PANAJI
The State government will now face the music on EDMs. Taking cognizance of a Public Interest Litigation over organising Electronic Dance Music (EDM) festivals in Goa, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Thursday rapped the State government for delay in recovery of dues pending since 2011 from the organisers of Sunburn and Supersonic.
The court directed the State government to recover the dues, which are presently estimated to be around Rs 2.30 crore, within three months.
The petition filed by Trajano D’Mello had raised concerns over pending dues and security arrangements at the two EDM festivals among other issues.
Taking a serious note of the absence of urgency on the part of the State government, a two-member Bench of High Court comprising Justice F M Reis and Justice C V Bhadang directed the State to recover pending dues along with an interest of 15 per cent and penalty, if any. Sources revealed that the total amount, on inclusion of the interest amount, is likely to touch Rs 3 crore.
The government was also directed to adjust within a month the security deposit payable to the two EDM festivals with the recoverable due amount from them for local police cover and traffic police arrangement.
The Bench was informed by the State that such recovery would be possible only after a sub-committee appointed by the government reviews demands raised by the police. While traffic and police arrangement forms a major chunk of the dues, other dues recoverable from the organisers include sales tax, commercial tax and entertainment tax.
The petitioner had sought to know how the festivals were granted permissions despite defaulting on due amounts worth crores of rupees.
Meanwhile, HC Bench accepted the State’s assurance that it is fully geared to tackle any security issues which might crop up at the venues.
It was allowed that decisions on police arrangement and permitting organisation of the two EDM festivals simultaneously at Vagator and Candolim towards the end of the year are prerogatives of the government.
However, the Court sought stricter implementation of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985.
Looking at the magnitude of crowds, HC directed the authorities to post at least 20 personnel from the Anti-Narcotics Cell at both the venues to keep a close vigil on a radius of 500 mts to prevent the sale and consumption of drugs.
The organisers were also asked to take precautions by placing sniffer dogs at the venues.
Taking note of the death of Neha Bahuguna and Isha Mantry at EDM festivals previously, HC directed the investigating officers to expedite the investigation and submit a compliance and status report within six months.
Besides, the HC also ordered the organisers to offer adequate parking space at the venues and to set up and prominently display a helpline number to attend to complaints and grievances.
