PANJIM: There is good news for smart phone buffs, as slow downloads could be a thing of the past, with 4G services set to soon become a reality in the State. The Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) has received nearly 200 applications for installing 4G technology mobile towers of which 30 have already been issued Consent to Operate. The remaining 170 applications are still under consideration.
The State already has 750 mobile towers with 1G, 2G and 3G technology. Speaking to Herald, GSPCB Chairman Jose Manuel Noronha said that following the State government notification last year which made Consent to Operate mandatory, 200 applications have been received for installation of 4G technology mobile towers in North and South Goa.
The applicants include Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio Infocomm and other Indian telecom players.
“So far, we have issued permissions to erect 30, 4G technology mobile towers across the State. The consents were granted after carrying out proper site inspections,” he said. The technology seeks to provide wireless internet access at a higher speed than 3G.
The board charges Rs 25,000 as Consent Fee to service providers. Fees are payable towards consent to establish or operate the mobile base station towers (MBST) including a DG set. The consent validity will be for five years from the date of issue of consent.
Goa is the first State to come out with guidelines on installation of MBST in the State. GSPCB guidelines state that, ‘Any violation with regards to exceeding the prescribed electro-magnetic radiation (EMR) exposure limit will attract heavy penalties on telecom service providers, which may even lead to shutting down the MBST in case violation persists.’
Meanwhile, following a series of local complaints about violation of radiation limit by the mobile towers, GSPCB in association with Navi Mumbai based company Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Shielding Alternatives (NESA), conducted inspections of number of mobile towers and it was observed that all operate within the prescribed limit. Noronha said that prior to September 2012, the limit of radiation was 4.5 watts per sqm, which was reduced to 0.45 watts per sqm. “The inspection revealed that all are working within the limit of 0.45 watts per sqm,” he said. The inspection was carried out in Margao, Mapusa, Pernem, Mandrem, Porvorim and Aldona.
NESA core expertise is in the field of electromagnetic radiation measurement and shielding solutions.
