CANACONA
Submitting memorandums to Chief Secretary and District Magistrates of North and South, Congress leader Janardhan Bhadari urged these officials not to grant permission to Sunburn EDM Festival anywhere in Goa due to its past violations of government guidelines, drug nuisance, noise/air pollution and deaths of EDM participants.
GPCC Ex-General Secretary Janardhan Bhandari on Wednesday submitted memorandum to the Chief Secretary, Government of Goa and the Collector & DM-North Goa District Dr Sneha Gitte, Collector & DM-South Goa District Asvin Chandru A in person, besides other government departments strongly demanding rejection of permission to Sunburn EDM festival anywhere in Goa due to its controversial past of violation of government directions/permissions, drug nuisance, noise/air pollution & death of EDM participants.
"We have also enclosed copies of old memorandum submitted against Sunburn EDM festivals along with this representation to highlight that Congress, Youth Congress, Mahila Congress are fighting against this EDM menace", Bhandari informed.
Incidentally, Congress leader highlighted various deaths that occurred due to alleged drug overdose at EDM Festival site in 2009 (Neha Bahuguna), 2014 (Isha Mantry) and 2019 (Sai Prasad, Venkat Satyanarayana and Sandeep Kotta). In 2013, ANC arrested one Saurabh Agarwal (a resident of Raipur) inside the EDM venue in possession of charas and during that raid, some more people were also seen consuming drugs at venue. In 2013, the Calangute Police arrested 5 people with drugs at another EDM festival site which created suspicion that drugs are a major draw at these EDM festivals.
Bhandari cited some High Court observations on breach of permission and noise pollution rules at the Sunburn festival in the year 2022, besides the traffic congestions on roads resulting in chaos and altercations among commuters/vehicle drivers, giving rise to serious issues on Law and Order, Crimes and thefts taking place at the EDM venues, and the tremendous pressure and burden of Sunburn put on police force, especially duing peak tourist season.
Sunburn EDM festival is also opposed in Pune, Maharashtra for promoting nudity, obscenity, alcohol and drugs. Due to strong resentments of local people of Maharashtra, Sunburn EDM festival was forced to change the venue of the festival twice during a brief period of 3 years in Pune, Bhandari’s memorandum states.
"If at all the government still persists in allowing permission to Sunburn in spite of all these controversies, Congress Party will not remain a mute spectator and will take every step to stop such unwanted events in the Goa State," the memorandum concluded.
