Goa home ministry to decide on loud parties

PANAJI - By an order issued Tuesday, Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik has divested the powers of the district administration to allow parties in coastal Goa where loud music can be played.

The home department, which has been criticised by the opposition for allegedly protecting rave parties — often disguised as parties with music — in the beachside villages of Goa, in the controversial order has however excluded weddings and all traditional festivals from the order.

I am directed to convey that in view of the law and order problem and reported use of narcotic substances, all the dance parties and festivals excluding traditional dance parties and festivals and weddings, shall have to take permission of home department, reads the order by Under-Secretary (Home) Siddhivinayak Naik.

The order has also been sent to district collectors, who have in the past been the authority when it comes to permitting use of loud music at parties.

The order implies that the home minister himself will be signing the permissions for such dos.

The home ministry has been the target of ruling and the opposition benches for turning a blind eye to drug-laced rave parties.

Congress legislator from the tourism belt of Calangute, Agnelo Fernandes, has repeatedly accused the home ministry of not doing enough to curb the drug and the rave party menace.

Leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar has also accused Ravi Naik of being ‘unfit’ for the post and said that rave parties were organised only after bribing politicians.

The coastal belt in north Goa, especially beachside villages like Anjuna, Vagator, Arambol, Morjim, are notorious for rave parties in psychedelic themes, where drugs are openly sold.

These rave parties, which are associated with night-life in Goa, are frequented by foreigners and young Indian tourists.

–Indo Asian News Service