Goa chief minister orders enquiry into music festival

PANAJI - Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat Wednesday ordered an enquiry into the legalities of holding a three-day music festival at the ecologically sensitive forest area near Agonda beach here.

Speaking to reporters in Panaji Wednesday, Kamat said the district magistrate would be asked to visit the party site, 80 km from here, near a biodiversity hotspot, which is home to exotic butterflies.

“I have ordered the district magistrate to probe the matter. Who has given them the permission? If required, I will ask the DM to go to the spot and verify the situation first hand,” Kamat said.

Earlier in the day, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Ravindra Singh Yadav told reporters that the police will keep a close watch on the ‘Chakra view festival’, which begins at 6 a.m. Friday (Feb 5) and winds up at 12 midnight Sunday (Feb 7) near the secluded butterfly beach.

“I have asked them (subordinates) to check whether there are any illegalities. If we find any illegality, we will stop the party,” Yadav told reporters at the police headquarters in Panaji.

Yadav also said that the anti-narcotics cell and the district police have been instructed to keep a sharp eye for drugs or psychotropic substances sold near the festival venue.

Sale of drugs at such mega music parties in Goa came to the fore with the death of Bangalore girl Meha Bharadwaj. Meha died due to suspected drug overdose at the Sunburn music festival in December.

Speaking to IANS, Canacona legislator Vijay Pai Khot said he was not aware of such a music festival in his constituency.

“I do not know about it. Festivals like this should not be allowed here,” the legislator said.

The organisers of the event could not be contacted on the phone numbers listed on the event’s website.