MARGAO: The apprehensions and resentment against mobile towers was evident at two gram sabhas held in Salcete on Sunday as the villagers raised objections to them even though Engineer Srikrishna Vete of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd explained how mobile towers are not as harmful as perceived.
At Sarzora Srikrishna was asked to explain the technicalities of the mobile tower and he explained that as non ionizing frequency is used by mobile towers it is not harmful to humans as the ionizing frequency that is harmful.
He said the radiation from the mobile would be more harmful especially when used in area where the range is very weak as during that time the transmission is higher and could be harmful.
However, the villagers at Sarzora insisted that they did not want the mobile tower in residential area and suggested that it be located anywhere else preferably on the hills. Sarpanch Sabita Mascarenhas said she had already shown them another site near the quarry.
Disclosing that the local BSNL staff had said there was no access road to that site, Srikrishna said he would inspect the site and urged the people to suggest any other alternate site as Sarzora was one of the 80 places where BSNL proposes to install a tower spending around Rs 30 to 40 lakh on installing each tower.
He said that the site selection is done based on how much area the tower will be able to service and that the site offered by one of the villagers appeared ideal from that perspective. However, he said BSNL was open to an alternative and urged the villagers to help him in identifying one.
At the Aquem Baixo gram sabha people were up in arms as the mobile tower erected on the building of Dorothy Apartments opposite the main gate to the military camp has not yet been demolished. The Sarpanch Siddesh Bhagat explained that the demolition order has been granted by the Deputy Collector and the demolition was scheduled on May 8, 2018 however, could not be carried out as the PWD and Police personnel did not turn up.
Assuring the people that he was with them to demolish the illegal tower that has been erected without permission from the panchayat, he said he had already written to the deputy collector urging for another date for demolition.
“If the authorities are not doing what is expected of them then I am ready to even demolish it myself even if I am arrested for the same,” he said reiterating that he was with the people on the issue. He clarified that he was not against erection of towers, but insisted that it should be done after following the laid down procedures.
