ANJUNA: Despite the downpour, villagers of Anjuna and surrounding areas kept their candle light burning as they assembled at the police station to show they are not ready to stop as long as loud music continues.
As most party places lowered their volume, the protesters sang their own song on noise pollution at the police station that took the police personnel by surprise and left many amused by their determination.
The protest was raised a notch higher when Darshan Bhatia, one of the petitioners against noise pollution from Arpora, displayed a noise monitoring unit and said: “This scientific unit can measure noise and costs rupees ten thousand. I am ready to donate two to the Anjuna Police Station.”
Most of the protesters flagged the approach of the police to their complaints of loud music being played and the arrogance of the club owners who threatened the locals for filing complaints during the last four days.
“We have been complaining at the police station and registering our complaints over phone to 112 every day, and except for a day or two before the High Court hearing where there was relative calm, loud music was back with a bang and the police put on their care-a-damn cloak,” moaned Desiree Fernandes, who is the moderator of Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) of St Michael Church, Vagator.
Despite the promise of Deputy Superintendent of Police Sandesh Chodankar and new Police Inspector Suraj Gauns that no music will be allowed after 10 pm, Anjuna was reverberating with music on Sunday evening.
“I am scared to go out of my house now because the people against whom I complain come to my doorstep and threaten me. The nexus between the organisers of parties and police is becoming very evident,” claimed Jovita Fernandes from Vagator, who lives in the vicinity of clubs.
Loud music not only affects humans, but animals too, and their cudgel was taken up by Jerry Ferreira, who said: “When we talk of loud music, we refer to us, humans, but the effect it has on animals is equally bad. I have pets that are affected by this continuous blast.”
The seriousness of the malady of loud music was highlighted by Kapil Korgaonkar from Siolim, who described how “even when students were taken to the police to complain that they could not study, the music was not stopped”.
“The game plan is getting very evident. The police cannot behave to be above the law if the law makers are not involved,” affirmed Korgaonkar.
“Parties start at Diaz near my house at 10 at night and finish at 10 the next morning. Apart from the loud music, they create a traffic hazard with vehicles randomly parked anywhere,” protested Cedric Fernandes from Gaumvadi, Anjuna.
“From the information we are gathering, it is getting clear that the postponement sought is to allow these places to have a blast during the weekend and stop before the next hearing of the High Court on the coming Wednesday,” confided another petitioner Javish Moniz, as the protesters broke into the song composed to buoy the spirits of those suffering and dampen the mood of noise polluters.