Sunburn EDM festival will not be held in Goa this year: CM

One of Goa's biggest tourism draws after the traditional Carnival, the Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) festival will not be held this year, in wake of Covid concerns.

Even as Chief Minister Pramod Sawant made the announcement following a meeting of the state cabinet on Wednesday, Minister for Tourism Manohar Ajgaonkar however claimed that his Ministry, which processes applications from organisers for mega entertainment events, said that he had not been informed about the decision by the Chief Minister.

"We have not given permission for Sunburn this year. We will not be having Sunburn. This time we have not given permission to Sunburn. My office has already processed the file," the Chief Minister announced in his post cabinet media briefing.

The Sunburn EDM, which is usually held in Goa, is a top entertainment draw for thousands of music-loving tourists, who visit the state for year-end festivities.

Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar, who has been pushing for granting of permission for the event in a bid to shore up Goa's tourism footfalls, told reporters that the Chief Minister had not informed him about his office's rejection of permission for the event.

"The CM has not informed me about rejecting the file," Ajgaonkar told reporters, soon after Sawant made the announcement.

Ajgaonkar however said that the Chief Minister's decision on such issues was however final and added that the call may have been taken, as a precautionary measure against a possible rise in Covid cases during Christmas and New Year festivities.

"I felt that it should be held. I wanted it to happen. What people want should happen. CM has taken a decision after studying the matter. I cannot take any decision, without final approval from the CM. CM has not informed me about rejecting the file yet," Ajgaonkar said.

"Any decision on hosting any event is taken by the CM. They (CMO) know the pandemic situation and the SOP. The file had come to us, we had sent it to (CMO) for a decision. The final decision is taken by the CM," he added.

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