MAPUSA
In a decisive move influenced by growing public pressure, the local comunidade of Camurlim has rejected the proposal to host the Sunburn music festival in their village.
During an extraordinary general body meeting held on Sunday, the gaunkars unanimously resolved to deny permission for the electronic dance music (EDM) event, which organizers had hoped to hold on a 1 lakh square metre plot of comunidade land.
“When we presented the proposal to the general body, it was clear they did not want the music festival in the village. The general body’s decision is final, and we will not allow Sunburn to take place in Camurlim,” stated Hari Prabhu, the attorney of the comunidade.
He added that the proposal had initially come from the Administrator of Comunidade, North Goa.
One gaunkar who attended the meeting explained that almost all members expressed strong opposition to the festival.
“Our village is peaceful, with narrow roads. A festival of this magnitude would disrupt the peace and harm the environment. Given the past experiences with such festivals, we decided to reject the proposal,” said the gaunkar, who requested anonymity.
The opposition to Sunburn in Camurlim had been building for weeks.
A private company, Spacebound Web Labs Pvt Ltd, had applied for permission to use a large area of what they referred to as "barren waste" land to host the festival.
However, the village saw the event as an intrusion that could bring unwelcome noise, crowds and environmental degradation.
Former sarpanch Sharad Gad, who led the resistance to the festival, applauded the comunidade's decision, describing it as a victory for the people of Camurlim.
“We thank the gaunkars for standing with the community and saying no to Sunburn," Gad said. "This is a defeat for certain politicians who were trying to impose this festival, which is associated with drugs and other negative influences, on our village," he added.
Gad had been at the forefront of a grassroots movement to block the festival, rallying support through a signature campaign and public meetings.
On the day of the general body meeting, he and a group of concerned villagers gathered outside the panchayat hall to await the decision, eventually celebrating the comunidade’s rejection of the proposal.
The outcome has been viewed as a triumph of local voices over commercial interests, as the people of Camurlim remain resolute in protecting their village’s serenity.
