All those who love to groove to the tunes of the electronic dance music (EDM) festivals held in Goa and are planning to spend this year’s Christmas-New Year’s eve there, get ready to expect a big shocker.
In a move to tackle the heavy tourist rush during the months of December and January, the government of Goa has now banned the popular Sunburn and Supersonic festivals in the peak season claiming that such events lead to chaos.
“At that time so many tourists are in Goa to celebrate New Year or Christmas. We do not want these EDM events at that time. It should be organised before or after that period,” state Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said, reported India Today.
The decision was however taken last year in December after the government had expressed concerns over heavy traffic and security issues when the two festivals (Sunburn and Supersonic) were organised simultaneously. The State Level Permission Committee (SLPC), constituted by the Chief Minister, had then recommended to the government to decide EDM dates and venues from 2016 onwards on its own.
Considered as the largest Asian music festival, Sunburn attracts popular musicians and music lovers from not just the country but also from across the continent. Lakhs of tourist end up visiting Goa during the months of December and January, a season when the state becomes one of the most sought after tourist destinations of the country.
(Feature image source: Reuters)