TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Government has finally unveiled a host of guidelines to regulate installation of mobile base-station towers in the State and has put in place a high-level state-level telecom committee headed by Chief Secretary to address public grievances relating to the towers and issues related to telecom infrastructure.
A government notification now mandates existing as well as new telecom service providers to submit self certificates periodically to local bodies and Goa State Pollution Control Board to ensure that the general public areas around the site are within the safe electro magnetic radiation (EMR) exposure limits. The department of telecommunications will assist the State government or local authorities to conduct and create awareness program for the benefit of the general public.
A notification issued by GSPCB Member Secretary, Levinson J Martins, has mooted heavy penalties on telecom service providers, which may even lead to a shut down of the mobile base station in case of violations. The notification has prescribed a consent fee of Rs 25,000 by the GSPCB as fees payable towards consent to establish and operate a mobile base station tower. The consent validity will be in force for a period of five years from the date of issue of consent.
As per the notification, service providers will now be mandated to submit documents from authorities for installation of mobile towers. The service providers are now required to submit a copy of the structural stability certificate for ground-based tower. In case of roof-top towers, structural stability certificate for the building and tower based on written approvals of any authorised structural engineer of the state and local bodies, besides central building research institute.
While the notification insists on a copy of clearance from fire safety department only in case of high-rise buildings where fire clearance is mandatory, it provides for a copy of clearance from the state environment and forest department for protected areas.
Other members on the state-level telecom committee include Chief Electrical Engineer, Director of Department of Science and Technology, Director of Panchayat and Municipal Administration and Chief Town Planner. Goa State Pollution Control Board Member secretary is its member secretary.
The guidelines comes after a resident of Madel-Margao Savio Dias knocked the doors of the High Court a year ago on the proliferation of mobile towers in the state. The court had directed the Chief Secretary to hear the petitioner and issue an appropriate order.
