Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant declared that any hotel, nightclub, beach shack, guest house or tourist establishment found flouting fire safety regulations will have its licence permanently cancelled and the premises sealed on the spot, effective immediately after inspection.

The sweeping crackdown follows the horrific December 6 blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, where 25 partygoers perished due to blocked exits, missing fire extinguishers and gross overcrowding. The tragedy has cast a dark shadow over the state’s tourism image just weeks before the Christmas-New Year peak season, prompting the period that contributes the largest share of Goa’s annual tourism revenue.

A high-powered fire safety audit committee, constituted within hours of the incident, has been deployed across both North and South Goa districts. Comprising senior officers from the fire services, district administration, police and tourism department, the panel began unannounced inspections on Tuesday night and is racing against time to complete checks before the December 24 influx of domestic and international tourists.

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Speaking to reporters after chairing an emergency review meeting attended by Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, Chief Minister Sawant made it clear there would be no leniency. “The committee’s findings will be final. If any establishment is found non-compliant — whether it lacks functional fire extinguishers, emergency exits, sprinklers or valid No-Objection Certificates — its licence will be cancelled that very day and the property sealed until full compliance is proven,” he stated.

In addition to fire safety, the government has ordered simultaneous enforcement of water sports regulations, banning of touts on beaches, mandatory staff background checks and zero tolerance towards brawls between employees and visitors. With thousands of tourists already booking flights and hotels, authorities have warned that any further lapse risking lives will invite not just closure but criminal prosecution, signalling the strictest regulatory overhaul Goa’s tourism sector has witnessed in decades.

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