SLPC go-ahead for ‘Sunburn Klassique’

NT NETWORK

PANAJI

The state-level permission committee for tourism-related events headed by Chief Secretary Parimal Rai on Monday recommended to the government that the ‘Sunburn Klassique’ Electronic Dance and Music  festival should be allowed to be held in Goa as it would boost the tourism prospects of the state.

The tourism department has already given in-principle approval for organising this two-day EDM festival at Vagator on February 23 and February 24, 2019.

The government will now have to take a decision on the  SLPC recommendation.

The SLPC meeting held on Monday saw panel members recommending to the government that the exorbitant fees charged from the organisers of EDM festivals should be reduced.

“The government charges from these organisers very high licence fees as also fees for providing police protection, which forces them to hold such events outside Goa,” the SLPC members stated, pointing out that the entertainment tax charged on the tickets of the EDM festivals is also on the higher side, standing at 28 per cent.

Incidentally, the national Hindu movement had demanded the withdrawal of the in-principle approval granted to the EDM festival, stating that event like this festival would result in the future generation of Goa becoming addict and falling victim to Western culture.

Hindu organisations such as Gomantak Mandir and Dhaarmik Sanstha Mahasangh, Mayem Gram Raksha Dal, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, Sanatan Sanstha and Ranaragini had also held a demonstration   demanding that Goa be free from EDM festivals.

The EDM festival returns to the state after a gap of three years. It had moved to Pune in 2017 after Percept Live failed to resolve the issue of its pending bills with the government.