Agitated Colva locals confront workers
the goan I network
MARGAO
This is the first time that villagers confronted and stopped work on a mobile tower “ three days after the Director of Panchayats, Gurudas Pilarnekar, issued a notification stating that work on the mobile towers can be undertaken without panchayat NOC.
No sooner a cement mixer rolled into the locality and unloaded tonnes of cement for a RCC foundation in a low-lying area, believed to be on the border of Vanelim and IInd Ward, agitated residents rushed to the spot to question the workers and stopped work at the site.
They even called the land owner, Oscar to find out how he has given the land in question for the tower when the panchayat has not issued any NOC. The land owner told the villagers that company officials had approached him for the NOC on the pleat the company will take all the necessary permissions from the authorities concerned.
They confronted the land owner for issuing the NOC, while demanding that the tower be shifted from the existing local. Sr Esta told the media at the site that the company vehicles and people
came at the site at night, leaving the residents wondered what’s going on there. “This morning, we realized that the foundation is being dug for the mobile tower,” she said.
A local resident Lawrence Fernandes pointed out that the panchayat has approved the tower, and that it should be immediately revoked and the tower shifted to a new location. He pointed out that the residents will file a written complaint to the Colva Panchayat and the Colva police demanding necessary action against the mobile tower.
Colva Sarpanch Menino Fernandes said the panchayat has not issued any NOC for the mobile
tower, adding that the panchayat will issue notice to the company on the basis of complaint received from the residents.
Meanwhile, when The Goan drew the attention of Panchayat Director Gurudas Pilarnekar to the confrontation to the mobile towers witnessed at Colva on Tuesday, he said the mobile companies
have been giving options in the event of opposition from the local populace. “Either they have to shift to a new location or they can install a temporary tower nearby,” Pilarnekar added.
