In Goa, a Chinese lantern festival at turtle nesting site leads to backlash
Amid opposition, Director of Tourism says won’t allow anything that threatens ecology
3 min read
Environmentalists and conservationists have appealed to authorities to cancel the festival, contending that it poses a severe threat to the beach’s natural ecosystem, wildlife and marine life. (Wikipedia)
An event in Goa aimed at recreating “the traditional Chinese sky lantern festival” by releasing candle-lit paper lanterns into the sky has sparked outrage among environmentalists and wildlife conservationists because it was due to be held at a beach near a nesting site of the endangered Olive Ridley turtles.
Goa Director of Tourism Suneel Anchipaka said his department had not received any applications seeking permission to conduct the event and that it would “not allow any event which threatens the ecology or the environment”.
‘Glowfest, The Lantern Festival’ was scheduled to be held at Morjim beach Saturday evening. Tickets for the event, organised by a company called Amusant Events, were being sold online with promotional videos showing lanterns and firecrackers.
Environmentalists and conservationists have appealed to authorities to cancel the festival, contending that it poses a severe threat to the beach’s natural ecosystem, wildlife and marine life.
With this year seeing a prolonged turtle-nesting season this year, the groups said conducting a festival with lights, noise and large crowds on the beach could threaten the safety of turtles.
Benhail Antao, wildlife rescuer and conservationist, said there were more than 10 active Olive Ridley turtle nests on the beach. “The bamboo or metal wire frame that is part of these lanterns, even if biodegradable, takes months if not years to decompose and acts as a trap for wildlife, fish, dolphins, birds, and turtles, which may ingest it or get entangled in it,” he said.
“Releasing paper lanterns with a live fire into the sky is also a fire hazard as shacks, houses, and coconut trees can catch fire. It could also cause a forest fire in the dry months,” Antao said.
Amusant Events said they would either postpone or change the venue of the event. On Wednesday, they said in an Instagram post: “We will be fixing the sky lantern on the ground attached with a minute fire resistant wire. It flies only up to 100 feet and comes back to the same place. This method won’t cause any harm. We will clean up the venue post the event. Encouraging this zero-harm lantern festival would create a great change in the lantern events celebrated world-wide.”
Director of Tourism Anchipaka said, “The department has not received any application from the organisers to conduct this festival and no permission has been granted for the same…we shall not allow any event which threatens the ecology or the environment.”
Pernem Deputy Collector Shivprasad Naik wrote to Mandrem police Thursday, directing them to ensure that “no such events which harm or disturb the ecological setup shall be allowed to happen in any ecological sensitive area”. He told police to deploy necessary force at the venue to avoid any untoward situation. The police have issued a notice to the organisers, directing them to take permission before conducting the festival.
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