MARGAO
Work on the mobile tower construction at 4th ward Colva resumed with police protection on Wednesday after Margao Deputy Collector Jyoti Kumari directed the Colva police to provide sufficient police personnel to execute the work of erection of Ground Base Tower (GBT) at the site.
Following the development, Colva Sarpanch Johnson Coelho along with ward member Domingo Rodrigues rushed to the spot along with the local residents, who have been opposing the tower, claiming the same is being built in a residential locality.
The sarpanch as well as the ward member later told the media that the panchayat will chalk out future course of action, including taking a delegation of the residents to the deputy Collector, Margao.
Ward member Domingo Rodrigues wondered how the PWD can issue single window permission for the construction of the base tower without site inspection and sans permission from the village panchayat. “Has the panchayat no role in issuing the license for towers construction. For any work, one has to conduct site inspection, but in this case, the PWD has not done so. The PWD should explain how they have given the permission. They cannot decide on such issues by sitting in the office. Let the PWD show the inspection report”, he said.
The property owner, Sisto Rodrigues, however, pointed out that he had leased his land to the cellular company, adding that the company had all the necessary permissions from the PWD. “The company has been given the permission to build the base tower by the PWD via the single window clearance. There were some questions raised over the expiry of the NOC issued for the work, but the same has been renewed by the PWD. The Collector has issued the police protection to the company to resume the work after it was found that all the things were in order”, Sisto said.
He said work on the construction of the tower was stopped by the Executive Magistrate on grounds that the work would result in a law and order problem. “Since the company had been granted police protection, the company has resumed work on the project”, he added.
