Goa Nightclub Fire a Clear Negligence, not Accident

It is no secret that the drug trade has also spread rapidly in Goa. Is there a roadmap to save Goa?

Goa’s reputation as a vibrant paradise of sun-soaked days and electric nights masks a troubling undercurrent. Beneath the coastal state’s celebrated nightlife exists a grimmer landscape, one where intimidation thrives, corruption festers and drug networks operate with impunity. Most alarming is the presence of merchants of death whose reckless disregard for safety goes largely unchecked. The local administration resembles Mahatma Gandhi’s three monkeys: Many believe it does not want to see the truth, does not want to hear the truth and saying anything about the truth is out of the question. The recent Goa nightclub fire tragedy stands as a devastating consequence of this mindset.

Before discussing this fire tragedy in detail, it is important to note that India has established a Green Tribunal, headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court, to safeguard the environment. In a country where environmental protection is neglected, how can we expect quality tourism? Tourism has the power to transform a nation’s destiny. Spain is the prime example. Its economy had collapsed, but it successfully revived its economy through tourism. But what is the state of tourism in India? As I have written earlier in my columns, tourists broadly fall into two categories: Domestic tourists and international tourists. Among foreign tourists, some are well-off while others travel with very limited means. Unfortunately, Goa attracts a larger number of low-budget tourists. Many of them do not even have enough money for their return journey. As a result, they engage in all kinds of activities to survive. This is exactly what is happening in Goa. I had raised this issue in Parliament as well, but there exists such a strong nexus in Goa that it seems to make no difference to anyone.

Another important thing is that special attention is given to the conservation of beaches abroad. No one is allowed to damage the coastal environment. But what is happening in our country? We have rules stating that no construction should be allowed within 500 metres of the coastline. Yet, in reality, all kinds of activities are carried out well within this 500-metre zone. Casinos here are not adhering to environmental norms, which is affecting marine life. Diseases are spreading among aquatic species. We even published reports with concrete evidence but the local administration did not pay any heed.

The nightclub where the fire broke out had been constructed illegally and is located about 25 kilometres from Panaji in a remote area with uneven and hilly terrain. The approach roads are so rough and poorly developed that even reaching the site with relief and rescue teams takes considerable time. When the fire broke out, people ran towards the basement to save themselves but there was no ventilation there. They could not find any escape route. Sparks from electric firecrackers caught the wooden ceiling, causing the fire to spread rapidly. When the ceilings were made of wood, why were electric firecrackers allowed to be used at all? Complaints regarding the club’s illegal construction had already been filed in 2023. Later, complaints were also made about sewage being discharged into the river. In January 2024, the Arpora Panchayat had inspected the club and two months later, in March, issued a notice regarding the illegal structure. However, the club owners, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, did not even reply to this notice. Revenue officials also issued a notice stating that the club had been built on agricultural land. Another notice was served by the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority as well. However, the Luthra brothers wielded such an influence that all these notices were thrown into the dustbin!

The reality is that Goa has become a den of loot for politically protected powerful people from across the country. For Delhi’s Luthra brothers too, their nightclub in Goa was merely a means of minting money. Whether people lived or died made no difference to them. Their inhuman conduct after the death of 25 people in the fire incident is testimony to this. They learnt about the massive fire at around 1.15 am. If they had even a shred of humanity, they would have rushed to Goa to express condolences. Instead, they booked flight tickets to Thailand and flew out of the country at 5.30 am. Nevertheless, they are now in the custody of the Thailand police and it is hoped that they will soon be brought back under the ambit of Indian law.

This raises a big question: Who will put an end to the illicit activities of casinos and nightclubs, the gross negligence towards safety and the open drug trade flourishing in Goa? Who will restore law and order there? In 2013, the case involving molestation of a colleague by the then well-known journalist Tarun Tejpal did come to light, but many such cases remain simply buried. Drugs have worsened the situation further. In 2018, the then chief minister Manohar Parrikar admitted that drug trafficking is a menace in Goa. This April alone, cocaine worth Rs 43 crore was seized in Goa. Earlier, in February, a German national was arrested, and in March, a Nigerian national was taken into custody. These arrests represent only a small fraction of the problem. It must be remembered that wherever drug money flows, several other social evils inevitably follow. Today, the taxi mafia dominates Goa. If one wants to travel from South Goa to the Manohar Parrikar International Airport, taxi operators demand as much as Rs 5,000. Is the government not aware of this?

Before I conclude, let me put some statistics before you. Before Covid, 90 lakh international tourists visited Goa in 2019. Last year, only 15 lakh international tourists arrived. Why? I would also like to point out that I am not opposed to nightclubs per se. However, the foremost requirement is that nightclubs must maintain a class and be completely safe. Goa is really in trouble right now.

The author is the chairman, Editorial Board of Lokmat Media and former member of Rajya Sabha.