PANJIM: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday reiterated that Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) festival will not be allowed on New Year’s Eve if people of Anjuna and surrounding areas are opposed to it.
When asked whether the Sunburn festival will be allowed at Vagator Beach for four days i.e. December 28 to 31, Sawant said, “Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo has already made a request not to allow holding of Sunburn EDM festival on the fourth day i.e. December 31. If the people of Anjuna do not want the festival to be held on New Year’s Eve, then the same will not be allowed by the government.”
Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo, who was also present, claimed that the people of Anjuna and surrounding areas do not want Sunburn to be held on the fourth day i.e. December 31.
Both Sawant and Lobo made their statements to reporters after attending the feast mass of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa.
It may be recalled that the villagers of Anjuna-Caisua had strongly opposed any move to extend the Sunburn festival from three days to four days particularly on New Year’s Eve as it would result in massive traffic congestion in the village.
On the other hand, the comunidade of Anjuna has convened an extraordinary general body meeting at 10 am, on Sunday, December 10 to decide on the application submitted by the organisers of the Sunburn event.
In 2013, the Sunburn festival was shifted from Candolim to Vagator, while it was only once held at Pune, before shifting to Vagator again. This year the organisers have sought permission to hold the festival for four days and have even started online sale of tickets for four days including December 31.
What has annoyed the villagers is that the Sunburn organisers have taken all the authorities for granted including the local panchayat as they have started the sale of tickets before obtaining all permissions.
The Anjuna-Caisua panchayat has passed a resolution not to allow the EDM festival on December 31.
OPINION
CM’s assurance should be enough confidence booster for locals, that Sunburn won’t be held on December 31
With Chief Minister Pramod Sawant first giving an assurance that the Sunburn EDM festival will not be held on December 31 the people of Goa, especially Goans in the Anjuna belt need not be worried.
After all, this is an assurance from the highest office of the land. The Chief Minister had clearly understood local sentiments and the grave inconveniences Goans will face if Sunburn continues on December 31.
Now that the CM has offered to listen to further grievances and objections to the festival being, those in the affected area should take this opportunity and give adequate representations against the festival, starting on December 28, and continuing till December 31.