MARGAO
It’s nearly half-a-decade now since Salcete coastal belt played host to the international BRICS summit in 2016.
In a bid to improve the network connectivity, a host of cellular companies had erected towers in the villages, but Carmona village Sarpanch now says not only mobile connectivity is an issue, but these companies have failed to renew their trade licenses and deposit one month rent to the panchayat.
The panchayat has now resolved to issue notices to various mobile tower operators in the village.
“The dues of these companies are in huge arrears as they are bound to deposit one month rent to the Panchayat as per their agreements with the local bodies every year”, Sarpanch Allwyn Jorge said.
“The Goa office of one company is closed. We shall send notices to their head office in Pune and New Delhi”, he said.
The Sarpanch has warned that if the tower companies fail to pay up for renewal of their Licenses, the panchayat shall be constrained to serve them legal notices through the attorney.
The Sarpanch said the network connectivity is also an issue in the village, saying the Panchayat do not have any contact with the maintenance team of the service providers.
He added: “Today there are four Towers operated by this company, which are in operation without any Valid licenses. We shall also serve notices to another company to regularise their existing tower in the village by applying for our NOC & also by paying the dues owed to this Panchayat”, he said, adding We are of the firm opinion that in today's era, a strong mobile connectivity has to be put in the village. Any area suffering from bad coverage needs to be identified for improving the signal strength.
