Antisocial is a new upmarket club at Morjim beach in North Goa that has been causing annoyance to the locals and meeting with disapproval from NGOs working towards protection of turtles as they play music beyond the stipulated time and decibel levels.
“What can we do?” asks Arun as he sits outside a shop in the vicinity of the club from where loud music can be heard close to midnight. “If we complain,” he says, “we are threatened,” summing up the travails of the people of Donvado, a ward in Morjim .
The concept of Antisocial is a far cry from what the name suggests. The club has a swimming pool, a huge dance floor and nice seating that helps customers be part of the beach within a luxurious setting. However, its operations are disturbing to locals and environment.
Antisocial is set on the beach and does not meet the guidelines framed in the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) notification of Ministry of Environment and Forests (Department of Environment, Forests and wildlife) January 6, 2011.
The music played at Antisocial reflects the mindset of the owners as well as the Pernem police and it is best described by local Audhoot who says, “The police pay two visits after ten pm at night asking them to lower the sound which they (organisers) increase the moment they (police) leave.”
The music is not just loud but the lights are bright with the logo of the place reflecting light all over the beach, thus exposing neglect to the CRZ notification which under Goa states under section (VII): “the beaches such as Mandrem, Morjim, Galgibaga and Agonda have been designated as turtle nesting sites and protected under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 and these areas shall be surveyed and management plan prepared for protection of these turtle nesting sites.”
“Turtles have not been coming to lay eggs near this area but one can never say when they will and that is why this beach has been declared as a turtle nesting site. With this noise and lights, which turtle will come?” questions Sarabai who is put off by the noise disturbing her school-going children.
Section (VIII) of the CRZ notification reads: “No development activities shall be permitted in the turtle breeding areas referred to in sub-paragraph (vii).” And with Antisocial built within less than 100 metres of the High Tide Line (HTL) a lot of eyebrows have been raised since the inauguration of the place around a fortnight back.
“The place was full when it opened but activity has slowed down. People still do come but now music normally stops around midnight. With few Russians, the place is mostly visited by Indians,” says a neighbour on condition of anonymity fearing reprisal.
A 30 ml of single malt, the most common brand sells at Rs 300 and shoots up to Rs 700. Snacks are normally priced from Rs 350 upwards with a mix of northeastern and Chinese cuisine on offer.
“The moment someone complains, he is offered money to shut up or threatened if he refuses. If we complain to our Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) he will wash his hands saying they have godfathers in New Delhi,” laments another local.
Donavado and areas close by had hosted a lot of Russians before and with few of them being seen now, the locals are pessimistic with the way the season is shaping for them. “It’s December and hardly any foreigners,” describes Atul.
“There are hardly any Russians now. They used to organise such huge parties before but we wonder with the noise created by this club whether any guests will return to stay in the hotels around,” says another local unhappy with the muscle pull flexed by the owners of the new club.
“Forget after 10 pm. No music can be played in that area but the people have to come and complain to me. No one has come to me till date. If I intervene without anyone complaining then I will be accused of doing so with an eye to extort money for myself,” explains Jit Arolkar, MLA of Mandrem. “I will act the minute one constituent complains to me,” assures Arolkar.
With the locals disturbed and Arolkar promising best behavior from his end, locals of Morjim and the turtles may see better days in the New Year.
