The Goan state government of Western India has resolved against holding future electronic dance music festivals on Goa beaches and suggested a shift in the venue, noting that the mega events cause damage to the coastal areas. Electronic dance music festivals like Sunburn and Supersonic are held at Vagatore and Candolim beach every year. However, they were thoughtful enough to suggest alternate locations for the festivals to take place: Betul plateau, Cananguinim hill top, and Cabo de Rama.
The Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) has stated that locations like Candolim cannot host large events due to it being a sand dunes complex. This decision is the result of an early year inspection, where it was discovered that a “large undulating hind dune area at Candolim was severely trampled upon and vegetation was found uprooted in totality.”
“Plastic waste was scattered all over. The four huge stages and platforms had its share of impacts. It was also noticed that long trailer trucks were moving all over the dune field thus creating further remobilization of dune sands.” – GCZMA
While it’s unfortunate that electronic dance music festivals like Sunburn and Supersonic won’t be returning to the Goa region, the birthplace of the highly influential Goa trance, it’s important to remember the welfare of the landscape.
H/T New Indian Express | Photo by Hautlab