MARGAO
Underscoring the need to maintain distinction between need and green for environmental balance, Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai on Tuesday said the order to shut down all music after 10 pm in the State has caused distress in the society and threatens the cultural, social and religious ethos of Goa and Goans.
Saying that music is part of Goem Goemkar and Goemkarponn, he said shutting down all forms of music after 10 pm is killing Goem, Goemkar, Goemkarpomm.
Addressing the media at the Goemkar Ghor on Tuesday, Sardesai said the first question that needs to be asked is who is to be blamed for this order. “Only a small fraction of shacks, restaurants and hotels across the State create a nuisance by playing loud music. People have been calling 100 and reporting the violations but the police who have a nexus with such establishments, have been ignoring the complaints. Because of a few people, everyone has to suffer. Goans should not blame the courts or the petitioners for the High Court order,” he said, adding that the government and the few establishments who have been violating the law, that are to be blamed.
He added: “The government should come with a law to regulate music at night. Why can’t the Goa government lobby for exceptions in the laws related to playing music after 10 pm?”
Saying the BJP government has failed to put up a reasonable argument before the High Court, he said there needs to be a distinction between sound or music played at commercial sites, private events like weddings, cultural events like shigmo, carnival etc and religious events like zatra and midnight masses. “The government should have prayed for relief that private events like weddings and annual cultural and religious events have to be exempted,” he said.
Saying the order against playing music after 10 pm will adversely impact the economy of the State, he pointed out around 200 people gain employment and get a good pay for every wedding reception. “The jobs include waiters, cooks, musicians, photographers, car drivers, decorators, florists etc.”
The Order will reduce the duration for a wedding from 4 hours to less than 2 hours; This will kill the wedding industry because why will people pay lakhs of rupees for a 1 or 2 hour event. Similarly, the economy and employment surrounding annual dances, parades, festivals etc will also suffer said Goa Forward President Vijai Sardesai.
...Says rule should be for all sources of noise pollution
MARGAO: Demanding to know where does the government draw the line when it comes to noise pollution, he said “If all music has to stop after 10 pm because it creates noise pollution, under which rule are other sources of noise pollution like trains, planes and factories are exempted from noise pollution beyond 10 pm.”
He added: “Will the government dare to stop such operations like coal handling in MPT after 10 pm? Similarly, can there be a blanket ban on noise pollution? If so, why bother with ambient air monitors outside MPT. Government should have a blanket ban on coal activities during the day when the pollution levels in Vasco are the highest in the day.”
