has to be broken down, irrespective of the political inclinations and the fear of an impact on tourism. The protection networks which have been working underneath need to be dismantled, and there has to be complete transparency. To begin with, the government must first reveal the other side of the inquiry report and expose all those individuals directly connected to these illegalities.
