The illegal installation of mobile towers has been brought up at various gramsabhas, but KARSTEN MIRANDA finds that connectivity is also a concern of mobile phone users
The issue of mobile towers has rocked many a Salcete gram sabha in the past. Recently the Macazana gram sabha passed a resolution opposing any mobile tower on private land. The same issue had dominated past gram sabha in the village where a resolution had also been taken demanding that the panchayat take advice from Goa State Pollution Control Board (GSPCB) and Health Department on radiation effects and place the report at a special gram sabha
There have been similar discussions in other gram sabhas like Benaulim and Betalbatim. Interestingly, there have been both sides presented at the debates with the one group speaking about the harmful effects of radiation while the other speaking about the need to increase connectivity in the villages that have major network connectivity issues and argue that the towers come with the necessary approvals thus indicating that it is safe for villages if placed at appropriate areas.
The latest opposition has come from the Sirlim-Dramapur panchayat over digging of roads for laying of Reliance tower. In this case, former Dramapur-Sirlim Sarpanch Dominic Noronha along with some panchayat members filed a complaint about the continued illegal installation of mobile towers at Jacknibandh on NH17 in the village. Onsite workers of Reliance Jio were taken to the Police Station at Margao for further inquiries. They had earlier filed complaints with various authorities against the installation of a tower at Dramapur without panchayat permission.
However, PWD’s road (national highway) authorities in a reply to an RTI application had categorically ruled out granting permission for installing towers on highway land. In a letter to the Dramapur-Sirlim village panchayat, executive engineer XIV, had said that the office has not granted any permission to erect WI-FI towers in national highway land for 4G services.
Noronha further pointed out that 26 ground-based masts have been proposed in various villages across Salcete, including 11 towers within Margao Municipal Council jurisdiction.
