PANAJI
This 32-year-old teacher and her brother have dedicated their day and night to guarantee a comfortable life for their sole surviving parent “ their mother.
The siblings lost their father four years ago, as well as their aunt in August and elderly grandmother in November this year.
As the remaining, family of three are striving to piece together their lives after these heartbreaking losses, there’s something that doesn’t allow them to lead a normal life. Loud music has become a curse for Vagator, just like in any other village situated on the coastal belt.
Jovita Fernandes has expressed her frustration on how her village has turned into a noisy commercial hub, which cares a damn about the residents living there for decades together.
“My father was diabetic and my aunt was a tuberculosis patient. They were under strict medical care and doctors advised them complete rest, along with prescribing them medication. But how could they rest even for a minute when noisy clubs located barely a few meters from my residence, are insensitive to people,” she asks.
The sister-brother’s primary concern is ensuring the safety and well-being of their mother amid all the chaos outside. While Jovita makes sure she is back home soon after her school hours, her brother “ employed in the hospitality sector “ works till around 1 or 2 am.
“We want to provide a secure environment to our mother, who is in her 60s, but these pubs and nightclubs do not let us live in peace,” she lamented, adding, “I have to prepare notes for my students, correct papers but unfortunately there’s no scope for peace in our village. Similarly, my brother also doesn’t get sleep after a tiring work schedule.”
She revealed that while there are 3-4 nightclubs in close vicinity to her residence, there’s one that identifies itself as a ‘hostel’ but consistently plays loud music from evening till early morning.
“It's not just my family but many households in my village are enduring similar issues. Despite a large number of people comprising elderly residents, the authorities remain indifferent,” she alleged seeking immediate and permanent relief from the government.
Jovita further went on to state that the government authorities and local panchayat only seem to take notice when the High Court of Bombay at Goa intervenes. Despite personal requests to nightclub and bar operators to lower the volume, their efforts have been in vain. “The disturbing music is a daily ordeal. Moreover, most of these establishments violate the 10 pm closure deadline,” she added.
