Mid-Day
Panaji, May 8: Holding rave and trance parties at all public places will be banned in Goa after 10 pm. The government has also decided to halt all beach parties after 10 pm.
The decision, which was taken in December by Goa’s Deputy Chief Minister Dr Wilfred D’Souza who also holds the tourism portfolio, is finally being implemented now.
Goa has also put into place a loudspeaker deadline for 10 pm.
The move is expected to adversely impact 60 per cent of Goa’s hotels and resorts that are situated by its beaches. Pic: Mayuresh Pawar
D’Souza confirmed, “We have banned beach parties after 10 pm. We don’t care about tourists who attend rave or trance parties. People better obey the directive.”
The move is expected to adversely impact 60 per cent of Goa’s hotels and resorts that are situated by its beaches. “We will be disappointing foreign as well as Indian tourists who come for these parties,” said an hotelier from Anjuna who did not want to be named.
Drug traffic
Added D’Souza, “Banning rave and trance parties — which generally begin after midnight and end by late morning — will reduce the use of narcotics in the state.” D’Souza also pointed out that environmentalists had expressed their concern over the litter at beach parties.
Rave supporters
Timmy and Jane two major organizers of rave and trance parties in Goa, Pune and Mumbai, have begun an SMS campaign to lodge their protest against the ban. “Event organisers, DJ’s and party revellers are supporting us,” says Timmy who says Goa stands to lose at least Rs 50 crore a year in tax revenues, if beach parties are banned.
Drug haven
Goa is a widely known drug haven. Admits Johnny, a drug dealer from Mumbai, “Hum logon ko jab bhi Mumbai mein maal ki kami hoti hai, Goa se delivery aati hai.” The Goa Deputy Inspector General of Police, Ujjwal Mishra said, “We have not made any drug arrests at rave parties despite several raids.”