Plans to organise millennium party in Anjuna

Plans to organise millennium party in Anjuna take ugly turn

By A Staff Repórter

PANAJI, Dec 22: Plans to organise a new millennium rave party for foreign tourists at Anjuna beach on the state government property have taken an ugly turn with pólice arresting six persons for breach of peace in Anjuna this morning.

Escorted by a team of 30 policemen, the tourism department began demolition of the “¡Ilegal structures” at Paraíso de Anjuna, which falls in its property. presently given on léase. However, the demolition squad aban-doned the work after receiving a phone cali from a top politician.

On the other hand a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mr Peter D’Souza, prayed for demolition of ¡Ilegal structures and restraining Mr Norman Azavedo and Mr Jeh Wadia frorr. holding the rave party in Anjuna in public interest.

Both, Mr Wadia and Mr Azavedo, have given an under-taking to the High Court saying that they will not carry out any constructions in the survey num-bers 212/1, 212/6 and 121/11, besides not to host, permit to host or use of any rave party or any other activities as mentioned in the PIL till the hearing on De-cember 23. Mr D’Souza also made the state of Goa, through the chief secretary, village panchayat, Anjuna, Directorate of Tourism, Town and Country Planning department, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Committee, Mr Azavedo and Mr Wadia as respondents in the petition.

The party was planned on over 70,000 sq. mts land and the petitioner said fhat the organisers had erected fencing aiong the property.

When reporters contacted the Chief Minister, Mr Francisco Sardinha, he said that he had stopped the demolition work in view of the matter being subjudice. He said the government would act as per the direction of the court.

The Director General of Pólice (DGP), Mr R S Sahaye, told reporters that six persons were arrestad in Anjuna for breach of peace there. He said the pólice had intensified patrolling along the coastal belt.

Replying to a question, Mr Sahaye said the cooperative ef-forts of all agencies involved in fighting the drug menace was

needed to fight the drugs, especially two state agencies, the tourism department and state excise department. Besides, Mr Sahaye also said the narcotics control bureau (NCB) and customs and central excise also would join in efforts to fight the drugs menace in Goa.

The Anjuna pólice when con­tacted said six persons, including one Mr Nesh Wadia had been arrested by the pólice and later released thern on bail. The pólice have registered cases under section 107 and 151 of the Indian Penal Code.

Meanwhile, according to the information available the Tour­ism Department had given its property at Anjuna to Mr Azavedo on léase and that the léase period had expired on September 30. The industrialist, Mr J Wadia had hired the property for holding a new millennium party for 10 days, beginning from today.

The tourism-trade sources said nearly 30,000 to 35,000 for­eign tourists were scheduled to particípate in the party during ten days. The trade sources also revealed that the massive publiciry was given to the party through internet.

Goa tourism fails to cash in on millennium wave

Goa tourism fails to cash in on millennium wave

By A Staff Repórter

PANAJI, Dec 29: Though heavy tourist inflow was expected to Goa as a favourite millennium spot, figures and experience tell a different story.

The state government’s failure to clear the doubts created by counter-campaigns by other states in major metros have shattered many domestic tour­ists dream of celebrating their new millennium in this tourist paradise.

The Chief Minister, Mr Francisco Sardinha, who has reviewed the tourist arrival situation admitted that the inflow was not up to expectations, and hopes that it might go up on the last day or the first week of the new year.

The occupancy rates in many hotels and lodging houses have not touched cent per cent, despite the media hype that it will be “house full” in Goa. The five star hotels, which had tied up with .chain. hotels, are reporting back-to-back bookings.

Some of the domestic tourists, who claimed that they arrived in Goa by taking a risk of sleeping on the streets were shocked to get easy accommodation.

Dr Ompraksh Chaudhary, a Delhi-based doctor, said in Delhi every travel agencies had advised him not to go to Goa without prior bookings. However, he said he got easy accommodation and he has now decided to extend his stay in Goa.

In spite of the massive campaign carried out by travel agents through the Internet, there was no increase in chartered flights for the new millen­nium. However, the domestic tourists arrival number has gone up.

