locals confront crew; MLA backs protest; citizens ask Sardinha to revoke tower in property
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco lends his support to Curtorim villagers opposing tower. Villagers later called on former MLA Francisco Sardinha seeking withdrawal of the permission given in his property to install the tower.
MARGAO
High drama unfolded at Curtorim on Sunday after agitating villagers marched to a site to stop workers of a cellular company from executing work on the installation of a mobile tower.
Moments later, Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco also descended at the site to express his solidarity with the agitating villagers, saying the panchayat will send a stop work notice on the company to immediately stop work on the tower.
By noon, the citizens went to the residence of former MP Francisco Sardinha after being informed that he is the owner of the property, to demand that he withdraw the permission, given to the company to install the tower.
Sardinha, however, told the delegation that he would seek the opinion of technocrat to ascertain whether towers result in radiation and is a cause behind lightning during rains.
Trouble started on Sunday morning when the citizens found workers engaged in the work of installation of a mobile tower. Ex-sarpanch and ward member Alcinho D’Silva, who rushed to the site, called up the company engineer, only to be informed that the work pertains to the installation of the tower at the site.
When D’Silva drew his attention that the panchayat has not issued any permission for the tower, the engineer replied back saying the company has obtained permission from the IT department. He further informed over the phone that the company is not mandated to obtain panchayat permission to install the tower.
Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, who made his presence at the site, supported the demand of the citizens against the tower. He said the site in question is already playing host to two towers and demanded to know the need for a third tower in the vicinity. “I am not in favour of the tower since the area is already having two towers. I will not tolerate any dadagiri from the cellular company,” he said.
Admitting that the Central government has assumed powers on installation of towers, Reginaldo, however, said that citizens have every right to protest and oppose any project. “Here is a case wherein there are two towers already existing. That is the reason why we do not want the third tower in the vicinity,” he said.
