Attempts to set up a mobile phone tower in a residential area in the village of Siolim have kicked up a row once again.
Several villagers rushed to the Siolim Primary Health Centre where work to install a mobile phone tower was underway.
While the contractor engaged to erect the tower stood his ground as he had permission from the PWD to install the tower, the locals would not allow him to carry out the work.
As the situation was getting tense, Bardez Mamlatdar Dashrath Gawas rushed to the site and tried to assuage the concerns of the villagers about the necessity of the tower.
Gawas informed the locals that the contractor had government permission to install the tower. He also tried to convince them that installing mobile phone towers will help to get better connectivity as students too need internet connectivity for their studies.
However, the villagers remained unfazed and opposed setting up of the tower in the residential area and particularly near the health centre.
Siolim-Marna panchayat member, William Fernandes who backed the villagers against the tower, disclosed that there was a High Court order which did not allow a mobile tower within 50 metres of a hospital.
Secondly, he said that the NOC which the contractor was showing had already expired and therefore there was no question of setting up of the tower. “We all use mobile phones. The villagers also per se do not oppose the tower but it should be erected away from a populated area and particularly from a health institute,” Fernandes said.