According to department of tourism statistics, 66 chartered flights had arrived from December 1 to 26, bringing 15,996 foreign tourists. The Airport Authority of India’s (AA1) officer at Dabolim airport said this chartered flights were cleared six months in advance. However, no new flight was cleared, for the millennium, he said.

Two new five star hotels have been opened in Goa for the millennium. Besides  385 bed  capacities, some small hotels also sprouted up in the   
state during the season. In all, there are 52 star-       
category hotels in the state.

The director of tourism, Mr Kesh Kamat, told        A The Navhind Times that the department had ins- pected an additional 25,000 domestic tourists the millennium.

When asked to give his reaction to the
tourist response, Mr Kamat said the tourist arrivals
scenario has not changed. But he said the media—ti
hype, which had created a picture of heavy rush. This
scared many back-packers away.

Mr Kamat said during 1998, a total of 10,25,259
tourists arrived in Goa, while, till November this
year, this number has gone only up to 10,90,911.
He said there was good rise ia flow of tourists in Goa, compared to last year.

The. number of foreign tourists numbers also remained the same compared to last year. During 1998. 2,75,047 foreign tourists arrived in Goa, while till November this year, the figures read    _
2,38,704. Till December 26. another batch of
15,993 foreign tourists arrived through 66 char-
tered flights.

The director-general of pólice (DGP), Mr R S  Sahaye, has said that the travel agents’ main campaign pitch centered on “total    permissiveness for ” various activities.” He said this campaign was a sheer attempt to misguide the tourists, and those who wanted to enjoy the new millennium have arrived. He said the the pólice had kept special squads to control the law and order situation.

Travel and trade circles are attributing various factors for the tepid tourist response. Basically, many feel that the government had failed in its public relations.

Besides, the national print-media also gave a wrong impression that the cost of everything will be go up through the roof during the millennium, they said.

Canacona pólice keep watch on beach parties

Canacona pólice keep watch on beach parties

From Our Correspondent

CANACONA, Dec 31: The Palolem beach in Canacona taluka is being overcrowded by foreign tourists fór the celebration of Christmas and New year. Hotels, shacks, temporary tents and other accommodation places are already full. The tourists are now being accommodated in the houses of the local residents.

As the beach parties have been banned at some other beaches in the state the influx of tourists is seen to be diverted to Palolem and other neighbouring places, with the intention of holding the beach parties. However the Canacona police have already taken steps to stall the organisation of beach parties. This has further sent the tourists to the Ankola and Gokarn beaches in the Uttar Kannada district of Karnataka.

The police sub-inspector (PSI) of Canacona, Mr Maheshwar Naik, has said the illegal activities will not be permitted in the Canacona taluka, including the Palolem beach área. The police force has kept a round-the-clock vigilance, over the taluka, he added.

Beach party in south Goa thwarted

 

Beach party in south Goa thwarted


From Our
Correspondent

MARGAO, April 2: Foreigners residing at coastal area in north Goa mainly from Anjuna, Vagator, Baga. Calangute and Candolim had planned clandestinely to have beach party on April 1 in South Goa in an isolated place near Agonda-Canacona.

The foreigners had also made arrangements for transport of foreigners from the northern belt and had also circulaled literature showing plans about location of the beach party in coded languages.

They had also painted some of the roads leading to Agonda by spraying liquid paint to show directions which was not easily vis­ible to general public. About 500 to 600 foreigners were to take part in the party, police sources revealed.

The South Goa Police under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police (South) Mr A K Singh. collected information in this respect and alerted all the police stations in South Goa to this effect.

Some of the organisers managcd to proceed to Agonda in the late afternoon, but they were chased and followed by the canacona police. The organisers were in for a sur-prise at Agonda and Palolem, as they had also kept boats ready lo take them across the creek from Palolem beach to the seculated place near Agonda, so that nobody can get access to the site where the beach party was to be held. The Canacona police also managed to arrest the main organisers in the beach party, Frank Wibing and a Germán national presently residing at Candolim, along with his Mahindra jeep.

