MAPUSA
While the Sunburn organisers have already started their campaign of holding four days EDM festival in Goa from Dec 28 to 31, the villagers from Anjuna have joined hands to oppose the festival on December 31 as it will create chaos on roads and kill the businesses of other locals.
The villagers also urged the government to come out with a categorical statement on the festival so that the organisers can stop their online campaign and selling of the tickets for December 31.
Former panchayat member of Anjuna panchayat, Hanumant Govekar said the Sunburn music festival was always held for three days for the last several years and it should continue that way.
“Holding the festival on the eve of the New Year will create traffic chaos on the roads blocking the movement of vehicles and creating disturbance to festivities of the locals,” Govekar said and urged the government not to hold the festival on December 31.
The State government has given in-principle nod to hold the Sunburn festival at Vagator in Anjuna although the organisers have yet to get official permissions for the same.
But in their online campaign, the organisers have said that the festival will be held for four days from December 28 to 31 and have also started selling tickets for the event.
Opposing the festival on December 31, a local youth, Gajanan Tilve said that the organisers should not take the locals for granted.
“We welcome everyone to do business but that does not mean they can take the villagers for granted. How can they start selling the tickets before getting the required permissions,” Tilve countered.
He said the government should take necessary steps so that the organisers fall in line and the festival does not go beyond December 31.
Another villager, Yogesh Govekar alias Mogambo said that the organisers of Sunburn have created a perception that people come to Goa only because of the festival but in fact the contrary was true. “Tourists always flock to Goa during the Christmas or New Year whether Sunburn is there or not. If they are so confident of their festival then let them hold the fest in November,” Govekar said.
He said local people get an opportunity to make business during the Christmas and the New Year which should not be stopped.
He further said that the Sunburn creates a lot of traffic mess on roads putting locals into inconvenience.
“We want businesses to come to the State but not at the cost of the locals,” he said and opposed holding of Sunburn on the eve of New Year.
Anjuna Sarpanch joins locals
MAPUSA: Joining the locals in opposing the Sunburn EDM festival on December 31, Anjuna-Caisua Sarpanch, Laxmidas Chimulkar said the festival should not be held on the eve of New Year as it will affect the business of the locals and it will also add to the traffic chaos on roads.
“We don’t want the festival on December 31 because it
will create a lot of problems to people of the village. The Christian community has to attend their religious services at midnight and the traffic chaos will make it difficult for them,” Chimulkar said.
He said the Sunburn organisers used to always hold the festival for three day before the New Year and suddenly they have decided to hold it for four days including on December 31 this year.
“We hope better sense will prevail and the government will disallow them to hold the festival on the eve of the New Year,” he said.
Local panchayat member, Surendra Govekar also opposed holding the Sunburn festival on December 31.
“Our people want the festival to be held from December 28 to 30 but not on December 31. Local businesses like guest-house, restaurants have geared up for their business on December 31. Besides, there will be so much traffic congestion,” Goverkar said.
ANJUNA BIODIVERSITY PANEL WANTS FESTIVAL CANCELLED
MAPUSA: Expressing strong reservations against the Sunburn festival, the Anjuna-Caisua Biodiversity Management Committee (BMC) has opposed the entire festival and requested the government to cancel the Sunburn festival.
The Anjuna-Caisua BMC Chairman Ramesh Naik has urged the authorities not to hold the festival in the coastal village as it disrupts the traffic on the narrow roads and affects the daily routine of the locals in the village.
“During the festival there is complete chaos on the village roads. Besides, the festival leaves behind tons of garbage and destroys the biodiversity in the area where it is held,” Naik said, in a letter made to the Director of Tourism, Anjuna Panchayat and other authorities.
