Panaji, Nov 4 (IANS): The Goa government should pay heed to the UK government's decision to go ahead with a second Covid-19 lockdown and not grant permission to host mass gatherings like the Sunburn electronic dance music (EDM) festivals in December, former Deputy Chief Minister and sitting Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLA Sudin Dhavalikar said on Wednesday.

"The UK government has enforced a second lockdown. The state cabinet should consider this development seriously. If a decision like this is taken by the UK, we have to be alert too," Dhavalikar said on Wednesday.

"Sunburn should not be held this year... Just because such events generate revenue for the government, these things cannot be allowed. Rave parties and Sunburn anyway do not yield anything positive," Dhavalikar said.

Organisers of the Sunburn EDM festival, Percept Live, have also announced the 14th edition of the event in Goa from December 27-29. The organisers have said that all SOPs will be in place for the event, which will be held in limited capacity.

Goa's Ports Minister Michael Lobo has, however, said the state government has only given conditional approval to the organisers of the event, which is linked to the severity of the Covid-19 scenario in the coastal state.

Goa currently has a total tally of 44,189 confirmed cases out of which 2,209 are active. A total of 618 persons have died in the state, after testing positive for Covid-19 since the lockdown was announced in March this year.