Team Goemkarponn
CALANGUTE: Show-cause notices issued by the Calangute village panchayat to 17 restaurants suspected of running unauthorised club operations along the coastal belt have revealed extensive breaches of licensing and safety regulations, with the majority of establishments found to be operating without essential no-objection certificates (NOCs) from statutory authorities.
Panchayat sources said an examination of documents submitted in response to the notices shows that only a limited number of establishments have secured all the necessary approvals, while most are deficient in one or more mandatory clearances.
“Several venues have partial permissions. Some may have obtained fire safety clearance but lack consent to operate from the Goa State Pollution Control Board, while others are missing approvals from the Health Department or the Food and Drugs Administration,” a senior panchayat official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The notices required the establishments to submit NOCs from multiple departments, including Fire and Emergency Services, the Excise Department, Health Services, the FDA and the GSPCB. Following representations from operators, the panchayat has granted additional time to comply with the requirements.
However, the process has drawn attention after panchayat officials confirmed that many operators seeking belated approvals from other departments were instructed to submit a forwarding letter from the local body. Officials acknowledged that such forwarding letters — described as similar to provisional trade licences — are now being issued to enable establishments to apply for pending NOCs.
“This entire exercise has exposed how several restaurant-cum-clubs have been functioning for years without complete statutory approvals, taking advantage of regulatory gaps and weak enforcement,” a former senior government official observed. “In effect, illegal operations were allowed to continue by default rather than being brought into compliance through due process.”
The intensified scrutiny follows the fatal fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, which claimed multiple lives and led to a series of inquiries and inspections across North Goa. Officials have acknowledged that the tragedy highlighted deep-rooted shortcomings in the monitoring of fire safety standards and licensing compliance at nightlife establishments.
Panchayat officials said decisive action would be taken once the extended deadline expires. “If the establishments fail to furnish the mandatory NOCs within the stipulated period, the panchayat will be left with no option but to initiate strict action, including closure of premises,” an official warned.
With Calangute ranking among Goa’s busiest nightlife centres, the ongoing enforcement drive is expected to have wide-ranging consequences for clubs and restaurants operating along the coast, many of which now face the risk of suspension or sealing if found to be non-compliant.
