PANAJI: A magisterial inquiry ordered by the Goa government, after the deadly fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane club at Arpora in North Goa, killed 25 persons and injured several others, has laid the blame primarily on the local Arpora-Nagoa Panchayat, the Goa Pollution Control Board (PCB) and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA), revealing several lapses and negligence on their part as well as on other departments and sections of the administration.
The report lays the blame firstly and squarely on the local Panchayat. The primary responsibility for the club’s illegal operation lies with the local panchayat, opines the report.
The club’s trade license expired in March 2024, yet the panchayat neither sealed the premises nor stopped its operations, even though there were several complaints pending with the Panchayat. Surprisingly, the ward member of the locality was also silent throughout the years, allowing the illegal club to function, without making any noise.
A demolition order issued by the Panchayat was not actioned on an urgent basis, providing the operators enough time and leeway to get a stay order from the Director of Panchayats (DOP).
Though the land is shown as a salt pan land, two other restaurants under different names had functioned at the spot since 1996. This reveals a systematic failure over the last decade, the inquiry noted.
There was no occupancy certificate issued, yet construction and repairs were carried out on the eco-sensitive salt pan land.
The original Goan owners of the land had filed several written complaints – with the local Panchayat, the GCZMA, the PCB and other authorities, which were all acknowledged. Yet the club continued to function, in spite of all the departments being aware of its illegality.
The Panchayat issued multiple NOCs, trade license, NOCs to obtain water, electricity and to carry out repairs, while there were written complaints pending and the even the ownership of the land and the status of the club operators was disputed, with civil litigation pending.
Two written complaints regarding Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) violations and illegal construction were received, yet no effective action was taken.
The club had no fire NOC and the Goa Fire department said they had never received any application. Though, the fire department had checked a nearby property, this one was left untouched.
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