MAPUSA
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday assured the Goa Legislative Assembly that strict action would be taken against establishments violating noise pollution norms along the coastal belt.
He said departments concerned will be directed to act against nightclubs, restaurants and hotels that continue to defy legal limits on sound levels.
“I will instruct the departments to take action if there are any violations regarding loud music along the coastal belt,” Sawant said while responding to the issue raised by Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao during the Zero Hour.
Alemao highlighted the growing distress among residents in coastal villages such as Vagator, Anjuna, Baga and Calangute, where loud music often continues well past midnight – sometimes into the early hours of the morning – in blatant violation of the High Court’s orders and the noise control regulations set by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB).
“The people are frustrated. They file complaints every single day, and yet the music plays on. This is a clear act of defiance against the law,” Alemao said.
He called on the Chief Minister to issue strict directives to the police and other enforcement agencies to act swiftly and impose tougher penalties on violators.
Alemao also alleged that despite repeated court orders and media exposure, including by The Goan, the authorities have failed to rein in the violators.
He said locals have lost faith in the system due to the administration's failure to enforce even the 10 pm noise deadline.
Several clubs and venues along the popular tourist belt of North Goa have been accused of continuing operations at high decibel levels, disturbing residents and violating the State’s sound regulations.
Activists and local citizens claim that noise complaints filed with the police and pollution control authorities often go unanswered, allowing violators to continue unchecked.
Sawant’s assurance comes amid growing public outrage and demands for action.
