Goa’s tourism season will continue with stricter safety checks, says CM Sawant
This comes after 25 people were killed in a massive fire that ripped through a nightclub in the coastal village of Arpora in north Goa on Saturday last week.
Panaji: Goa’s tourism season will continue and visitors are welcome, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday, stressing that safety is the priority and only licensed operators will be allowed to function.
This comes after 25 people were killed and six injured in a massive fire that ripped through nightclub — Birch by Romeo Lane — in the coastal village of Arpora in north Goa on Saturday. Twenty of the victims were staffers at the club, while five were tourists.
A combination of factors — key safety lapses, including an inadequate number of exits and the use of pyroguns, a thatched roof and stacks of alcohol — intensified the fire, causing it to engulf the 300-square-metre establishment.
Sawant, who chaired a meeting with tourism stakeholders on Wednesday morning and called for cooperation from tourist establishments to comply with regulations, said the state — via the recently constituted joint enforcement and monitoring committees — had begun safety checks of establishments, especially those involved in the tourism business and that involve an element of risk.
“The tourism season will continue. People are welcome, safety and security is our priority. Christmas season, New Year has to be safe — those who have licences will continue, but those who don’t will be shut down,” Sawant said.
On the government’s radar are watersports and adventure activities, high-footfall nightclubs, restaurants and party zones.
“Wherever we see blatant violations during the inspections, we will shut the place if they are not compliant with safety norms,” Sawant added.
Calling Saturday’s fire incident “unfortunate”, president of Goa’s travel and tourism association Jack Sukhija said, “The nature of nightclubs is that they are prone to mass casualty events. There have been incidents in cities across the world where nightclubs have resulted in deaths of partygoers. I do not think it has affected these destinations from a tourist footfall point of view.”
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“We have had a meeting with the chief minister who has directed all establishments to maintain safety and compliance with regulations,” Sukhija added.
Meanwhile, the district administration authorities have prohibited the use, bursting, ignition or operation of fireworks, sparklers, pyrotechnic effects, flame-thrower-type devices, smoke generators and similar fire/smoke-producing equipment inside tourist establishments.
The prohibition applies to nightclubs, bars and restaurants, hotels, guesthouses and resorts, beach shacks, banquet halls, private function venues, auditorium operators and indoor establishments, tourist establishments such as nightclubs, bars and restaurants, hotels, guesthouses, resorts and entertainment establishments, as well as temporary structures, event venues and entertainment establishments throughout Goa.
