MAPUSA
Continuing its crackdown on nightclubs operating without mandatory clearances, the State government on Tuesday sealed three more clubs in the Anjuna-Vagator belt for allegedly failing to comply with fire safety norms, officials said.
The clubs – Clara and Salud at Ozran, Vagator and Mayan Beach Club at Anjuna – were sealed by the joint enforcement and monitoring committee after inspections revealed serious deficiencies in fire prevention and emergency preparedness.
“With the sealing of these establishments, the total number of nightclubs shut down so far has risen to six,” a senior official associated with the drive said, adding that the action forms part of a sustained enforcement campaign following recent tragedies linked to safety violations.
The intensified inspections were triggered in the aftermath of the devastating fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, in which 25 people lost their lives.
The incident has prompted authorities to re-examine fire safety compliance across nightlife hubs in North Goa.
Two days earlier, Diaz nightclub in Anjuna was sealed after the fire and emergency services revoked its fire NOC.
Officials said a surprise inspection found the existing fire prevention and safety arrangements to be grossly inadequate.
Goya was the first nightclub to be sealed in the current drive, followed by Café CO2, both located in Vagator.
In these cases, authorities flagged concerns not only over fire safety but also the structural stability of the premises.
Officials noted that Mayan Beach Club, one of the clubs sealed on Tuesday, had earlier been gutted in a major fire in 2023, which caused extensive damage to the structure and left some staff members with minor injuries.
Residents of Anjuna and Vagator have long complained about late-night noise violations and alleged regulatory lapses at some of these clubs.
Clara, Salud and Mayan Beach Club, alleged locals, were particularly notorious for playing loud music well past permitted hours, at times continuing into the early morning.
Authorities indicated that inspections would continue across other nightlife hotspots in the coming days, and warned that more closures could follow if violations are found.
