Goa Chief Minister Rebukes Officials Over Fatal Nightclub Fire
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has strongly criticized state government officers, including IPS and IAS officials, for their failure to implement precautionary measures at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Panaji. The venue was the site of a devastating fire on December 6, 2025, which resulted in the tragic loss of 25 lives.
Lack of Coordination and Awareness Highlighted
Sawant emphasized that the incident could have been entirely avoided if the officers had taken appropriate steps, given their prior knowledge of irregularities at the establishment. He expressed frustration over the absence of proper coordination among various departments, warning that such lapses could lead to similar tragedies in the future.
The Chief Minister made these remarks during a state-level conference aimed at disseminating the outcomes of the DGs and IGPs Conference 2025, which was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
National and Global Fallout
Sawant pointed out that while incidents in larger states might remain confined to specific districts, the Goa fire rapidly gained national and global attention through media coverage. "It is important to focus on awareness of crime control and internal security, as incidents make national and global headlines," he stated. "There is a need for better coordination among the various departments."
He further elaborated, "I feel that there is a lack of coordination among the departments, which is required, and it results in crime reporting. We can control the crimes that are reported in the state."
Specific Failures in the Birch Fire Incident
Directly addressing the nightclub tragedy, Sawant revealed, "We could have avoided this incident. A lot of officers knew about the nightclub and that there was no fire exit. Some people went there and enjoyed. I have the proof." He clarified that his criticism was not about officers visiting the venue, but about their failure to act on known safety hazards.
"If precautions were taken, the 25 people would not have lost their lives. This is an example. Because of this incident, Goa’s image was damaged at national and global level. Tourism was badly affected, and there was a loss for the state," the Chief Minister added, highlighting the broader economic and reputational impact.
Questioning Proactive Measures and SOP Implementation
Sawant noted that the state government has since established a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) in response to the incident. However, he questioned why officers did not initiate such policies beforehand. "Why does the chief minister and chief secretary have to guide the officers? Feedback should come from ground officers," he asserted.
He called for a more proactive approach from ground-level officials, urging them to communicate issues upward through proper channels. "Officers should speak to chief secretary, police should speak to DGP, and the collector should speak to the revenue secretary. Why should higher-ups highlight the issues?" Sawant questioned.
Warning Against Future Incidents
The Chief Minister issued a stern warning, stating that if ground-level officers do not take proactive steps, similar incidents are likely to recur in the near future. He underscored the critical need for vigilance and coordinated action to prevent such disasters and protect public safety in Goa.
