TUESDAY, MAY 07, 2024
Team Herald
MARGAO: Tension rent the air at Colva on Saturday over the installation of a mobile tower, despite the stop work order from the panchayat as the villagers demanded that the tower be removed from the residential area and relocated elsewhere.
What irked the villagers and the panchayat is the non-compliance of the order by officials of the concerned company.
The panchas sought clarification from Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on the powers of the panchayat.
On Saturday, over 100 villagers gathered at the mobile tower installation site in Ward IV of the village. They called the sarpanch and panchas at the site. Colva Police too rushed to the site to avoid law and order problem.
Later, Joint Mamlatdar Rosario Carvalho ordered that the work be stopped temporarily and directed the officials of the mobile company to reply to the panchayat notice.
The panchayat questioned the government on rights of the local body, as one of the engineers present at the site claimed that they don't need panchayat permission to install the mobile tower.
Irked over the statement, panch Domingos Rodrigues demanded that the Chief Minister should clarify on the powers of the panchayat body. However, on Saturday, the work continued due to which the villagers gathered at the site and objected to the same.
"Why did the concerned company ask for the permission before installing the tower? What right do the mobile companies have to tell us what panchayats should do and what not", questioned panchas.
Former sarpanch and panch Anthony Fernandes said the panchayat has not issued any NOC to the concerned company.
Aam Aadmi Party leader Capt Venzy Viegas too objected to the installation of a mobile tower in the residential area.
Stating that the situation may lead to law and order problem, Joint Mamlatdar Rosario Carvalho rushed to the site and directed that the work be stopped temporarily and also asked the mobile company officials to revert back with an official written reply to the panchayat.
