MARGAO
The stalemate over the proposal to install four controversial towers in Velim constituency continues even as the representative of a cellular company maintained that the Goa Telecom Infrastructure Policy does not mandate obtaining permissions from the local bodies, including the panchayats.
Villagers of Sao Jose de Areal, Chinchinim, Dramapur-Sirlim and Assolna, however, insisted on their objection over the location of the towers close to residential areas.
While the villagers proposed alternate sites to the cellular company to install the mobile towers, the company, however, insisted on installing the towers at the designated locations in the properties of government departments.
An interaction between representatives of the four villages and the officials of Indus Mobile Towers was arranged by Velim MLA Cruz Silva at his Velim office on Saturday morning in a bid to find a solution to the issue of mobile towers proposed in close proximity to the residential areas in Sao Jose de Areal, Assolna, Drampaur and Chinchinim.
The two sides discussed a host of issues, from radiation to the location of the towers and the failure of the company to obtain permission from the local panchayat bodies.
The Indus official explained to the villagers that the new Goa Telecom Infrastructure Policy does not mandate the companies to obtain permission from the panchayat body. In fact, he asserted that the company has obtained all the necessary permissions to set up the towers as mandated under the policy.
The villagers, on the other hand, pointed out that they are not opposed to the towers per se, but their locations. They told the Indus Towers representative that the villages will help the company identify suitable locations for the installation of the mobile towers.
Incidentally, representatives of the Comunidade of Chinchinim and Dramapur were present for the interaction. The comunidade representatives offered to identify comunidade land in the two villages to set up the towers.
The Velim MLA later told the media that he had called for the interaction between the villagers and the cellular company in order to break the impasse over the tower construction in the four villages.
“I had invited five representatives from each of the four villages to convey their grievances to the Indus company officials in order to find a way out. We could not arrive at any solution, but we will continue to discuss the issue,” Cruz said.
Cruz further pointed out that he would take up the matter with the government since the Indus company has planned to install the four towers in government properties in close proximity to residential areas.
