The terrible fire that broke out at a nightclub in Goa’s Arpora claiming over 25 lives, has put on display a harsh reality of illegalities of Goa’s nightlife scene. Reportedly, the club operated the business without valid permissions and in gross violation of fire safety norms. To compound the woes, the temporary construction erected with palm leaves made the whole establishment a tinderbox. In fact, tourist belts like Anjuna–Vagator–Arpora, operate with temporary permissions with the blessings of political bigwigs. The incident exposes a systemic failure in Goa’s licensing and inspection regime. Goa, which depends heavily on tourism revenue, has seen authorities sometimes turning a blind eye to non-compliant businesses by allowing overcrowding, unsafe nightlife and illegal expansions. This creates a culture where rules exist, but enforcement does not. The Goa govt needs to reform its regulatory framework, enforce the existing laws without favour or fear and launch an offensive against the corrupt nexus that makes possible the existence of illegal and unsafe venues if it wants to stop such disasters in the future. A business that profits from crowded events must uphold minimum safety obligations.
