Goa authorities on Saturday intensified action against tourist establishments flouting safety and legal norms in the wake of the deadly Arpora nightclub fire, sealing a popular club in Vagator and revoking the fire safety clearance of another venue in North Goa.
The enforcement drive comes days after a blaze at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora claimed 25 lives, triggering widespread scrutiny of nightlife venues across the coastal state.
Club sealed, fire NOC revoked after inspections
Cafe CO2 Goa, a well-known club located atop the Ozrant Cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach, was sealed after a state government-appointed inspection team found multiple violations. The establishment, which has a seating capacity of around 250, was operating without a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Fire and Emergency Services Department. Inspectors also flagged concerns related to the club’s structural stability.
The action followed the closure of Goya Club in Vagator earlier this week for alleged violations of rules. Separately, the Fire and Emergency Services Department revoked the fire NOC of Diaz Pool Club and Bar in Anjuna after inspectors found the fire extinguishers at the venue to be inadequate.
Confirming the action, divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas said a notice had been issued to Nitin Wadhwa, a partner of the Anjuna-based club.
Kejriwal targets Goa government over fire tragedy
Meanwhile, the Arpora fire tragedy became a major political flashpoint during campaigning for local body elections. Addressing a gathering at Chimbel village near Panaji while campaigning for his party’s Zilla Panchayat candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal blamed the BJP-led state government for the incident.
“Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on,” he said.
“How could it go on? Couldn’t Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid,” the former Delhi chief minister said.
Kejriwal further alleged that corruption was deeply entrenched in the system, claiming that officials, MLAs and even ministers were accepting bribes, and that it was impossible to operate businesses in the coastal state without paying off authorities.