A case was booked against him for defacement of roads and for planning to organising the party. he has been remanded to police custody for further investigation.

Meanwhile, all the pólice stations on the national highway like Verna, Margao town, Colva, Cuncolim and Canacona were alerted and suspected vehicles linked to the beach party were thoroughly checked and many of them were fined and issued challans.

While checking early morning today the Canacona pólice also intercepted one Israeli national Ms Revital Grich aged 26 years and recovered from her 22,500 grams of charas from her which was hidden near her underwear.

A case U/S 21 of N.D.P.S. Act 1985 has been booked and placed in police custody. She is been produced before Special Judge at Mapuca for remand of 14 days police custody.

Court verdict on rave party today

Court verdict on rave party today

BY HERAI.D KM’OKTKR

PANJIM, DP.C : The fate of the rave party schcduled at Anjuna beach by Paradiso de Anjuna still hangs in balance as the High Court has posted the judgement for Friday.

The Bench comprising of Justice R K Bhatta and Justice R M S Khandeparkar continued hearing in the public interest litigation filed by Peter D’Souza against the party. However, arguments could not be completed today and are posted for tomorrow morning.

Advócate A Agni appeared for Norrrm Azavedo, Mahesh Jethmalani represented Jeh Wadia and Advócate General A N S Nadkarni appeared on behalf of the government.

Advocate Jethmalani argued that it was not a rave party but a live party as usual and no drugs will be served.

The respondents admitted that alcohol will be served in the party. However, when Justice Kandeparkar asked for a copy of the liquor licence it was found that a licence was obtained in the ñame of U D Kamat with no house number and with Anjuna beach as the address.

Justice Khandeparkar questioned the respondents how they can use a licence issued to a third party when liquor licenses are not transferable.

The Bench raised doubts about the validity of the licence as no expiry date was mentioned on it.

The counsel for the respondent informed that the contract for leasing the hotel with the government was signed in 1993 and the same was renewed in 1996 which expired on September30, 1999.

The Bench also asked the re­spondents to produce documents to prove that they are in the legal possession of the restaurant, which they could not furnish.

The respondents also said that they had applied on December 1 for renewal of the contract, while Advó­cate General Nadkarni clarifíed that the renewal of licence is under consideration of the government. How­ever, he expressed his ignorance about the precise status of the application as of now.

However, the petilioner pointed out that the set procedures like inviting lenders for renewal of contract were not followed.

Advócate Agni, to one question, stated that the total leased área is only 300 mts which occupies the restaurant.

Then asked how the big área taken up for the party, Advocate Agni replied that they have asked permission of the government to erect a temporary structure to hold the party which will be removed voluntarily after the party is over.

Though they claimed that they had applied for the permission to the government on December 1, they failed to produce a copy before the court.The advocate general pointed out that the government has not received any such application and added that an ap-plication for renewal of contract was received and the deci­sión on the same is awaited.

The panchayat stated that it has conducted a panchanama of the site on December 14 under police protection and a notice was served on them.

The panchayat also added that since no reply was received from the organisers, they will go ahead with the demolition.

The issue of illegal construction came up in the gram sabha meeting which was held on De­cember 12 and the gram sabha decided to conduct the panchanama, replied the panchayat when asked how the decisión on conducting a panchanama came about.

The panchayat remained mum when asked why no action was not taken when the activity began.

Foreigner convicted for power theft

from our correspondent

MAPÚSA, Sept. 11-The Judiciary Magistrate . First Class of Mapusa Court, Mr. R. K. Batía convicted and sentenced a Swedish national, Mr. Tillman Ulf Torsten Anders to pay a fine of Rs. 500 or ín default to undergo one month’s S.I. on the charge of power theft.

According to the prosecutlon, the foreigneir between May 4 and 10, 1979 committed theft of electric energy by taking electric connection illegally at his rented room at Pedem, Anjuna from an electric pole which was detected by the electricity department.

Ps. Ten years later, I got a letter from Mapusa, telling me to come and pick up an item. At the deposit, they returned the cable, that was confiscated by the cops, when they arrested me. Ds.

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