Videos of packed Goa nightclubs are shameful: Vishwajit Rane

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Districts Collectors in Goa have been directed to keep tabs on nightclubs and hotels, which do not follow social distancing norms and other government SOPs, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said on Friday.

Rane also said that photos and videos of packed Goa night club floors, with no semblance of social distancing and guests without masks, which had leaked out last week were "shameful".

"We also know that a lot of hotels, clubs and nightclubs have not been following norms. As a result, we have taken it very aggressively with the Collectors, that they should ensure that clubs must maintain 50 per cent (occupancy). They cannot not be wearing masks and maintaining no social distancing. The videos which came out were shameful," Rane told a press conference in Panaji.

He also said that the onus of such failures should not just lie with the government, but with the people who visit such clubs or with club owners themselves.

After the photos of top night clubs along the popular beach belt of Sinquerim-Baga leaked on the social media, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the Home Department had been directed to probe the lapse and added that packed clubs and discos as a tourism activity was not appropriate in the midst of the pandemic.

The state has one of the top beach and nightlife tourism activities in the country and attracted more than seven million tourists last year.

"Young people are being given plasma as we speak, because that is what is the situation. Nightclubs are not the only thing which drives Goa's tourism. Tourism has got restaurants, there are restaurants, hinterland tourism. There are multiple ways to market tourism," Rane said.

"Onus has to be on owners of these types of facilities and clubs and the individual who goes there. Children do not visit such places. There are adults. It (onus) is on them... Ultimately, we are going through a pandemic," the Health Minister also said.

Rane also said that Goa should open to tourism, but tourism activity should be conducted by following proper SOPs.