MAPUSA
High drama unfolded at Colvale on Thursday morning when the village sarpanch and residents physically blocked an excavator from carrying out groundwork for a proposed mobile tower near the village playground, forcing the administration to stop the work.
Colvale Sarpanch Ritesh Varkhandkar, accompanied by several villagers, reached the site after a company engaged in installing the tower began excavating the ground. The villagers objected to the project, claiming that the tower was being installed in a densely populated area against the wishes of local residents.
Government officials who rushed to the site tried to pacify the protesters and informed them that the company had obtained the necessary permissions. They also said the site was government land.
However, the sarpanch and villagers remained unconvinced and sought time to examine the permissions and explore options to challenge the installation.
The situation escalated when officials indicated that excavation would continue. Varkhandkar reportedly lay down in front of the excavator, joined by other villagers, preventing the machinery from operating.
“We don’t want two mobile towers in the village. We are trying to save the village from this mobile tower,” Varkhandkar said. He also accused local MLA Nilkanth Halarnkar of failing to listen to the grievances of residents.
A resident opposing the project said villagers were particularly concerned about the tower’s location and its proximity to homes and children.
“We do not want our children to suffer because of radiation from mobile towers. If the tower has to be installed, it should be done after taking the concerns of the people into consideration,” the resident said.
Officials explained that the project had gone through the required approval process and tried to persuade the protesters to allow the work to continue. A magistrate at the site also requested the villagers to allow the work to resume, but they remained adamant.
With the villagers continuing their protest and refusing to clear the area, the administration eventually stopped the excavation and installation work.
