Days after a tragic fire at a nightclub in North Goa claimed 25 lives, the district administration has issued an order prohibiting the use of fireworks, sparklers, and pyrotechnics in all tourist establishments.
The North Goa district administration issued the order on Wednesday evening as a precautionary measure following the blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, which occurred around midnight on December 6.
"The order has been issued under Section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, prohibiting the use, bursting, ignition or operation of fireworks, sparklers, pyrotechnic effects, flame thrower-type devices, smoke generators and similar fire/smoke-producing equipment inside tourist establishments," a senior district administration official said.
The prohibition applies to nightclubs, bars and restaurants, hotels, guesthouses, resorts, beach shacks, temporary structures, event venues, and entertainment establishments across North Goa.
A preliminary inquiry into the 6 December incident suggested that "electric firecrackers" were set off inside the nightclub, sparking the blaze that claimed 25 lives, officials earlier said.
In response to the tragedy, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the government will cancel the licenses of tourist establishments that fail to comply with fire safety norms.
In the wake of the fire, Sawant on Wednesday held a high-level meeting with officials from the North and South Goa district administrations, police, and tourism stakeholders, including State Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, to ensure strict safety measures ahead of the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sawant said, "The fire safety audit committee formed by the government has begun visiting various tourism establishments and will submit its report after the inspections. If the committee finds that the establishments have not complied with the fire safety norms, then their licences would be cancelled and their premises will be sealed."
He added that to prevent such accidents from recurring, all tourist establishments have been asked to follow existing rules and regulations. Safety precautions will also be implemented for water sports and adventure activities.
The chief minister further directed tourism stakeholders to ensure that there are no physical fights between employees and tourists, and warned that strict action would be taken against touts.
