Even as Salud and Hill Top Bar and Restaurant were recently sealed by the Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) for violating noise pollution norms, Goya Club remains closed months after it was shut down in December last year.
Goya Club was found to be operating illegally on agricultural land without requisite permissions. Authorities flagged the absence of mandatory fire safety clearances and pointed to serious structural violations.
The club was among the first to be sealed following the devastating fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in December last year, an incident that triggered intensified scrutiny of nightlife establishments across the coastal belt. A penalty of Rs 15 lakh was imposed on Goya for land-use violations.
In addition, Magnes nightclub was sealed by the Anjuna panchayat in December for allegedly operating without several approvals. A demolition notice has since been issued against the club. However, its proponents have challenged the order and filed an appeal before the Director of Panchayats.
Earlier this month, the GSPCB withdrew the Consent to Operate granted to Salud and Hill Top and directed both establishments to suspend operations for two months.
The Board also imposed environmental compensation of Rs 2 lakh on Salud and Rs 1.40 lakh on Hill Top for repeatedly exceeding permissible noise limits and for failing to consistently transmit real-time noise data from their online monitoring systems.
With a few prominent establishments either sealed, penalised or facing demolition proceedings, Anjuna’s party circuit is currently under regulatory pressure.
