Panaji, Dec 27 (IANS): Following allegations that the ‘Sunburn EDM’ festival promotes drugs use in the coastal state, Goa police have formed special teams with ‘Raman spectrometers’ and ‘Mobile rapid screening system’ to curb such practices.

The Sunburn fest will be held in North Goa from December 28 to 30.

Superintendent of Police (North Goa), Nidhin Valsan, said during a presser on Wednesday that the police have made special arrangements for Sunburn to ensure that nobody indulges in drugs intake.

“We are deploying special teams comprising the Crime Branch, Anti-Narcotics Cell, local police and forensic teams, which will keep watch on all the activities around the event,” Valsan said.

He said the special teams will patrol the areas in and around the Sunburn fest venue to keep a check on narcotics use.

“We will randomly check if someone is suspected of being a drug peddler or is under the influence of drugs. We will use Raman spectrometer to check items. It shows immediate results. There is no need to send samples to the forensic laboratory. Strict action will be initiated if anyone is found with drugs,” Valsan warned.

He also said that the Mobile rapid screening system will be used to check if anyone is found under the influence of narcotic substances.

“Swabs will be checked in this machine. It will give immediate results and if anyone is found under the influence of drugs, we will take action,” Valsan said.

Meanwhile, the Congress and the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti have demanded to deny permission to hold the festival.

Alleging that the Sunburn festival promotes drugs culture in the state, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Vijay Bhike said the government should not allow the festival to take place.

“EDM festivals promote perversion and destroy the youth with its drugs culture. Hence, we have appealed to the North Goa collector to ban the Sunburn festival forever and preserve the cultural identity of Goa,” said Manoj Solanki, state coordinator for Hindu Janajagruti Samiti.