Goa Pollution Control Board Orders Two-Month Closure of Coastal Establishments
The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has taken stringent action against two prominent establishments along the scenic Bardez coast for repeated violations of noise pollution norms. The board has directed Salud Kitchen and Lounge in Ozran, Anjuna, and HillTop in Vagator to cease operations for a period of two months.
Penalties and Consent Withdrawal
In addition to the shutdown order, the GSPCB has formally withdrawn the consent to operate previously issued to both establishments. The board has imposed substantial financial penalties, with Salud Kitchen and Lounge required to pay Rs 2 lakh and HillTop facing a penalty of Rs 1.4 lakh.
Monitoring System Failures
Both establishments had installed online noise monitoring systems as mandated. However, the board discovered that during a significant portion of December 2025 and January 2026, these systems failed to transmit real-time decibel data to the GSPCB's central monitoring station.
The notices issued by the board explicitly state that neither establishment informed authorities of any technical issues that might have prevented the transmission of noise level data.
Compliance Requirements for Reopening
The GSPCB has outlined specific requirements both establishments must fulfill before they can resume operations:
- Enclose and cover all open premises with proper acoustic enclosures
- Install double-door systems to contain noise within the premises
- Ensure amplified music is played exclusively within enclosed areas
- Consult with electricity and fire departments regarding enclosure materials and emergency access
- Install sufficient doors for occupant safety
- Obtain necessary permissions from village panchayats and other relevant authorities
The establishments must approach the board for desealing only after implementing these structural changes to achieve proper soundproofing.
Board's Assessment of Responses
The GSPCB found HillTop's response to their show-cause notice particularly unsatisfactory. The board determined that HillTop represents a predominant source of noise in its vicinity and rejected attempts to attribute noise violations to unconfirmed external sources.
"Failure to transmit real-time online noise monitoring data from your establishment has not been denied by you, nor have you informed this office regarding technical issues with the noise monitoring station," stated the board in its notice. "Hence the reply submitted by you is unacceptable and unsatisfactory."
The board emphasized that attributing noise violations to other unconfirmed sources is neither factually nor technically feasible given the evidence collected through their monitoring systems.
