Calangute dance bars face the music; may jig no more

MAPUSArThe Calangute gram sabha resolved to bring curtains down on all dance bars within its jurisdiction in an attempt to stop all illegal and immoral activities going on in these premises, which has brought a bad name to the village.rExtending his full support against the evil spread under the veneer of dance bars, the new sarpanch, Anthony Menezes said as a first step any licences issued to these dance bars by the panchayat will be withdrawn forthwith.r“I want to assure the gram sabha that the panchayat will not allow any activity that is not wanted by the villagers. The issue of dance bars has been simmering for very long time. We will shut it down as early as possible,” Menezes said. He also stressed on forming a committee of citizens to go into the details of dance bars in the jurisdiction of the panchayat.rRaising the issue of the dance bars, Nitesh Chodankar said all kinds of immoral activities were taking place in these dance bars.r“The dance bars act as fronts for prostitution which destroys the fabric of the Goan youth and brings bad name to the village,” Chodankar said.rAnother gram sabha member, Walter suggested cancellation of bar and restaurant licences of the dance bars to stop them from doing business.rPanch, Shawn Martins related the legal challenges before the local body in totally shutting the dance bars but alternatively suggested targeting the structures through North Goa Planning Development Agency.rThe sarpanch then asked the gram sabha to identify all the dance bars in Calangute so that the panchayat can revoke restaurant licences granted to them.rThe gram sabha members identified some dance bars which should be shut down.rClothilda Braganza also mentioned that a lot of illegal activities were going on at Spa Centres and the panchayat should also crack down on them.rThe gram sabha also discussed the sudden spurt in touts and drug peddlers in the village.“There are around 700 touts roaming in Calangute offering packages from rooms to women to tourists. Drug trafficking is going on full flow,” Nitesh Chodankar said.rThe sarpanch promised to write to anti-narcotic cell and also arrange a meeting with the villagers and the Calangute Police to discuss on various issues affecting the welfare of the village.rOutsiders encroaching on footpaths to carry out their illegal business also came up for discussion in the gram sabha.r“We will take action on them. NGPDA will remove all encroachments on roads/footpaths and on any of the public property,” Menezes said.rHe said hence forward panchayat will not allow any mobile carts, ice-cream or pan-patti-wallas to move around the streets.r“We are planning to start food courts in all the wards where all kinds of street food will be available at one open place. We have already started one such in Baga and more will come in other wards,” the sarpanch said.